#AND HOW YOU SHOWED THE SILHOUETTES AND THE FIGURES WHOA | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ave-aria · 5 years ago

Text

Rewind

Ectober Week 2020 Day 3: Rewind Summary: Maddie can't believe what she's seeing on the security tape. In shock, she hits rewind. Tags: Reveal fic, Blood, Angst, Implications of character death, Tragedy, Trauma, Oneshot

Rewind.

Maddie keeps her eyes on the tv screen as the figures wind their way backwards to the start of the video. She won't look away. Can't. Doesn't dare.

If she looks away, she'll have to focus on something else. The quiet, dusty lab around her. The uncleaned ecto-weapons by the door. The green blood smattered on the blade.

The hollow, empty house looming over her head…

The video hiccups a bit as she hits the start of the feed. Old VHS tapes are odd like that, buzzing out with static where the film wore thin from too many pauses and restarts. It's a sign she's hit the beginning. Maddie presses play.

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let you down here."

It was an old security tape, filched from the lab. Onscreen, three teenagers, her son at the lead, slip into the camera's field of view. Maddie leans closer, enraptured by the movement, even though she's seen this moment enough times to have it seared into her brain.

Maybe, if she focuses hard enough, she can learn the secret - how to rewind her own mistakes, go back to a time when none of it has happened, just like in the video.

"Whoa, check it out! This thing's huge! I can't believe your parents built this!" A pause, while the kid adjusts his glasses. "Bummer that it doesn't work though, dude."

"Damn. Was it really supposed to open a portal to the underworld?"

"It's 'The Ghost Zone,' Sam. And yeah. My parents were pretty heartbroken when it didn't work. It kinda just… fizzled out. I hope they're not too upset."

The detached, clinical angle of the shot doesn't do the moment justice. Danny'd always been such a kind boy, thoughtful and empathetic to a fault. Maddie's throat closes up a little, leaving her struggling to breathe. They had been upset. Unbearably so. Their life's work - as Danny put it - fizzled out before their very eyes. It'd been a hard loss to take, one that she and Jack might never have recovered from, had the Portal not miraculously started working on its own, days later.

God. Now she almost wishes it hadn't.

A bright flash draws her from her reverie. Maddie blinks at the screen. A camera flash. In her distraction, she's missed part of the video; Tucker's casual "Lighten up, dude,", Sam's request for a photo op, Danny grabbing a hazmat suit to pose with while she dug the device from her backpack.

"—Got it," Sam waves the printed Polaroid to air out the negative.

"Okay. I showed you the portal. Can we get out of here now? My parents could be back here any minute."

Where had they been that day, anyway? Maddie wonders. Grocery shopping? Visiting the park? Moping, as they tried anything to get their minds off of their most recent failure? If they'd been there —

If they'd been there—

"Come on, Danny," comes Sam's voice, treacherous in its fascination. "A Ghost Zone? Aren't you curious?"

Danny looks into the Portal, clutching the custom white suit made specially for him. Sam smirks, knowing. "You gotta check it out."

Maddie hits pause.

Rewind.

"You gotta check it out."

Pause. Rewind.

"You gotta check it out."

Rewind.

"—gotta check it out."

The remote feels cold and heavy, like ice in her hand. In that moment, a selfishness grips her. She could blame Sam. For all if it. Everything that happened, it all started here, and it started because—

—But she can't blame Sam, because the next moment, Danny turns back, his eyes sparkling with an adventurous spirit. It's a spark of curiosity, brimming at the thought of the unknown; a look she's all too familiar with, one she's seen often on her daughter's face, her husband's - even her own, in the mirror.

"You know what? You're right. Who knows what kind of awesome, super cool things exist on the other side of that Portal?"

That curiosity, it's a Fenton trait, not one that needs to be stoked like a fire. That spark's been burning within him, since the cradle.

"Don't go in," she whispers, as if her advice could change the course of history. Even if he could hear her, though, it would be no use. He can no more resist the call than he can resist breathing.

He pulls on the hazmat suit. Skintight, white with black edging. It's like staring at a photo-negative. Watching her son, Maddie's stomach twists.

How couldn't she see it before?

"Alright. I'm going in." He says. His first footsteps echo, loud, in the hollow of the blacked out Portal…

Maddie's breath shudders in. She grips the remote and, before she can stop herself, hits the button.

Rewind.

She watches as her son walks backwards, double-time, out of the entrance to the Portal. The panic that gripped her fades.

"Mads?" From somewhere up above, echoing down the staircase, comes her husband's voice. Maddie is glued to the video screen, and almost doesn't hear him. Regardless, she definitely can't answer. What would she even say?

"Maddie?" His heavy footsteps echo in the stairwell, trudging closer. "Are you down there?"

A hitch in the tape. Maddie presses play.

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let you down here."

Drawn by the sound, Jack trudges the rest of the way down the narrow staircase. She feels a slight reverberation in the floor when he reaches the landing behind her. She doesn't turn around.

"The police called back. Officer McNally said he'd file a missing persons report, and they promised to keep their eyes open. But—" she hears the way uncertainty causes his voice to die in his throat when she doesn't turn to greet him. After a long moment of silence, he draws up to her side. "What are you watching?" he asks at last.

"It kinda just… fizzled out. I hope they're not too upset."

Question. He'd asked a question. Maddie swallows and struggles to answer. "Security tapes," she chokes out.

Understanding, an incomplete kind, dawns on Jack, and vigor jumps back into his bones. "Mads, that's brilliant!" he booms. "Why didn't I think of it? He comes into the lab all the time! We can use the security tapes to see when he last—"

"I found this tape in Danny's room," she interrupts.

Again, his voice falters in confusion.

"Under the bed," she elaborates, as if that will help. And continues watching, detached.

"Can we get out of here now? My parents could be back any minute."

The flickering light of the tv fills the lab, ominous in its glow. Jack hesitates. Maybe he's picked up on the subtext by now. Maddie can picture his eyes drifting from the staticy screen to the items in front of it, scattered across the table. He reaches out fro the shoebox sitting beside the tv. Taped to its front, written in the cursive, unmistakable scrawl of their son's handwriting, is a note that reads:

'If I Never Come Home'

"Maddie, what is this." Jack's voice is uncharacteristically heavy. Looking to her for guidance. For answers.

For once, she has none to give.

"Watch," Maddie whispers, still trapped by the screen. Automatic, her fingers hit the button.

Rewind.

With no other options to grasp at, he does.

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let you down here."

Watches as the kids approach the Portal.

"Aren't you curious?"

Watches as their son zips up the hazmat suit.

"Alright, I'm going in."

Watches as he disappears into the empty cavity of their greatest invention.

Click.

Watches as it thrums to life, with a scream.

"Da—Danny no!" Jack yells in tandem with the two remaining teens. He lurches forward, hand outstretched, to stop the agony onscreen. "He's not - when did he -"

"It's old, Jack," Maddie whispers. "From when the Portal started working."

Jack spins to stare at her. "You mean - Danny's the one who—" he's visibly struggling with the information, the same way she did, on her first viewing. "But—he never said—"

Right, Madie thinks. He never said anything. Jack's confusion is laughable, though. Why Danny never told them—that much is painfully clear.

"Guys?" Over the yelling and the panicking and the electric cackle from the Portal, their son's terrified voice cuts through the din. "G-guys help, what's happening?!"

Tucker and Sam are black silhouettes stumbling backwards from a swirling green glow, but they freeze and scramble to right themselves, lurching forward to catch someone as he stumbles through the gate.

Phantom - Danny - emerges from the portal, falling to his knees.

"…No," Jack says. Disbelief is thick in his voice. "That can't be… no."

Maddie lifts the remote.

Rewind.

A flash of light. A curdling scream. A shock of confusion, panic, scramble.

Danny Phantom stumbles from the portal.

Jack stares for a long time. Then he reaches out, snatching the lid of the shoebox for a second look at the evidence. The note, accusatory, stares back at them.

"This is how he tells us." Jack doesn't often whisper, but it seems like he can't do anything else. Her husband looks at the empty shoebox, the screen, the VCR. "Our son is Danny Phantom, and this is how he tells us. I…" he trails off.

Maddie almost can't believe it, how easily Jack arrives at the conclusion. It took her twelve viewings for her to wrap her mind around it, and it still hasn't really sunk in. But then, that's always been Jack's strong poing - those intuitive leaps of logic. Ones every scientist both loathed and envied.

"Did it kill him?" he moves seamlessly onto the next question that tripped her. Somehow, Jack's voice is even quieter this time.

Maddie shakes her head no. If they watch the video long enough, about ten minutes in, Danny manages to change his way back to human. If their invention did kill him, it wasn't permanent. Not that time, at least.

She's too close to thinking about it.

Rewind.

"But—" she can't stop Jack from thinking, though. He barrels on, heedless of breaking the fragile grasp Maddie has on her sanity. "But if all this time — Phantom—"

A hitch in the tape.

"We've been—"

Press play.

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let you down here."

"—Don't tell me we've been trying to waste our own kid—"

If Maddie weren't so detached, she might laugh. Waste. God, he can't even say it.

"Trying?" she asks instead. Bitter, the word sticks to her tongue.

She's not looking at the tape now. She's looking at him. And Jack, oh, Jack, he just stares down at her, a dark horror growing in his eyes.

He whips around to look at the bloodied weapons sitting at the base of the stairs.

Exactly where they left them two days ago, after that nasty ghost fight. When they came home to find a broken house, their daughter crying at the kitchen table, and their son just - gone.

"No." Jack backs up a step. "No no no no no no no—"

A flash of light. A curdling scream—

In an instant, Jack is moving. He snatches up weapons, whatever he can find, and bolts for the staircase, vaulting his way up to ground floor. Distantly, Maddie hears the doors slam. The RV thrumming to life. The screech of tires as Jack peels out of the driveway.

In the cold wake of his departure, Maddie turns back to the tv. She should go after him, she knows. But she's not quite done watching. Jack's always been a man of action, after all, but she's the analytical one, who studies, who marvels, who gathers the facts she sees.

Phantom, onscreen, slumps against his friends while he drips ectoplasm to the floor. He stares down at his white-gloved hands, his glowing green eyes wide in shock. Maddie wonders if he knew, then, what would become of him. What his parents, who raised him, who swore to protect him, would do.

She can't face those questions. Not yet. Not yet. Instead, she lifts the remote.

And rewinds.

A good scientist, a rational scientist, never draws conclusions while she's still gathering evidence. So as long as she's still watching—

A hitch in the tape. She's at the beginning. Maddie presses play.

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let you down here."

As long as she keeps watching, she doesn't have to do anything with this information. All she has to do is watch.

So she watches. She rewinds. And she plays. She can't look away—

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let you down here—"

She doesn't dare.

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let you down h—"

All she can do is rewind—

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let y—"

And rewind—and rewind—

"Mom and Dad would kill me if—"

Until she finds evidence contrary to her theory…

"Mom and Dad would kill me—"

Or she finds Its inevitable End.

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they knew I let you down here."

Rewind.

"Mom and Dad would kill me if they—"

Rewind.

"Mom—"

Rewind.

"Mom—"

Rewind.

"Mom—"

[AO3] [FFN]

#Danny Phantom #Ectober #EctoberWeek2020 #Rewind #Reveal Fic #Identity Reveal #Maddie Fenton #Jack Fenton #Character Death #sorry for the length #oneshot

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the-chocoholic-writer · 4 years ago

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Madripoor

Zemo and Sarah’s time in Madripoor

Warnings: SPOILERS FOR EP3, violence, flirting, ect.

Words: 3527

“He’s just through that corridor.” The security guard points to a door down the large hallway. Sarah stand between Sam and Bucky as the guard stops walking.

“Alright. Give us a sec.” Bucky turns to the two as the guard walks off. “I’m gonna go in alone.” Sam and Sarah look at Bucky like he has lost the plot.

“Why?”

“Cause you’re Avengers. You know how he feels about that.”

“Buck it’s not like you two were known for frolickin’ in the sun together.” Sam gestures to where Zemo is.

“This is dangerous Bucky... HE is dangerous.” Sarah states, looking at Bucky, concerned.

“He was obsessed with Hydra... We have a history together. Trust me...” He looks at them. “I got it.” He walks off before they can say anything.

“I hope he’s alright in there...” Sarah says to Sam, after Bucky leaves the pair alone.

“He will be... He’s Bucky.” Sam places his hand on Sarah’s shoulder and gives her a soft smile.

~Later~

“What are you talking about? You wanna break Zemo outta jail? Where the hell are we, Buck? Have you lost your mind?” Sam shines a torch around the large empty room.

“We have no leads, no moves, nothing.”

“What we have is one of the most dangerous men in the world behind bars.”

“And we also have eight Super Soldiers that are loose.” Sam covers his eyes as Bucky shines the light at his face.

“Sarah how do you feel about this?” Sam turn to Sarah. Sarah quickly turns to Sam.

“I don’t think it’s safe to break Zemo out... remember what happened last time we dealt with him?” The pair look at Bucky.

“Exactly. Zemo’s gonna mess with our minds. Especially yours. No offence.” Bucky flips a switch and these large lights begin turning on. The three switch their flashlights off.

“Offense.” Bucky glares at Sam. “Super Soldiers go against everything he believes in. He is crazy, but he still has a code.” Bucky walks away from Sam and Sarah.

“I’ve been on the wrong side of that code, Buck, and so have you and Sarah. He blew up the UN, he killed King T’Chaka and framed you for it. Did you forget that? You think the Wakandans forgot about it? It’s a rhetorical question. They didn’t. I know why this matters to you, but c’mon it’s pushing you off the deep end.” Sam takes a step forward as Bucky opens his arms.

“Sam, we don’t know how they’re gettin’ the serum. We don’t even know how many of them there are.” He sighs softly.

“This is a little too crazy Bucky... we will figure it out okay? We don’t need Zemo.” Sarah steps forward and gives him a soft smile and she rests her hand on his arm.

“Look, let me run you through a hypothetical. Can I run you through a hypothetical?”

“Bucky...” Sarah’s smile turns into a frown, as Sam turns to look at him.

“What did you do?”

“I didn’t... do anything...” Bucky loos to the left, refusing to make eye contact.

“The weakest point in the system isn’t the software, the hardware, it’s the meatware. The human element. Now, in this lockup, it’s nine to one, prisoners to guards, and if two prisoners start fighting then the protocol says four guards have to respond.”

“So why would two prisoners start randomly fighting at that moment?”

“Who knows? There could be many reasons...”

“What I’m hearing is that you started it.” Sarah crosses her arms.

“The point is, these things escalate. Lockdown procedures would have to be initiated, and with all those bodies flying around left and right, it wouldn’t be hard to slip down a hallway or two.” Sarah shakes her head and facepalms, exasperated. Bucky starts up again. “And if the fire alarm got tripped while the prisoners were being separated... someone could use the chair to their advantage.” Bucky does a small shrug.

“I don’t like how causal you’re being about this. This is unnatural. Are you... And where are we, man?” Suddenly, a door loudly opens.

“Bucky, you didn’t...” Sarah gasps at him.

The three look over at a plastic curtain, seeing the silhouette of a man grow smaller the closer he gets, until HE emerges.

“Whoa. Whoa, whoa. hey! What are you doin’ here?”

“No, listen. I didn’t tell you ‘cause I knew neither of you would let this happen.” Bucky looks at Sarah, who is staring at Zemo, eyes wide, knowing memories of what he had done were running through her mind.

“What did you do?!” Sam gets in Bucky’s face.

“We need him, Sam... Sarah.”

“No, Bucky, this is crazy. Even for you!” Sarah growls, a glare plastered to her face.

“You’re going back to prison!” Sam points at Zemo.

“If I may...” The man in question begins.

“NO!” The three yell at him. He looks a little startled by the sudden synchronisation but nods softly and whispers out a small “Apologies.” Bucky turns to Sarah and Sam.

“When Steve refused to sign the Sokovia Accords, you both backed him. You broke the law, and you stuck your necks out for me. I’m asking you both to do it again.”

“I really think I’m invaluable...” Zemo once again interrupts. Sarah groans softly as Sam turns to him, with a glare.

“Shut up.” Zemo squints at him. Sam looks at Bucky and sighs, shaking his head.

“Okay. If we do this, you don’t make a move without our permission.”

Zemo makes a face for a second and nods.

“Fair.”

“I don’t like this...” Sarah looks at Bucky and Sam. The pair shrug and turn back to Zemo.

“Okay, Zemo. Where do we start?” The three look at him as he smiles.

“So our first move is grand theft auto?” Sam looks at the large number of cars.

“These are mine. Collected by family over the generations. I spent years hunting people HYDRA recruited to recreate the serum.” Sarah, Sam and Bucky look around at all of his cars. “Because once it’s out there, someone can crate an army of people... Like the Avengers.” Zemo looks at Sam, his eyes flickering over to Sarah who stands beside Sam. “I ended the Winter Soldier program once before. I have no intention to leave my work unfinished.” He grabs a large coat from the top of his car. “To do this we’ll have to scale a ladder of lowlifes.” He begins walking away from the trio and the car.

“Well, join the party. We’ve already started.”

“First still is a woman named Selby. Mid-level fence I still have a line on. From there, we climb.” Sarah looks at Sam and begins to follow Zemo, Bucky and Sam right behind her.

The four walk towards the door of a private jet where an older man stands, waiting.

“So all this time you’ve been rich?”the look of confusion on Sam’s face made Sarah giggle softly, to herself.

“I’m a Baron, Sam. My family was royalty until your friends destroyed my country.” Sarah watches as Zemo and the older man talk in Russian, happiness and comfort evident on the Baron’s face. “Please.” Zemo gestures and leads the three up the stairs of the jet.

Once the four are in the jet, Sarah sitting across from Zemo. The older man explains the fridge is out.

“If it doesn’t pass the smell test... give it to them. But not the beautiful woman.” Zemo smiles as the older man laughs and leaves. Sarah zoned out of the conversation for some time, translating Zemo’s words and tries to figure out if he had actually meant to say beautiful or not. She is only snapped back to reality when she sees Bucky with his hand around Zemo’s throat.

“I’ve seen that book. It was Steve’s when he came out of the ice. I told him about Trouble Man. He wrote it in that book. Did you hear it? What’d you think?” Sam looks at Bucky expectantly.

“I like ‘40s music, so...” Bucky shrugs.

“You didn’t like it?”

“I liked it..”

“Trouble Man is amazing.” Sarah states.

“It is a masterpiece, James. Complete. Comprehensive. It captures the African-America experience.” Sam and Sarah look at Zemo confused for a second before they turn back to Bucky.

“He does have a point.” Sarah agrees with the Baron.

“He’s out of line, but he’s right. It’s great. Everybody loves Marvin Gaye.”

“I liked Marvin Gaye.”

“Steve adored Marvin Gaye.” Sarah shakes her head softly, takes out her phone and headphones out and puts on some ‘calming’ music by Pan!c at the Disco, trying to delve into her own little world as she looks out the window of the jet.

~~In Madripoor~~

“We have to do something about this. I’m the only one who looks like a pimp.” Sam complains.

“Only an American would assume a fashion-forward black man looks like a pimp. You look exactly like the man you’re supposed to be playing. The sophisticated, charming African rake names Conrad Mack, aka the Smiling Tiger.” Zemo shows Sam a picture of the man he is impersonating on his phone as the four continue walking.

“He even has a bad nickname. Hell, he does look like me, though.”

“Well you aren’t the only one who hates this plan, Sam...” Sarah walks in between Bucky and the Baron, in a small black dress and black heels that Zemo had bought for her to wear. “Do I really have to wear this? And who the fuck am I supposed to be?” She looks at Zemo, an annoyed glare pointed at him.

“Yes, darling. And you are my fiancée, it would be too suspicious for a new face to show up without a specific reason. No matter what happens, we have to stay in character. Our lives depend on it. There’s no margin for error.” Zemo states as a black car pulls up in front of them. He reached forward and opens the door for Sarah, who nods at him as she climbs into the middle seat, between Sam and Bucky. During the car ride, Zemo’s eyes flicker up to the mirror, watching Sarah. She notices his staring and she looks down, a soft blush covering her face. Suddenly, a group of motorbikes come out of nowhere, surrounding the car.

The car pulls up and Sam, Bucky and Zemo climb out of the car. Sarah turns to climb out after Bucky but an outstretched hand stops her. Specifically Zemo’s hand, waiting for her to take it. She reaches out and places her small hand in his and he helps her out of the car, wrapping his arm around her waist. Sarah tenses and he leans down, lips millimeters away from her ear.

“You’re my girl here, that’s your character.” He whispers huskily. The hand on her waist gives her a soft squeeze. She takes a small breath and leans against him, as the four of them walk along the walk above the large crowd of people.

As the four of them walk into the Princess Bar, Zemo’s grip on her tightens, pressing her close to him. The fur on his coat tickles her cheek and neck. “Here we are... Ready to comply, Winter Soldier?” Zemo asks as he leads Sarah, Sam and Bucky to the bar, still holding the woman’s waist. As the four make it to the bar, the bartender walks over, surprise written all over his face.

“Hello Miss, Gentlemen. Wasn’t expecting you, Smiling Tiger.”

“His plans changed. We have business to do with Selby.” The bartender looks at Zemo with suspicion, then looks at the Sam.

“The usual?” Sam nods.

“Ah... Smiling Tiger, your favourite.” Zemo says, watching the bartender cut open a snake, using it to make the Smiling Tigers usual drink.

“I love these..” Sam says with slight hesitation. Zemo lifts his drink.

“Cheers Conrad.” Zemo drinks his own as Sarah sips on her drink, watching the two. Sam hesitates, then takes the drink like a shot, giving the bartender a thumbs up.

A man walks up behind Zemo and as he turns, moves Sarah out of the way of any possible harm.

“I got word from on high. You ain’t welcome here.”

“I have no business with the Power Broker, but if he insists, he can either come and talk to me...” Zemo gestures to Bucky.

“New haircut?” The man questions Bucky.

“Or bring Selby for a chat.” Zemo watches the man. He looks at Zemo, then at Bucky, then Sam and lastly towards Sarah who is peeking out from behind Zemo’s protective stance.

“A Power Broker? Really?” Bucky looks at Zemo, obviously done with this situation.

“Every kingdom needs its king.” Zemo slides his arm back around Sarah, softly and sneakily massaging the small area on her waist. “Let’s just pray we stay under his radar.”

“Do you know him?” Sam questions.

“Only by reputation.”

“That doesn’t sound to good.” Sarah mumbles, taking another sip of her drink.

“It’s not. In Madripoor, he is judge, jury and executioner.” Zemo looks around the room and then turns back to the bar. “Winter Soldier. Attack.” The moment the man roughly placed his hand on Zemo, Bucky’s metal arm shot out, grabbing his wrist and twisting, pushing the man to the middle of the floor.

Sam, Sarah and Zemo watch as Bucky kicks ass left and right, causing not only damage to the people but to the furniture around him. Zemo leans close to Sarah and Sam.

“Didn’t take much for him to fall back into form.” Zemo states. Bucky slams a man down onto the bar, then the sound of guns cocking. Sam and Zemo look around the bar at everyone and Zemo grabs Sarah, pulling her close, trying to protect her. Sam places a hand on Bucky’s arm.

“Stay in character or the whole bar turns on us.” Zemo whispers to Sam, then he turns to Bucky. “Well done, Soldier.” The bartender watches as Bucky doesn’t let go of the man.

“Selby will see you now.” Bucky let’s go of the man, slowly.

“Thank you.” Zemo nods and gives Sarah’s waist a squeeze. Sam turns to Bucky.

“You good?” He says softly. Bucky looks at Sam quickly before following Zemo and Sarah. Sam following shortly after.

“You should know, Baron. People don’t just come into my bar and make demands.” The woman, Selby, state as the four enter the room.

“Not a demand. An offer.” Zemo sits down, Sarah sitting down on his lap.

“A lot has changed since you were here last.” Sarah decides at that moment to play the character she was given and rests her head on Zemo’s shoulder, playing with the ends of his hair, sneakily paying attention to the entire conversation. Sarah then slides off the Baron’s lap, he gestures for her to sit back where he was sitting and he walks over to Bucky.

“And I give you him.” He walks around, behind Bucky, who looks like a statue. “Along with the code words to control him, of course. He will do anything you want.” Zemo runs his fingers over Bucky’s chin, softly grabbing and wiggling the end.

“Now that’s the Zemo I remember. I’m glad I decided not to kill you immediately. However, I want something else to go along with him.” She smirks at the two men, slowly turning to look at Sarah, who is still sitting on the chair opposite her. “I want that pretty little thing as well.” Zemo walks away from the soldier and Sarah scoots out of the chair for him to sit, taking her original place in his lap.

“Not this one, she’s mine.” His hand cups Sarah’s butt and squeezes, as a way of staking his claim in front of Selby. Sarah, deciding she didn’t like the way the woman talked about her as though she’s an object, steps in.

“I belong to my Baron.” She runs her fingers through the back of his hair. Selby looks disappointed by gives Zemo the information about the Super Soldier Serum and a man called Dr. Wilfred Nagel.

“You can’t find Nagel without me.” Sam’s phone vibrates suddenly.

“Sam? Who’s Sam? Kill them!” Suddenly Selby is on the floor dead with a bullet wound and then chaos ensues. Bucky and Sam take out two of her bodyguards as Sarah pulls a knife out from under her dress and stabs another in between the eyes. She lets the body fall and hit the ground, turns to look at the three men who came with her, staring at her in shock.

“Did you three REALLY think I was coming HERE, defenceless??” Sarah rolls her eyes. The four move towards the exit.

“They’re gonna pin this on us.” Sam states, leaning against the door. Zemo sighs, as Sarah sheaths her knife, the three men’s eyes lingering on her exposed thigh.

“We have a real problem now, so leave your weapons and follow my lead.”

Bucky, Sam, Sarah and Zemo quickly leave the area, the sound of phones receiving messages going off all around them. Zemo’s arm is once again around Sarah’s waist.

“This is not good...” suddenly the light above them go out and multiple gun shots are heard. The four duck and Zemo turns and drags Sarah off down an alley, leaving Bucky and Sam.

“Zemo wait! I can’t run in the-“

Sarah trips, her eyes closed as she waits for the rough impact but instead feels the soft fur from Zemo’s coat. He caught me... the two stare at each other for a moment before Zemo picks Sarah up and continues running down the alleyway.

Finally they got to the end of the alley and turn the corner to see Sam and Bucky standing there, as a body falls.

“You seem to have a guardian angel.” He points out.

“Well this is too perfect.” The last person the four expected to see was Sharon Carter to walk out of the shadow. “Let go of Sarah and drop it, Zemo.” Zemo puts the gun down and lets of Sarah reluctantly.

“Sharon?” Bucky takes a step forward.

~~~~ skip forward to the party at Sharon’s~~~~

Sarah stands off to the side of the crowd still wearing the dress Zemo bought her. Bucky and Sam are talking as she looks around at the dancing crowd only to see Zemo...

Sarah let’s put a tiny laugh, shaking her head at the sight. When she looks back up at him, he is gesturing for her to come dance with him. Sarah thinks for a second before a goofy smile appears and she pushes off the bar and joins Zemo in the crowd.

“Those are so great moves!” She calls out to him over the crowd, he grabs her hands and continues dancing.

“Then dance with me!” He calls back, a large goofy smile on his face. The pair end up dancing and looking at some of the artwork together until they meet up with Sam and Bucky, waiting for Sharon.

“Hey, guys. I found him.” Sharon motions for the four to follow her. Sam turns to Bucky.

“Here we go.”

“Alright, he’s in there. Container four-two-six-one. Sarah and I will keep an eye out while you guys talk to Nagel. But hurry. We’re on borrowed time.” Sharon holds out her palm with five ear pieces for everyone. Sarah, Sam, Bucky and Zemo take theirs and Sharon leads Sarah away from the group, noticing how Zemo watches as the two disappear.

Minutes later, Sharon turns to Sarah.

“So, Zemo seems to have taken a liking to you?” She smirks.

“No he doesn’t.” Sarah shakes her head as she looks around, guarding the shipping container. “It was Allan act. I had to pretend to be his fiancée to get into the club.”

“It’s pretty obvious it wasn’t an act, when I showed up pointing that gun at him, he was being protective.” Sarah rolls her eyes as Sharon nudges her.

The pair are oblivious to the fact that their earpieces were still on and Zemo, Sam and Bucky could hear everything. Sam and Bucky turn slowly to glare at Zemo and if looks could kill, he would have been dead already. However he isn’t paying attention to the two, instead distracted by the voices in his ear and the burnin blush covering his cheeks.

~~~ After the explosion and Zemo’s scene of him kicking ass ~~~

Zemo pulls up in front of the group and shrugs.

“Supercharged.”

Bucky climbs in the passenger seat and Sam climbs in behind him, Sarah walking around the front of the car. Before she opens the passenger door behind Zemo, he opens his door.

“Come here for a second.” Sarah looks at him inquisitively but complies, standing in front of him. Zemo reaches up, grabs her waist and pulls her onto his lap, passionately kissing her for a minute, Sam complaining in the back. He pulls away and smirks, giving her a small wink. She blushes and he pats her ass, for her to climb into her seat. She does so in a daze and once she is buckled in, Zemo takes off.

#Fatws #Fatws sam #fatws bucky #fatws ep 3 #fatws zemo #fatws baron zemo #Sam wilson #bucky barnes #baron zemo #helmut zemo #helmut Zemo x reader #helmut zemo x oc #Baron zemo x reader #Baron zemo x oc #Zemo x reader #Zemo x oc #Female oc

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kaitoujokerscans · 4 years ago

Text

The Night the Silver Cape is Set Ablaze CH1

Notice!

"Tonight, I'll come to take the 'Crimson Crystal' from Mister Kaneari's possession! Phantom Thief Joker"

<1> The Usual Battles

A plump full moon was shining that night. A man's cry rang through the banquet room of the striking mansion seated right in the middle of the city.

"JOKER, YOU'RE SO UNDER ARREST!"

The voice belonged to Oniyama Dokusaburou, member of the international Anti-Phantom Thief Coalition and chief of Japan's Metropolitan Police Anti-Phantom Thief division. Next to him were his subordinates Ginko and Momo, similarly bristling in their police uniforms. Long-haired, short-and-stout Oniyama, lanky and bespectacled Ginko, and the petite blonde Momo looked as different from each other as could be, but their eyes were all fixed on the same thing. Standing in the direction they were glaring toward was a boy in a red suit. His translucent silver hair grew in pointy spikes, and his blue eyes gleamed with pools of light. Perfect teeth sparkled in his huge mouth, which was curved into a beaming smile. A golden badge in the shape of the letter J shone on his chest.

This was the man himself — Phantom Thief Joker!

"Ha ha ha. As promised, I've taken the 'Crimson Crystal'!"

Joker held a red gem in his hand. Another man shouted, resentfully eying the crystal. "KEEEH! Return my treasure, indeed!"

His big rectangular face was framed by rectangular glasses, and his big mouth was contorted as he glowered at Joker. He was master of the mansion, Mister Kaneari. He was also the owner of the 'Crimson Crystal' which Joker had just stolen.

"Sorry, Kaneari, but I'm taking this with me!" Joker twirled his purple cape.

"Not if I can help it! GET HIM!" Oniyama bellowed, at which the officers waiting for orders behind Ginko and Momo fell upon him.

"Whoa, here comes trouble♪" Joker gave a nonchalant smile before snapping his fingers. Just as he did, a peeling sound came from under Oniyama's sprinting feet.

"Hmm, what was that?"

Then suddenly, the carpet on the floor sprang up in front of Oniyama's eyes and tossed him into the air.

"Waaagh! What's going on here!?"

Once Oniyama landed, the carpet rolled him up like he was a sushi wrap.

"Uwaaaaaah!"

The supersized sushi wrap rolled up Kaneari and all of the officers in the room as it whirled towards the center of the banquet hall.

"There we go♪" Joker, in the very same center, said as he jumped over it. The carpet had been rolled up from all four edges and was now a giant ball stuffed with the officers and Kaneari. Oniyama and the rest of them, their heads sticking out of the ball, all yelled at him at once.

"Joker, you rascal, what did you do!?"

"I set it up from the start so that it'd shrink, by making a carpet out of Image Gum!"

The Image Gum that Joker mentioned is a phantom thief tool. A mental image is transferred into the gum being chewed, which then takes the form of anything one can imagine. There are no limits to the shapes it can take, and it can be used to create large things like a banquet room carpet or for wrapping oneself in a disguise.

"So you set up a trick!"

"Get us out of thiiis!"

Ginko and Momo, their heads squirming out from the gum, glared at Joker up above.

Joker grabbed hold of a large balloon and floated upwards. This is also one of his phantom thief tools, Balloon Gum. By blowing it just like chewing gum, the gum’s ingredients chemically react to form a gas lighter than air which is trapped inside the balloon. If held above one's head, it can lift up the weight of about one person.

"Ha ha ha! Well then, everyone, au revoir!" Joker threw a card up at the ceiling, where it exploded and opened a gaping hole. He was about to fly into the night sky, when— A large silhouette jumped in through the hole and popped Joker's Balloon Gum.

"What!?" Joker pivoted around and jumped down. As he did, the silhouette alighted in front of him. "Shadow!?"

The boy was the spitting image of Joker. He wore a purple suit and black cape. Like Joker, his cyan hair was growing in pointy spikes. However, his golden eyes had a colder glint in them.

The boy called Shadow glared sharply at Joker. "Hu hu hu, you're not getting away with the treasure so easily. I'll always be chasing after you!"

"Heh, it's a bit late for you to show up. You're always getting in my way every single time."

"Getting in your way is my purpose in life!"

"Your sights are set way too low!"

"Shut up!" Shadow pointed the umbrella he was holding at Joker. Energy focused at the tip and shone in a circle of light. "Bloody Rain!" At Shadow's yell, a beam fired from the umbrella tip.

