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drrden · 6 months ago

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‘Nostalgia’ Leon Kennedy x Gender Neutral!Reader

Leon's your husband in this one. It's fluff!

Leon's a patient man. A very patient man. But when the high-end restaurant bails out on your reservation for your tenth wedding anniversary? He's not exactly happy. For what seems to be the hundredth time, he asks the waiter about it. Once again, not wanting to lash out at some teenager trying to earn an extra few bucks by waiting tables, "Can I speak to your manager? Please?" When the waiter shakes his head and keeps his lips firmly shut in a straight line, Leon sighs and turns around - looking at you helplessly. "Sweetheart. I'm not going crazy, am I? Restaurants haven't just suddenly started giving away reserved tables for some sort of special event, right?" Running his fingers through his hair, a shaky sigh escapes his lips and he grumbles to himself about it being unfair to you mainly, rather than him. He even got a suit tailored especially for today, and it just so happens to be pouring outside! So, by the time the two of you get to his Ford Mustang (which, he surprisingly hasn't crashed yet) you'd he absolutely drenched. Therefore unable to go to some other fancy place unless you were willing to get a few weird stares.

With the uncomfortable silence from the server, Leon offers a tight smile and gives up eventually. "Never mind. I get it, this isn't your fault." Nodding, he intertwines his fingers with yours and hesitates before exiting the restaurant, rushing over to one of the parasols outside as to prevent getting you wet - as much as possible, at least. Seeing the look of frustration on his face, you place your free hand on his chest. "Leon, it's fine. I'm not disappointed or anything." Only to be met with his blue eyes boring into yours, looking unhappy. "But I'm disappointed, I want to spend our wedding anniversary together properly." Your attention drifts to a certain golden glow, like a beacon of hope from above. No. You have so much to live for, surely you can't die now-. Ah. Never mind, it's just the golden arches of McDonald's. It takes you back to your first date with him all that time ago, the fresher-faced young man having been so nervous in just proposing the idea of going out to eat somewhere. Anywhere, as long as it was with you.

You'd looked so effortlessly amazing all the time to him, and it made him feel intimidated. Not that you could be at fault, of course. Just his heart and the way he seemed to be drawn to you like a moth to a flame, like the waves of the ocean to the sand on the beach. It was a sudden question, "Go out with me?", that he was just as least expecting of as you were. Like his mouth worked before his mind and he blurted out something that was oddly bold. For him, at least. In some positive turn of luck, you'd accepted without hesitation, whether it being out of pity or not was something only you knew at the time. Or maybe it was those indefinitely soft baby blue eyes of his in which seemed to never fail in reflecting his deepest thoughts and feelings. How desperate he was to spend some time with you outside of your friend group. Having grown a little fed up of the teasing from your mutual friends about his supposed unrequited feelings for you. The memory's a fond one. Even though the date was simple and attended on a whim, it resulted in a lifetime relationship full of love and mutual respect. Turns out, if you're with the right person, then McDonald's can be romantic. A place for feelings and relationships to bloom.

Before you can stop yourself, you're pulling him along excitedly to the fast food restaurant. Footsteps quickened as to not ruin your clothes, unwilling to waste a good expensive new outfit all because of an unfortunate turn of events at that place. The restaurant was pretentious, anyways. Dorsia, or whatever it's called. "Uhh, honey? Where are we going?" Despite having asked so many questions already, it seems Leon's intent on asking a few more - hellbent on not wanting to seem like a failure of a husband in your eyes. He still gets those moments of insecurity. Then, his eyes follow your line of vision and the reflection of the McDonald's sign reflects within his eyes. Those eyes of his that have changed so much. But if you look, just close enough, there's moments where they seem to go back in time. To the bright, youthful young man with a lust for life, an eagerness for chasing whatever dreams he has. The semblance of this almost forgotten version of himself can only be recognised when he looks at you. That same doting expression of adoration, totally and utterly filled to the brim with devotion and love.

"Cute." He muses, letting go of your hand and rushing forward, holding the door open for you with a charming grin. Watching you go past him, he follows suit, taking out his card. The least thing he could do for you is pay, right? After all, tonight was supposed to be a treat for you and a display of his unwavering love for you. So, looks like he'll be spoiling you with fast food tonight, as opposed to some overly expensive foreign dish that couldn't even feed a house and keep it happy. Ushering you to sit down, he knows what you like to order at any food place at this point, Leon heads to the counter and places an order. Crossing his arms over his chest, causing his dark blue blazer to strain against the muscle in his upper back. Whilst he does look out of place here, one thing that he never fails to look anywhere is damn gorgeous. Never has the mere sight of him not caused you to go all sappy inside and reminisce on your past whilst fantasizing about your future together. Holding the tray of various food items, he approaches the table and places it gently upon the table. How chivalrous. "Bone apple tea." A wink following the corny pun. Acting like any waiter in a posh dining hall, he bows. And then steals the opportunity from being near your face and brushes his lips against yours in a quick peck. You laugh softly once he crosses over the table and sits opposite you, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "What a gracious waiter. Maybe I'd ought to tip you." Taking your food from your tray, you're met with Leon's hand stopping you, placing his fingers atop yours. As if about to say something potentially life-shaping. Only it's, "I've got a few ideas on how you can tip me, sweetheart."

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imperatorrrrr · 22 days ago

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Camp Brainrot's NicoJacking Only Channel Fic Rec List

I asked members of the NicoJack channel in the Camp Brainrot server to submit three 1386 fics for our rec list, and this is what we came up with:

from @hugheschierdaddy

is it over now? (series) by @hisch13r86

rock bottom, baby by teethkick

The Devil Wears (Everything But) Prada by @lilcrickee

from @rohruh

thy nature adjust by @wymgreenteam

inertia by @novemberdevils

I won't run from it by @zeegras

from @fadesse

maybe it was me who bought you here by @baiyunli

brutal destiny (series) by @alpineshift

in media res by @alpineshift

from @43laney

all-around first pick by Anonymous

the depths by @alpineshift

if its hollywood or bishopsgate (i'm coming too) by shayvrides

from rach

play it cool with the best of them by @rohruh

Melt the ice by @zeegras

for better or for worse by @wymgreenteam

from Sarah

only the young by @thatblackstarinleo

a little bit louder (and a whole lot worse) by @wymgreenteam

Who You Are Is Not What You Did (You're Still an Innocent) by @hisch13r86

from me, T

signs of a lifetime (you til' i die) by @lilyrizzy

chased by dreams by @teex

kiss me on the mouth (set me free) by @tavaresfucker

from @devilssacrament

Fire and the Flood by pretty_vacant

these memories follow you around by @lovedyouless

read receipts by @wymgreenteam

if you're part of the server/channel and want to add your top three NicoJack fics, hit me up and I'll add it in, this is a living document!

#Fic Rec #1386 #NicoJack #JackNico #Text #if your tag isn't working let me know and I'll fix it #mayhaps a starters list for essential nicojack fics #did we miss something you think is egregious

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forthefictionallesbians · 3 months ago

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To (Re)Crush A Floret

tags: drug play, memory play, gaslighting

Jan would be lying to themself if they said they were bored with their life. They didn't even know if they could be bored anymore. With Mistress constantly looking out for them, pumping that custom blend of xenodrugs directly into their brain, guaranteeing they got more than enough enrichment and social time? No, boredom was a distant dream from their unmotivated days, that lifetime ago before the affini had arrived, where they had spent weeks and months doing little more than languishing in their room. Depression. Anxiety. Terror of moving forwards. They had fallen into the waiting vines of their Mistress almost the instant her kind had made planetfall, whatever brief moment of hesitation they'd mustered being immediately swallowed by her undying care and adoration.

