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radiant-reid · 4 years ago

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Broken Pieces

A/n: I actually cried writing this, oops. Be prepared for a lot of angst. And I wrote this in one sitting

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Y/n

Genre: Angst (major) with a happy ending

WC: 3.7 k

CW: major spoilers for the season 14 finale | discussion of a hostage situation

Things had been bad for a while.

Y/n wasn't sure when it started. When Spencer got out of prison, and she could finally stop worrying about him, she had enormous concerns about how it would affect their relationship.

But it hadn't. Spencer was more determined than ever to prove his devotion. And, Y/n was terrified to lose him again. It was as if they were in a second honeymoon phase.

Spencer took time off, and they went on holiday to Italy. Spending every day in the sunshine, completely infatuated with each other. It was the perfect stress reliever from Spencer's trial.

When they got back, things stayed good. They fell back into the routine they had created in the 3 years they had been dating, apart from the fact they spend almost all of their free time together. It was a dream. Y/n figured it stayed like that for a year.

Unfortunately, it ended. Slowly but surely, they gravitated away from each other.

When their first honeymoon phase wore off, both of them were extremely dedicated to sticking to their relationship. They were able to keep the warm fuzzy feeling alive because they knew they were meant to be together, no matter what.

But, this time, it seemed to Y/n like Spencer didn't want to. The first time she noticed the difference was when Spencer was held hostage by The Believers cult. When he got off the plane, he didn't rush right into her arms.

Y/n figured enough was enough, which is why she sat in her car in front of her therapist's office. Twisting the ring on her left ring finger, wondering if today would be the day she finally had to take it off.

"Do you still love him?" Doctor Christina King asked her.

Y/n didn't hesitate to nod. "I'll always love him." She replied.

Dr. King nodded her head. "I can tell. You've taken a very healthy step by coming here." She acknowledged. "All couples go through rough patches." That wasn't what Y/n wanted to hear. She knew that. She and Spencer had fought before. "I know I'm not telling you what you want to hear." Wow, she was a damn good therapist. "Are you talking at all?" She questioned.

"Well, often he's on cases, so I don't see him. But, he always used to call. Now he sends me a text when he's coming home." Tears welled in Y/n's eyes at the memory of all the nights she'd spent alone. She was used to being by herself in their apartment, but she found it easier to sleep if she'd talked to him at least once during the day. "When he's in DC, he doesn't come back from work until 7 or 8. He eats dinner at the dining room table while I'm on the couch, usually reading. Then he goes and does paperwork or god knows what until I'm asleep. When I wake up, he's either gone or still asleep." She explained the routine they'd been stuck in for the last few months.

Dr. King nodded and jotted notes down the whole time. "I've got a few things you can do to help." She decided. "Firstly, I have no doubt in my mind that you love Spencer. You use 'he' instead of 'Spencer,' which shows how invested you are." She observed. It made Y/n smile a little. "But, because I've not talked to him, I can't be sure he still wants the same things you do." She tried to put it gently, but it still pained Y/n.

Of course, she'd thought about the fact Spencer probably didn't love her, but she'd never said it allowed. Just in case her fears came true.

"He's never been good at expressing his feelings." Y/n half complained, half defended.

"That can be tough for a lot of people." Dr. King explained. "Especially with the nature of his job." Y/n nodded at that. "I want you to talk to him. Real talk." She directed. The very idea made Y/n's heart race. "Make sure to be kind. It's important you don't end up in a fight. Open communication is crucial in any relationship, but it seems to be strained here." She continued, laying out the problems. "If that doesn't work, I think it would be beneficial for you two to come here. If it does work, then you both need to remember why you love each other. Activities like looking at old photos, going on dates, and intimacy are all going to help enormously." Dr. King explained. Y/n was just hoping it would go well.

"Alright, well, I'll try that out. Thank you." Y/n farewelled as she got up to leave the room.

Dr. King's voice drew her attention back. "He's lucky to have you." Y/n just hoped Spencer still wanted her. With a nod, she left.

Y/n hoped the sort the problem out that night, feeling a tiny bit of confidence. However, when Spencer wasn't home at 11, she decided she was going to bed.

The next day he was gone, clearly having slept next to her but gone.

After that, Spencer left on a case with one simple text. It read, Going to LA.

Until, one day, Penelope called.

"Y/n, did you hear the news?" She eagerly spoke into the phone.

Y/n could actually smile at the friend she'd made in Penelope over the years. "Uh, what news?" At least it couldn't be bad with how excited Penelope seemed.

"Rossi and Kyrstall are getting remarried!" She squealed so loudly Y/n had to hold the phone away from her ear.

"Oh, I had no idea," Y/n replied in a saddened tone.

"Reid didn't tell you?" She questioned.

Y/n diplomatically lied to avoid suspicion about their worsening relationship. "No, we haven't talked much this week."

"Oh," Penelope replied, not letting it deter her optimism but a little bit concerned. "Well, they're on the plane back from LA. Then Rossi's going to propose, and we're going to meet him on the BAU floor. Please tell me you'll come." She all but begged.

As much as Y/n wanted to go, she knew she would dampen everyone's spirits. And she didn't feel like expressing her feelings for Spencer in front of the whole team. "Sorry, I'm really not feeling too well." In her heart. "Will you tell him congrats from me? And send Spence home as soon as you're all done?" She asked, a few tears falling down her cheeks.

Penelope could sense something was off. "Are you okay? I mean, with everything that happened on the case, it's fair for you to be shaken up." Her tone was so caring.

But, her words caught in Y/n's mind. Planting weights that would cause her to sink if she didn't ask. "What do you mean?"

"Reid and JJ being held hostage, did he not tell you?" Penelope quickly asked.

The words made Y/n's heart stop. How unimportant was their relationship if Spencer didn't tell her he could have been killed? She wasn't sure if she wanted to punch him or give him a hug.

"Are you two okay?" Penelope continued her questioning.

The tears were streaming down Y/n's cheeks. "Uh, yeah, I guess he just forgot?" Wow, lame excuse, she thought as soon as she'd said it. "I have to go, P. Talk to you later." She quickly farewelled before hanging up the phone, not giving Penelope any more room to ask questions.

Y/n felt like her whole world had come crashing down. What if Spencer got hurt? Would she find out when Penelope called her? Was she even his emergency contact anymore?

Maybe, there was someone else. That would explain the distance between them. She couldn't stop her mind from crawling to that dark place. Was Spencer cheating on her was the biggest question in her mind. A year ago, she would have said 100% not. But now, as she sat crying on their sofa, she wasn't so sure.

She didn't expect Spencer to be back until late. So, alone, she had dinner and watched some TV.

It was 11 before the door was unlocked, and steps walked in. Usually, she would have looked to make sure it wasn't a murderer. But, maybe if she were taken hostage, Spencer would notice her.

Spencer walked into the living room, glancing at her. Subtly, he looked surprised. She usually wasn't up.

"Hey, Spence, it's nice to have you back." Y/n welcomed him, remembering how her therapist had advised her to act. Kind. She could do kind.

Spencer looked taken aback by her words. "Uh, thanks?" He asked like it was a question. It was the first time in weeks he'd spoken to her while looking at her.

It was the first time she'd had the chance to really take him in. She couldn't stop wondering if he had always been so good-looking.

"I was hoping we could talk." Y/n cautiously spoke, moving over so he could sit next to her. She felt like everything was riding on his reply. All the years of their relationship had lead to this moment.

Spencer's voice was quiet, like a murmur as he replied. "Uh, I've got some paperwork to do. Maybe tomorrow?"

Y/n didn't have time to express how tomorrow never seemed to come before Spencer left the room. She listened as he walked down the hallway, each step crushing her heart. Finally, he must have entered his office.

When he'd closed the door, she finally let out a sob. Still concerned he might hear. If he did, he didn't come.

So, she went to their shared bedroom. Climbing into the bed that hadn't felt warm in months.

And she thought. She thought about what she would do when they inevitably broke up. She'd probably stay at one of her friend's places before getting her own apartment. But who would fix a fuse if it blew?

She wondered if Spencer would chase her.

Would he reach for her in the night? She figured that he hadn't in months, so why would he start.

Would he show up and declared his love for her? She decided probably not, making her choke out more tears.

Would he miss her? Would he go grocery shopping himself? Would he remember to move the breakable objects out of the way when he babysat Michael? Would he figure out how to work Netflix on the TV? Would he fulfill his dream of having kids with someone else?

More than anything, she hoped he wouldn't hurt. Despite how much pain she was in, she didn't want Spencer to stop eating or sleeping. She convinced herself that if he were okay, she would be too. She just needed to put on a brave face and deal with the fact it was all over.

The clock showed it was 12:38 when Spencer walked in, making Y/n wish she had rolled over so he wouldn't have been able to see the tears on her cheeks. Immediately, she stopped them and tried to act like she was asleep.

Still, he didn't say anything. Spencer let her hurt in silence as he got undressed and climbed into bed next to her.

It was the first time in a while she had felt his weight next to hers on the mattress while they were both awake. Something about it felt comfortable, which she detested. She needed the break-up to be professional and quick.

"Am I the reason you cry every night?" Spencer spoke, his words barely above a whisper.

Y/n felt a twisting pain in her chest.

Apprehensively, she rolled onto her back, feeling Spencer's eyes on her. She just wanted to check if it was really him speaking.

"You don't make me cry." She tried to dismiss his claim, wiping her face.

Spencer huffed from next to her, a comfortable distance away. "I see the swelling around your eyes and how blood-shocked they are." He commented.

Y/n wanted to ask him why he'd never said anything, why he'd never tried to stop her pain. But, Dr. King said to be kind. So, she wiped another few tears up and tried not to feel the tightening in her chest. "It's alright, Spence." She assured him with fake confidence.

"Can't you see how fucked up that is?!" He exclaimed much louder than before. It shocked Y/n, both his volume and his swearing. "You're literally wiping up your tears right now and telling me it's okay that I make you cry."

She wondered what gave him the right to be mad. However, she decided open communication was a better idea. "What's happening to us, Spencer?" She asked with the hope of gauging where he was at.

"Nothing," Spencer replied shortly, much more what she was used to.

"If you don't want to talk about what's happening, then say so. Don't just lie and say nothing's happening." She declared, unable to maintain her stoic stance. It felt like everything in their relationship had boiled up to that moment.

Silence. All she got was silence.

"Are we breaking up?" She asked, still not receiving a reply. Instead, she got more tears. "How do I make you love me again, please, tell me?" She reduced to begging, pleading with her silent husband to give her an answer.

"I... I don't know." That was all the reply he gave her.

Y/n had tried so hard not to get mad that she was bursting at the seams. And that set her over the edge. "You're so fucking difficult, Spencer. We haven't talked properly in months. I had to find out from Penelope that you were held hostage and could have died. Do you know how much that worried me!?" She shouted, tears not letting up. Her voice cracked on her next question. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" She managed to get out before sobbing.

"I'm sorry." He apologized quietly.

That was enough for Y/n to know it was well and truly over. She was so tired of fighting for something he didn't give a damn about. "I'll pack my things up tomorrow. Because it's a mutual separation, we only have to wait 6 months to file for divorce. I don't think I can stay here, so the apartment's yours." She briefly told him, going back to her objective approach.

"How do you... How do you know that?" Spencer asked. She knew his tones so well she didn't need to look over to know he was crying.

Y/n shrugged, not that he could see in the dark. "I looked it up." She replied.

"You want to get divorced?" Spencer asked, sounding annoyingly surprised.

"I'm not sure how else I can fix the fact our marriage is over," Y/n replied with a sarcastic laugh. Still crying an impossible amount of tears. "I have to know, was there someone else?" She preempted that his answer would sting. But she had to know.

"What? No, not at all." Spencer claimed adamantly. "And I don't want to get divorced." He decided.

Y/n laughed again before realizing he was serious. "Why not? I don't know what I can do to make you love me again." She replied, trying not to sound too annoyed. She was feeling far too many emotions to be mad. Everything, from fear to relief, but mostly heartbreak.

Hearing that his wife didn't think he loved her broke Spencer's heart. But, then again, why would she? He knew he'd been absent for the last few months.

He let out a loud sob, and Y/n wanted to hug him, but something inside stopped her. A little voice telling her that he didn't want a hug from someone he didn't love.

"I'm so sorry," Spencer said again, not sure what else to say.

"I can't blame you for not loving me. I just wish I could have been a better wife." She replied.

It ripped Spencer's heart up that she was footing the blame. Especially when he caused their distance. He hadn't even touched her in months, and he didn't know why.

He let out a loud groan. "Y/n, you've been the best wife I could ever ask for. I'm sorry I let you down and kept fucking up." He assured her. There was no way he could ever repay her for how much she'd helped him out. There was no kinder person on the planet.

"I just want to know what happened," Y/n replied, trying to get an answer to the big question.

Spencer didn't have one that was good enough. No words could take away the pain she had felt. He felt like such an idiot for not stopping it earlier. It would have been so much easier to fix. "I don't know what to tell you." He started. "There's no answer that justifies how much I've hurt you." He knew he was going to feel selfish for saying his next words. "I love you."

It made Y/n's heart skip a beat the way it used to. She could imagine they weren't in this situation, just for a second. "I love you too." He knew that much was true. "But I'm not sure we can make this work anymore."

Now it was Spencer begging for direction. "How can I fix this? Please, I'll do anything to see you not crying."

"My, uh, therapist said we just needed to be honest." That made Spencer's chest feel uncomfortably tight. He wanted to run to the bathroom and throw up.

He realized Y/n knew it was so bad she had to source help. He couldn't believe how much he'd fucked up. And how much he didn't deserve the sweet girl sobbing next to him, doing everything to fix their relationship.

"Y/n, I had no idea." God, he felt like an idiot. "I'm so fucking sorry. I've caused you so much pain." He figured, completely unsure how he could ever make it up to her.

Just when he thought she couldn't get any more perfect, she turned to face him.

Timidly, she reached out to wipe a tear running down his cheek. It was a touch like neither of them had ever felt, so soft and nervous.

Spencer had no idea what he'd done to deserve someone like her. He wasn't about to do anything to jeopardize it, so he turned to face her. For the first time in far too long, he was right where he wanted to be. Staring into Y/n's eyes. Despite the tears streaming down both their cheeks, it was perfect.

"I'm just so sorry, Y/n." Spencer pleaded again. He felt like he could tear his hair out. Like 100 years in prison wasn't a long enough sentence for making her cry.

Still, she shook her head. "I know you are, Spence." Oh, how had he missed his nickname coming from her lips. "I just want us to be okay again." She admitted.

Spencer had never, ever wanted anything more. "I don't deserve you at all." He reminded both of them. "But, I'm going to spend every day making it up to you if you'll forgive me."

Y/n nodded at him. "I love you, Spencer Reid, and I forgive you." She replied, cupping his face, despite her fingers being too small.

"I love you, Y/n Reid, and I'm so lucky to have you," Spencer replied, eternally grateful he got to spend the rest of his life with her.

Y/n smiled genuinely at him, not a fake smile this time. He'd never get sick of it. Spencer didn't waste a second cupping her face, using the pad of his thumb to wipe her falling tears away.

Slowly, she leaned in, dying for a kiss she had been missing.

Spencer pulled back before his lips met hers, despite how much he wanted to kiss her forever. "I need to tell you something."

Y/n gulped, pulse quicking at whatever his news was. "Yeah?" She meekly asked.

"Jennifer." He started using her first name, which was extremely odd. Y/n was hoped JJ was alright. Penelope hadn't mentioned anything to the contrary. "She told me she loved me."

That made Y/n drop her hands off Spencer's face, feeling her heart shattering all over again. Her world crumbling around her. "Do you love her? Is that why this isn't working?" She pressed.

"No, no, not at all." Spencer quickly rushed out, wanting to wipe the broken look off her face. "Maybe when I was 24 in a childhood crush way. But as soon as I met you, I knew you were the only person I'd ever want." He assured her, running his thumbs over the newly forming tears.

"Why did she?" Y/n asked.

It only occurred to Spencer then that she had no idea about the events of his day besides him being held hostage. "The unsub. He made us play a messed-up truth or dare game. He was deranged, he had a gun, and we were tied up. He wanted JJ to tell me something she'd never told anyone."

"Oh." Y/n let out, understanding the situation better. At least JJ hadn't randomly blurted it out. She was coerced.

"I don't know if it was true," Spencer admitted. "But she looked sure." He decided. "But she mentioned as being young a lot."

Y/n though she understood. "I think you were the first person she loved, and some of her heart will always belong to you. But, I've seen the way she looks at Will and the boys. It's how I look at you." She found her own meaning from what Spencer was telling her.

"You never fail to surprise me with how smart you are. I couldn't put it into words. No part of me thinks she'd ever leave Will and the boys." He admitted. JJ loved her family, and as Y/n had explained it, it was just puppy love.

Y/n's hands were back on his cheeks. "Can we kiss now?" She asked.

Spencer didn't reply verbally. They were both so starved of the other's lips, the kiss felt like it was 1000 years in the making. Like the universe was finally at rest.

Both of them were crying, holding each other's faces, and lip-locked. But it was perfect.

And they were back.

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rendevousz · 4 years ago

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reunited

req: i was wondering if i could request a natasha x teen daughter reader where the reader has really bad social anxiety please? maybe where the reader was in the red room with natasha but given to hydra once the red room was taken down and natasha has been looking for her ever since she left the red room. on a mission to take down a hydra base natasha finally finds reader, and it's super emotional for the both of them and they're just happy to have each other back. natasha knows about readers social anxiety from when she was younger and sees that it's only gotten worse now, so she's super sweet and understanding. she saves the reader from the base and comforts her the whole way home because she's scared of all of the new people also on the jet (the other avengers). the reader lives with natasha at the compound with everyone else and natasha is just great about her social anxiety and never pushes her out of her comfort zone and comforts her when she has panic attacks. sorry if that's a lot, but thank you so much! i love your fics sooo much, you're such an amazing writer!!! 💖💖💖

mother figure!nat x fem!teen!reader

summary: nat finally finds you after years of looking.

word count: 4083

notes: i didn't make them peers in the red room because then they'd have to be around the same ages but i made them meet at the red room. also i didn't know how to write about her having social anxiety so i hope you don't mind that i didn't 😓 hope you like this <33

"stop," madame b's authoritative voice commanded and all of you stopped dancing. all of your peers seemed to be struggling to stand still on their battered feet, some breathing heavily but who could blame them? you had all been instructed to dance for hours now. you had to dance until you couldn't anymore.

your head faced madame b but your eyes landed on your best friend, veronika, for a split second. she seemed in pain and you vowed to check on her after whatever announcement your supervisor had for you. you stood tall, clenching your jaw in order to not show that you were in pain or out of breath.

madame b's gaze flickered to you for a second, her lip lifting up on one side for a brief moment before her face hardened once again.

"i have someone special here today. she's here to observe your training and if necessary, teach what you girls lack. she has long graduated this academy, please welcome miss natasha romanova."

you jolted awake, panting hard at the memory that just played in your dreams. you looked around you, seeing the same cell wall you had been put in for the past three years. after the fall of the red room academy where you were from, another organisation came and swooped you in, not wanting to waste your skills. you were the only one they took, having heard much about your abilities and reputation in the red room.

the girls stood all around you and veronika, watching the two of you spar tirelessly after hours of endless ballet. natasha and madame b watched the match closely, eyes trained on your techniques and movements.

after natasha had introduced herself to all of you, madame b had instructed her supposedly two best students—you and veronika— to demonstrate a true spar between skilled assassins.

while you were reluctant to attack your best friend, she had other plans, one that included impressing her idol who stood mere metres away from her. you were shocked when she started attacking you. never had she obeyed a command against you so quick.

you had to put away your initial shock to start attacking back in order to not get hurt by the hands of your own best friend. the look in her eyes was different, almost animalistic. it wasn't like the one she had when you two were laid in your beds side to side at night, handcuffed to it while you talked about your deepest struggles being in the academy. it wasn't the same one she had when you reassured her that she was doing okay whenever she said she would never be as good as you were at this whole assassin thing. it wasn't the same innocently surprised one she had just moments ago when she was addressed as one of madame b's best students.

this wasn't your best friend. this was a girl blinded by her desire to impress. she wanted to show natasha that she was the better one out of you two. your heart broke when you saw her desperation. it was obvious in the way she fought you.

it wasn't long before you had her in a chokehold, the girl struggling to get your grip off of her. your face visibly faltered, eyes tearing up slightly when you heard her whimpers. natasha took notice of this.

your lips were quivering when you turned to madame b. a simple nod from your trainer had you whispering a strained 'i'm sorry, i love you' in her ear before you broke her neck. the girl fell limp in your arms, dropping down to the mat, dead. you panted heavily as you stepped away from her body.

"good. this is what i expect of all of you," madame b turns to your peers, the stone cold look back on her face. "one thing you need to perfect though, y/n, is your emotions. don't get emotional over things that don't matter. i saw your inner conflict. veronika would have no reluctancy to end you if you were the one in the chokehold. she was more mentally prepared to be a ruthless assassin. you're lucky you're more skilful than she is. she would have no hesitation to kill you, close companion or not."

you swallowed that lump in your throat, biting the insides of your cheeks to prevent crying right then and there. "you have a lot of potential, y/n. don't let your emotions ruin it. i have high hopes for you." she spoke once again, before dismissing everyone.

you left the room with a heavy heart, turning to look at veronika's body one last time before leaving quickly so you could break down where no one else could witness.

you rushed to the staircase where you and veronika would sneak away all the time when you were supposed to be having lunch. you two would always sit under those stairs, talk about anything and everything you could. your tears were now freely rolling down your face.

"hey," you heard a voice say and you quickly wiped your tears away. you looked up and saw that it was none other than natasha. "miss romanova," you breathed out, scrambling to get up before she placed a gentle hand on your shoulder, the woman seating herself next to you on the floor, under the staircase.

"that must've been hard for you," she spoke after a few seconds of silence. "i remember my first time killing an actual person in training. they had me shoot targets and i consistently got the bullseye every time. then they switched out the targets to an actual person and i had a hard time doing that. i can't imagine how it must've been for you. i heard you and veronika were quite the inseparable duo."

you didn't move to show that you were shattered over the current events but the millions of tears silently streaming down your face said otherwise. natasha turned to you, reaching to wipe your tears away before gently caressing your cheek.