"Ghh!" Joker threw himself in a hurry to dodge. The beam grazed Joker's cape and hit the wall. BOOM! It exploded, leaving a yawning hole in the wall.

"AAH! My house!" Kaneari cried from the gum.

—Just then, the sound of tremors came from somewhere within the house.

"W-What's that?"

"What's this sound...?"

Joker and Shadow looked all around, when Kaneari gave a smirk. "Oh yes, indeed. I have my beloved wife here with me!"

"Wife?"

"Now do come, indeed! My darling honey, Sacchan!"

Immediately, the chandelier swayed, and then a huge door flew open with a bang right off the hinges. The door crashed like a shot into the wall and splintered into pieces.

"HRMMMMMMUUUUUUUUH!" In came a bestial roar, along with a massively beefed-up, over-two-meter tall person. "Person" because their gender could not be immediately determined, but one could conjecture that she was probably female because of the lock of braided hair hanging from her head.

The woman entered the room with heavy, thudding footsteps and took a look around. "Ruffians have broken in, have they?" her throaty voice boomed. In contrast to her fearsome figure, the eyes she turned toward Kaneari were filled with gentle light.

"Yes indeed, Sacchan! That right there is Phantom Thief Joker!"

"Joker!?" The woman Kaneari called "Sacchan" spun around and glared at Joker. She was staring daggers at him. She was like a jungle tiger that had just spotted its prey.

"Eek..." Joker and Shadow instinctively cowered.

"Phantom Thief Joker, you have some nerve to sneak into our nest of love. And to steal treasure at that — a heinous crime! I will punish you!" No sooner than she had spoken, the woman swung down her gargantuan fist down.

"...!" Joker and Shadow threw themselves out of the way before the fist plummeted into the floor with a BAMMM! which made the whole house shake.

"She's too powerful..." Joker was recoiling, and for good reason too.

Sacchan, or Commando Satsuko, was a combat expert who had undergone special training in the world's strictest army. She could run faster than a cheetah, bite down harder than a hippo, and was mightier than an elephant. She knew survival techniques for every situation, even how to cook and eat a savage crocodile. A strange turn of events had led to her marrying Kaneari, but her combat capabilities had not declined at all.

"What IS she...!?" This was Shadow's first time seeing Satsuko, and he was stunned still by her appearance. Joker didn't miss this chance.

"Okay!" Joker seemed to have thought of something, as he took out cards and held them up facing Satsuko. "Straight Flash!"

The fanned-out Ace, Deuce, Trey, Cater, and Cinque of Hearts cards shone. Blinding his opponent with their glaring light was Joker's trademark move.

"Ghh...!" The brilliance made Satsuko close her eyes for a moment. Yet when she opened them again, she saw something unbelievable.

"Just what is the meaning of this...?"

Strangely enough, there were two Jokers. Both of them were in red suits, and they were completely indistinguishable. Inside one of them was probably Shadow, disguised in Image Gum.

One of the Jokers grappled the other. "You! What the hell is this!?"

"The hell are you saying!? You did this, didn't you!"

The two of them grabbed at each other's lapels and squabbled. They looked like mirror images; seeing the pair with the same appearance and same face feuding with each other was somehow bizarre.

Satsuko watched them, not quite sure what to do, before she came to her senses. "E-Enough of the games, Jokers!" Satsuko fell upon them, trying to seize both of them at once.

Yet both of them were phantom thieves with equally impressive physical aptitude. Joker, as well as Shadow in the guise of Joker, nimbly bounced around to dodge. Even Satsuko was bewildered. Two people who looked exactly the same were jumping all over the place, so it was very disorienting. It was like she was fighting a ninja who had used a cloning art.

"Stop flitting about so much...!"

If she tried to seize just one of them, she would be distracted and the other one would get away, meaning there was a chance that she wouldn't get the real Joker. To prevent that from happening, she had to catch both of them at once no matter what, or so Satsuko thought.

If only I could tell which one was the real Joker...

Satsuko observed the two more closely and then noticed something. Something she had seen for a moment previously was now gone. Bloody Rain, the umbrella that only Shadow possessed. When Joker disguised Shadow, he had probably taken and hidden it. If Joker were to hide an umbrella he had stolen abruptly...

Satsuko cast her gaze around and spotted the black umbrella stuck in the chandelier. "There!"

True to form, Joker. Not only is he quick on his feet, he also makes good judgement calls... Satsuko stomped her foot on the ground with a thud, shaking the ground and making Bloody Rain fall from the chandelier.

"...!" The two Jokers took a quick glance at the umbrella. Written on one of their faces was: "Why was my umbrella there?", while the other's expression read: "Oh shoot, she figured it out!"

"There you are, Joker!" Satsuko ran up to the Joker who had "my plan's been exposed" written on his face and grasped him whole in her hand. "I've got you now, Phantom Thief Joker!"

"Guhh, oh shoot...!" Joker couldn't move, and his face contorted with pain.

"I've got him!" said Satsuko as she turned back around to Kaneari.

"Well done, indeed!" rejoiced Kaneari from the gum. "Now, return my Crimson Crystal!"

"...ha... it."

"Hm? What was that? I can't hear you, indeed!"

Then Joker raised his chin, looked at Satsuko, and grinned. "I don't have it."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"I said I don't have it. I don't, anyway."

"You don't? Then that means..." Satsuko looked up in realization, only to hear laughter from somewhere.

"Hu hu, is this what you're looking for?" She saw the other Joker standing at a distance. There seemed to be a colder glint in his eyes than usual.

Then that Joker's body puffed up and burst apart with a pop! Shadow, clad in his purple suit, appeared from within. In one of Shadow's hands was Bloody Rain, and in the other he was holding the Crimson Crystal.

"That's my Crimson Crystal, indeed!"

"Yeah, that's right. It's your treasure, the genuine article!"

"Why! Why do you have it!?"

Then Joker wriggled out of Satsuko's grasp and landed on the floor with a click. "Phew, that's some grip."

"Answer me, Joker! Why did you hand over the treasure?"

"Easy," Joker responded nonchalantly. "What Shadow wants most is to fight me. The treasure's secondary. So I promised to fight him at a later date if he'd just hold onto the treasure for me for a while."

"Hmph..." Shadow was averting his gaze, but that was enough proof to see that Joker was telling the truth.

"But willingly giving one's prized object to an enemy during combat is inconceivable. He could have run off with it."

"Ha ha, you don't get it. Shadow wouldn't do that."

"Tch..." Shadow scoffed.

"Regrettably, fighting me means more to Shadow than anything else. He wouldn't try to beat me through unfair methods like that."

"Hmph, course not," Shadow muttered after Joker spoke.

Then Satsuko chuckled and said, "I see, so he's not an enemy, but rather, a rival..."

"Well, guess you could say that!" Joker inflated his Balloon Gum and began to float toward the hole in the ceiling. "Shadow, gimme the treasure!"

"A week from now! Don't forget your promise to duel me!"

Shadow tossed the treasure up to Joker. Once he had securely caught the Crimson Crystal, Joker shouted down below. "All right, Kaneari, I've taken the treasure! Inspector Oniyama, Shadow, see you later!"

"You had so better wait, Joker!"

Taking one last backwards glance at Kaneari and Satsuko grimacing, Oniyama shouting, and Shadow tsking, Joker flew into the sky. His airship, the Sky Joker, floated in the night sky above him.

Just then, a panicked voice came from the communicator on Joker's wrist. "Joker-san!" It was the voice of Joker's assistant, Hachi.

"Oh, Hachi. What's up?"

"Terrible news!"

"Ah, sorry. If it's about the pudding that you were hiding in the fridge, I ate it this morning."

"You did!? ...Wait, that's not the problem! An advance notice has been delivered here, and it's addressed to you!"

"An advance notice?" Joker looked at the device with a puzzled expression.

#kaitou joker #light novel

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noctisfishing · 3 years ago

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Pomegranate: A DoreDore Side Story

Ship: Eventual Mimato, Taito Friendship

Context: This is a snippet in "script" form since I haven't had the time to write this out yet. Basically, this one-shot is the story before Mimi joins the DoreDore crew. Pirates (bad guys) have come to kidnap her at the culinary school, and she ends up hiding from them in the kitchen. But she didn't expect another crew to show up.

Pomegranate is a working title.

Taichi: They have STEAK!!!

The fridge opened and Mimi could see the two standing there against its glow. The silhouette of one, his hair made him easily recognizable. No way - are they the new crew that’s been driving everyone crazy?

Taichi: And - no way. What do you call that, again, Yamato?

Yamato: Quiche Lorraine. Mom used to make that for us all the time. She brought one over when we had that dinner with our families - remember that?

Yamato: Back when we hated each other.

They both laughed.

Taichi: She was an amazing cook.

Yamato: Yeah.

Mimi saw the one who was talking [Taichi] give the other - Yamato? - a pat on the back. She didn’t see his face, but the tone in his voice she could tell it was a tough subject to talk about.

[it was her quiche they found]

Taichi: Whoa, it’s amazing!

Yamato: wow… this is delicious.

Taichi: They’ve got to have amazing chefs here. What else is in this fridge? - Hey, this says ‘fruit juice’ on it.

Silence as Yamato takes a swig

Yamato: It’s mixed juice.

Taichi: You can tell? (Taichi drinks it) How can you tell?

Yamato: It’s the way it’s made.

Mimi rolled her eyes. but then she noticed that another figure was inching towards them. Neither of them realized...

#mimato #taiyama friendship #doredore #noctiswriting #i had to throw in the ultimate da:2020 mimato juice debate

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theunknowncryptid · 5 years ago

Text

5. Night One

Masterlist

Namjoon x Y/n

After her brother makes a deal, Y/n is forced to spend seven nights with the leader of the Kim crime family, Kim Namjoon.

Taglist: @amordesiempre01 @jiminals @unadulteratedlyunique @parkmaeri @bbyjoonies @lilacsmoon @s0228 @kelitt @xxxanimangxxx @chogiyeol-utopia @atomickokorox @irenebutfancier

~ ~ ~

The drive was longer than she expected. Y/n figured the quiet man at the wheel would drive her ten minutes across town, if that, but before she realized the skyscrapers turned to oak trees and all she could see were country fields.

“Where are we going?” She asked. The man glanced back at her in the rear-view mirror. He looked like he could be related to the Kim’s.

“To the private estate. Out of town.” His voice was brighter and kinder than Y/n expected. Her stomach churned. What was Kim Namjoon going to do to her that required miles of privacy.

It was a full hour before the driver turned off of the main road and onto a dirt path. Rust colored debris flew into the air around the SUV. A grove of trees opened around the road and gave way to, what Y/n assumed was, the Kim Estate.

“Whoa,” The house in the clearing looked like something out of Clue. It was old and Victorian, built with red brick. It was massive. Large enough for twenty people to live comfortably.

The SUV parked beside the front of the house. The glass of the door and the windows, yellow light illuminated the grass. The driver stepped out and walked around to open Y/n’s door.

“You can follow me.” He said as Y/n stepped down. Until then, she hadn’t realized how young he was. Maybe only a few years older than she was.

He led her into the manor. The inside was just as grand. Decadent rugs covered dark hardwood. It was difficult to place the wall color because of the hundreds of decorations. There were paintings, photographs, bookcases and sculptures covering every available piece of wallpaper. The only light in the main entry was an overhead chandelier. Thousands of diamonds, strung together, cast a warm glow. Stairs lined the left wall. Directly across the room, an archway led to some sort of living room, but it was too dim to see. Instead of taking her up the stairs or through the arch, the man turned to the right wall and knocked on large double doors.

He didn’t wait for a summons. The man opened the door and offered for Y/n to walk ahead. Fear raided her body, but she walked through the doors.

The room was warm. A fire burned in it’s pit against the East wall, filling the space with the sound and smell of a campfire. A beautiful desk was cluttered with papers, files, pens, books and nicknacks. Again, Y/n couldn’t tell what color the walls were. Hundreds of books lined the wall shelves. They were obviously worn and read. Blue velvet chairs sat facing the desk and a large window. The room would almost be cozy, if it weren’t for the tall man standing stiff in front of the fireplace.

The driver shut the door behind him. It slammed shut and made her flinch. He cleared his throat.

“Your guest is here.” The man at the fireplace turned to look. Y/n struggled to maintain a bored expression. She had heard about Kim Namjoon before. Serious, Intelligent, Dangerous. He was someone to fear. He had to be, being the head of the Kim Crime Family. But simple descriptions didn’t prepare Y/n for the man in front of her. He was incredibly handsome. Dark hair fell over his eyes. His skin was tanned and, by his collar, Y/n could see a thin, white scar leading up his neck. He was dressed in a dark grey suit as if he had just come from a business meeting. His tie was loose around his neck and his hands were shoved in his pockets, making him seem more casual than the situation called for. His features were soft, but his eyes were full of judgment and annoyance. He looked Y/n up and down.

“You’re late.” His low voice deadpanned.

“Blame your driver.” Her voice came much calmer than she felt. His eyes flickered to the man that stood behind her.

“That will be all, Jimin.” He said. The air shifted and the sound of the office door shutting echoed. Y/n clenched her jaw. She didn’t want to be left alone with this man. She didn’t want to be here at all.

“You must love your brother very much to come here willingly.” He didn’t move at all. He just stood and stared at Y/n with a blank face.

“Less and less each day.” She answered, dryly. The corners of his lips twitched up. The fire roaring behind left him as little more than a silhouette.

“You’re aware of the arrangement we made?” He walked to the desk and picked up a half-drunk glass of scotch.

“Obviously.” Y/n spat out. Anger flared in her.

“And yet, you still came?” He raised his brow at her.

“What choice did I have?” She glared. Kim Namjoon knew very well that her brother's life hung in the balance. He lifted the glass to his lips and took a swig of the alcohol.

“Your brother had a choice.”

“You knew when you gave the loan that Jungkook wouldn’t be able to pay his debt.” Y/n sneered. Over the last few days, with the help of Jin, she had come to that conclusion. It was a known fact that the Kim’s kept tabs on the Min’s, and vice-versa. Kim Namjoon knew that Jungkook had been cut off from the banks and from the Min’s. Jungkook was broke and addicted to cards. Kim also knew his money would not be repaid. He wasn’t after a simple business transaction. He was after her.

The man grinned. “You’re smart.”

“Why?” She demanded. Her hands fisted at her sides.

“Why not?” He tilted his head. Y/n continued to glare and he sighed. “A chance to have a beautiful woman in my bed. And to watch Min Yoongi squirm.”

“Why would Min Yoongi Squirm?” She feigned. The annoyance returned to his face.

“Don’t play dumb, Y/n.” The sound of her name coming from his lips made her skin crawl. “You think Yoongi won’t notice one of his closest friends is missing for a week?”

He had her there, but she couldn’t let him know that. “I think you overestimate my worth.”

“No. But, good try.” He smirked. With an air of playfulness on his face he looked even more handsome. His eyes travelled over her body, taking stock. He stepped closer to her and she jumped back in alarm.

“What are you doing?” She asked. She cursed her wavering voice.

“Claiming my debt.” Kim Namjoon stalked toward her again. Her lips trembled. With her back pressed to the door, Y/n came chest-to-chest with the man.

“You’re evil.” She glared. Again, he smirked.

“Oh, come on, Y/n. You’re a young woman who spends most of her time in a bar.” His hand reached up and gently placed a lock of hair behind her ear. She flinched away. “I can’t be the worst to spend some time between your legs.”

Her mouth dropped in shock and fury crashed inside her.

“You would be the first!” A furious blush covered her cheeks. For the first time that night, she could see a chink in his armor. It made her happy. His eyebrows raised and confusion contorted his features.

“You’re a virgin?”

“Surprise.” Y/n smirked. Pressed this close together she could feel his breath dusting her face. His hands were pressed to the door beside her, caging her in. His face was unreadable. She couldn’t tell if he was about to kick her out or bring her to him. Surprisingly, he pushed away from the door and walked back to his abandoned drink.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t?” She paled. Her remaining virginity was her one and only playing card.

“Nope.” He said. His bored confidence was firmly back in place. “Some would say it makes you even more desirable.”

Y/n scowled. “Then what are you waiting for? Get it over with.”

He smiled at her coldly. “I haven’t had my dinner yet.” He turned back to the fireplace, but spoke over his shoulder. “Will you join me?”

“I’m not hungry.” She stared at him as if he’d just told her he had ridden a seahorse here.

“Pity, you’ll need your strength later.”

Horror filled her features as, on cue, the man named Jimin entered the office.

“Show Ms. Y/l/n to the bedroom, please, Jimin.” Kim demanded. Without a word, both left into the cold of the house.

Kim Namjoon only wished he could see Y/n’s face when she realized her bedroom doubled as his.

~ ~ ~

The room was huge. Her entire apartment could fit inside. The walls were a bordered forest green with dark hardwood floors. A leather loveseat and a matching chair faced a flat-screen TV. A large, white rug covered the sitting area, bringing light to the dark room. A large mirror covered the interior wall. The far wall had two black doors, one leading to the ridiculously luxurious bathroom, one leading to a closet full of suits, shoes, and surprisingly, hoodies, t-shirts, and basketball shorts. The room smelled like the cologne from earlier. Y/n frowned at that. She felt surrounded by Kim Namjoon. The room was freezing, but the thought of climbing into the ginormous bed made her want to cry. The duvet was black with matching silk sheets. It must have been a king size, but it was hard to tell in the large space. Eventually, she caved and climbed in. With the sheets pulled up to her chin in the dark room, Y/n felt like she was waiting for a death sentence.

Fuck Jungkook, fuck gambling, and fuck Kim Namjoon. Not literally.

At the sound of the door opening, she shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep. Footsteps sounded across the room to the closet. Y/n cracked open one eye. The closet light illuminated Kim Namjoon's silhouette. He shrugged off his jacket and hung it with the rest of the suits. His back was turned to the bed.

“I know you’re awake.” His voice broke the silence. Grumbling, Y/n sat up. She didn’t bother to ask how he’d seen through her. He turned to look at her. He looked wearier than he has a couple hours ago. His hair was ruffled and the top button of his shirt was undone. He walked to the dresser and picked up a plate he must have brought with him. She flinched as he came nearer.

“Eat.” He demanded. The plate he offered had crackers, cheese, and grapes. Cautiously, Y/n took a couple crackers. She nibbled on them, but kept her tight grip on the sheets. Kim wandered away and leaned against the bed post. A ghost of a smile played around his mouth. He rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, casually. When Y/n finished the crackers he held out the plate again. Without thinking, she took a few grapes. She watched him carefully.

“You’re different than I thought you would be.”

“I can imagine.” He directed his gaze to the window overlooking a garden of wildflowers.

“Why are we here?” She asked.

“In this house?” He raised an eyebrow at her. As beautiful as it was, Y/n got the idea the house stood unoccupied most of the time. “I promised your brother no one would know about our transaction.”

Y/n rolled a grape in her fingers. “Not because you evil plans work better in the country?”

“Well, that too.” Y/n suppressed a smile, then cringed at herself. There should be nothing enjoyable about her situation. Kim Namjoon planned to use her as payment and if mental or physical damage came with that, so be it. Anger flared in her.

“Stop playing with me!” She glared. Y/n overdramatically threw the covers off herself. She threw herself back onto the sheets. “Get it over with!”

Silence filled the room again.

“Dear lord, Y/n, you desperately need some new pajamas.”

“What’s wrong with them?” She demanded. She looked down at the clothing. An old, stained Dartmouth t-shirt and baggy sweatpants.

“Did you steal them off a homeless man?” He mocked.

“What did you expect me to wear? Lingerie?” She snarled. His eyes crawled over her intensely and she knew he was imagining her in just that. Her skin burned from the observation. It reminded her just how horrible and disgusting the man in front of her really was.

“Take it off.” He said gently. Shit.

It was time. She could do this. Who cares if she wasn’t a virgin anymore.

Slowly, she lifted the ratty shirt over her head and threw it on the floor. Then, she lifted her hips and slid off the sweatpants. Goosebumps formed on her bare skin. She was left in just white panties. She refused to meet his gaze. In the mirror on the wall, Y/n saw her exposed body with Kim Namjoon looming over her.

The room stayed silent until she couldn’t take it anymore. All he did was stand there, staring at her with pure hunger in his eyes. A muscle jerked in his cheek and his fists clenched at his sides as his investigation paused at her breasts. Her face burned in embarrassment.

He stepped closer and slid his hand across her raised leg. The feeling of his hand on her made her want to pull away and hide. Every nerve in her body twisted and made her gasp.

“You’re beautiful,” He said in a hoarse voice.

“Do it.” Y/n begged. “Please, just do it.”

The minutes stretched forever before he moved again. Slowly, his face lowered to hers. For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her, then he turned his head and pressed his lips to her cheek. It only lasted a moment and then he pulled back, lifted the covers back over her and walked to the door.

“What-”

“I’m sorry, Y/n. I guess I’m not interested in martyrs tonight.”

188 notes · View notes

naruwitch · 4 years ago

Text

Code Geass: Paladins of Voltron Chapter 40: Brawl on the Astral Plane

Lelouch looked solemnly up at Zenobia’s resting form, her eyes dark, and form hunched in her seated position. He wasn’t lying to the others when he said he didn’t have a plan going forward. As a matter of fact, he barely knew where to even start. But he also knew that if he did nothing, Zarkon could still take Zen away, and that was something none of them wanted to happen.

So, he would trust that his Lion would know what to do.

“We have some work to do, Zen,” Lelouch muttered softly.

Approaching closer, Zen instinctively lowered down and let Lelouch inside, though she was still not responsive.

As Lelouch was pulled forward in his seat to the front of the cockpit, he took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, closing his eyes as he set his hands on top of the main levers.

"Look, I know you don't want Zarkon taking control again any more than I do,” he said after a moment, “We can't let that happen, so work with me. What do I have to do to strengthen our bond? Whatever it is, I'll do it. I'll listen.”

Instead of speaking back like she had last time, Zen’s eyes flashed open and got to her feet, purring aggressively.

This action made Lelouch jump in alarm as Zen suddenly turned around, facing the hangar opening.

“Whoa, hey! What are you doing?!” Lelouch exclaimed before Zen rocketed out of the hangar and into the red cloud of Jupiter’s red spot. Zen quickly shot out of the hurricane’s eye and into open space before blazing off, away from the planet.

“Stop! Zen, stop!” Lelouch shouted, pulling on the levers, trying to at least deter her course, “Zen! We can’t just go flying off on our own right now!”

Despite Lelouch’s protests, the Lion didn’t so much as slow down and Lelouch barely noticed the other outer planets flying past them in the blink of an eye.

Lelouch growled. Yes, he knew he said that he would listen to Zen and try to strengthen their bond however they could, but this was no time for a random flight in unknown space, especially without telling anyone, and with Zarkon not too far away on Earth.

Finally having enough, Lelouch glared up from his seat, "Look, can you at least tell me where we're going?!"

Almost like magic, Zen actually did slow down. Seeing this, Lelouch let out a sigh of relief. “...Thank you…”

He glanced around, trying to see if he recognized anything, whether it be a planet, constellation, or something that the castle had flown past or he had come across browsing a random holopad in the ship’s library.

He gasped when he finally processed what he was looking at.

Gliding at a much slower pace, Zen brought them slowly to the ruins of a planet. That had to be what it was. This was far too large and clustered together to be an asteroid, or a group of asteroids even. The brown rocky structure in front of them was definitely a planet, or what was left of one.

“Zen, where are we?” Lelouch asked cautiously, “Why did you bring me out here?”

Lelouch gasped again when Zen’s familiar purr seemed to vibrate through his soul, her intentions and request clear.

“So you want me to use your eyes… very well,” Lelouch consented, closing his own eyes.

Zen’s eyes flashed with a growl and the landscape around them shifted. Suddenly, the planet was no longer ruins, but a rich red, wispy purple clouds gliding in the atmosphere, and large, metal structures rising above the ground. In the blink of an eye, Lelouch was suddenly on the planet’s surface, and looking up, he beheld the silhouette of Zen standing alongside two figures overlooking the city.

Lelouch’s eyes snapped open with a gasp, realization creeping in.

"This was your home... Zarkon's home... Daibazaal..."

Once he said it out loud, Lelouch couldn’t help but feel strange. He honestly wasn’t expecting Zen to take them all the way back to a home that was long destroyed. The home of a being she would call a friend and a comrade. A comrade and friend that would betray her.

But at the same time, this was also the birthplace of Voltron. Or well, where the comet that Voltron was made from had landed. Like Coran had said, Daibazaal was quite literally where it all began.

"...Okay.. alright,” Lelouch eventually says in a ‘please help me understand’ tone, “You brought me here for a reason. Please, show me."

Closing his eyes once more, Lelouch found himself submerged in his Lion’s memories once more. Again, he was looking at Daibazaal, a healthy, thriving Daibazaal, from a sky view. Suddenly a flash of light raced past him before impacting the planet below, the fiery landing he could see even from his position.

The scene faded and he was again on Daibazaal’s surface, around a crash site and crater, where at the center was a gigantic meteor, glowing with blue energy from within its ore. He saw several Galran sentries jogging towards the center, followed by, at a slower pace, by two caped figures.

"King Alfor... and Zarkon..." Lelouch said softly, recognizing the Altean king despite his younger appearance.

"That's the Quintessence comet…” Lelouch said as he saw images of a younger Alfor taking and shaping pieces of the comet in what he assumed was his Altean lab, “...the one you and the other Lions were built from… and you fought beside them all for years..."

The dark and familiar sensation came out of nowhere and Lelouch gasped as his eyes snapped open again. His heart was racing like he had just awoken from a nightmare. He knew that aura. One that he’d felt too many times already.

“...You…” Zarkon growled from where his main base was still positioned above planet Earth, the power of Haggar and her druids coursing through his being.

Lelouch swallowed, taking a breath to calm his beating heart. He knew that this was likely inevitable. He knew that Zarkon was still hunting for his Lion, despite still being in the same solar system. But this had to be done if they wanted to keep going.

“...It’s too late to turn back now,” Lelouch eventually said, to both himself and his Lion. He felt Zenobia purr in agreement, though her tone was one of tense anticipation. “Show me more, Zen.”

Lelouch once more closed his eyes and Zen dragged him once more into her memories. When his vision cleared, he was no longer above Daibazaal, but in the middle of a battle, far out in open space, just above the atmosphere of a planet. Lasers were blasted from all sides, both from the Lions and the enemy ships surrounding them.

What amazed him the most though, was when he caught sight of Zen.

"Are those... wings?!” Lelouch exclaimed, incredulously, “You... you have powers I haven't unlocked...!"

Zen, or at least the memory of Zen, was facing an enemy battleship head on. She then swiftly, faster than Lelouch ahd ever seen her move, shot forward, phased through the ship, spun around, and with a single blast from her mouth, blew up the ship, along with two others by its side.

"Amazing... You're amazing!" Lelouch nearly laughed as the memory Lion turned toward him, almost like she was preening from the praise.

"I've got you now, boy." A dreadingly familiar voice broke through the memory and Zen suddenly shot a blast of energy directly at him.

Lelouch barely had time to gasp in shock before he felt himself flung out of Zen’s cockpit, and free-falling until he landed with a pained grunt on a hard surface below.

Wincing, Lelouch sat up, panting, taking in as much of his surroundings as possible. He saw almost nothing but an endless expanse of stars or all sizes and colors in all directions. One thing he did notice though, was that not only was he clad in his Paladin Zero uniform, cape and all, but everything, himself included, was tinted in a purple indigo.

He didn’t have time to observe further as his eyes fell on a familiar, hulking figure not far off in front of him.

“You were a fool to face me here,” Zarkon stated, his dark cape flapping behind him as Lelouch struggled to his feet, “When you die in this realm, your body dies as well. And I will take control of Voltron.”

Faster than Lelouch could blink, the Galran leader was suddenly in front of him, and delivered a powerful punch to Lelouch’s torso. The ex-prince gasped as he was thrown far backwards off his feet, feeling the wind knock out of him. He then felt a painful blow from behind and he was thrown away again, flipping several times in the air before crashing to the ground, rolling several times before eventually coming to a stop.

Lelouch gritting his teeth against the pain, Lelouch pushed himself up, head still lowered.

Zarkon tisked, disappointment and disgust clear on his face. “How disappointing, I would have thought my successor would have offered more resistance, but I should expect nothing less from a child. No matter, this means the Lion will be mine sooner than expected.”

“...You think so, huh?” Head still bowed, Lelouch felt a small smirk stretch across his face as he finally got to his feet. One hand brushing over his face, his eyes flashed as his Geass blinked to life in both of his eyes, “I am Zero, the man who makes miracles!”

Holding his hand out to his side, Lelouch felt the weight of his mother’s knife appear in his hands. He knew that if he was here in full uniform, this weapon would also be by his side. In a flash of light, the knife extended, forming the sword that had briefly appeared at their battle on Earth, the blade flickering and surging with red electric energy that quickly spread across the rest of the rebel leader’s body.

Invigorated, Lelouch leaped forward, practically flying across the battlefield, striking a stunned Zarkon hard with his blade with a roaring battle cry. The Galran leader barely managed to block the attack as he and Lelouch flew backward from the force.

Pushing Lelouch off, the prince followed up with a kick, blocked once more before ducking under Zarkon’s punch before using that momentum to leap up and swing the sword downward, a swipe that Zarkon dodged before jumping away.

Lelouch leaped at the Galra once more, sword swinging with an arch, only for Lelouch to gasp in surprise when Zarkon vanished. He soon learned that he didn’t disappear when he felt a hard elbow plow into his back. Lelouch was shocked that that didn’t break it as he was thrown forward, hitting the ground hard enough to bounce up, flipping rapidly before feeling a fist to his face from Zarkon’s teleport again, sending careening back to the ground below.

Lelouch was so glad he put himself through those late night training sessions, whether with Sayoko present or not, because he was positive that it was thanks to those, and the endurance and slight muscle he had finally started to develop, that he was still alive. He was certain if his pre-Voltron self was in his shoes currently, he would have been a bloody splat on the floor of this… place upon Zarkon’s first punch.

That didn’t help that Zarkon’s attacks still hurt like hell though as he coughed and got to his feet again.

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting that, boy. However…” Zarkon’s own eyes flashed before the familiar, ominous symbol that Lelouch’s eyes also bore, this time in black, appeared in the Galra’s glowing orbs. A shockwave of energy burst from the Galra and Lelouch would have been thrown back again if he had not dug his sword into the ground to anchor him.

Something appeared in Zarkon’s hands, and Lelouch’s heart sank just a little when the Black Bayard’s form morphed into a simiter’s shape.

Zarkon charged once again.

Shortly after Lelouch had left the room, mostly everyone, save for Allura, Nunnally, C.C. and the other Paladins had left the bridge themselves, to either attend to other duties or get some sleep. Coran was one of them, saying in an apologetic tone that he needed to check on the cryopods, which only grimly reminded everyone of Lelouch’s statement that the war was far from over. The Paladins knew that they should probably be doing something too, whether resting, training, or whatever besides just waiting. And waiting for what exactly? Wait for Lelouch to come back? Wait for Coran or someone else to call for them over the intercom? What?

“So… did anyone happen to snatch a card deck while on Earth?” Rivalz asked after an awkward silence.

“A card deck?!” Kallen said, looking at the Blue Paladin incredulously.

“What?!” Rivalz said in defense, “We’re all sitting here doing nothing while Lelouch is off doing his thing with the Black Lion and… and…”

“We’re still worried something bad will happen,” Shirley said quietly.

“We get it, guys,” Suzaku said, “We all feel the same. But worrying about what’s going on isn’t going to change anything.”

Before anyone could say anything else, C.C. suddenly went rigid. Her eyes widened and her Geass symbol flared to life. She then fell back and screamed, clutching her head in pain.

“C.C.?!” Milly exclaimed as she and the others rushed over.

"ZARKON!" she screamed, nearly pulling her hair out of her scalp.

“What?!” Kallen gasped, “What do you mean, what’s happening?!”

“I…” C.C. gritted her teeth, “I don’t know! But, I can feel Lelouch, feel his mind.”

“Well, what’s happening?!” Shirley exclaimed in near panic.

“He’s… he’s in the Black Lion’s mind… or his consciousness is…”

“You… you can do that?” Nunnally asked, anxiously.

“We’ve talked mentally or psychically to the Lions before, but actually going in?!” Rivalz exclaimed.

“And Zarkon’s there too!” C.C. continued before any other speculations could happen, “They’re fighting for control of the Black Lion… and Zarkon’s winning.”

“No!” Allura gasped, “Zarkon will kill him and take the Lion if he’s victorious!”

“Th-there’s got to be something we can do-”

Suzaku was cut off by the sound of someone falling to the ground. Turning, the group hadn’t even noticed that Nunnally had rushed to the bridge’s entrance, only to trip over her feet.

“Nunnally!” Shirley gasped as she and Suzaku ran over and helped her up, the others trailing behind them.

“We… we have to help him!” the princess gasped, tears in her eyes, still trying to reach the doors.

“Allura! Come on, you must know some way we can help Lelouch!” Kallen shouted, her eyes shaking and heart pounding.

“I-I don’t know!” Allura exclaimed frantically, “The Paladins have only ever connected with their own Lions! The only time I’ve heard where they connect with the others is when Voltron is formed!”

Suzaku bit his lip and looked around, and finally his eyes landed on C.C. An idea, a crazy idea, formed in his head and he had no idea if it would even work, but they had to try!

“Well… we do have her,” Suzaku said, pointing to C.C. Everyone looked at the Purple Paladin dubiously, including C.C. herself, “This may sound crazy, but maybe there is a way to get to Lelouch, through C.C.!”

“What do you mean?” Rai asked, not quite following Suzaku’s reasoning.

