#I hope you all know that when I have knowledge of how gear 5 works I will be unbearable | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

averagewriter-inthedark · 1 year

Text

For The Gold 🥇 | Top Gun Maverick Imagine

Takes place after the events of TGM

Link to my TGM Masterlist

Characters & Pairings: Pilot/Olympian!reader x Dagger squad (platonic), slight Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin

Content warnings: fluff, mentions of injuries, slight profanity. Might be emotional for you so be warned| Gn!reader (They/them) | wc: 12k+

Premise: In which the 2019 TopGun Uranium detachment return to Fightertown to watch and cheer on their colleague & friend as they compete on the greatest sporting stage the world has ever seen for their last chance at Olympic glory.

Note: so I was an athlete growing up (I did gymnastics, soccer, and figure skating) and although I no longer pursue my dream of going to the Olympics (my biggest regret in life) I still get super excited when it comes around. It’s currently World Cup season & I’m hyperfixating to say the least on sports and now have these ideas of a professional athlete!reader works for the dagger squad. Let me know if you want more because I totally have ideas for other sports— especially the ones I played because I have more personal knowledge of them, but I LOVE watching the track and field and nearly went that path when I was a kid because I loved to run and was really fast (I played wing for soccer in high school and I always had people tell me I should’ve been on the track team instead). For this imagine, imagine you were born in 1990 so it would put you at age 30-31 in 2021 and just to be clear this is following the idea that the events of TGM took place in 2019 since the movie was supposed to come out around that time or 2020.

“Let’s freaking go!!!” Javy practically shouts as he claps his hands when entering The Hard Deck to a crowd of people and his friends. Eyes were already glued to the multiple TV screens Penny had set up with the help of regular patrons. There was a table filled with food set out, coolers of ice and beers donated by customers. The bar was buzzing with excitement with many sporting team USA gear and waving American flags. It was the early hours of the morning—literally 5 am and everyone in the building had slept the duration of the previous day in order to pull an all-nighter or had just woken up. They wanted to watch the event live and not the replay later that day due to the 17 hour time difference. News crews were there as well, hoping to catch everyone’s reaction.

The squad rolled their eyes at their colleague, but smiled nonetheless. They too were filled with anticipation. “How much time until their up?” Coyote asked, taking a beer before finding a place beside Hangman. The Dagger squad had arrived early to get good spots with Coyote being the last to arrive. Now there was hardly any space in some areas with the turn out. Civilians and servicemen swarmed every corner.

“About thirty or so minutes. They should be coming into the arena soon.”

Everyone from TopGun was there, including Cyclone, Warlock, Hondo, Maverick and the current aviators going through the TopGun program. Many of the former 2019 detachment had gone off to their old or new assignments, but as soon as the announcement of the team hit the news they were popping off in the group chat and booking flights to Fightertown.

So here they all were. All 12 of the special detachment that trained together for a high-risk uranium enrichment plant mission back again in the Hard Deck like the first night three ago. Rooster, Hangman, Coyote, Phoenix, Bob, Fanboy, Payback, Fritz, Halo, Omaha, Harvard, and Yale. They were only missing one person.

The person across the Pacific Ocean who was the reason they were together to cheer on from home, and would be going for the gold in one final run.

It was the first week of August, 2021. The Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo, Japan.

What should have been held the year prior, was postponed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Now after years of hard work & dedications, nearly 12 thousand athletes from 206 nations around the world were gathered for the greatest sports event in history.

17 days, 339 events in 33 sports. The gold medal on the line.

For Y/n L/n, this was the moment they’d been waiting for. At 31 years old, Y/n spent their entire childhood and adolescence dreaming of the day they would walk through the tunnel of an Olympic arena to represent the USA. From the moment they could walk the track became their life. Their parents were coaches at Vanderbilt University and were the contributing factor to them pursuing the sport. And at age six, Y/n sat in the stands of the Centennial Olympic Stadium in the summer of 1996 where they witnessed with awe as Micheal Johnson won the gold for the USA in the Men’s 200m & 400m sprint and Carl Lewis defended his title of the long jump champion for four consecutive Olympics. Just days prior Y/n witnessed history for USA Gymnastics when the Magnificent 7 defeated Russia for the US’s first women’s All-Around team gold medal.

It was a memorable Games, held on home soil in the city of Atlanta and with many firsts and defenders.

It was the spark of a lifelong goal for the six year old in the stands.

Blood, sweat, and tears were put into training. From an early age Y/n loved to run. But sprinting was their passion. The 100m, 200m, & 400m became their sole focus.

Everyday, sometimes twice or three times Y/n was running drills and sprints. Their day would start with an early morning jog with their dad before the sun was even out, followed by breakfast before heading to the track. From there they would stretch, run drills, and conditioning. Then they would have an hour break for lunch before doing it all over again until dinner. The day would end with another cycle of drills and conditioning. Y/n would be out of breath, sweating, and sometimes in pain.

But they were determined. Like most athletes who dedicate their lives to the international level they became homeschooled and missed out on many things a typical child or teen would experience. Though Y/n had friends it was only a select few. There was hardly time for a social life and therefore it was hard for them to form connections. It wasn’t until they got into competitions did they begin making friends with fellow competitors.

At age 10 Y/n participated in their first meet. It was a let down, but not a total loss. Sure they didn’t win a medal but they didn’t come in last and that in itself was a win in their eyes. It just made them more determined to do better and the next season they delivered by claiming a regional title. As years went by regionals became state titles and soon Y/n was a national champion at age 16. That winning season had brands reaching out to sponsor the teen, but if they were to also take a chance at an NCAA title in college then sponsorships were gonna have to wait.

2008 was the year to remember. Y/n had attended their first World Championships and although they didn’t win gold, they took the bronze and became a likely contender to make the Olympic team in the upcoming trials. They had just graduated with their diploma and had accepted a full ride to Vanderbilt University as part of their track team. What came as a big surprise to their parents was Y/n would not just be getting their degree and competing for the college team, they would also be doing the Naval ROTC program.

Unbeknownst to their family, Y/n was drawn to the world of aviation. Their grandfather was a fighter pilot for the Navy and would tell them stories of what it was like in the air. He even had a cool callsign, ‘Viper,’ and taught at the Navy’s prestigious school for pilots. When Y/n was a child, he would take them to the air shows and teach them all about the maneuvers they were doing and even brought them to TopGun. They were in awe as he would explain all the gadgets and weapons of the F-14.

Yes, track and the Olympics was their life, but something was calling them to the skies.

“Honey, where did this come from? You never talked about joining the Navy before,” their mother said with confusion at the dinner table when Y/n explained their upcoming schedule. “If you make the team this summer I hope you’re not planning for this to be your only games. You’re so young and could easily go again for London and the 2016 games.”

“That’s still the plan, mom,” Y/n sighed, “But you remember all those stories grandpa would tell me about his pilot days? I want to do something more in case this doesn’t work out—have a backup plan per say. What if I tear my hamstring or something happens that I have to retire?” It wasn’t something they liked to think about, but with being an athlete the next meet is never guaranteed. Injuries are common—especially torn ACLs and hamstrings. Y/n had other passions besides track and wanted something there for if the worst happened.

“Y/n, if you do two years of their program you have to decide whether to commit or not and you’ll likely be commissioned when you graduate,” their father pointed out, “That means you’ll have new priorities and if you're serious about flight school that is going to cut time off the track. London is possible given it will be your last year in college—maybe we can pull some strings and have your commission pushed back if you make the team—-but I don’t think 2016 would be. You’re talking balancing a career as a Naval officer and professional athlete. That’s a lot to take on—physically and mentally.”

He had a point and Y/n knew it. London was in four years and definitely possible even if they fail to make the Beijing team. The location of 2016 had yet to be decided, but with the timing it would put Y/n four years into a possible Navy career.

Still they were wanted to make both work.

An Olympic champion and a fighter pilot.

First they had to get through 2008 and boy was it a year to remember. It fulfilled one half of the Olympic dream for Y/n: making the team and competing on the world’s greatest sporting stage. Tears streamed down their face as they embraced their parents following the end of the trials. It was a hell of a trials with Y/n competing against some of the best track stars in the country. They were completely starstruck when Allison Felix congratulated them following the announcement, Y/n remembered watching her four years prior in Athens for her Olympic debut and thought, ‘I really hope we’re teammates in Beijing.’

Unfortunately, a gold medal was not in store for the athlete. Of the three events; 100m, 200m, & 400m, Y/n only qualified for the 200m & 400m after finishing in the top two of their heat. The night of the 200m finals was a saddening with Y/n finishing fourth, just shy of a medal, but the Games were not a total loss when days later an Olympic bronze medal was placed around their neck and the American Flag rose alongside Great Britain and Jamaica’s.