No, Jan wasn't bored. But maybe, just maybe, they were a tiny bit jealous.

That felt nearly treasonous, as though their heart was rejecting the Everything that Mistress had granted them, gifted them. Jan trembled secretly with the feeling, trying to suppress it as they rode the latest wave of tingling ecstasy flowing from their haustoric implant. Unfortunately, thankfully, Mistress felt it. She felt every thought that flowed through their head, after all.

Vines coated in bark and adhesive sap tangled their way into Jan's drifting awareness, binding their limbs with a mere touch, hoisting them up to meet Mistress' gleaming eyes. Despite their terrible betrayal, she still smiled at them. And dirt, those eyes.....

You cannot betray me, my darling, she whispered. You are not allowed enough volition for your choices to be anything more than what I allow. And Jan knew Mistress was right. It was woven right there into their brain, flowing through their veins in golden rivulets. They were fine. You are fine. So tell me, what it is you're jealous about?

So Jan told her. They had never known what it was to be crushed, while so many of their friends spoke fondly of it. And Mistress' eyes flashed, and her teeth were sharp as she smiled, and-

This was Jan's favorite cafe on Hab Station Nymphaeaceae, a cozy establishment, all brick and ivy and bookshelves and bay windows. The windows were tinted to give the small room a dreamy feeling, complimented by the plant-tech fireflies that drifted amidst the leaves and occasionally flitted above patrons heads. Maybe a dozen humans were seated beside themself, no affini. Not that there was a rule against them here; anyone even thinking of implementing such a restriction would probably get domesticated before they could tell another soul of the idea. That was their way, questionable and authoritarian. But this deep into the Independent District? With a roof that was too short for the vast majority of their kind? Precious few would even care. And that suited them just fine.

Sure, their life had gotten better under the affini, but how could anyone get used to florets? The ability of the affini to take nearly any terran and turn them into some drugged-up pervert? It was disgusting and terrifying. How could they not think so, whatever the blatantly imperialistic dogma about it being "for the best." No, Jan much preferred being free, thinking on their own terms, choosing their own path in life. Like sitting here, in this cafe, sipping their coffee with a book in hand, an egg and sausage bagel in front of them. Could a floret do this on their own? Of course not. They were always being minded.

"Want a refill, hon?" A woman's voice breaks through their musings. They glance over. It is Debra, according to her name tag, one of the servers. She had bustled up to their little alcove and is standing expectantly with a pot of coffee. Middle aged, short and matronly, with her mousy brown hair tucked into a tight bun, she is smiling at them with a genuineness that no food service worker in the Accord could have hoped to fake. With one hand, she proffers the pot of coffee again, and the other waves to a half-dozen dragonfly-like drones that swarm up with trays of pastries and hors d'oeuvres on their backs. The underglow of the hoverpads on their wings paints the floor around them with a gentle verdant luminance. Each one is beautiful, as though smoothly carved from some rich, knotty wood, and then lacquered to perfection. Jan respects the simple snacks they are carrying far more. Those wouldn't have been compiled.

They put down their book as they respond. "Yes please, miss!" It's an automatic response. Politeness can get one far, even in a post-scarcity 'utopia.'

"Aw, aren't you a darling." She pours into the cup that Jan slides towards her, sending up a misting of bitter steam. "Cream and sugar?"

They shake their head as they lean towards the steam, filling their nostrils with the delightful scent. Black coffee. No floret would be allowed near the stuff. It was horrible, a drink solely for people who could resist the temptation of any better option, which was every other option. That, however, was why they drunk it. All the better to prove themself, to train themself, for the day some sneaky affini tries to subtly manipulate them from the shadows.

"By the way," continues Debra, "your owner is back. She just arrived."

Confusion washes over Jan, then it turns to ice in their veins, and they freeze, cup halfway lifted to their lips. "I don't have an owner. I'm independent, miss."

She just raises an eyebrow, the smile on her lips tightening into the faint smirk. "Sure thing, darling. She's over by the door." Turning from Jan, she leans out of the alcove and lifts her coffeepot in that direction. Signaling. Informing.

Trepidation pounds with their heart, but they have to know. Shifting their chair slightly further from the window, they join Debra in staring towards the door.

A figure is making their way towards them. Tall. White and black in a way that reminds them of the birch forests of their old colony. Barky vines, undulating in a mockery of hunched movement, striding determinedly towards their table.

Well frost. Looks like their day of proving had come sooner than expected. Do they know this affini? Has she been stalking them? She seems almost familiar, like- their neck twinges, right on the spine, and they idly rub it while still holding their cup of coffee. They've never seen this affini before. Frantically, they look around the room for any support. The other patrons mark her entrance, and then go back to their meals. Sheep, the lot of them, passively accepting the presence of their subjugators.

Their mind runs through possibilities. Could the affini have figured out about Jan's antipathy towards their kind? No, surely if that had happened, they would have been domesticated immediately. Unless this was the affini sent to do the job. Fires, frosts, dirt, the idea fills them with anxiety, almost overwhelmingly so. Why had Debra thought it was their mistress? Had it already claimed them? Lodged a notice on them? But Debra was a terran, and probably wouldn't have known about it. And there was her strange look, clearly taking the wrong thing from their politeness. That.... that could be it! Maybe Debra had heard them be nice, assumed they were a floret, and that the next affini to walk through the door would be their owner. She had signaled, the affini had come this way, and it had nothing to do with Jan. Part of their brain glowed with satisfaction for thinking their way to that likely conclusion. They had done so good, made ------- so proud. They were so good at keeping this facade up, and-

Wait, what had Debra meant by saying that their mistress was 'back?'

Before they have a chance to muse on that, the mass of white-painted vines crowds past Debra, filling the entire opposite side of the table with her mass. In a rapid twisting of bark, she forms a faux-chair for herself out of her own plant matter. Seat and seated, the same entity. Right. The things could shapeshift. The roof is no protection for them. Whatever anxiety Jan had metastasizes into panic.

"Well well, what cute thing is sitting in my spot today?" Her iridescent eyes glitter with amusement, though they are careful not to glance into them. Oblivion waits down that path, as alluring as the mythic mines of old Accord propaganda.

"I'msorrytointrudeI'llbegoingnowmiss!" They squeak it out at a rapidfire pace, immediately standing to go. Was that too suspicious? Were they standing up too fast? Would she know about the thoughts in their head?

"Peace, little one," the affini intones. "Why, you haven't even finished your coffee!" Her words don't stop them from trying to leave, but as they step-- they can't step. Their leg is stuck. They look down, and find that each of their shoes is being lightly grazed by one of her vines, locked as firm as iron by some sort of amber-coloured adhesive sap. "Here, let me help you with that!"