“Well, we’re all connected to the Lions in some way, yes, but almost all of us are connected to C.C. too. Except for Rai, we’ve all gotten a Geass from her. And if she can feel Lelouch right now, she’s probably connected to the rest of us as well. Meaning we’re connected to Lelouch too!” Suzaku emphasized.

“And since Rai is connected to us through Voltron, we can still connect to him too!” Milly realized, “Suzaku, you’re a genius!”

“It’s worth a shot,” Shirley agreed.

“What are we waiting for then, let’s go!” Rivalz shouted, jumping up.

“C.C., you think you can do it?” Kallen asked, turning to her.

“I… I’ll admit, I’ve never done something like this before,” she hesitated, “There’s no telling what this could result in.”

“Even so, we have to try something,” Rai spoke up, “and besides, I think there’s a way you can connect to me besides Voltron. When you were still out, I was able to use my Geass to pull you out. That has to mean that I’m connected in some way, right?”

C.C.’s eyes widened and Rai could have swore a small flicker of fear crossed her face, but it disappeared a moment later, “I suppose so.”

“Perhaps I can help as well,” Allura said, stepping forward, “I may not be in possession of this Geass, but I’m not going to simply sit by while my family risks their lives like this.”

“I’m going too!”

The second that proclamation left Nunnally’s mouth, everyone was up in arms to stop her.

“No way, Nunna!”

“It’s too dangerous!”

“It’s not safe!”

“Lelouch will kill us if you get hurt.”

“I think it would be best if you stayed here, Nunnally.”

“Nunnally, you’ve haven’t even seen Zarkon before,” Kallen spoke, “Much less know what he’s capable of-

“I DON’T CARE!!”

Nunnally’s outburst silenced the entire bridge as everyone stared in shock. Breathing hard, frustrated tears in her eyes, Nunnally glared at the Paladins with such intensity that they were immediately reminded that Nunnally and Lelouch were actually related.

“Do you have any idea... how hard this is...?” Nunnally finally said, fists clenched and shaking, “After so long... I'm able to see again... I'm able to walk again... But, despite that... I'm still helpless! I can't do anything while my brother... my friends... My family is risking everything! The thought alone is killing me!”

As Nunnally spoke, the Paladins’ faces all shifted from surprised astonishment to shock and sympathy. They were so used to interacting with the Nunnally who was confined to a wheelchair, the Nunnally whom Lelouch fought tooth and nail to shield from the cruelties of the world. But that Nunnally was long forgotten in the past now, and continuing to treat her as such wasn’t fair. Now putting themselves in her position, they only imagine how scared and powerless she felt now, despite being physically better. Only now did they realize that they hadn’t really taken the time to really think about how Nunnally was feeling about this. About everything.

Allura could certainly relate. All of those times she had asked her mother and father if she could join them on a mission with Voltron, but they turned her down almost every time. She knew deep down that it wasn’t out of malice, but the hurt was still there. She could remember how useless she felt as she witnessed her planet being destroyed and torn apart by the Galran fleet, even the feeling of betrayal as she watched her father’s face fade from her vision as he put her to sleep, promising to see her again soon, only to wake up 10,000 years later and learn even that reassurance had been a lie.

Yes, she knew exactly how Nunnally felt.

“I'm not a Paladin... I don't have a Geass or any kind of special power…” Nunnally went on, “But I know I can do something other than just sit and be safe! Please! You have to let me help! Not just for my brother's sake, but all of yours! I want to be a part of this just as much as everyone else on this ship! I want to help defend the universe too! Please!”

Everyone kind of shifted and looked at one another, not quite sure what to say.

The silence was only broken when C.C. finally nodded, “Alright.”

Various exclamations of surprise, even from Nunnally followed. The younger girl looked a little shell shocked that her desperate plea had actually worked.

“While it’s true you’re not a Paladin, nor possess a Geass, Nunnally still important to the team. She remains the center of Lelouch’s world, even if that has grown to truly include more people now. If Lelouch can at least feel her, it might be the fighting chance Lelouch needs.”

“That’s true,” Milly pointed out, “The team doesn’t just include the seven Paladins. It’s everyone on this ship. And we made a vow to stand beside each other no matter what, remember?”

“Yeah… no Paladin or friend gets left behind,” Rai nodded in agreement.

“Right…” Suzaku said, Shirley nodding as well.

“...Okay, but if Lelouch tries to skewer one of us for putting his sister in direct danger, we’re passing the blame onto you, seeing that the rest of us only have one life. Got it?” Kallen asked the immortal, making direct eye contact.

“Noted…” C.C. deadpanned despite the situation.

“Okay, enough chit-chat!” Rivalz exclaimed, face grim and tone rushed, “In case anyone forgot, we’re in a bit of a hurry here?!”

“Right! Everyone follow me!” Allura ordered, swiftly leaving the bridge, “I know a shorter way to the Black Lion’s bay!”

Lelouch panted as he charged at Zarkon again, swinging his sword-knife in a wide arc that Zarkon easily evaded. Another quick swipe followed before he followed it up with a punch, but Zarkon caught the fist easily.

"A weak child such as yourself could never take my place as the head of Voltron!"

Lelouch cried out as Zarkon crushed his fist then kicked him back hard. But Zarkon wasn’t finished, as he summoned the Black Bayard in whip form. With a lash, the whip caught Lelouch’s ankle, yanking the youth back and hurtling him into the air before Zarkon jerked it down and Lelouch slammed hard into the ground below.

The younger Paladin was honestly shocked that he didn’t break his back (again) from the impact as he gasped for breath, the air knocked from his lungs.

“You…” he coughed, struggling to his knees, “You think you… can call yourself that… after what you did to them?”

The human lifted his head and glared darkly at the Galra, but it was what he said that made the emperor pause if only in curiosity. Them?

"Alfor... Melenor... Blaytz... Trigel... Gyrgan... Iris... I know about all of them. What you've done, with them and against them,” Lelouch spat out venomously.

“What of it?” Zarkon said dismissively.

“They were your friends! Your family! You were their leader!” Lelouch shouted desperately, though he knew in reality this would fall on deaf ears, “You ate with them, laughed with them, bled with them! They trusted you! And you threw all that away just to gain more power! You destroyed everything they worked so hard to protect! Everything you worked so hard to protect! You had a team and a family that trusted and respected you! And you threw it all away like garbage! You have no right to call yourself the Head of Voltron after all that! You are no longer the Black Paladin... just an empty shell of the man who was.”

Zarkon growled, something inside him roaring in fury as he charged the young Paladin again. This boy… he reminded him too much of another that he would want nothing more than to be rid of forever.

Lelouch was barely able to lift his arms to block once again as he was sent flying across the starry plane.

The sound of Lelouch hacking up blood was what greeted the group as they sprinted into the Black Lion. The Black Paladin was trembling in his seat, his eyes squeezed shut, and eye flickering rapidly under his eyelids.

“Jesus... he's killing him!” Kallen exclaimed as the blood dribbled down Lelouch’s chin.

“What do we do?!” Shirley asked hysterically, her heart rate rising in panic.

C.C. swiftly positioned herself directly behind Lelouch’s seat. “All of you, make physical contact with me or someone who is. If this is going to work we’ll need direct contact with him!”

Everyone quickly scrambled to obey as Kallen and Suzaku each placed a hand on one of her shoulders, followed by Shirley touching Suzaku, and Milly touching Shirley. Rai grasped Kallen’s shoulder, with Rivalz touching him. Nunnally and Allura both came around the sides and grabbed C.C.’s arms.

Seeing that everyone was in position, C.C. placed her hands on either side of Lelouch’s head.

“Remember, this has never happened before. So I have no idea what's about to happen. Brace yourselves,” she warned before closing her eyes.

Everyone closed their eyes and C.C. reached out like she had done numerous times before, trying to reach Lelouch’s mind. The Geass symbol on her forehead manifested and began to glow a bright red. At the same time, she reached out separately to the two hands fastened to her shoulders, Kallen and Suzaku, before snaking out further, threads thinning but not breaking as she connected with the other four too, even Rai despite no prior connection being established.

Meanwhile, as the Paladins felt the admittingly bizarre presence course through them, another presence was also felt, one that they were each much more familiar with. The strong purrs and growls from their Lions broke through, intertwining and strengthening the bonds further.

At the same time, Allura’s own body began to glow as well, but with a bright blue, similar to that of the Balmera that she helped heal what felt like a lifetime ago. Whatever C.C. was doing was drawing this power to the surface, and she simply couldn’t hold it back and allowed it to spread further, faster. The blue glow jumped onto Nunnally, engulfing the girl in its aura before quickly spreading to the rest of the group. Finally C.C. was also covered in it, the Geass on her forehead shifting in color from a blood red to a healing blue.

Lelouch struggled for breath as he braced himself on his hands and knees. The sword in his hands feeling like heavy lead as he struggled to lift it up. Whatever he had said triggered the Galran leader heavily, and Lelouch was beat down harder than ever. He wasn’t sure how, though he suspected the landscape played some role, but he was still alive, or at least breathing, even if his body felt like it was one massive bruise all over.

He struggled not to flinch back as the dark Galran stood over him ominously.

“If you admire Alfor and the others so much, I'll introduce you to them now,” Zarkon said, Lelouch barely catching the glow of the Bayard shifting in the corner of his vision.

He had to move. He knew. He knew if he got hit by this strike, he was dead. He’d fail. He’d leave everyone to Zarkon’s mercy. Zen, Allura, Coran, C.C., Suzaku, Kallen, Shirley, Millly, Rivalz…

...Nunnally.

No sooner had her name graced his mind that Zarkon let out a guttural roar of surprise as something bright and blue suddenly slammed into the Galra, sending him flying backward.

It takes Lelouch another couple of seconds to realize that the light is also hitting him. But unlike Zarkon, it was completely encompassing him, and he found he finally had the strength to lift himself to his knees. He felt his wounds healing, his vigor restoring itself. No longer was the violet blade in his hand a burden weighing him down.

Just as suddenly as it appeared, the light faded and Lelouch gawked in surprise at who appeared at his side.

C.C. and Nunnally both had hoisted him to his feet from the side. Meanwhile, Allura, now clad in a pink-colored Paladin armor herself, and other Paladins all appeared before him, all of them dressed for battle in their armor, their own auras glowing with the color of their Lion.

They all stood steadfastly between him and the monster in front of them.

“Get the hell away from him, you damn monster!” Kallen snarled sharply.

“Impossible…” Zarkon muttered, unable to hide the surprise on his own face.

“How... How are you...?” Lelouch gasped, looking around in shock.

“We learned we connected not only through the Lions but through Geass. We used that connection to follow you here,” C.C. explained briefly.

Lelouch nodded before he finally registered who else was there besides C.C., Allura, and the other Paladins as his face soon morphed into fearful horror when his eyes landed on Nunnally.

“Before you say anything brother, I'm going to tell you right now that I'm not going to leave you to face this monster alone!” Nunnally exclaimed before Lelouch could say anything in protest, “None of us are!”

“You might be the only one who can pilot the Black Lion, Lelouch,” Rai spoke, “but you don't have to bear this burden alone.”

“We've got your back buddy,” Rivalz grinned at Lelouch, “either in the real world, or in this freaky place!”

“We're your friends Lelouch, no matter what.” Shirley said, hands gripping her Bayard so tight her arms shook, “We will never leave you.”

“Whether it's up against Britannia, the Galra, or even those dark creatures Alfor and the others fought before,” Milly proclaimed, though her eyes did flicker slightly in Zarkon’s direction, a drop of sweat running down her face.

“I was unable to help my family before,” Allura said, her eyes disdainfully glaring at Zarkon, “I have no intention of letting this one down too!”

“Whatever happens... whatever darkness we face... we'll face it together,” Suzaku said resolutely.

“Because we're all part of Voltron. Right, Zero?” Kallen said with a smirk, winking back at Lelouch.

Lelouch blinked again in surprise, but the expression soon morphed into a smile. Not a sneer or a devious smirk, but a genuine curve of his lips as he straightened, his sword held low, but firmly at his side. He couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped when we saw the still shocked expression on Zarkon’s face.

“So that's what you look like when you're shocked?” Lelouch laughed before a solemn expression replaced it. “Look familiar, Zarkon? This is what it means to be a Paladin. Even when one is stronger than the others, we're strongest together.”

Almost on cue, everyone raised their weapons, Bayards morphing into their respective weapons. A large broadsword appeared in Allura’s hands as well. Lelouch brandished his own sword as he stepped forward, Nunnally and C.C. staying back as neither one had weapons.

As they all turned to face Zarkon, his face morphed into a furious glare.

“Stand together…” he sneered, materializing his own Bayard, “Then die together!”

Zarkon charged straight ahead, heading straight for Rivalz, but Suzaku managed to jump in the way and block Zarkon’s strike with his own katana.

Rivalz jumped back and shot several times at the Galra with Shirley shooting arrows at him as much as she could. Throwing Suzaku’s strike off the Galra was suddenly in front of Shirley and she barely raised her shield in time to meet Zarkon’s fist. Even with the barrier, the Orange Paladin went flying backward with a yelp. In retaliation, Milly managed to wrap her kusarigama around Zarkon’s extended arm, except the Galran then yanked the chain and with a gasp, the Yellow Paladin went flying across the field. Allura quickly leaped over and caught Milly before brandishing her sword and charging at the Galra with a roar.

Swords clashed with a deafening clang, the two royals glaring at the other, all the hateful emotions spilling over into the strikes. For several minutes, the Paladins were frozen as they watched the duo dancing this deadly waltz between swords.

Finally, at last, Zarkon managed to twist the Altean’s sword out of her grasp, and Allura was forced to dodge to avoid being cut in two from the swipe that followed after.

Rai was next to rush forward, swiping furiously at Zarkon. While he only recently remembered his time in the arena, the muscle memory was still very much still there. And he especially remembered this very monster’s throne positioned at the very middle of the audience, with a perfect view of every single bloodbath that took place there. He remembered every alien, old, young, strong, weak, adult… and child that he forced Rai to kill for his own amusement.

“Every time you threw me into that pit... and I saw your face…” Rai gritted out as he pressed his katar to Zarkon’s blade, “I wanted nothing more than to beat the crap out of you myself!” His mouth morphed into a smirk, “Guess I got my wish, huh?”

Zarkon sneered in reply, but before he could retort he bellowed in pain and jerked back, batting something away from his face, stumbling a few steps back. Rai blinked in surprise before he finally registered that Kallen had managed to move up next to the Green Paladin and slammed her gauntlet into Zarkon’s face with the surge function fully active.

“Consider this payback for Galra Central Command!” Kallen shouted, grinning vengefully.

Zarkon snarled before the Black Bayard shifted into a cannon and fired at the duo. Eyes widening, the two of them leaped out of the way as the shot zoomed past them, disappearing in the distance before exploding farther away.

“Holy quiznack…” Milly muttered, seeing the explosion from her position.

Zarkon narrowed his eyes. From this short battle so far, he could tell that these young Paladins were skilled, he would not deny that. Still leagues below his level, but he would admit, they didn’t work too badly as a team along with the princess.

Then he spotted the two other women that had accompanied the Paladins into this place. He recognized the taller one from when Princess Allura had been taken captive at his base. Haggar had developed a keen interest in her, though she was retrieved before any further experiments could be performed.

The other he’d never seen before. She was clearly much younger than the Paladins and he wondered why she had decided to come here knowing there would be danger.

However, he did see how close Zero was standing next to both of them. Quite close in fact.

Reforming the whip in his hand, he threw it directly toward the two girls.

“NO!!” Lelouch shouted, turning and running, hoping to intercept.

That would not be necessary however.

To everyone’s initial horror, Nunnally stepped forward then held her hands out.

With a resounding clang the whip bounced off and away from Nunnally, like it had collided with a metal wall rather than a person.

“What…?” Rivalz gasped as everyone stared, gobsmacked as they noticed the translucent barrier in front of Nunnally.

“Nunnally, how did you…?” Lelouch muttered in equal shock.

Zarkon sneered in fury.

“A child... an insect... no Paladin... no warrior...!” he raged.

Nunnally just smirked, an expression quite similar to her brother’s, “I'm the sister of Zero, what did you expect?”

“Wow… Lelouch, watch out, your sister could give you a run for your money on surprises!” Milly called out.

“So it seems…” Lelouch murmured, still partially processing what he was seeing. When did Nunnally figure out how to do that?! They were going to have to have a conversation later.

Zarkon growled again but before he could attempt to charge at any of the Paladins again, a beam of white energy suddenly hit him dead center of his chest. Tumbling backward, his glowing eyes widened as he spotted residual energy coming from the other female standing near the young girl.

As he got back to his feet, Zarkon actually paused in surprise when he saw a trio of glowing white claw marks on his chest, in the same place the energy had hit as well.

He narrowed his eyes. Haggar also had a similar ability to this. He was beginning to understand why the witch was so intrigued by this Earthling.

This distraction cost Zarkon, as he felt one arm being jerked back. Looking up, the Green Paladin had thrown the katar, wrapping it around the Galra’s arm and yanking it back as hard as he could.

Just before Zarkon could jerk his arm back, he felt his other arm jerk back as well. Looking to the right, the Yellow Paladin’s Bayard had captured his other arm and was restraining it with the two hooked ends of her weapon.

“Hit him!” Rai shouted, “Him now!”

Not wasting this chance, the Paladins all charged at Zarkon. Shirley, Rivalz, and even C.C. repeatedly shot at him from behind, while Lelouch, Kallen, Suzaku, and Allura all slashed and cut into him with their own bladed weapons.

Zarkon could only roar in pain and rage as he took the entire barrage of attacks that rained down on top of him.

Haggar’s eyes widened, as Zarkon’s prone form jerked. Waves of pain flew up through her energy waves. Throughout the connection, she had caught faint glances of the battle happening deep within the Black Lion’s psyche. It couldn’t be possible! Was her Lord actually losing?!

‘Impossible... All the Paladins... and even those who aren't... are in the mindscape together!? How?!’ she screamed mentally as her eyes widened. There, off in the corner, she spotted the girl. The Earthling with the marks on her skin. The one with the unusual energy emitting from her form. She scowled. ‘I underestimated that child. It will not happen again!’

With a shriek, Haggar lifted her hands and pushed as much energy as she could muster toward her emperor. Following the head Druid’s lead, the others also propelled more energy into Zarkon, his form practically glowing as bright as a star from the amount of energy coursing through his body.

Zarkon grunted again as another arrow pierced into his shoulder when he felt a surge of energy from within. A thin black aura enveloped his skin.

“ENOUGH!!!” he bellowed as the power burst out, blasting all of the attackers back.

As the Paladins tumbled backward, Zarkon didn’t waste another second and with a burst of speed, charged straight toward C.C.

The immortal’s balance was thrown off from the outburst of malicious energy, and she had no way to dodge. All she could do was try to block the Galran with her arms held up defensively.

This small barrier proved futile, the Galran thrust his Bayard, now formed into a battle dagger, deep into C.C.’s stomach.

With a single gasp, and horror in her eyes, C.C. slumped and her form flickered from existence.

Followed shortly by everyone else but Lelouch.

With a zap of blue electric light, everyone in Zenobia’s cockpit collapsed to the floor. Lingering energy still sparked along their skin as they struggled to regain control of their surroundings.

“What the…” Rivalz muttered, shaking his head.

“What the hell just happened?!” Kallen exclaimed, getting to her feet quickly.

A terrified shriek from Nunnally had everyone turning their heads. To their horror, they saw C.C., eyes wide and staring into nothing, lying dead on the ground, blood pooling around her prone form from a stab wound on her chest.

“C.C.!” Shirley shouted, kneeling next to her.

“Calm down, she’ll be fine!” Milly reminded them, “She can heal herself, it’ll just take a few minutes.”

“Yeah, but…” the Orange Paladin stuttered, heart still pounding.

“Did you all feel that? Right before we woke back up here?” Suzaku asked. “It was similar to when…”

“When Voltron was torn apart,” Rai finished, “It had to have been Haggar. She must have been helping Zarkon from the start. That damn witch!”

“But… but if Zarkon has help we have to get back in there!” Rivalz shouted.

“I don’t believe we can…” Allura whispered in despair, “C.C. was the link we needed to reach him. With her unable to respond now…”

“Brother’s on his own…” Nunnally gasped, tears gathering in her eyes.

Kallen clenched her fists, blinking back hot, stubborn tears of her own, “Come on Lelouch... don't you dare die on us…”

Lelouch stared in shock at the spot where Nunnally once stood. The moment Zarkon had struck C.C. down, she had vanished as well. Everyone had.

He turned back to his enemy with a feral growl.

"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" he shouted, running up to Zarkon, his sword dragging behind him. Swinging widely, he clashed his sword as hard as he could against the Bayard. But with the additional strength from Haggar, it wasn’t long before Lelouch was overwhelmed once more, his blade flying out of his grip and several yards away. A single punch to the face sent Lelouch flying backward, landing hard on his back, the wind knocked from his lungs.

The Black Paladin struggled to regain his breath as he felt an iron grip wrap around his throat, lifting him off the ground.

“Pathetic,” Zarkon mocked. Lelouch struggled to pry the hand off his neck as the Galra held him high in the air, “This is why Alfor and the others fell. They may have stood stronger together, but they weren't strong enough. Now you will die as Alfor did... alone.”

Lelouch, through gritted teeth, lungs still burning, glared down, “I'm not alone... there's one other still here.... And she doesn't belong to you... or anyone else... not even me. I trust Zenobia... I trust her with my life!”

On another further plane of existence, Zenobia’s eyes lit up.

“Only a child relies on trust,” Zarkon declared darkly, “The Lion is mine. Forever.”

Lelouch cried out as Zarkon’s grip tightened further. His vision just began to fade when the ground suddenly thundered below them.

The Black Lion had leaped down from above, yellow eyes shining in the darkness.

Zarkon gasped in shock, dropping Lelouch in the process. The last thing he saw was a stream of blue light erupting from the Lion’s mouth, and blasting him out of the astral plane.

“NO!!” Zarkon exclaimed as the power that had previously clung to his form blasted out, sparking dangerously in all directions. He collapsed to his knees.

“Sire! What is it?!” Haggar gasped at the state her emperor was in.

“My connection grows weaker,” Zarkon stated, tone full of disbelief, “We must hurry if ever wish to reclaim Voltron!”

Lelouch’s eyes snapped open and he gasped for breath. Blinking a few times he finally registered that he was no longer on that strange starry plane, but back in Zen’s cockpit.

He just barely processed his surroundings when a significant weight leaped on top of him, nearly knocking the air out of him a second time.

“Brother!” Nunnally shouted, hugging him tightly. Lelouch’s arms automatically wrapped around his sister as she buried her face against his chest.

“Lelouch!” Suzaku exclaimed in relief, coming up from behind along with the other Paladins as well.

“Buddy!” Rivalz shouted afterward.

“Hey, welcome back, Lelouch!” Rai said warmly as everyone embraced Lelouch any way that they could reach him.

“We are relieved to see that you’re alright,” Allura said, her body visibly slumping in relief.

“That means it worked right?” Shirley asked anxiously, “You won?”

“He had to have!” Milly exclaimed, “Otherwise he wouldn’t…”

Milly didn’t bother to finish her sentence. It was clear what Zarkon’s intentions were in there.

“Don’t scare us like that again, got it?!” Kallen exclaimed, glaring down at Lelouch, hands on her hips.

Lelouch let out a tired chuckle as Nunnally reluctantly pulled away from him, “I’ll do my best… Now then, would you please explain to me how in the hell you all ended up here at Daibazaal?”

There was a long confused pause.

“Daibazaal? Lelouch, we’re still in the castle,” Kalllen informed him, quirking an eyebrow.

Lelouch blinked, taken aback, “What? But we're…” Looking back out the window of Zen’s cockpit, he gasped as the illusion faded, revealing that they were indeed still seated in the Black Lion’s bay. After another moment, he smirked, “Are you sure you're a lion, because you seem more like a troll.”

Lelouch was certain that if Zen had been a real person, she would have been laughing out loud, if he was reading the emotions correctly from the bond.

Shaking his head, Lelouch turned back to the others, smiling despite his exhaustion. “Apparently Zen has a flair for the theatrics.”

“Can't imagine where she gets it from,” Milly smirked knowingly.

C.C. had just begun to regain consciousness as everyone departed from the Black Lion.

“What…?”

“C.C.! Shirley exclaimed, causing everyone to turn around, “You’re awake! Thank god!”

“What happened?” the immortal muttered before spotting Lelouch. Despite looking a little worse for wearing, specs of blood still on his uniform, he was clearly alive. “Lelouch, what happened? Did you succeed?”

“Yes, I did… somehow,” Lelouch muttered, shoulders sagging in both exhaustion and shocked bewilderment that he actually went up against Zarkon and lived to tell the tale.

“So that means your bond is strengthened, right?” Suzaku asked, “And Zarkon’s is… gone?”

“No,” Lelouch shook his head, “I honestly don’t think it’s possible to completely destroy the bond, but I did weaken it enough that it’s no longer the dominant bond between us. It will have to do.”

“I guess that’s better than nothing…” Kallen reluctantly agreed as everyone nodded.

“At the very least, you will not have to worry about Voltron falling apart in battle anymore,” Allura added.

“Yeah…” Lelouch nodded.

“What’s wrong, Lelouch?” Nunnally asked, noticing that despite the fatigue, his mind seemed to be somewhere else.

Lelouch smiled at his sister’s concern before sighing again, “There’s… Actually, it’s something that’s been on my mind for a while. Ever since we met Ulaz, actually.”

“Ulaz?” Rai asked, surprised. A cold silence fell over the group as they remembered the tragedy that had happened when they had first met the rogue Galran. That felt like it happened such a long time ago.

Lelouch grimaced. It honestly wasn’t sure now was a good time to even bring this up. But like with knowing he was Zero, or that Zarkon was his predecessor he knew this shouldn’t be something that they found out on their own.

Seeing that he now had everyone’s full attention, Lelouch sighed again before slowly removing his mother’s knife from a sheath he attached to his back.

“...Wait, isn’t that…?” Rivalz said softly as everyone stared at the knife Lelouch was holding out. A faint memory from a few years prior, of a well dressed Britannian noble down on his knees in front of Lelouch, begging for a compromise to the winnings as giving the full sum would leave him bankrupt. After a few minutes of some gabbling, one of his aides rushed out of the building, returning about twenty minutes later with a small chest. Opening it in front of the boys, and looking over Lelouch’s shoulder to see, Rivalz could make out a wicked looking purple knife resting in the velvet casing. The noble insisted the knife was worth far more than the winnings, claiming that all the blacksmiths and metallurgists he brought it to couldn’t identify the material it was made from. He hadn’t thought much of it since, as Lelouch never brought it up again after agreeing to the deal.

“Where did you get that, Lulu?” Milly asked.

“That looks like the knife Ulaz had,” Kallen said.

“Lelouch…?” Suzaku asked slowly.

“But it’s not Ulaz’s knife, right?” Shirley asked, “It looked... different.”

“It was different,” Rai said, “This is a knife. His was more like a dagger.”

“It’s not Ulaz’s,” Lelouch shook his head, “I’m not a hundred percent sure where it came from, but I do know that my mother owned it at one point in her life.”

“Mother’s?” Nunnally asked, eyes wide.

“Yeah,” Lelouch nodded, “She got it from her father, our grandfather. He was a firefighter. Other than that, I don’t know anything about it otherwise.”

“Lelouch,” Suzaku said carefully, “I don’t want to accuse you of anything, but why haven’t you brought this up before?”

Lelouch shrugged, “It didn’t seem significant at the time. All I knew about it was that it belonged to our mother, and it still remains one of the few things that still exists that she owned. Just having it with me was enough at the time. But… with everything that’s happened, I have been developing a theory.”

Everyone waited, seeing if Lelouch would continue, but when he didn’t everyone turned to one another awkwardly. Allura especially looked alarmed.

C.C. was the one that said it out loud, “You're suspecting that you yourself might be part-Galra.”

Lelouch grimaced again, “There’s no proof, but yes…”

“Lulu…” Shirley murmured.

“...Before all of this began, my biggest fear besides losing Nunnally was becoming like my father. But since learning the truth about Zarkon, and even just toying with this possibility of my heritage, now I fear becoming like him. And after hearing the story of how Zarkon became what he is…” Lelouch paused, “...I can’t help but think that if I had been in his shoes 10,000 years that I would have the done the same things he did, before his corruption.”

“You’re not like Zarkon, Lelouch!” Rai protested fervently, “There’s no way you would have done what he did!

Lelouch looked at the Green Paladin, “How can you be so sure?”

Rai went to answer before stopping. Biting his lip, he found he didn’t have an answer, despite wanting to reassure Lelouch that that wasn’t the case. The other Paladins in the room shared similar expressions.

“I will confess, Lelouch,” Allura finally spoke up, “For a long time, I have noticed the similarities that you and Zarkon both share. But when I say Zarkon, I don’t mean the tyrant we face now. The Black Paladin Zarkon was once a courageous hero, whom I did admire alongside my father.”

Allura walked forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, “You do have your flaws, Lelouch, but at your core, I see a person who wants nothing more than to protect what he loves, and bring peace to the world, to the entire universe… just like my father.”

Allura paused again, an uneasy crease forming on her brow, “I’ll also say, I’ve had my own fears of becoming a monster like Zarkon as well. After the Galra not only destroyed Altea, but most of the universe for the past 10,000 years, I harbored nothing but hatred for the Galra. I’ve even wished to completely wipe them out,” Allura stopped, restraining a shiver, recalling Mao saying this exact same thing to her in their encounter. “But… being reminded of my past history with the Galra before the war, the good history, and hearing about Ulaz and this Blade of Mamora, if it were not for his actions in freeing Rai… when I took the time to put aside my prejudices, we have him to thank for bringing this team together. And that doesn’t begin to describe all you’ve done as well, Lelouch. If it’s true that you’re part Galra, in my eyes, you’re every bit of the hero that Zarkon once was, and are a worthy successor to Voltron’s legacy that my father and mother, and all the Paladins of old would be proud of.”

Lelouch felt something grasp his hand and he looked over to Nunnally, who was smiling up at him.

“Lelouch, if it’s true you’re part-Galra, then I’m part-Galra too. And I’m fine with that. We can be part-Galra together!”

“Lelouch, honestly, I don’t care if you’re part rabbit,” Kallen said, “You’re still our leader, and… and you’ve taught me that we shouldn’t judge just because of ethnicity, it’s about character and skill, and I’m not making that mistake again.”

“I’ve said it before, Lelouch, you have my support to the end,” Suzaku reminded him.

“Same here,” Rai agreed.

“Yeah, same!” Shirley nodded.

“If this does change anything, it just makes you more awesome, Lelouch!” Rivalz exclaimed.

“Yeah, let’s show Zarkon what a real Galra Paladin can do!” Milly cheered.

“If you were expecting different results, Lelouch,” C.C. said, “You’ll find you’re sadly mistaken. Thought…” C.C. turned to smirk at Kallen, “A rabbit-human hybrid would be quite the sight to see.

Kallen flushed red as everyone giggled a little at the silly comment.

After everyone had calmed down, Lelouch looked down at the blade, smiling, “Thank you… I know. It doesn't matter where I come from... Whether I'm Britannian royalty or even part-Galra... I already know who I am. I am Zero... Paladin of the Black Lion of Voltron. And that's enough for me.”

The second the words left his mouth, the knife in Lelouch’s grip suddenly glowed brightly. Alarmed, the Black Paladin held it out and away from him as the light temporarily blinded him and everyone else in the room.

“Whoa! What’s happening?!” Suzaku gasped, shielding his eyes.

He got his answer as the light faded and in the place of the knife stood a large, curved saber form of the weapon.

“Okay, so that just happened,” Kallen commented.

“...How did you do that, Brother?” Nunnally asked in wonder.

“...I don’t know,” Lelouch admitted, similar awe in his tone.

“Wait, I thought it could only do that with your Geass on, Lulu,” Shirley said in surprise.

“Well, I mean… it did glow, so…” Milly pointed out.

“Okay, you know what? Zarkon can keep the Bayard. That thing is way cooler if you ask me,” Rivalz said, a sparkle in his eye.

“No kidding! That thing looks awesome!” Rai nodded.

“I’ve heard of ores that can do similar things,” Allura observed, “the immediate one that comes to mind is luxite. But according to the castle archives, the planet that mineral is mined from hasn’t existed in decaphebes.”

“Perhaps there is a way we can get some answers,” C.C. suggested, “From a place that likely has more of these blades, maybe?”

Lelouch couldn’t help the small smirk on his lips as he heard C.C.’s suggestion. But he quickly hid it and addressed the group once more.

"Let's get some rest for now. Once we're all fully-rested, we can start finding a way to take back Earth. But even with Voltron and the Black Knights working together, it might not be enough. We need to expand our coalition."

He gazed down at the blade beside him, "And I know just who to start with..."

“We’ve just received reports of System X-Y-9 being absorbed into the empire’s territory.”

The figure at the head of the bridge spun around to the radio upon hearing this news.

“Replay that!”

The general to his immediate right blinked, stunned at his reaction. “Sir, what’s-”

“Do it now!” he barked again, suddenly sounding frantic.

Alarmed the generals scrambled to rewind the broadcast, turning it up a couple of notched as well.

“...reports of System X-Y-9 being absorbed into the empire’s…”

He didn’t wait for the broadcast to finish as he suddenly slammed the radio off, hand trembling against the controls.

“Sir…?”

“...Set a course for System X-Y-9,” he finally ordered.

“...But sir, that system is in the exact opposite-”

“Do not make me repeat myself! Do it!”

Stunned once more, the crew proceeded to do as he commanded, though a couple couldn’t help but glance back at their leader. It had been decaphebes since they’d seen that look in his eyes.

It was a look of sheer horror.