And so the next four years of training for London—with Rio De Janeiro in 2016 looming around the corner—began the second they touched back on U.S soil. On top it was the pressure of securing NCAA titles not to mention A’s & B’s in their classes, while also getting through one of the top collegiate ranked NROTC programs.

It was a lot. And Y/n became burnt out at times. They had already set their name in record books at the national level, now it was time to amp up the game on the international and college level. A bronze medal would not satisfy Y/n, gold was the goal.

It all paid off by the time 2012 arrived. With a few more national titles under their belt and a World Championship in the 400m, Y/n was the talk for a gold among commentators. At the end of their collegiate career they secured several titles in their three events and managed to come out with a 3.8 cumulative GPA. In regards to the NROTC Y/n committed to the program after their second year and was set to commission that summer. The trials were around the same time as what would have been the ceremony, but after several meetings they allowed it to be postponed until after the trials. It would be some time before Y/n would be assigned an OTS due to the path they were taking with flight school and therefore it would likely not interfere with the upcoming Olympics. “Bring home the gold for us,” the officer shook their hand at the end. It filled them with nerves, but mostly perseverance, “I plan to.”

The trials were a success once again with Y/n having the honor to call themselves a two-time Olympian. The five colored rings were tattooed on their bicep, something they did immediately after Beijing that often resulted in being recognized in public, and gold was in their mind. After qualifying for all three events and earning a place on the 4x100 relay, Y/n had four chances at the gold: 3 individual and 1 team.

It was a silver lining moment in all three individual events. After failing to qualify for the 100m finals in Beijing, Y/n pulled a show stopping finish in the last heat earning them a place in the final. It was the most heat pumping 10 seconds of their life that happened in the blink of an eye. Before they knew it they were on the podium with a silver medal and the same would follow in the 200m and 400m. At the end of the 400m ceremony they were bombarded by reporters with the same question, “Y/n, what a run tonight, congratulations again this is your third medal in these games and it seems to be a silver lining moment for you. What are your thoughts?”

Still coming off the emotion from winning their fourth Olympic medal, a privilege not many could say, Y/n smiled wide, “It’s amazing really, you know I took the bronze four years ago in this event and I’m so grateful to come out with another medal—this time being silver. I couldn’t believe Monday night when I took the silver in the 100m—just making it to the finals after not qualifying in Beijing was an accomplishment and same goes for taking second in the 200m. I want to thank my parents, who are also my coaches and have been with me on this journey since the beginning. I’m just so blessed and filled with happiness tonight—I could not have done this without them.”

“You still have a chance at the gold in Wednesday’s relay. How are you feeling about that? What can we expect by the team?”

“We have such an amazing group for the relay, I’m so honored I get to represent the United States alongside them. Every one of us have worked so hard to be here and have really put our blood, sweat, and tears. Hopefully bring home the gold—I know each of us are going to give it our best.”

Y/n’s publicist from the side was signaling for them to hurry up, “One last question before you go,” the reporter quickly said. “For the people at home who have been cheering you on these past four years, can we expect you to return for Rio? I know you could very well take the gold in the relay, but are you hoping to try for an individual in the future?” This was the question Y/n had been preparing for the entire games. Having managed to keep their NROTC program hidden from the media, it troubled Y/n to reveal they would be a Navy officer by the end of the summer. It wasn’t odd for active duty members to be athletes, there were plenty who participated in the games every four years. It would just be difficult given the career path they chose and having to get all the paperwork filed for time off around meets and international competitions.

After a moment of thinking, they finally answered, “I’m very lucky I get to say I competed in these games twice now. I’m twenty-two now and will be twenty-six by the time Rio comes around—not to mention I start flight school pretty soon,” there was immediate surprise by the reporter, but Y/n continued and was quick to finish with. “I’m gonna work hard as I always do and hopefully Rio is in the cards for me. But to give a yes or no imma just say yes, that is the plan.”

Before the reporter could question the topic of flight school, Y/n was already saying goodbye and letting their publicist pull them away. The relay was in two days and was their last chance at winning a gold for the London games. Of course, Y/n was hopeful they would make the Rio team for the sake of winning an individual gold medal. There would no doubt be glory and honor if they were to win the relay, but it had been their dream since childhood to stand on the podium with a gold around their neck for one of their events.

The relay was all they ever dreamed of. A strong group with Y/n leading the first leg before handing it off, giving their teammate a great start to pull a lead against the other nations. As they were walking back to the start, their heart was racing and not just from the adrenaline…but by their teammate being the first to cross the finish line. Then there was the sound of the announcer amongst the roaring crowd, “WORLD RECORD!!!” with the USA appearing beside the #1 spot.

Y/n was screaming before they could stop themselves, “Oh my god!!” knees hit the track as they sank to the ground. They couldn’t even hear themselves by the cheers. It was a spectacular moment with Y/n pulling themselves up to run and embrace their teammates and share the glory they just made. Not only were they Olympic champions but also World Record holders of the 4x100m relay.

“The United States has taken the gold here today in the 4x100m relay and a new world record has been set thanks to the extraordinary start by Y/n L/n.” “This relay group gave it their all today, John. It was such a close call coming around on the third leg, but the Americans pulled through for a stunning finish for Olympic gold.”

With an American flag in their hand, Y/n joined their teammates beside the record projection. They were teary eyed, but held off from crying because they knew the emotion would come full heartedly on the podium. And boy did it come. The second the national anthem was playing, the first tear fell from Y/n’s eyes. The medal was heavy around their neck, but it was a reminder that they achieved the goal they set out when they were six years old.

Olympic champion.

And they got to share it with their teammates—an immense honor they would cherish till the end of time.

Y/n could barely remember all that happened following the podium ceremony. After a celebration with their parents and best friend, who flew all the way out to London to support them, they had no more events and got to rest for the remainder of the games. Closing ceremonies were spectacular. One of Y/n’s favorite moments from the Beijing games was getting to mingle with athletes from the other nations during the closing ceremonies. This time around Y/n was speechless as they got to see a Spice Girls reunion and One Direction perform.

Life became chaotic to say the least following the return from London. After winning four medals including a gold, Y/n was asked by several talk show hosts to appear for an interview. They accepted a few and were immediately bombarded with questions about the little detail they slipped after winning the silver in the 400m. “You made it known to the world that you’ll be going to flight school, was it? What can you tell us about that?”

“Well during my time at Vanderbilt, where I competed for them in the NCAA—which can I say, It’s a completely different ball field when your parents are not only your coaches for international competitions but also college meets. The energy is different, especially because they’ve been there for almost two decades now and are the definition of school spirit. Anyways, while I was there I also took the route of doing their Navy ROTC program. My grandfather was a fighter pilot for the Navy and pretty much became my inspiration for wanting to fly—on top of being an athlete. It was something I thought long and hard about. I wasn’t sure if I would even make the London team and of course anything can happen, but I knew I wanted to go to fight school back when I competed in 2008. I actually will be commissioning once I’m done with all this post-Olympic press.”

The ceremony was a bittersweet moment. With their friends and family around them, Y/n was pinned on with the ranks of Ensign and named an officer of the United States Navy. From there were the challenges of balancing a career as both a professional athlete and naval aviator. Often were days of bad mental health and aches after overexertion. OTS & Flight school was intense but shaped Y/n in many ways. The first day they were recognized by a classmate resulting in the callsign, “Olympian,” after everyone would say, “Hey, Olympian!” when calling out to them after two straight days.

“Could’ve been worse,” Y/n chuckled after their parents were like, ‘really?’ when they told them. “I mean it could have been something like ‘Short-track,’ or ‘Goldilocks,’ if they thought about it. If I fucked up doing something then they would’ve named me something related to it. I’ll take Olympian cause that’s what I am.”

After completing flight school and receiving their first duty station, Y/n made the decision to hire a new coach. The World Championships were coming up and they did not want to uproot their parents while they were still the head coaches at Vanderbilt. At first they protested, but eventually relented on the condition that Y/n’s coach would be their former colleague. He was the former head coach of Vanderbilt when their parents were athletes themselves before becoming assistant coaches. “He is everything you need to bring your A-game these next seasons and Rio. I’ll make the call first thing in the morning and see what he says.”

The four years between London and Rio were brutal. The training with their new coach and balancing an aviation career showed more hardships than ever. Y/n proved themselves to be a talented pilot despite the struggles and eventually was invited in 2015 to attend the Navy’s prestigious Fighter Weapons School more commonly known as Top Gun. The same place their grandfather attended and taught at.