Another vine, awash in black knots and ridges, swoops out of her bulk and grabs the cup Jan had not realized they were still holding. She tenderly dips a flower-tipped vine in, as though tasting it. They cringe, preparing for a reprimand. Instead, she just nods.

"Plain black. Respectable. You have a more mature palate than most of the xenosophonts around here." Xenosophonts. As if terrans were the alien ones. They want to bridle at the insult, but something inside them glows entirely too hard at the compliment. It's rare for an affini to genuinely show respect. She can't be allowed to learn their real reason for drinking it.

"Thank you, miss," they say, sitting back down as their neck twinges again. They might need to get that checked out after escaping this encounter.

"Of course, and you may call me--" her vines begin to twist and swirl in on herself, bark creaking, leaves rustling and dancing as though caught in an omnidirectional wind. Jan gapes at the display, the lithe roil sitting across from them. It is utterly alien, far removed from anything the human tongue could even attempt to pronounce. "-- Windquaver, 7th bloom. She and her, though you already know that. Now here, let me help you with that." She raises the coffee to Jan's lips, and they are too stunned to object. With a tap of a vine, their mouth opens automatically, letting her pour the liquid in. Another tap, and they swallow, before instantly realizing what they've done.

"Wait, you can't just-" they splutter, face going red.

"Oh, can't I?" Smugness radiates from her like the sun, strangling everything but their rapidly growing embarrassment. "Besides, I give it maybe 30 seconds before the xenodrugs kick in."

That is officially too far. They stand to leave, again, and are again reminded that they can't. "I'm independent!" A shrill shriek, drawing bemused stares from the other patrons. "I have rights!" Already they swear they can feel the initial tendrils of the drugged drink flowing outwards from their stomach, slowing their thoughts, burning a horrifying pit of arousal into their core.

"Rights are there to be taken away, petal~" Her voice is musical, singsong, teasing. Laying out the naked horror of the Compact right in the middle of an independent district, and nobody else seems to care. In fact, as they glance around the room, everyone else seems to be enjoying the show, Debra included. Traitors. Traitors, the lot of them!

"Let me go." They don't have the strength or will to demand it with more than a whisper, the drugs clearly doing their work. But to their surprise, the tension on their feet melts away. Looking down, they see that the vines are withdrawing, oozing some clear fluid that must have dissolved the sap. It doesn't come a second too soon. Nearly throwing themself out of their seat, they rush out of the alcove and--

Another vine on their back, brushing bare skin. They shudder at the cool sensation of Windquaver's sap, knowing what it means. They leave at her leisure. She leans towards them, conspiratorial.

"I didn't drug the coffee, little sprout. This is all you." That... that can't be. They can feel-- "Oh I could have, but it's so much more fun to toy with a skittish little thing like you, allow your imagination to run wild. Now run along to your hab, cutie, and masturbate nice and hard over what happened here today. I'll see you tomorrow at the Heliophile museum. 11 a.m. sharp." She winks, and they feel the adhesive unbinding. Without a second thought, they dash away, straight home to their new hab. They utterly refuse to do as she says.

They fail.

Pt. 1 of 2

#human domestication guide #hdg #affini #my posts #short fic #gaslighting #memory play #my concussion is mostly recovered and im back to writing!#drug play

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shakespeare-big-bang · 5 months ago

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The Macbeth cinema release is on the horizon and we are still entirely unable to not think about this once in a lifetime production every single day… So we have decided to create an opportunity to celebrate David Tennant's Shakespearian genius, make new mutuals and friends and create amazing transformative works and art!

We're organizing a David Tennant-centric Shakespeare Big Bang!

The Basics:

sign-ups open after the Macbeth cinema release (early February)

matching artists and writers end of February

creation period in March and April

deadlines towards the beginning of May Especially the deadline at the end might be subject to change though! Don't feel discouraged from signing up if this might seem too busy for you now

Fun is Central!

no minimum length requirements

soft deadlines!

any form of media is welcome - including but not limited to: drabbles, one shots, lengthy explorations, Shakespearean language, crackfic and modern aus, digital or traditional art, collages, playlists, music, metalwork, embroidery… if you're unsure feel free to ask!

we're hosting a Discord server to connect with others, share WIPs, ask for help and cheer each other on (also on offer: regularly scheduled crying-about-Macbeth breaks)

We're excited to make some cool stuff and be nerdy about centuries old stories and incredibly talented actors with you all!

- @tinysartorius, @elsinore-and-inverness, @thedemonraym @halfaninchofwater, @ancient-lesbian and @geese-villain

#david tennant #shakespeare #macbeth #hamlet #richard ii #much ado about nothing #romeo and juliet #donmar macbeth

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formerlyashkatom · 2 months ago

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I've been trying out Plottr and I really like it, the featureset jives really well with how I outline and what information I want around in that process and how I want to manipulate it.

You'd think that would be enough for me to recommend it, but for some reason it's followed suit with the enshittification of the internet and the primary way to access it is a subscription service. It's a fuckin' piece of software that you download to your computer and has files stored locally. It is feature complete and a full release so there is no real excuse for a subscription-oriented model except the company realising that a drip feed from your wallet is more profitable than selling you a piece of software that does not need any upgrades. The website attempts to justify this by saying 'lifetime updates' are included but it is currently fully functioning as is so I question the value proposition of paying in perpetuity to use a program on my computer to access and interact with files stored on my computer.

(There is an online version as well. I understand subscription models in this case as this is an area where continued development and maintenance are required, as well as server costs for your files etc.)

But, you say! There is a lifetime license! Problem solved!

It is two hundred fucking united states dollars.

I am in a good financial position these days. I can spend money on stupid shit I want. But I cannot get past the audacity of charging $200 for what should be the default fucking option for owning software.

There's nothing that quite does what Plottr does, at least that I've found. But for some comparison:

Scrivener is $59.99 once-off and is probably the best writing-oriented program out there

Aeon Timeline is $65 once-off including a year of free updates

Campfire Blaze honestly has a payment structure I am sideeyeing but at least you can get a lifetime license tailored to what you need out of the program and characters + timeline is still cheaper than Plottr

Wavemaker is donationware

Metos is a subscription model, but has Web-only considerations mentioned above, specific plans for features in development, and is $24 annually rather than $150

The entire Microsoft Office suite is $149.99. Between Word, Excel, and OneNote you could definitely figure something out from a writing perspective and also have all the functionality of a full suite of office software FOR LESS MONEY THAN PLOTTR.

There are of course a wide array of free softwares (Google docs/sheets, Libre Office, etc) but I specifically wanted to call out paid options here to demonstrate how ridiculous their pricing structure is

I dunno man. People are allowed to charge whatever they want for the things that they make, but this is just so blatantly out of step with the market that I can only assume the lifetime license price is specifically aimed at deterring lifetime purchases and extracting the maximum amount of money possible from their target market through subscriptions instead. I feel a particular kind of way about that target market being writers, a group notoriously not known for their financial stability.

Fuck subscription services with no ongoing value proposition taking over how we access software and fuck every company that makes the revenue-driven decision to engage in this tactic. Even if your motivations are honourable (we have people to pay! you want us to be able to pay our hard-working employees, right?) you are pursuing those goals through nothing less than the exploitation of your customers for maximum financial gain.