"you're a strong one, y/n. you remind me of myself when i was still in training. i can see myself in you." she told you truthfully. she had no idea why but she felt a strong connection towards you. she felt that you and her had so much in common. she had a strange inclination to protect you even though she knew damn well you were capable of doing so yourself.

since then, she always dropped by to help train all of you but you and her developed a relationship so strong that she even told you of her plans to get you out of that hellhole. at that point, it had been a few months since she'd turned good but she kept coming to the academy for your sake. she felt a sense of responsibility over you, like a mother would over her daughter.

she would with the other girls too if they had shown at least a bit of humanity but it seemed that the red room had ruined them beyond fixing. despite being the best student of the academy, you still weren't inhumane like the rest. you would hesitate to hurt others, only doing so when threatened and even that, you still weren't as heartless or cruel.

madame b would always berate you over this but natasha would pick up the pieces every single time. you loved her. she was the best thing in your life after veronika and your heart broke when the red room fell and you were taken away. away from the mother you never had.

you awoke with a jolt again. it was the second night in a row you were reliving your past memories. you touched your face and you felt the tears on it, wiping them with your sleeve as you sat up in your cold, uncomfortable bed in your cell. you sighed, bringing your knees up to your chest and hugging them.

you couldn't help but think of nat again. what could've happened if she managed to get you out before you were taken away? could you have a nice life with her? would you never have to hide under the stairs to have emotional exchanges with the woman? would you finally have been able to be who you were, not influenced by the evil around you?

you never knew what it was like having a mother but you imagined it was what nat had been towards you during the times you spent together at the academy. you two were more mother and daughter rather than trainer and student.

all of a sudden, alarms blared through the building and red warning lights flickered in your cell. you stood up, peeking through the small glass of your cell door to see guards rushing through the hallways in a frenzy.

you assumed that the facility was under attack and no one was coming to save you. you didn't even try, walking back to your bed to return to your position of hugging your knees tightly to your chest.

you could hear the chaos outside but opted not to pay attention to it. it didn't involve you and if no one was coming to save you from whatever was attacking the place—not that anyone in that place would, you were merely an asset to them—you wouldn't bother worrying about whether you were going to live by the end of the night.

a loud bang interrupted your thoughts and you looked up to see your cell door had been forcefully thrown open by a large man in stripes, holding a circular shield. you immediately stood up, getting ready to attack him when he spoke.

"i'm not here to hurt you." he said, holding out a hand as if to tell you to stop whatever you were about to do. "we're here to save you. you can finally leave this place now." he says gently. you frown at him, still in a stance ready to attack him.

"cap, is there someone in this room?" a familiar voice spoke and your head immediately turned to the door, where the owner of the voice stood, mouth dropping open at the sight of you. your face softened and a tiny gasp left your lips at the sight of her.

"y/n...is that you?" she breathed out, walking towards you and not stopping when she saw that you weren't alarmed or anything. "nat.." you choked out, tears starting to form. how crazy was it that you had been having flashbacks of her for the past two nights and suddenly she was here to come save you?

"y/n!" she exclaimed, pulling you into a tight hug. you knees buckled but she held onto you tightly, sniffling as she caressed your head gently. you buried your face in her shoulder as you took in the familiar feeling of being in her arms once again.

more tears started to form in your eyes now. never had you thought you were actually going to see her again. you lost the hope of seeing her again two years ago. but here she was, standing in your cell and hugging you like there would be no tomorrow.

your hugging session was cut short when steve sheepishly spoke up. "sorry to uh, interrupt this reunion but more guards are coming, i think it's best if we leave now." he picked up his shield, leading the three of you out of the facility safely and back to their quinjet. the whole time, nat held onto your hand tightly, as if letting go would lead to another few years of being apart once again.

once you reached the quinjet, nat led you to the seats in the back where you two would have more privacy. the team watched the two of you in confusion before turning back to steve for an explanation as he was the one who was partnered with nat for this mission. all the captain could tell them was that you two knew each other way before this and that all of them would have to wait for an explanation from nat herself if they wanted to know what was going on.

when you reached the compound, nat led you to her room where she lent you her clothes and let you shower before tucking you into her bed. when she was sure you were comfortably asleep, she left the room quietly to go grab a glass of water only to find the whole team sat in the common room instead of back in their own rooms.

she looked at them, confused. "guys, it's like almost the crack ass of dawn and we just got back from a mission, why aren't you asleep? or were you debriefing? in the common room? did i miss it?"

"no, you know debriefings for late night missions are the next morning. we were waiting for you actually," steve spoke on behalf of the whole team. "me? for what?"

"nat, c'mon, don't act stupid. you know what we're talking about," clint makes an unimpressed face at his best friend. nat sighs, taking a seat next to him and the team look at her expectantly. she cleared her throat, preparing for a whole story time.

"you know how i was from the red room?" she asked them and they all nodded, urging her to continue her story. "well, after i graduated, i was asked to come help train the younger ones in the programme. during that time, i met this girl. she reminded me a lot of my younger self and she didn't seem completely brainwashed to the point where she lacked emotions. i grew close to her and after i met clint and joined SHIELD, i vowed to get her out of there because she went through a lot in that hellhole and i could tell she didn't want to do any of the things that the other girls were fine doing.

"she had a good heart and i didn't want it to be wasted. she was the best in the academy and i knew they had big plans for her. but i didn't want her to be programmed to kill. she was much more than that. so i made this whole plan for her escape. i kept going back to the academy to come see her and share my plan with her. clint, you always asked me where i kept disappearing to when we first started becoming friends. it was her. the people there didn't know i was already under SHIELD at that time—nobody did—so it was safe for me to keep visiting and keep planning an escape for her.

"but three years ago, the red room fell. i rushed over because i thought i could finally leave with her without anyone knowing. but apparently she'd been taken away. she was the only one of the girls who was taken. by who, i didn't know at that time. but i knew it was because of her skills and abilities. if the red room had big plans for her, i knew other organisations must've already heard of her too.

"i never stopped looking for her. i don't know why i never thought of HYDRA. but it doesn't matter anymore. i finally found her and i'm never letting her go. i hope you guys don't mind that she lives here now. if not, i'll move out and find somewhere for us."

the team seemed surprised that nat told them her story. they were very much expecting her to, well, not tell them because this seemed like a very personal story.

"no, no, of course she can stay. i'll even set up another room for her." tony says and nat nods gratefully. "what's her name?" wanda asks.

"y/n," nat tells her, smiling at the thought of you as she stands up. "alright, i have to go back to her. see you guys in the morning. maybe you'll get to see her then."

she bids them goodnight, leaving after grabbing a glass of water for you in case you woke up in the middle of the night, in need of it. she wasn't wrong because when she got back to her room, you were up, hugging your knees as you cried.

"hey, hey, hey, what's wrong, sugar?" she quickly puts the glass of water on the bedside table, sitting on the bed and pulling you close to her. you look up at her all teary-eyed and she feels her heart break.

"i–i thought i lost you again," you croaked out, burying your face in her shoulder. "oh, sugar, you'll never lose me ever again. i'll never let that happen. you're safe here with me. now sleep, i'll be here when you wake up." she stroked your hair gently, laying down next to you on the bed before you two fell into a blissful slumber in each other's arms.

true to her words, she was right next to you when you woke up the next time. she seemed wide awake and you felt bad because she probably had been up hours before but didn't leave you because you were scared.

"how'd you sleep, sugar?" she asked as you sat up, stretching. "the best i have in years. thanks to you, nat." you smiled at her, still not believing all of this is real. that you're finally reunited with the woman you thought of as your mother.

"do you want to meet my friends? they're dying to meet you," she tells you and you bite your lips nervously. "do you think they'll like me?"

"are you crazy? of course they will. and if they don't, i'll make them." she threatens playfully and you laugh, missing how protective of you she is. you smile, agreeing to her suggestions to meet her friends after you got ready for the day.

"hi, sweetie, you're y/n?" a man with fancy silk pyjamas greeted as you entered the common room with natasha. you nodded timidly, scooting closer to natasha. it was weird for natasha to see you this nervous. after all, you were the best student of your batch in the red room. but she understood that years with no actual social interaction does that to people.

"i hope you'll like staying here, i already have your room setting up as of right now. when you move in, you can tell me if you don't like anything and i'll change it for you. oh, i forgot, i'm tony," he extends a hand towards you and with an encouraging nod from nat, you hesitantly shake his hand. he smiles at you before telling you both he has projects to finish down in his lab and to tell him if you needed anything.

"hey, nat, not gonna introduce your friend to us?" you heard a voice from behind you and you two turned around to see two men and a woman. you recognised both men—one of them was the one who broke into your cell last night and the other one you had seen him a lot from pictures nat would show you during your secret meetings in your red room days. he was her best friend. you didn't know the woman but the kind smile on her face was enough to reassure you that these people weren't bad.

"y/n, meet clint, the idiot who i call best friend," she points to the shorter man. the name nat called him must've offended him because the face he made was hilarious that you let out a little giggle. nat smiles at this before proceeding to introduce the other two.

"this one's steve, he's an old man stuck in a young body—literally— so if he says things you don't understand, just smile and nod." you nod at nat and steve gives her an incredulous look, as if not believing the audacity she had to introduce him like that.

"this one's wanda, she's the least annoying person in this whole place and she can cook whatever you want so i think you two will get along really well." wanda smiles at you and you return it shyly. you smile at the other two before nat drags you away, telling them she still had others to introduce you to.

when you entered the kitchen, you saw a man reading a newspaper on the kitchen island while another man, whose skin was red, stood beside him. they seemed to be discussing something very intelligent because you didn't understand a single word they spoke.

"bruce, vision, i want you to meet someone." they turned their attentions towards you and nat and you immediately felt like hiding once again. "oh hello, steve told us you brought back someone from the mission. is this her? hello, i'm bruce," the man sitting down introduced himself.

"wait, is this the bruce?" you asked nat, smirking teasingly at her and she smacks you gently on the shoulder. the man seemed flustered at what you're insinuating, scratching his neck awkwardly.

"bruce, vision, this is y/n, i've known her for a long time and i finally found her after years so i hope you two won't mind that she'll be staying here from now on," nat tells them. the two of them didn't come on the mission last night so they were the only two who didn't actually see you until today.

"it's nice to meet you, y/n. i'm vision, i hope you'll enjoy your stay here." the man with the red skin greets formally and you turn to nat with a confused expression. "he's an android, he does things a bit weird here so don't mind him." she whispers to you and you nod understandingly.

"it's nice to meet you two, i hope we'll be good friends." you say awkwardly, hoping to get this whole introduction thing over with. how many people do you have left to meet?

speaking of the devil—or should you say, devils—, two annoying voices rang through the kitchen, interrupting the peacefulness that it was before they came in.

"i'm just saying that if you hadn't eaten my last bag of chips last week, i wouldn't have taken your cookies last night. it's all about fair play, man."

"and i keep telling you that it wasn't me! i don't even like those stupid salty ass chips from that brand,"

"stop lying, i saw you eating that brand the other day! just admit you stole my chips and go,"

"guys, are you really having another one of your stupid arguments now?" nat cuts them off and they immediately turned to you, finally noticing all of you.

"oh hey! y/n, right? it's nice to meet you, i'm sam. if you wanna survive in this place, you better hide your snacks because if you don't, this winter warrior here will snatch 'em all before you can even stash them in the cupboards. don't ever trust this guy here when it comes to your snacks. you heard what happened to mine," the man fakes a cry and you held back a laugh at his long introduction. you only wanted a name to match the face but he gave you much more. you didn't mind though, he seemed like a fun person.

"hi, doll, i'm bucky. don't listen to eagle right here, i do not steal snacks. i simply let people have a taste of their own medicine. you steal my snacks, wilson, i steal 'em back. you think i don't know you stole my oreos too last month? that's why i stole your damn chips last week,"

"so you did steal them!"

"so what if i did?! you stole my oreos first!"

"oh my god, guys, you're really embarrassing me in front of y/n. these are really the people i was excited to introduce her to," nat face-palmed and you couldn't help but laugh. "don't worry nat, these people seem amazing. i can't wait to get to know them better." you assured her and she smiles, pulling you close to her. "buckle up, sugar, because living with the avengers is gonna be a wild ride."

you were excited for what was about to come. it seemed like everything was finally falling into place. you finally got nat back and you didn't have to worry about losing her again because you had a feeling these people weren't going to let that happen.

taglist <3

@amourtentiaa @rqmanoff @abitofeverythinggg @andreasworlsboring101 @cay-writes-fan-fiction514 @teenwonder @sevenmorningstars @fleurlovesbucky @marauvdersfate @bestillmystuckyheart

#marvel x teen!reader #avengers x reader #avengers x teen!reader #natasha romanoff x teen!reader #bruce banner x teen!reader #bucky barnes x teen!reader #clint barton x teen!reader #sam wilson x teen!reader #steve rogers x teen!reader #tony stark x teen!reader #mcu x teen!reader #mcu x reader #avenger!reader #wanda maximoff x teen!reader

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starlessea · 4 years ago

Text

Here Comes the Sun: XXI. When You Were Young (Daryl Dixon/Reader)

Series Masterlist: Here Comes the Sun

Summary: Daryl Dixon scares the hell out of you climbing out of that damn creek. It takes hauling his ass halfway across Georgia and taking a bullet for him to realise that you're not half bad. He slowly starts to come around, despite grumbling about how much he doesn't like your singing, or that you can't use a gun for shit - and don't get him started on that ugly yellow tent of yours. It takes him a while before he starts to see for himself that he's found a best friend for life, and that he doesn't actually mind the colour yellow that much, after all.

Words: 5907

Chapter Warnings: Language, Insecurities.

You snapped the book shut and looked up at your class, who stared back at you in complete awe. You laughed, taking in their expressions. The first time you had read this novel, your face looked something similar to how theirs did now. You couldn't help but let out a little laugh, uncrossing your legs and standing up from your seat. Immediately, they started to chatter amongst themselves about the ending, and the volume rose as their voices ricocheted off the walls of the small classroom.

In the last couple of months that had passed since the takeover of Woodberry, the prison had been completely transformed. It was barely recognisable from how you'd first found it. The cells each had a bed, and now resembled actual rooms. The field had been tilled and converted into farmland courtesy of the Greenes, and you even kept livestock in wooden pens. Best of all, Rick and the others had set up a classroom for you to teach the children. You could remember it like it was yesterday. It had certainly been a well-kept secret, and almost everybody had known about it but you.

Daryl and his team had scavenged some desks and school supplies, as well as an old blackboard that reminded you of the one you had first written your name on. They'd even brought back a wooden bookshelf - which they had to tie to the roof of one of the vehicles just to get it home. Over the course of the next few weeks, it began to collect books, filling up more and more each day.

Your first assignment had been for your students to create a poster on any book of their choice - and as a result, they also filled the white space of the walls. Before long, the former guards’ office resembled an actual classroom, brimming with colour and, surprisingly, children eager to learn.

"Okay, everyone!" You called out, clapping your hands to get their attention. "Now that we've finished this book, I want you all to write your own short story in response to it."

The group started to murmer amongst themselves again, and you yelled out over the chatter.

"It can be a sequel, or even something different inspired by it." You explained, your voice getting lost in the crowd. "Be as creative as you can."

It was a real learning curve getting used to teaching younger students. Though, it was a lot more rewarding than you thought it would be. You remembered teaching Carl briefly at the Greene farm, which felt like a lifetime ago now. You never expected for your class to grow to the size that it was.

"I'm looking forward to reading them all tonight before bed." You added, once they had settled down enough to do so.

It was a tradition for you to do all of your marking in the evening. It filled up your time and kept you occupied until Daryl returned. He'd been going on a lot more runs recently, and it made you worry less when you had something to take your mind off it.

"Any questions?" You asked, and saw a flurry of hands go up in response.

"Teacher!" A young girl called, waving her arm to get your attention.

You smiled almost unknowingly. If adults had even half the enthusiasm of children, then maybe a lot more would get done around here.

"Yes?" You answered, and nodded in her direction.

The legs of her chair lifted a few inches off the ground as she swung back a little, and you fought every teacher-urge inside of you that said to pull her up on it.

"Is Mr. Dixon going to read them with you?" She giggled, and suddenly you forgot about the chair.

You couldn't contain the snort that left your mouth from the name 'Mr. Dixon.' You'd have to tell him about it later.

"I meant questions about the work." You chided gently, but the smile on your face told another story. "Though, he might. So make them interesting."

Once again, you were unable to control the class as they got rowdy, and you just shook your head.

"You don't want him to fall asleep when I read them to him, do you?" You added, as you started to hand out the paper.

The children spent the next hour or so furiously scribbling out their stories in messy handwriting that you'd be tasked with deciphering later. Daryl had been gone for a few days on a run, but he was due back at some point today. Though, you wouldn't put it past him to conveniently arrive home late, to get out of marking duty with you.

When the time came to dismiss your class, you were given a lot of hugs and waves from everybody as they left. Perhaps it wasn't the most professional, but nothing really was these days. You were lucky to even still have a profession given the circumstances. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a figure looming in the entranceway, holding the door open for the children as they left the classroom. It was Carol, and she gave you a warm smile when she caught your eye. You beckoned her in after everyone else was gone, and she made her way shyly towards you with her arms behind her back.

The two of you had grown even closer over the last few months - all of you had. Though, you and Carol got along like a house on fire. She had the most brilliant sense of humor tucked away, and you were often lucky enough to get a glimpse of it when she felt mischievous. Daryl had given the pair of you the nickname 'dynamic duo' - and you thought that nothing could suit you both better.

"What are you doing here, Peletier?" You asked in a mock stern tone. "I don't remember giving you detention."

The woman smiled sheepishly at your teasing, before more confidently sitting down on your desk and stretching out her legs. From behind her back she brought out one hand, and placed a fresh, red apple over your paperwork. You laughed immediately, and so did she.

"I've always been a good student." She told you, with a grin.

You hummed to yourself, unconvinced. You started to collect the loose sheets of paper from your students' tables, and the woman hopped off your own desk to help you.

"I caught the end of your lesson. I hope you didn't mind me listening in." She admitted, and you shook your head in response.

Normally, you got nervous if you were being observed. One time, Daryl dropped by to give you some supplies you'd asked for - and you'd gotten so red that the children made fun of you for the rest of the day. Yet, Carol's presence made you calm; she always was the one to have your back.

"They seem to really love you." The woman added, nonchalantly.

The compliment really did warm your heart. Even before the world ended, all you'd wanted was to gain the approval of your students. Except, that was the one thing that adults struggled to give.

"I just want to make it fun for them." You explained, picking up another hand-written story.

You could tell whose it was just by the handwriting. At this point, you'd gotten to know all of the children so well that they felt like part of your extended family; everyone in the prison did.

"I know they should be learning practical skills, too." You went on. "But I can't let them forget how to read and write."

You were mumbling to yourself, and barely noticed as Carol handed you the other half of the papers. You filed them all into a neat stack, and placed them onto your desk. Except, you now noticed a book sitting on it that hadn't been there before.

"I came to give you something." Carol said, pointing. "Well, to return something."

Your eyes widened as you read over the title. It was in pristine condition, with a shiny cover and an unbroken spine.

"It's not the same copy." The woman explained.

You could tell; it was much too neat to be the one you'd brought with you to Atlanta. That one had crinkled pages and a ripped cover even before you had leant it to Carol.

"I asked Daryl to keep an eye out for one on his travels." She admitted, and you perked up at the name. "Thought maybe you could read it to the kids one day."

You held the copy of The Little Prince in your hands, your eyes glancing over the delicate illustration of a young boy lost amongst the stars.

"Carol, you didn't have to do this-" you said quietly.

The woman cut you off before you could go on, nudging you gently with her shoulder.

"I did. I wanted to." She corrected, and you finally looked up to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry for what I did before."

She said the words quietly, as though ashamed, and this time you were the one to elbow her back and shake your head. She gave a small smile.

"I liked the part with the fox." She told you. "Where he says that important things can only be seen with the heart, not the eyes."

You looked at Carol with a dumbfounded expression.

"I did read it, you know." She laughed.

So, the two of you did finally get to discuss the book together, just like you'd hoped to do all that time ago - back in the warm summer shade of the Greene farm.

When you spotted that mop of hair from across the courtyard, you knew instantly who it was. Well, the crossbow and that familiar leather jacket also gave him away. You started to run in his direction, before you spotted a group of your students and slowed down to an embarrassed jog. The man eyed you, and you could make out his taunting smirk even in the distance.

It hadn't been that long since you'd last seen him, but your heart still ached to feel his arms around you. You never knew how lonely the nights could seem once you got used to sleeping besides someone you loved.

You approached Daryl casually, feeling eyes on you. There were people working the fields, and others on the fences dispatching walkers. Even if they seemed busy, you weren't oblivious to their side-eye glances every now and then.

"Hey there, Stranger." You finally greeted the man. "Was starting to forget what your face looked like."

With the influx of survivors, Daryl had taken on even more responsibility than before. He was out for longer and home even less, but you knew it couldn't be any other way. You knew that - but it didn't stop you from resenting the fact.

"Too many damn mouths to feed." Daryl grumbled, pointing to the string of squirrels hanging from his belt. "These people are eatin' like kings."

You laughed at that, thinking back to the last harsh winter where you'd all had to survive on some questionable meals, to say the least.

"Ah yes, the luxury of fresh squirrel." You teased, eyeing the dead animals strung up by their tails.

You made a face, and Daryl made one back.

"I'll give yers away if ya gonna keep bein' picky 'bout it." He warned, but it was much too light-hearted.

Still, you held your hands up in defence.

"Okay, okay." You replied, sending him a mischievous smirk. "I'm sorry."

The tension was thick between you, despite the banter. Even as dirty as he was, you wanted nothing more than to fall into the man and press a number of kisses to that face of his. Yet, you refrained. Maybe you could get him into the shower first, away from all these people as well.

"Just take a look at your hair, Dixon." You remarked, once you finally noticed it. "Are you growing it out for me? Because I said I had a thing for guys with long hair?"

It hung over his face, and he pushed the loose strands away from his eyes with the back of his hand. It suited him, but he was definitely in need of a good shampoo.

"Yer really pushin' yer luck today, aren't ya?" Daryl muttered, taking a step closer to you.

You couldn't hide the smile that had spread over your face. Even an exchange as simple as this left you beaming. There really was no one else who could make you laugh quite like Daryl Dixon.

"You've been gone for two days." You reasoned lightly, trying to hide the way it actually made you feel. "Am I not allowed to have missed you?"

He tended to tease you about it, so you tried not to make a big deal whenever he returned home. Yet, you failed every time.

"What d'ya say?" Daryl asked, rubbing his ear.

He'd probably gotten mud stuck in there. It wouldn't surprise you - given how filthy he looked.