As his generals plotted their course, the commander of the vessel sank into his seat with a wavering sigh, his heart hammering in his ears. This was his worst nightmare. He had to get back as soon as he could. He couldn’t let them find it.

Find her…

‘Cera…’

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bleachanimefan1 · 4 years ago

Text

Turtles Forever Part 76

The Real World Part Two

Leo and Usagi arrive at the Battle Nexus.

"We made it!" Leo exclaimed. "The Battle Nexus."

"I assured you that I would bring you to this honorable place," Usagi answered as they started to walk. "My sensei, Master Katsu Ichi, taught me the ritual for entering the realm of the Battle Nexus. And I have made this journey many times. Yet, no matter how many times I come to the Battle Nexus, it never ceases to amaze me with it's grandeur." The two finally stop at the stadium, to find it quiet as there is no tournament on right now.

They enter it and walk past the hall of past heroes. "Just think of all of the honorable warriors that fought in this arena over the years," Leo commented.

"But it's odd to find it so quiet," Usagi added as he and Leo walked up some steps. "Of course, I have never been here when the Battle Nexus Championship was not in progress." The two stop in front of doors that were left unguarded, surprisingly.

"Still, shouldn't there be guards or something?" Leo questioned. Usagi frowned, wondering the same as well. They enter the Daimyo's throne room to find it faintly dark, as a few doors to the side towards the stadium let in some light. In front of them was the Daimyo, but who also looked old and weak. Gyoji was floating next to him and the war staff was right next to him as well.

"My lord, it's is Miyamoto Usagi, he has come to see you," Gyoji told the Daimyo.

"So dark, no use." he murmured in despair.

"Surely, you remember Usagi. And he has come with Leonardo, Hamato Splinter's pupil." Leo glances over at Usagi before stepping up and kneeling down in front of the Daimyo.

"Honored Daimyo, I have come to ask for your help," he started. "My family, my brothers, and my father, Master Splinter are in trouble." The Daimyo made no response and Gyoji moves closer towards Leo.

"Please, Leonardo, continue. Tell the Daimyo everything." he urges him to continue.

"It was Drako...and your son," Leo answered, hesitantly. "They're still alive, if you can call it that. The two of them merged somehow, combined together to become one being, sort of an Ultimate Drako. He scattered us throughout time and space. That is why I am here, to ask you, most honored Daimyo, please use your war staff to retrieve my family and my master," Leo finished. "If you do, I will forever be in your debt." and he bows to him.

The Daimyo stirs. "You, Leonardo, will be in my debt? You would put yourself in my services? What would you do for me? Would you return to me my son?" His voice began to grow angry. "My son that you took from me? My son that you and your friend there and your master and your vile brothers took destroyed?" Leo and Usagi both had their mouths open in shock. "I will help you. Yes, I will help you to learn the meaning of pain and loss as you rot in my dungeon!" He stands up. "Guards, seize them!"

The two gasp in shock as guards came into the room and started to surround them.

"Lock them in the dungeon forever!" the Daimyo declared.

Leo and Usagi both pull out their swords as the guards rush towards them. Leo blocks an axe and jumps, kicking away the guard before fighting against two more. Usagi was fighting against a guard until Leo and him were now back to back.

"We're a little out numbered!" Leo pointed out.

"And I do not wish to harm these fine warriors!" Usagi called out.

"Time to get out of here and rethink things!" Leo told him.

"You will lead, I will follow," Usagi answered. Leo quickly moves away from a guard as he strikes. He jumps on one of their weapons and leaps over them. Usagi does the same and follows after him. The two both sheathe their swords.

"Stop them!" the Daimyo shouted. "Do not let them get away! Stop them!" He sits back down as he started to have a coughing fit. Leo pulls out his shunko spikes as the guards ran towards the two. He and Usagi jump out of the window. The guards look out of it down to the stadium below them towards the water.

"No one can survive a fall from this height,"

"We must be sure of it! Come on!"

As they ran off, Leo and Usagi, who was hanging from Leo's leg, were dangling from the wall as Leo climbed up it, using his ninja tool.

A few minutes later, Leo and Usagi jumped up into an opened window.

"I'm beginning to think hanging around with you is turning me more ninja than samurai, Leonardo-san," Usagi commented. "All this sneaking about."

"We have to steal the Daimyo's war staff," Leo explained.

"And we must help the Daimyo, Clearly, he is under some kind of spell," Usagi pointed out. "At the very least, he is not himself."

Then the two heard guards approaching and they jump inside and ran off. As the two arrived at the throne room, Leo and Usagi saw two guards guarding the door. They take out the guards and steal their uniforms, putting them on and walked into the room.

The Daimyo was sleeping in his throne room. The two guards were guarding the war staff. Leo and Usagi walked inside, the two holding each guard's weapon in their hands. They walked up to the guards.

"We've been sent here to relieve you," Leo tells them.

"But our watch isn't over yet?" One of them replied.

"It is now!" Leo shouted as he and Usagi both quickly took out the two guards. They looked over the Daimyo to see that he was still sleeping.

"My son...my son." he murmured. The two both removed their hoods and Leo was about to grab the war staff when Gyoji suddenly appears.

"Leonardo," Leo turns to him.

"I don't want to hurt you Gyoji, but I have to have the war staff," he whispered. The Gyoji quiets him.

"I wish to help you. Take the war staff and follow me," he told Leo. Leo took the staff and he and Usagi followed the Gyoji until he lead them into a chamber. The Gyoji turns to them, holding up a hand.

"I have witnessed the malaise that has befallen my master. And I have heard your story, Master Leonardo. Something is not right. Something must be done. And I will help you do it," he backs up and uses his paddle to create a mirror. "Use the staff, concentrate on your missing father, call him to you." Leo holds the staff and raises it to the air. It begins to spark. "The staff will do the rest." Leo closed his eyes concentrating on Master Splinter.

"Master Splinter! Master Splinter, where are you?" the mirror revealed that he was in a dungeon.

"Why, that is the dungeon! In this very castle!" They see an unconscious Splinter, who was chained up.

"Master Splinter, no!" Leo said, worried.

"Concentrate, Leonardo," Leo tried to concentrate as he sees Splinter begin to shift, but his attempt was unsuccessful.

"Huh? It didn't work." Leo replied, confused. "What did I do wrong?"

"I do not know," The Gyoji answered. "Perhaps, you will have better luck summoning one of your brothers? Try again, Leonardo."

Leo tries again and the mirror reveals the Shell of Justice, the home of super turtles.

"Mayor O'Neil," Graviturtle said. "The Super Turtles will stop him."

"That sounds pretty wicked," Mikey commented, stepping up. "Can I come?" He starts to shift.

"Whoa, it's happening again. I'm in flux! This is it, I'm going home!" Mikey sees a three shadowy silhouettes. "Thanks for everything! Bye! Bye now!" But, they soon disappear as Mikey returns back to normal.

"Guess I'm staying?" he shrugged.

"Perhaps your mind is unsettled in some way. Try again, you must concentrate harder, Leonardo," The Gyoji tells Leo and the mirror began to show an ice world. Raph was riding on a motorcycle with Falcon. He begins to shift and soon starts to phase through it.

"Oh, this ain't good," he commented. "It's like I'm fading away."

"We're drifting, get control!" Falcon shouted.

"I...I can't! I can't grab hold of the bars!" Raph answered him as he tried to grab the handles. He sees the shadowy silhouettes for a second.

"Raph, look out!" Falcon warned. The bike was falling off of the track into a deep chasm.

"Raph, no!" Leo shouted.

"You must try again, Leonardo. Try to save at least one of them." The Gyoji urges again. The mirror now revealed a dark New York as the Shredder had taken over it.

"Beware of what you do," Karai warned. "The Shredder is watching, always watching."

Donnie crawled out of the manhole. "Where are all the people?"

"You mean the one's that survived?" The older Mikey asked as they ran into the woods. "They're forced to work 18-hour days in the Shredder's labor camps. No one's allowed out at night."

Donnie starts to shift and he sees the silhouettes as well, for a second, before returning to normal. "What the shell?" He shakes his head and runs after Mikey.

Leo concentrated one more time, now focusing on Yuuki. The mirror changed as it revealed a bedroom. He saw Yuuki curled into a ball as she leaned against the locked door. Leo heard two voices pounding on the other side as they tried to call out to her.

"Yuuki, open the door this instant!" Leo heard a woman's voice shout. Next, he heard a man's voice call out.

"Princess, I don't know what's going on, but open the door. We need to talk!"

Yuuki shook her head as she tried to block the voices out.

"You're not real!" she cried. "You are not my parents! I just want to go home!"

Then Yuuki felt herself begin to shift and she saw two silhouettes. As she stood up and looked closer, she gasped and immediately ran towards them. Yuuki threw herself from out of the mirror and crashed right into Leo's arms.

"Leo!" she cried out. Leo immediately hugged her tightly.

"Yuuki! Finally, something goes right!" Yuuki noticed Usagi beside her and Leo.

"Usagi? You're here too?" she asked, confused but also happy to see him.

"Nice to see you too, Yuuki-san," Usagi smiled.

"Leo, where are the others?" Yuuki asked. "Where's Master Splinter?" Leo sighed.

"Master Splinter is in the dungeon of this castle as for the others," he clenched the war staff tightly in his hands.

"We'll figure something out," Yuuki told him.

"I don't get it." Leo said in frustration. "I just don't get it. I was so close I could feel them."

"It is not your fault," Gyoji takes the staff from him. "Someone very powerful is blocking your attempts and is enjoying watching you suffer thus."

"What?" Leo murmured.

"Enjoying it very much, relishing your pain and frustration," Usagi and Leo look at each other as well as Yuuki as the Gyoji voice began to change, sounding more familiar. "Taking pleasure in your absolute ignorance!"

The three gasp as he began to laugh evilly, his face breaking into piece, revealing the Ultimate Ninja.

"We have enjoyed watching you suffer, Leonardo, as we have enjoyed watching your rat master suffer! And bringing Usagi here is an extra gift to us. He shall rue the day he returned to my Battle Nexus." the Daimyo's son eyed Yuuki, which Leo stood in front of her, blocking him from her. "And Yuuki will finally be my bride as promised!"

"You will never lay a hand on her!" Leo shouted in rage.

"The Battle Nexus will never be yours, villian!" Usagi exclaimed as he and Leo charged towards the Daimyo, taking off their cloaks. The Ultimate Ninja freezes everyone with the time scepter.

"Pathetic creatures, I control both the Daimyo's war staff and Lord Simultaneous time scepter! I am a god!" There is a flash of light and Leo and Usagi appear in a desert.

"Where has the fiend sent us?" Usagi demanded. Leo felt himself begin to panic. Yuuki was not with them. She must be back there with the Ultimate Ninja. Leo gripped his swords in frustration. He was getting really tired of this.

"I don't know, but it can't be good," he answered as a purple cloud began to circle around the two, trapping them in it. Zombie like creatures began to advance towards them as they pulled out their swords.

"Usagi, I'm sorry that I got you into this," Leo said to him.

"Do not say such things, my brother. I stand by you no matter what happens," Usagi insisted as the warriors charged at Leo. He blocks one's flaming sword with his own. Usagi growls and jumps over the flaming blade and clashes with another as well. But, Usagi was knocked down as a creature charged at him from behind, knocking him unconscious.

"Usagi!" Leo shouted as he tried to defend both him and Usagi. "No!"

"Soon, Leonardo will be destroyed," The Ultimate Ninja declared as Leo ducked from a weapon. "Glorious, glorious!" He uses the war staff to summon the Daimyo. "And now, no more distractions. We must finish the Daimyo once and for all. His ruling is at an end. He shall suffer horribly as he perishes." The beast hovered over the Daimyo with the two weapons above him, ready to finish him off.

Splinter appeared on the ground, near the Daimyo as well as Yuuki. She sees Splinter and rushes over to him, trying to wake him up. "First the Daimyo will perish and then the rat." the Ultimate Ninja laughs evilly and the Daimyo starts to wake up.

"My son...my-my son is that you? I...thought I heard your voice." he murmured. The Ultimate Ninja begins to falter as he heard his voice and saw his face.

"Father?"

"Is that sentiment I hear in your voice?" Drako demanded.

"He looks so...frail," The Ultimate Ninja murmured.

"Do not soften on me now," Yuuki smiled in relief as Splinter began to wake up. He tells her to be quiet and to follow him as the two sneaked towards the Ultimate Ninja. "He must be destroyed."

"Must he?" the Ultimate Ninja questioned. "We have all we want. We have power, we have the war staff. He is no longer a threat. He is old and weak. We could let him live in exile."

"We haven't come this far to simply let the Daimyo live," Drako argued. "He must suffer. He must pay! All must pay! Now!"

"No!" the Ultimate Ninja shouted as well as Splinter and Yuuki as the two jumped up and grabbed the war staff.

"You shall not harm him! No more destruction, no more!" Splinter yelled. The Ultimate Ninja slammed Splinter and Yuuki to the ground as they held on to the war staff.

"Fools, have you forgotten who is the master of this race?" the Ultimate Ninja responded. "We hold the power. We command-" Suddenly, the war begins to activate as Splinter and Yuuki attempted to use it. "What? They have activated the war staff? No!"

My children!...My children!

In Megatroplis, Mikey was surrounded by the super turtles as he helped them defeated the Sliver. He begins to phase out. "Oh no, not now!" He exclaimed. "Sorry guys, look's like I'm already on my way, out of this world! If they write a comic about this, make sure they call me the Turtle Titan!" he tells them before fades away.

Come to me, my children.

Raph manages to finish the race with Falcon. "Yes, Team Fitts has won the USP RA charity race event!" The alien crowd cheered as Raph jumped down from the bike. Falcon shakes his hand.

"Way to win the race, partner." he tells him, but Raph begins to shift again.

"Hey, it's happening again," he explained as his voice became more distorted. "It's pulling me way from here."

"Raph, listen," Falcon told him. "Just remember that if you do nothing else in your life, you were once a planet racer. Not everyone can say that." Raph places a hand on his shoulder.

"And you remember, race with honor." He fades away.

My children...

In the dark world of New York, the Shredder had been defeated. Donnie and April were the only ones to make it out of the fight.

"My brothers, my poor brothers, this world, this future. It's a nightmare." he lamented lost in thought.

"It was a nightmare, Don. But, you, Leo, Raph, Mikey, Yuuki, and Venus, you gave us back our future." April told him. Then Donnie begins to phase.

"April, it's happening again! Something's pulling me away. It's stronger this time!" he screamed as he disappeared.

You are now needed more than ever!

"My children, my children, my children!" Splinter shouted. A flash of green energy emits from the staff and everyone appeared as they landed on the ground. Splinter and Yuuki glance over at them.

"Guys! You're back!" Yuuki shouted.

"What the shell?" Raph questioned and Donnie hugs him.

"Raphie!" Mona shouted as she ran over to hug him. Donnie moved out of the way before she could crash into him and Raph.

"Mikey, Raph, you're young!" he exclaimed happily. "And alive!" He runs over to Mikey, taking his hands. "And Mikey, you have both arms!"

"Good to see you too, Donnie," Mikey commented, nervously. "I think."

"Donnie?" Donnie gasped as he heard Venus voice, behind him. He turned to her and immediately ran over and hugged her tightly.

"Venus!" he exclaimed as he felt tears begin to burn his eyes and wiped them away. "You're okay! You're really here!" Venus looked at him with a shocked look and looked over towards Raph and Mikey mouthing to them "What's going on?"

The two shrugged their hands, confused as well.

"What have you done, rat?" The Ultimate Ninja demanded as he lifted Splinter and Yuuki up. "What have you done?" He throws them down to the ground, trying to shake them off of the staff. The others notice them.

"Enough reunion, Master Splinter's and Yuuki are in trouble!" Raph called out. "Come on!"

The group runs over to them as the Ultimate Ninja tried to make them let go of the staff.

"Insolent rat! Let go!" He slams Splinter and Yuuki down while the others charge at him and tackled the Ultimate Ninja down. He lets go of the war staff as Yuuki and Splinter fall to the ground, the two holding it in their hands. The time scepter was released as well.

"My war staff! My time scepter! No, no, no!" he smacks Mikey, Raph, and Alopex off of him while Donnie and Venus grabbed onto his tail. He smacks them back as well. Donnie looks over towards the time scepter.

"We have to keep the time scepter out of his hands!" he called out. As the Ultimate Ninja moves towards the scepter, Donnie kicks it away.

"Yo, ugly!" he turns to see Raph and Mikey holding the scepter. "Looking for this?"

Splinter and Yuuki walked up, holding the war staff. "You fools!" he yells at them. "There is no way you can defeat us! You do not have the power to use the war staff or the time scepter!"

"Perhaps not," Splinter spoke, as he gripped the staff tightly in his hands. "But you will never get your hands on them again! I swear it! I-" A strange energy began to erupt between the time scepter and the war staff as they collided with each other.

"What sorcery is this?" Drako asked.

"Master Splinter?" Mikey commented, confused.

"What's going on?" Raph murmured.

"I don't know," Splinter answered. "I-" the energy began to grow stronger as the four were lifted into the air. "Everyone, hold on! Hold on!"

Leo and Usagi gripped their swords as they tried to defend themselves against the creatures. "They just keep coming, Usagi!"

"Then we will just keep fighting, Leonardo!" Usagi yelled back to him. Suddenly, the creatures disappeared and the two reappear in the throne room of the palace.

"We're back," Leo murmured.

"This should not be possible!" The Ultimate Ninja shouted as they appeared in the room. "You do not have the power!"

The energy directed itself and fired at the Ultimate Ninja tearing him and Drako apart from each other. Soon, the two began to turn into stone.

"I don't understand," Drako said. "How can this be? No, no!"

"Father?" the Ultimate Ninja turned towards the Daimyo, stepping to him. "Father!" he held out his hand towards him before he starts to turn to stone as well. "Forgive me. I-"

The Ultimate Ninja and Drako fall to the ground as they crumbled to dust.

"My son?" the Daimyo murmured. "Did I hear my son? What is going on here?"

The four were lifted down as the energy began to subside. Leo and Usagi walk in to see them. "Master Splinter! Yuuki!"

"You're alright!" he exclaimed as he ran up to all of them. "You're all okay!"

"Um, sensei, what the shell just happend?" Mikey questioned, confused. "How did we do that?"

"I...truly do not know." Splinter answered. Suddenly, there was a bright blue light as Lord Simultaneous stepped out of it.

"It's quite simple really. It's like I told your kids here when I met them last time," he levitates the time scepter to him. "This time scepter has a mind of it's own. It read everyone's thoughts, weighed good against evil, and set everything to right, with a little help from the war staff." He groaned as he turned around seeing the two ash piles on the ground. "What a horrible mess. No one ever learns," He lowers himself and walked over to it. "I get so tired of cleaning up after megalomaniacs and mad men."

"No, no," he hears the Daimyo stirring in front of him. "My son, no."

"Let me show you the true and good powers of the time scepter, controlled by the right hands." The time lord turned to everyone and he sprinkles some blue dust over the fallen Ultimate Ninja, turning him into a little boy. He shakes his head as he wakes and rushes over towards the Daimyo, hugging him.

"Father, father! I had the most horrible nightmare! Oh, father!"

The Daimyo wakes and sees him. "My son? Oh, my son!" He hugs him as he cried. "Do not cry. I too had a horrible nightmare, but it's over now. It's alright, it's going to be alright."

Simultaneous turns back to the others. "And it's high time I put you all back where you belong. You've given me quite a headache fitting all over time and creation like that."

"Usagi," Leo bows to him. "Thank you." Yuuki bows to him as well.

"It was great seeing you again!" she replied then lunged out towards him, hugging the samurai tightly. Usagi smiled.

"And me as well, Yuuki-san," then he turns to Leo.

"Leonardo, it is a great honor to be your friend."

"Until we meet again, Usagi-san," Splinter tells him. "Farewell."

Simultaneous returns everyone back to their time lines and they soon find themselves back in the lair. Casey walks over to them.

"Where did the heck did you guys go? I've been looking for you for at least ten minutes. Elizabeth's been crying nonstop and I even had to change her diapers!" he told them with a disgusted look on his face. Mona had a horrific look on hers. Elizabeth has been alone this entire time...with Casey.

"I have to go check on her now!" she shouted, running off.

"You guys been goofing on me? Is this some kind of game, like hide and seek or something?" Casey asked as he watched run off with a confused look on his face. Raph smiled as well as everyone else.

"Yeah, something like that." he told him.

"Let's just say it's good to be home." Leo commented.

#tmnt leonardo #tmnt raphael #tmnt mikey #tmnt donnie #tmnt oc #tmnt fanart #tmnt fanfiction #fanfic #tmnt 2003 #usagi miyamoto

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eirian-houpe · 4 years ago

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Disparate Pathway - Chapter 19

Read previous chapters on AO3

Chapter 19 - Grace

Jefferson had the cab drop him a block and a half away from his sister-in-law’s house. He didn’t think he’d been followed, but he’d learned the hard way that you could never be too careful where that kind of thing was concerned. No matter how pissed he was, the last thing he wanted to do was to bring danger to Rebecca’s door.

He took an indirect route, ducking through alley ways and across the community garden, before coming back out onto the street a few houses down. Once he reached the sidewalk he knelt down under the pretext of tying a shoelace, and took the time to have a good look around himself. Only when he was satisfied that the street was empty did he get up and finally make his way to the house and rang the bell.

It was late, and he knew it would take someone a while to get to the door, so he tried to resist the urge to push the bell again, or worse, to lean on the doorbell until someone pulled open the door to spit a whole load of invectives into his face. He was trembling, just a little, as the lights in the hallway snapped on and the silhouette of a figure approached the thick, frosted glass.

He heard the jingle of keys and locks, and the rattle of a chain before the door began to open just a crack.

“Rebecca, it’s me,” he said to forestall the necessity of too much opening and closing of the door, which might bring too much attention to what was going on. Attention, apparently, was not something from which Rebecca intended to shy away.

The door slammed shut, and then opened again with the velocity of a forced entry, until the doorway was blocked by a back-lit figure that involuntarily made his heart lurch, even though he knew it was not Priscilla, but her sister. She had her hands on her hips, and it didn’t take an investigative genius to know that she was unhappy with him.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” she spat.

In better circumstances he might have made a joke, nice to see you too, Rebecca. How the hell are you? It’s been a while, but these were not better circumstances and he didn’t have time to put up with her being a dick.

“I need my car,” he said, trying - and failing - not to match her tone at least a little and took a step toward her. “I went to storage and it’s not there. Where is it?”

“Whoa, back up buster,” her tone, if possible, was even more frosty than it had been when she opened the door, “We agreed that you wouldn’t come around here without at least a call—”

“You decided.” He talked over her.

“—twenty-four hours in advance.”

“There wasn’t time,” he protested, hackles rising despite not having the energy for the fight that it seemed she was intent on having anyway, “and if you’d left the car where it was supposed to be we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”

“Conversation?!” she snapped. “This is what you call a conversation? You show up here, yelling at me on my own doorstep and—”

“Fuck you, Rebecca, you’ve never even heard me yelling,” he growled, and paced away from the door barely a step, running his hand through his hair before he turned back and repeated, “I don’t have time for this - Where’s my fucking car?”

“You’re not hearing me, Jefferson,” she said. “You don’t get to come around here demanding, aggressive, unreasonable and not to mention delinquent, and expect me to—”

“Excuse me?!” the shudder of incredulity burst out of him in the form of words. “Delinquent?” He moved to take a step forward, but she barred his way by closing the door on him just a little, but he pushed it open. “In what universe have I ever been delinquent?”

“The storage company—”

“Comes right out of my account. What’s going on, Rebecca?” Flared temper mingled with the worry of a million possibilities, and it made him even more demanding of answers. “Is there something I should know about!”

“Hey, hey, guys,” another calmer voice - Andy, his sister-in-law’s husband - interrupted their mutually rising tirade. “How would it be if you continue this inside, hmm, before the neighbors start calling the cops?”

The words made Jefferson look around, and he saw that several porch lights had been turned on, and there were the outlines of people in doorways and in windows.

“Fine,” Rebecca said, proving to him by her tone that it was anything other than fine, as she opened the door wider, and let him step inside.

It was Andy that closed the door behind him to Jefferson’s quiet, “Thanks, man.”

Andy shrugged, and then nodded toward Rebecca, before he said, “I’ll make tea.”

Jefferson tried to stay as calm as Andy’s intervention had afforded him the chance to achieve, and took a breath before he asked softly, “Now, what about the storage company?”

“They called a few months ago, and every month since. They said it was a personal matter and then would only speak with you,” she said, his affected calm quieting her. “Which is accounts-speak for you owing them money.”

“What did you tell them?” he asked, switching instantly back from being an ‘on the offensive brother-in-law,’ to being an undercover FBI agent. Either paranoid, or overcautious, or God-forbid, right, there was something suspect about all of this.

“Exactly what you told me to say,” she answered.

“And you called Rab?” he asked, frowning as she nodded.

“He said he’d take care of it,” she said in confirmation, “but the calls keep happening.”

“Someone’s fishing,” he said half to himself and half to Rebecca. “If they call again, write down the number and hang up, then give the number to Rab, tell him I think someone is trying to find out if I’ve been in contact with you.”

She nodded, and swallowed, then said, “Besides that,” she paused for a second before continuing, “Paige had to—”

“Grace,” he corrected, his temper rising again. “Her name is Grace.”

“She had to have dental work, Jefferson, and we—”

“I’ll see to it you get the money, Rebecca. When have I ever let you down with anything like that?”

She shook her head, “You haven’t just…” she sighed, and didn’t finish the sentence.

He reached out slowly, reaching past the fading red mist, to put a hand onto her shoulder. “I get it, it’s unsettling, but I promise you, everything will be fine.” He hated himself for the possibility he was lying. He took his own breath and asked softly, “Can I… can I see her?”

She made a face and he knew she was about to refuse. He tried to think rationally, not to let the fact that she was about to deny him a moment with his daughter, derail him again. It wasn’t right. He was here and he had this moment, and maybe it would be his only moment. He shivered… thinking like that…

“It’s late, Jeff,” Rebecca said at last, “and it’s a school night, so—”

“Papa!”

The cry came from the top of the stairs, and throwing Rebecca a helpless expression, Jefferson took the stairs two at a time, barely making it to the landing to catch Grace as she launched herself against him, and with her in his arms, sank down to the floor, holding her tightly.

The press of every missed moment warred with the very real feeling of having her in his arms. He breathed in her scent. Squeezed her tighter, and felt that she had lost weight and felt waif-like against him, and he squeezed his eyes closed to keep his tears at bay. He eased his hold on her after a moment ready to draw back and take in the sight of her, but she tightened her arms around his neck.

“I miss you,” she whispered against his shoulder.

“Oh, Grace,” he forced the words past the knot in his throat, “I miss you too, sweetie.” He turned his head to plant a gentle kiss on the side of her head, finally managing to ease her away; to look at her, then reached out to wipe at the wetness on her cheeks with the pad of his thumb. His voice was hoarse when he spoke again. “You look good. You had a hair cut.”

“Just the ends,” she said, and then she released him enough that he could take her in properly, and he felt her little hand tugging his hair, before she told him, “You need one”

He let his head hang down playfully for a moment as he confessed, “I do. I really do.” Then he looked up at her and offered her a smile. “How about you show me your room. A little bird told me you’ve decorated in there.”

Grace giggled a little bit. “You won’t like it,” she said.

“Oh, I won’t?”

She shook her head, but took his hand and tugged until he climbed to his feet. His legs, inexplicably, felt like jello underneath him and his head felt light, and he wasn’t sure whether it was the lack of sleep, the physical beating he’d taken, or the overwhelming emotion he felt at holding his baby girl in his arms, even for such a short time.

She led him to her room. He’d been in there before, but it had been a while ago, and then it was decorated with faux wood panels in the lower half of the room, with almost a chintz paper above. He had hated it, but it gave him a kind of comfort, because it matched the rest of the house and that made it seem somehow impermanent - like the arrangement of Grace living with Rebecca and Andy was just a temporary thing.

When he walked in behind her this time, every sense screamed at him to get her out, to bring her with him; that he shouldn’t leave her there. Something was coming, and she was right - he wouldn’t like it, but it wasn’t the room. The room, he quite liked; reflected everything Grace loved.

The bed was new, and the wood panels had been replaced with a mural showing the inside of a country cottage, complete with a painted fireplace, with cooking utensils that ‘hung’ to the side of it on a mock hearth, built from what looked like corrugated cardboard painted to look like red bricks. On the ceiling the suggestion of wooden beams had been created in paint and cardboard, with yellow construction straws in the corners representing thatch.

He cleared his throat before he spoke. It felt like far too much work had gone into the room for it to be anything other than a lasting arrangement.

“You always did want to live in the country,” he said.

“Forest, Papa,” Grace corrected him. “Look.”

She drew back the heavy curtains that were pulled across the windows, and even in the darkness he could see that the glass had been painted across with trees, and bluebells, and even a little well.

“Nice,” he said softly, and kissed her hand as he took it from the drapes and covered up the windows and the light that came through the ‘forest’ from the city beyond. “I remember now, you always said you wanted to live in the forest.”

She looked up at him and then threw her arms around his waist, and he held her close, without moving from where they were. “I always want to live with you, Papa. I don’t care where.”

He leaned down to pick her up, resting her head against his shoulder, as he carried her across to her bed, so that she wouldn’t see the expression of pain that flashed across his eyes. “I know, sweetie, I know.” He wanted that too - desperately.

He sat them both down on the edge of the bed, and she squeezed him tightly, her arm catching the graze on the top of his shoulder, and he couldn’t help but wince. She pulled away at once, staring at him as though he had slapped her.

“Papa, you’re hurt,” she gasped. She started to wriggle in his lap to get down, “I have a band aid.”

He caught her wrist gently as she started toward the dresser. “It’s just a scratch,” he told her. “I’m good, I promise.”

She turned and looked at him then, as if taking him in properly for the first time, and he had to force himself to be still; not to hide himself from her. He’d promised himself he would never do that.

“But Papa, your scarf!” she said at last, “It’s torn.”

She pulled on his grasp until he let go so that she could cross the distance to the dresser, and reach inside. He watched as she took out a paisley patterned, silk scarf, and brought it back with her when she came to kneel on the bed beside him.

He swallowed as she reached out to unfasten the hurried knot he’d tied in his ruined scarf to fix it - it seemed a lifetime ago now - when it had torn in his struggle with Belle as she tried to run away.

“You can have this one of mine,” she told him as she finally freed the knot, and he closed his eyes and swallowed hard as she slipped it free, and then tenderly arranged the long, silk scarf around his neck, careful to cover his scars, before tying it at the back of his neck. “There.”

He ran his fingertips over its softness before he wrapped his arms around Grace, and held her again. “Thank you, baby,” he whispered, wiping away a tear that escaped onto his cheek in spite of his effort to keep them inside.

“I love you.”

“And I love you, Grace - so much.” He held her tightly, and then reached past her to pull back the covers of her bed. “Scooch down now. It’s late, and your aunt is worried about you being up on a school night.”

Reluctant, but obedient, Grace settled into bed, and Jefferson pulled the covers up to her chin, kneeling beside the bed as he did. He smoothed his fingers over her hair, committing her features to memory, and the feel of her hair beneath his fingertips, everything.

She sighed softly, calmed by his touch, he could feel her relax with each pass of his fingers through her hair.

“Promise me something,” he said quietly, and he smiled sadly as she turned her sleepy eyes his way. “Promise me that no matter what happens, no matter what you hear, or what people tell you, you’ll always remember that.

“I promise, Papa,” she whispered, her eyes closing as sleep reached up to claim her.

For a long time, Jefferson didn’t move; couldn’t, as he forced back the emotion that was threatening to spill over like a boiling kettle. He couldn’t - wouldn’t - let Rebecca see him breaking and vulnerable.

When he was sure Grace wouldn’t wake he pulled himself to his feet, leaned down and softly kissed her brow, whispering an almost inaudible, “Goodbye, my sweet Grace,” before turning and leaving the room.

To Jefferson the quiet click of the door catching closed sounded as loud as gunfire in the dim lit hallway, and the white hot pain, just as surely felt like the kiss of a bullet.

He took his time descending the stairs, using the repetitive motion to wrap the steel bands around himself, shoring himself up; confining himself to the present moment only. Andy met him at the foot of the stairs.

“N-ice,” Jefferson forced the words past the catch as he reached the last stair, “decorations you’ve done there.”

“Rebecca,” Andy said, confirming what Jefferson already suspected.

“She always did have a flair for art,” he answered.

Andy nodded, and then said, “Come with me.”

Jefferson followed Andy through to the garage, noticing as Andy picked up a travel mug on their way through the kitchen. His brother-in-law flicked on the light as they descended the few steps to the concrete floor, and then turned and handed the cup to Jefferson.

“I made your tea to go,” Andy said. “I’ll be honest with you, Jefferson, Becca really doesn’t want to talk to you any more.”

“…the fuck, Andy!”

Andy held up his hand in a gesture obviously meant to placate him. “I know, I know,” he said, “Just… give her time.”

“Time?” Jefferson ran his fingers through his hair, “How much more time! It’s been nine fucking years, almost ten.”

Again, Andy held up his hand. “She was her sister, Jeff.”

“And she was me wife!” he growled, “Grace’s mother. Do you think I don’t feel her loss every goddamn day? Feel like I failed her, and I’m still failing.”

He felt himself trembling beneath the hand that Andy placed on his shoulder; squeezed supportively. “It wasn’t you, and it’s not your fault,” Andy said, then added, “But Becca’s my wife, and I have to do what’s best for her, and for our family. So… I’m going to tell you something, and then you’re going to get in your car,” he nodded to the vehicle beside them as he reached out and pulled the tarp from covering it, “drive away, and finish this thing - whatever it is you’re involved in.” He held out the keys for Jefferson to take.