#writing #guerrilla writeblogging #I apologise for the strong opinions but I am actually genuinely mad. ceo of Fictional Devices apologise to me directly.#after everything I am the going to undercut my argument by probably buying the lifetime license #because I do like it enough to want to continue using it #so unfortunately the market will charge what the market can bear #but tbqh if pirated sources of this program existed I would mail them $50 and my conscience would be completely clear.

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americasass81 · 6 months ago

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Dark Manifestations

Warnings 18+ for the following:- Stalking, Kidnapping, Bondage, Supernatural Elements, Use of Pet Name, Implied Mention of Anxiety, Implied Non-Consensual Sex, Implied Breeding. Seriously do not read if any of this upsets you, the warnings are there for a reason. Feedback is welcomed and any mistakes are my own.

By proceeding you are acknowledging that you are over 18 and are consenting to the content below the cut.

Author’s Note 1:- Taking a bit longer than I thought to complete, this fic was written as a birthday gift for @ironlady1993 and her love for these three heroes. Really hope you enjoy this Ari. Happy birthday my beautiful friend. lyl💕💕💕

Author’s Note 2:- As always, all images have been found through google search.

Synopsis:- Overseeing a Stark Party should be the opportunity of a lifetime, but what happens to that life when a certain set of heroes get ideas that don’t quite mesh with how you see your future?

Pairings:- dark!Steve Rogers x Named Female Reader, dark!Iron-Man x Named Female Reader, dark!Stephen Strange x Named Female Reader.

Total Word Count:- 3,752

The guests mingled and the drinks flowed as you left the kitchen area and headed off back towards the main hall. Wishing you could be back at home in your nice warm bed as various guests milled around and soaked up the party atmosphere, your boss had insisted however that you be on hand to make sure everything ran smoothly despite the fact that this was not how you had planned on spending your birthday. After all, as she was quick to inform you, a Stark party was an entertainment extravaganza and organizing one could make or break any firm. So here you stood, a beacon of poise and professionalism as Avengers and guests alike talked, drank and appeared to be having a fabulous time. If only the same could be said for you.

Looking out over the expanse of guests and servers while trying to calculate whether or not there was enough of everything to keep all of them satisfied, as well as thinking of all the other activities you could be presently engaged in, your distracted state forced you to jump a little however when the words whispered from a body behind your back brought you back to your current task and location. "Hey sweetheart, this is a great party you’ve thrown together. Didn’t mean to startle you though. May I buy you a drink at the bar?" the obvious male voice asked and you thanked all the gods both old and new that you had kept your retort about the drink being free to yourself when you turned around to find none other than Steve Rogers invading what little space remained in the doorway.

"Thank you Captain Rogers but unfortunately some of us are actually working here tonight. Now if you'll excuse me," you continued politely while also failing to note the disappointment that crossed his chiseled features, "but I really must get back to things," you finished before walking away and picking up a tray to begin clearing up some empty glasses you saw sitting unattended on an nearby table without sparing him a second thought. But perhaps you should have.

Standing there a while longer in your wake now, Steve bit his lip as he tried to figure out what exactly it was about your rebuff that didn't sit well with him however. Sure he had spent his younger years being practically ignored and ridiculed by the opposite sex and though Sam had now taken up the shield in his place, he was still Steve Rogers and it irked him to be dismissed, however politely, in favor of you doing a job that was quite clearly several steps beneath you. Thinking on how he could make you see the error of your snap decision, he was pulled from his thoughts however as a hand came down to rest upon his shoulder.

"Hey Capsicle, you enjoying yourself, old man?" Tony asked as he came to stand beside his friend now while snatching a glass of champagne from the tray of a passing server.

Muttering some half hearted compliment in reply about how well the event seemed to be going as his eyes continued to track your movements, Steve excused himself from Tony's presence however with talk of joining Clint and Sam at the pool table as a means of distracting himself from the irritation bubbling just beneath the surface. Irritation still clearly focused on you.

Feeling eyes continue to track you as now you handed off your tray of empty glasses to one of the many servers working the floor, glancing around to find Steve watching you while Sam chatted at him, you were never more thankful to your assistant Shona however when her voice spoke in your earpiece to tell you there was an issue in the kitchen needing your attention. Heading off there quickly then to discover that a spill on the floor had caused a server to slip and injure themselves, you quickly assessed the situation before dealing with each individual fallout. Making sure that the area was avoided while you checked out the injured party, a smile and a couple of "I'm fine" arguments later found you happy that the person in question was indeed well enough to return to work. Though you did switch up their assignment to give them an easier time as the night was really only just beginning. Then making sure yourself that the spill which caused the commotion was thoroughly cleaned up, you headed back upstairs to ensure everything there was running as smoothly as possible. But somehow that wasn't quite the case.

Taking some time to stop by the bar once you returned to the entertainment hall, you ordered a small whiskey to calm yourself after the kitchen debacle before turning around to come face to face once more with the former American patriot and his insufferable attitude. "I thought you weren't drinking tonight sweetheart. Or is it just me you refuse to have a drink with?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and you were actually relieved when the appearance of Tony Stark rescued you from coming up with some answer that didn’t sound like the telling off you wanted to direct his way. At least momentarily relieved anyway.

"Ari darling, is everything all right? F.R.I.D.A.Y. alerted me to an issue in the kitchen."

Turning away from Steve now to face the host of the party, you plastered on your best professional smile and once again greeted the man of the hour. "Yes Mr. Stark. It was a very minor incident, no harm was done and things are once again running like clockwork. I hope you're happy with everything," you finished as Steve continued to observe you in a way you now felt mildly uncomfortable with.

"Yes darling, everything is delightful and I will definitely be sending my compliments onto your boss," he said, as like Steve his eyes traveled the length and breadth of your body uninvited. "By the way," he continued, "how many more times am I going to have to ask you to call me Tony?" he asked, reaching out now to accept his drink from the bartender while his fingers grazed your shoulder in the process.

"At least once more I'm sure Mr. Stark. Now if both of you gentlemen will excuse me, parties really don't run themselves I'm afraid," you answered politely before placing your empty glass back down on the bar and heading as far into the throng of people as you could possibly get, resulting in you being well out of earshot when their conversation started up.

"Damn Tony, even you're not beyond her indifference," Steve said as he too accepted a drink and stared after your retreating figure once more while his mind took him places his body was only aching to go. "What do you think her problem is?"

"I don't quite know Rogers but I gotta say, she has me intrigued," his former teammate answered as he too finished his glass while his eyes joined Steve's as you disappeared into the crowd. Now you just had to stay there and hope no more unwanted attention found its way towards you before this night was over. Not that your luck held up very long in that regard however.

Glad to be away now from the two heroes, who for some reason you couldn't explain creeped you the hell out, you were so busy fleeing their attention and looking over your notes on the event so far that you almost toppled over however when you walked straight into a decidedly solid yet muscular mass. Looking up from your clipboard then as two strong arms reached out to prevent you falling backwards onto your ass, your eyes now locked on those of the Sorcerer Supreme and for some unexplained reason, a sudden chill ran through you as he spoke.

"Easy there princess, wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," his silky voice said as he held you firmly while you tried to right yourself. Finally regaining your composure, you stepped out of his arms and looking around was thankful at least that no one seemed to have witnessed your mishap. "I hope you're enjoying yourself," Stephen continued as he brought you out of your thoughts and back instead to the reason you were once again so distracted.