"I missed you." You repeated, begrudgingly.

Daryl narrowed his eyes, like he couldn't comprehend what you were saying in the slightest.

"Hmm?" He prompted, waiting for you to explain again.

You huffed and shook your head. You would be dragging him into the showers as soon as he got to the cell block.

"I miss-" you started, before the realisation kicked in.

You immediately slapped the man's chest with the back of your hand, and a smirk spread over his face.

"You're messing with me!" You yelled, and he shrugged his shoulders innocently - like he was completely oblivious.

You attempted to shove him again, but this time he caught your wrist and pulled you in close. Your chest hit his, and you felt the warmth you had been craving. You didn't care anymore about the curious stares, and it seemed that he didn't either. Daryl wrapped his arms around your waist, and you snaked your own over his neck to pull him down to you.

Your noses touched, and you smiled against him. The two of you stayed like that for a few seconds, just taking in the sight of each other - and the feel. You could tell that you'd unintentionally gathered a bit of an audience. The new members of the community rarely got to see Daryl like this, so you often got quite a few looks whenever you were together - and a lot of follow-up questions when you were alone. You ran your fingers through the ends of his hair, that went all the way down to the base of his neck now.

"Well, if you're not going to let me cut it, the least you can do is let me braid it." You whispered, your face still close to his.

You'd threatened it once before, but you were more adamant this time.

"Ya can fuck off." Daryl grumbled back, but somehow he managed to make it sound affectionate.

You laughed lightly, and finally gave him the shortest of kisses that only left him wanting more.

"I think the words you're looking for are 'I missed you, too'."

Daryl Dixon was a stubborn man. You'd realised it from the moment you met him. He was the type to stick to his guns, even if they weren't loaded. You'd seen him argue his way out of something even when he was wrong, and convince you of his viewpoint even when you were right. Daryl Dixon was stubborn - but he always cracked eventually when it came to you.

"Don' say nothin'." He snapped, and you bit your lip to hold back the laugh.

"I didn't say anything." You quipped, as naturally as you were able.

You plucked another daisy from out of the grass, and handed it to the child. She took it in her small fist, and threaded it through the man's hair - messily between the braids you'd given him.

"Yer face says it all." He grumbled, his own looking like thunder.

Daryl was sitting cross-legged on the ground, surrounded by a few of your younger students. They'd begged him to let them put flowers in his hair after eavesdropping on your earlier conversation, and you'd said yes before he could even reply. He was a stubborn man, but he was also a people pleaser.

"Mr. Dixon, what's your favourite flower?" Another girl asked politely, twiddling a bluebell stem between her fingers. "We'll see if we can find it."

You laughed, but quickly disguised it as a cough.

"Yes, Mr. Dixon." You chimed in. "What is it?"

If looks could kill, you'd be dead ten times over. Except, the man didn't look all that intimidating with stray daisies interwoven in his hair, and loose plaits that were in the midst of being braided by clumsy hands.

"Stop bein' a lil' shit." Daryl bit back.

Though, he immediately got punished for it.

"Teacher, he said a bad word!" One of the children exclaimed, pointing to Daryl like he was a shamed dog on the naughty step.

You took a deep breath, trying to keep your composure, and watched as the man did the same.

"Daryl Dixon, if you swear like that again we'll have to wash your mouth out with soap." You scolded, in your most teacher-like voice.

The children laughed their high-pitched laughs, and you could see a small fire burning behind the man's eyes.

"'M gonna murder ya in yer sleep." He mumbled below his breath.

You yanked on the strand of hair you were braiding, before half-heartedly apologising and claiming it to be an accident. Daryl flinched, and whipped his head around to glare at you.

"What the f-" he started, but you narrowed your eyes at him. "Frog." He finished, and you lost it.

You let out what was perhaps the most unattractive snort of your life, which was much too bold to be disguised as any sort of cough. You knew you'd pay hell for this later, but for now you just wanted to relish in the power. You had Daryl in the palm of your hand, his hair quite literally wrapped around your little finger. He turned to glance at you, but you tugged again - but more gently this time.

"Jus' watch what yer doin'." He reminded you, before muttering some more underneath his breath. "Are ya tryin' to scalp me?"

Somewhere in the midst of the exchange, Deputy Grimes has sauntered over with an expression equally as smug as the one you wore. He had Judith in his arms, resting over his hip, and looked down at Daryl with a grin as he approached. He was wordless, but when the two of you made eye contact it was hard to remain that way.

"Jus' don't." Daryl sighed, sounding completely defeated.

"I didn't say anything." The officer replied, and at this point you couldn't deny that there were tears in your eyes.

Daryl looked up at Rick and squinted from the sun. He shook his head.

"Yeah, yeah. Tha's what they all say."

Rick watched the exchange in amusement. It had been refreshing to see him so relaxed during the last few months. You thought that he really deserved a break - and it seemed that he was making the most of it by spending time with his children.

"What did you do this time?" The man asked Daryl.

He shrugged in response, before one of your students reminded him to keep still.

"Nothin'." He grunted, seeming to be at the end of his rope. "Dunno why 'm bein' tortured for feedin' the lot of ya."

The string of squirrels had been passed along to the cook before the children had all but seized Daryl and demanded that he played with them. You may have had some involvement in his kidnapping, but you were only a bystander, really.

"Quit complaining, you big baby." You reminded him, before tucking a flower behind his ear.

Daryl had a vacant stare, but it soon became a warm one when he noticed Judith making some gurgles and smiling in his direction. She had her arm outstretched towards him, and Rick lowered her down so that she could be closer to what she was reaching for. The baby smiled a gummy smile, and ever so gently patted Daryl's head - eyes wide at the array of colourful flowers there. The man stayed completely still and allowed her to do it, and you just watched. You wished you had Glenn's camera during moments like these.

Not long after, the officer said his goodbyes, and left with his daughter. She peeked over his shoulder at the two of you as they walked away, and it made your heart melt as you looked at her.

"She's so adorable." You said, to no one in particular. "I want one."

Daryl choked, and you smirked at him deviously.

"Just kidding." You admitted, as though you hadn't almost caused the man to have a heart attack.

Daryl spluttered again before standing up. Most of your students had left the two of you alone, having gotten bored during your chat with Rick. You watched as the man shook out his hair, letting the flower petals float to the ground like leaves from a tree.

"Jesus Christ, woman." He muttered, looking in your direction. "Calm down, would ya?"

You smiled as you helped him untangle the braids.

"There's only so much a man can take in one day." He went on.

Before long, Daryl’s hair went back to looking just as messy as it had done before, and you once again prompted him that he needed a shower. So, the two of you headed back to the cell block, and you slipped your hand into his to also remind him of how much you'd missed him.

"You never did say which flower was your favourite." You said, once the thought came into your mind.

You glanced over at the man as you walked, but he just gave a small shrug in response.

"Dunno." He said quietly. "Guess I like the yellow ones."

Despite wanting to spend the night alone with Daryl, cuddled up under blankets in your cell as you read him some imaginative hand-written stories, the two of you had been convinced otherwise. Usually, alcohol wasn't permitted inside the prison - something about productivity and sharing that you hadn't really paid much attention to. But, since a lot of people had just returned from a long run, an exception had been made so that you could celebrate.

It was hardly anything, really. There was barely enough to go around to get you tipsy, let alone drunk, and there were only a dozen of you sitting around the campfire - taking swigs from your plastic cups. The spirits had been diluted to stretch it out a bit more, and you were reminded of being a teenager again, swapping out vodka for tap water so that your parents wouldn't notice.

Even so, your body hadn't had alcohol in a while - not since the Jack Daniels you'd all polished off back at Hershel's farm. Already, your head felt fuzzy, and your laughs sounded giddier than you'd intended. You were all sitting on the ground, out in the field. It almost felt like that first night you'd cleared the prison - except so much had changed since then. Rather than tentatively holding Daryl's hand in the dark, when everyone else was asleep, you were now sat in between his legs as his arms held your waist. His chest was warm against your back, and you could feel it rise and fall regularly.

You could also smell the alcohol on his breath, but you didn't really mind. It was rare that Daryl did drink - even when it was available to him. You liked the fact that he could relax for once, since he always seemed to bear the burden of looking after everyone else.

"You two!" Tyreese shouted, catching your attention.

Across from you, the man sat beside his sister, Sasha. Vanessa was also next to them. Out of everyone here, you knew the three of them best. Admittedly, you hadn't got around to learning everyone else's names yet.

You looked up, startled, and Daryl chuckled softly at the way you flinched in his arms.

"How'd you meet?" The man asked, and offered a smile in your direction.

If there ever were such a packed question, it would have been that one. It was the type of question that required a whole book to answer - like one of the stories you'd set for your students to write. You glanced back at Daryl, only to find that he was already looking at you. He remained silent, so you raised an eyebrow at him before realising that you'd be the one answering.

"It was really romantic, actually." You spoke after a few seconds.

Everyone else's chatter had died down, and you suddenly felt very exposed as you became the centre of attention. Except, liquid courage always did work wonders where you were concerned.

"The first time I met Daryl, he told me to fuck off and called me a mule." You announced, like you'd been waiting for the perfect moment to do so.

Your audience erupted with laughter, and you took in the looks of disbelief around the campfire - feeling satisfied with your choice of words. Except, it didn't last long. Daryl jabbed you in the ribs with his elbow, and you shot a glare back at him.

"Tha's not what happened." He argued, and everyone fell quiet once again to listen to what the man had to say.

It was rare that they got to see Daryl like this - letting loose and talking without being prompted to do so.

"Jus' fought off two walkers only to have some chick yelling at me, sayin gimme yer hand like the ghost of Christmas past or some shit." He explained, his voice more animated than you'd ever heard it. "Thought my time had come."

A few more chuckles could be heard in response, but Tyreese eventually spoke up.

"Can someone translate for them?" He asked, and it was then that you realised just how much detail you'd need to tell this story of yours.

So much had happened between you and Daryl that you'd need countless sheets of paper to recount it, unlimited words and a number of chapters. You leant back further into the man, deciding how to officially introduce it.

"Well, it all started with this yellow tent." You said, and the others listened.

You went on for a bit, taking sips of alcohol between your words. Everyone seemed enraptured by you, and it even seemed like Daryl was hearing the story for the first time, too. It felt strange to recount it in such a way, and it made you realise just how much had happened since the world had ended.

You smiled as you finished, deciding to give one last summary to your captivated audience.

"So basically I pulled Daryl up from a cliff-face, then hauled his ass halfway across Georgia, before finally taking a bullet for him."

The alcohol had long since ran out, but everyone had stayed to hear the ending. Maybe you were oversharing, but spirits gave you loose lips - and you always did have a bad habit of running your mouth.

Tyreese started clapping slowly, before pointing at Daryl where he sat.

"You, brother, are one lucky man." He remarked with a smile.

You heard Daryl grumble something next to your ear, before addressing him back.

"She leaves out the part where she stuck 'er finger into my wound and sang outta tune next to me for three hours straight."

You bit your lip before finishing off what little was left of your drink.

"Minor details." You mumbled.

Some of the men you didn't know were murmuring amongst themselves beside you, but your head was too foggy to make out what they were saying. Perhaps Daryl could, since he had a scowl over his face. You didn't have time to question it, though, because Vanessa soon interjected with a laugh.

"So you're telling me that you now share a bed with the same guy who had walker ears around his neck when you first met him?" She teased, and you beamed back at her.

"Yeah-" you muttered, before sighing dramatically. "Sometimes I question my own judgement, too."

The walk back to your cell was more of a stumble, but no one had to know that. You and Daryl both made it there in one piece, so no further questions needed to be asked as to why you were missing a shoe, or who you'd tripped over along the way. It had seemed all fun and giggles, until you realised that it had been one-sided fun and entirely your own giggles.

Once you entered the room, you finally noticed how quiet Daryl had been. He toed his boots off wordlessly and threw his leather jacket into the corner. He knew how much that frustrated you, but he seemed too wrapped up in his own thoughts to care.

You walked up to the man and snaked your arms around him from behind, so that your chest was pressed to his back. All day, you'd been craving for the two of you to just be alone - but now that you were, he seemed too agitated for his own good. You thought that you must have missed something, because Daryl definitely didn't seem like himself.

You rubbed your palms along his chest slowly, but he stopped you with his own hand, and pulled away. He turned to face you, and you cocked your head to the side as you took in his expression. His eyes were narrowed, and he was chewing at his lip like he always did when he was confused. Eventually, he shook his head.

"Yer too good for me." He stated, like it was a fact. "'M a lucky man." He went on. "Why'd ya want someone who wore walker-"

"Whoa, slow down there." You cut him off.

He was reciting all of the things that had been said over the campfire, you realised - except they'd all been playful jokes, and he knew that. The man sounded like a broken record, but you couldn't quite put your finger on what had made him break.

"Someone's had too much to drink." You reasoned, but raised an eyebrow as you did so.

You weren't convinced yourself, but you had no other explanation as to why he was blurting out the things that he was. Daryl was a big man, and the amount of alcohol he'd drank was nowhere near enough to get him drunk.

"'M fine." He confirmed, but you knew there was more going on. "Jus' the truth, s'all."

The man looked down at his feet as he spoke the words, and you sighed.

"We are not doing this again, Daryl." You warned, and took a step closer to him.

Ever since more people had been coming to the prison, Daryl had seemed to convince himself that there were plenty of better options available to you - all without consulting you about it, of course. It had gotten to the point where you'd snapped at him, almost a month back, and it had escalated into a fight. You understood where he'd been coming from - a few people had gotten a little too friendly with you on more than one occasion. But, you'd convinced him that you were right where you wanted to be, next to his side.

You'd thought that had been the end of it, but something must have happened to bring it back to the surface.

"I see the way they all look at ya. Like they want ya." Daryl snarled, like he was seeing things that you couldn't. "They were talkin' 'bout it right in front of me."

And suddenly, it all made sense. The men you had noticed staring and mumbling had set Daryl off. You realised that he must have heard what they were saying - and that it must not have been good. Yet, part of you still felt frustrated that he had even listened to it. You'd spent the whole night recounting how you met the man, and how much he meant to you, only for your words to be completely unravelled by words of others that were insignificant.

"So?" You finally responded, more forcefully than you intended.

Daryl's head snapped up to look at you, and you met his eyes in return.

"I go through the same thing with you."

The man was silent for a few seconds, like he couldn't fully comprehend what you'd said.

"What?" He asked, and you shook your head.

"Just because you're blind to it, Dixon, doesn't mean that I am." You told him.

You placed your hands over his chest again, but this time he didn't shrug you off.

"They look up to you. You're a hero to a lot of these people." You explained, like you'd truly accepted the fact.

You could feel the heat radiating off the man from underneath the tips of your fingers, and you took another step closer to him so that he could feel you, too.

"You don't think there's days that I hear women giggling about you? Talking about you like you're some knight in shining armour who rescued them from this world?" You said, chuckling a little as you did so.

At first, it had killed you to see. Every time you noticed someone staring at the man, or whispering about him when they thought you couldn't hear, it made your blood boil. But, after a while you became numb to it - mostly because Daryl never even spared them a second glance.

"It makes me feel pretty shitty, too." You admitted, as you let your fingers rest over the first button of his sleeveless shirt.

You looked upwards at him, and he gave you a small nod - so you started to unbutton it.

"But then I come back to our cell, and I'll see that you've left me flowers on our pillow." You went on, smiling in the direction of your mattress, where you had missed the man’s presence over the last few days. "Or I'll notice a new cassette tape in my walkman without you even saying anything."

You reached the last button, and shrugged the material over Daryl’s shoulders so that you could see his bare chest.

"And then I forget about all those other people." You confessed, and pressed your palm over his heart. "Because I'm reminded everyday that you're mine."

Daryl immediately placed his hand over the back of yours, and squeezed it gently.

"I'm yours." He agreed, and this time leant down to give you a kiss of his own without being prompted.

It was soft, but you'd missed the feel of him - and it made you impatient. You could taste the alcohol on his lips, and so you broke away before you became too intoxicated by it.

You hooked your fingers around his belt loops and pulled his body closer to yours - so close that his bare chest was warm against you, and you could feel his heart pounding.

"Then show me." You said, and he did.

A/N: So every time I write a chapter of HCtS, I delete the notes for it from my masterplan - and I’m getting so emotional seeing it get smaller and smaller each week. We’re coming to the end and I can’t deal-

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oksana-moods · 4 years ago

Text

Supernova

Summary: As the seasons passes you by, it is inevitable for you to watch the fall.

A/N: This is an AU requested by the darling @multi-muse-transect and you might find it in here. This request filled me with joy and worries at the same time, because it was hard to create a visible story in my head before trying to write it down. But I really enjoyed all the research about Nova Corps, hence it took me a little more than intended.

Warnings: Language, marvel’s canon violence… if there is any other that I should mention, please, let me know.

“You take my breath away. You're a supernova and I'm a space bound rocket ship and your heart's the moon.”

#not my pic

Carol is at a window looking at the sculptures and other buildings of Hala, she’s just arrived from a mission against Kree insurgents. ‘They're like weeds’, she thinks. No matter how hard she fights or fights back, they always come back and never learn that against the Empress they will never succeed.

The lights are beautiful in Hala, but they will never compare to the lights of the Old Earth. She takes a look at the latest reports of her home planet's reconstruction on the table beside her and sighs, knowing that New Earth will soon be ready.

Years ago, Ronan attacked Earth with the intention of destroying Carol and he did, in fact, destroy her heart. Even though she could absorb and redirect energy, she failed to destroy all the missiles before they hit the ground and then it was over. And the beginning at the same time.

Completely possessed by the grief of losing her home and loved ones, Carol went hunting for the Kree and, more importantly, for the Supreme Intelligence and, one by one, Carol brought down her tormentors until she became the Empress of Kree, residing in Hala.

Her patrols to different galaxies have been reduced as she monitors the Kree group responsible for rebuilding the Earth, chases mutineers and still rules the Empire. Her Empire. There's not even time for karaoke, she thinks, as her eyes follows a shooting star across the night sky of her capital.

Her eyes narrow when said shooting star seems to take a route, rather than a random path, because it is a celestial body without navigation. This shooting star is, in fact, very different, she observes. And, almost a second late, she notices that someone is heading right for her.

Taking her by surprise, you hit the balcony glass as if it were nothing and saw Carol's body hurl against the wall with the impact of your body. Not even spending a breath, it's your turn to be hurled against the wall when Carol fights back even harder than you.

You fight, exchange punches and blows. You notice that she's slightly surprised to find a worthy opponent, something that's still unheard of. Until today. Until you.

And that intrigues her, how could someone be so powerful without her knowing?

"Did the Kree insurgents send you?" She asks after you collide on Hala’s sky, the noise and vibrations being felt even in buildings far away from the fight.

"No." You answer. “I was sent by Nova Prime to deal with you” You barely finish your sentence, and you attack Carol again, but she's confused. She had heard of Nova Prime when she was still a Kree soldier. When she fought for the wrong side.

She then looks at you once more. She takes in the clothes you're wearing and your helmet, which covers your eyes with a blueish light but leaves your chin bare. The symbol that resembles a star painted in red on your golden helmet indicated what you are. Nova Corp. You are a corpsman.

A bright, gold insignia in a form of three circles linked in your chest shines even in the dark, showing her that you’re not an ordinary corpsman, but a Centurion. You are Nova Corps’ Commander. Okay, that explain why you’re so powerful.

"What do you want with me?" She asks without the slightest pretension to continue fighting and for the first time you don't attack, you stop and look at her. Wow, the reports of her strength and agility were consistent with what you see, but there was nothing about her beauty. Shaking your head, you answer it.

"Justice." Seeing the confused expression on Carol's perfect face, you continue. "You are crushing the democracy that existed for the inhabitants of this planet, the countless reports of an empress overthrowing entire communities have crossed galaxies."

"Justice, you say." You see her eyes flash with anger and hatred. "And what justice does Nova Prime intend to give Earth?" She approaches dangerously and you have to remind yourself to not cower under her glare.

"The Kree have destroyed my home, so I won't give them one until the New Earth is rebuilt and populated." The threat in her gaze, in her posture, was tangible. "And nothing and no one in the universe will make me concede freedom to this barbaric species."

"Being a barbarian yourself?" You turn your head to the side in a questioning tone, but she takes it as irony. Maybe it was. “An eye for an eye, as earthlings are fond of saying. Or should I say, used to like?” A kind of roar was the only warning before her fist collided with your face.

"Wash your mouth before you talk about Earth, soldier." She patched up a string of blows you couldn't get out of. "Nova Empire has always fought the Kree, why they want to protect them now?"

She was strong; you've already figured that out, but like many other very powerful beings in the universe, they tend to think they're the only ones with powers. Absorbing most of the blows and directing the energy against the empress, you use your power blast and with that, once again, Carol is hurled against the wall of her palace.

As an automatic response, Carol uses the powers of her fist and you feel the force of a thousand cannons throwing you backwards into space, grunting right after with the impact of Carol's body, engaging the fight once more.

You could tell that she was angry and, according to your studies, humans tended to be guided by such frivolous feelings. And that was something you intended to use to your advantage.

Being two beings bestowed with stamina, the fight would go on for hours until someone got tired, but if she uses her powers erratically and drenched in rage, she will be drained quicklier.

“I am the Empress of the Kree Empire! Answer me!" The tone of voice in which she addresses you makes it clear that your goal of getting under her skin is working. With a smirk, you respond.

“Nova Empire takes care of the galaxy and has balance as its main goal, your highness. To overpower other species is not our intention.” Your response seems to enrage her even more and the only reaction you got from her was more blows and more blasts in your direction.

You dodge, you block, and you realize she's getting careless then letting her guard down. And that's where you come in with quick jabs almost powerless, only to enrage her more and more. Just to remind her that even an Empress has weaknesses.

You hit the ground and certainly the people throughout the city felt like it was an earthquake. Something was off and before you could react, Carol hits you with a blast right in the middle of the chest, throwing you meters and meters into a random building.

This time, you start feeling the impact on every wall you hit. You feel dizzy, your hand is shaking, and you find yourself bleeding. ‘What's going on?’ You think as you watch Carol's figure to grow in your field of vision.

The smirk on her face is ridiculously sexy, but you barely have time to make any comments before her voice reaches your ears. "Apparently, you're not that tough without your helmet on, are you?"

You look at her hand that is carrying what was once your helmet, now just broken shards and she drops it into your lap. Without your helmet you are ruined, as is your mission.

The smirk and one last punch were the last thing you remember before she knocks you down cold.