A hard decision had to be made when the invite came. The time period interfered with the track season and Y/n would not be able to defend their two-consecutive world titles in the 400m sprint. In the end, Y/n announced they would be pulling out from the 2015 season to attend Top Gun. They weighed out the pros and cons and felt it was the best route given the Olympics were a year away. If an injury were to occur then it could result in Y/n not even having the chance to do the trials. Their coach was frustrated in the beginning, as one would be after dominating the national and international meets for two years straight. He eventually put his differences aside to put focus on what Y/n needed to improve if they were to take the gold in Rio.

It was at Top Gun that Y/n met fellow naval aviator Natasha “Phoenix” Trace. They were seated next to each other in one of the many lecture rooms at Fightertown where Nat had to do a double take after recognition sparked in her. Nat was an athlete in high school and college who, like many, would sit with her family to watch the Olympics every four years. Though she didn’t run track, a sibling of hers did so they would always tune into the events when they came on. After seeing the patch reading ‘Olympian,’ Nat had to hold back her fangirling as the memory of her cheering when the US took gold in the 4x100m relay. ‘It has to be them.’ At the end of the lecture she approached Y/n with a shy smile, “I’m so sorry if this is weird for you, but are you Y/n L/n? I’m Natasha—Phoenix.”

They struck up a friendship during their time at Top Gun. The two bonded over their NCAA careers and sports in general. Nat admired Y/n for being able to balance being an athlete and aviator, for she made the difficult decision to not pursue her sport after college. What was ironic was they didn’t feel threatened by the other when going after the top spot in their class, considering they were both obviously competitive. Both had immense respect for the other, and didn’t care at the end of the day who came out on top. They both had similar hobbies outside of flying and would spend nights watching movies, going to the bars, or playing volleyball with their fellow pilots. It was a genuine friendship with Nat supporting Y/n even after they graduated from Top Gun both ranked #1 in their class.

Nat even took time off to attend the 2016 U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials. There she witnessed Y/n, who she now called a best friend, qualify for their third consecutive Olympics. Nat never screamed louder in her life than when Y/n took the top spot on the team for their events. “Oh my God, you did it!” She hugged the athlete when it was all done. “Holy shit congratulations, Oly! This is it—this is gonna be your year!” Nat wouldn’t be in Rio, but promised to cheer Y/n from home.

Unfortunately the journey for the individual gold medal ended before it could even start. After qualifying for the 100m and 200m finals with the expectation of being part of the relay team once again, Y/n’s dream of gold crashed during the semifinals of the 400m.

Literally crashed.

Their signature event which had an Olympic bronze and silver to their name as well as several World titles, ended in catastrophe. As Y/n came up on the last leg with the final turn, Y/n had a tight lead against their main opponent. But before they could blink the athlete to their left tripped and fell to the side directly in front of them. Moving so fast and unable to stop to avoid the person, Y/n topped over and felt a searing pain in their side as they landed awkwardly.

Gasps rang out before the stadium fell silent with just the faint sound of cheers from the winners of the race. Y/n was panting, clutching onto their side as fire filled the entire right side of their body. The athlete who tripped was in tears and apologizing profusely. There was still adrenaline from the sprint as the arena stopped spinning around Y/n. Determined to cross the finish line, Y/n pulled themself up and helped their fellow athlete up, “It’s okay, c’mon. Let’s finish this.” They were crying and Y/n had their own tears from the pain in their side and leg, but they only had a few yards to go. Cradling their right arm, Y/n was practically limping alongside their opponent while struggling to breath. Each time they took a breath they were met with pain, not to mention each step had them wince.

They didn’t want to think of the extent of the injuries. The pain alone indicated it was bad. Y/n knew right there their Rio run was done for. Their lips trembled as the reality set in.

The athlete saw Y/n’s condition and immediately brought them to their side as they approached the finish line. Cheers and claps ignited the stadium. There was no doubt they were moved by the display of sportsmanship between two athletes from differing nations. Both with the same goal of Olympic glory that would not be delivered.

Y/n was swarmed by the medical staff. The athlete who tripped them kept apologizing, filled with guilt, embarrassment and shame causing injuries to the Olympian. They felt a little pain from falling but nothing to the extent Y/n had. They had practically gone flying forward and crash landed to avoid hitting their head hard on the track. Now that the adrenaline had finally worn off, Y/n was having to do everything to hold back from collapsing. Y/n embraced the athlete with a hug despite the multiple medics yelling at them, “Don’t blame yourself, it could have happened to anyone. Okay? I’m not angry with you at all.” It was true, Y/n wasn’t angry. Were they sad? Of course, their Olympics were totally over after being diagnosed with a fractured right arm, a bruised rib, mild concussion from hitting their head on the track, and a torn ACL in their right knee.

Commentators were speechless when the incident occurred, “Coming around the corner on the final stretch it’s a tight race between USA, Jamaica, and France—Oh! Oh no! Oh my goodness, there’s been a crash here ladies and gentleman and it doesn’t look good for the American Y/n L/n. Not at all, they are not moving—oh wait no they are getting up right now and helping the athlete from Poland. But L/n looks to be in pain they’re holding onto their arm and I can see they are having trouble jogging—a slight limp to their step. Now the Polish athlete has taken L/n under their arm and they are crossing the finish line to the cheers of the arena in a display that could only be described as what the Olympics is truly about. Great sportsmanship here folks. It’s unsure what L/n is feeling right now but one thing is certain, we will not get to see Y/n go for the gold in the 400m final.”

After the race when the NBC announcers live from Rio were in the studio recapping, they gave an update to Y/n’s situation.

“Breaking news we’ve just received on American Y/n L/n. After the unfortunate incident in tonight’s 400m semifinal, the 26-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee was rushed to the hospital after it was realized the injuries they sustained were more severe than what they thought. It’s being reported Y/n is in surgery for a fracture to their right arm and torn ligament in their right knee. It’s also been noted the athlete suffered a mild concussion as well as a bruised rib. Their coach has come out with a statement on behalf of L/n letting it be known they’ll not be competing in the 100 and 200m finals nor the 4x100 and 4x400m relays they were scheduled to compete in. L/n also has said they will remain in Rio to recover until after the conclusion of these Olympic Games before returning with their teammates to the States.

“The gold medalist in the team relay from four years ago has not said if they will be aiming for a shot at the 2020 games in Tokyo, Japan. L/n was the 2008 bronze medalist in the 400m dash before claiming silver medals in the 100, 200, and 400m in London as well as sharing the gold for the 4x100m relay. They were the leading contender for an individual gold in one of the events after dominating the 2013 and 2014 World Championships. The three-time Olympian pulled out from the 2015 season due to conflicting commitments after revealing in 2012 they were commissioned into the United States Navy following their time at Vanderbilt University. These games in Rio were their first international competition since the one year hiatus. We can only hope Y/n will continue their journey to an individual gold medal in Tokyo, but from those of us in the studio and on behalf of everyone watching at home, we wish Y/n L/n a speedy recovery and safe trip back to the States.”

It was a solemn week in Rio with Y/n sitting in a hospital bed and the games playing on the tv screen. Their coach was with them, as was their dad and together they cheered the US when they took the gold in several events including defending the 4x100m relay. The doctors in Rio gave Y/n a recovery period of nearly one year—the longest healing process being the torn knee. It would be nine months until Y/n could even jog on it, but the doctors recommended waiting a full year before testing it. PT was going to be a pain in the ass, but as long as they didn’t run or do sprints then Y/n would be able to do all else after everything else healed.

Their concussion lasted a couple weeks and the bruised rib took over a month to heal, as did the fractured arm. The 2017 worlds and nationals were out of the question. Thankfully Y/n was still able to fly once the concussion was gone and their arm was fully functional.

The entire year the athlete was unsure of what to do about Tokyo. All their focus was put into flying. Running missions instead of the track and being promoted to Lieutenant in 2018. That same year they decided to try for one more shot at Olympic gold by training for Tokyo. Their coach and parents were all too pleased—even Nat after Y/n called her up to ask for advice. They had a lot to work on since Y/n waited an extra six months after fully recovering. The 2018 season was unattainable so the goal was a comeback in the 2019 season gearing up for the 2020 Olympics.

Just like when Y/n was a child, blood, sweat, and tears were put into training. More times could they remember wanting to quit when their knee started to act up after a bad start off the blocks. They had more arguments with their coach which only fueled the fire. Lastly they were on intense missions that took a toll on their mental health. Nat would check in on them every once in a while, but Y/n brushed it off. This is what they signed up for. They made their bed, now they were to lay in it.