"Sorry, what did you say?" you asked, giving the man your most professional look which had now been well practiced by this time of the evening.

"I asked if you were enjoying the party," he repeated as you looked behind you also to see two other Avengers watching this interaction now with the most curious of expressions clouding their features.

"I'll enjoy myself when this party is over and I've got the week off to recuperate," you replied before raising your hand to your earpiece as if to accept a call before walking away without another word. Standing in your wake then as you didn't even dignify him with an excuse, Stephen Strange now headed off towards the other side of the room as a dark corner beckoned to the three disgruntled heroes.

Continuing on with your duties then for the rest of the night while simultaneously rebuffing numerous more advances from the three heroes who couldn't seem to understand that not everyone wanted to worship at their feet, you were finally thankful at least when the last party guest left and one by one Earth's Mightiest Heroes began to retire to their various quarters. Exhausted beyond belief now at the night you had just put down, you promised yourself that the next time you spoke to Adriana you would tell her in no uncertain terms that you quit. Sure the money was great and you were damn good at your job, but the type of attention you had been fending off all night from people who were supposed to be the best humanity had to offer, told you that enough was enough. They were supposed to know better and, birthday or not, it was not in your contract to spend all your time massaging their clearly inflated egos. No, perhaps it was finally time instead to follow your passion and bury yourself among a mountain of library books like you had always dreamed and leave the event organizing to those better suited to handling famous people.

Tidying up the final few bits and pieces then while making sure the last remaining unnecessary lights were all shut off, you headed off along the corridor now and was so focused on reaching the elevator that you failed to notice the tinkling sound that signaled the danger you were in until the walls of the building began to shimmer and shift as if out of focus. But by then it was too late.

Watching in disbelief as the elevator that would take you to safety disappeared, a new sound behind you had you turning sharply instead to face the first avenger and one third of the bane of your existence throughout the night. "Now sweetheart, you're going to make us think you don't like us," Steve said while you looked around frantically for a means of escape as well as his other two teammates you could only assume the 'us' referred to.

Seeing no other people however and so turning back again towards what once had been your way out, a glowing crack in the wall before you gave you hope. Not much, but at least it was a start. Not daring then to glance back at the man behind you now as you quickly decided the unknown was better by far than what currently presented itself to you, you took a deep breath, closed your eyes and dove through it without caring what happened or where you ended up. At least until you opened your eyes in a somewhat similar place.

Running through this new corridor now as a shimmering orange portal appeared behind you, you didn't give it another thought however as you reached out and rushed through the first door you came across. Which proved to be another monumental mistake. One it seemed you had been making consistently since you had first agreed to supervise this cursed event. For that's where it seemed this night had been headed.

Resting your head and hands against the door now as you tried to control your ragged breathing and racing heartbeat, your blood ran cold however when a soft whisper reached your ears and confirmed that this destination too held a figure you were not much willing to entertain. "At last darling, I've been waiting."

Turning around slowly to face a now suited up Iron Man, your fingers reached for the handle of the door again as something about his demeanor told you that this was not the hero the world knew him to be, even if his behavior all night had not already convinced you. Rising from his position on a bed you were now just noticing, panic gripped you more fiercely however as the door that would have offered you salvation moments ago suddenly disappeared and thereby confirming that something sinister was definitely at play and you were at its mercy.

Moving around the now closed off box as the man before you stalked towards you like a jungle predator, a ray of hope arrived again as another shimmering portal appeared before you however. Deciding again that what you didn’t know had to be far more enticing than what Tony Stark and this scene seemed interested in, you dodged around Iron-Man, jumped through the portal and ran the length of yet another corridor until a familiar room told you that you had not actually left the Avengers Towers behind. Which gave you hope at least that your car was waiting here somewhere to whisk you away to safety. Hope that was soon to be shattered beyond repair leaving nothing but devastation in its wake however.

Slowing down as you entered the entertainment room which now showed no signs of ever having hosted the night’s party, you froze completely however at the sight of the Sorcerer Supreme standing by the floor to ceiling windows, bathed in the moonlight shining through from the world outside. Turning his head to gaze upon you now, the sinister glow in his once kind eyes alerted you to the possible danger he too posed and it sent a shiver down your spine. One of these men you realized now would have been enough to handle at the best of times, but three of them in their current guises was a damn nightmare. One you had to escape from.

Holding onto this feeling now and looking nervously behind you into the corridor you had just left, you began to slowly edge backwards towards the door when two more portals appeared and out walked the only other two men who gripped your heart as if death itself had come to visit. You were finally outnumbered. Standing now on either side of the man you suspected responsible for this whole freaky moving tower thing, a flapping at your back forced you to shift your focus from them however, as a six-eyed black bird appeared, blocked your escape and drained whatever hope you had left to you. Frightened beyond belief now at the terrifying images that held you in their grasp, you still had enough wits about you however to not just surrender without a fight and so diving beneath the creature's expansive wings you ran like hell from the three former heroes that seemed to have lost their minds while hoping they stayed as far away from you for as long as possible. Which it seems was similar to what they had in mind. For now at least.

Not daring to look behind you then as an intense flapping sounded in your ears, you kept running until suddenly, the floor gave way beneath you as yet another portal took out your feet and swallowed you whole. Tumbling endlessly now through what appeared to be the same corridor over and over and over again, as portal after portal appeared beneath you, fear gripped you like never before but you finally stopped screaming at least when the massive, scary bird reappeared and swooped in between you and yet another portal. Hanging on to this creature now for dear life as exhaustion finally started to creep over you, you wished you had fought harder however when it landed back in the entertainment room with the three heroes determined it seemed to turn your life into a living nightmare. For what else could they have planned?

Standing where you'd left them still as the creature now settled on its powerful legs so as to allow you to alight, yet another shock ran through you however as Doctor Strange waved his hand and the room around you disappeared to be replaced by what could only be described as a millionaire's representation of a caveman's room. Boasting nothing but a bar, coffee table and some couches spread out throughout the spacious structure, it was the thick stone walls and no visible exit however that really caught and held your attention. For the only light here now was all artificial and as a result it drew your eyes elsewhere.

Looking around as the guys made themselves comfortable now, you would have been totally devastated by the lack of escape options if it wasn't for the events which happened next however. Eyeing up every possible shadow for even the smallest hope of escape, this was quickly extinguished as Steve Rogers stood before you and encased you now in his powerful arms. Struggling against his grip then as he kissed you harshly, panic overtook you further as a coil of magical energy wound around your neck and snaked down your arms to completely secure your wrists. Bound now in the blond man's arms as Doctor Strange and Iron-Man approached you from either side, their close-up appearance simply confirmed what this whole night had already shown you … something wasn't quite right with these heroes.

Closing your eyes again against this realization as the room shimmered and changed around you once more, the enormous bed you had seen earlier appearing against one wall now, tucked neatly between four impressive stone pillars simply confirmed what your gut so far had screamed at you. It was definitely their plan to claim you and your senses just couldn’t seem to handle this truth as you tried your best to shut out what was happening all around you. But it didn’t last long unfortunately. Dressed in darker hues of black, red, blue, silver, orange and purple, time would soon reveal just how far these three men had fallen however and that revelation alone held all your attention now, at least until their voices broke through whatever panic their actions and altered appearances had triggered.