“Rebecca’s not going to put up with this arrangement much longer, and I’m not sure she’s thinking things through rationally.” Jefferson took the keys into his hand, but Andy didn’t let go and stepped in closer to catch the crook of Jefferson's other arm. “She means well, and I hope you can remember that, because when the shit hits the fan, it’s not going to be pretty.”

Jefferson was about to ask what the fuck he meant, when Rebecca appeared at the top of the steps to the kitchen, and he didn’t miss the warning Andy held in his eyes. He gave the barest of nods, and murmured his thanks as Andy let go of the car keys, and his arm.

“Don’t come around here any more, Jefferson,” Rebecca said, almost calmly, from the top of the stairs. “I really don’t want to see you again.”

Jefferson didn’t answer, just unlocked the car and opened the door. Andy caught him by the arm again before he could climb in, then he pulled an envelope from his pocket. He held it out to Jefferson.

“So you can stay off the radar for a little while longer,” he said.

Jefferson first clasped his hand, and allowed Andy to pull him in for a brief hug, truly appreciating the supportive slap on the back his brother-in-law offered. Then he took the envelope with a grateful nod, and slipped it into the pocket of his jacket.

Andy opened up the garage door as Jefferson started up the engine, feeling even more indebted to the man for taking such good care of his car that it started right away, then he backed out onto the driveway, and then onto the street.

He drove away as calmly as he could; one block… two, before turning on to the back country road that would take him out of town and toward the highway. Farmland soon rolled in on his left and right, and then a short stretch of wooded road, like the tiny forest he had seen on Grace’s window.

Suddenly, he couldn’t hold it in any more, and barely managed to pull in to the side of the road and put the car in park. He slapped the palm of his hand onto the padded steering wheel. It wasn’t enough. It needed both hands… again and again he hit the steering wheel with both hands, feeling, then hearing the whine gather in his throat before he opened his mouth and let it out, no longer hitting the wheel, but now gripping it tightly with both hands, as though it were a life preserver and he was drowning. Drowning he might have been, because he couldn’t breathe and his body shook, as his eyes flooded, and spilled over with hot and bitter tears.

#rumbelle #graphic violence #implied non-con #implied torture #implied drug use #angst #hurt/comfort #eventual smut #first time #major character death #disparate pathways #i will always write jefferson

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omnifalls-10 · 4 years ago

Text

Omni Falls Chapter 4: The Lil Psycho

It's a peaceful weekend at the Mystery Shack. As Grunkle Stan swindles tips from the tourists outside, Dipper, Mabel, and Soos sit at the table, discussing Dipper's mysterious watch and how he found it as the young Pine drinks a soda while his sister knits a sweater.

"So you found that watch in a mysterious ball?", Soos summarizes. "And after that you fought a giant gnome monster by turning a rock alien?"

"Diamond alien.", Dipper corrects.

"So does this mean you morph into aliens now?", Soos questions.

"It seems so.", Dipper replies.

"Cool dude. So what aliens can you turn into?". Soos probes, curious on what aliens he can morph as.

"So far he's morphed into the diamond alien, the red one that can shoot water, the speedy one, and the plant that can shoot fire but smells like a dumpster.", Mabel tallies off as she continues to knit herself a new sweater.

Dipper rubs his chin in thought. "Hm. But there could be potentially more than that."

Soos looks amazed by this. "Dude, that sounds awesome! Did you ever name any of them?"

"I only named Diamondhead, the crystal alien, Water Hazard, the water alien, and Swampfire, the plant one,", Dipper answers as he heads to the trash bin to throw away the soda can.

"Why Swampfire?", Soos asks.

"'Cause he smells like a flaming dumpster, when he transforms.", Mabel answers to which Dipper nods in agreement.

"Hm. Did you come up with a name for the speed alien?", Soos inquiers.

"Why, yes, Soos.", Dipper puffs his chest, priding himself on a cool name. "Blitz." Such a cool name, he thinks. Unfortunately, Mabel and Soos don't agree with this.

"Boooooooo!", Mabel and Soos jeers.

"What? You guys got anything better?", Dipper scoffs as he sits at the table, reading the Journal.

"Oh, I got one.", Mabel answers, dropping her sweater she's knitting to flail her arms dramatically. "Speedy!".

"That sounds like a cartoon character.", Dipper clarifies.

"Speedster?", Soos tries a name.

"That sounds even more bland than Blitz."

"Quicksilver!"

"The name's taken. Plus the alien is more blue and black than silver."

"Flash?"

"Taken."

"Zoom Zoom?"

"That sounds like a jingle for a commercial."

Mabel stops and thinks for a moment before she gets an idea, smiling. "How about XLR8?!"

"Awesome name, little dude.", Soos is impressed as he holds his hand out for Mabel to high five. Dipper just shrugs, he honestly doesn't mind because it would be nice to make names for the aliens that he would turn into. It would help for him to have an alias to turn towards in case someone would know about the aliens he would have.

But the chances of that happening are slim to none. As they start conversing on other random topics, the TV transitions into a commercial Soos recognizes.

"Hey, look. It's that commercial I was telling you guys about.", Soos points to the screen showing an actor crying.

"Are you completely miserable?", the announcer asks, to which the actor says "YES!". The announcer continues, "Then you need to meet..." before a lady's voice comes in with a silhouette in the background. "Gideon."

"Gideon?", Dipper asks, looking at the screen, curiously.

"What makes him so special?", Mabel inquires, wanting to know more about this mysterious figure.

"He's a psychic.", the announcer answers, intriguing the Pine Twins even more. "So don't waste your time with another so-called 'man of mystery'." The screen shows a clip of Stan coming out of an outhouse and is stamped with the word "FRAUD". "Learn about tomorrow tonight at Gideon's Tent of Telepathy."

"Wow, I'm getting all curiousy inside...", Mabel admits.

"Well, don't get too curiousy.", Stan answers with an annoyed expression on his face as he enters the room and flips up his eyepatch and hangs his suit jacket on his racket. "Ever since that monster Gideon rolled into town, I've had nothin' but trouble."

"But, is he really psychic?", Dipper asks his grunkle.

"I think we should go and find out.", Mabel suggests, wanting to see this psychic for herself.

"Never! You're forbidden from patronizing the competition!", Grunkle Stan exclaims in anger. "No one that lives under my roof is allowed under that Gideon's roof!" That said, the conman walks away to count his earnings, grumbling.

"Do tents have roofs?", Dipper wonders out loud since Stan left the room.

"I think we just found our loophole... literally!", Mabel proudly declares as she holds a string with a loophole, making her, Dipper, and Soos laugh at the cheesy joke, causing them to miss the announcer's words in the end.

"So come down soon, folks. Gideon is expecting you."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

As the evening air is crisp as Dipper, Mabel, and Soos arrive at the Tent of Telepathy. At first glance, it looks like the Mystery Shack but in reverse, even down to Bud Gleeful standing at the entrance with a sack for customers to put money in.

"Whoa, this is like a bizarro version of the Mystery Shack.", Dipper admits as he looks around. "They even have their own Soos." He points to a maintenance worker who looks very similar to Soos, named Deuce, to which he glares at him.

"Sshh!", Mabel shushes her brother. "It's starting!"

"Let's see what this monster looks like.", Dipper murmurs skeptically. The crowd is holding their breath as a large silhouette comes forward on the stage, but starts to shrink with each step until it is in the center. The curtains pull back to reveal a short child younger than the Pines donning a large pompadour and wearing a baby blue business suit, complete with large shoulder pads, a jade bolo tie, and a flashy cape.

"Hello America!", the Gideon greets the audience, his smile being warm. "My name is Li'l Gideon." He claps and doves fly out of his hair, causing the crowd to cheer.

"That's Stan's mortal enemy?", Dipper asks, confused by how this child could be the rival to their grunkle.

"But he's so wittle.", Mabel adds, smiling at how cute the little guy is.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is such a gift to have you here tonight!", Gideon announces to the crowd. "Such a gift. I have a vision. I predict that you will soon all say, 'aww.'" Gideon makes a cute pose and the crowd immediately gushes.

"It came true.", Mabel speaks in awe, holding her cheeks in admiration.

"What?", Dipper rolls his eyes. "I'm not impressed."

"You're impressed!", Mabel teases.

"Hit it, Dad!" Gideon calls his father, Bud Gleeful. He starts playing the piano and the young psychic starts dancing as he sings."Oh, I can see what others can't see. It ain't some sideshow trick, it's innate ability. Where others are blind, I am futurely inclined. And you too could see, if you was widdle ol' me!"

"Come on, everybody, rise up! I want y'all to keep it going!" Gideon calls out to the crowd. They, including Soos and the twins, rise, seemingly unintentionally, and they start to clap along with the beat. This confuses Dipper as this happens.

"Wha—? How did he—?", Dipper stammers in bewilderment as he looks at the young psychic.

"Keep it going!", Gideon calls to the audience before pointing to an elderly woman in the crowd. "You wish your son would call you more."

"I'm leaving everything to my cats!", the old woman yells, with her cat on her lap affirming her.

"I sense that you've been here before.", Gideon predicts as he points at Sheriff Blubs, who is wearing a shirt with Gideon's face on it and holding various other Li'l Gideon merchandise.

"Oh, what gave it away?", he gushes.

"Come on.", Dipper scoffs at this psychic's pitiful predictions. In an instant, Gideon appears beside the Pine Twins, continuing his song. "I'll read your mind if I'm able."

"Something tells me you're named Mabel", Gideon predicts before heading back to the stage.

"How'd he do that?", Mabel asks herself in amazement, she isn't even wearing her name on her sweater.

"So welcome all ye... to the Tent of Telepathy. And thanks for visiting... widdle ol' me!", Gideon finishes his dance as the song ends. The crowd cheers wildly as the young psychic catches his breath.

"Thank you! You people are the real miracles!", Gideon thanks the crowd as he drinks a bottle of water. The crowd leaves, very pleased with the performance that occurred in the Tent of Telepathy. Except for the cynical Dipper.

"Woo! Yeah!", Mabel cheers in excitement. "That was amazing!"

"No wonder our uncle's jealous." Dipper smirks, knowing that despite being fraudulent about being a psychic, Gideon is at least more entertaining than Stan. "That kid's an even bigger fraud than Stan!"

"Oh, come on.", Mabel encourages. "His dance moves were adorable! And did you see his hair? It was like, whoosh!"

"You're too easily impressed.", Dipper remarks, knowing that it doesn't take much to make his sister go starry-eyed.

"Yeah, yeah!", Mabel laughs, giving Dipper a playful shove as he starts laughing with her. What they don't know is that they are a pair of eyes watching them leave in intrigue and obsession.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

In the quiet morning, Dipper browses through the journal psychic related. He remembers what Gideon did to the audience by raising up unanimously like they were under his command, even Dipper himself, who never intended to get up. He wants to know if there is something that could do what the young psychic did to the audience because Dipper doesn't believe that Gideon is inherently psychic, mind you, but he's aware that he's able to control individuals somehow. So far he's found nothing.

His focus is deterred by his bubbly sister. "Check it out, Dipper! I successfully bedazzled my face!", Mabel exclaims as she blinks some of the sequins from her eyelids. "Ow."

"Um...Is that permanent?", Dipper asks, not sure how he's supposed to react to something like this.

"I'm unappreciated in my time…", She laments, disappointed that her brother can't appreciate her artistic ability. The doorbell rings.

"Somebody answer that door!", Grunkle Stan yells from upstairs.

"I'll get it!", Mabel answers as she wipes the sequins off her face as she heads to the door. She opens it up and finds a bashful Gideon on the other side.

"Howdy.", the young psychic warmly greets her.

"It's 'wittle ol' you!", Mabel gasps in surprise.

"Yeah, my song's quite catchy.", He laughs nervously before he gets to the point, rubbing his arm. "Now, I know we haven't formally met, but after yesterday's performance, I just couldn't get your laugh out of my head."

"You mean this one?", the bubbly Pine asks before doing her signature laugh, much to Gideon's delight.

"Oh, what a delight!", Gideon smiles brightly. "Now, when I saw you in the audience, I said to myself, 'Now there's a kindred spirit! Someone who appreciates the sparkly things in life.'"

"That's totally me!", Mabel laughs before coughing up some sequins that land on Gideon's suit, bedazzling it. This amazes the young psychic.

"Enchanting.", Gideon whsipers. "Utterly enchanting."

"Who's at the door?!", Grunkle yells from inside.

"No one, Grunkle Stan!", Mabel yells back in response.

"I appreciate your discretion." Gideon thanks. "Stan's no fan of mine. I don't know how a lemon so sour could be related to a peach so sweet."

"Aww, you're just saying that.", Mabel giggles at the compliment.

"Oh, I mean it with all sincerity.", Gideon ensures her. "Now, what do you say we step away from here, and chat a bit more. Perhaps in my dressing room?"

"Oh! Makeovers!" Mabel exclaims in delight. "Yahoo!" She pokes Gideon in his stomach a little too hard.

Gideon laughs before holding his gut in pain, mumbling "...Ow."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Mabel returns to the Mystery Shack with her makeover: her hair is curled and held in place an absurd amount of hairspray, overmanucured nails, and excessive amount of makeup. She sees her brother at the same chair from earlier, deeply engrossed into his journal. "Hey Dipper. What's goin' oooon?", she asks as she dangles manicured fingernails over Dipper's head.

He looks up from the journal to see her fingernails and slaps them away in surprise. "Whoa, where have you been? And what's going on with those fingernails, you look like a wolverine." He really doesn't like this much makeup on his sister. It's making her look even more bizarre than the sequins she had on her face.

"I know, right?", she answers, playfully growling and scratching the air. "I was hanging out with my new pal, Gideon. He is one dapper little man."

Dipper sighs. "Mabel, I wouldn't trust anyone whose hair is bigger than their head."

"Oh, leave him alone!", Mabel defends her new pal. "You never want to do girly stuff with me! You and Soos get to do boy stuff all the time." Anything girly she wanted to do, Dipper would opt out and do boy stuff with Soos. Gideon's a breath of fresh air to share the same interests she has.

"What do you mean?", Dipper asks, only for Soos to come in the room, excited.

"Hey dude, you ready to blow up these hot dogs in the microwave one by one?!", the handyman asks, holding the hot dog pack in his face.

"Am I!", Dipper answers, equally excited as they run into the kitchen to pop the dogs in the microwave, laughing. Mabel sighs, rolling her eyes as Dipper proves her point.

The next day arrives and Gideon takes Mabel to the roof of his factory. They are able to see the whole town of Gravity Falls.

"Whoa, the view from your family's factory is nuts!", Mabel exclaims at the view from up top. "Good thing we both bought our….."

"Opera glasses!", she and Gideon cheer, bringing them before pointing them at each other, laughing.

"Mabel, when I'm up here lookin' down on all those little ol' people, I feel like I'm king of all I survey." Gideon explains, whispering the last part ominously. He turns to her, smiling. "I guess that makes you my queen!"

"You are being so nice to me right now, quit it!" Mabel laughs, smacks him in the stomach, playfully.

"I can't quit it. I am speaking from the heart." Gideon admits, holding his heart.

"From the where-now?". Mabel is confused by where the young psychic is going.

"Mabel, I've never felt this close with anyone. So, so close." Gideon explains, stroking his crush's hair, giggling.

"Look Gideon, um…", Mabel tries to explain as she pushes his hand away, uncomfortable. "I like you a lot, but let's just be friends."

"At least just give me a chance." Gideon insists. "Mabel, will you do me the honor of going on a date with me?"

"A play date?", Mabel helplessly asks.

"Uh-uh."

"A shopping date?"

"Nope. It'll just be one li'l ol' date, I swear on my lucky bolo tie." Gideon swears, holding his bolo tie. Mabel looks at the smitten psychic’s green eye, uncertain. She knows that Gideon means well and it would be cruel of her to leave him up on his offer. After all, he promises for one date and he seems to be a man of his word.

"Ummm. Okay, then... I guess…", Mabel answers, still feeling weary about it internally.

"Mabel Pines, you have made me the happiest boy in the world!", Gideon laughs, giving her a big hug. She doesn't feel fully comfortable with it until she realizes something.

"Are you sniffing my hair?"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"It's not a date-date, it's just, you know, I didn't want to hurt his feelings and so I figured I'd throw him a bone.", she explains her dating situation as she and her brother play some video games in the living room.

"Mabel, guys don't work that way.", Dipper refutes, his focus never faltering from the game. "You give them an inch, they'll take a mile. At some point, he's gonna fall in love with you."

"Yeah right. I'm not that lovable.", she scoffs, before executing Dipper in the game, cheering in victory. "Yes!"

"Okay, we agree on something here." he grouses and drops the controller. The doorbell rings outside, causing Mabel to stand up and get it.

"I'll go get it", Mabel goes to answer the door, only for a white stallion horse to burst through, neighing. This causes her to scream in surprise and take a few steps back. She looks up from the horse to see Gideon donning cowboy attire, extending her hand out towards her.

"A night of enchantment awaits, m'lady!", he says.

"Oh boy.", she mumbles, to herself. After the horse ride towards their destination, an aquatic themed restaurant which is one of the expensive and finest restaurants in Gravity Falls, they're able to get their own private booth. Even Gideon's stallion is allowed in as it drinks from the fountain.

"I can't believe they let us bring a horse in here.", Mabel says awkwardly. Honestly, the extravagance of this place is not something she's used to being in. Even the menu options when she first checked looked very expensive, even though Gideon said he would pay for it.

"Well, people have a hard time saying no to me.", Gideon winks at her, putting his feet up on the table. As he does this, a waiter arrives to refill their glasses with crystal water, smiling.

"Ah, Monsieur Gideon! Ze feet on ze table! An excellent choice!", the waiter compliments.

"Jean Luc, what did we discuss about eye contact?", Gideon asks, not even glancing at the garcon, frowning.

"Yes, yes, very good.", the waiter adheres, walking back and keeping his eyes away from the young psychic.

Mabel actually looks down at her plate to see various forks, "I've never seen so many forks.", she mentions in amazement. "And water with bubbles in it? Ooh lala, oui, oui."

"Oh! Parlez vous francais?", Gideon asks her.

"...I have no idea what you're saying.", She admits. This makes the young psychic chuckle as their orders arrive, a live lobster for Mabel and a steak with mash potatoes for Gideon.

"I gotta say Mabel", Gideon speaks. "I've been to this restaurant many times but tonight, it feels very special."

"Yeah…", she says as spokes at the lobster on her plate which it pinches her fork in return.

"And tomorrow's date promises to top this one in every way!", Gideon promises.

This causes her to jolt up in realization at what he just said. "Whoa whoa, you said just one date, and this was it."

"Hark! What a surprise!", Gideon says, seemingly ignoring what Mabel is saying. "A red crested South American rainbow macaw!" As he said that, a giant macaw lands on Gideon's forearm. He silently counts to three before the macaw talks.

"MABEL! WILL YOU- ACCOMPANY- GIDEON- TO- THE BALLROOM DANCE- THIS THURBDAY-", Gideon shakes the bird briefly. "THURSDAY?!" The macaw coughs up a letter and flies away. After that declaration, many of the patrons started gushing at Gideon's display of affection to the point crowd near the booth in excitement on Mabel's decision.

"They're expectin' us. Please say you'll go.", Gideon asks her, holding up the letter and unaware of the pressure he's putting on her.

"Oh, Gideon, I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to say-", Mabel starts before looking back at the patrons and to Gideon, who are waiting for her to say yes. She's been promised only one date and that's all she wanted, but the pressure from saying no to someone who went out their way to do this seems too steep. She doesn't want to disappoint anyone, especially Gideon. After a deep breath, she makes her decision.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

At the Mystery Shack, Stan arrives in front, looking miffed as he holds a newspaper article showing a picture of Gideon and Mabel together with Dipper, Wendy, and Soos. "Hey, hey! What the jackal is Mabel doing in the paper next to that crazy pickpocket Gideon?!" Stan specifically told to not hang around the little gremlin. Why don't they listen?

"Oh, yeah, it's like a big deal.", Wendy explains, looking up from her magazine. "Everybody's talking about Gideon and Mabel's big date tonight."

"WHAT?! That little shyster is dating my great niece!?", Stan yells.

"I wonder what the new name will be for the power couple. Mabideon? Gideabel?", Soos brainstorms before gasping."Magidbeleon!" Stan turns towards a nervous Dipper.

"You knew anything about this, kid?", he interrogates him.

"I didn't!', Dipper answers. "I didn't hear about it and plus, I told her not to do it anyway." After hearing this, Stan grumbles before re-entering, wearing his suit.

"Yeah, well it ends tonight.", Stan declares, heading towards the door. "I'm going right down to that little skunk's house; this is gonna stop RIGHT now!" He slams the door and heads to the car, driving to the Gleeful residence. Stan's car skids to a halt in front of Gideon's house. He gets out of the car and marches towards the front lawn and starts knocking on the door, loudly.

"Gideon, you little punk! Open up!", Stan yells before reading a sign on the door that says 'Please Pardon This Garden', before slamming the sign towards the ground. "I will pardon NOTHING!" Gideon doesn't answer the door, rather, his father, Bud Gleeful answers it with a balmy smile.

"Why, Stanford Pines! What a delight!", Bud greets the conman.

"Out of the way Bud, I'm looking for Gideon!", Stan answers, pushing past the patriarch to find the little twerp.

"Well, I haven't seen the boy around.", Bud informs, his smile never leaving. "But since you're here, you simply must come in for coffee!" He gently pulls Stan inside.

"But-but I came-", Stan stutters, trying to get back to his task.

"Ah, ah, ah. It's imported.", Bud explains. "All the way from Colombia." They walk as the tea starts to get made.

"Wow... I went to jail there once." Stan remembers fondly. He allows himself to enjoy the interior design of the house, whistling. "Some digs you got here.", he compliments before eyes focus on a clown painting. "Oh, this. This is beautiful." Bud and Stan sit down and enjoy some freshly brewed coffee.

"Now, I hear that your niece and my Gideon are, well, they're singin' in harmony lately so to speak.", Bud recalls, seemingly happy for son's blooming romance with his beau.

"Uh, yeah, and I'm against it!", Stan declares, pushing a couch cushion to prove a point.

"No no no. I see it as a fantastic business opportunity.", Bud explains to Stan as they pass across the family photo in which there was Bud, Mrs. Gleeful, and their two children: a younger Gideon and a blonde haired teen with a bored expression. "We've been at each other's throats for far too long, yes we have. This is our big chance to set aside our rivalry and pool our collective profit, you see."

Stan closes the register. "I'm listening."

While Stan and Bud are talking about financial profiting, Mabel returns to the Shack after an emotionally draining date with the lobster still on her. She walks in to see Dipper relaxing at the table as he's reading his from the Journal.

He looks up to see his sister come in. "Hey. How'd it go?"

"I don't know.", Mabel answers, putting the crustacean in the fish tank. "...I have a lobster now."

"Well, at least it's over and you'll never have to go out with him again.", Dipper proclaims before going back to reading. He realizes his sister hasn't said anything, onliy tapping on the glass of the fish tank. "Mabel? It's over, right? Right?"

She turns around and exclaims frustratingly, flailing her arms. "He asked me out again and I didn't know how to say no!"

"Mabel, it's not that hard. All you have to do is say no."

"It's not that simple, Dipper.", Mabel says. "I do like Gideon, as a friend slash little sister, so I didn't want to hurt his feelings! I just need to get things back to where they used to be. You know, friends."

Easier said than done. Dipper thinks to himself, shaking his head. Mabel has always been the one that tried to make everyone else feel joyous. Disappointing them is something she hates doing.

True to Dipper's thought process, Mabel tried to say how she really felt about dating Gideon, only for her to backtrack and just go dancing with him on the ballroom floor. She tried again when they were getting some food, but she got nervous as people were gushing at the "couple". Even now, as they're boat riding down the stream with Old Man McGucket paddling, she's mentally trying to push herself into telling Gideon the truth.

"Hah, you know I thought dancing was gonna be the end of the evening, right?", Mabel recalls, nervously as Gideon said that they were just going dancing. Gideon holds her hands, lovingly.

"Don't you want this evenin' to last, my sweet?", the young psychic asks.

She instinctively jolts away. "NO!", she answers quickly before backtracking and trying to be more passive towards the clingy Gleeful. "I mean yes. I mean I'm always happy to hang out with a friend, buddy, pal, chum, other word for friend…"

"Pal?", McGucket chimes in.

"I already said pal.", Mabel answers before coming up with another word. "Mate?"

"How about soulmate?", Gideon asks, lovingly. As he said, fireworks appear with a heart and Mabel's name inside of it. She looks distraught, she wanted to just to let Gideon off easy but he's basically put her in a situation that she can't say no to.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Dipper walks downstairs, humming. Once gets closer down the stairs, he hears his sister talking towards herself.

"...I mean, he's so nice, but.. I can't keep doing this. But I can't break his heart. I have no way out!", Mabel rants towards, walking around in a circle, trying to find a way out of this.

Dipper walks in. "What in the heck happened on that date?", he asks her.

"I don't know!", Mabel admits, holding her head in frustration. "I was in the friend zone, and then before I knew what was happening, he pulled me into the romance zone. It was like quick sand! Chubby quicksand!"

Dipper shakes his head and puts a consoling hand on shoulder. "Mabel, come on. It's not like you're gonna have to marry Gideon.", he comforts her. Unfortunately, Stan doesn't get the memo as he walks in with a Team Gideon T-Shirt.

"Great news, Mabel. You have to marry Gideon!", Stan informs, much to her distress.

Mabel is distraught. "Wh-what?!"

"Yep. It's all part of my long term deal with Buddy Gleeful. There's a lot of cash tied up in this thing.", the conman explains, pointing to his T-Shirt. "Plus I got this shirt. Ugh, I am fat." Mabel runs out of the living room, screaming.

"Bodies change, kid!", Stan yells to her, missing the point as to why she ran. "Bodies change…." Dipper just sighs and walks into the attic to see Mabel hiding in her sweater. It's getting that bad.

"Oh no. Mabel?", Dipper asks.

She's cradling her head in her sweater and rocking back and forth. ,"Mabel's not here. She's in sweater town."

He crouches near her with a sympathetic look on her face. "Are you gonna come out of sweater town?", he asks her, only for a whimper to be her response. "Alright, enough is enough. If you can't break up with Gideon, I'll do it for you."

She pops her head out with a hopeful expression. "You will?" He nods his head in response and she gives him the biggest hug that she can. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

True to his word, Dipper took a long trip across Gravity Falls flying as a new alien he found in the watch until he reached his destination: The Club, another restaurant known for its extravagance. He reverts back to his human form and takes a big breath before reaching inside to see Gideon sitting in a booth awaiting Mabel. Dipper heads to the booth and clears his throat.

"Oh. Dipper Pines, how are you?", Gideon greets the young Pine with simulated delight. "You look good, you look good."

"Thanks, you uh…", Dipper laughs nervously. "Look, Gideon. We've got to talk. Mabel isn't joining you tonight, she uh, she doesn't want to see you anymore. She's uh….. kinda weirded out by you, no offense." After he says those words, Gideon sitz there with the same expression on his face processing those words. He stays like that for three minutes, creeping Dipper out.

"So what you're sayin' is...you've come between us.", Gideon says very slowly, his eye twitching ever so slightly.

Dipper starts to get a little nervous. "You're not gonna like, freak out or anything, are ya?"

"Of course not.", Gideon laughs, faking a smile on his face. "These things happen. Bygones, you know."

Dipper sighs, relaxing. "Oh, well that's a relief." Just as he says that, the watch twitched from red to green, beeping to signify that it's charged up. This action causes him to jolt a bit in surprise and Gideon to look at it in intrigue.

"That's an interesting watch you got there.", Gideon inquires as looks at the watch. There's something engaging about it. "Where'd you get it?", Dipper instinctively hides his hand with the watch behind his back for a moment before coming with an answer.

"Uh...", Dipper stumbles before finding an answer. "I-I bought it from…..Japan. It took alot of money to get and it was a...rare item to search for, you know."

Gideon continues to stare at the young Pine, with a smile that starts to become erie. "Fascinatin'."

Dipper looks left and right, chuckling nervously. "So. Okay. Cool. Sorry man, again but uh, hey, thumbs up, right?" He turns around to leave, unaware that Gideon still had that malicious smile on his face.

"Thumbs up indeed, my friend.", he whispers to himself.

As he reaches outside, Dipper lets out a breath that he didn't know held. "Huh, that went better than expected." He honestly expected for Gideon to flip out if anything, he sighs and heads back to Shack, ready to tell her that her Gideon situation is taken care of…..or so he thinks.

In the Gleeful Residence, Gideon is staring into his mirror, seething with rage. He usually doesn't get this angry most of the time, but there are a few things that make reach this peak. The first cause for this could be that he couldn't get what he wants and the second being siblings. Everytime, he hears anything about siblings, it always goes back to his older brother. How his father or mother would look at the pictures of him fondly, how they wouldn't have so much finance without some of his help, how he would always be respectful towards his parents, how successful he is. Him, him, him. No matter what he tries, he'll never have the power, attention, and success to the magnitude of what his older brother has.

With Dipper, he did two things wrong: him being the brother of Mabel and him taking his love away from him. "Dipper Pines, you have no idea what you've done!" He growls, grabbing his amulet tightly and a candle starts to levitate and the light bulbs on his boudoir explode. His other furniture starts levitating. "You've just made the biggest mistake of your life!" And like that, he throws the levitated objects on the ground hard enough to shake the room.

Bud Gleeful arrives into the room, shocked to see mostly everything destroyed. "Gideon Charles Gleeful, clean up your room this instant!", he scolds his son, firmly.

"I CAN BUY AND SELL YOU, OLD MAN!", the young psychic yells furiously, scowling at his father, who looks taken aback before shrugging.

"Fair enough.", Bud sighs before closing the door. Gideon turns his attention away from the door and looks down to see a picture of his love, Mabel and the wretch who angers him, Dipper. He holds his amulet and concentrates on incinerating the side with Dipper, leaving Mabel on it. He laughs with malicious intent.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

After the breakup, Mabel has been feeling a whole lot better. To celebrate, Soos and the twins decide to have a simple game Soos tucks a pillow under his shirt and they try to tackle him.

"Hit me, dudes.", Soos holds his arms out, waiting for them to charge at him. They come at him in full force, laughing as they fall down. "Feels good."

"I'm so glad everything's back to normal!", Mabel sighs in content, feeling relieved that the Gideon ordeal is over.

"You said it.", Dipper agrees, chuckling. As he speaks, the phone rings from inside the Shack, causing the twins to look at each other.

"Your turn.", they both say, only for Dipper to say it later. He gets up and heads inside to answer it. "Hello?"

"Toby Determined, Gravity Falls Gossiper."

"Oh hey man. Sorry for accusing you of murder last week."

"Water under the bridge! Say, we want to interview you about whether you've seen anything unUSUAL about this here TOWN since you've arrived."

"Oh, finally! I thought nobody would ever ask! I have notes and theories! Uh huh, uh huh." He pulls out a notepad and writes the address Toby tells him. "412 Gopher Road. Tonight? Got it." He heads back out, telling Mabel and Soos where he's going and when he'll be back. After a long walk to his destination, he arrives at a factory. Dipper looks at the notepad to check and see if he has the right address, to which he realizes that he does. He opens the door to the factory.

"Hello?", Dipper calls out, hearing nothing. He looks inside to see that nobody's here and turns around to leave, only for the door to slam shut. He pushes on the door to try to open it to no avail. Suddenly, lights turn on and he turns around to see Gideon in a swivel chair, petting a doll of himself.

"Hello, friend.", the young psychic greets him, coldly.

"Ugh, Gideon.", Dipper groans, exasperatedly. Why is he bothering him?

"Dipper Pines, how long have you been living in this town?", Gideon asks the Pine, playing with his toy. "A week or two? You like it here? Enjoy the scenery?" His voice changes from veiled child-like curiosity to quiet fury at the second half of his question.

Dipper starts getting uneasy but calms himself. "What do you want from me, man?", he demands, wanting the young psychic to get to the point.

"Listen carefully, boy.", Gideon's tone becomes deathly serious. "This town has secrets you couldn't begin to understand!"

"Is this about Mabel?", Dipper asks, getting to the point. "I told you, she's not into you!"

This makes Gideon slam his arms on the swivel chair. "LIAR! YOU turned her against me!", he yells as he jumps from his chair, grabbing his amulet and marches toward Dipper. "She was my peach dumplin'!"

"Uh, you okay, man?", Dipper asks, walking back. Gideon lifts his hand up and Dipper's body is covered in an ethereal blue aura and lifted into the air. With a swipe of his hand, Dipper is thrown onto boxes hard. He pulls himself up only to see Gideon grinning at him with malice.

"Readin' minds isn't all I can do.", Gideon laughs ominously, enjoying the dread etched on Dipper's face.

"But-but you're a fake.", Dipper tries to explain.

"Oh? Then tell me, Dipper….", the sadistic child inquires, levitating various merchandise and objects. "Is this fake?" After that question, he starts throwing plates, spoons, and forks at Dipper, who dodges a good portion but gets nicked in the face, vest, and knee, much to the vengeful child's pleasure. Gideon decides to up the ante by throwing cups at constantly moving Pine.

Dipper does everything he can to avoid the merchandise Gideon telekinetically throws at him. The ruthless psychic grabs a cabinet and launches it at the Pine, who jumps out the way to avoid it but ends up hitting the back of his head in the process. He rubs it to ease the pain before he sees the malicious Gideon levitating above him, sneering.

"Grunkle Stan was right!", Dipper yells at the young psychic. "You are a monster!"

"Your sister will be mine!", Gideon declares madly, laughing as he lifts up another cabinet to launch at the young Pine, who hides behind a stack of heavy boxes. The cabinet crashes into the boxes to the wall. Dipper grunts as he realizes that his right arm is bruised, but thanks to the boxes taking most of the damage from the cabinet, he's mostly fine.