2019 nearly brought deja vu. The World Championships were held in Qatar at the end of September leading into October when Y/n got the call from Vice Admiral Beau ‘Cyclone’ Simpson.

“The Pentagon has tasked me with assembling a strike team for a special detachment. I’ve seen your record and I feel you have what it takes to be a possible member of this mission. Now I know your situation and it is my understanding you’re currently in Qatar, what time are you expected to be stateside?”

Y/n’s hands were shaking, dread filling them at the thought they would likely have to decline an assignment. But these championships were more imported. “The last day is the sixth, but if I qualify for the finals of all my events then I should be done by the fifth, sir.”

“That’s perfect,” his words had them sigh in relief. “The tentative date to report to North Island is the 24th. I’ll be emailing you the information at another time.”

“Yes, sir. I will be there. Thank you for informing me, sir.”

“Oh and Lieutenant?” Cyclone stopped them before they could end the call.

“Yes, sir?”

There’s a slight pause, “Good luck out there. Bring home the gold for us.”

And bring it home they did. In an amazing comeback after what could have been a career ending injury, Y/n L/n reclaimed their title as the world champion in the 400m dash. They fell short in the 200m, but left with the silver and even secured the gold for the team 4x100m & 4x400m relays. People called it the ‘comeback of the decade,’ and Y/n fell subject to a lot of media attention in the world of sports. Their publicist did their best to handle the press once they found out about Y/n’s upcoming commitment. “I won’t let a single soul find out about this, Y/n, I promise you. The devil works hard, but I work harder.”

Once stateside track was put on hold to prepare and partake for the special Top Gun detachment. Dressed in their service khaki’s, Y/n entered The Hard Deck for the first time in three years and was immediately tackled by Phoenix. “You’re here! Holy shit when did you get back?”

“Like two weeks ago, I’ve been chilling since Qatar since there were no assignments until this.”

“Wait, you’re here for the Top Gun detachment too?” Phoenix raised a brow before frowning, “Why didn’t you tell me the other day on the phone?”

Y/n gave the woman a look, “I wasn’t sure we could even mention it to people. Plus you didn’t say anything either, Phee.” They got her there, the pilot raising a hand as if to say, “touché”. By now they have drawn the attention of several other aviators, who all appeared amused by the display of affection by Natasha and were curious to know who it was that received it. One person, Bob, had their jaw dropped when it clicked who they were. Payback appeared to be deep in thought, like they recognized Y/n but couldn’t put a name to their face.

“Trace, you gonna introduce us to your friend?” the blonde aviator, Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin said with a pool cue in hand. He was totally checking Y/n out with a settle drift of the eyes up and down. They didn’t look impressed but smiled to the others nonetheless.

Natasha brought the pilot over and proudly introduced them, “Fellas, this is Y/n L/n. Better known as ‘Olympian.’ One of the best damn pilots you’ll ever see. We both shared the honor of first in the class at Top Gun in 2015.” Nat then introduced all the guys and their callsigns, Y/n shaking each of their hands—Bob still appeared starstruck when they let go of his hand.

“Olympian, huh?” Hangman chuckled at the name, “That’s quite the callsign. What are you Greek? Or obsessed with mythology?” Rooster glared at the man, but also looked curious for the reason behind the Y/n’s callsign. Even their name sounded familiar. They had yet to see the tattoo on Y/n’s bicep, which now had the names Beijing XXIX, London XXX and Rio XXXI in tiny cursive below the rings.

Before Nat or Y/n could fire back at Jake, Bob dropped his cup of peanut shells. Everyone looked at him like, ‘what the hell, man?’ But Y/n started to smile, recognizing the shock in his face as though he had been right about something.

“S-sorry. Oh my God,” he stuttered with red cheeks, “You’re Y/n L/n. L-like THE Olympic gold medalist Y/n L/n. Oh my God I’ve watched you since 2008–since Beijing!” The revelation had shocked looks from everyone now besides Nat of course.

Payback suddenly jumped from his seat, “holy shit! I knew I recognized you from somewhere but couldn’t exactly figure it out for the life of me.” The man was stationed in London at the time of the Olympic Games and attended the night the US won gold in the relays. Now here is a member that he cheered on from the stands in front of him. “Wow, I was in London seven years ago—I-I saw you compete. This is fucking unreal.” Y/n laughed, shaking Payback’s hand. He was still coming down from the shock, having just crossed his mind that all over ESPN and Sportscenter the past month sportscasters were talking about Y/n’s comeback.

“Wait a minute,” Rooster pitched in, the memory of being in a bar the summer of 2016 played in his mind. In the same memory he remembered watching the 400m semifinals on the tv scream and gasping with everyone else when the American contender for the gold had tripped over their competitor and was out the remainder of the games. Coming closer to the scene in front of him, Rooster’s eyes caught the black ink on Y/n’s bicep. “Well I’ll be damned. You’re a pilot, a naval pilot like us? And you’re a fucking olympian?”

“Three-time to be exact, but who’s counting?” Y/n teased, causing Phoenix to chuckle and hand them a beer. All the men minus Payback and Bob, who had slight knowledge of Y/n’s career, practically had their eyes bulging. Rooster honestly thought they had just been in London and Rio. “It’s nice to meet you all. And to answer your question…Bradley, right?”

“Yeah, but please call me Rooster.” Y/n tried not to giggle at the callsign.

“Rooster, but yes I am a pilot, as our lovely Phoenix has pointed out I graduated Top Gun with her three years ago.”

“Weren’t you just in Qatar two weeks ago?” Payback asked when he remembered the World Championships in Athletics had just taken place. All over sportscenter they were talking about the comeback of the decade. “I swear I just watched you on my tv the other day during replays of the world championships.”

Y/n sipped their beer before replying with a nod, “Yeah I was. I probably wouldn’t be here if the timing wasn’t perfect.”

“That’s crazy,” Fanboy commented, still in disbelief he was speaking to an actual Olympic athlete. After hearing the stories from his fellow athletes— and doing a quick google search when no one was looking—Mickey was internally fanboying like his callsign namesake. “How have you managed to do both?”

“Lot’s of sleepless nights, determination, desire to win, and tequila on the weekends.” There were laughs at that. For the rest of the night Y/n fell into conversation with everyone. A few asked for a picture, which they were happy to do, and even signed some autographs for Bob and Fanboy. They caught up with Nat, relieved London memories with Payback and went into detail about their injuries when Rooster brought it up.

“I was at the bar with some buddies and saw that happen live. Everyone couldn’t believe it and I remember seeing you limp across the finish line with the, I think it was the Polish athlete? That’s amazing you even managed to get up after a crash like that.” Y/n was on their second beer, sitting between Bob and Coyote and across from Rooster while the others listened from the sides as they continued the game of pool.

“What were you thinking at that moment?” Javy asked with curiosity. “Did you like automatically know it was over for you?”

Y/n thought for a bit before replying, “the second I hit the track I knew my chances for the 400m were done—it was the semifinals after all. When I first felt the pain I thought it was the typical instant pain that would go away after a bit. Then when I started to move it got worse and as soon as I got up I thought, ‘yeah there’s no way I’m gonna be able to do the finals or relays.’ My chest was on fire from the bruised rib and then I could barely feel my knee once the adrenaline wore off. I probably would’ve collapsed after the finish line if they weren’t holding me up.”

‘Damns’ and ‘wows,’ rang out before Bob politely asked, “Are you going to try for the Tokyo team?”

“Yup,” they exhaled with a nervous chuckle at the end. “It’s gonna be tough I feel with how these past couple seasons have been, but I’m hoping for one final Olympics. It will be my last chance at gold—Individual gold,” they corrected before anyone could comment.

“You’re gonna retire?” Fanboy tilted his head, a little saddened at the thought. Throughout the night he had been on his phone watching replays of Y/n’s meets including their Olympic and World Championship runs. He tried not to react when he watched the 2016 400m semifinals. Now the thought of them retiring felt like a loss to the sport. It was like how he felt when Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt retired.

“Maybe not fully,” Y/n gave a small smile. “I might do one last season and a Worlds, but I don’t think I’m gonna go for the Paris Games.”

Payback came over and clapped them on the back, “Well I don’t know about these clowns but you can count on me to cheer you on next year. Hell I might even come to the trials.”

“That’s what I did in ‘16,” Phoenix cut in with a smile. “It was amazing and I’ll be in the stands again. Already planning to take time off to be there.” Y/n felt the warmth and gratitude swarm in them, “Thanks, Phee.”