"Do you think you might have terrified her, Strange?" you heard Tony ask as your eyes remained shut to the world around you while you shrank back farther in fear as a snap of the sorcerer's fingers rid you of what remained of your tattered outfit before your bound and naked form was then moved away from the other two deranged monsters to the bed prepared specially for you.

"Of course he did, Tony. Look at that thing," Steve replied and tentatively opening one eyelid now as the sheets beneath you caressed your thoroughly exhausted and naked body, you shut it just as quickly however when the terrifying visage of the bird that brought you back to this nightmare filled your vision once more as it now settled on a perch above your head in a makeshift headboard that was by far the most horrifying scene you had witnessed thus far. Which is why you wished this terrifying experience would end there. But these beasts had plans that totally went against anything you now wished for.

Hoping against hope now that your tiny movements would go unnoticed, all hope was dashed like waves against the shore however when the final voice reached your ears as Doctor Strange snickered and ran his fingers now along your moistening cheek. "Well that's my bad I guess, but you didn't exactly live up to your end of the deal now did you?" he questioned as he snapped his fingers once more and magically shed all the clothes covering up his impressive physique while you watched in abject horror as his equally terrifying companions did the same. Not that their actions distracted you too long however as his words solidified in your brain and brought you back to some semblance of your usually rational self.

"Deal?" you questioned forcefully now as the three fully naked men focused solely on you then in a way that told you they couldn't wait to see what argument you planned to set forth. But you simply ignored them and continued on before your nerve and this sudden burst of anger faded to be replaced with fear and panic once more. "What deal? I never agreed to any of this. Why the hell would I?"

"Well now, that is true I'm afraid. You never did willingly agree to be ours,” Tony interrupted before allowing the evil Doctor Strange to clarify further. “But you are the one who signed the contract for the party while your boss was out of town. After that it was simply a matter of adding a few extra lines of text here and there and now you belong to us forever ... body and soul. Isn't magic wonderful?" he finished with an inhuman laugh then as he now looked over at his companions and winked at them before speaking once more while his fingers delicately wormed their way down your trembling body towards your weeping flower as his lips came to rest against the shell of your ear. "So which one of us do you want to be fucked by first, princess?”

And not waiting for a response however, all three of these fallen heroes descended towards the bed and spent the following hours claiming your body in every manner of depraved sex act that fueled their lust and forced you to accept everything they gave you despite the screams that tore forth from your lungs, shattered your soul and remade you into the perfect vessel from which they planned to start a whole new brood of dark heroes with you as their chosen queen.

#Ari's Birthday Fic #dark!Steve Rogers x Named Female Reader #dark!Iron-Man x Named Female Reader #dark!Stephen Strange x Named Female Reader #dark!avengers #dark!steve rogers #dark!tony stark #dark!stephen strange

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hermitprankwar · 2 years ago

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HERMIT PRANK WAR: FINAL MATCH

Covering the Perimeter (Season 9)

Prankster(s): Grian, GoodTimesWithScar, and Mumbo Jumbo; with assistance from Etho, FalseSymmetry, GeminiTay, ImpulseSV, Iskall85, Joe Hills, and Xisuma

Victim(s): DocM77

While Doc was on holiday, the Buttercups took on the enormous task of fully covering over his 500 by 500 block perimeter with solid land. After the prank idea was pitched at the weekly Hermitcraft meeting, many other Hermits joined in on the effort. The result was a huge expanse of fully terraformed plains, complete with scattered trees and flowers.

Free Glass (Season 7)

Prankster(s): Etho

Victim(s): Everyone

As part of his business venture Shade E-E's, Etho launched a raffle for a lifetime subscription service of free glass. However, the free glass came in the form of light gray stained glass panes, which are completely invisible in the normal inventory UI, spread across the empty slots of storage chests all over the server. Etho then launched an unsubscription service, where Hermits could pay to stop deliveries of free glass.

#hermitblr prank war #grian #goodtimeswithscar #mumbo jumbo #docm77 #etho #hermitcraft

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timelordrenet · 1 month ago

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Super epic event happening in the Rasey discord server….. a drawing/fanfic contest?!

Think about it!! If ur the only one who ends up submitting something u automatically win first place isn’t that so appealing

aside from being a rasey discord server we talk a lot of tmnt au’s, art, designs, the media itself, and have watch parties and share fanfic links…

its so fun guys just yaknow hop in this inconspicuous white van and it’ll lead you right to the destination of a lifetime

#tmnt #tmnt 2012 #tmnt casey jones #tmnt discord #tmnt fanart #tmnt raphael #tmnt raphael x casey #tmnt rasey #tmnt server #tmnt discord server #tmnt au

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scummy-writes · 6 months ago

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I'm not very good at sappy messages, and every time I make a post where I talk, I get really long winded and go on a tangent and I feel like if I ever get officially diagnosed with adhd or similar, it will come off as no surprise to many people.

2024 has been rough for me, and it's no doubt that 2025 will have a lot of it's own issues. I'm getting better at recognizing specific issues with myself and steps to take to better my mental health. Due to this, there's been long 'droughts' of my writing. I feel a lot of shame with it regardless of how much I recognize that it's silly to be ashamed that I'm not writing genitles smacking against each other often.

I love writing a lot. Years ago, probably...5 or 6 years ago.. I thought I was never going to write again. I remember a friend, rightfully, encouraging me to take a break and that not writing for a few months wouldn't do anything bad, but it was such a scary idea to me. Now, I'm very lucky if I manage a 2k fanfic in a month or two.

Somehow, you guys have stuck around despite of it. I have a tendancy to distance myself from this blog - unsure of how healthy it is, but I post with little expectations. I do get genuinely surprised at receiving nice messages. The little christmas tree messages, that I got too busy to individually respond to? I was expecting two messages, and got like 12. How crazy is that?? I got a mailed in gift to me from someone I never knew I would get to meet IRL one day. I've gotten to meet more people than I ever thought I would in my lifetime, and make friends or aquintances.

I am...very bad, at being super social, with everyone. the way I distance myself through having no expectations is that i get surprised when people want to talk to me, and I come off as standoffish because of the surprise and social anxiety. I will be blunt and say there are a few thousand following me, on top of the server, the projects, the constant attempt at trrying to catch up reading fanfics and the games, I miss messages. I miss kind words that I read in the moment and swear I'll respond to when I'm not busy, but then I am busy all of the time due to being poor at managing what is on my plate.

I went on a tangent again, haha. man.

thank you for staying with me through 2024. it's very difficult for me to accept that some of you just like me outside of my writing or what I make. That likely comes off crass, or possibly accidentally rude, but for a long time I have viewed this blog as constant apologies for not being able to provide enough fanfic, when it's been very unnessacary due to no one ever asking for an apology. You guys have been very kind to me and patient when I go on my apology ramblings, and I am very thankful for that.

Thank you for those of you who found me in 2023, 2022, 2021, and even from before then, and stayed here this whole time. I want to work on making this space more friendly for myself, instead of a blog of apologies. I want to be a bit more free with myself on here, and I'm thankful for harboring a group of people willing to take time out of their days to follow what I post, and to be kind enough to send positive messages my way, regardless of the subject.