---

Your head was about to explode inside your skull, and you blink at the light entering your cell. All that brightness was not helping your headache at all.

It's been a few days since you've been taken prisoner by Empress Carol Danvers and whether Xandar knows or has noticed your disappearance is something you have no idea of. And when Nova Prime sends reinforcements after you it won't be pretty.

Before proceeding on your mission, you had already been informed that all diplomatic avenues had been tried but completely closed by the Empress. That way, Xandar wouldn't try negotiations to try to get you back. Perhaps this would trigger a new war.

A war you couldn't afford. Certainly, you didn't want the weight of being the trigger or the spark in a cold battle of inflated tempers on your shoulders. Carol had a very short fuse, as you witnessed firsthand, while Prime could be an slayer when the situation called for it.

Days passed, becoming weeks and your monotonous existence is only interrupted by the Empress's daily visits. Visits that you don't know why she still keeps, when it's pretty obvious that you have no information to provide.

You are a member of the Nova Corp and have been sent on a solo mission to "dissuade" the Empress from continuing to rule her own empire with an iron fist. There were no ulterior motives, no espionage or reinforcements waiting in the moon not far from Hala.

You were a single, last resource. There was nothing but you and your broken form. A failed soldier.

You were standing, watching the sun shining on buildings across Hala through the small window in your cell, admiring the dots circling farther down the street, almost forgetting that each dot was a person. You wonder if Carol forgets who they are.

"Um, admiring my city, I see." You spare her a brief glance before you return it to the window. She was in a red robe with local designs, and you can't shake off your head at how beautiful she is. How beautiful she looks in red. Or any other color.

You don't exactly know why Carol still comes to your cell, but you can't lie to yourself that you don't like it. You do. But you convince yourself that any company is better than the solitude of these walls, just that and nothing else.

She is an empress after all. A Sovereign, considered by many to be evil and tyrant. But each gentle gesture towards you reminds you that her hands are stained with blood. Like yours. Your conscience doesn't seem to know which side it should be on.

"Forgive me if my boredom is exacerbated, your city is the only thing I have left to admire." You answer still looking ahead, afraid to look at her and be mesmerized. The Empress was a mystery that captivated you, as her answers were never what you would expect them to be. Just like now.

“I could end your boredom. Hala’s Summer Trade is famous across the galaxy, have you ever tasted Pluot Fruit?” Your head swivel towards her so fast it feels like a whip.

"Summer?" Quickly you do the math in your head, in this solar system the days and seasons were longer than in Xandar, so... "How long have I been kept in here?"

"Too long, Nova." Nova? What kind of nickname is this? Shaking your head, you question her. "Nova? This is not my name." She giggles and moves closer to the energy field that makes up your cell door, she’s one yard away so you can smell her perfume. White jasmine.

“I know it isn't. But I decided to abbreviate the title of Nova Corps to Nova, besides, I own this place…” she opens her arms to emphasize what she's talking about. "I can call you whatever I want, prisoner."

You decide to play her game and with a smirk on your face you respond. “Prisoner? Now, seconds ago weren’t you inviting me for a walk, your highness?”

You lick your lips when you see her face contorting in a mix of anger and something else, but what, you don't know. “You abuse my benevolence too much. Your precious Xandar never tried to open a ransom deal, you are of no use to them or to me.”

Her words crash into your chest, and you feel your heart break a little more. Months have passed and there was no sign of another corpsman coming to your rescue and now she tells you that Nova Prime didn't even try to negotiate your freedom.

You close your eyes and with small, defeated steps you walk to the window. A lifetime dedicated to Nova Corp and Xandar, to be abandoned like a stray dog lost from its owners. Like someone worthless.

Defeated and hopeless, you ask Empress Carol why she still keeps you alive. Standing in the hallway leading to the dungeons hall she smiles triumphantly and speaks. "For my entertainment, prisoner."

"What do you think of the Pluot?" Carol's voice breaks your train of thought.

"Strangely delicious." You respond by referring to the strange appearance, as if it was a dried fruit and not completely juicy right after tasting it.

As with the fruit, such was your surprise to see Carol's interaction with her subjects. Many of them kept their distance, paid their obeisance and respects to the Empress, and continued on their way with their heads low.

However, a reassuring number of people seemed to genuinely like or even admire Carol and not out of obligation. Doing a 180° turn in the opinion you once held of the Empress, she was extremely adorable when interacting with children.

Who knew the fearsome tormentor of the Kree empire would be so… human? How can someone, who keeps a prisoner just for her own pleasure, be so kind? You wonder if they were the same person at all.

She smiles in response to what you said and you smile back, completely unsure of the reasons why you do.

After the Hala market tour went without incident, that is, without any attempt to escape on your part, Carol has granted you the right to stroll through the inner gardens of her palace. As much as you want to hate the way she plays as if you were a puppet, you can't.

You try to hate her, but each day you spend in her company makes it harder for you to deny the feeling that, gradually, grows in your chest. Then, you find yourself desperate to hang this passion before it's too late.

Your morning walks allow you to see autumn slowly approaching, little by little, with each leaf touching the ground. And if you used to enjoy Carol's garden alone, over time, the Empress's company became part of your routine.

"Why are you still keeping me alive, Carol?" You rarely addressed her by the title of empress or nobility, and she never forced you to use it, she seemed not to care whether you recognized her power or not. Nor did he seem to mind when you used it ironically.

"I like your company." She answered and that made you look directly into her eyes. "It isn't every day that I find a match." Her answer made something boil in your chest and you had to force your heart to understand that she was probably referring to the fight.

"I'm not a match for you, your highness." You spoke. "Everything special about me came from an enhanced helmet." A sad smile danced on your lips, remembering how powerless you felt when you saw it broken in her hand. You remembered how broken you felt yourself.

“Everything special about you comes from your heart, Nova.” Her tone was low and as much as you wanted, there was nothing to grasp in it. She spoke this sentence as if she were speaking about the weather but for you it just set your heart on fire.

Between stories from a lifetime ago, when Carol was only a human being without a single clue that the universe was bigger than her world and stories from her time adapting and training in Hala, you felt yourself slowly but surely falling for her.

The change for you was visible and you prayed it would be visible only to you. If before you thought she was beautiful, now she’s extremely attractive in your eyes. Even when choosing simple robes, Carol was always dressed impeccably.

After spending so much time together, it was only a matter of time before you realized that the Empress was possessed of vast intellect and knowledge about many different things.

But what strike you most was how funny and mundane she could be, yet, she still had that special something in her eyes that never failed in make you weak. You were a prisoner, indeed. A prisoner of her eyes.

Unlike many extremely powerful beings, Carol was humble enough to listen to your stories, and even encouraged you to tell more details about yourself. She never quite understood, but something about you drew her as if you were a magnet.

The sparkle in your eyes as you spoke about your homeland, friends, or your passion and honor in serving Nova Corp thrilled her. There were many things in you that stirred emotions in her, as well as aroused feelings that she thought she was no longer capable of feeling for a long time.

And so, without realizing it and at the same time fully aware of what was going on beneath her skin, the Empress fell in love with her Prisoner.

Winter at Hala marked when your quarters were no longer a cell but a room in Empress's palace. Larger than your home in Xandar, the room was beautifully decorated with art, and you could discern some Xandar artwork. You wonder if it was coincidence.

Despite being as warm as a star, Carol suggested that both of you should trade your walks in the garden for spending time in the library available at the palace. And that's how you began to be the Empress's company during her meals.

It started with lunch and then evolved into dinner and now Carol finds herself waiting for your presence before even touching her plate. ‘I shouldn't allow myself such weakness’, she thought. However, she couldn't bring herself to change or to avoid the need of your company.

"I beg your pardon?" You speak, barely able to avoid spilling your soup. The increasingly warm but shy rays of the sun and the many animals strolling in the courtyard tell you that spring is just around the corner. And that's exactly what almost made you spill the soup, in first place.

Carol cleared her throat, promptly speaking again, as if you had not heard her from the first time. “I’d be delighted if you grant me the honor of your company for the Spring Ball due in two weeks.” She looked at you expectantly.

Your mind was swirling as to why she would want you as her company, out of all people. She was the Empress; she could have anyone she wanted by her side. Yet, here she was, asking you to be her date.

The time in Hala flew slower as it did in Xandar, but it felt like the opposite, for the Ball came faster than you thought it be possible.

And here you were, walking down the entrance stairs in a beautiful golden gown with Carol’s arm locked with yours. Her deep green dress was marvelous and when you saw her welcoming you with that pretty smile of hers you thought you could melt.

Much to your dismay, Carol could sing just as she’d told you she could, but you never believed in her. It wasn’t hard for you to realize that you were free falling in love with her even more than you already were. If it was possible, you fell in love again. You’d be her prisoner, forever.

As the night went on, you were mesmerized by the ball, the music, and the way of life in Hala. It felt like a different life, one that very much resembled prince and princess’ tales that you heard when you were a kid.

A life that didn’t quite belong to you but looking into her eyes it made it feel like everything was possible, reachable, as if her power could create a different world. Just as she did. As ruler of the Kree empire, she created a new kingdom.

Standing in the balcony, you welcomed the cold air hitting your skin that was inebriating your senses, previously flooded by the Empress. The stars illuminated the sky of Hala making the city bellow you even prettier.

A soft touch in your hand brings your gaze back to its owner and a small gasp scape your lips when you see how close she is, even more so when you wish she were closer. “I never told you how beautiful you are tonight.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“You flatter me, your highness. You’re flawless yourself.” A small smile creeped up her lips and you forced yourself to keep your eyes locked with hers, proven to be a hard task when she started to lean into your ear.

“There is something that I wanted to tell you for a while ago.” Her hands on your waist made it difficult for you to pay attention to her words, along with the feel of her cheek touching your cheeks made your knees weak.

“You’re no longer a prisoner and you can leave Hala if you want to.” Her thumb drew patterns where it touched you and you could feel your skin burning. “You’re free, but I wish you’d stay here.” She backed down and now her eyes were boring into yours.

“I wish you’d stay here with me.” She stressed.

Your heart and head were running thousand miles per hour in completely opposite directions. The rational part of you wanted to take your freedom and go back to Xandar, even though you should find it suspicious that, almost after a year, she’d let you go. Specially after you’d learned so much about Hala. About her.

However, your heart’s been slowly giving itself to this woman right in front of you, and there was nothing that you wanted more than to stay here with her. Surely, you felt left behind by Nova Prime, but it still stings in you that no one came after you. Not even a fellow corpsman.

‘Not one that you know, for that matter.’ You shook your conscience’s voice away and gave in to your heart. The rational part of you broke at the exact same time as did your helmet.

“Carol, I…” You begin but she interrupts you by placing an oh so soft lips on yours and there is no voice to hear anymore. Nor rational, nor emotional. There are only her lips pouring her heart into a kiss and you do just the same.

Right in that moment you felt as if your heart was about to melt, maybe it would, if she hadn’t broken the kiss and rested her forehead in yours.

“Tell me you’ll stay and rule by my side.” Before the true meaning of her words could sink in, the sky of Hala suddenly shone as if thousands of stars appeared right in that moment, drawing the attention of you both.

Not long until you realized that it wasn’t stars, but thousands of spaceships painting the night over your heads, and you’d recognize those ships anywhere. Xandar was here. And a voice that you’d never forget was heard above all noise.

“I am Nova Prime and Xandar declares war to Empress Carol, accused of murdering Nova Corps’ Commander.”

‘Why are they accusing her of murder?’ You thought to yourself. It does not make sense that she’s being accused of killing you when you’re alive. Unless…

“Carol, what did you do?”

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galacticwildfire · 4 years ago

Text

found.

Twelve.

Pairing: Kenobi!oc x Din Djarin

Summary: Satine and Obi-wan’s daughter fought in the war against the Empire and lost her faith when she lost Mandalore. Until she found him. A lone Mandalorian searching for a Jedi.

Warnings: lots of killing and nearly dying, Cara doing her best to get them together but failing, dark side stuff, some fluff at the end. swearing.

Word Count: 4.9k

A/N: next chapter it diverges from canon, there’ll be a few chapters in between now and meeting Ahsoka, Leia is coming up in the next two chapters, they going on a trip to the core worlds.

Cara and I walk ahead of the boys and I already know what this is about.

"How much shit did you give him?"

"Only a little," she says but I know her better than that. "Only fair I give you some as well."

I go for denial, using my general voice as I ask her "Are men and women not allowed to be friends now Cara?"

"Not when they're eye-fucking constantly."

I elbow her in the ribs and she just laughs. "That's what I thought."

"Did you have this much of a mouth on you when I was your commanding officer."

"I did, which was why you liked me," she says and it's hard to be mad at her because it's true. "Please tell me you aren't as stubborn as he is with admitting what's going on between the two of you."

"Cara, if you think I haven't become more stubborn with age you're in for a shock," I inform her. "And there's nothing going on."

"You sure about that?" she asks and all I can hear is him last night, when I was half asleep leaning on his shoulder with the blanket he wrapped around me.

Sweet dreams Mesh'la

My hand comes up to rub my shoulder, my eyes pressed shut for a moment as I try to forget.

"I'm sure."

"You're an awful liar you know that right."

"Look Cara, I don't have a great track record with men," I say, while we fought together in the field my love life has remained quite separate from everything else. While it's common enough knowledge I was with Lando, nobody outside my family knows about the last bounty hunter. "I left the last one so I could keep doing my job instead of settling down, and I don't plan on that changing."

Yet I can't help but taste the lie on my tongue the moment it leaves my mouth.

"And so this isn't your job now?" she asks and I suddenly regret not being stricter with her, while I was strictly formal with most of my soldiers I liked her enough that we became friends. "But you know that you've got him some type of way."

I just laugh at that. "We're talking about the same guy right?"

"You mean the one who's been staring at you since you two hopped off that ship and I bet fifty credits he's staring at you right now."

While she glances over her shoulder I don't have to. I can feel his gaze melting into me.

"So what if he's looking at me?" I counter. "He's observant, vigilant. It's nothing."

"You two are perfect for each other" she says sarcastically as she shakes her head.

"And why's that?"

"You're the biggest idiots in the galaxy."

"Oh no," I say shaking my head. "If you knew my history with men you'd very much agree drawing that line is the smartest thing I've done in my life."

And with that I decide to finish the conversation and turn back around to the boys, the sudden action makes Din halt.

"So Magistrate Karga," I begin with a lighter voice than what I typically use when I'm presenting myself as a general, my mother did raise me to follow after her even if she underestimated just how much I took after my father. "As much as I've loved catching up with my old friend here, what's this business you want our assistance with?"

Cara gives me a knowing look and I offer a self-satisfied smirk in return. I'm not being interrogated, not by her, and certainly not today.

"Just this way Duchess," he says and I wait for him and Din to catch up before I keep walking.

The two of us share a mutually exasperated look as he comes to my side, as ironic as it is to try to deny it. There is a difference between strangers assuming we're together and our friends relentlessly taunting us over it.

We're led into a building and Din lets me enter first, my eyes settling on a Mythrol working on some computers.

"This is Kyra Kenobi, Rebellion General and Duchess of Mandalore," Greef says and the man looks confused before Din steps in and there is pure fear. "And as for my friend here I believe you two have met."

Something like steam is expelled from his gills and I realise he and Din have most certainly met.

"I'm surprised to see you here."

"Right back at ya," he says anxiously and I can't help how the corner of my mouth tilts upwards as I glance at Din.

"Mythrol here's taken care of my books since he was a pollywog," Greef tells us. "But then he disappeared one day after a bit of creative accounting."

"Magistrate Karga was generous enough to let me work off my debt," the Mythrol swallows, glancing between Din and I. "Thank you by the way."

"Three hundred and fifty years, but who's counting?"

"Well if he runs off on you again let me know," Din says and I can't help the proud half smile on my face.

"Let me assure you, I do not want to spend any more time in carbonite," he says and I look at Din who stands a little too proudly. "Still can't see outta my left eye."

"Carbonite's nasty but it does the job," I say much to Din's surprise as well as the Mythrols. "I was actually there the first time it was ever used on a bounty, he was fine but oh the effects are certainly long lasting."

Din's is even more surprised by that and leaves Karga slightly disturbed.

"You aren't here to take me away are you General?" Mythrol asks and I laugh dismissively.

"That's beneath my job description."

"Speaking of which can we talk business?" Cara asks and now I'm the one raising my eyebrows at her.

"Now you want to talk business?"

I hear a muffled choke come from the back of Din's throat which he attempts to cover up by clearing his throat.

"We're only here for repairs," Din says and his desperation to get out of this room further confirms my suspicions that Cara gave him an earful.

"Which will take a while. Which means you'll have free time on your hands right?"

"We have time," I tell Din knowing Ahsoka likely won't be going anywhere and he sighs reluctantly.

"We could really use your help," Greef says glancing between us. "Both of you."

"What kind of help?" I ask, already having an inkling it's my line of work.

Cara opens up a hologram. "This is Nevarro. We're here. This entire area's a green zone. Completely safe." She zooms in on a base. "But over here's the problem. Which is right up your ally."

"It's an old Imperial base," Greef tells us and I almost get excited. "And who better to help us than the best rebel there ever was."

"Has this base caused any trouble for you before?" I ask and a silence settles over them all. "I'll take that a yes then?"

"It's where all those troops came from when we defeated Moff Gideon," Cara elaborates and I remember what Greef told me. Din only told me Gideon was dead, he hadn't given me the whole story. Especially not how he took Gideon down in an admiral act of madness. But now I know. "This base has been here since the Imperial expansion. It's got a skeleton crew but for some reason it hasn't been abandoned."

"The Empire is upping its security," I tell her bitterly. "Old freighters that are meant to have skeletons crews now have entire squadrons transporting brand new state of the art weapons. You can bet that it will be manned by far more than a skeleton crew."

"Then you might be interested," Greef says hopefully. "There's a lot of heavy weaponry in that place the black market would love to dismantle and get their hands on."

That definitely piques my interest, something Din notices and he asks me "This is the type of thing you've been looking for right?"

"Definitely," I answer, he may be reluctant but he isn't arguing. "This past year or so I've noticed Imperial activity escalating in the outer rims, something the Republic doesn't want to admit since Mon Mothma is set on demilitarising. I've been looking for proof that they can't deny, I've got some but whatever is in this base might just seal the deal."

"So you'll do it?" Greef asks and a satisfied smile spreads across my face.

"Magistrate Karga, Imperials are my speciality."

"Now that's what I like to hear," he grins. "And you Mando, you going to let your lady take care of this on her own, not that she isn't capable of course, or are you going to tag along?"

At this point I hardly even react to being called his lady, it's certainly the most polite way it's been phrased and there's no dissuading either of them from that opinion anyways.

Din looks at me and despite how much I want to prove Cara wrong I know I must have some effect on him when he doesn't even sigh before agreeing. "I'll come."

With that we head outside, Karga and Cara going to prepare but Din and I hang back a little out of earshot to talk.

"Thank you," I say to him quietly. "I know this isn't quite what we agreed upon."

"It's a given at this point that we're going to end up shooting up Imperial bases," he says in resignation then tilts his helmet towards me. "But I don't mind."

"You don't?"

"You weren't wrong with what you said on Trask, people like us, we live for the fight," he says and I feel something light up within me at those words. "Or in my case for the hunt."

"As long as the kid is safe first and foremost," I finish for his sake and he nods in agreement, his body easing in relief.

"That's my main priority, but it doesn't mean you aren't one," he says and I know I must quite visibly be taken by surprise. "You have a job, a purpose, I can't expect you to just forget it for the kid. You respect my creed and the child's safety above all else, and I respect the work you're doing out here. I respect you. It's a compromise I'm happy to make."

And something blooms in my chest that I haven't felt in so long. Except this time it's accompanied by something even more crucial, trust.

"Thank you Din," I say, comfortably knowing we're out of earshot of Cara and Greef. "And I do respect you. Your creed, what you do for the kid. All of it. You're a good man Din Djarin."

I feel how his body almost seizes up at those words, as if in disbelief. "I wouldn't go that far."

"But I will," I say, truly seeing it even if he can't. "It's true, even if you can't believe it."

"If you knew the things I've done-"

"You're a bounty hunter, I know what you do," I reply calmly, but he isn't Boba. He couldn't be more different. "I know better than most, and you're unlike any bounty hunter I've ever met. You are a good man."

I hear his shaky intake of breath but before he can reply we hear Cara calling out to us, telling us to hurry up, and we do before we can dig ourselves deeper into this hole.

We ride by speeder to the base, a tension hanging between Din and I who sit side by side. One I know the others can feel.

But aside from that I'm feeling quite optimistic at the thought of storming an Imperial base, happy even, which Din notices.

"You look like you have a good feeling about this."

"I've missed this, it reminds me of the good old days," I say knowing how strange it must seem that the war was the good days. "Storming Imperial bases, working on my saber skills. It's been a while."

"You stormed an Imperial freighter days ago," he points out with that dry humour of his.

A smile twitches at my lip as I tell him "It's not the same."

"There's a reason we left when they wanted us to be peacekeepers," Cara says and we exchange a smile. "And look at us now."

"A Marshall and an honourary General who's a pain in the Chancellors ass," I say proudlu.

"She doesn't like you does she?" Cara asks which is something Din and Greef seem very surprised by.

"Why wouldn't she?" Greef asks in bewilderment and Din tilts his helmet at me in equal confusion.

"Let's just say they didn't like my mother, the Republic always thought she was difficult and the Rebel Alliance kept her out of the loop due to having been neutral in the Clone Wars," I tell them, remembering well my mothers insistance on neutrality, until the Empire decided otherwise. "So when the heir to Mandalore joined the alliance at sixteen they were hesitant to say the least, but oh they had no idea what was in store for them."

"And what was in store?" Din asks and I can't help the pride that rises in me.

"A Mandalorian."

And I feel the pride in him that we wear like beskar. The foundling Mandalorian who never removes his, and the Mandalorian Duchess who hasn't worn hers in years. But that doesn't change who we are. It doesn't make us any more or any less Mandalorian.

"So what's the plan?" he asks me but it's Greef who speaks.

"The whole base is powered by a reactor."

"We sneak in, overload the reactor, and get the hell out of there," Cara finishes and it sounds solid enough.

"Alright, while you do that I'll take a look around the base. Get whatever evidence I can," I decide knowing what I'll need to get the Mothma to acknowledge what's going on out here.

"You'll have to be fast," Din warns, and I can feel that concern in him. Not because he thinks I'm incapable, but solely because raising a toddler has left him constantly filled with worry.

"Don't you worry about me," I assure him. "I'll be just fine."