What should have been three weeks of special combat training turned out to be two. The pressure was on with Y/n pushing their limit harder than ever—even exceeded that of their comeback. Never had the F-18 they’d become accustomed to flying feel like a stranger. Maverick was like their coach and Y/n made it their own personal goal to prove to him they had what it took to fly the mission.

At one point Y/n nearly pulled out as a candidate. When the details of the assignment were brought into light Y/n had to think hard about what they were doing. It was not going to be an easy mission. Not by a long shot. Ending badly was a great possibility compared to actually pulling it off. Their life was on the line.

What if they died? What if they got injured to the point they would have to medically retire? Decades of training for the Olympics would end if something horrible happened. Y/n had three to their name, an honor not everyone gets to have, but there was their chance at redemption after 2016 was now on the line.

In the end 6 of the 13 candidates were chosen and although Y/n felt a little saddened they were not chosen, there was a sense of relief. They were put on reserves and boarded the carrier for a long week ahead of them. When it was time to send off their teammates, Y/n pulled them each into a hug, letting it linger on Nat and making her promise to come back. “If worse comes to worse, L/n,” Payback said, “You better win the gold in our honor.” There were mutters of agreement from the others.

“How about you focus on coming back so you can watch me win it in your honor.”

They fulfilled the promise, because now here they were in The Hard Deck about to watch Y/n attempt to keep their side of the bargain. It was 5:15 am on Friday August 6th, 2021. The second to last day of the Games of the XXXII Olympiad held in Tokyo, Japan. And it was the finals of the 400m sprint.

Just a couple months ago in June several members of the squad including Phoenix, Payback, Rooster, Hangman, & Bob met up in Eugene, Oregon to attend the trials for the U.S Olympic Track & Field Team. Following covid precautions they wore their masks and stayed together in their own little group literally competing themselves on who could cheer the loudest. It was a bittersweet moment watching their friend and former teammate secure their place in their fourth and final Olympics. Hangman and Phoenix nearly shed a tear, the former consumed with emotion as they looked on proud at their partner waving to the crowd. Their romance was a surprise, but after the two met to catch up in March of 2020, they ended up having to go thorough lockdown together.

And well…..forced proximity can do wonders when you’re attracted to someone.

Jake wished he could be in Tokyo with Y/n, but even though it had been over a year since the virus broke out and sanctions were being uplifted there were still regulations set in stone for the Olympics. The entire event was postponed a whole year, but was still referred to as the 2020 Olympics despite being 2021. Only the athletes and coaches, which were limited to only one, were allowed to travel. Leading up to the Games, Penny had issued a vaccination verification and made the mask policy optional for those who had been fully vaccinated. She even went as far as making a limit for attendees during the week of the track and field events and had people reserve a spot in advance. She even set up screens outside for people to keep space in the building.

It was still a pretty full house and it was buzzing with excitement as it had been the whole week. Many were regulars who came every night to watch the heats, semifinals, and finals of many events but mostly people were there to watch their very own Top Gun alumni Y/n L/n. Even their parents were there—flying to San Diego to be a part of the watch party. They were already filled with nerves, Y/n’s mother was very upset she couldn’t be there in Tokyo with her child. If they won the gold it would be a bittersweet moment since her parents wouldn’t be there to celebrate in person until they returned home.

It was already a successful Games for the Olympian. The week before Y/n won the bronze in the 100m dash and 4x400 mixed relay and reclaimed the silver in the 200m. The place erupted in cheers each time with the dagger squad being the loudest. It would increase whenever the camera panned to Y/n, who was in obvious joy at racking more medals to their Olympic collection.

But now the pressure was on with one final individual event.

The 400m sprint.

Their signature event with two medals and several titles to their name.

One final shot at gold.

There would still be the relays, in which the final for the 4x100m would take place an hour after the 400m final and then the 4x400m the following night, but Y/n becoming an Olympic champion for an individual event would happen in less than fifteen minutes. The program flipped between other events while in prep for the race, often showing Y/n in the tunnel as they awaited the announcement of the finalists.

At around 5:20 all eyes were glued to the screen with someone yelling, “Turn it up!’ when the sportscasters appeared to be talking about Y/n. The pilots all had the same expression, wincing when they replayed the footage of the 2016 semifinals.

“I think we can all agree we are looking forward to this race, right Steph?”

“That’s right, John. You know, all eyes have been on Y/n L/n these Games. They have already had a great run with three medals, two bronze and a silver with three more events to go. They have quite the Olympic career since their debut in 2008 at the age of eighteen. They came up forth in the 200m in Beijing and walked away with the bronze medal in the 400m,” below the commentator was Y/n’s Olympic statistics. “Then they had a spectacular run in London where we saw them on the podium in each of their events. Silver medals in the sprints and It was their start off the blocks in the 4x100m relay that I believe is what secured the Americans the gold.”

“I agree, Steph. I can still recall that race and the emotions I felt. L/n had an amazing post-Olympic run after London—totally dominating the 2013 & 2014 seasons. Let’s not forget they were one of the top athletes in the NCAA’s during their time at Vanderbilt. I definitely believe it would have continued into 2015 if they hadn’t pulled out, but they still were the leading contender for the Rio Games. It was the height of the career I feel.” The screen was now split to showcase footage of Y/n’s 2013 & 2014 Worlds. Then it showed the heats and semifinals of Rio.

“Totally, John, they dominated the trials that year. They very well could have left Rio with more medals—quite possibly a gold in 400m which is their signature event. Everytime I rewatch the semifinals I almost have to look away at the final turn.”

“I know, it was an unfortunate incident that ended Y/n’s Olympics before they could really start. We almost didn’t know if we would even see them here in Tokyo, but after a spectacular comeback at the 2019 World Championships in Qatar, I had very high hopes we would get to this moment.”

“Me too, John, the pressure is on for the 31-year-old, let’s see if they can deliver,” the commentator turns to look at the camera with Y/n’s picture beside her, “Well it’s almost time for the 400m and it looks they are about to announce the finalists so we are going to have our crew in the stadium takeover our coverage. We will see you back here in the studio after the race and be sure to stick around because the night won’t be over for the four-time Olympian. Y/n is set to be one the four of today’s 4x100m relay final and tomorrow’s 4x400m relay.”

The screen switched to reveal the stadium, specifically the entrance tunnel where a projection would show the name and nation of the finalists. Y/n had taken the top spot in their heat and the semifinal so they would get the fourth lane on the track.

“Here we go!” Someone in the Hard Deck clapped, causing a few more people to follow. The cheers heightened when the American flag appeared above the name Y/n L/n.

First the announcement was in Japanese, then the English translator spoke through the stadium “In Lane Four, representing the United States of America, Y/n L/n!” With a shy smile, Y/n appeared from the side and walked until they were directly beneath their name. Then they turned to the camera and gave a wave followed by blowing a kiss to the screen and lastly throwing a peace sign. It must have been a little awkward without a packed stadium like the previous Games. Only a small section was filled with locals and the coaches of the athletes.

“That’s my best friend!” Nat yelled over the cheers. Several others followed the pilot, “Let’s go, Y/n!” “Bring it home!” “One last time, baby, let’s go!”

The remaining finalists were announced and took their place behind the starting blocks. When the camera panned to Y/n, their eyes were closed in a silent prayer.

“Take your mark.”

Their eyes snapped open with a shaky breath, feet carrying them to the starting blocks. Y/n did a ritual stretch down, tapping the tops of their toes with their hands before bending down to place their feet in the right position. Glancing up to the sky, Y/n said in their head, “please, give me this one moment.” Tucking their chin into their chest, Y/n waiting with anticipation like everyone else in the world watching.

It was like time slowed. “Set.” Their knees lifted off the track.

*Pop* the sound of the gun and Y/n catapulted off the blocks. Their eyes never faltered as they ahead at the track and let their legs do the work. In their peripheral they saw their opponents, the space between them slowly decreasing by the second as they pulled into the final stretch. Coming around the corner there was no one in Y/n’s sight. The finish line drew closer. Y/n didn’t know if they were in the lead by a long shot or if it was only a nanosecond.

Their heart pounded in their chest, sweat dripping from their forehead. Heaved breaths left their mouth and Y/n could feel her bad knee start to burn. But they pushed and they pushed.

All Y/n knew as they crossed the finish line was the world record flashed and their eyes snapped to the board which resulted in them screaming. As the announcer yelled through the coms, “WORLD RECORD!!” Y/n fell to their knees in tears.

#1 Y/N L/N—USA 47.50 (WR, OR)

Below their name were spots 2-8. And not only did Y/n just take the gold in their last individual event, but they also broke the World and Olympic records. Records that had been set for decades.