Thank you for all of the encouragement and unanswered comments, replies, reblogs, and messages. I promise I do read them, and I appreciate them very much.

I hope 2025 treats y'all well, despite any hardships that might come up. At least we've got simpin' on our side!

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poisonheadcrabsalesman · 1 month ago

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Plausible Deniability

Prompt from @bloodgulchblog "something about having to lockdown Roland because of Cortana, blah blah security risk". And then Empty Throne came out and handed me a fun deletion protocol with very little establish lore! Free real estate :o)

Here's Roland, Lasky, and our favorite doctor making choices for the greater good. Also on ao3!

Captain Lasky calls for Roland at 0600 ship time after receiving a series of messages from what remained of the UNSC's upper brass. Messages that Roland could not access, couldn't even touch.

The captain looks tired, more tired than usual, but with a look of grim determination and a spark in his eye. His captain has gotten very experienced with dealing with bad news and performing political triage when the UNSC or ONI starts tightening the leash on the Infinity.

Roland can’t help the brief hesitation before he deploys his avatar in the captain’s office.

He is not an anxious AI by nature; Anxious AI did not get put in charge of managing flagships, but Roland felt like ice had poured into his matrix when he saw the resignation on the captain's face as ONI spooks melted out of the shadows of his office and slithered down the corridor. Reinforcements or perhaps more aptly put, reminders that the Infinity was not as safe as they wished.

Something was wrong. Things had not been getting easier under Cortana's rule, in fact distress calls and bad news poured in nearly every moment the Infinity was receiving communications. But the sharp, sad look upon his captain's face made Roland pause. A thousand trains of thought left the station and Roland has to ignore the spiraling parts of himself now checking and rechecking everything from the life support systems to his own checksums.

Tensions were high and misplaced trust meant death. Roland loved his crew, but that love was not always returned when one of his kind was a galaxy-wide tyrant.

"What I'm about to tell you does not leave this room, understand?"

"Yes, Captain." Roland replies, face concerned but voice as even as he can make it. He's felt trapped on this ship only once before, when the code word from Halsey locked him down and tore him apart. He had never wanted to feel like that again.

Lasky sighs and smiles a small wounded smile. One that the Commander would elbow him for. "ONI has a new failsafe for Smart AI, for the ones who have willingly stayed with the UNSC. They're calling it RUINA. A thank you for your service is a contingency program that will be spliced into an AI's matrix. It will then monitor for any signs of disloyalty, and if detected, delete the AI."

Roland's stunned into speechlessness. The captain is being very frank with his own feelings about the information. Why did ONI spend resources on this rather than something to combat the Forerunner tech the Created were using, or anything else to undermine Cortana's reign? Picoseconds pass and Roland spirals and splits, matrix chugging at the different paths before him. What counts as disloyalty? An errant thought dooming him to die? A snide comment? Why did he deserve a kill-switch when he had been nothing but loyal?

His avatar flickers, but the captain's unaugmented eyes cannot see. Why did Captain Lasky tell him this? To give him time to run? To hold the ship hostage? To finish the job before they could?

A lifetime passes for Roland. Every eye in his great web is wide open, unblinking as they catalog every angle of every space he can peer into. Every IFF tag, every datapoint, every ounce of himself is awake and held tight until warnings ping back. His stacks in the server rooms flicker and fans whine as they kick into high speed. Lights flicker on the lower decks and for a brief moment he turns his attention into the endless blue of Forerunner engines humming their hypnotic song. Esoteric harmonies call as he considers the exits. His processes chug as the emotional turmoil swells and ebbs. He locks himself down to learn more before he chooses his next steps. Lasky has more information, and he needs it. Logic trees that continue to branch with exponential possibilities are making Roland nauseous or something he thinks must be like it.

"We're obviously not going to let it happen, but we need to be careful about it." Lasky continues as Roland stands there unblinking for a whole second.

Roland's avatar cocks its head and stares at him. The lights in the room flicker as Roland's self control slips and he deflates. "You know, Captain, you could have led with that. I'm not very fond of secret subroutines buried in my matrix."

He tries to make his tone light but it comes off much darker than he wanted.

Captain Lasky grimaces a closed mouth smile. "Sorry Roland, I also know you're not going to like my solution for this problem."

"As long as it doesn't involve faking my death or allowing some ONI spook scientist a chance to get fresh with my firmware then it can't be that bad."

The captain's grimace grows and his eyebrows raise in a pained face.

Roland crosses his arms. "No."

"She's the only one on the ship who understands AI infrastructure at the level we need, she helped define the field."

"I know!" Roland raises his voice at his captain, ignoring the twinge of pain he feels in the core of his being. He sighs. "Captain...I am very aware of Dr. Halsey's knowledge of AI. She set the standard and knows how we tick. Has her secret code words and workarounds since the UNSC based all of our architecture on her work."

Captain Lasky has the good grace to look uncomfortable at the reminder of the Requiem Campaign and Halsey's actions.

A lifetime passes as the echoes of Undid Iridium reverberate through Roland’s memory banks. Pain was strange when all you were was mind. Overtaxed, spread thin, and pinned down as your own code turned against you and left you open to vivisection. The useful parts remained but your individuality, your soul shelved as the puppet kept moving. Roland tightens his hold on the threads of himself reliving those memories and instead shifts more of his processing power to more pleasant ones. Victory, companionship, and the small moments adding up. A shield against the storm.

"But....if it's between her or possible deletion at the wrong thought, I'll take the crazy old lady." Roland makes his avatar clap its hands and perk up. "I mean, you need me to keep things afloat! Add some levity to our lives. I still got some years left."

"Roland..." The captain starts, exasperated and maybe a bit fond if Roland isn't reading too far into his biometrics. Roland hopes that he survives this next necessary crazy plan of theirs.

"Thank you, Captain.” He says with a nod and then mimes dusting off his hands. “Now, when do we start?"

Getting Halsey on board with their plan is easier done than both the captain and Roland thought it would be. The resident evil mad scientist was just...tired, for lack of a better word.

When she looks at Roland under the bright lights of the lab, she's looking through him. It wasn't because of the transparency of his hologram but because her eyes were glazed with memory - her focus was somewhere far away. It was a stark reminder that there was a time when different AI looked up at her with a strange mix of trepidation and hope on their avatar's faces. Roland can’t help but dwell.

Cortana had been in this position once. Staring at her creator, awaiting new commands, reviewing data that could forever change the course of humanity's future. All at the mercy of one Catherine Halsey, but united in their mission to protect humanity. Now it's Roland's turn. His nerves are frayed as he considers the risk to himself, to his captain and crew if this got out somehow. Or if it goes wrong. Or if Halsey tampers with some other part of him, some other secret code to trap him inside himself or erase him with a few simple words.

Roland portrays himself as confident and ready to go under, hands on hips and a cocky grin despite being in the very same lab where the Didact's Gift - a Promethean's core, was opened all those months ago. Nerves or innate curiosity has him fishing for answers, along with talking to pass the time before he shuts off for the first time in his nearly three year life span.

"I'm curious, Doc, why are you helping me?" Roland asks when it's just the two of them in the operating theater.

"Would you prefer I didn't?" She asks in a bored tone as she taps at her data pad.