"There it is," Greef says pointing in the distance. "Right there. You see it?"

We come through the canyon and sure enough there it is.

"How close do you want me to drop you off?" Mythrol asks.

"How about the front door?"

I look at Din beside me as Greef and Mythrol continue to bicker and can feel his eyes rolling back into his head beneath the helmet and smile.

Finally we arrive and jump out of the speeder. We come to an elevator and I get my saber out while Din works the controls.

"Controls are useless, they're melted."

"No problem," I say using the force to slide the door open and they all give me the same look to which I shrug my shoulders. "Jedi."

"Alright I'm heading back," Mythrol stammers, still seeming unnerved by Din and I. "Hit me up on the com, we could set up a rendezvous time."

"You park your gills right there until I say otherwise."

"No," I say reluctantly, something nagging at me that I know not to ignore. "He'll be useful. He's coming with us."

"Are you serious?" Cara asks, voicing what everyone's thinking.

"Yes," I say and Mythrol looks at me like it's a joke. "Do I need to tell you twice?"

"No General," he says quickly as he stumbles out of the speeder. "I've heard the stories, you won't have any trouble from me."

I nod in satisfaction and step inside the elevator then pause, feeling them. "There's troopers above. Cara, Mando, follow me up. Greef, Mythrol, stay down here until it's quiet."

"Don't need to tell me twice," Mythrol says as Cara and Din join me in the elevator.

"Don't shoot unless you have to," I instruct, knowing this isn't going to be just a skeleton crew. "We're sneaking in, don't want to draw unwanted attention."

"You got it," Cara says and Din nods in agreement as I work the controls inside until the elevator jolts and rises.

The doors open and there's only four. The moment I ignite my saber they freeze, instantly recognising me, the first one who goes to shoot I toss off the edge of the platform using the force and strike down the others before they can even think to run.

"You gonna leave some for us?" Cara asks and I grin back at them.

"Possibly." I poke my head over the edge and call out "You can come up now."

They both look at the body on the ground and back to me with equal looks of horror before quickly shuffling into the elevator.

"I almost forgot you could fling people across a room," Cara says and I can't tell if Din is disturbed or impressed, I'm guessing the latter.

Greef and Mythrol walk out onto the platform and survey the area as I inspect the bodies, finding standard stormtrooper army.

"The reactor should be set in the heat shaft," Greef tells us as Cara walks near the edge. "If we drain the cooling lines this whole base will go up in a matter of minutes."

"Look," we hear Mythrol say and see him pointing at a covered up marauder. "It's a mint Trexler Marauder. Do you know how much we can get for this on the black market?"

"And it's gonna get vaporised like the rest of this base," Din says and I can hear the annoyance rumbling in his voice.

"Was this guy actually a bounty or did he just piss you off?" I ask and he sighs heavily.

"Both," he answers. "Now let's go."

"Alright, you guys handle the reactor and I'll get what I need," I tell them. "If you run into any trouble I'm sure you can handle it."

"Likewise," Din says and nods towards the controls for the door into the base. "You want to open that or should I?"

My lip tilts up as I push the door up with the force and ignite my saber but it's all clear. "Alright, we take security out then split up."

And so I guide us through the ship, Din and Cara taking out the camera's as we find our way to command and I sense soldiers inside.

"Shuttle bay, this is command," we hear from inside. "Shuttle bay, the security feed just went down, can you check your relay hub? Shuttle bay?"

Cara grabs the officer in a choke hold and knocks him out while Din and I work the security controls, shutting them all down and extracting the tapes.

"This will come in handy."

We look to see Greef holding a code cylinder.

"Very handy indeed," I agree. "You better hang onto that, you'll need it to get to the reactor."

"I found the heat shaft."

"Go blow this place sky high," I tell them. "I'll get what I need."

Before I head off Din grabs my wrist and warns me "Remember to get out quick before the reactor blows."

"Don't worry dear, I'll be just fine," I assure him before we part ways.

While they head to the reactor I walk through the base after extracting everything I can from the command centre, and the deeper I go the more certain I am that isn't right here.

That there's something strange at work.

And so I let the force guide me until I stumble upon it. A place where it is so abnormally strong I don't want to see what waits inside.

"Command isn't responding," I hear an officer say as I silently enter the room. "Command come in."

I ignite my saber and they jump around to stare at me in horror. The moment they register the yellow blade they pull out blasters but not to fire upon me.

I freeze them both in place before they can fire on the controls. Immediately from their uniforms I know they aren't typical officers.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Jedi Master Kyra Kenobi," one grits between his teeth as he tries to desperately to pull the trigger on his blaster but he can't. "You- you should never have come here."

"The force brought me here," I answer and then out of the corner of my eye I see it. Giant tanks filled with life forms, each of them so strong with the force I've never felt, or seen, anything like it.

"I've seen many things in my time fighting the Empire," I tell them as I take a closer inspection. "But very few things have disturbed me as deeply as this."

I put a hand on the glass and look upon the grotesque lifeforms and feel it, the life within.

"This isn't a military base," I realise as I turn to look at the scientists, struggling against my grasp on them. "This is a lab."

And I see true fear in their eyes. "You don't know anything."

"But I do," I say as I step closer to them. Allowing myself to see clearly, not through my own eyes but through the force. "Cinder. Suicide before capture. You have orders to destroy everything here if you were ever caught."

It's then the sirens blare throughout the base and I realise my time is limited.

They won't tell me anything, but their data will.

"You will let me into the system," I instruct feeling the strength of the force, feeling their will to fight against it falter. "You will drop your blasters and let me into the system now!"

It's then Din and the others run in to find me throwing the scientists blasters across the room while holding them at lightsaber point as they let me into the system.

"Kyra?" I hear Din ask as they stare at the tanks in horror. "What the hell is this?"

"We're about to find out."

A hologram of another scientist appears.

"We replicated the results of the subsequent trials, which also resulted in catastrophic failure. There were promising effects for an entire fortnight, but then sadly the body rejected the blood. I highly doubt we'll find another donor with a higher M-count though."

It's then I feel truly sick to my stomach as I realise the truth behind these experiments. So sick I feel Din's hand on my shoulder as my eyes glass over.

"Midichlorians," I exhale shakily and the scientists eyes widen in terror at my realisation.

"I recommend that we suspend all experimentation. I fear that the volunteer will meet the same regrettable fate if we proceed with the transfusion. Unfortunately we have exhausted our initial supply of blood. The Child is small, and I was only able to harvest a limited amount without killing him."

I look at Din in such horror I'm grasping his arm at the thoughts of what they've done to the child, what they plan to do. He couldn't even begin to imagine the true darkness that lies behind this.

"If these experiments continue as requested, we would again require access to the donor. I will not disappoint you again, Moff Gideon."

I bring a shaking hand up to cover my mouth while Din tries to rationalise it. "This must be an old transmission. Moff Gideon is dead."

I look at the scientists. "How old is this recording."

No mind tricks are required as I hold them in place.

"Three days old."

"If Gideon's alive then-"

Blaster shots fill the air and something inside of me snaps. I deflect the blaster shots, covering them until Din and Cara can clear the room then grab one of the scientists by the collar of his shirt.

"Kill me," he challenges and I shake my head.

"No, that would be mercy."

I cut his companion down knowing that I only need one and hold my saber to his throat.

"Greef, I don't suppose I can borrow Mythrols cuffs?"

He nods, stunned, and very quickly cuffs the scientist as I stare at the tanks, feeling sick to my core.

"Mando, you're putting him in carbonite when we get back to your ship."

"Alright," he agrees as Cara grabs the scientist and holds him at blaster point. "But what's going on here, what do you know?"

I'm rendered incapable of speech as darkness fills my senses, true darkness I haven't felt in so many years. Something almost familiar-

I feel Din's hands cupping my face. "Kyra?" He can feel me shaking beneath his touch. "We need to get out of here."

My eyes focus on him and only then do I feel the tears staining my cheeks, but the darkness has me paralysed. "Kyra," he repeats wiping those tears away and whispers to me in Mando'a. "I don't know what's going on here, but I know you. Whatever this is you can fight it, for the kid, for me. We need to get the hell out of here."

The mention of the child, of my padawan, pulls me from the darkness and I snap out of the daze of darkness with his hand's clutching my face. And then they come.

Blasterfire once again echoes through the room and I yell "Get to the ship, I'll hold them off."

Cara takes the prisoner with Greef and Mythrol following closely behind her, Din and I stay to fight.

But with two more appearing for each that falls and the reactor about to blow we know we need to get the hell out of here.

"I don't like these odds."

"Neither do I," I agree as we take cover behind the control panel. With the reactor due to blow any minute now and the sheer number of troops I really don't like these odds. "Get the kid, I'll hold them off."

"Kyra-" he begins to protest but I'm not having it.

"Get the kid and take him far away from here," I order as blaster fire begins to ricochet above us. "The Empire will get his hands on him over my dead body."

He grabs my hand tightly and swears to me "It's not going to come to that."

"Go," I repeat knowing he's the only one who can jet back to the town in time in case they come for the kid, and that I'm the only one who can hold them off for long enough. "Now!"

And I cover him. Deflecting the blaster fire until he can make it out towards the reactor to jet out, leaving me to fight my way through the base to retreat to the speeder. But standing between me and freedom is over a dozen troopers packed into a hallway, firing out at the platform where Cara and the others are.

I look at my saber and by the time I reach the troopers they don't know what's hit them, not until they're dead on the ground and I deflect a blaster shot as I run onto the platform, only to see Cara is the one holding the blaster.

"You're alive," she breathes in relief. "Mando?"

"Jetted out of here to get the kid," I answer knowing he'd have to be at the school by now. "We need to get the hell out of here."

Then I hear them running, dozens upon dozens more troopers. "Get back!"

And with the fear, with the anger, with every bloody midichlorian in me that would die before letting any harm come to the child, I bring down the tunnel, collapsing it completely.

But I can feel the domino effect within and know our time is up.

"Speeder, now!"

We run to the elevator only for it to open to more troopers but we don't have time.

"Kyra!" Cara yells as she pulls the cover off the Trexler Marauder. It's crazy, but it will work.

I hold off the troopers as she gets it running, grabbing the terrified scientist by the throat and shoving him inside.

"It's about to blow," I tell her and she curses as she revs the engine, backing into the rubble I made, then the moment she launches us off of the platform it blows.

Lava erupts from the base and splatters around us as we catapult towards the canyon.

"It got us!' Mythrol yells and I look to find the back end of the vehicle aflame but we can't stop. I run to the back and stumble as the vehicle jolts against the rocks, smoke filling the cabin. By the time I reach the back it already has a hole burned through it, large enough that I can see the lava that chases us.

Flames threaten to consume us until I use whatever strength's left in me to keep the flames at bay, blocking out the chaos and the darkness, until finally the vehicle comes to a halt and when I open my eyes we're safe in the canyon, the flames little more smoking sparks.

I let out a shaky breath of relief and look back to find everyone alright, well aside from the scientist who is a dishevelled mess on the ground. Knowing he's not going anywhere I step out of the gaping hole in the back of the vehicle and examine the mess we've left behind. It's impressive.

It's then I hear the familiar rumbling of the ship above and watch as it lands, unable to help my hazy smile as the landing platform lowers and he stands there with the kid in his arms.

I stumble forward and don't realise how much strength has been taken from me until I'm in his arms, hugging him in relief. "Din."

"Kyra," he breathes as my head falls against his shoulder and he holds me upright, cradling me and the child in his arms. "You're alright?"

"Told you I'd be fine," I smile breathlessly as the others emerge from the vehicle. "We all made it out."

I lift my head up enough to look at the child, my padawan, and back to Din. All restraint gone as I wrap my arms around them both, my hand cradling the back of Dins helmet as I embrace them both fully. And to my equal surprise and relief, he returns the embrace just as fiercely.

And despite the darkness that looms, I've never felt closer to the light.

A/N

Hey guys, thank you so much for all the comments reading them honestly makes my day, please follow my tumblr wildfirewildflower for updates and one-shots and shitposting in general.

#din djarin #din djarin fanfiction #the mandalorian #the mandalorian fanfiction #din djarin x oc #mando x oc #found.#wildfirewildflower

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mihorapendeja · 4 years ago

Text

happier than ever | tsukishima x you

the one shot in which tsukishima basically falls for a female version of everyone's favorite sunny tangerine.

genre: fluff/soft core smut lmao i haven't done this in years i feel silly but here you go

pairing(s): kei tsukishima x you (referred to as "ria kihira" in part 1 bc this was originally going to be an OC thing but nvm a/n's: show this some love and interaction pls.

PART 1: THE PAST

❝Again?❞ Even though Tsukishima complained again, this time he made it easier for her as he even stood completely still. Such a good boy.

❝Let her beat your face!❞ Shoyo exclaimed as she smiled in delight, then moving on to pat the powder puff on his stupid face. Of course she only took a few seconds for him, but all the time in the world for Hinata.

While the two chirped about the new reboot trailer for Dexter, Kuroo's sleazy self slid beside his lanky child with an extra smug look on his face. That man was a menace.

❝Say, don't you think they look related?❞

Tsukishima was a difficult man to catch off guard, but right then and there, a mini existential crisis kicked in. His eyes darted back and forth between Shoyo and Ria Kihira, the makeup artist on set for the commercial filming day.

Kei knew Kuroo was a slut for all the pretty things in life — he constantly had a trope of hot women surrounding him.

But this time, he'd really outdone himself.

Not a stupid man entirely, a huge shit-eating grin formed on Tetsuro's face. He followed Kei's eyes who desperately wandered back and forth their matching hair, skin tone, lack of height... "please let it be a mere coincidence because it's bad enough that—" Kei shut his own intrusive mind from further thinking as he slapped his hand over Kuroo's mouth shut. Tight.

That hyena laugh was not being unleashed today.

THE STORY OF HOW YOU MET:

ca. 2019, on set of a commercial for one of Kuroo's production companies. After Tetsuro had defeated Kei in a game of beer pong, he had to comply with the loser's bet -- be part of the damn commercial along with Shoyo, for a viewership boost. So he said. Ria was the makeup artist on set that day, and it pretty much went from Tsuki acting like a feral cat who didn't want to be touched by any makeup tools, to blissfully passing out in a chair while she gently stroked his face with a soft powder brush.

Near the end of the day when he'd no longer back away from her with animosity, it was Kuroo's stupidly astute observation that left him rattled. The boy was put into a choke hold because he refused to like someone with the same orange hair and milky skin tone as Hinata. Someone equally bright, bubbly, and stupid ... yeah that refusal didn't last long. Ria spoke her mind so freely, being direct but never pleading because she respected herself in that regard. He liked that and before Kei knew it, he found himself admitting to her that he was, "actually quite fond of you." She understood it was his way of saying those pesky 3 words, 8 letters.

PART 2: THE PRESENT, 3 YEARS LATER.

THE ALARM CLOCK rang it’s deathly siren like tone, nearly sending you into cardiac arrest. Although he defensively stretched an arm out over your chest as if ready to protect, Kei did not get up.

Of course he wouldn't.

Like every morning at 4am, it was you who suffered the most when getting out of bed to grab the phone to silence that torture down. As you had deeply sighed and turned to face the bed, Tssuki was now face up with the covers all the way up to his nose.

Even in your groggy state, you could tell he was smirking. That smug bastard stared at you intently, dead still. While Kei typically minded his own business and was at times thought of as quiet, the boy was definitely not shy. You wouldn't call him a total flirt, but he could so hold onto a gaze without so little as batting a long eyelash.

Kei was, extremely competitive. Lightning would have to strike his literal eyes to keep them from staring at you, specifically at your curvy thighs.

The way your soft cotton shorts rode up them was always a very pleasant sight, so he just kept staring, happily.

He loved that little penguin walk you busted into every morning when shutting the alarm off.

It’s like you couldn’t balance properly, and he swore that you were always shorter looking in the early hours of the day. He didn’t know how you could lack more height than you already did at barely 5 feet 2, but it always seemed that way.

It was especially cute, like he could just grab you and keep you in the palm of his hand.

Tired, you sat back down on the bed. You scooted until meeting the headboard, and then just let her head dip back.

It was so incredibly peaceful until you could no longer ignore his obvious glaring. “If you’re awake already, why don’t you get up?”

“It’s barely 4:05,

we don’t go in till 5am.”

He said so factually that you just deeply exhaled. Tssuki was definitely not a morning person, and neither were you.

Even though you were much more energetic, it was a Friday and you could not wait for the end of the workday already.

While Tssuki could be late to practice because let's be honest, few would even confront him, you could not pull off the same irresponsibility.

You cared way too much, and in general, hated the feeling of being late to anything. "Come on." You murmured, nudging Kei as he completely ignored you and kept on sleeping.

You waited for another minute before climbing out of bed, grabbing his attention once again. This time, your black shorts were scrunched further up. So far up that your ample ass cheeks were out in all their glory.

“Arigato, thank you god.”

Nishinoya would say.

“Well I’m not as naturally good looking as you so I’m gonna go shower and start getting ready.”

You huffed, truly riling Kei up inside. Hearing you say that genuinely made something inside of his stomach stir, so he instinctively reached out towards your wrist.

Even in the dark room, he could see your face clearly and tell you weren’t joking. "The fuck is wrong with her?" He thought, not angry, but extremely concerned because you weren't fishing for a compliment.

The two of you had been together for over 3 years now, and so he more than knew that you were not that kind of girl.

Yes, you lacked height at 5’2, but you were physically strong. Literally, you could carry all the grocery bags in one go with no issues. Lifting abilities? Check.

Even though Tssuki cruelly chose the apartment with extra high kitchen shelves, you would never ask for help to reach for stuff. "Help I can't reach" was not a phrase that existed in your world.

Literally, he’d sometimes walk in for some juice and find you on top of a chair reaching for something, if not on the literal counter tops to store items.

Independent? Check.

Resourceful? Check.

On top of all that, you had a voluptuous body he thought was fucking scrumptious. He understood that the norms for women in Japan could be vicious, especially if you weren’t a slender door like he was, but despite your insecurities, you still wore it all so well. You didn’t let it stop you from wearing whatever you wanted (as you should).

At times he did think you were a little bit stupid for fretting over such body image issues, but Tssuki was okay with that.

He didn’t want a know it all like himself, that be beyond insufferable.

Before he knew it, you were teaching him a thing or two as well. So Tssuki then knew you were not a vapid pick me girl, and that was honestly a pretty big turn on for him.

SPEAKING OF TURN ons, Kei found it incredibly hot to have you pinned beneath him, like you currently were.

It wasn’t an ingenue kink, to have you below him so submissively and weak, no. It was the way you fought to assert yourself, and the way you writhed. The way you tried to break free was no half assed attempt either.

Sometimes you'd even throw in a few knees into it, and Tssuki didn't mind it one bit. Two dominate personalities, things were always bound to be feisty in bed.

This time however, he sensed some a defeat in your soul.

Convinced to rekindle your spirits, his brows furrowed as he lowered himself closer to your pretty face.

“Take that back.” Tssuki growled in a low, oh so sexy deepened morning voice.

“I can’t, It’s true.” You protested, sighing as he pulled himself away only to then wrap his arms around your waist and throw you over his shoulders.

Misreading the situation, you first protested before breaking into full on laughter as he stormed into the shower with you still dangling, kicking your short legs in the air.

You had thought this was playful Tssuki, the version no one was too familiar with.

Except you … and Yamaguchi. You and Yams lived to exchange Tssuki-isms.

You were mistaken when trying to approach him as he had stripped entirely. God, you so badly wanted to touch his defined chest and close the space between —and that’s when your favorite salt mine smirked as he instinctively reached back to swivel the shower handle on.

Grabbing the detachable shower heard, Tssuki sprayed you down.

"That son of a bitch." You thought, having jumped back in shock, literally. The water was so fucking cold.

Tssuki raised a brow, testing you. On one hand, he thought you looked like a helpless kitten that was abandoned on some random parking lot on a rainy day.

He was an asshole, but if he ever came across a lonely stray cat, he'd so scoop it up and take home for some warm milk.

On the other hand, he thought you looked even more hot with the way your baggy shirt now clung onto every part of your curvaceous body.

Tssuki had to exhale as he saw your nipples peaking through your smaller but perfect chest. He just wanted to cup your perky tits, squeeze them and hear you moan in delight—your hot breath on his ear as you rested a side of your face on his.

“Can’t touch me till you take that back.”

He warned as you tried to take a step forward.

“Tssu— you whined, sighing as you crossed your arms, cold.

“Admit it, you’re beautiful. Say it.” He insisted as you tossed your head back. "I’m beautiful … kinda, I mean” you trailed off, too distracted by your own cruel thoughts to notice when he raised the shower head again to spray you down.

“Ouch!” You gasped this time, burned by the super hot water. Tssuki turned, realizing that instead of increasing the water’s pressure, he had turned it to the hot side.

Steaming hot.

He rubbed them back of his neck, sheepishly trying to play off. That stupidly cool bathroom is literally what had sold him into choosing that apartment.

After a long day of training, having a large bathtub to soak in, or large walk in shower that doubled as a sauna to rest in was a treat. Not only that, but curative. You swore that this man's epsom salt baths were the reason his long limbs were always good to go, pain free.

Tssuki rushed to place the shower head back on, pushing a few buttons on the digital control panel to get some therapeutic steam going.

On a good morning, he'd already have you pinned to the wall. Your face buried into his neck as Tssuki spread your ass apart, drilling his every inch into you.

But sadly, this wasn't a good morning ... yet. When you waved a hand out in defeat, eyes swelling with tears, Kei grabbed you right before you could step away.

You slammed into his chest with a light thump as he then grabbed your shoulders to keep you balanced. "My clumsy pumpkin." He thought as you raised your head to meet his warm eyes.

Tssuki lowered his face, gently planting a kiss on your forehead. Pulling away, he grabbed your arm & extended it out as he begin to plant a trail of kisses over the burned-pink area. His kisses deepened the closer he got to your neck, stopping only when at your jawline.

Now, the two of you were staring directly at each other, his eyes radiating all the comfort you wanted to see: love, adoration, lust. It was so quiet, but your heartbeat was so damn loud.

His actions were doing all the talking. Now completely soaked, you looked down at the hem of your shirt as Tssuki grabbed both ends and begin to lift the blouse up and away from you.

Left in nothing but shorts, he kept his eyes locked on you as you nodded while he lowered himself to help you out of them.

Now, completely naked, he just stared at you in awe.

You were his goddess, and he was going to happily worship, service, respect, love.

ARIGATO GOD.