When Y/n finally lifted their head they were met with beaming faces of their competitors. They all congratulated the athlete, some hugging and patting their back. The world record sign was still flashing and Y/n felt another wave of emotion. This time they ran to their coach, aware the cameraman was keeping up with them to get a close look for the viewers at home.

Y/n could only imagine what it was like in Fightertown.

The second the athletes were lining up, Coyote yelled, “Everybody shut up!!” Silence filled the building, everyone’s focus on their respected screen. “Set.” *Pop* The racers were off and the commentators were already speaking frantically. “Great start off the blocks for L/n, coming around on the first turn neck and neck with the athlete from the Bahamas. Jamaica and Great Britain are not too far as they take on the long stretch of the track.”

“Go! Go!” People started to scream. Bob was biting his nails, Rooster was gripping his beer bottle. Hangman and Coyote were already off of their seats, “C’mon, Y/n! You got this!” It got louder as they approached the final turn.

“L/n is starting to pull a lead as they come up the turn, but the Bahamas are right there—this was the moment L/n’s Olympic dreams were shattered in Rio—O-oh! L/n has overtaken the Bahamas—they’ve got a huge gap as they pull into the final stretch! Oh my God we could be witnessing history—L/n is .10ths of a second ahead of the World Record and increasing their lead ahead of the others by an outstanding margin!”

“Let’s go!!!” The commentators' words were barely there as it competed with the uproar of spectators in the Hard Deck. Everyone was pretty much out of their seats and jumping as they watched Y/n’s lead increase with each step to the finish line. “You’re almost there!! Go! Go! Go!”

Then it exploded.

“THEY’VE DONE IT! Y/N L/n has won the gold for America!! They smashed the Olympic record and set the World record for the 400m dash by .10 of a second at these Olympic Games in Tokyo!”

“OH MY GOD!!!” Phoenix and several others screamed. She and Halo embraced in a hug with Nat covering her mouth to hold back her emotion when the screen showed Y/n screaming out to the sky before falling to their knees. The guys were all jumping around, Rooster and Payback embraced in a side hug, pulling Jake who was pretty much in tears as he watched the display of his partner.

“After heartbreak four years ago in Rio that put them out of a chance for the gold, Y/n L/n has come out on top in Tokyo. They can finally add Olympic Champion to their name as well as Olympic and World record holder of the 400m dash. In what could be the last time we see Y/n L/n in an Olympic Games, they have achieved what they set out to do since their debut in Beijing 13 years ago. What a stunning finish to a beautiful Olympic career in the sport of track and field.”

Y/n’s parents were clenched in each other’s arms, eyes rimmed as their own tears poured. They were filled with so much happiness for their child and wished nothing more to be in the crowd and share this moment with them. At the bar top Warlock, Hondo, and Maverick were high-fiving while Cyclone clapped along with a smile. Penny rang the bell simply to join the cheers.

It was truly spectacular to witness. The slow motion replay was on the screen followed by the Y/n’s reaction when they looked up to find their name on the board. The cheers kept going and only started to quiet down when TV showed the athlete in their post race interview. “Y/n, what a night here tonight. Congratulations are in store, you have not only taken an individual gold but also the World record—and the Olympic record! It’s your fourth medal in these Games, the first gold—how are you feeling right now after this victory?”

Everyone hushed to listen, but were grinning wide and some were wiping away tears. Y/n’s face was flushed, still coming off of the high of what had just happened. “O-oh I can’t even put it into words how I’m feeling right now,” there was a slight sniff, Y/n using their finger to wipe their face but was careful not to let the material of the American flag draped around their shoulders touch their skin.

“This is a dream come true. It has been a long journey to get here and I-I am so honored to have been a part of this team for as long as I have. You know after the 100 & 200 I didn’t want to have my hopes too high because as you can see anything can happen in these Games,” Y/n chuckled, eyes glossy, “I think I may have actually blacked out on the last stretch. I just kept my focus on the finish line and was just as amazed to see I had broken the records.”

The title card on the screen now showed: Y/n L/n, Gold Medalist, 400m (WR, OR: 47.50).

“Your friends and family have all gathered in San Diego—they’re watching right now and we actually got footage of their reaction to your win tonight. We’d love to show you if you like.”

“Oh God please,” Y/n was already giggling. The assistant brought over an ipad with a video and pressed play. On the tv screens the image split to show the video beside Y/n’s face to capture their own reaction. They saw the daggers squad in front of the bar while their superiors including Maverick were seated at the bar top. They were all surrounded by servicemen and women as well as civilians. Y/n teared up when they spotted their parents near Jake. By the end of it Y/n was basically crying while laughing. “Oh my God, that is amazing. I wish they could’ve been in the stands. I know my parents are probably thinking how the one time they can’t see me compete in person is when I win.”

The reporter laughed along with them. “I know I gotta let you go cause you’re set to race the relay in less than an hour and the podium ceremony is about to start, but before you go I just want to ask if this is the last time we’ll see you after these Games conclude Sunday night.”

Y/n softly smiled to the reporter, bottom lip slightly trembling, “uhh, you know I wasn’t completely sure. Since Rio I’ve had some troubles with my knee after the torn ACL—I almost wasn’t sure about these Games until 2018. I’ve been talking to Allison Felix these past couple days, since this is gonna be her last Games. Her and I have been part of Team USA for 13 years now and she’s become not only a mentor but a friend to me and i’m going to miss seeing her at competitions. I know I plan to do the 2022 season—especially the Worlds. Paris is only three-years away,” they shrugged, like they were considering it, “I’ll be thirty-four when it comes around so it’s really gonna come down to how I’m feeling after 2022.”

“Well I hope to see you again in Paris, but if not then it was truly a pleasure watching you these years. You’ve been an inspiration to many watching back home in the States. Congratulations again on this win and we can’t wait to see you bring it in the relays. Good luck again tonight.”

“Thank you so so much. I appreciate it and much love to everyone back home—thank you for all the support, especially my mom and dad, my coach, and my friends in Fightertown who I know are probably losing their minds. I love you all and I couldn't have got this gold without each and every one of you. Thank you,” Y/n shakes their hand and blows a kiss to the camera before following the volunteer to locker rooms to change for the podium ceremony.

Just like in London, Y/n was nearly a mess on the podium when the gold medal was presented to them. Per covid regulations, the athlete had to place it around their own neck instead of how it was at previous games with someone else doing the honor. Still, it held everything to Y/n.

They were an Olympic champion.

Tears streaked their face when the national anthem played and when it concluded Y/n kissed the medal and waved to the crowd of spectators that included the media and athletes from other countries. The rest of Team USA’s track athletes were there too, cheering the loudest as some of them have been Y/n’s teammates for over a decade. After pictures with the other medalists Y/n was rushed to get ready for the relay that was to start in 20 minutes. At the Hard Deck it was an emotional scene watching the podium ceremony. Jake and Nat were embraced, looking on with glossy eyes while everyone beamed at the screen. Y/n’s parents were with them too. It was bittersweet.

20 minutes later they were in cheers once again when Team USA took the silver in the 4x100m relay. Y/n kick started it off like they did in London, but this time fell short to second place by a smudge. It still was a celebration with Y/n adding another silver medal to their personal Tokyo medal count. It was passed one in the morning in Tokyo when Y/n FaceTimed Jake after the podium ceremony. They were met with shouts of joy from everyone in proximity that it was hard to even make out the individual voices.

“You fucking did it!!”

“Congratulations, Lightning McQueen, you were amazing!”

“Holy shit, Olympic gold!”

“I’m so fucking proud of you, Y/n. I wish I could hug you right now.”

The call was brief but wholesome with Y/n thanking the entire squad for their support and they loved watching their reaction to the race. Jake spoke on behalf of the others with the promise to celebrate the second Y/n returned to San Diego in three days. After goodbyes and a quick chat with their parents, Y/n ended the call to get much needed sleep for their final race the next day. The Hard Deck cleared out soon after with many calling it a day.

It was the same scene the next morning at 5:30 am to watch the final of the 4x400m relay. “It is the final day in these Olympic Games after a spectacular two weeks in Tokyo. Many firsts have been made. There are just a few events to get through tonight before closing ceremonies tomorrow evening. All eyes are now on the finals of the 4x400m relay. And boy is there a lineup tonight with the Americans looking to defend with a seventh-straight title.”

“It’s going to be an interesting finals tonight, Mark. Like you mentioned, the US have retained the title of Olympic champions in this event since the 1996 Games in Atlanta. They are unstoppable and this is the first time Y/n L/n is part of the group. They won the gold in London for the 4x100 and just last night took silver in the event. Four years ago in Rio they were set to be on both the 4x100 and 4x400, but after a tragic semi finals that ended with a torn ACL, L/n had to pull out of Games.”