Dipper pushes himself up as much as he can to activate the watch. It beeps on and tries to find the right alien that can help. Diamondhead?, Dipper thinks. Swampfire?! Water Hazard?! XLR8?! Come on, there has to be an alien that I'm familiar with! He tries to find the aliens that he knows but to no avail. He almost stops seeing a fire alien. But could this help? He doesn't know what it can-

"Come on out, boy!", Gideon demands , levitating cutlery that are poised to skewer the shapeshifter. "I ain't finished punishing you yet!" Dipper hears this and tries to move, accidentally pressing it via moving across the boxes. As this happens, a massive green light illuminates under the boxes, temporarily blinding the vengeful psychic.

"What in tarnation?!", Gideon asks, puzzled. That green light just came from under there. How did this scoundrel create a light that bright? This might be a distraction of sorts. Gideon thinks as he starts getting impatient and levitates the boxes away. But before he can finish, a massive torrent of flames breaks out of the clutter in an explosive fashion.

Standing opposed to the malicious child is a confused charcoal man. He's composed of a brownish-red rocky texture with intense heat radiating from underneath, specifically ending out of his flaming head, hands, and feet. This shocks the young psychopath before he gets enraged.

"How?!", Gideon demands. "How did you manage to turn yourself into a Pyronite?!" His outrage causes the fiery man to jolt out of his stupor and gives a determined scowl towards the delusional psychic. So this is another flame alien like Swampfire. Maybe I should call him Hetablast, Dipper thinks before mentally sighing. Really wished I had something on this alien that….Gideon somehow knows? He shakes his head and focuses on the present.

"Stop this, Gideon.", the Pyronite demands before getting into a battle stance. "This is your first and final warning." His ultimatum provokes the sociopathic psychic more than he's already feeling at the moment. He lifts up his patented cutlery and launches them at the morphed Pine, who only raises his hand and gives a precise fireball that melts them and charges towards Gideon, pelting more fireballs at him. The crazy psychic sets up a shield as the fireballs explode and disperses on impact. The embers land on some of the boxes, to which causes them to ignite.

"You think you have the right to threaten me, boy?!", Gideon scowls, telekinetically grabbing the flaming boxes and tosses them at the flaming alien, who blasts them into nothing but ash. This gives the young psychic enough time to grab the Pyronite and throw him out through the wall.

Heatblast rubs his head, groaning in pain. "Ow...that hurt." Dipper gets up to see a levitating and apoplectic Gideon, holding up cabinets and heavy boxes. The insane psychic glares at the familiar emblem on the center of the Pyronite's chest. That design looks familiar, Gideon thinks before he realizes it. That watch! That watch is what is allowed that wretch to morph into that Pyronite. First, Dipper turns the love of his life against him and now, he has a piece of technology that can morph him into any alien he sees fit? The insane psychic doesn't know which one makes even more angrier. He decides to channel his anger into throwing his crates at his pyrokinetic opponent.

The transformed Pine dodges most of the crates and blasts the rest of them away. He looks at his fiery hands before looking at his fiery hands before looking at Gideon, who is pulling out more items from the factory as potential weaponry. The Pyro-Pine looks down, quickly trying to form a plan. He probably can't attack and defend at the same time. I can exploit that. He points both flaming hands on the ground. Let's hope Soos was right about copying that comic book character. The flames escape from Heatblast's hands and he finds himself being able to rocket up into the air via propulsion. Once he finds his balance, he flies towards Gideon at high speeds, reaching ascension and delivers a two handed fireball attack.

The vengeful Gleeful puts up his shield as Dipper delivers a massive fireball. Just at the right moment, Gideon grabs the fireball, the flames going from a raging orange to ethereal turquoise, and throws it back to the descending Pyronite. Reaching high velocities, Heatblast crashes into the grassy ground to leave a crater and upheaval of dirt, he propels him out of the crater after a moment's pass. Gideon levitates a massive assortment of lamb shears and in tow, the morphed Pine delivers an intense stream of fire that melts them onto the ground in a hot mesh.

While Dipper's attention was on melting the scissors, Gideon sneakily grabs two of his branded water gallons. After he deals with the scissors, he sets himself up and tosses them into Heatblast, the water causes the Pyronite's fire to be extinguished.

"Uh oh", Heatblast is surprised that his flames are out. What do I do?, Dipper thinks. Before coming up with an idea. If my flames are high enough to melt metal, maybe I can reignite- Heatblast is slammed by a barrage of heavy boxes courtesy of the vengeful Gideon. He finishes up his attack by grabbing one of his cabinets and lifts it up under the Dipper before slamming it down hard on top of the morphed Pine.

"What can you do now, boy?!", Gideon yells, grabbing every item in the factory, ready to finish off the transforming Pine. "That Pyronite form takes time to reignite! Now that you're weakened…." Heatblast gets up slowly, his heat coming back. Gideon tosses everything at him with devastating force. "DIE!"

The Pyronite gets himself up to deliver an equally powerful attack. "HAAA!", Heatblast screams intensely as he delivers a massive flow of flames, greater than before.

The barrage of items being thrown at high velocity and the great stream of fire causes a massive collusion. The massive collusion causes an explosion to erupt instantly, making Gideon to skid across the ground and Heatblast rolls across the grass, burning it, slamming into a tree before falling to the ground. After a few moments pass, Gideon and Heatblast get up, both looking heavily damaged. For Gideon, his blue suit is mostly covered in dirt and ripped on the sleeves and face is scrapped, there's some cuts on his arm. Despite this, he still looks very angry, panting for his breath. Heatblast's movement is slower than usual and, like Gideon, is panting, feeling exhausted.

Heatblast decides to ignite another fireball, while Gideon gets ready to counterattack. Just when he's about to launch at the Gleeful, he hears a dreadful sound. Beep-Beep-Beep. Heatblast's eyes widened. "Oh, no.", he rasps before being enveloped in a crimson light. What replaces the Pyronite is a beaten up Dipper, who's levitated by an apoplectic Gideon and slams him into the wall of the factory, knocking the wind out of him. He tries to break free but to no avail.

"Will you just give up?!", Dipper yells, glaring at the crazy child. "She's never gonna date you, man!"

"THAT'S A LIE!" Gideon screams in anger before his attention is turned towards a flaming box of lamb shears. He turns back at the restrained Pine, smiling sadistically. "And I'm gonna make sure you never lie to me again, friend." He levitates the flaming lamb shears slowly towards Dipper, who tries to move out the way but can't. The deranged psychic just keeps laughing in twisted delight as the shears get closer and closer towards cutting the Pine's face.

"Gideon! We have to talk!" Those words make Gideon freeze in surprise. He turns to see a livid Mabel with her fists clenched.

"M-Mabel. My marshmalla.", Gideon drops the shears on the ground before fixing his hair, nervous as he's caught redhanded. "What are you doin' here?"

Mabel closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry Gideon, but I can't be your marshmallow. I needed to be honest and tell you that myself."

Gideon is taken aback by what she says. She doesn't want to be his marshmallow? "I-I don't understand." he responds, squeezing the amulet that represents his broken heart, which in return, squeezes Dipper.

Dipper feels his body tightening up, uncomfortably. "Uh, Mabel!? This probably isn't the best time to be brutally honest with him!", he calls out to her. Mabel gets a brief look of concern on her face when she glances at Dipper before giving a "sincere" smile towards the distraught Gideon.

"Hey, but we can still be makeover buddies.", she offers, holding his hands gently. "Wouldn't you like that?"

"Really?", Gideon asks, hopeful as he loosens his grip on the amulet. Mabel's eyes never left the amulet and at the right moment, she takes the chance.

She snatches Gideon's amulet off and Dipper falls down."No, not really! You were attacking my brother, what the heck?!"she exclaims. Gideon is shocked by what Mabel just did and tries to get his tie.

"My tie! Give it back!", Gideon demands, only for Mabel throws the amulet to Dipper who gets up and runs after the amulet's trajectory and catches it.

"Not so powerful without this, are you?" Dipper taunts but Gideon screams and charges at Dipper with sudden speed, making him drop the amulet and knocking them both off the cliff.

"Dipper!"

Dipper and Gideon scream. Gideon punches Dipper and the two start hitting each other before they realize that they're getting closer to the ground, making them scream again. But before they splat on the ground, they're both covered in the ethereal blue aura. They look up to see Mabel, holding the mystic amulet, levitating along with them and then floats down.

"Listen Gideon, it's over. I will never, ever, date you.", she declares. With that, she drops them down and throws the amulet to the ground, breaking it. The ethereal glow howling away in the wind.

"MY POWERS! Oh this isn't over. This isn't the last you'll see of wittle... ol' me.", the crazed psychic declares, walking into the dark forest.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Stan finishes signing papers in the Gleeful's living room area. "Ah, this is livin', brother.", Stan sighs in content, leaning back on the couch.

"From now on it's all name brand foods and clown paintings.", Bud Gleeful agrees, taking a swig of his coffee. Just as he says that, a livid and beaten up Gideon bursts through the door. "Gideon? Are you—?"

Ignoring his father, Gideon stands on the coffee table, scowling at Stan, pointing his fist at him. "Stanford Pines, I rebuke thee! I rebuke thee!"

Stan is confused. "Rebuke? Is that a word."

"The entire Pines' family have invoked my wrath! You will all pay recompense for your transgressions!", Gideon declares as he points his nemesis.

"What, you got like a word-a-day calendar or something?", Stan asks, still not taking the young psychic's rage seriously.

"But-but sunshine?", Bud intervenes, laughing nervously. "What about our arrangement with Mabel and—?"

"SILENCE!", Gideon yells at his father, "The deal is off!"

Bud just sighs, before looking at the conman. "Well, I see that he's takin' to one of his rages again. Sorry Stan, but I have to side with Gideon on this one." He rips up the contract, terminating any plans for Mystery Shack and Tent of Telepathy merger.

"Okay, okay. I can see when I'm not wanted.", Stan realizes before grabbing the clown painting and starts to run.

"Stan, I'm-I'm sorry but I'm gonna need that painting back! Stan? STAN!", Bud tries to call out to the conman, only for his words to go on deaf ears.

"TRY AND CATCH ME, SUCKERS!", Stan declares, running to his car, putting the clown painting in the back, driving away. After a long ride, he arrives at the Mystery Shack, where he hangs up the clown painting. "I coulda had it all.", Stan contemplates. He turns and looks at the twins, who look exhausted physically and emotionally exhausted. "What the heck happened to you two?"

"Gideon.", The Pine Twins answer, equally tired after dealing with the crazy psychic.

"Gideon. Yeah, the little mutant 'swore vengeance' on the whole family.", Stan scoffs sitting in the recliner, mockingly raising his fist in the air imitating the angry psychic. "Ha, I guess he's gonna try to nibble my ankles or somethin'."

Dipper gets up a bit. He realizes that Gideon's powerless without his amulet. "Oh, yeah. How's he gonna destroy us now, huh? Try to guess what number we're thinking of?"

Mabel gets up, smiling at the young psychic's misfortune. "He'll never guess what number I'm thinking of.", Mabel says before laughing. "NEGATIVE EIGHT! No one would guess a negative number."

"Uh oh.", Stan gasps jokingly at the Twins. "He's plannin' on destruction right now!" He lays on top of the twins, to which they all laugh, enjoying Gideon's loss.

Meanwhile, at the Gleeful Household, in Gideon's room. He's making dolls of the Pines family, grumbling and growling to himself. He plays with the Mabel doll, looking at it lovingly as he imitates her voice. "Oh, Gideon, I still love you. If only my family weren't in the way." He picks up the Stan doll, disgusts etched on his face as he impersonates him. "Look at me. I'm old, and I'm smelly." He grabs the Dipper doll with a scowl on his face, mocking the Pine. "Hey, what are you gonna do without your precious amulet now that I got a watch that allows me to morph into aliens?"

He laughs, ominously. "Oh you'll see boy…", he closes Journal 2.

"You'll see."

#chapters #dipper pines #mabel pines #soos #stan pines #gideon gleeful #heatblast #omni falls

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chaoskirin · 5 years ago

Text

The Seven Seas--Chapter One

Fandom: Queen Genre: Sci-Fi/Gen Rating: PG Chapter 1 Word Count: 2379

I haven’t written any Queen fanfic in a while, but I’ve had this one in mind for about a year. Figured now was a good time to give it a go!

---

The morning started like any other: At quarter past noon, and with beer and potato chips for breakfast.

"Fred, I want to go home," Brian said, hand on his forehead, leaning back in his chair. Roger stretched his leg out and attempted to tip the chair over; the back collided with the wall and Brian shot him a grumbly look.

"No. We're staying right here 'til we're done," Freddie replied. "And I would say we've been productive thus far--except for all the complaining."

They wouldn't be done until Freddie said they were, which could be today, or tomorrow, or three weeks into the future. With his Mercurial temperament, he'd named himself well. That's something none of the four would ever argue over.

John, typically, said nothing.

Roger flipped over in his chair, reclining upside-down with his bleached hair splashed across the dusty floor. Out of all of them, Rog felt the crushing boredom the worst as they sat and sat and sat and thought about lyrics for a good chunk of the day. He just had a different way of dealing with it; while Brian complained and John entertained himself within the recesses of his own mind, Roger caused Trouble.

"Oh, Roger," Freddie said. "Do sit up."

"I'm gettin' the blood to my brain," he replied. "So I can think of your stupid songs."

"If they're stupid, we're not using them," Freddie said.

"You let the car song through," John muttered under his breath, after which Roger grabbed a handful of wood chips and attempted to launch them--while still upside-down--across the room. He performed an unintentional backflip out of the chair and crashed to the floor.

Where he remained for some reason.

"Entertaining," Brian observed. "I still want to go home. I've got things to do. My thesis--"

"Oh, your bloody thesis. You're a rock star now, Brian!" Freddie exclaimed. He stood, paced across the barn, stepped over Roger, flailed his hands for effect, then paced back. "You don't need a doctorate if you're a rock star!"

"I thought we were to be rock gods," Roger provided, insinuating that a god was somehow superior to a star.

Freddie supposed he had a point. "Yes, yes, we're getting there. Patience!"

Asking this lot to have patience was like asking an elephant to fly. Like asking a fire to burn cold. Like asking a monkey to type the full works of Shakespeare with both hands tied behind its back. All possible, when one considered how very exciting and unpredictable the universe was... But still vastly implausible.

Something very small and very loud crashed through the barn's roof, landing mere centimetres from Roger's outstretched arm. Roger jumped to his feet with the alacrity of a twelve-year-old non-smoker and stumbled away, knocking over stools, a bandstand, a whole table, and a random chicken as he went.

The chicken, perturbed, scuttled from the barn.

John sat up, his face perfectly passive as Freddie asked, "What the fuck was that?"

Brian stood, creeping toward the shimmering object. It appeared frictionless with all its sparkling silver splendor, and as aerodynamic as the most advanced American war devices. Oblong and saucer-shaped, it sat off-kilter within the barn's floor, its leading edge plunged clear through the rotting wood and stuck soundly within the dirt. It wiggled a bit as if to free itself, then seemed to deflate in defeat as if sighing.

It was no larger than a standard record.

"Aliens, probably," John said.

"Oh, aliens!" Freddie poo-pooed, swatting him with the back of his hand. "It's clearly a toy. A frisbee or somesuch. Roger, go outside and see if--"

The frisbee whirred and hissed, a door opening and consummately vanishing as it did so. A bright green light shone from within as steam and fog poured out of it like water.

"Is Spielberg here?" Roger said. "Is he having us on? He's making a movie, you know. Offered me a part--"

"Oh, he did not," Freddie said. "Hello in there? Hello? Is it aliens?"

"Well, they wouldn't be aliens to themselves," Brian griped. "We'd be the aliens to them."

"Bother your semantics," Freddie said, kneeling next to the oblong contraption. When he poked it (as he could think of nothing better to do with it), his finger slid off the surface as if it were made of particularly slippery ice.

"Well don't piss 'em off," Roger said, kneeling next to Freddie and poking the thing as well. "Whoa. I can't touch it."

Indeed, it was covered in some sort of shield, which reflected all attempts at poking, no matter how vehement. Whenever one of them thought to touch it, it shimmered with a glowing rainbow of energy before repelling the contact entirely. It was neither cold, nor warm, nor anything at all. However, Roger could make the shield wiggle with a sort of frustration if he touched it in two places, and when Freddie added his fingers to the mix, the whole saucer seemed to burble in scandalized protest.

"I can't help thinking that's a terrible idea," John said.

"We should kick it," Roger suggested.

"That's exactly what I meant," John replied.

As Roger stood and drew back his leg to give the thing a good kick, Brian said, "It's not a football."

Defeated, Roger stomped the ground with the very foot that had been just about to launch the thing back into the sky. "Then what's it doing in our barn?"

Brian opened his mouth to answer, then his eyes dulled with the abject inability to answer Roger's inane inquiry. "What kind of question is that? Do footballs inherently belong in barns where you're from? If something enters a barn, does it become a football?"

"Well... Kinda? If it can be kicked?"

Meanwhile, the little door on the saucer-object remained open. Freddie wondered how much more mist could pour out of the thing before it was empty. Or perhaps it contained its own mist generator and it would continue to spew forth a cloud of noxious green gas until evicted from the barn. "I actually think Roger may have the right of it," Freddie said, detecting the faintest hint of ozone. "Exciting as all this is, I don't want to be poisoned."

Roger reeled his foot back again.

Fortunately, the occupants of the saucer picked that moment to show themselves. A single moment later, and they might have been stepping out into earth's atmosphere, tumbling end over end in the worst result of first contact ever written about in any science fiction in history.

Thwarted again, Roger collapsed into his chair and crossed his arms.

The aliens--for that's the way Freddie had begun to think of them--appeared as silhouettes against the burning green light from inside the saucer. Unsurprisingly, they were tiny, each barely the size of a paperclip or perhaps even smaller. A walkway extended in front of them as they squirmed out into the barn's dim light; the creatures meandered down it, leaving a trail of slime behind them. Vaguely slug-like, they were nevertheless adorned with at least half a dozen tentacles each, which were in turn adorned by an incredibly ridiculous amount of jewelry. Enough to rile Freddie's jealousy at any rate. If only he had more places to put shiny things, he could be a much happier man!

There were three of them. The tallest one spoke:

"ARE YOU THE QUEEN?"

Freddie blinked. The alien repeated: "ARE YOU! THE QUEEN?"

"We're... Queen?" Freddie tried. "The band. Queen."

"HAIL QUEEN BAND. THROUGH THE RADIO CHATTER OF YOUR ILLUSTRIOUS PLANET, WE HAVE DETERMINED YOUR LOCATION AND SEEK AN AUDIENCE."

John muttered, "I'm sure this is going to go well."

"I'm not sure you understand," Brian said. "We're not the queen. Or any queen, really. We're just--"

The aliens seemed undeterred. The tallest one interrupted: "NONSENSE. YOU HAVE PRODUCED MORE RADIO CHATTER THAN ANY OTHER ENTITY CALLING THEMSELF A QUEEN ON THIS PLANET. WE DEEM YOU THE SUPERIOR OF ALL OF THEM. YOU WILL NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF YOUR PLANET."

One of the smaller ones, who seemed to be wearing glasses on his protuberating eyes, asked, "WHAT IS YOUR PLANET CALLED?"

"They've been listening to our radio chatter," John began, "and they don't know what the planet is called?"

"Er... This is earth," Brian supplied.

"OF COURSE IT IS EARTH," the smaller alien said. "ALL TERRESTRIAL OCCUPIED PLANETS ARE MADE OF EARTH. WHAT DO YOU CALL YOUR PLANET? WHAT NAME?" He pulled out a very tiny, very adorable starmap from one of the flaps in his skin. Freddie didn't know whether to be awed or disgusted.

"That's--" Brian tried. Puzzled again, he scratched his head, as if the aliens had made a perfectly reasonable point.

In the silence, Roger clarified. "The planet is called earth."

The three beings conferred with each other for some time, their slimy tails wriggling behind them like rain-saturated worms. Occasionally, their stalk-eyes would flick around to fix the quartet with a glare--at least, Freddie thought it was a glare. It was hard to tell when one didn't understand the intricacies of alien expression.

Finally, the visitors turned. The one holding the starmap said, "EARTH IS A TERRIBLE NAME FOR A PLANET. WE DEMAND TO KNOW WHICH IDIOT NAMED IT."

Never mind that none of this made any sense whatsoever... Brian still engaged in a heated argument with the aliens about the virtues of a planet named earth, and how no one had ever actually named it. That's just what it was called. Roger found that hard to believe, since the idea had to have come from somewhere--and after all, the people of earth hadn't always known there were other planets, which meant they had to discover earth was a planet at some point, which meant they would have had to name it. When asked why, Roger shrugged and said that if humans were presented with something to name, they would inject their opinion onto it without questioning whether or not they should.

Brian supposed that was logical, then he further supposed that the person who named earth would certainly be dead by now, which the aliens thought was probably better for everyone.

"And just what is your planet called?" Roger asked, once the argument exhausted itself. Freddie thought the whole point of the alien visit probably wasn't to discuss the names of their respective planets, but here they were.

The other shorter being stood up just a bit taller. He was wearing different colors than the other two, although those colors were so random and chaotic that no one in their right mind could describe them. He seemed for all intents and purposes to be a diplomat of sorts. After a wiggle of importance, he said, "DENMARK, OF COURSE."

No one said anything for quite a while, then everyone started speaking at once. Except for John, who was quite content to smile at the absurdity of it.

"You're just from Denmark?" Roger asked. "How are you so short? And slimy?"

"I'm sure it's lost in translation," Brian observed.

"They've come billions of kilometers all to tell us them come from a place called Denmark!" Freddie exclaimed.

"NO, NO, NO," the alien said. "IT'S WHAT ALL CIVILIZED ENTITIES CALL THEIR HOME PLANET ON A MAP! SHOW THEM, WOULD YOU?"

The other short alien--the one with the glasses--lay its starmap out on the floor and opened it to a rather obscene size. It shouldn't have been possible for so much paper to fit inside one pamphlet-sized document, but the creature continued to unfold it and unfold it and unfold it until it covered an enormous portion of the dirty floor. Moreover, the stars elevated themselves just above the paper in a spectacularly impossible three-dimensional layout. Freddie couldn't help an awed "Oooh," of admiration.

John, sarcastically, added "Ahhh!"

"YOU SEE?" the tallest alien said, pointing to an X on the map. As it poked the location with a tentacle, it lit up with a vast trove of information--exact location, atmosphere type, composition of the rocky surface, current radio traffic, and climate. Probably. Freddie didn't actually know, as he couldn't read their language.

"Okay, what's it really called?" Roger asked.

"OH, YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY PRONOUNCE IT," the diplomat said.

"Don't tell me what I can't pronounce," Roger insisted.

The aliens conferred again, this time for quite a while. When they turned, the diplomat cleared his throat and announced something that no human would ever be able to pronounce: a cacophony of squeals and thisksks and clicks and sub-sonic whistles and grunts and whoops and probably a boat horn or two.

Roger narrowed his eyes, considered for a moment, then opened his mouth and screamed.

"IMPRESSIVELY CLOSE," the diplomat said, as one would comfort a toddler who also happened to be a horse.

"IN ANY CASE," the leader said, his eyes spiraling around in what might have been an eyeroll, "WE CANNOT EXCHANGE PLEASANTRIES WITH A PLANET NAMED EARTH. IT IS SIMPLY PREPOSTEROUS. WE DEMAND YOU RENAME IT."

"But as we've said before--" Brian tried, but the leader held up a remarkable number of tentacles to halt him.

"YOU ARE QUEEN BAND," the leader said. "CLEARLY IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO NAME THIS PLANET."

Freddie, rather half-asleep from the long day they'd already suffered (at his whim), imagined it would be easier to give the visitors a name now, then sort things out later. After all, nothing political could come about as a result of this visit. The aliens were far too tiny to be any sort of threat. And if he just gave them a name, he could get back to writing lyrics with the others and no harm would be done.

Without any sense of impending doom despite his foreshadowy thoughts, Freddie searched around the barn until his eyes fell upon an open, half-stale loaf of bread. "The planet is now called Rhye," he said, adding the H in his mind since it sounded more dignified. "Yes, Rhye. Has a nice ring to it, I think."

"The moon's called Chicken Shit," John said.

Brian elbowed him.

"THEN ON BEHALF OF DENMARK," the leader said, "WE DEMAND THE UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER OF RHYE AND ALL ITS INHABITANTS! IMMEDIATELY!"

#queen #queen band #fanfic #freddie mercury #roger taylor #brian may #john deacon #ck writes #not bestiary

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retrovirge · 5 years ago

Text

»Shimmering Wings«

This is a thing I wrote for ADHD, cause of a mental health challenge on amino. All of it is based on personal experience, as I have ADHD myself. :) I hope you enjoy!

Triggers - Brief mention of death, killing a dragon, a single blood mention

Word Count - 4331

• • •

“Stop!”

The dragon turned around with a startled glance at the sudden word, a look of confusion spreading over his face. He raised an eyebrow at the person who shouted.

Roman sat on the bareback of a pristine white horse. He held a sword out, looking as threatening as he could while the horse galloped at full speed toward the dragon. “Release the prince, or you’ll face my wrath!” He declared confidently.

The dragon’s confused look turned to a smirk. “Oh... You want this fellow?” He lifted his hand, which was wrapped around the body of another male. The prince in distress, you could say. “Well, you’re not getting him back, so too bad!” The dragon laughed, swishing its large tail. “Feel free to try as much as you desire. Your attempts will be useless, anyway. Just face it. I’ve won. We’re already at my lair, you may as well let me go.”

A scoff was the response he got, a confident look forming on Roman’s face. “You humor me. But, no.” He clutched his shield and sword tightly, his eyes flickering with thrill. Adrenaline. The danger of the situation only making it so much more fun. “Over my dead body, you discount Maleficent.”

The dragon laughed. “Oh? Bring it on, then. Just be careful not to hurt your prince.” He grinned down at Roman.

Roman responded with a grin of his own, staring the dragon down before pulling the reigns on his horse briefly, letting out a battle cry as he charged forward. “Hyah!”

And so the battle began. Fire breathing. Swords. All fun and games for Roman. He loved battles like this.

”Swift Wind, go!” Roman exclaimed to his horse, who seemed to almost grin as he charged. Roman gave him a nod and pulled himself up to a crouch, diving off and rolling to his feet, taking a split second to recover before charging forward. He observed as the horse bucked up his back legs, pushing his hooves into the dragon’s stomach. Swift Wind was surprisingly strong, so the shock of the pain made the dragon let go of the prince, who screamed out in fear as he fell. His eyes squeezed shut, and he prepared for the impact of the ground...

“I’ve got you!” He heard a voice exclaim, and suddenly he had landed in someone’s arms. His eyes opened, and there was Roman, smiling cockily down at him. “Your knight in shining armour is here. Now what were your other two wishes?” He asked, laughing as the prince’s face went red.

“You... Saved me.” The prince spoke, eyes full of disbelief and admiration for Roman, who just grinned. “But of course.” He spoke gently. “You’re incredibly important, you know.” He winked at him.

The two stared at each other for a moment, beginning to lean in. Roman’s eyes fell closed, and he was about to touch lips with the prince...

When a roar from the still-furious dragon cut them off. The roar caused Roman to jump a little, his eyes flying open. “Oh, goodness- no time to celebrate yet!” He regained his composure, pushing his fingers into his mouth and letting out an ear piercing whistle. His faithful stallion came running over, and Roman quickly lifted the prince onto the bare back of the horse. “Take him home, Swift Wind!” He exclaimed. “But Roman, what about you??” The prince spoke, a look of worry forming on his face. “I’ll be alright, just go!” Roman exclaimed, watching as the horse let out a neigh, beginning to run off. “Roman, wait!” The prince exclaimed. But Roman paid no mind to it, running back to the dragon.

And so the battle continued. Roman kept fighting the dragon, the back and forth clashing of claws and swords going on for… Well, who knows how long? Roman didn’t stop until the dragon... Started to call his name?

“Roman! Roman! Roman, would you pay attention, please??”

What?

Roman’s head flicked up and his eyes met with the woman in front of him. The woman...

Oh, crap. The teacher.

Looking around, he realized that he was not a knight being a hero to a prince. He was a 7th grader with big dreams, confined to a classroom that kept him from chasing said dreams. He despised it, honestly.

But, he had to play nice if he wanted to get out of here. So he looked at the teacher, and asked in the most polite way he could muster up. “Yes, Ms. Malhumorada?”

“How many times have I had to warn you about paying attention??”

Roman bit down on his lip, letting out a small sigh. “Right... Sorry, miss. I’m not sure why I keep zoning out.” He said honestly, hoping she would try to understand a little.

“Oh- just pay attention, don’t try excuses with me! They won’t work.” The teacher scowled at him, sighing. “And- quit bouncing your leg. Students are telling me it’s distracting.”

Roman looked down, frowning confusedly. He hadn’t even realized his leg was bouncing, let alone how quickly it did so. “Sorry.” He said quietly.

Dang. School wasn’t treating him well today.

• • •

“Yeah! Yeah! AndthenafterIsawthebeetle, I-“

“Roman- slow down.”

Roman closed his mouth as his friend Virgil held his hands out, pushing them forward in a slow motion as if he was trying to calm a yipping animal. “I can’t understand you when you talk that fast, dude.” The emo said, furrowing his eyebrows slightly as Roman began going again. “Right, right- sorry- so- anyway- afterisawthatbeetleisaw-“

“Roman.”

The dreamer boy stopped again, pouting at Virgil. “What nowwww??” He asked, voice a whiny tone.

“You’re doin’ it again. You’re talkin’ too fast.” Virgil frowned. “Look- I don’t wanna be rude, but I don’t wanna spend my whole recess listenin’ to you repeat the same sentence over and over, so... M’just gonna go do somethin’ else.” He sighed, shaking his head. “Sorry, maybe you can text it to me later.” He said quietly, pushing past Roman and walking off before he could protest.

“...Oh. Alright... Then?” Roman frowned as he walked away, a small sigh escaping him. “...I wasn’t even talking that fast.” He mumbled, his mood deflating quickly as Virgil went to go talk with his other friends.

Roman wandered the playground, looking at all the kids playing and laughing and talking. They all seemed ‘normal’. Whatever normal was. He wasn’t sure what that word meant anymore. But he certainly didn’t like it. Not one bit.

He wasn’t sure what was wrong with him. Why he seemed so different from everyone else. Why he got in trouble so often. The princely boy just didn’t know what he was doing wrong.

And then, it happened. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw wings fluttering.

...Sparkling rainbow wings.

His head lifted, his eyes reflecting the magnificent sight of sparkling in front of him. Completely disrupting his previous thoughts, he watched in awe as a butterfly with the most gorgeous wings fluttered past him. It was all... Rainbowy. The way it glistened under the warm rays of the sun was something beyond beautiful to the pre-teen.

So, like any curious kid would, he began to go after it.

He followed the butterfly through the playground, where kids ran and pushed past him. Around the basketball courts, as the children yelling at Roman to get out of their way fell on deaf ears. Across the field where kids were running and playing soccer, where he almost got hit with the ball. However, none of that seemed to matter to the adolescent. All that currently mattered was the majestic creature dancing away from him through the air.

He watched it fly along, further and further through the field until eventually, it flew into a bush. Roman was quick to follow it deep into the bush, and though unsure of where it was taking him, he was desperate to not let it get away. The bush dipped into a cave, and Roman didn’t let fear dominate him as he strutted further in. He was just thinking about he story he was going to have for his family later, when—

He stops.

Whoa, what... What was this?

Roman’s eyes flickered from left to right, taking in the sight before him. There were so many butterflies, all different shades and colours. Some yellow, some red (his favourite colour!), some blue, some rainbow, some other combinations of colours. It was breathtaking.

The butterflies filled the area with a sort of warmth and comfort that made Roman feel at ease. He watched them glow and sparkle and fly around. It was beautiful. So, so beautiful. But then he hears a voice.

“I’ve been expecting you~”

Roman’s head shot up instantly, his eyes darting around the area as he tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. He was scared for just a moment, but soon remembered that he was a PRINCELY KNIGHT! He could fight off this foul fiend! Putting on his best brave prince face, he exclaimed. “Who goes there, you beastly hoodlum?? Show yourself!”

The voice chuckled, seeming to echo off the walls of the cave. “I'm no fiend, dear. If you'd prefer that I showed myself—” the voice says in a tone reminiscent of a purr, as if finding Roman amusing— “then I'd be happy to oblige~”

Roman saw a silhouette out of the corner of his eye, causing a gasp to escape his lips. Turning quickly, hee was about to pounce on the figure, but he stopped in his tracks.

Entering the area was a naga with pointy, elf-like ears. He had one glowing yellow eye and one seemingly regular brown eye, and his entire being seemed to emit a sort of aura, coming in the form of a light shade of yellow. A few spots on his face had the same glowing effect. He had scales mixed with skin running down his chest, leading to a snake tail at the bottom which he used to slowly enter the cave. He had a fang visible, poking out of his closed mouth, over his bottom lip, a small grin on his face as he stared at the pre-teen with half-open eyes. He let out another chuckle, “Close your mouth, darling. You’ll catch fliesssss.” The forked tongue in his mouth flicked as he spoke, the thing almost rattling as he stretched out the S in his last word.

It took a moment for Roman to process what he was seeing, but he did indeed close his mouth, as instructed. Roman was quite inquisitive, so he knew better than anyone (well, any pre-teens) what this creature was. “... Nagas are real-?” He spoke in pure disbelief, his eyes wide.

The creature smirked. “Yes, they are. Please,call me Dacarion. Dee for short, if you will.” He intonates, slithering around Roman. “And you’re Roman, correct?” He asked, looking over his shoulder at the other boy before going back to his original spot, grinning cheekily at Roman’s shocked expression. “How... Do you know my name?”