“I don’t know why you hesitate” he softly whispered as you took in a deep breath, suddenly feeling overly emotional. Near tears kind of overwhelmed.

To keep yourself from actually sobbing, you cleared your throat to speak up, “I love my job, but I guess sometimes working with so many beautiful models, I can’t help but to compare my—

Tssuki had heard enough about your delusions. His hands flew the sides of your face, pulling you in for a deep kiss. You felt such a thrill surging through your body as he so easily hoisted you up.

It was your favorite thing in the world, to wrap your legs around his long torso, and it was Tssuki’s favorite thing to dig his hands into your firm ass, your soft thighs.

Pulling away, he takes slow steps forward so your back gently meets the wall. With one hand, he caressed your face , thumb gliding over your cheek before connecting his forehead with yours.

“As I was saying, - I don’t know why you hesitate to say it, but I think you’re the most beautiful person in this whole goddamn world.”

A pesky tear escaped onto your cheek, and Tssuki blotted it away with a kiss, burying his face closer to yours. So close your noses are now touching.

When he wanted to, Tssuki could be so completely soft.

“You don’t know every single person in this world.”

You laughed, still touched by his bold declaration.

“I mean it. Waking up to you every morning I think wow, I’m so lucky.”

He admits as you then break into another chuckle. “You’re so full of shit, that’s not the first thing you think of.”

Tssuki pulls on your lower lip down with his thumb, chuckling back. “You idiot sandwich I didn’t say it was the first thing, but it’s a close second.”

You find yourself laughing out loud, his frisky smile fully plastered on his face as your nose scrunches in that way he finds so fucking adorable.

“Begone negativity.” He both teases and shudders at the thought of how Suga burned that in the back of his mind.

“Do I have to sing that stupid One Direction song to you?” Tssuki then jokingly added as your eyes widened.

“You wouldn’t!”

“You’re right that’s disgusting.” He scoffed, hoisting you further up as he took your breath away with another kiss, this time, his hands running through your hair.

It was always a mystery with him, never knowing if he was going to pull on your hair, or caress it.

This time however, as his tongue slipped into your mouth, eager, you couldn’t help but to squeal. You had to give it to him, the man was great at multitasking. While he deepened the kiss, Tssuki tapped the melody of that dumb song on your thighs as if drumming.

"You're insecure, don't know what for, you're turning heads when you walk through the door / don't need makeup to cover up, being the way that you are is enough --

Everyone else in the room can see it

Everyone else but you

Baby, you light up my world like nobody else

The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed

But when you smile at the ground, it ain't hard to tell

You don't know, oh, oh, you don't know you're beautiful."

Tssuki had really taken SMACK MY ASS LIKE A DRUM to a whole other level, and you couldn't even be mad about it.

"Having fun, ya happy doing that?" You teased as he now gave himself a quick rub, fully erect. Your man was so well endowed and that was both exciting and terrifying at times. While you loved dominant Tssuki, today he was a bit more mellow and less gimp man.

"Fuck, Kei-" You moaned as he slowly entered you, rubbing your clit with his thumb, the pressure just right. "I'm definitely having fun, in fact" he smirked as you moved down to slam yourself further into him, begging for more, "I'm happier than ever."

#haikyuu oneshot #haikyuu tsukishima #haikyuu!!#tsukishima x y/n #kei tsukishima #tsukishima x you #kuroo tetsuro oneshot #shoyo hinata #tsukishima fluff

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echo-three-one · 4 years ago

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Whatever It Takes

Sequel to A Forgotten Memory

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

With more and more information revealed via Augustus' burner phone, The team now has to make an important decision, one that would change the course of their lives, forever.

Chapter 15 to another story made by Ray (echo-three-one) Comments and Reviews appreciated! I hope you enjoy! Love you all ❤️

Previous Chapter : Meet Me Halfway

Unexpected Alliances

Gary "Roach" Sanderson

Task Force 141

Flying above Russian Airspace

Roach was speechless. Admittedly the dark and messy battle at the Gulag was something worth noting but the thing that kept his head preoccupied at the moment was Soap and France kissing in the middle of warfare.

Guess love knows no boundaries huh. He thought to himself as he looked at France kneeling beside Soap who passed out from exhaustion. Another person laying beside him was an old man named Jack. The 141 records had a match to Jack, he's apparently Alex's mentor who got missing when their safehouse got raided.

Guess the force will be having two reunions tonight. His eyes turned to Price, who sat by the huge window and gazed into the sea of clouds, he's always serious and in thought that Gary found him intimidating, even after that short mission in Germany.

Then there was Ghost. He's surely heartbroken now that she saw what France did. And Gary was slightly to blame, well not necessarily his fault but if he pushed him enough to confess, maybe this won't hurt more than it did to him today.

Gary spent the rest of the trip observing, noting his comrade's actions, discussing with their thoughts, especially after the invasion. He was glad 141 extracted Soap before the deliberation, where none of them are allowed to perform missions. Gary felt scared, he just got here, got the hang of it, and was afraid to cut ties with the 141 on such short notice. But he hoped Shepherd would talk sense to the board, especially now that the burner phone filled with leads was within their possession.

"You're awfully quiet…" Ghost nudged to Gary while fidgeting with his gun.

"Well, I got nothing to talk about." Gary replied, turning to the masked man.

"Well I've got a lot, and it's pretty nasty. Can't say it here though." He replied, his tone was almost relieved, as if he just blurted out something that was bothering him for a long time.

"Is it about them?" Gary whispered, pointing his thumb to the couple back at the med bay.

"That's a different story, and I told you I was right, they already had a thing going on since day 1. Who am I to interfere…" Gary could feel him frown beneath the mask, he got defeated in the war of love.

"That's okay… You'll find someone better." Gary consoled and Ghost automatically shrugged it off.

"Eh. I hope…" he said, turning to the window opposite to Gary's position.

Task Force 141 Base - Infirmary

"The audio from this room's camera is muted so it's best to discuss it here." Ghost sat on the chair as concerned 141 members circled around him, Jack, Alex and Soap occupied the beds as they recovered from injuries.

"What you got for us, lad?" Price crossed his arms as he leaned by the door, his hat tilted perfectly on his head.

"An anonymous number sent Augustus coordinates of the base prior to the attack." He held up the phone and everyone murmured.

"Looks like we have another mole in our hands." Alex grunted, turning to Jack for nostalgia.

"But this time, we have a solid lead to who it is…" Ghost added while everyone braced themselves for the slap of reality they're going to get.

From out of nowhere the infirmary doors opened, Maxine was panting and sobbing at the same time, her hands held her thigh desperately enduring some sort of pain.

"It's Samantha… haaah… Shepherd took her!..." she panted as Gary quickly assisted him while everyone who was capable of fighting dashed to the scene.

"Go, Gary. I'll take care of her." Soap quickly got up with Jack, they were already fine and just required to complete their nutrition so assisting her would be the best option.

Gary nodded and dashed outside, bracing himself for the unbearable news.

"Shit. What's going on! I thought we already agreed not to take Samantha elsewhere!" Gary caught up with Ghost and the rest of the available team.

"I have my wild guess, but you're not going to like it." He replied, adjusting his shades as they exited the building. From there, they saw the General's aircraft already far away from their reach. Behind them Alex, Soap, Jack and Maxine followed, their faces were drawn with extreme sadness.

A few seconds of staring at the sky and Price's comms received an incoming message.

"Captain, I regret to inform you that the 141 is no more… I'm sending the High Value Individual to their care as the threat escalated and is being designated to a different force. I'm sorry. Please tell the rest of the group that in two weeks they will be returned to their prior assignments before 141 was established." his voice was nonchalant, emotionless and straightforward, like he's reading it from a diner table's tissue paper.

"No…" Price muttered. They were this close to Nero. The rest of the team looked down, others started to disperse and did as ordered while the more concerned group stayed.

"Shepherd's working with Nero. He wants the EMP based weaponry to help his marines in Afghanistan." Ghost blurted, raising the heads of everyone around him.

"He's trading the economical side of the world to win a war?" Gary asked, as the information doesn't add up.

"It's a wild guess but the global economic pressure is already influencing the government to allocate more funds to anti terrorism. Cutting off 141 shouldn't be in play but he found a way to do so… He wants us to stop fighting back."

"Then fighting back is what we're going to do." Price muttered, grabbing his phone.

"I'm going to make a few phone calls. Those who want to stay and save the world could stay. Those who are content to return to their past lives, you could leave."

"What about me?" Maxine asked, raising her hand.

"Come with us, We'll take care of you while it's not safe out." Gary said, almost pleading her to say yes.

"I don't have anyone else but France and Samantha. I don't know where to go from here…"

"Then that settles it. Nikolai will take us somewhere safe. If the 141 is no more, we could still salvage weapons and ammo for ourselves. But after this, there's no turning back." Price added, his voice sparked inspiration to everyone.

And that was it, from that moment. They've gone rogue, for a good cause. And they have to defeat Nero, Whatever it takes.

The Next Step

John Price

Task Force 141 - Disbanded

Former Task Force 141 Base - Helipad

A small group of his comrades were willing enough to stop the war, even at the cost of losing a lot of privileges. Price was always one to work under strict jurisdiction, and this rogue act he's going to commit will be backed up soon, it's going to be dependent on how Laswell influences the board.

The idea was easy. Create another task force which had to be approved prior to the 141's disbandment so that the papers for their redeployment would never be processed. Of course a few strings needed to be pulled and an organization must be able to absorb them. Interpol was willing to help along with Jack's influence to the CIA and Price was lucky enough to have them two on their side.

And there they were, with Nikolai's majestic aircraft, they set course to a temporary camp thanks to Jack. Price noted that he'd get along with the CIA, given they're age similarities and stance toward warfare.

He surveyed his trusty crew and took note of their abilities. There's Alex, former CIA and fought alongside him in Verdansk and Urzikstan. He's got a clear objective and will and it doesn't matter to Price whether its love or world peace. He's good at terrible hostile locations and can single-handedly turn the tide of war by local agreements and persuasion. A good weapon.

Then there's Simon Riley, or Ghost. Excellent Sniper, the team's tech guy. He's a keeper, his ability to reject emotions while in combat makes him focused and a keen observer. He also excels in weapon usage. You give him anything with a trigger and he'll be sure to hit enemies no matter what.

Another one is John MacTavish, or Soap, what kind of a name is Soap? Price thought. Price looked at the muppet proudly. He rose among his comrades during recruitment and stood at the top of his batch, showing exemplary combat skills and demolitions expertise. Excellent at handling air support machinery and his keen eye never misses a tango hiding from the field. He's got it tough recently, Price believed luck wasn't on his side that's why he got injured a lot.

There's Gary Sanderson or Roach. Price calls him the team's therapist. He sees the willingness to help from the guy. He's eager to train hard and be better and he was impressed on how he handled the German Infilnitration they did together. He has initiative and a clear goal. Something useful at these times.

There's Francine Winters, France a.k.a. Shepherd's prodigy, the last minute addition. He's still quite skeptic as to why she's placed here, but so far he knew that with her sister mentally disturbed by the enemies she's bound to use her emotions as ammunition. She's great at stealth and close combat especially great for breaking and entering missions. She could be trained of open area battles and she has the drive to do so, making her another good addition to the team.

As for the remaining ones, Jack and Maxine, he has no idea yet but them tagging along and using their resources to the fight would greatly increase their chances of killing Nero and destroying the era of EMP machinery.

"Looks like you got yourself a pretty nice team, pal." Jack patted the Former captain's shoulder.

"Yeah. Small enough to remain secret and powerful enough to defeat Nero." he muttered. Jack held his phone and showed it to Price.

"I got us a place. An old CIA Safehouse."

"Are you sure this is going to be okay?"

"Positive. This one's not used for decades. Classified as dormant and unmaintained. It's situated near a city that once housed a lot of terror activity but after it got neutralized it became very peaceful." Jack convinced. Price no longer hesitated, the team needed the help they can get.

"As long as we're under the radar." He replied and gave Nikolai the coordinates. From there they would begin their revenge toward Nero's attack, plan Samantha's rescue, and discover what Shepherd is really up to...

One step at a time.

Doing everything they can.

To set things right.

Whatever it Takes.

END OF PART 1

Wild ride first half. I hope you stay for the second part right around the corner!

Notification Squad my beloved 💝

@smokeywhalee @samatedeansbroccoli @enderio @ricinbach @beemybee @whimsywispsblog

#horRAYfic #whateverittakes #john price #simon ghost riley #gary roach sanderson #john soap MacTavish #alex echo 3 1 #cod #codmw

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punkscowardschampions · 5 years ago

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Jac & Jesse

Jac: [as you said he encouraged her to gatecrash, I figure it makes sense he'd check in on that after the posts, Amelia called JJ lol] Jesse: 👍? Jac: 🖕 Jesse: ☕? Jac: no I feel sick Jesse: [brings her a glass of water and tablets but like puts them on her bedside table and then leaves] Jac: you're just as bad Jesse: as bad as? Jac: her Jac: don't try be nice Jesse: 🖕 Jesse: Alright? Jac: 🙄 Jac: no that was so halfhearted Jesse: it weren't only you who had a late one Jac: then don't bother Jesse: nice try, dickhead Jac: ask mum and dad Jac: i'm not in a gossiping mood Jesse: the walls ain't that thick Jac: just your head Jac: gotcha Jesse: Must be a family thing you inherited as well as Jac: if I can blame all of you Jac: fine by me Jesse: crack on Jesse: I hope it makes you feel loads better Jac: your fake sympathy is only marginally better than your real but solid attempt Jesse: you didn't want tea, they go together Jac: hence I declined Jac: don't feel sorry for me, twat Jesse: I don't Jesse: Amelia on the other hand Jac: you can go commiserate with her then Jac: she needs some new gay friends Jesse: I don't fit the bill then and she don't wanna hear from me how shit her girlfriend is Jac: She's well aware, don't worry Jac: beat you to it Jesse: Yeah, the comments tell the story, like Jesse: and a 📷's worth loads of words Jac: it was meant to be blatant Jac: no 🍪 for working it out Jesse: just 🏆🥇 for you Jac: naturally Jac: why else would I go Jesse: 'Cause you miss her Jesse: you were mates and it was her birthday Jesse: Dunno, there's 2 💡s Jac: Ha Jac: you ask her how much love she's feeling now Jac: I wanted her to have a shit time and she did, mission accomplished Jesse: You're alright, tah, that's blatant an' all Jac: yeah, no need to act like you're that thick now you ain't in the dark Jesse: nah, the act's all yours Jesse: I'll leave it out Jac: yeah, I'm acting like a cunt, I'm a really, really nice person actually Jac: literally as bad as her Jesse: We're all wrong and you're right Jesse: 🏆🥇 Jac: no shit Jac: gotta suck Jesse: I'll live Jac: thrilled for you, Jess Jesse: 👍 Jesse: Good talk Jac: the fact you expected anything else is on you Jac: you go apologize to her, you'll feel better Jesse: It was her who fought your battles for you, nowt to do with me Jac: you told me to go Jesse: To make up with her, you twat Jac: and why did you think I'd ever do that? Jac: what kind of fucking fantasy land are you living in Jesse: I thought she might get through to you Jesse: that kinda fantasy land Jac: 😂 Jesse: it ain't much of a laugh but alright Jac: not to you Jesse: you ain't laughing either Jac: I can if you want Jac: rather I was crying but nah Jesse: Piss off, your vocal chords don't work any more Jac: So? Jac: that's got fuck all to do with missing Amelia, I'm so sorry Jesse: Never said it did Jac: you thought it did Jac: as fucking if Jesse: I thought she could help you, nowt else Jesse: giving her too much credit Jac: unlucky Jesse: 💔 Jac: I don't need any help Jac: and you should give the fuck up Jesse: I don't play 🎻 Jesse: you might as well shut up Jac: I already have, dipshit Jesse: Stop typing playground insults at me then Jac: Go away then Jac: you've achieved nothing, and you're not going to Jesse: You're a shit 👻 Jesse: next time throw something Jac: I've got what I needed from the situation Jesse: 👌 Jac: is Jude here or what Jesse: do you hear her? Jac: its the middle of the night Jac: morning Jesse: it's the afternoon near enough Jac: can I go to bed or not Jesse: she's at a mates Jac: thank god Jesse: might be back in a bit, like I said, it ain't as early as you think Jac: if I knock myself out she won't be able to speak to me Jesse: you won't be able to answer, she can still go on about whatever she likes Jac: I won't hear her, same difference Jesse: same as when you're awake, yeah Jac: no, unfortunately I can still hear her Jesse: Gutted Jac: no shit Jesse: Try 🎧 Jac: I don't like music Jesse: don't listen to any then Jesse: other media exists Jac: I don't like any of that either Jesse: 🙄 Jac: you'll survive Jesse: Nobody likes the news, stick it on to drown her out and get over it Jac: I have no interest in feeling better Jac: at least she's good for that Jesse: Bit rude Jac: it's a compliment Jac: she has fuck all else use Jesse: Bollocks is it Jesse: you've got less use, at least she walks the 🐕🐕🐕 Jac: I clearly don't care about being of any use to any of you Jac: it's all about what you can do for me, which is very little but make my crippling depression much worse Jesse: achieved that then ✔ Jac: hooray Jesse: 🥳 Jac: you missed it Jesse: had one I was actually invited to go to Jac: wow, that's so impressive Jac: would you like me to pretend I'm jealous? Jesse: pretend what you like Jac: so generous Jesse: pat on the back'll be in the post Jac: I got better by myself with her girlfriend, tah Jesse: I can't pretend there's owt impressive about that, soz Jesse: get your 🏆🥇 off her if you're bothered Jac: as if I did it for the brag Jesse: she will have done Jac: give a fuck what she does or doesn't Jesse: I got that Jac: so what's your fucking point Jesse: you either wanna talk or you don't Jesse: I give a fuck about Valentina Jesse: I know exactly what she's like Jac: yeah, I don't fucking fancy her, it's not me you need or needed to tell Jac: she's clearly a slag Jesse: I don't need to tell Amelia either Jesse: everyone knows she collects queers Jesse: she's been trying to be mates with me for years Jac: not now Jac: too late Jesse: Time was already running out for them, no need Jesse: been obvious from day 1 Jac: yeah and I'm a shit friend Jesse: she ain't mine Jac: she's not mine Jesse: not now Jac: not for ages Jac: if ever Jac: so you're just a cunt for no reason Jesse: how am I? Jac: you knew and you didn't say shit Jac: even though you've got no reason to fuck with her life Jac: so, you're a cunt Jesse: she knew and she'd have still called it bollocks if I said anything Jesse: it's her life Jac: yeah, sure Jesse: yeah, she had her reasons, must've done Jac: mhmm, tell yourself that Jesse: you're the only person she's ever properly listened to, but go on and tell yourself it's my fault Jac: I know what I did, tah Jesse: and the only head you're doing in with going on about it is yours Jac: you think I care? Jesse: you do, it ain't about what I think Jac: I really don't Jac: it's what she was owed, simple as Jesse: she had something you cared enough about to need to fuck with Jesse: if you didn't give a fuck you wouldn't bother about what she was or wasn't owed Jesse: nowt would matter like you keep telling yourself it don't Jac: all I care about is everything being as shit as possible Jac: and pushing you all far away Jac: I've never said that wasn't the case but yeah, go off with your pseudo-psych Jesse: and all you did was push her onto the end of a phone with mum and dad, well done Jesse: closer that she was before, that Jac: yeah and? Jac: they can chat all they fucking please I don't have to join in Jesse: and don't come to me chuffed to bits with yourself when you've got no reason to be Jesse: there's the and Jac: awh Jac: you got woke up Jac: weren't me shouting Jesse: Never is Jac: well observed Jesse: I ain't in enough of a mard about the wake up call for you to get your only joy out of it, soz like Jac: whatever shall I do Jac: 💔 Jesse: Kettle's always on round here Jac: Hilarious Jesse: you'll have to get it yourself Jesse: doubly 💔 I know Jac: I don't like tea Jac: and I'm certainly not making any of you a cup Jesse: I ain't asking for one, I've got work Jac: how fun Jesse: 👋 Jac: enjoy Jesse: 🤞 Jac: try not to wake me when you get back Jesse: Got nothing to shout about Jac: gutted Jesse: won't be you getting the 🎻s out Jac: yeah, you can't play it Jesse: and I'm alright for learning any more instruments at the minute Jac: lazy Jesse: it's loud enough around here Jac: take that up with the rest Jac: they don't take pointed silence as a fucking hint Jesse: worked that out by myself, tah Jesse: have lived here long as you Jac: not quite Jesse: good as Jac: those 10 months without you were the best of my life Jesse: keep them close to your 🖤 Jesse: nowt I can do about it Jac: can't retroactively give dad a vasectomy Jesse: 💔 Jac: so sad Jesse: I got that Jac: good Jac: it's not all for nothing Jesse: 👍 Jac: can't we swap rooms Jesse: if you want Jac: really? Jac: her shit is everywhere Jesse: Don't matter Jac: i'm going sleep in your bed then Jesse: yours Jesse: that's what a swap is Jac: yes but i'm not moving the beds right now Jesse: Alright Jac: tell everyone you said its fine Jesse: weren't gonna keep it a secret Jac: Jameson and Jude will be pissed off Jesse: and? Jac: I don't wanna be rudely awoken Jac: we need a bigger house Jesse: my job don't pay that well Jac: two more years Jesse: ✔ Jac: that was an affirmation for me, not you Jesse: say it in your head then Jac: you either want me to talk or not dickhead Jesse: whinging weren't part of the deal, dickhead Jac: that's the only way you talk Jac: or singing, as you call it Jesse: SO funny, you Jac: just honest Jesse: honestly, go to bed Jac: I can't Jesse: ? Jac: too much on my mind Jesse: Yeah Jac: and I'm pretty wired Jac: I'm gonna go study Jesse: I'm out the door but you can come with Jesse: study there Jac: people will think I work there Jac: then you'll get terrible reviews Jesse: not if you stay in the back Jesse: it's well quiet there too Jac: does Ben come in lots still? Jac: Ben from Science, the one you sit next to Jesse: What's lots? Jesse: he comes in Jac: will he come in today? Jesse: I can text him Jac: that's lame Jac: I'll take a selfie Jac: he'll show Jesse: 👌 Jac: right, I'll be there later Jac: I need to re-do my makeup Jesse: in a bit then Jac: should I shower Jesse: Probably Jac: he's not worth it Jac: more probably messy is his type Jesse: so there's your answer Jac: fuck it Jac: keep the smudged mascara Jesse: 🥇💡? Jac: if not Ben it'll work on the other guys there Jesse: Steady on Jac: what? Jesse: You know what Jac: no Jesse: Yeah you do Jac: I can do what I want Jesse: you don't want this Jac: yes I literally do Jesse: Fuck's sake Jac: shut up Jesse: You can not talk to Ben or whoever Jesse: you can't shut me up Jac: don't be a baby about it Jesse: Don't do it Jac: are you always this much of a downer, jesus Jesse: I'll chuck you out Jac: then I'll just go somewhere else and hook up with someone else Jesse: You're such a prick Jac: its literally none of your business so Jesse: you made it my business when you told me about it Jac: whatever Jac: I'm gonna hit up someone else Jesse: Don't whatever me or this Jac: you can't do anything Jesse: You're still there and I ain't far off, I'll come back Jac: oh really Jac: you're gonna shut me in my room on the grounds of hoeing are you Jesse: If you make me Jac: you're funny Jesse: I don't give a fuck, Jac, alright? Jesse: Stop Jac: No Jesse: stop Jac: Why? Jesse: just stop Jac: No Jac: this is what I need to do Jesse: Bollocks Jesse: you need to stop Jac: nope Jac: its the last step of the plan Jesse: [he's coming back for this showdown, soz Pete because he blatantly works at your record store cafe moment] Jac: [whos bed you in that's a fun game of hide and seek] Jesse: [he's a woman don't test him, also soz Jameson and Cammie if you're here] Jac: [ah the drama, gonna have to fight your brother] Jesse: [such fun] Jac: [I hope JJ are there to break this up it must be the weekend so fingers crossed lmao] Jesse: [one of them should get hurt accidentally before they do because what a mood and also they'd be fuming] Jac: [who would you rather] Jesse: [I don't mind either way, could make a case for either so] Jac: [probably him for the angst and she's not in the mindset to be remotely careful like we're just trying to get out so if he tries to stop us we're going in] Jesse: [he is a soft boy like his father so that makes sense, JJ gonna be like wtf because they are the closest of these siblings have they ever even fought before probably not] Jac: [oh the drama, get the gal in therapy but she won't lol] Jesse: [storm off to work boy like you're remotely in the right mindset to be there] Jac: [can't even tracy apologize Jesse: [Jude will be gutted she missed this drama] Jac: [aren't we all]