On the screen the team was announced with all four athletes appearing from the side. Together they did a little dance for the cameras before going to the track. “I’m interested to see how L/n does tonight and if they can pull through. This event is truly a team effort and unlike last night, L/n is set to anchor the Americans in the final pass rather than starting. They just won the gold in the 400m last night in a stunning record breaking finish—I’m still in disbelief.”

The Hard Deck painted a familiar picture as the previous morning. The Daggers were on the edge of their seats when the race started and Penny stopped taking orders when the third pass began. The camera was split to show Y/n taking their spot on the track to await the baton. Then the screen went back to one when the American came up on the last turn. “Here comes the final pass of the bottom in the final leg of this 4x400 relay. Poland and Jamaica are not far behind, but the Americans have given Y/n L/n a lead—and there they go! Beautiful pass from teammate to teammate and Y/n L/n is off to hopefully bring the US their seventh consecutive gold.”

“C’mon, baby, let’s go!!” Jake yelled, the others echoing his cheers. At the bar patrons were clapping the surface.

“They’re gonna get it—look at the lead!”

“It’s not over yet.”

“Let’s go, Y/n, you’re almost there!” The athlete increased the distance between them and the polish on the stretch coming into the final turn. The cheers got louder and louder with many already celebrating when it was obvious the Polish were not gonna catch up. The announcers knew it too.

“Poland has overtaken Jamaica but it will not be enough for Olympic glory—Y/n L/n has increased the margin their teammates had given them and has no doubt secured them the gold! All there is left to do is cross the finish line and the Americans have done it again! L/n has finished the job and given Team USA their seventh straight gold medal in the 4x400m relay!!” The last line was in tune with Y/n crossing the finish line. A large smile plastered on their face as a cry of joy left them that the camera managed to capture. Their teammates met them in the middle with the four embracing in cheers.

The Hard Deck exploded again when Y/n crossed the finish line, matching their reaction as though they were the ones who just won the gold for their country. They couldn’t wait for Tuesday when Y/n came home and they could celebrate the big wins together. Jake was really excited especially after having a heart-to-heart with Y/n’s father. The ring was safely tucked away in his suitcase as a reminder of what he had planned for his Olympian.

The rest of the daggers, including Mav and Hondo ended up staying an extra hour after the podium ceremony to celebrate their friend. Many were still in disbelief, but filled with absolute joy. Who wouldn’t really? They had just witnessed their friend win their sixth medal in a single Olympics. Something uncommon for even athletes who qualify for multiple events.

But Y/n did it.

They left Tokyo with two bronze, two silver, and two gold. In four Olympics Y/n started from a single bronze in their debut to their first team gold in London, leaving with nothing in Rio to finally medaling in every event they raced in Tokyo. Their first individual gold after thirteen years of hard work and dedication to rise to the top since they sat in the stands of the Centennial Olympic Stadium.

It was a golden end to an Olympic dream 25 years in the making.

Or so they thought…..

When the stars painted Paris on the night of August 11th, 2024, the final night of the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, Y/n L/n waved to the crowd in a bittersweet goodbye as they wore the Stars and Stripes one final time. It was hard to hear over the roar of spectators from all over the world. Not a single seat had been empty for the final race of Y/n L/n’s career. Athletes from other disciplines attended, some in tears by the overwhelming emotion of the moment.

“It is an emotional scene here tonight in the Stade de France as we say goodbye to Y/n L/n of the United States. There isn’t a dry eye in sight as spectators and athletes from around the globe watch the five-time Olympian take their final bow after winning the gold with the Americans in the 4x400m relay in their eighth consecutive title. In what could be described as the greatest Olympic run a track athlete has ever done, Y/n L/n has achieved the impossible in Paris with six gold medals in six events. Never has an Olympian taken the gold in the 100, 200, 400m, and all three team relays in a single Olympics, but Y/n L/n has made history. They are also the second Olympian and only American to win gold in the 100, 200, and 400m in a single Olympic Games.”

Y/n walked the track with a cameraman following them, hand that was not waving patting their chest where their heart laid. The hand now had a gold wedding band and Tokyo XXXII and Paris XXXIII added to the bicep tattoo. Y/n’s teammates that they just won the gold with had stood to the side, clapping with the crowd with American flags draped around their shoulder and tears cascading their cheeks.

Y/n finally made it to the section where the majority of Americans who had traveled from the States were seated in a sea of red, white, and blue. Y/e/c went straight to the front few rows and were immediately met with the sight of not only their parents beaming faces, but the ones of their closest friends. None of them were hiding their emotion. Phoenix was embraced by Rooster, the two wiping away at their faces as was Bob. Fanboy and Coyote were teary eyed while Payback just nodded with a bright grin, bringing his fingers up to whistle. Even Maverick, who was now retired from the Navy, was in attendance looking like a proud father.

And Jake? Jake was a mess.

His green eyes were pretty much bloodshot but there was love and admiration in his gaze. His own wedding band reflected under the stadium lights and he made the motion of catching the kiss Y/n blew to him before placing it on his heart. All he wanted to do was jump over the railing and hug his spouse, but unfortunately that would have to wait until after the podium ceremony.

The extinguishing of the Olympic torch at the closing ceremonies would signal the start of Y/n’s retirement from the world of athletics. It would close one chapter, but the other was still in progress. There was still time for them to be the best of the best in terms of naval aviators. They were not even halfway into their Naval career.

And they were totally up for the challenge, because nothing is impossible when going for the gold.

393 notes · View notes

callsign-rogueone · 28 days

Note

https://www.tumblr.com/callsign-rogueone/746157861837668352/if-anyone-wants-me-to-answer-some-or-all-of?source=share

2, 8 and 18 with Brennan and duchess if you want to? Don't feel pressured 😊 I hope you have a nice day

hihi! it took me a while but here they are! I got asks from a few different people so I'm combining them all here. words: 1.6k (I got a little carried away lol) 🏷: I don’t think there’s any spoilers for the books in here, just for Bren and Duchess’s chapters that I’ve already posted, and some hints about what’s to come for them. I tried this in second-person (you) this time, which was a little awkward (telling you how you feel about things?) but I think I made it work.

2. What do they find attractive in each other now?

I have waxed poetic on multiple occasions about how much Brennan loves your hair. but also that gorgeous, dark accent of yours that comes out when you speak in Tyrrish with him and when you say certain words in the common language, and the way you smile, and your hands, the hands that contain magnitudes: capable of such tenderness, but that can also start fires (and that the left one bears a wedding ring…), and honestly literally everything about you. the man is obsessed.

you found him cute when you first met, but in those years you spent at Basgiath, he truly went from a boy to a man. he was already fit, but the muscle he gained, and the confidence… the confidence was everything. that, and the scruff. the scruff. you’ve hidden his razor on multiple occasions to keep him from shaving. and the hand thing goes both ways. they’re just so nice to hold, strong, and bigger than yours, and the things they’re capable of… (more than just mending 👀) and his eyes, that gorgeous light brown and the stars reflected in them when he looks at you.

your dedication -- to the marked ones, to your culture, to dragonkind, to everything you do. that regalness you possess, even in dirty flight leathers. your kindness, how good you are with children (and baby dragons)... he could go on.

his respect and knowledge of tyrrish culture, him knowing the language, and it (mostly) being something only the two of you know, his commitment to the revolution, his strength -- not just the physical, but the emotional and mental and all the other kinds too. the man has been through more than anyone you know. how kindhearted he is -- he literally manifested a mending signet due to his need to care for his sister and to help others.

3. What would they never want to change about the other one?

literally any of the above.

4. What do they wish they could change about the other one?

I want to say nothing, but that’s not realistic and also not fun. definitely not anything physical, but maybe some of the other’s tiny habits that just grind your gears? maybe how stubborn both of you can be. little things.

5. What’s something that could make them break up?

y’all are never not ever getting divorced. I will not allow it. til death do you part, baby. you’re both stubborn but logical and rational people. any arguments are going to be resolved with a lengthy discussion and a set of terms you agree on going forward. however, comma, I do have an argument scene (or two) planned for one of the future chapters and it is going to hurt. I’m sorry in advance.

6. What’s keeping them together?

mutual admiration and adoration (see above), and all the shit you’ve been through together -- neither of you are ever letting go of the other, not after all that, after he literally died.

8. Do their families like each other?

I have yet to reveal mama sorrengail’s opinion of her daughter in law (and I'm not going to spoil that!), and you never met Brennan’s dad either.