“Because, dear, I’ve been watching you. Why do you think I sent one of my butterflies to get you?” Dacarion hummed, putting out his hand as the rainbow butterfly landed on his finger, smiling at it. “I’ve noticed you struggling. I want to help you.”

Roman’s eyebrows furrowed. “Help me-? Help me how?” He asked. “Wait, can you fix whatever’s making me different??”

The naga sighed and shook his head. “No. I don’t have that kind of power. I don’t think anybody does. It isn’t just something you can fix, darling. You can manage it, but you can’t get rid of it.” He murmurs, shaking his head. “However, I will help in any way possible, if you’d like me to. I can only do so with your permission.”

Roman was unsure whether he should trust this naga or not. He’s always been told not to trust strangers, but... This was a naga, s this was different, right? Yeah. Yeah, it had to be. “...Alright.”

Dacarion grinned at him, “Splendid!” He exclaimed. He clapped his hands, and then began to move them around. Rolling them forward, his fingers moving as he moved his hands . A sparkling, golden ball of magic slowly formed in his hands that made Roman stare in awe. “Ooh...”

He watched as the naga made the ball bigger and bigger, then released it up into the air. Magic began to escape the ball, flying around like streamers falling at a birthday party. One strand flew around Roman, blowing his hair back slightly. Then, after a moment, the magic ball burst into sparkles that rained down from the top of the cave to the floor. “There you go.” Dacarion smiled.

Roman opened his eyes, not sure when they had closed. He blinked, then frowned. “I don’t... Feel any different?” He mutters, voice full of confusion.

“You weren’t meant to. Just... You’ll see, okay?”

“O..kay.” Roman nods, still puzzled. “So now what?”

“Now, you return back to your normal life. You must not tell anyone you saw me. In fact, don’t tell anyone about any of this.” The naga said seriously, voice lowering to a whisper. He shook his head when Roman opened his mouth to protest, giving him a warning glare. “I’m not joking, kid. Do NOT tell anyone you saw me.”

Roman stood still for a moment, then let out an exaggerated sigh. “FiNe-“ He pouted at Dacarion.

The creature nodded, his face softening as he sighed. “Good. Why don’t you go back? Things will be a little easier from now on, I promise you.” He gave Roman a small smile, the fang hanging over his bottom lip making it seem quite charming, in a way.

Roman slowly nodded. “Okay, I will. Thanks, Dee.” He looked around. “Um... Am I allowed to come back here, if I want to?”

The naga sighed. “If you’d like. Just don’t raise any suspicion or come too often, okay? If you need someone to talk to or just rant with, you can come here.” He smiled gently. “If you need a friend, you can come here.”

That made Roman smile. “Okay, thank you!” He said, the sour mood that he had before entering the bush now completely vanished.

They talked for a few minutes more, and then Roman was exiting the bush. Just in time, too. The bell was ringing, and it was time for the children to go back inside.

Roman had math class, so of course, he headed there. Sitting down at his desk, he put his backpack down, sighing and putting his elbow on the table.His hand curled into a loose fist as he rested his hand against his cheek, his leg bouncing as he waited for the class to start. He knew he should start trying to pay attention, but he could not stop thinking about that naga. Dacarion. He liked that name. It rolled nicely off of his tongue. “Dacarion.” He whispered, a small smile appearing on his face. Yeah. Maybe today wasn’t so bad, after all.

Soon, class was beginning. Roman was quietly doing his best to observe the teacher, but he didn’t like math, so it wasn’t easy. If it was art or something, Roman could easily hyper-fixate on the lesson. But not math. Math wasn’t fun.

Roman caught himself beginning to zone out. He tried to stop it and pay attention, but he couldn’t help it. Tapping his fingers on the desk while bouncing his leg a little faster, he sighed, giving up and letting himself zone out into another daydream.

Roman was making his way back to the castle, having defeated the foul dragon. After cleaning the blood off of his sword, he journeyed back to the prince and ensure his safety.

The guards let him through, his heart racing as his mind ached with the thoughts that ran through. Was the prince okay? Was he worried about Roman? He couldn’t help but wonder...

The prince was in his room, where Roman was escorted to. One of the guards knocked on the door. “Your highness, you have a visitor.”

It was silent for a moment. “Is this visitor a knight?” The voice behind the door spoke.

“Yes.” The guard nodded. “May we come in?”

More silence, then a sigh. “I suppose.”

The guards pushed open the door, letting Roman walk in. The prince was pacing back and forth, worry visible on his face. He looked to Roman and gasped, running and hugging him. “Roman! Oh my gosh, you’re okay-!”

His eyebrows raised in realization at his behaviour, clearing his throat and stepping back. “Uh- sorry. I mean, uh- thank you for saving me.” He gave Roman an awkward smile, before looking to the guards. “Guards, you are dismissed.” He said, giving them a brief nod as they turned and left.

Turning his attention back to the knight, the prince gave a small smile. “Seriously. Thank you. Um-“ He gave a small bow to Roman, surprising the hero. “I am in your debt. What can I do to repay you?”

Roman’s look of surprise faded into a small smile. “I require no payment. I was simply saving a handsome prince in distress.” He winked, making the prince’s face flush. “Don’t push it, knighT.” He said, standing up straight. “For real, though. I insist on repaying you. I will not be taking no for an answer.”

Roman sighed. “Alright, alright. If you insist.” He stood up straight. “Anyways, so... About earlier.” He went over, smoothly dipping the prince, who squeaked and blushed. “I believe we were interrupted, no?”

“I-I suppose we were, yes.”

Roman grinned. “I suggest we get back to rekindling the moment.” He leaned down, getting ready to give the other the kiss of his life. He grew closer, and closer, and closer, until...

“Roman!”

Dammit, not again.

Roman’s closed eyes opened, his head lifting to look at the teacher. He waited for the scolding. Waited for the teacher to yell at him, honestly used to it at this point.

”Roman, may I speak with you after class?”

The class erupted into voices of “ooooo!” and “he’s in trOubLeEeEee-” and Roman knew he was in for it now.

Roman agreed with a sigh, deciding to just try not to zone out this time and tough it out through the remainder of the class time.

“Roman, please sit down.”

Roman sat down in the seat across from the teacher’s desk, bouncing his leg again while he tapped his hands on his thighs. “Yes, m’am-?” He asked nervously.

“So- I was wondering if you would perhaps like to go to the counsellor’s office. I don’t believe I can help you start to pay attention, so maybe he can. It’s your choice, though.” The teacher spoke.

“Oh.” Roman had to admit, he was a little surprised. He didn’t expect the teacher to try and help him. He expected her to scold him. Yell at him. Threaten to make him stay in for recess until he learned to pay attention, (the horror-) but no. She was letting him see the counsellor and trying to help. Huh. ...Odd. Different, and odd.

But a good odd, at that.

“...I’d like that, yeah.” He smiled a little.

After some talking and a call to both the teacher of his next class and the counsellor, Roman was on his merry way down to the office. He hoped the counsellor was nice. He hoped they were kind. Well, they had to be, they were a counsellor. Right? Right?

Right.

Knocking gently on the door to the office, he looked up at the sign.

E. Picani.

That sounded like a nice person’s name in his opinion. He could expect good things from an E. Picani. Of course, his name could be something like elephant. Elephants were odd and kinda scary, Roman didn’t like elephants-

“Hello! Come on in!”

Roman’s head perked up, tilting as he gazed at this new person in front of him. A young male stood at the door, an inviting smile on his face. He looked to be in his 20’s, a pair of glasses rested atop his nose and a (well groomed) mess of wavy-ish curly-ish magenta hair plopped on his head, a little lighter than his friend Virgil’s hair. He wore a brown shirt with a red tie and some blue jeans, along with a pair of dress shoes. He looked quite friendly, and Roman instantly took a liking towards him.

Nodding eagerly, Roman stepped inside, sitting down in a chair. He looked around the room, eyes wide with wonder. There were cartoon figurines, bookshelves, boxes of who knows what, and much more. Noticing Roman’s bounciness, the other male took one of the boxes, holding it out to Roman. “Would you like one?” Roman’s jaw dropped at what was inside.

Fidget toys.

Spinners. Cubes. Squishies. So many little things that had such a big impact on people who needed them.

Wow.

Roman took a cube, thanking the other before fidgeting with the toy, watching as ‘E. Picani’ put the box back. “You can call me Emile, or Dr. Picani.” The man, now known as Emile, smiled at him. “Whatever makes you more comfortable!”

Sitting down, Emile got his clipboard, flipping through a few pages with a small hum. “Your name is Roman, correct?” He asked softly, smiling as Roman nodded eagerly. Writing a few things down, they began to speak. Speaking of random things, slowly leading up to Emile asking. “So I’ve heard you haven’t been paying attention in class? Would you mind telling me why?”

Roman tried to put it into words the best he could. The way he constantly zoned out in class. The way he couldn’t stop fidgeting and moving and talking. The memory blanks, the mood swings, all that and more while Emile wrote and wrote until Roman stopped speaking. Emile was silent for a bit, looking at his clipboard and tapping his pen quietly, clearly lost in thought.

Eventually, he looked up. “Roman, have you ever looked into ADHD/ADD?” When Roman shook his head no, Emile went on. “To me it sounds like you have symptoms of that, which would explain almost everything you’ve just told me. But- fear not, my friend. For it can be eased with medication and such.” Emile smiled gently. “Now, I’m not licensed to diagnose or give said medication, but I can recommend someone to you who can.” Emile got a slip of paper and wrote while talking. “You’ll get a test to see if you have it, and if you do, treatment will be decided afterwards! If you don’t, then...” Emile shrugged. “We’ll figure that out upon crossing that bridge. Now!” Emile clapped his hands together and handed him the paper. “There’s a number for your parents to call. Um- do you understand or have any questions? I know this might be confusing.” The counsellor tilted his head at the other, folding his hands in his lap.

And boy, did Roman have questions.

But for once, his brain was too jammed up to ask them. Roman... Could figure out why he was different? He could ease it down? He could be n o r m a l ? Roman was in disbelief. He just sat there with his mouth open. “Uh...”

Emile smiled at him. “I know this is a lot to take in. You can ask questions later, don’t worry. For now, if you’d like, you can just stay in here for a bit, or go back to class.”

Roman chose the first option, staying in the office and letting himself think while Emile worked, for once being quiet and not super loud and bouncy. He was lost in thought. But not due to his knight fantasy world, due to what he and Emile had discovered. He was a little overwhelmed.

And the naga. The naga.

That naga.

What had he done for Roman with that magic pixie dust stuff?

It took a bit for it to click, but Roman realized the naga had simply made people just a little more understanding toward him. Open to helping him ease the symptoms of this ADHD thing he might have. The real world wasn’t easy, so he had wanted to open a door for Roman to help him. Wow. Roman couldn’t help but smile, a small whisper coming from him.

“Thanks, Dacarion.”

“Hm?” Emile turned to look at him, tilting his head.

Roman looked up. “Oh- nothing. Just- thought out loud. You know- making a story world in my head.” He smiled.

“Oh.” Emile smiled fondly at him, like a parent looking adoringly at their child who had just made a stick figure drawing of the family. “Okay. Have fun with that. Maybe you can tell me about it after.”

Roman smiled. “Maybe.”

Emile went back to what he was doing, while Roman looked down at his cube.

He really did owe that naga.

Back in the bushes, Dacarion was observing Roman through the magic of his butterflies, smiling tearfully. He had done it. He had helped a person, and potentially made a new friend.

And hopefully a wonderful, long lasting friendship, at that.

#writing #roman sanders #sanders sides #neurodivergent #thomas sanders #janus sanders #deceit sanders #naga #au #middle school au #writers on tumblr #fanfic #fanfiction #sanders sides fanfiction

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harlot-of-oblivion · 5 years ago

Text

Fairies May Cry

Vergil learns just how curious fairies really are the hard way.

Chapter 9: Operation: Make Pretty Boy Blush Again

You are shuffling through your pile of flowers on Pretty Boy’s desk, trying to find the best petals to make into a tiny bikini, when you hear something very strange. Your fairy light glows yellow as you strain your tiny ears, easily figuring out that the noise is coming from somewhere down the hall outside Vergil’s room. It reminds you of the spring rain that would suddenly break out over your meadow, watering all the beautiful flowers while you seek shelter under a mushroom until the spontaneous shower passed.

That’s weird! You look out the window across from the desk. It’s not even raining outside! Your fairy light glows brighter as your wings flutter softly and you ascend out of the flower pile before searching for the source of the mysterious rain. You zoom down the hallway and pause in front of a cracked door. Foggy clouds leak out from the small opening, and as you squeeze through you notice that the air suddenly becomes very warm.

The sound of the strange rain echoes around you in the small hazy room. You quickly realize that the source of the indoor shower is coming from behind a long curtain since the hot fog is rising high above it. As you fly up closer, you see a faint shadowy silhouette moving around behind the curtain. This confuses you even more as you dim your fairy light, wondering why it is dancing in the strange shower. You land on the pole holding the curtain and instantly freeze at the sight that greets you.

The shadowy figure is Pretty Boy…a very naked Pretty Boy. Oh wow…he’s even prettier without all the blue! you marvel, crossing your tiny legs and taking a seat on the pole while you admire your hero’s lovely features. His white hair no longer reminds you of a cute hedgehog now that it is wet and covering his eyes. Your fairy light starts to glow pink as you peer down at him, completely mesmerized by the graceful movement of his body as he washes himself in the indoor rainstorm.

“PEASEBLOSSOM!”

Your wings snap open in surprise as you look back at his face. Uh oh! Pretty Boy saw me! But getting caught does not discourage you to look away as he struggles to wipe his wet hair away from his eyes. “This is highly inappropriate!” he scolds, trying his best to cover himself as he gazes up at your mischievous face.

“You look like you need help!” you offer sweetly, never tearing your eyes away from him as he turns his back towards you. “And according to Fairy Law-”

“OUT,” Vergil snarls, silver blue eyes flashing with anger.

Your fairy light turns blue and your wings droop down as you whimper sadly at his loud command. You do as your told and flutter away…but Pretty Boy did not say to leave the room. Instead, you wait until his shadow goes back to washing again and dim your light as you carefully approach the curtain from below. It is not hard for you to slip through an opening and get another view of your hero from a different angle.

If only he was blushing, you thought, but as soon as the image plays in your mind…you decide that it is worth getting yelled at if it meant seeing him as pink as your fairy light! So, the first step in Operation: Make Pretty Boy Blush Again is to fawn over him while showering him with affection. Your pink fairy light glows brighter as you zip around his body, starting from the bottom and rising until you stop by his shoulder.

“Whoa! What strong arms you have!”

Pretty Boy flinches at the sound of your small voice, but you do not give him time to chastise you as quickly dart away before he can even find you. “And oooh!” you exclaim, diving down and giving his bottom a tiny pinch as you fly by. “What a nice butt you have!” He grunts and tries to catch you, but even with his lightning fast reflexes you are just too quick and small as you dodge his hands. You end up hovering in front him and giggle loudly as you sway in the air.

“And wow!” you gasp, pointing down towards the bottom half of his body. “What long legs you have!”

“ENOUGH!” Vergil growls as he covers himself again, glaring up at you now as your body shakes with mirthful laughter. “You are not to spy on someone who is showering!”

“But but but,” you protest, ignoring his temper as you circle around his head and pause by his eye level. “You’re so pretty!”

“I’m exposed!” he retorts sharply.

You giggle at his reasoning and decide to enact step two in your mischievous operation. “I’m exposed too!” you playfully point out while twirling slowly in the air, showing off your own nude body as your fairy dust shimmers in your own wispy light. “Don’t think I don’t see you loooooooking…!” you tease, fairy light glowing a deeper pink as you bat your eyelashes at him.

That seems to do trick since a light pink blush appear on Vergil’s cheeks. “I didn’t mean to stare,” he insists, desperately trying to save face. “I was just…curious.”

“Suuuuure you were,” you remark with an impish grin while your fairy light turns red. You spin around and strike a cute pose, sending a little dart of fairy dust towards his face as you blow him a kiss. When the small dot of fairy dust hits the tip of his nose, it bursts into tiny twinkling hearts and illuminates the now even deeper blush on his handsome face.

Vergil just stares at you dumbfoundedly for a moment before abruptly clearing his throat. He turns off the rain by turning a knob and quickly draws the curtain back, stepping out swiftly while grabbing a nearby towel and wrapping it around his waist. As he storms out of the room you erupt into a fit of giggles, bouncing around in the air as your fairy light flashes through a gambit of colors.

“So cuuuuuute!” you gush, cheerfully vowing to make him blush more often because after all...it is quickly becoming one of your favorite past times!

Read Chapter 10

My Ao3

My Master List

Tagging: @drusoona @exsultry @bettybattaglia and @vergilsangel 💕

#vergil #vergil and reader #devil may cry #fluff and humor #fairies #pixies #drabbles #drabble collection #fairies may cry #you are cute and smol #shower shenanigans #you just can't help it #vergil is cute when he blushes #uwu #harlot writes

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lostonrevenge · 5 years ago

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Siren (Part 1)

Summary: With Ursula’s necklace broken, Uma feels the sweet allure of fate when a siren is thrown into the Isle of the Lost – their tears one of the few resources able to restore the power of the necklace. Though pirates and sirens were never meant to mix. Can Uma fix her mistake before it’s too late?

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The night appeared to be normal, the same cold winds down by the water and the same misty sky which turned everything grey. Uma, Harry and Gil were wondering back from the market place to the Lost Revenge after a little mischief making, their laughter echoing off the walls of the alleyways.

“We should do this again” Uma told her boys as they exited an alley which opened out onto the waterfront where they now stood. “I want to raid some of Mother Gothel’s lanterns, they looked nice.”

While Harry makes a sound of agreement, Gil’s mind is distracted elsewhere as he focuses on a spot of light in the distance.

“Gil, whaddya think?” Uma asks him as she turns to him. He was never as excited as Harry about stealing things, but he normally showed some sort of interest.

“What’s that?” Gil ignores her as he points to the spot of light.

“It’ll just be star” Harry is quick to dismiss.

“No, it’s too low to be a star” Uma says as she makes her way towards the light that is in line with the water. The boys follow her till they reach the water’s edge at the end of the wharf.

“It’s heading for the entrance” Harry points out as the light travels across the water, appearing to be floating mid-air above its surface.

Upon realising that Harry’s right, Uma nods her head, gesturing for the boys to follow her to the entrance. They carefully hug the shadows of the shacks on the wharf until they creep forward to hide behind the archway as the entrance of the Isle.

“No one was supposed to be coming” Uma whispers as she crouches down at the edge of the arch, both boys stand behind looking over her.

“Mal won’t be coming back, would she?” Gil asks.

Normally Auradon would warn them if they were coming to the Isle. In fact, they normally made a big deal of it, holding parade type events and pretending that the Isle’s people loved them. So, for someone to come here unannounced was suspicious to say the least.

“Why would she?” Uma dismisses as she continues to watch the light. As it comes closer the seemingly singular light splits into two. “It’s a car” she says as she looks back up at the boys.

Gil’s face is fixed with a look of puzzlement as he watches the car come nearer. Harry’s body language is set in defence, muscles tight and eyes glaring at the approaching lights. “What are they doing here?” he speaks lowly through gritted teeth.

“I don’t know, but there’s not many of them” Uma replies. She’s just as furious as Harry with having their homeland invaded unannounced but she’s also curious as to why they are there in the dead of night.

“Do you think they’re picking up more kids?” Gil asks, a brighter tone to his voice.

“They’d make a big show of it, wouldn’t ya think?” Harry says to him as the car passes through the barrier, the outside being rimmed in gold light.

The three of them prepare to retreat further back behind the archway but to their surprise the car stops just before the entrance.

“What’s it doing?” Uma asks as she leans forward in anticipation.

Before any of the boys can answer the front doors of the car swing open and two dark silhouettes of men step out. They are instantly recognisable as palace guards by the hats they wear and the shape of their shoulders. All three of them tense when they see the swords strapped to their belts, but to their relief instead of walking towards the Isle they turn and walk to the back of the car.

Uma gasps in a breath that she holds when the men open the boot and some kind of commotion arises. Appearing out to the side of the car the men carry a humanoid shape that thrashes in their grip. In the dark it’s hard to see but Uma can tell the figure is being held by chains, which clink as the form struggles in the arms of its captors. She’s about to move to get a closer look when she feels Harry place his hand on her shoulder, warning her to stay in place.

“Can you hear what they’re saying?” Uma asks back at the boys as her own ears strain to hear any voices from the guards.

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“Should we take the chains off her?” one guard asks the other.

“No, she can breathe underwater” says the second as they walk to the edge of the bridge. “Let her struggle in them.”

“Underwater” Uma mouths from where she listens.

“Whoa, wait!” the second guard stops the first from removing the tape over her mouth. “She’ll put a spell on us!”

“No, she won’t. Not if we’re quick” says the first one. “Also, how can she breathe underwater if her mouth is covered? We were sent to drop her off, not kill her.”

The second guard huffs in annoyance and Uma thinks that he only obeys the command out of fear of losing his job. “Alright, let’s just get this over with. I hate this place.”

At his partner’s agreeance the first guard rips off the tape which is followed by an ear-splitting scream, not one of pain but one filled with anger.

Uma flinches back, her back hitting Harry’s legs as he whispers, “Siren.”

Her mouth drops open at the realisation. She had heard pirates’ tales about them but she had always thought that they were just recitings of drunken hallucinations.

“Throw her over” the second guard says before he and his partner swing their arms, hurtling the siren off the bridge, turning their backs to the sound of the splash below.

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As soon as the guards make their way back to the car, Uma is on her feet and about to run to the edge of the bridge when she feels Harry’s hand tighten on her shoulder. “Wait” he whispers in her ear.

Uma breathes restlessly as she watches the car reverse away from the Isle. Only calming down slightly when she feels Gil’s hand slip into hers.

At the gold light shining around the edge of the car as it passes through the barrier, the boys let her go and she races to the edge of the bridge. Looking over at the water she sees its surface still mending from the bubbles of the splash.

“Is she dead?” Gil’s small voice interrupts their silence.

Uma looks over at Harry.

“She can breathe” he assures them both.

“Can she swim with those chains on?” Uma asks him.

“Depends how heavy they are. They’re strong swimmers but with the current…” he pauses looking over the edge, seeming to consider the possibilities of the siren resurfacing. “If she makes it up, she’ll be weak and vulnerable.”

“We need to find her and before anyone else does” Uma says adamantly. “We’ll search the shore in the morning with the rest of the crew. She won’t make it up for a while now.”

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By the time the sun was rising the crew were already out searching the shoreline for any sign of life. They spread out along the rocks at the water’s edge, some still on the dock keeping a lookout but so far, they had found nothing.

Down the beach further Uma, Harry and Gil search amongst the shore edge, scattered boulders and rock pools. After being distracted by finding a nice-looking starfish Gil looks up when he hears Uma’s voice call out from behind a mound of boulders. In and instant he’s making his way towards her, Harry not far behind him from where he had been further down the bank.

Together they find Uma standing on the shore a respectable distance away from a figure in the water being lapped by the waves, bound by chains. Now in the day light they can see the captive more clearly. Lying on her side her face covered in a mop of long dark red hair which floats with the waves, her fair skinned torso morphing into a grey tail.

“Harry do you have your hook?” Uma asks as the boys stop next to her.

Harry doesn’t reply to the obvious question as he walks toward the figure in the waves. He approaches slowly, being careful not to startle the siren. She hasn’t looked up at him or moved in any way, but he knows she’s aware of him approaching her.

It isn’t until he’s a few steps away from her that she moves and he instantly stops, not wanting to be seen as a threat. A weak growl sounds from inside her throat as she tries to scream but she’s too exhausted for any sound to come out.

“Save your strength, lass. I’m not going to hurt you” Harry speaks gently as he crouches down in front of her. He takes hold of the padlock holding the chains together but when he brings up his hook to pick the lock, the siren panics at seeing its sharp point.

She growls again and thrashes in the waves, beating her tail into the sand, kicking up a splash of water that covers them both.

“You’ll only hurt yourself if you go about it like that” Harry says calmly as he slowly removes his hand from the lock and withdraws his hook away from her. “I’m sure you want to get out of these.”

Slowly the siren starts to calm down and the thrashing stops but her grey eyes never hide her terror. Taking this as a sign of permission, Harry once again takes hold of the padlock and dismantles it with his hook in a couple of quick twists. Slowly he unwraps the chains. Carefully placing them down on the sandy shore, pausing in between each one to remain as nonthreatening as possible.

Once the last chain is removed, Harry raises his hands in the air and stands up slowly in a surrendering gesture. Now free the siren hesitantly moves her arms, stretching them out carefully after being restrained for so long, never once taking her eyes off the pirate. She still doesn’t trust him not to hurt her, it wouldn’t be the first time one of her kind was rescued by one of his, only to be hurt by their hand. Drawing her arms back into her body she pushes herself back into deeper water and quickly swims away, leaving him standing alone in the waves.

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“Was she hurt?” Uma asks Harry as he re-joins them.

“Nah” he shakes his head.

“She was tired though” Uma says, “I heard her trying to scream.”

“Aye, she was” Harry agrees as they head back to the rest of the crew to stop the search.

“You’re not disappointed she swam off?” Gil asks Uma, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

“No, I expected her too” she says simply. “I need her to trust us. She has to come to us on her own.”

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Harry barely had to wait anytime at all from when he’d sat down on the rock at the water’s edge, placing the tray of food down next to him. He’d thought he might be out waiting for hours or have to hide behind a rock so that the siren would show up, but it was no time at all before he saw a shape moving beneath the water.

She approached him slowly, her shoulders out of the water like she was trying to be as tall as possible to assert some form of dominance. Though she still eyed him distrustfully and angled her body away from him so she could make a quick escape if she needed to.

“You know I can hunt for myself?” her voice breaks the silence like a sweet song to Harry’s ears.

“Yet, you took the food we left out for you this morning, and ye came back” Harry reminds her, pushing the tray forward to entice her to reach for it. Before adding, “though, I doubt that ye could currently.”

She can tell by the way he eyes her, that he knows she is still too weak to hunt for anything apart from shellfish. “Suppose that I could: have you considered that I might think this is a safe spot?” she points out as she stops in front of the rock.

“Nothing’s safe around here.”

“I’ve noticed… I’m sorry” she says, sympathy reflecting in her eyes. She’s surprised that the pirate doesn’t ask how she’d got here. From what she’d heard, people of the Isle are ruthless and have no boundaries. Though he doesn’t push her, and lets silence fall between them while she eats from the tray.

After washing the last of the fish grease off her hands in the water, she looks back up to the pirate on the rock, staring out the sea. “What’s your name?”

“I saved you, you tell me yours first” he breaks his longing gaze away from the horizon to smirk down at her.

“You were given the order to save me” she corrects, remembering the girl on the shore finding her and calling him over.

“Her name is Uma – my Captain” he tells her. “My name’s Harry.”

“Harry Hook?” she guesses looking at the hook in his hand. The factor of children carrying around symbols of their parents on the Isle is known to her.

He nods.

“What do you want from me, Harry Hook?”

“For now, just your name.”

“Adamaris” the siren says swimming backwards before she dives and swims away.

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The cold surface of a rock presses against her back as Adamaris hides from sailors roaming around the rocks. It had been happening more and more frequently over the last few days. Whether they’d heard word of a siren around the rocks and were searching for her, she didn’t know. But she knew she couldn’t be spotted.

For the last few minutes, she had been trying to get back to the open sea but got stopped in her tracks each time as the sailors came closer to her path. She backpedals again as their voices come closer, taking refuge in a rockpool with higher walls.

Leaning against the edge of the rock, she sighs in relief letting her eyes close. She knows that she can’t stay there long but it is a safe enough place to stay until the sailors move away again. With another breath of relief, she opens her eyes, but her racing heart doesn’t calm down now sensing a presence behind her.

Instinctively she turns around to see a figure standing behind her in a red coat. Her body jerks backward with a splash trying to get away from them before her mind catches up with her.

“Good thing you picked this one” Harry Hook says, keeping his voice low as he crouches down at the edge of the rockpool. “There’s a tunnel through the rock over there, that leads to a cave” Harry doesn’t wait for her to reply before he continues and points behind her.

Her eyes follow his hand to a rock behind her with an opening under the water’s surface. She turns back to him and fixes him with a look to show that she understands, before she turns and swims through it.

The swim through the tunnel was longer than she expected, but it made sense in hindsight since she had to do a 180 turn from the ocean. There were a couple of tight spots for her to fit between but she was able to squeeze through and make her way into the pool of the cave where she found Harry waiting for her.

“How did you know about this place?” Adamaris asks Harry as she swims to the edge of the pool to meet him.

“Uma and I know almost everything about the shore here” he tells her.

“Can I ask why you wanted me here?” she asks him.

Harry’s eyes seem to light up as the topic on his mind is brought up. “The waters around here are no longer safe for you. My Captain would like me to bring you back to our ship.”

Adamaris smirks slightly at how his language suddenly turned formal like he was reading out a proclamation. She didn’t bother to question their motives for wanting her on their ship. They had proven themselves kind to her and realistically she had nowhere else to go except into the hands of more captors. If they planned to hold her and keep her prisoner, she would go with it until she got a better feel for her surroundings and then escape.

“Sure” she says.

Harry seems a little dumbfounded at her sudden decision, though he only shows this through a small shuffle back. Reigning himself in, he crouches down at the edge of the rockpool before hooking his hands under her arms and hauling her out.

Up on the rocky surface Adamaris swings the rest of her tail out of the water before looking up at him. “Harry, when I turn I” – she doesn’t need to finish her sentence telling him that she’ll be naked since he’s already stepped back, taking off his coat.

With a blank look on his face he leans down to place it over her before he takes a few steps away and turns his back to her.

She smiles at his chivalry. He hadn’t even stared at her bare chest under her long hair, like the boys in Auradon do. Shrugging the coat more securely around her shoulders she allows her tail to morph into legs.

Harry turns around when he hears a small laugh escape from her, seeing her slowly switching her newly formed legs up and down in the air. “How many times have you turned?” he asks her as he steps back toward her.

“Once or twice, just to sees what legs look like really” she tells him as he crouches down next to her.

“So, I’m taking it walking will be a problem?” he smiles widely and doesn’t wait for an answer before picking her up and carrying her out of the cave.

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It was an interesting walk through the Isle for her. Even growing up in Auradon with fancy castles as opposed to rusting slums, Adamaris had never really been across land. Occasionally she would swim down rivers and the deeper streams to catch a glimpse of modern civilisation, but even she knew that buildings and architecture weren’t supposed to look like this. She’d heard whispers of how bad living conditions on the Isle were, but they’d largely been kept under wraps. Now she could see why.

“How can anyone live here?” she muses as Harry and her step out from an alley onto a wharf.

“We don’t have a choice” is all he says to her as he carries her toward a ship docked in front of them.

As they step onto the ship, Adamaris spots the blue haired girl Harry referred to as Uma commanding the crew moving things around the deck.

“Oh, good you got her” she sighs in relief, abandoning her task and walking towards them. “Take her to my quarters.”

part 2

#disney #disney descendants #disney descendants fanfiction #isle of the lost #siren #uma #harry hook #gil #lost revenge #original character

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platypanthewriter · 5 years ago

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Strangest 2: Fractionally Gay

As Steve was laughing at Billy’s horror over the bat, his lungs starting to clench at the impossibility of explaining, the phone rang. He batted Mike aside and swung his leg over the back of the couch--any effort was worthwhile to forestall certain conversations.

“Steve,” the small voice came through raspy, and it took him a second to place it.

“Max?”

Billy’s head popped up like a meerkat’s.

“Billy ran out screaming. Lucas said I should warn you.” She gulped, difficult to understand through the rapid breathing. “You--you better call Hopper, Steve, he might--”

“He’s just sitting here drinking hot chocolate, Max,” he hurried to reassure her, wincing as Billy stumbled back over the arm of the couch towards the wall, smacking his hand down for the bat as he moved. Will kicked it out of his reach, and Billy winced as his shoulderblades thudded against the wall.

Max was breathing slowly--consciously, Steve thought, maybe he wasn’t the only one whose body had forgotten how. “He’s what,” she asked, voice flat.

“He show...he shows up here, sometimes,” he closed his eyes, feeling the Judgemental Adolescent Brigade’s attention shift from Billy to him with laser focus, “--it’s fine. I mean, he’s still an asshole, but he hasn’t done anything. He--” Steve stopped himself before telling a middle-school girl her delinquent brother’s semi-alcoholic cigarette funk was more grounding than a lightning rod. “...are you okay?”

“Me and Lucas are fine.” She swallowed hard again, and Steve waited patiently. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “He might’ve...broken something. His, um. His dad said he fell down the stairs, but he’d just got in the shower. He wouldn’t be trying to get laundry or anything. He totally wanders around in his underwear if he forgets pants, Steve, he wasn’t hurrying to get anywhere,” she scoffed, and Steve frowned over to where Billy was still leaning against the wall, now casual, the bruised side of his face turned away from the room. “I think he, uh. I--I think he slammed him into a few other things. The tub makes a noise.”

“You gonna call ‘Hopper’ on me?” Billy bared his teeth, staring at the bat, and Mike crouched, reaching for it.

“Whoa, whoa, hang on, Max,” Steve pressed the phone to his chest. “Dustin. Put the bat, uh, with the skis, y’know--” He waved vaguely, hoping to convey the bat’s location to everyone but Billy. “Billy, if you’re gonna hit anything, uh. Go upstairs and punch a pillow or something. My room’s plaid.”

“So plaid,” Dustin confirmed, proud of his insider information.

“I think we should go,” Will whispered, and Mike slid an arm around him, baring his teeth right back at Billy.