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starry-blue-echoes · 2 years ago

Note

DRGHVFDCSXDRVD YES TO ALL OF THAT-

Ooooooooo and maybe for some extra fun and as a bit of an homage to how Act 2 was unlocked in canon, once it become clear to Akira that Yukako wasn't going to work with him, he decides to take Koichi hostage in order to force her cooperation. After all, she's a perfect pawn to get the Joestars with. She goes to the same school and her Stand is constantly out and easily not noticed, and really, what's the worst thing Hirose can do to him? Echoes can't even touch RHCP without getting zapped, and he's observed the two long enough that he's confident Yukako will join him that was, so it feels like a flawless plan

And imagine Yukako having to wake up to that. RHCP in her room with a twisted grin, claiming he wants to...... compromise :) After all, they both have things the other wants. She has a decently strong Stand and is in a position to spy on the Joestars(of whom Yukako would have no idea who they are, helping to keep things separate for a bit longer), and he has her childhood friend who's currently suffering from electrical based injuries and hidden in a secret location. He'll be returning in 24 hours to hear her response :)

so naturally and understandably, Yukako absolutely flips her shit and starts trying to find him before RHCP comes back

And Koichi is....... honestly not having the best time. RHCP was far from gentle, and electricity burns hurt like a bitch, but at the very least he mostly ignores Koichi aside from checking in every hour or so. And maybe eventually Koichi reaches a similar breaking point that he does in canon(maybe Yukako manages to find him with some help from Act 1 and RHCP almost hurts her) and bam, Act 2 and escape. Of course, it's not enough to beat him for good, but they're able to drive him off at the very least, and luckily for them Akira gets distracted by Joseph's arrival and decides to get revenge later, which obviously doesn't happen because he's beaten by the other team

But there's going to be a fun pinch of angst in how Koichi and Yukako don't know that happens, and without Crazy Diamond Koichi's probably going to be left with some pretty nasty scars from the whole ordeal. For a good while, these two are going to be incredibly paranoid, always on edge and waiting for RHCP to come back and take the revenge he promised.

At the very least, later down the line when the two groups eventually merge the two are going to finally be allowed to relax again knowing Akira can't hurt them anymore

and Hair Motorcycle Parkour wasn't something I expected to read today but A B S O L U T E L Y

As for Trish, I'm not completely sure about her getting stabbed by Black Sabbath. My idea was that Trish was rescued the day after the test started, probably some time in the morning before the test concluded but specifically after Koichi and Giorno fought Black Sabbath. However, I can definitely see Koichi explaining Stands and such to her, and this transparency would likely help bring Spice Girl out early plus when she does first start to show signs of having a Stand Koichi and Giorno would probably actively encourage and engage with her abilities. Maybe Koichi even helps teach Trish with the assistance of Act 2 and some onomatopoeia

and Y E S. Maybe Mista tries shooting Koichi and Trish uses Spice Girl to bounce it back. And I don't know how it would work, but what if these two end up playing the world's most dangerous game of ping pong by repeatedly hitting the bullets back and forth

and just a miscellaneous thought I had for Koichi being terrifying: what if at some point Koichi ends up using Act 1 to try and tricks them which leads to just flat out discouraging them to keep following

Like. Maybe the Bucci Gang are a bit closer to the three of them than Koichi feels is safe and decides to try and do what he did during the Surface fight and throw them off their tail. Maybe they're at the train station and see the Bucci Gang so Koichi makes it sound like they were getting on the train with Echoes

And maybe...... maybe he wasn't stealthy enough and gets caught. Maybe Aerosmith manages to get a couple shots on his tail and in his panic to prevent any more damage, Koichi ends up..... kinda taking a hostage. Maybe he ends up having Echoes wrap around one of them, maybe Mista, in a way that prevents them from shooting because they'd risk hurting him and just slams as many sounds on Mista as possible to get them to back off. Maybe he puts on a couple sentences for Mista to tell them through the cacophony. Maybe given how two years have passed, Koichi's managed to improve the influence of Act 1's ability and maybe gets Mista to....... lets say point his gun at his teammates :)

And of course as this is all going down Mista is just in pain. He can barely talk, his hat is the only thing preventing him from clawing his ears off as he tries to shut out sounds, the Pistols are in complete disarray being able to hear the sounds too with half yelling about the loud sounds and the other half just screaming in pain, and the whole time the Bucci Gang is left confused and scrambling as more and more brightly colored symbols make their way across Mista's body

Let Koichi Be Terrifying As A Treat

So weird/funny idea. What if Dual trip kinda. Keeps happening in the rest of the parts? Like, Part 4 would be pretty similar to your Hidden In Plain Sight AU just with Yukako being more stable so that Koichi has an actual Squad before he meets Rohan, and they both go after Kira for different reasons—Koichi's group of him, Yukako, and Rohan being guided by Reimi; and Josuke's group of himself, Okuyasu, and Jotaro going after him because he killed/hospitalized Shigechi.

Part 5 features Giorno doing a lot of Accidental Kidnapping/Recruiting. Koichi is one thing, but then, before he even officially joins Bruno's group he accidentally convinces Trish that he's her Mafia escort (or straight up accidentally kidnaps her) and now they're on the run. This ends up in a 4-way battle between Giorno and his ragtag group, Bucciarati's gang, La Squadra, and the lower level grunts who are fighting for their own reasons, mainly recognition from the boss. (Giorno probably Charismas a few to his side, because he's Giorno. Possibly including Sheila E from Purple Haze Distortion.)

As for Bruno's gang, Abbachio is in the same situation Joseph was in, his stand constantly giving him the Worst Possible Moments, except this time with the added benefit of Giorno somehow always looking good; Fugo leaves Bucciarati's group just to immediately get dragged into Giorno's (unwillingly); Bruno is wondering what the hell Giorno did to have things go this far off the rails thIS WAS NOT THE PLAN, and Mista and Narancia are just constantly Out Of The Loop.

I don't even know what the divisions are for Stone Ocean. Maybe Jolyne fighting for Jotaro with Foof and Anasui, and Ermes, Weather, and Emporio teaming up and getting into trouble for their own individual goals which only partially involves fricking Pucci over.

Bonus: Iggy is still serving the same role of go-between in each part. Average age for dogs be damned.

OOOOOOOOOOOO THAT’S FUN AND CHAOTIC

What if this time Yukako and Koichi have been friends for a while, perhaps they met before her crush developed into the obsessive level as canon. And their side of the plot kicks off when one day soon after their first day of high school, the both of them get shot by Keicho when they’re walking home. Yukako was doing fine, but Koichi..... not so much. And as Yukako’s running to get him to a hospital, what if they accidentally run into Josuke along the way and he subtly heals Koichi in a way to ensure his injuries wouldn’t be lethal or cause any long term consequences. This also ends up being what cues Josuke in on who’s making all these enemy Stand Users so he and Jotaro can go deal with it, getting Okuyasu onto their team

and I also had a fun idea for how Centipede Shoes could go. I’m not sure about how exactly to get there, but when Koichi goes to call for help, he wouldn’t be able to call Josuke. Instead, he ends up calling Rohan, who immediately starts panicking upon seeing Koichi’s body because he can’t heal. So in what was a VERY desperate bid for Koichi’s survival, he wrote something like “Koichi Hirose will survive his fight with the killer” and immediately started hauling ass to the hospital praying it would work

And Part 5....... oh god that’s going to be absolutely insane. What if Koichi’s reason for sticking around at first is “hhhhhh I can’t leave this 15 year old by himself, I remember what being 15 as a Stand User was like-”, plus he was a tad worried about Giorno’s living situation because of how..... alone and impersonal his room was, so his plan was to stick close to Naples and periodically check in. But what if Mr.Pericolo and Trish were in Naples at least for a little bit, and well..... seeing a very uncomfortable 15 year old girl with a man who’s clearly Mafia isn’t going to look very good, especially without the context of the situation

So what if in the middle of Polpo’s test, Giorno offers to help, yoinks her, and brings her back to his dorm at which Koichi shows up and it’s revealed that Trish is the Boss’s daughter..... but before Gio can think about how he could possibly use this.... what if Koichi ends up bringing up the possibility of her father having less than innocent intentions.

After all, Koichi is very familiar with people like Diavlo who will do anything and everything to keep their secrets. How they will murder, tear apart families, even kill children to stay hidden. How loose threads are cut and burned before they can pose any threat without hesitation, and that a mysterious daughter he hadn’t known about is one huge thread. He brings up the inconsistencies in this story, that if her father wanted to meet her so badly, why hadn’t he sent so much as a note or reassurance of her safety? Why has he just been dragging her all around Italy without even asking her about……. anything???

He doesn’t want to scare them but..... he also doesn’t want anyone getting "dealt with” like he nearly was. And besides, even if the man’s intentions weren’t murder, this was still really shitty behavior, especially since Trish has exactly ZERO desire to meet her father

So he asks Trish. That if she could make any choice right now, regardless of the consequences or danger, what would she want to do?

And this catches her off guard. These past few weeks Trish had gotten used to being treated as something important, but mostly inatimate. She was dragged from one place to another without so much as a glance in her direction, with people walking on eggshells around her, treating her as though she were the most fragile of glass but also the most dangerous of weapons that could end them in an instant

So she’s honest. She tells him she doesn’t want to meet her father, that she doesn’t want anything to do with this. Not with her father, not with Passione, none of it

So Koichi agrees without hesitation. He calls Jotaro and updates him on the development and plans with the kids on what to do next

And for a second Giorno’s a tad..... stuck. Without knowing it, he’d accidentally made things so much easier and infinitely more complicated. There’s no going back from this, he’d already taken Trish and even if he did try returning her, that was just asking to get killed. This was in no way, shape or form his plan, but he more or less has to go with it lest he accept defeat

of course, the second the three of them cross paths with the Bucci Gang, Bucciarati nearly blows both their covered because Giorno what the fuck-

And wow, Koichi’s really out here collecting kiddos like Pokemon cards isn’t he

(also unrelated from the rest of this but I think that while they’re on the run, Koichi should be allowed to be terrifying with Echoes. As a treat. After all we’ve seen just how much damage all the Acts can cause, and Act 1 especially can really fuck with someone’s mental state)

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lady-snavely · 4 years ago

Text

Sands of Time: Part Four

Put Your Foot in Your Mouth

Pairing: Kuroo Tetsuro x Fem!OC

Warnings: mentions of death, swearing, mutual pining, all the fluff

Two days later Jade had a note taped to her work locker. Kiyoko had called and asked that Jade please please please call her as soon as she was in. Concern etched across her face, Jade hurried out to her coworker. "Margaret, do you know if Kiyoko said anything in regards to what she needed?"

"Something about the study group tonight I assume. I didn't take the call, Denise did." The older woman replied without turning from her monitor. "Can you run to the supply room and grab more paper for the printers?"

"Yeah, sure thing." With a small shake of her head Jade took the portable and called Kiyoko as she began her shift.

"Shimizu." The answer was swift, to the point and professional.

"Kiyoko, this is Jade from the library. I had a message that you needed to speak with me. Is everything okay?"

“Yes, everything is good, thank you for calling me back so quickly."

Jade listened as she picked through the supply room carefully. For as organized as the shelves on the floor were the supply room drove her a bit crazy with as haphazardly things were quite literally just tossed inside. One of these days, she vowed, she would get the room organized.

"All ten of you?" Jade paused her search as she thought. Did they have anything else going on this evening? No, no group readings or reservations in the meeting rooms. No other study groups, it was Friday after all, most other students would be going home for the weekend or going out to parties. Finally, Jade nodded into the receiver. "That won't be a problem, Kiyoko. I'll prepare a meeting room for you as well so you can all work in peace and at the same table. How does that sound?"

"You're sure? We all aren't out of classes at the same time so some will be trickling in later than others."

"Don't worry about it," Jade reassured. "I'll take care of everything."

True to her word, when the first wave of students arrived a handful of hours later, Jade escorted them to the room she'd prepared. Inside she had an assortment of drinks and snacks as well as extra pens and notepads ready for them. Kiyoko had mentioned a longer session tonight, so why not? There were even a few books scattered around the table.

Kiyoko gave her a grateful smile but said nothing as she circled the table, glancing at the available titles as she went. After the third book she turned a frown towards the group still by the door.

"Midterms are around the corner so I pulled some of the more fact dense and helpful material for your respective fields of study," Jade explained when she saw the look.

"You remember each of our programs?" Iwaizumi cocked an inquisitive brow at her.

"Now, now, Iwa-chan," Oikawa scolded lightly. He even went so far as to pat Jade on the head like a dog who performed a trick correctly. "Be nice to the girl."

"I am nice," Iwaizumi snapped. The two bickered like an old married couple on occasion but deep down everyone, Jade included, could see that they cared greatly for each other.

"It makes sense if you think about it," Yaku said as he settled himself into a chair. "We've been coming here regularly for a year. Clearly Jade was being observant and thoughtful."

Iwaizumi grumbled incoherently but nodded his thanks to Jade as Oikawa dragged him through the room.

"Thank you for the kind words Yaku. You know where to find me if you need anything at all." Jade was quick to duck out of the room before anything else could be said.

Over the course of the next hour and a half most of the remaining students showed up and were guided back to the meeting room. Each was just as surprised as the last by the books already in the room. Each thanked Jade profusely for her thoughtfulness.

She was just coming back from showing Akaashi and Bokuto the room and awkwardly accepting their thanks when Kuroo and Kenma entered the library.

"You're actually going to study with us, right?" Kuroo wondered with a glance at his friend.

"I guess," Kenma replied, though his tone held no commitment. "I feel pretty confident about my grades though."

"And yet you're here," Kuroo smirked. "Why won't you admit that you like hanging out with everyone?"

"Because I don't."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Please, not again," Jade stopped the friendly banter before it could go any further. Nonetheless she smiled and beckoned them to follow when the boys turned their attention on her. "Come on, everyone else is already here."

"It's not Monday, is it?" Kuroo asked without moving. A frown soured his face.

"No," Jade dragged the word out in mild confusion. "It's definitely Friday and I would appreciate you not try to make the week longer than it already needs to be. Hello Kenma."

"Hey." He didn't even look up from his phone, but Jade had expected that. She watched him for a moment with a small smile before looking up at Kuroo again.

"Why would you think it's Monday anyway?"

"You always dress up on Monday's," he replied with a shrug. "Got a hot date tonight or something?"

Jade was not amused. "Would it matter if I did?"

Kuroo frowned. "Don't be like that, we know each other well enough, wouldn't you say?"

"Not at all," Jade replied a bit too quickly.

"Enlighten me," Kuroo suggested, "why'd you dress up?"

"It's not like I'm even all that dressed up." Jade glanced down at herself in an outfit that wasn't simply jeans and a blouse like usual.

Kuroo continued to frown down at her. After a moment of silence she huffed and rolled her eyes. "Listen, I need to restock returns," Jade gestured over her shoulder, "the others are in the first meeting room down that way."

"You're an idiot," Kenma said after Jade had left them.

"Hey, I noticed she was dressed differently from usual, didn't I?" Why was he getting defensive?

"You could've just complimented her outfit then. Or even asked her if it was a special occasion instead of assuming she only dressed up because she had a date."

"I bet she does have a date."

"That's – you're an idiot." Kenma repeated. He lightened the insult by smiling faintly as his friend.

"Am not," Kuroo huffed, pretending to be more offended than he truly was. He even went so far as to cross his arms and turn his head away.

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are you two going to join us sometime today?" Having poked his head out of the room at the sound of their voices it was Akaashi who saved Kuroo and Kenma from each other. Just as Oikawa and Iwaizumi had their senseless bickering so did Kuroo and Kenma. Both stemming from decades of friendship and an understanding of one another that only those sort of friendships came with.

She restocked books with an angry sort of gusto that befitted her mood. How dare he assume she only dressed up today because she had a date! Maybe she decided to doll herself up for fun or, you know, just for shits and giggles. And damn him for being right too! Jade's first date in far too long and, if she were being honest with herself, she only got the date because Nyra annoyingly set up a profile on some stupid dating app without her knowledge.

Regardless of her annoyance with Nyra and now with Kuroo, Jade was both excited and incredibly nervous about tonight. A well and true blind date that she'd only been told about this morning and details were still coming in by the hour from her sister. What if the guy was a total weirdo or a creep? What if he wasn't a Tree Nymph, but really one of the dark Fae that her father had warned her from a young age to stay away from? Tonight would go one of two ways; either very well and Jade would agree to a second date or utterly disastrous. Should the latter come to fruition, Jade had already decided that her parents would lose a child.

Jade wasn't asking for Prince Charming. No, she didn't want Mr. Perfect. She didn't even want a knight in shining armor. She didn't need saving. She could slay any of her demons on her own. What she wanted was a partner in crime. She wanted insecurities and flaws. She yearned for intellectual conversations and challenges and a fan of books. An animal lover, not just cats and dogs, but all animals. She hoped for someone who would go for a walk in the rain with her and who held her when she cried over a book at two in the morning. She wanted Tetsuro.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"Oh, Margaret, I'm sorry," Jade shook away her thoughts to focus her attention on her coworker. "I was daydreaming again."

"Do that on your own time." Margaret's tone held no amusement. "It's six now, so I'll be going home. You can handle the last couple of hours on your own, can't you?"

"Of course." Jade fought the urge to roll her eyes and only just held back the animosity in her voice. She'd been working with Margaret for over a year now and closed rather frequently on her own. More often than any of her other coworkers but that was by choice. So naturally she could handle the end of the day customers that came through. "Have a good weekend, Margaret."

Margaret left without another word, something she typically did. In her old age, Margaret didn't see the point in replying to send offs. They get drawn out and tiresome, she'd explained to Jade once. And thought it hadn't sat right with Jade who was she to say otherwise to someone so set in their ways?

Another hour passed and Jade had topped off all the printers of paper, she'd checked in and restocked books as they came through and even helped the mother of an eager pre teen find a handful of books to begin his journey into the world of familiars and dragons and spells. She read a bit, eager herself to begin yet another book. It was her third that week.

There was still two hours before closing and Jade hadn't heard or seen anyone from the study group since storming away from Kuroo and Kenma. Hesitating only a moment she knocked on the door frame alerting them all to her presence. "Just checking in to see if I can help with anything," she explained when all eyes turned on her. "I can take away any books or grab new ones?"

"We'll take care of putting everything away," Sugawara gave her a simple smile.

"You look lovely by the way, Jade." Oikawa leaned back in his chair, dangerously close to toppling over, in order to make eye contact with her. "That color really brings out your eyes."

"Oh, thank you, Oikawa. Anyway, it's been pretty dead here tonight so you guys don't have to be so quiet that even a Brownie would be jealous of you. Folklore says they perform chores for Humans at night in exchange for staying at the home." Jade explained when she was met with confused looks. "Right, so, Bokuto, you can resume your usual antics."

"No! No. Absolutely not. Bokuto, don't you dare." Jade took Akaashi's uncharacteristically loud response as her opportunity to go back to the check out desk.

Oikawa didn't let her get away that easily though. Leaning against the counter he propped his chin in his hand. "Spill, what's his name? Where are you going? How did you meet?"

"This is the first time I'll be meeting him," Jade admitted with a sigh. She fell back into her chair, seemingly exhausted.

"Oh, a blind date," Oikawa sang. "How mysterious. Who set you two up?"

"It's only a blind date for one of us. Nyra, my sister, decided I've been single for too long and set up a profile for me on one of those dating apps."

"That's awful kind of her to help you get your feet back in the water."

"Is it though? I don't even know what she wrote in the about me section so how do I know this guy she agreed for me to meet is even there for anything more than just looks. It's shallow."

"Well, I think you're stunning and anyone who says otherwise is a liar."

"Thank you, but your word is far from gospel, Oikawa," Jade snorted a laugh. "And I don't think your boyfriend will appreciate you complimenting me so openly. He may get the wrong idea."

"Don't worry about Iwa-chan." A dismissive wave of his hand and a wink her way easily turned Jade's scowl into a half smile. "There it is. I'm sure if this mystery man gets to know you tonight he'll see just how wonderful you are."

Jade was used to Oikawa's flirting. She knew it meant nothing but even on his best days he never went this far. With one eyebrow raised in question she cocked her head to the side. "What do you want?"

"Told you she would catch on!" Yaku cackled from the hall.

"Yeah, you aren't that sweet!" Iwaizumi added.