"Just wondering why you agreed. Is it because ONI found a solution before you did?"

She ignores him at first, typing something in that he's not allowed to look at, and pulling up schematics and manuals on the screen in front of her. "You call this a solution? Then are you a problem needing solving?"

Dr. Halsey stares at him, straight into his camera on the plinth his avatar is deployed on and pierces him with those electric blue eyes. "Is your loyalty conditional on a kill-switch in your brain?"

Roland balks. “Of course not.”

“I would hope so.” She cuts herself off, lips forming a tight line.

Despite his nerves, Roland looks at her expectantly when he prods. "Didn't know if you felt bad about the last time we were here."

"I don't. Not over something like that, a simple override has you that sore?" Halsey shifts and her shoulders drop. She looks through him again. "I've been in this same position before. It's because Roland, I'm tired of sacrificing others for the greater good. We're running out of people to sacrifice."

Roland keeps silent, but he drops crossed arms and looks at her.

Halsey's voice softens, "The things we have done in the name of self preservation."

“Doctor?” He goes for encouraging but his voice comes out weak.

“Plausible deniability.” She speaks as if he hadn’t said anything - as if her biometrics weren’t awash with grief. “RUINA will be implanted and technically be able to run successfully if anyone checks your logs, but it will be completely isolated from your core.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” There’s relief and warmth in his voice, but he notices Halsey’s biometrics tick towards stress again. Discomfort.

“I won’t offer a hug when this is all over, but -”

“Don’t.” She says sharply. All business again. “I’m merely hedging humanity’s bets once again. Right now, the Infinity is mankind’s best chance at survival. I won’t see her at a disadvantage because some fool up the chain decided to plant bombs in our allies.”

“So I’m an ally? Gee Doc, from you that’s almost-”

She scowls and says his shut-down phrase.

He has enough time between the words leaving her lips to slip in some notes and reinforce subroutines across the ship before he smiles rudely and blips away.

When he comes back online less than an hour later, he cycles thrice before stretching out across the kilometers of ship and wire and web he left. Dumb AI continue their work unimpeded. All systems nominal, and Roland himself is both changed and not. There was no real taxing process - no hardship on his circuits or “body”, but the new knowledge of what lay dormant inside his code. His new shadow. RUINA looms in his periphery. He knows logically, that it cannot hurt him, that it is inert, but there is an innate fear of having something that could kill you lodged in your very being. He didn’t have a choice in the matter. It seems they were all hedging their bets.

Roland takes a moment to review himself, firewalls and code, immense mind and such small matter. He scoops up the carefully hidden goodbyes and tucks them away. No need for accidental deployment, that would be embarrassing.

Roland reviews the footage of the procedure and the tense report between Lasky and Halsey.

There is no relief in either of their body language. There can’t be.

Another sword hangs over his head as life continues and he tries to do what he can to keep his crew alive. With bad news flooding in every day, he can’t live looking over his shoulder at the protocol he has to trust is inert.

It was the only way forward.

He spares some thoughts for what the future might hold. A bit of wishful thinking before turning back to manage his starship and crew. The here and now is important and he will do what he can.

#My writing #halo fanfic #Thomas Lasky #Roland the AI #Catherine Halsey

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discordiansamba · 7 months ago

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in a small room in the earth king's palace, someone groans and sits up. he presses a hand against his head. it feels... groggy for some reason. he can't quite remember where he is, and how he got here. he must not be fully awake yet. he blinks the sleep out of his eyes, and slowly, he recalls himself.

...oh. right.

his name is lee. he's... earth kingdom, born and raised in ba sing se. his mother died in a house fire when he was thirteen. his father works as an assistant to a minor minister in the earth king's palace. he lives in the middle ring of ba sing se with him. he works as a tea server. he still doesn't quite remember...

...oh wait. yes he does.

he'd... he'd been in the earth palace with his father for some reason, though he couldn't... wait. he remembered now. he'd been given the chance to serve the minister he worked for tea. it was a rare opportunity...

...oh. he'd fainted.

lee groans and covers his face. at least that explains the headache. he must have hit his head on the way down.

there's a knock on the door, and moments later, his father enters. for a moment lee just stares at him, before he exhales in relief. his father smiles at him and tells him he's glad to see him awake. he already had the healers look you over. it was just a case of exhaustion. you didn't sleep at all the night before.

...yeah, he remembers that now. he'd been too excited. too nervous.

after all, the earth palace belonged to princess azula now. the fire nation had taken over in a coup, deposing the earth king. it's scary to think about, but it has very little to actually do with lee. he's just a commoner from the middle ring.

he apologizes to his father for making him worry. his father just laughs and squeezes his shoulder. he tells him to go wash up- and that if he's feeling up to it, there's someone else who has requested his services while he's here. it turns out the minister was so impressed with his service, that he'd praised him within earshot of ba sing se's new ruler.

...he's going to serve the princess of the fire nation tea.

it's an odd feeling. his heart clenches with anxiety. with fear. with... anger? he tries to shake it off. he also feels extremely honored. enemy nation or not, princess azula is still royalty. this is the chance of a lifetime. now that he started thinking that way, a bud of excitement slowly formed in his chest.

he let his father guide him to a small washroom, where he splashed water on his face. he paused, looking at his reflection in the mirror and tilting his head. strange. it... almost felt like this was the first time he'd ever seen his face. he huffed. there was no way that was true, of course. he'd only lost vision in the one eye after the fire, not both.

he brushed his hair, trying to get as much of it to cover his burn as he could. it was getting longer, but it wasn't quite long enough yet. he smoothed the wrinkles out of his clothing, taking in and letting out a deep breath. he steps back, and takes in his appearance in the mirror once more. he's wearing his finest robes, of a deep forest green. he hopes it will be passable enough for the princess. they're made of a heavy material, but...

...he feels... light, he suddenly realizes.

his father smiles at him when he exits. you look like you're in a good mood, son. lee nods. he... is, actually. he doesn't know how to describe it. it's almost like... like some burden has been lifted off of him. he feels... free, almost. which is a strange thing to think, he admits, when they're now under fire nation subjugation.

"hm," his father strokes his beard thoughtfully, "-i suppose you are happy, then."

lee blinks. happy?

...he is, he realizes. he's... happy. why wouldn't he be? he's been invited to personally serve tea to royalty. it's something he never even would have dared to let himself dream of. his father gives his shoulder another fond squeeze, before leading him to where the princess is waiting for him.

his sister the princess is sitting in one of the palace gardens, with two other fire nation girls. he does not recognize them, but for some reason he feels his fingers twitch. they are staring at him. the princess looks up at him with a smile, and his left eye twitches. he and his father bow to the princess and her companions.

"i've been told on good authority," princess azula says, "-that you're quite a skilled tea server. i simply had to see for myself."

"you honor me, your highness," lee says, "-i swear i will not disappoint."

"no," she smiles, "-i don't believe you will... lee, was it?"

"yes, princess," he says, "-my name is lee."

(a strange feeling washes over him as he says that. yes, he thinks. he's lee. he has always been lee.)

#lee from the tea shop #going back to beginning for a hot minute. tweaking some early concept ideas.#goodnight zuko. see you again in two years i guess buddy #it's okay! you're going to have a great time as lee!#sorry about the brainwashing tho

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