“And leave him here with Steve? We should call Hopper.”

Billy snorted, but gave them a wide berth on his way to the kitchen, where he pointedly loitered for a while, reminding Steve of nothing so much as a cat who doesn’t want to admit anyone else has a good idea. The stairs creaked under his rapid footsteps as Dustin returned, then spun in place. “Where the hell is he?! Did you kill him?!”

“He went upstairs,” Will whispered back, frowning up at the sound of a creaking hallway.

“Max,” Steve tried to ignore the whispered conference behind him, “--he seems fine, but I’ll check later. Glad you have a date night, or every little shithead I know would be here. Why don’t you guys ever just show up to sell cookies?” He frowned accusingly at Mike, who frowned back.

“I just don’t want the stupid shit dying in your house,” Max grumbled, and Steve found himself grinning again into the handset.

“It’s okay, we’ve got a shovel.” He rubbed his face.

She snorted. “Are you sure I shouldn’t call Hopper? I mean he might...set you on fire, or...fuck your mom.”

“...what a resume,” Steve sighed, trying not to just sit on the floor and laugh, or possibly cry. His lungs were ready to heave, but undecided. “He’s not doing anything, yet. If he sets my mom on fire, I’ll definitely let you know.”

“Does Steve have a mom?” Steve heard Mike asking Dustin.

In his ear, Max took a shaky breath. “...okay. Okay. Are...are you sure we shouldn’t come over? I can steal my mom’s car.”

“No!” Steve barked. “No! It’s fine! You definitely don’t have to get arrested to come protect me, holy shit. Go...watch My Little Pony or something. Or hey, watch something for you, screw what Lucas wants.” That brought grins to Dustin, Mike, and Will’s faces, and he heard Max relaying it to a shouting Lucas over the phone. “Okay. I’m gonna hang up. It’s fine. If anything happens, I promise I’ll call Hopper.”

“Yeah, you better.” The connection clicked over to dial tone.

“...if we keep watching, it’ll show us how to kill the Nazgul Steve’s got in his bedroom,” Dustin sing-songed, grinning, and Steve sighed.

“Yeah. Sure. I need more--” the kettle shrieked again--Billy must have switched it on again, after Steve had chosen to busy his invaders with the microwave instead of allowing conversation. He frowned as he flicked it off, but no stairs creaked, so he figured it was to be obnoxious, rather than a need for more hot chocolate. “...I need more hot chocolate.” So did they all. Steve surveyed the Hot Chocolate Cupboard--the only cupboard he used, the only one that wasn’t a bit dusty--and couldn’t really think of much else he could buy. I could fill up the garage, he thought, thinking of the ease of routine in the grocery store, filling an entire cart with marshmallows, and the reassurance of a shelf of them every time he parked his car. I’ll have to stockpile candy canes, he thought with a snort, his intestines doing a crampy clench at the idea of running out in mid-February, and having some kind of breathing emergency that required them. They’ll find me blue in the kitchen, he muffled his snickers against the sleeve of his forearm, after I collapse because my hot chocolate isn’t right, and my lungs turn into inflexible plastic soda bottles, and Billy isn’t around to bitch about singing mice.

“...Steve?” Dustin’s voice trailed in from the front room over the sound of goblins, and Steve wiped his eyes, sniffling.

“Be right there.”

Another hour in, and Steve had jerked awake nearly every ten minutes to the sound of Dustin’s voice, so he stood, stretching. Dustin crawled forward to pause the VCR when Steve walked into the kitchen.

“Go ahead,” he leaned back into the front room, “I’m beat. I’m going to go sleep upstairs.” On his way, he refilled his hot chocolate, and grabbed another, crouching to make sure they didn’t foam up over the sides, that there were equal piles of marshmallows, and that his was actually mostly coffee.

He didn’t see the exchange of wide-eyed glances.

The lights were off in his room. The hallway light shone across Billy’s defined abs where he was sprawled across Steve’s bed. Steve kicked his way through a pile of shoes on his way to the desk lamp.

“What the hell,” Billy groaned, covering his face with his arms.

“I brought more hot chocolate, I guess,” Steve shrugged, rattling around in his desk drawers. “I told Max I’d make sure you weren’t broken anywhere, or anything.” He thumped the first aid kit on his desk. It still had smears of blood on it.

Billy snorted. “The hell did she tell you.”

Steve opened his mouth to ask about the hand-shaped bruises he’d compared to Sylvester Stallone’s, closed it again, and shrugged. “Sounds like your dad’s an asshole.” Billy flinched, then tried to cover it with a luxurious stretch.

“Breaking news.”

“Come on, sit up, dickhead, let me check out your face.”

“You just wanna check me out,” Billy bared his teeth in a wide smile, leaning in like Steve was somebody he was about to ask to Makeout Point.

“Um--” Steve leaned away so fast his head hit the wall, and Billy cackled, curling on to his side on the bed in a fit of the giggles.

“Y’don’t want a blow job, Harrington? Are you sure? You’re being awfully,” his mouth quirked into a crooked grin, “--fucking. Sweet to me. You had me wait in your bed.”

Steve sighed, rubbing his face. There was probably some scientific name for something just difficult enough to keep your mind off worse things. Nancy would know. Maybe he could switch to a different awful thing to keep the nightmares away. Alcohol would probably work, but the idea of being drunk and not noticing the motion detector lights coming on all around the house--he grabbed at the hot chocolate, slopping it on his math homework, but feeling the heat ease into his palms. The marshmallows were sweet foam, almost entirely melted, and he sipped slowly, licking the sugar off his lips. After Max’ phone call, he couldn’t just kick Billy out--That’s almost worse than the trunk, he thought, sending him back to somebody who slams his head into the side of the tub. He could put the kids in his parent’s room, he thought, then imagined them wandering off to poke Billy in the night, ending with Billy a snarling silhouette at the treeline, dragging a bleeding child away, red spray against the snow and trees, and dripping blood from his mouthful of soft belly. He sighed, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, Billy had gone very still.

“...you gonna get your bat, King Steve?” he whispered.

“I’m not going to hit anybody with a nailbat,” Steve opened the first aid box, counting off breaths in his head. One one thousand, he breathed. Two one thousand. He breathed again. “Not unless you make me.”

Billy’s grin widened. “How do I make you? I could fuck Nancy. I could punch what’s his name. The kid with no teeth.”

Steve stared at him. “That’s...that’s the shit you’re gonna do?”

“Not if you tell me the rules.” Billy sat up and leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms with a smirk.

“What.” Steve squinted, suddenly trying to calculate the amount of sleep he’d had recently. It wasn’t enough. He knocked back more of his ‘coffee’. “What are you talking about?”

“When,” Billy leaned in again, “--you gonna--” his breath tickled Steve’s lips, “--fuck me up, Harrington.”

“Jesus,” Steve jerked back again.

“Some blood on that bat.” Billy stretched, leaning to look out the window. “You gonna bury me out in the woods? Oh, no, I know, the sheriff’s your friend, you make it look like I drove drunk.”

“What--” Steve clenched the edge of the desk, hoping this ride slowed soon so he could get off. “...I’m not…”

“Oh, I get it now,” Billy laughed, going still again. “You killed that girl. Barb. That’s why little Nancy-Nance broke up with you.”

“I didn’t kill anyone,” Steve watched Billy’s legs kicking in the air as he lolled around like a happy cat, rubbing his eyes.

“That’s how you know ‘Hopper’. He helped you cover it up. Was she pregnant?” Billy cracked up, covering his face. “I thought you’d make a great dad, King Perfect, Steve Harrington, but that’s really shitty of you.” He grinned over lazily. “You’re starting earlier than mine did, did you make the bat for that, or did you already--”

Steve slammed his fist on the desk, making the light bounce and flicker. “I didn’t kill anyone. It was some--animal. It ate Dustin’s cat. Got in Will’s house. The--the little shitheads are just impressed because I babysat them while Hopper and Ms Byers set the nest on fire.”

“What, you hit some little...coyote?” Billy sat up to glare at him, all the musculature on display vibrating with tension as he leaned to breathe all over Steve’s face again, and Steve rolled backwards in the chair, sighing.

“Yeah. Yeah, it was a coyote. I’m not gonna hit you with a nailbat, jesus.”

“So when I showed up at the Byers, you were all afraid of a coyote.”

“It was scary as hell,” Steve shrugged.

“So scary you had syringes of sedative big enough to put me down. Lookee, your majesty, I’m so much bigger than a coyote.” He spread his arms, smiling. It looked uncomfortable, Steve thought, the stiff denim over all that sweaty bare shivering skin. Max’ call earlier had given Billy the added funk of adrenaline sweat over his usual eau de teenage alcoholic smoker whose shower got interrupted, and Steve tried to lean back in subtly, feeling his brain clear of blue tint.

“Look, we don’t know what it was. It ate people--”

“Who, Barb?”

“Barb! Yes! It ate Barb, that’s why no one found her!”

“Why the hell didn’t you just shoot it?”

“I don’t have a gun.” Steve rolled his eyes, inhaling the relaxing smell of stupid asshole, and feeling it work on his lungs. “‘Hey, Sheriff Hopper, I need a gun!’ I’m sure that would have worked.”

“The hell? Where was he? They just left you with the kids and went off--what was it, a bear?!”

“Sure, yeah, I guess.” Steve shrugged, rubbing his face as the adrenaline keeping him awake ebbed.

“Sure. And then you used your syringe on me.”

“Max was afraid I’d die! At least we didn’t leave you on the floor to get eaten.”

Billy stared at him. “You locked me in a trunk...to be a Good fucking Samaritan. What the hell were you supposed to do with a syringe against--a whatever, like, jump on its back?”

“Well, you knocked me out,” Steve rubbed his face, his brain going a little fuzzy as the image of Billy punching him superimposed itself over Billy sitting on the edge of his bed. “That was Max and them. You’d just tried to kill her friends, she maybe just wanted you locked up somewhere. I didn’t wake up until they were driving,” he grimaced, forcing another deep breath.

“Yeah, but, I mean--they just left you with a bat and a syringe? What the hell kind of--where are your parents? ‘Hopper’ and the Byers just leave you to defend against--things--”

He sounded as pissed off as usual, and Steve shook his head, grinning. “Pretty safe until you showed up.”

“I wasn’t gonna...fucking kill them,” Billy snorted.

“You sure? You were sure acting like it.”

“He told me to get the little bitch home, okay--”

“Leave the little assholes alone, I am not fucking around about this--” Steve’s eyes narrowed.

“That’s when the bat comes out,” Billy took a shuddering breath, rubbing his face, “--just them, huh? ‘Cause you’ve still got some greeny face there from when I clocked you in the--”

“Fuck you, and me,” Steve amended. “Me too. Goddamn. Just don’t--fucking attack people. We used the syringe, and not the bat. Look, do you want a shirt to put on.”

“Make me,” Billy grinned, but his voice was starting to sound hoarse, and his hands trembled. “Why don’t you make me, Harrington.”

“Damn iiiiit.” Steve let his head clonk against the first aid kit. “Look, you’re shaking. Are you actually hurt. Are you cold. Do you have any wounds.”

“I’m great,” Billy beamed back, eyes over-shiny in the low light, “--wanna check my teeth? They’re a little loose on the left. They’d probably come out easy. Bloody teeth all over your room.”

“Max was afraid your head hit the tub.” Steve leaned in to frown at the bruise, and Billy caught his breath.

“My--my knee. And--it’s fine. Why the hell was she listening.” His eyes were fixed on Steve’s mouth, like Steve was the biting risk.

Steve sighed with relief, spun in his desk chair, and stalked over to his dresser to throw a sweatsuit over--at first he aimed for Billy’s head, but logic happened, and he just tossed it on the bed within reach. “Do you want a shower? I mean, she said you--”

“Max should get that diarrhea of the face checked,” Billy growled.

“Or not, but they’re clean and dry.” Steve shrugged, wishing Billy and all his problems would just vanish into a nice sleep-inducing haze until morning.

After an odd moment where Billy apparently felt the need to hold up the elastic and test it, he glared over. “You gonna watch? My hot chocolate’s cold. Fix it, Mom.”

Steve blinked, then sighed, wandering back to the desk to grab both mugs. “We shower together after games, asshole. I’ve seen it all before.”

“Oh, you were looking?” Billy snarled, and Steve backed out of the room. “You eyeing me up? Wanna put your hands on me, King Harrington?”

“Just trying to pretend you were Cindy Crawford,” Steve backed through the door, sighing. “Bathroom’s through there, if you want it. I’m gonna go let the Scooby Gang know I’m alive.”

Naturally, there was a general scramble on the stairs as he turned down them. “We heard a thump...” Will watched his face nervously.

Upstairs, the shower turned on, and Steve sighed, dropping into a chair at the kitchen table. “Yeah, he’s so annoying I slammed my hand on the desk. Okay, I’m not saying I like him, or want him around--”

“Psh yeah,” Dustin agreed stoutly, glaring at Mike.

Huh, Steve thought, too tired to ask. “...I need to talk to Hopper.” He leaned his face in his arms.

“I’ll call El,” Mike’s eyes narrowed, his voice ringing with judgement. After a minute or so of whispering, the plastic of the handset banged Steve in the head, and he flapped his hand for it.

“Sheriff Hopper?”

“Steve.”

“Uh, you called me before when Billy was driving around. Did his dad call you again?”

“We’ve got a report of him leaving the house drunk, disorderly, and intending mayhem,” Hopper sounded disbelieving, “--which sounds about right, for him, what you got, kid?”

“Um.” Steve felt his shoulders hunch. “He was...here, that time. He wasn’t even drunk! He was just--” he waved a hand, “--sitting on the couch. We watched Star Wars.”

“Okay,” Hopper waited, sounding even judgier than Mike.

“He just...showed up here again tonight, soaking wet and half in his jeans--”

“Ew, gross,” Dustin made a revolted face at Mike, whose nose wrinkled. Will shot a glance upstairs, wide-eyed.

“And, uh, Max called? And said Billy’s dad grabbed him out of the shower, kicked his ass. Threw him down the stairs...I guess?” he trailed off, shrugging apologetically at the phone, as Mike mouthed ‘Good,’ to nods from the other two. “He’s pretty banged up?”

“Billy Hargrove has been hiding out at your house,” Hopper said slowly, and Steve rubbed his face, groaning, and feeling like he was shrinking inches every minute this conversation continued. He’d have to see if Billy minded carting him around, once he was the size of Stuart Little. “Did he finally do something? Why own up now?”

“Well, I mean, he’s not actually doing anything? Instead of having to drive around all night looking out for him, you can just call up and ask me whether there’s an asshole here bitching about Secrets of NIMH?” Steve bit his lips, uncertain about this strange ritual of communicating with adults.

Hopper took a long whistly breath through his teeth. “Not too comfortable with him around the kids.”

“Uh, yeah, I had him go upstairs, they’re like...segregated,” Steve made an apologetic face at Will, who blinked, then shyly nodded.

After a brief pause, Hopper asked “You tell that boy what to do and he does it?”

“...mostly? I mean, he knows I know you, I think he thinks you’d help me cover up his murder?”

“Hopper would.” Dustin nodded confidently.

“...only if it were Billy Hargrove,” Mike shook his head, “--he wouldn’t let Steve murder just anybody--”

“I trust you not to murder anyone unless it’s self-defense,” Hopper sounded exhausted, but also like he might be laughing. “Call if you need anything, you know that.”

“...yeah,” Steve’s throat felt too tight to swallow.

“Night, kid.”

“Yeah. Yeah, night.” He sat listening to the dial tone, wondering what to do.

“Why do you have to harbor that fugitive,” Dustin shuddered, holding his hands up like a silent movie heroine in denial. “Couldn’t you have, like, a hot British double agent? With eleven guns, that does flips.”

“Usually it’s fine, because nobody’s here.” Steve waved his arms, sighing.

Mike and Will both frowned from his face to Dustin’s, but Dustin made a very obvious “Cut it off” motion at his neck, and they didn’t ask. Steve couldn’t help it, the idea of Dustin keeping track of his friends’ slumber party etiquette had him snickering again. “Holy god. I’m going back to bed.”

“But...Billy’s up there,” Will pointed out, and received an elbow from Mike.

“Yeah, he is. You guys can sleep down here or in the big bedroom, Dustin knows where.” Dustin nodded, obviously resisting a salute. “He’s...look, it’s fine, he...sleeps, like everybody else--”

“Is he why you haven’t been sleeping?” Will asked solemnly.

Steve snorted. “Ha. Nuh-unh. Okay, you guys have had nightmares--” Mike and Will nodded, while Dustin scoffed. “Imagine you’re--” Steve glanced at Will, trying to phrase it without pressing anywhere sore, “--somewhere in a nightmare, but something really weird walks by, something so out of place it’s funny--”

“...Clifford?” Will suggested hesitantly.

“Eugh!” Mike groaned. “I’m gonna burn that ABC book--”

“It’s really hard to focus on our game around stupid Clifford--” Dustin rolled his eyes, “--you walk into a dungeon and suddenly Mike’s mom’s voice, ‘That’s an ostrich! O! O is for Ostrich!”

“I know--” Mike groaned. “Try living there--”

“Clifford!” Steve grinned. “Exactly! That’s right. So you’re in a nightmare, and Clifford walks by. And you don’t really want Clifford around--”

“He’s annoying as hell--” Mike slumped into the other kitchen chair.

“Yeah,” Steve nodded, at Will’s thoughtful expression. “He’s huge and he smells like a dog--”

“He takes huge shits,” Dustin grinned proudly.

“--but,” Steve eyeballed Will in particular, “--you can’t really be scared, either, with the Big Friendly Dog stinking up the place--’

“Billy is Clifford,” Will’s eyes widened, “--you like having him here. Even though he smells awful.”

“Yeah, well. He’s showering.” They all grimaced at the ceiling.

“I listen to music with Jonathan,” Will said softly.

Mike nodded. “I call El, or put the TV on.”

“I’m not scared,” Dustin snorted, “--but if I was, I’d call somebody, Steve, come on, pick up the phone, you don’t need a huge shitty dog.”

“Bedtime.” Steve stretched, groaning. “It’s...whatever. I don’t care.” He staggered upright, already focused on the hours of sleep he might get with Billy breathing in the same room. “I’m going to bed, to sleep, and if anyone wakes me up, there better be--” he glanced at Will again, and cleared his throat, and his head of monsters, “--a costumed supervillain, like, circling the house.”

“Nah, he’s already upstairs,” Dustin muttered, and Steve flipped him off, already running up the stairs.

As Steve frowned at the bed--it’d seemed bigger when he had a girl in it, but then, he supposed, he wasn’t wary of Nancy breaking his face if he brushed his elbow against hers in the night--Billy wandered in, sweatshirt half pulled over his head.

“Holy crap, there.” Steve stared at the purple bruising under Billy’s right shoulderblade and across his ribs, the familiar greeny-yellow handprint on his shoulder, fingermarks on his forearm, and what honestly looked like a heel-stomp on his lower back.

Billy scrambled to get the sweatshirt pulled down. “Fuck you. Go fuck yourself. King fucking Steve Harrington.”

Steve ordinarily had no trouble restraining the urge to laugh at Billy, who he mostly thought of as an unexploded bomb, but listening to his angry “fuck”s muffled through thick jersey fabric was hilarious. He forestalled it with a hand over his mouth. “I’m gonna go to sleep.” He pointed at the bed, more for his own comprehension than anyone else’s. “You can do whatever, but there’s still a whole Munchkin music number going on downstairs.”

Billy looked from his pointing finger, to the bed, back to Steve’s face. “This is an invitation to sleep in your bed.”

“I don’t care,” Steve tottered over and pulled back the covers. “Oh, I guess you could sleep in your car. I told them downstairs they could have the other bedroom or the couch, but I won’t be there to stop them bugging you, and if you murder them I’ll have to…” the pillow against his face felt like the smooth feathers of a celestial swan. “This is the best bed,” he mumbled.

“Harrington,” Billy’s voice came from somewhere off to Steve’s right. “Steve.”

“Sleeping,” Steve told him, wondering dazedly whether he’d dream about Clifford. Or Billy. Or Billy riding Clifford.

He didn’t remember what he dreamt about, jerking out of a sound sleep to a shout of his name downstairs (Dustin, probably), and the streaming light of the motion detectors. He had a vague impression of vaulting over the banister and not dying, and finding Mike and Dustin trying to jolly Will out of a panic attack.

“It’s probably just a leaf or something,” Dustin said, both thumbs up, as Steve sighed and got his bat. The VCR clock said it was four, so he’d actually gotten a few hours of sleep. He shoved his feet into his boots by the door, and stepped outside, keeping to the shadows, and shuffling, so he wouldn’t crunch loudly in the snow. The lights were scheduled for three minutes, so they flipped off soon after he began his circuit. He rested the bat against his shoulder, closing in on the sound of snow crunching.

Of course it was just Billy. Steve shuffled silently closer to the lit end of Billy’s cigarette, only to have the motion detector lights snap back on and illuminate Billy’s face from less than a foot away. Billy screamed, flailing backwards and landing on his ass in the snow, and Steve started snickering, leaning on his bat.

“What the fuck, Harrington,” Billy yelled, sounding breathless. His hair was dusted with snow, and the hoodie hood was wedged awkwardly half under the jean jacket, making him look a little less dangerous than usual. “What the hell, what in the--”

Steve considered himself, shirtless in yanked-on, unbuttoned jeans, a bloodied nailbat over his shoulder, and grinned. “I look like Conan or something.”

“You fucking asswipe, you look nuts--I thought I was gonna die--”

“The little bastards saw the motion detector come on and woke me up,” Steve shrugged, leaning on his bat again as he held a hand down for Billy, who’d landed in about two feet of snow and a patch of scrubgrass, and was stabbing his hands in the snow without finding any leverage to shove himself upright. Billy jerked back, and Steve groaned, rubbing his face. “...you’re just gonna sit there in the snow?”

Billy’s glare didn’t waver as he grabbed at the uneven grass, trying to push himself up, and Steve finally bent in close and grabbed his hand.

Billy yanked back. “--fuck go of me--”

“Come on.” Steve set the end of the bat in the snow and pushed off it to haul Billy up so chilled denim thudded against his chest.

Billy went still against him.

“Breathe,” Steve recommended, recognizing the signs of recalcitrant lungs, and brushed a hunk of snow out of Billy’s mullet. The skin under the denim collar was warm, and Steve let his half-frozen fingers linger there, breathing easily in the cloud of cigarette smoke, and the smell of his shampoo on Billy Hargrove’s mullet. It was soft, and Steve let his fingers curl in it, resting his thumb behind Billy’s ear.

“The hell are you putting your hands on me.” Billy’s breath was warm against his ear, but he didn’t pull away.

Steve considered, head clear and and nearly fizzy with the hours of sleep. In the chill of snow against his shoulders, with his hand clenched in the denim of Billy’s jacket, he felt farther away from tunneling nightmares than he had in months. Billy finally lifted his face from Steve’s shoulder enough to take another drag on his cigarette, which forced him to wrap that arm loosely around Steve’s shoulder to reach. Steve giggled, mentally cataloguing the windows probably holding small, horrified faces.

“You tell my dad I’m here and nobody’ll ever find my body,” Billy breathed smoke against his head, before pulling back enough to press his lips to Steve’s.

He has long eyelashes, Steve thought, less confident about his wakefulness than he’d been moments before, but kissing Billy’s warm mouth was weirdly cozy, and he leaned into it, feeling the bat slide from his hand. “Wait--” He clenched his fingers in the curls at the base of Billy’s skull, and Billy groaned against his mouth, eyes sliding shut. “...wow,” Steve paused, distracted by the immediate rush of red across Billy’s cheeks, but Billy ducked his head, jerking away, so Steve pulled him back with his other hand around Billy’s neck. “Wait.” He licked his lips, thinking. “That’s. Huh. We should go back inside. But your dad knows you--you’re gay?”

“I’m not a fag.” Billy jerked backwards, but didn’t try to disentangle Steve’s hands from his hair and neck. “I fuck women, Harrington-- ”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, but you just...I mean,” Steve ran his thumbs up Billy’s cheeks, pulling him closer, fascinated at the lack of protest, “--wait, that’s why he--?” He touched the bruise carefully.

“No,” Billy growled. “I mean, I don’t know, I know mom didn’t just have a dizzy spell on the stairs, but I bet she--she wasn’t--fucking women--”

“Jesus.” Steve tugged him back in so their foreheads met, studying Billy’s closed eyes and shivers as their breath fogged. “You think your dad’s a murderer? You think he-- ”

“Shut the fuck up, Harrington.” Billy swallowed. “The hell are you gonna do. You gonna tell ‘Hopper’ I kissed you. You gonna tell my dad. Might as well kill me with that bat, Steve.” He shifted away, stilling at Steve’s hand on the back of his skull.

“No, no, jesus, calm down--” Steve pulled him close again, breathing in Essence of Hargrove in hopes his mind would stop spinning. “Fuck. Your--your dad killed your mom?”

“Dunno what the hell else coulda happened,” Billy said thickly, tense against him.

“...jesus.” Steve whispered against his jaw. “You should--you should tell Hopper. Christ. Uh, we should--we should go back inside.”

“Your three little piglets probably already called him. They’ll think I ate you out here.”

“Oh shit.” Steve grabbed Billy’s hand in one of his, scooping up the bat with the other, and began dragging him back toward the house. “How long have I been out here, they probably did--”

“What the hell, Steve, why--you’re--let go--” Billy tried to shake him off, staggering after him through the snow.

“It’s fine!” Steve shouted, stumbling over all the shoes as they tromped through the door. “This asshole was having a cigarette!” He held up his and Billy’s hands like they’d won a trophy, and Billy tried to jerk away again, snarling under his breath.

“What are you doing,” Dustin said levelly, staring between them.

Mike’s nose was wrinkled. “You can let him go now.”

Will’s red rimmed eyes traveled over Billy and fixed on their clasped hands, but he just cocked his head, raising his eyebrows at Steve, who felt his face heat.

“We’re going back to sleep--” Steve dove towards the stairs, prompting a burst of expletives from Billy, who scrambled after him.

Upstairs, Steve closed and locked his bedroom door, dropped the bat to thud against the wall, and turned to face Billy, who was shuddering at regular intervals. “Un...less you want more hot chocolate.” Steve stood back, surveying the shivers and teary eyes.

“I don’t fucking want hot chocolate, what is it with you.” Billy bared his teeth, hunching in on himself, and Steve reflected with a grin that for once, he didn’t want hot chocolate either.

Steve dropped into the office chair, letting it slowly spin him all the way around. “You kissed me.”

“Prove it in court,” Billy sighed, hugging himself in his snowy jacket.

“Come on.” Steve waved him over.

“Hell no.” Billy backed away, his shoulders hitting the wall again.

Steve opened his mouth, closed it, then snorted a laugh. “Don’t make me grab your hair again.”

“Fuck you.” Billy’s eyes narrowed, but slowly traveled down Steve’s chest, over his abs, and down to his unbuttoned jeans and visible triangle of briefs. “...plaid the new thing at court? Isn’t your room enough? Look,” he rolled his shoulders, probably forgetting his borrowed saggy grey sweats were hiding his usual flexing pectorals, “--you want a blowjob? You can’t tell anyone.”

“What?” Steve blinked.

“Want my mouth on your dick?” Billy sauntered towards him. “Don’t tell my father.” He leaned in to whisper along Steve’s jaw, and Steve resisted the urge to reach down and hoist his dick out of his briefs. “Don’t tell the sheriff.” Billy dropped to his knees, mouthing down Steve’s chest. “Don’t--cave my--head in,” he went still as Steve slid a hand in his hair. “Don’t crush my eyeballs with a nailbat, and I’ll blow you.”

“Wait,” Steve groaned, tugging to detach Billy’s warm, soft mouth from the edge of his jeans. “Damn it. Billy, hold on--”

“The hell is wrong with you, Harrington?” Billy sat back on his feet, eyebrows raised. “Close your eyes if you want, I don’t care--”

“I just--” Steve ran his fingers along Billy’s jaw, losing his train of thought as Billy tipped his head willingly.

“You wanna hit me and have me?” Billy laughed, turning his head to bite gently at Steve’s hand. “I’m hot with bruises. Gimme a bloody nose, kiss off your daily iron allowance, your majesty.”

“No. No.” Steve clenched his fingers in the silky hair at the back of Billy’s head again, feeling him sag. He was careful not to yank individual strands.

“Don’t tell anyone, though. Hit me, don’t kill me--” Billy pulled Steve’s thumb in his mouth with his tongue, sucking suggestively, but his eyes were getting shiny again. “Come on. You don’t really wanna haul me out of another trunk.”

“Jesus, Hargrove,” Steve yanked his hand away from Billy’s mouth, “--I won’t tell anyone you’re--I mean, that we’re--what are we even doing.” For the first time, his lungs started to feel stiff even with Billy Hargrove right in front of him. He forced some small, shallow breaths, watching Billy’s eyes start to brim over. He put the hand not holding Billy’s hair over his mouth to forestall what was probably about to be another flood of abuse, and took another breath. One one thousand, he counted to himself, holding it and letting it out. “You--you’re a fuckhead,” he started again, feeling Billy laugh against his hand. “Look, I’m not gonna--if you get up right now, I won’t tell anyone, and I won’t--hit you, or anything. If you wanna be there, that’s--that’s good too. But. I won’t tell anyone.”

Billy shook his head, trying to get away from Steve’s hand over his mouth--since Steve hadn’t moved when he licked it--and Steve lowered it, narrowing his eyes. Billy cleared his throat. “What’s the point, then?”

Steve flailed his free hand. “It was your idea!”

“I like women,” Billy bared his teeth, “--you’re just gonna shut your eyes anyway.”

“What, you want me to stare at you?” Steve pressed his licked thumb to Billy’s lower lip. He’d tasted like cigarettes and chocolate.

“I don’t fucking want anything.” Billy let his eyes slide closed, pressing his face into the seam of Steve’s jeans. “Neither of us are fucking...queers.”

Steve wondered, in passing, whether he wanted more of a sexual buffet table than he’d suspected. It makes sense, he thought, one hand in Billy’s hair, the other satisfying various curiosities about Billy’s ear piercing, the texture of his stubble, and the heat coming up in his cheeks. Nobody wants the same thing forever, right? He leaned in again, kissing Billy Hargrove, and huffing a laugh of disbelief. Billy flinched back, eyes blinking wide.

“You gotta lay off the little shitheads,” Steve remembered to say, pulling back. Billy’s mouth quirked, and Steve kissed it again, tugging at Billy’s lower lip and its edge of stubble with his teeth. Billy moaned into his mouth, and Steve grabbed the collar of his jacket, pulling him closer--not that there was much closer for him to be.

“I don’t give a shit about them,” Billy panted against his mouth.

“I ended up with them somehow, you need to be...okay with them, if you can be nice to people without...taking your pants off,” Steve pressed lightly on Billy’s unbruised cheek with his thumb, and Billy obediently opened his mouth. He still tasted better than Steve would have expected, his mouth warm and smoky, and his body ever more pliable as Steve held him firmly by the hair.

“Being nice right now,” Billy whispered back, and Steve snorted, pulling him into another kiss. The left side of Billy’s mouth tasted coppery, and his soft groan turned into more of a pained whine, but he slid his arms around Steve’s neck to stop him from pulling away.

“God,” Steve tucked his face against Billy’s other cheek, breathing him in, “--you--you gotta promise, though. If you’re about to lose your shit at a kid, walk away.”

“I wouldn’t really,” Billy laughed, pulling his arms back to fumble at Steve’s pants. Steve grabbed his hands.

“Billy.”

“I won’t,” he shoved away to stomp over against the wall, “--the hell is this, Harrington, some kinda trap. Fuck you.”

“Nooooo,” Steve said slowly, feeling whiplash, “--that was…” He felt his cheeks flush. “That was good. You should come back over here.”

“Why the hell would I.” Billy rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck menacingly, but wandered a few feet closer. “What if one of your spawn calls the sheriff. He’ll show up and shoot me in the head.”

“Oh! I called him,” Steve blinked, “--while you were in the shower--” he cut off at Billy’s soft choking noise.

“He’s not here, what, he’s just waiting for me at home, then--” His voice had gone high and wet.

“What?”

“He’s gonna know, Harrington, he’s gonna--god, fuck you, he’s gonna nail me to a fucking fence--” He scrambled over to reach for the bat, and Steve put all his basketball lessons in interference into preventing him from reaching it, finally hugging Billy’s arms to his body.

“Sshhhh,” he tried, unable to think of anything else. “Shhh, Billy. I called Hopper. I told him your dad was a liar. I told him we watched Star Wars. He’s not coming. He’s not telling your dad.”

“Fuck you--” Billy’s voice shook.

Steve rocked them back and forth, hugging him tighter, and Billy snorted into his shoulder. “Lemme go.”

“Not sure I should,” Steve breathed against his neck.

“This is so gay,” Billy groaned.

“I think we’re both maybe half gay, though.” Steve loosened his grip, sliding his hand up to stroke his thumb against the base of Billy’s skull, and Billy shuddered, snorting a laugh.

“Fags come in fractions?”

“Maybe.”

Billy took a deep breath, tickling Steve’s ear. “...maybe you’re a moron.”

Steve slid his other hand under the denim jacket and old sweatshirt, running the flat of his hand up and down Billy’s back.

“Maybe,” Billy whispered in his ear.

(I think Tumblr ate my first three chapter posts, so I’m redoing them?!) Strangest chapter 1/chapter 2/chapter 3/chapter 4/chapter 5/chapter 6/chapter 7/chapter 8/chapter 9/chapter 10/ But really I’d recommend reading it on Ao3 under peterqpan, scrolling through it on Tumblr sounds crazymaking

#harringrove #platypan #platypan fic #strangest #Billy's a mess #Steve is also a mess #They're messy together #Also dorks

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