"So mean, Iwa-chan!" Oikawa whined his mantra but regained his composure quickly. He flashed a smile at Jade filling her with dread before his request was even heard. "Would you be a dear and order us some bento boxes? We'll pay of course."

"You know we don't allow food in the library."

"Please Jade."

Oikawa sounded like a child begging to stay up past his bedtime. Jade's scowl returned as she stood, making it back into the meeting room before her chair stopped spinning. "Did you draw straws or just send him because you know his whining irritates me?" She asked no one in particular.

"Yes," Kuroo nodded with a mischievous grin.

"That's not a proper response to her question," Kiyoko remarked. "I did try to dissuade this, Jade but I was overruled. I apologize."

It's not that she didn't want to not break the rules. She herself ate in the library all of the time. But they didn't need to know that. Still, they had been here for a good long while now. "You'll eat with the door closed and put the studying away, you all need a break by now anyway and you'll wash your hands afterwards." Vigorous nods answered her stipulations. "I know one of the guys at the shop nearby, let me call him up real quick. Put your requests together and I'll order for you."

"I knew you'd come around!" Oikawa hugged Jade quickly before returning to his seat.

"I'm sure you did," Jade grumbled. Sometimes she was such a pushover.

M.List | Next

#haikyuu x oc #kuroo tetsuro x oc #kuroo tetsuro #haikyuu!!#snavelywrites

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z3i3ra · 5 years ago

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Abu: she is. She is going to Iraq. Who does that?

Me: someone who really cares about you

Abu: oh someone that is going to save me from myself?!

Idk that i was ever askedto go as an adult before. I said it was time when Obama brought van loads to my actual fucking house. I still don't know,what the fuck he thought. I haven't fully processed the memories. But I was all, i think this is enough people for an army to fight back now let's go.

And he was all uhhh we aren't going back to Iraq we just got here

And me and Abu were all uh hello, yes because now it's time to start the war. Every One got energized to go home so now,we give them,weapons and,say kill or stay. And,let's go back home to our families!

Like literally that went back through my head twice.

But really I said I had to go get my daughter (who was home) and I was freaked the fuck out cause i had amnesia and so I was gonna go around to the back door and try to get back inside through the back door by getting my daughter to open it, as i had locked the front door on purpose.

I never told anyone, i think, that but it was quite a sight all those vans and all these military and some President Obama look alike.

My first instinct was to lock my door and close it. Having only a phone it was easy to text or call her.

But instead the President Obama was all uh no what you mean you locked your keys,in the door?

And he told me to,text her and i was all ok so i text "help me please, unlock the front door it's been all a mistake"

But i didn't send it. In my mind i was all text is like write. He said text but not send

I was on challenge to this dude "Hello i am the American President, is Sabrina home"

Uhh. No the President shoukd know 2 people live here and what we look like before he just shows up knocking. Nope noooope nope. I am not home. "Yes, how" door lock activated and first step outside the door "may i help you?" Door slams shut.

I mean he knew i hadn't sent it. Some dude with a laptop was right there and all. It was a literal on my porch war with the fucking President, in my mind, who was getting to,my daughter first.

"This is the stand off. Mr President, sir!!"

"Would you look at her, ready to attack me"

"Look here, her twin brother predicted it. She doesn't know you and You just arrived on her porch like a God send but she is looking at you like a wolf who has stolen her babies and instead to steal more"

If a war can be spoken with facial expressions, I won.

"Okay what else do i need to know"

"The name of the game is who can get in the house first. Ready set go!"

"Dont send the text message. What ever you do. I got everything under control here" dude had no clue, he was the enemy.

I already hit send as soon as,he said Go like,those Chinese crazy,games you gotta go through obstacle courses... Yeah I was already winning. I'm all getting cheers just at the very end, could i make it???

My breath is a fucking war. Obama is belting out commands but all i can hear is my own breathing but all i needed was the tiny rattle of the lock of the door knob.

I heard the dead bolt lock me out "SHIT!" Then it unlocked "OH MY GOD, YES!!" "Now one more please baby come on"

Obama turned to the laptop guy to see whst the Hell i was on about because Matt had said that was our only tool and brain and i was staring at my screen praying. "Idk sir, all I heard--"

"CHEATA!!" I flew past Obama and stood in front of the door that my daughter not only unlocked but also turned the knob to crack it open so i just had to push it all the way.

I covered the doorway by spreading my arms out "MINE"

"Its locked anyway" obama turned away, the boys heifted out the air conditioner at the same time. I spun all ballerina and shut the door and locked it, bent over at the window and said "hiiii" the military dude peeking in, fell into my house onto the floor cause i had him straight fucked up.

"Could you put the air conditioner back in please?"

The bewildered Military dude, secret service was all "if you tell me how you did that"

"Mothers instinct, maybe"

"Well, I'll put it back in anyway"

"But could you do it from the outside? I want to see if you could. Thank you"

He obliged and i locked myself in the house. Until they called Matt and asked how to get me out to talk. He said "call her cell phone"

So they did and i saw Obama out the window. "Stand on one leg" i said while unlocking the door as silent as possible (I randomly practice) "like a flamingo"

"Is this how a flamingo stands? His head turned away from my house, so i slipped out and held the door knob behind me,not all the way closed but it looked like it.. But I could push it back in and escape.

Secret service turned around in shock "how did she...."

I won. When you surprise secret service at least 2x in less than 10 minutes... You win. Especially when everyone on the porch's jaw drops open.

"5 out of 5. I guess i won this place. Yall can close your mouths now"

Obama does not like to lose. I think especially to a girl.

"Oh you'll get used to it. Watxh the video"

So they watched the video and all and the most shocked secret service had figured out how i knew when to go in but said it wss all shocking the same. The other one doing the heavy lifting hadn't noticed anything.

And Obama was so mad

"And yes Obama that was the flamingo"

"Alright, I'm done here, let's go. We will talk to the coty and see if they can stay here and we will get something sanctioned. Come on Abu, lets get you to a hotel"

"Uhm, really?!!? But no i want to know why first or i let them out the van and the first one that dies is you" replied an ecstatic Abu.

"I know I'm not about to die I tell you what" I muttered under my breath "and there's just two of us here and one is a kid"

"No, i want to know we will be free and you will not send us back to Iraq. Then, i will go with you"

"Oh Abu that paperwork is already being processed"

I still didn't know whst was going on but this dude all up on the President with a heavy accent all 'bitch i aint doing shit, yo' i was all dam that was way sexier than I ever expected to see on the porch of my house.

My face was on a new war, winning this young stud. I don't know who could tell but i think he could.

The observant secret service said for me not to continue to drool but I was all okay I'll stare dreamily. Total sexual harassment out my face. And Abu was not going to resist apprehension. And his pants were becoming to small at the waist.

So all these secret services and the President all just sat there and watched the young stud gain a boner and i heard the front door open.

I threw the white flag, my kid didn't need to see that. Oh but Abu was not done with the war, being at the far end of the porch, furthest away from me, he threw jealousy down.

Now Today 10 and half years later he doesnt bother to open any door to his house for me.

Anyways. So Jeremiah had agreed the year before that if i could outwit the secret service somehow in under 25 minutes then every one could be set free. But it had ti be the secret service and it had to be 21-24 minutes for everyone in Iraq and for everyone in the vans. At 25 minutes, no one. And under 21 minutes anyone already set free including the vans.

1400 had already been released on escaping terms and 5000 remained in the cells.

I had to beat amnesia to get the rest out. At least 3 pregnancies and finding my mom at her location.

So I did it.

All those greedy selfish people i had to yell at at the NHRA. I had to. I worked every single day. Every single day to repair my brain 99% on my own. It had to be 85% not including legal drugs.

Even the Queen agreed but stated she must be dead before any press releases could be stated about her involvement. And i had to pick her successor.

So yay!!! I did it under 12 years.

But also I wish I could done it sooner.

I fought every single day.

Every single day. My mind wss on my mind.

No matter what it took. I always felt that. It was the most important thing in the world. An urgency that took over my entire being.

God gave me great pain so i was unable,to leave my bed so i could focus and break all barriers and do it even without his help.

I even became suicidal, homicidal, crazy feeling, all sorts of horrible things

Yet I cannot compare it to the intensity of being kidnapped and broken. Tortured nearly constantly. And having to work for a slave labor.

In words it seems the same. But in my still somewhat broken mind i dont see it that way.

Because what I did was break free. And i see these people in shackles. Giving up as i did multiple times. But bot just giving up for a day or week while still looking and,grasping. But i see people who lost hope.

How coils they not? I know i would, just keep my head down and work, stay out of trouble and try the best i can to keep shelter over my head and food in my belly and have,the faith that that would work to,keep,me,alive another day.

Again, in words, it sounds almost the same. But i had a job I picked,a house I picked, my own child, a car.

I had freedom. I had freedom to stop, i had freedom to quit. I could do anything in the world I wanted. And no one could stop me, beat me, or anything.

I had full control over my life and it's contents. Over what i ate or didn't n wheere i got it from.

So,while on paper it sounds as though our struggles are the same, the struggles of the human trafficking victims and their families do not compare; theirs are much greater.

Doing what i did on my own the way i have. It has brought extreme advancement to the medical community.

But when I look at the sea of faces, my heart and mind connect and tell me, it is not over. My eyes tell me, what you have suffered, they will, too.

And I know i can't take that pain they will have in the future away. It hurts my heart to know what I've gone through, mentally, in my life and know they Likley will as well.

But I just hope and pray that we are different enough, the human trafficking victims and I that they will have the happiness I have sought for myself and my own daughter.

And when i do, i see people hugging, i see people holding each other through some of the toughest best times of their lives. I see people together.

And i know, im likely an over protective mother, seeing all these people as her babies with all the last instructions about not forgetting to turn off the stove, or turning the pot handles in so you don't accidentally hit it and waste your food if you dont have a dog or a small child dumping boiling water on their heads.

Its not like sending them to college... Its like sending them home.

Homes that .... I've lived in nearly 40 houses. And None were the same. Except the constant battles and abuse from relatives that weren't mine.

That is why i am so thankful to London for sparing DNA kits that have been administered to all victims and will be administered to families all over the world. ASAP

Abu for hiding away Money and buying things for celebrations.

The governments for really listening, finally and helping all these families.

I know this is the first stage and so much more needs to be done. But as I put my head down to work, I know it will. Get done.

Because I've worked too hard,for too long for it to stop now.

Abu reminds me how i had a fear od public speaking. How i refused to fight. Others tell me how I was mute for years.

I came from nothing. And we're not throwing these victims out a plane without a parachute.

I've always known everyday my work wasn't just for me. It went beyond me. Beyond any thing i could see.

Know i know why

So twin matt splice this up into this,mornings email and then snoopy add this song.

VA contact my dad. He still,needs to pack. I probably have to repack my kid for warm weather clothes.

We got shit to do. What yall sitting looking at me for?

Add nickleback far,away and photograph. Doug has,these practiced so snoop sings along and alter some slight phases like the demand to stop breathing.

Wanted you to say to "stay" Steph also knows the words.

Photograph add in "when I get home" between the lines like how we do Rudolph the red nose reindeer. Batman wheels and all that. ... Will the school throw me out? No.

So,Snoop pick you want the songs or the add ins., I wanna push you to meet the tone of the songs original way to sing it So that it's US understanding the victims pain.

Then the victims reassure us woth the add ins that every thing will be okay.

So ALL the victims ...

"Criminal records broke 2x" a haha from the band then a repeated haha from the crowd so a repeated chord from Doug or jist a pause. His choice.

Should I try to go back and graduate "we ARE Free to CHOOSE"

"Wouldn't let me back in" go online!

......

Abu, Matthew. Hondo. Gherie, you already know. But some of you all need to understand "Far Away" from nickleback.

It was written for you.

Many songs were thanks to my great influence in the 90s on the music industry.

Thank you

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teangeri · 6 years ago

Text

shin soukoku week 2019 — unfamiliar, unknown, new.

day one, tickle a dragon's tail. [ also in ao3 ]

Today, the sun waved good bye to Ryuunosuke as the moon replaced it moments after.

Tonight, it greeted him like a familiar. Tonight, the stars were cowards. Tonight the sky was clear save for the moon, and Yokohama's city lights faded in the background as he felt the wind kiss his cheeks. Tonight, the noises in the background sounded quiet and just. Tonight, his muscles ached from fighting yet another fight he won. Tonight, the exhaustion was minimal compared to the calmness engulfing him.

This was all familiar.

"You know, you could have just told me that you just liked me instead of fighting me for this spot."

That was not familiar. The weretiger leaned over the railings as the seawater gushed against the port walls, a gentle smile lapping at the corners of his lips. Heterochromatic eyes so kaleidoscopic it was as if they swirled against each other as Ryuunosuke stared into them more. His voice was quiet and reserved, it wasn't like when they stood against each other, ability to ability—claws to cloth. Right now, it was silently directed to his person, not his deed. Right now, staring into his eyes was not something he dreaded anymore.

Ryuunosuke leaned his back on the railings, facing the opposite side as Atsushi who fancied staring at the sea and the part of the city that laid just across. Boats littered the other side of the port as the cargo men exchanged banter. Their talk didn't reach them, though. It was when he was with Atsushi that he felt barriers around him, trapping both of hem in one space, not letting anybody else inside. Before, he had acknowledged it as suffocating. Or maybe it was only because he couldn't handle the foreign glimpse of affection slowly blooming inside his chest. Now, he knew it was overwhelming. Like anticipation. Like hope.

"You would've laughed at me." And so, Atsushi did.

"It would only be because of endearment." He scooted closer to Ryuunosuke, leaning into the crook of his neck, resting his chin on his shoulder, only to pull back and look at him with something other than kaleidoscopes in his eyes. What was it? He wouldn't have known even when the answer came out of Atsushi's lips.

This was not familiar. When Atsushi looked at him before, it was malice and disbelief, as if he couldn't register Ryuunosuke at all. When Atsushi looked at him now, he was the one who couldn't register anything from the look.

"Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?" Like centuries. Like planets. Like forming names out of constellations. Like battered up converse shoes in the middle of a hike. Like that one moment time stops and you just stare at an empty space, waiting for time to move inside your ribs again. Like desired damnation.

"Like you're starving and I'm your last meal."

Atsushi only stared at him. Then that stupidly mesmerizing smile of his slowly touch his lips. "Are you even edible?"

Ryuunosuke scoffed, Atsushi just giggles. "Quit laughing, jinko, it's not cute."

When Atsushi moved his chin up to meet Ryuunosuke's eyes, he knew he was damned.

When Atsushi slowly shifted so he'd stand on his tip toes, he knew he wouldn't do anything to stop it.

When Atsushi's lips made home at his own, Ryuunosuke didn't know anything else but that lingering sensation.

Today, Ryuunosuke was bored. And he was familiar with boredom.

There wasn't anything he could do after finishing up his job for today. It could've been better if he could've just killed two or three people, but that was not gonna happen. Not when he exchange kisses with the weretiger every night and his morals suddenly become Ryuunosuke's rehabilitation. Not when he made him want this gnawing sense of justification.

Walking along the alleys to the Armed Detective Agency had never been so familiar, but it was now. He clutched his phone to his ear as Atsushi rambled about his work today and that he may need some help—Ryuunosuke's help, to be exact. For some reason, working together is something they did best albeit not standing each other for how long. And Ryuunosuke admits, he still can't stand the weretiger's naivety when it comes to tactical missions—after all, he was not accustomed to this. As Ryuunosuke was not accustomed to the figure running up to meet him, with his cheery smile and him waving as if Ryuunosuke had any trouble with spotting him along a crowd.

As if.

“I thought you'd be busy.”

A smile.

“I finished early.”

A scoff.

“So you can help me out?” Atsushi grinned. “For the whole day?”

Another scoff.

“Let's get moving before I change my mind.”

And so he let Atsushi lead the way.

“Kunikida-san told me I should do some research on the target's workplace, so now we're gonna do that.” Ryuunosuke hummed in response. “And then we're going grocery shopping because I ran out of food at home.”

“That's not part of the job.” Ryuunosuke whined, already dreading the fact that he wants to go with him anyway.

“It isn't.” Atsushi folded the papers he was reading a while ago and motioned his chin up to meet Ryuunosuke's eyes. This again. “But we're doing it anyway!”

Yep, they're doing it anyway. Maybe he could get used to this, being together with Atsushi, shopping with him, kissing him. But that wasn't easy, and so was walking the streets out on the broad daylight with stares of people directed at him—their eyes keen on observing, they knew what danger looked like. And as dangerous as he was seen, the only true danger for Ryuunosuke was this: The unfamiliar. The unknown. The new.

Atsushi.

Ryuunosuke always saw the unfamiliar as dangerous. He knew how much foreign things hinder him from controlling the outcomes. He knew how risky these feelings are, and he knew what was at risk. Everything could go wrong—he could be eaten up by these emotions, much less them take over his logical thinking; he could be destroyed by them in the most unexpected way—and yet here he was, witnessing every bit of his restraint diminish into nothingness. It was these instances when he knew he shouldn't have, but still refused to hold back.

And who knows, maybe he'll get used to these foreign feelings someday.

The ache in his wounds had always been familiar. He always attained them in the slums way before he attained them in the mafia. Pain was no mystery for someone who lived off bleeding out his own breakfast—stealth, revenge, darkness, silence, chaos, silent chaos.

Now it was this: Atsushi in his weretiger form moving like light against darkness—fast and relentless, as if his weaknesses were at his mercy. It was at these instances when Ryuunosuke admired him the most. It was when he was beside him in battle that he felt strong—without anybody else's approval. It was when the tiger's claws were his claws, and rashoumon's jaws became Atsushi's jaws—it was when they were one that he felt as if the unknown was fun instead of dangerous.

But today was dangerous.

Today, they were against something far more powerful—it was different from when they fought against each other for the first time, and it was different from when they fought alongside each other the first time.

Today, they might actually lose.

He wasn't wounded that much, but his body was wearing out. He was exhausted and every move he made made his body scream—everything around him was going mute, he was giving up.

“If you lose like this, I won't forgive you.” The look in Atsushi's eyes burned hotter than any hell fire. “I'm borrowing your words, since you seem to have forgotten them.”

Just like that, Atsushi took over his mind again. His voice reverberating against his ears, cleansing every dark thought into hope.

And he hated it so much.

He wasn't supposed to live in the light—it was too bright, and blinding. It hurted and costed a lot. He wasn't supposed to be engulfed by hope, because hope promised failure. It hurted and costed a lot. He wasn't supposed to let the feelings in, because loving Atsushi promised losing him. It hurted and costed a lot. He wasn't supposed to his answer, and yet every question in his head demanded the same solution.

God, he hated it so much.

And yet here he was, smirking at Atsushi—ignoring the faint wounds on his face that will soon heal—giving him the comfort of hope.

“We won't lose.”

Maybe he could get used to this.

Winning was familiar too. He wouldn't say he always experienced it—but he knew the feeling. He always saw it as a scenery, not a prize.

Sometimes, it was his enemies' bodies' blood coating the floors, their pained screams echoing in his ears as the time of killing them passed and he was done for today's work.

Sometimes, it was the tea Gin prepared when he got home from work—it was time with his only family. It was Gin's giggles when she told him about what happened at work today, or when she needed new daggers. It was comfortable.

Sometimes, it was seeing Yokohama safe. Albeit possessing no kind of actual attachment to the city, he still valued it as his own. This was his ground—this was where he stood at, and this is what he'll fight for.

Sometimes, it was the weretiger's smile directed at him when their enemy is sustained to defeat. It was his stupid face and his stupidity and his stupid, stupid smile. It was him caving in and feeling his body tremble with excitement as the fight mode subsided. It was his arms around his waist and his hair tickling the tip of his nose—unfamiliar, unknown, new.

Atsushi.

It was all of that.

It was now: Them at the port at night when the sun had set and the city's lights echoed at the distance, the fishermen's clattering with their catches as they moved and moved like the busy bodies they were, the wind kissed his cheeks as the stars freckled the sky.

This was all familiar.

And then there was him.

“Are you fully recovered yet?” Atsushi said as he leaned against the railing, the sound of the sea splashing against the port's wall made him feel calm.

Ryuunosuke sighed, facing Atsushi, pulling him into his chest as he took his fair share of how good his hair smelled like. The weretiger relaxed in his embrace, letting Ryuunosuke take all the contact he needed before he pulls away again. He knew he wasn't used to him, and all this time, he'd been waiting. Ryuunosuke had always been hungry for affection, but Atsushi had been starved for longer than he thought.

Loving him was ruination. It was as if he had doused the whole house in kerosene and he held a lit match in the middle of the carnage—threatening to burn and eat at his flesh. It felt like the roar of static in your ears when you've screamed too much. It felt like the fall of the mighty. It wasn't supposed to be, in any way possible. It was unfamiliar. Unknown. New. And yet he had not been used to the dark until he had learned to wear it. He had not been used to the city's skies until he had stared at it for years. He had not been used to danger until he had learned to look at it straight in the eyes—who knew danger had heterochromatic eyes?

“Don't ask.” He said once he pulled away, staring back at Yokohama's busy night life. Atsushi leaned into his shoulder.

He gave him a laugh. “Not planning to.”

“Don't laugh, too.” He groaned when Atsushi continued laughing anyway. “We already discussed this.” He gestured to both of them.

“This,” Atsushi mirrored his gesture. “isn't why I'm laughing.”

Ryuunosuke looked at him and his mind screamed for him to land just one light punch. But he decided against it. “I wasn't thinking about punching you.”

“You're always thinking about punching me.”

“Touché.”

“Hey Ryuu,” Atsushi's eyes met his again. This time he made sure to keep them locked at each other. “I love you.”

He didn't respond immediately. His mind refurbished it's clogs and he did all he could to not make an embarrassing sound as he processed those words over and over. He could deal with the kisses, and the other show of affection that involved physical contact. Those were things he was slowly getting used to, slowly familiarizing with. Those three words were far too foreign. Out of this world.

They were dangerous.

He couldn't verbally respond, but the fact that he couldn't stop his hands from cupping Atsushi's cheeks and pressing his lips to his was enough of an answer for now—this felt like home. This will be its home now. He could get used to this, he was willing to gamble, willing to risk, willing to win, willing to lose. If it was him—unknown,unfamiliar, new—he would always be willing.

After all, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke had always lived a dangerous life.

#shin soukoku week 2019 #shin soukoku #akuatsu #akutagawa ryuunosuke #akutagawa #atsushi nakajima #atsushi #bsd #bungou stray dogs #sskk

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