I have a short scene written out where you bring him home for the first time shortly after the battle of Aretia, and your parents adore him 🥺 you told them all about him in letters home, and they’re so glad you’ve found someone who loves you this deeply. they immediately see that he’s an upstanding guy with a big heart and a natural leader, and they wouldn’t want anyone else to share the title with you.

Brennan is tied for #1 on my list of ‘best FW boys to bring home to mom and dad’. he’s going to make an excellent impression; eldest son, responsible military leader, gentleman, raised right, looks at you like you’re the center of the universe…

9. How does being around each other make them feel?

in a word, safe. you’ve endured so much together, and somehow always made it through. you’re leading a revolution, there’s dark magic on the loose, and you work with dragons; danger is ever-present, but you feel like nothing can hurt you if you’re together.

10. How does being separated make them feel? and 11. How long can they go without seeing each other before starting to miss the other one?

you both start getting nervous after a day or two, but you’re reassured by the tracking and protection runes that the other is wearing, and the wedding rings that tie you together. Your connection to Marbh and the rest of the riot also helps, though that only stretches so far -- if you’re more than a day’s flight away, it doesn’t work.

Bren gets particularly irritable after a few days, but those closest to him know not to take his sharpness personally when the missus is out of town, especially if she’s in Poromiel on business; the revolution may be allied with the gryphon fliers, but that doesn’t mean he trusts them with his woman.

14. Has their relationship ever been long-distance?

this one is interesting. I’m gonna say no, but with some technicalities. you both went straight from Basgiath to the Lewellen outpost (closest to your home in Tyrrendor). you were a wingleader and were allowed to choose, and he was assigned to the same place (what are the odds?)

following your surrender to the revolution, you do a fair bit of traveling, mainly back and forth to Trivanne to see your parents and deal with the political obligations of being in line for the title, and regrettably, to Poromiel, to deal with the viscount, hence Drake Cordella being in love with you lol. (sorry, pal. you’re ten years too late). so I wouldn’t call it long distance, but you’re used to being apart for a week or so at a time every now and then. and when you return, you’d better believe he’s not letting you out of his sight for a full day hehe 🤭

15. Is one of them way more invested in the relationship than the other?

no. you’re pretty equally in love (see also: obsessed) with each other.

16. How happy are they about their relationship?

over the moon. you can’t imagine life without the other, and you don’t want to. sometimes the both of you feel a little guilty for being so happy together when all this terrible stuff is happening around you, but you need this -- you need an escape, a safe place, and you’re that for each other.

17. How good are they at communicating their needs and preferences to the other?

I touched on this briefly in my “braids” headcanons, but I didn’t get too far into it: Brennan is the eldest son of the family, his parents worked demanding, high-stress jobs and they were constantly moving. to me, that means he was placed in charge of his sisters often, and made responsible for them like a third parent (something that happens very often in this kind of situation, unfortunately). he’s a caregiver through and through, and this manifested in his signet as well. I think he was unused to people caring for him at first, that it felt wrong or weird, but he got used to it quickly enough, and now he’s unafraid to walk into your room after a long day, pull off the flight jacket with the Lieutenant Colonel’s insignia, and ask for cuddles / attention / etc. he loves having his hair played with, btw.

this was something you also had to work on; you recognized Brennan’s endlessly-giving personality and were scared to take advantage of that, to ask him to take on even more responsibility on top of his work as a mender and a revolution leader (see “this is me trying”.) but he’s made it abundantly clear that he wants to take care of you, and that he wants you to tell him when you need him; that’s what he’s here for. you and your safety and health are his first priority, always.

18. How good are they at respecting each other’s boundaries?

there aren’t many boundaries that you’ve set between you, being a married couple who work closely together, but the few you do have are taken seriously, including when/where/how you argue. you can bicker all you want in the assembly room, or anywhere else in Riorson house, but not in your shared room. and you aren’t going to go to bed angry -- which has made for some late nights in his office, pacing back and forth and arguing until you don’t even know what you’re mad about anymore -- and then spending an hour making up, hehe. that post-fight sex hits different. and you can’t leave Aretia without resolving an argument. the one time you did, it nearly broke both of you; you were away longer than expected, and when you finally reunited, you both apologized profusely (some tears involved) and promised to never do that again. it’s already hard being away from the other, but it’s unbearable to be away from them knowing your last words to them were in anger.

I didn’t even answer the question lmao but yes, the boundaries are respected and strictly enforced unless it’s a matter of life and death -- and in that situation, or any situation where the other person’s safety is in question, boundaries be damned. you can apologize for overstepping later; right now, you’re focused on making sure your partner is okay.

#brennan sorrengail #brennan and duchess #brennan sorrengail x reader #fourth wing x reader #fourth wing #mine

36 notes · View notes

zepskies · 2 months

Text

Writer Tag

Thank you so much for tagging me @venus-haze! As always, your responses on this were really interesting and got me thinking about my answers. (Here's the original post.)

So these first questions are geared toward Ao3 stories.

How many works do you have on AO3? 48 and counting.

What's your total AO3 word count? Aw geez. According to the statistics page, 1,022,400.

(But I have more fics listed in Tumblr thanks to headcanons and things not yet posted in Ao3.)

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Every Loyalty - (Jon Snow x OC)

And So It Goes - (Butcher x OC)

Never Say Goodbye - (Dean Winchester x Reader)

Break Me Down - (OC Version | Soldier Boy x OC)

Checkerboard - (Soldier Boy x Reader)

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Yes! Always. I love getting feedback and engaging with the people who take the time to read my work. 💜

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending? Ooh, it's gotta be this imagine in SPN fandom: "Sam crosses the line." In which he's in love with Dean's girlfriend.

(Sequel to "You are Dean's one exception.")

What the fic you've written with the happiest ending? Well, most of my stories have happy endings. But probably Never Say Goodbye (Dean W. x Reader). It's a soulmate AU, so very rom-com and fluffy, despite all the drama they went through.

Though I could also say the same of the last story in the Midnight Espresso-verse: In Bad Weather.

Do you write crossovers? No, I don't. I've enjoyed reading a few though.

Have you ever received hate on a fic? Yes, unfortunately lol. It's inevitable for as long as I've been writing though.

Do you write smut? If so, what kind? Oh yes lol. I'm a romantic though, so it's often a mix of fluff, straight up romance, occasionally dashed with angst and/or hurt/comfort.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Not to my knowledge. (I hope not!)

Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope, but I've received solicitations lol.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Yeah, when I was a teenager just starting out writing, I used to write with one of my best friends growing up. (We're still good friends to this day.)

What's your all-time favorite ship? That's pretty much impossible. 🤣 It depends on the fandom! Nowadays I tend to write for OCs or reader inserts though.

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will? Ooof, nothing recent. But I finally finished And So It Goes, which took me 3 years for some reason. 🙃

Though I do have both a Jason Teague x OC series and a Smallville Clark Kent x OC series outlined that realistically, I probably won't get to. 💔

What are your writing strengths? I've been told I'm good at dialogue and keeping canon characters in character, which is always amazing to hear! I try my best.

What are your writing weaknesses? Action scenes and smut scenes are my biggest writing challenges, though I've been told I do a decent job at them. I know I tend to use adverbs a lot lol (I'm trying to curb that).

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? So I try to minimize use of this, but, I've gotten critiqued (putting it mildly) on this before for two reasons. Admittedly, I've had to revise myself in certain use cases, but also, there are slang words and phrases in certain Spanish cultures that wouldn't make sense to another Hispanic/Latino culture that doesn't use the word/phrase. So sometimes, it's not that it's wrong grammatically, but that it's slang.

What was the first fandom you wrote for? Oh jeezus, probably Chronicles of Narnia fandom when I was like, 10 and brand new to writing. 😂

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to? Ooh a tough one. I feel like there are so many! I do have a story I had outline years ago now for Steve Rogers/Captain America back in the MCU fandom (which I've written in before). But that fandom is a bit intimidating. 😂

What's your favorite fic you've written? Also really tough for me. I think it's a tie between two series:

Break Me Down (Soldier Boy x Reader)

Midnight Espresso (Dean W. x Plus-Sized Latina!Reader)

One totally took me by surprise by how much I enjoyed writing the series and the characters (and figuring out how to write Soldier Boy/Ben 😂).

While the other allowed me to be a little more indulgent with myself, writing from my personal experience and my culture.

The responses on both stories have been amazing and incredibly heartwarming. 💗

No pressure tags:

@thatonewriter15 @waywardxwords @impala-dreamer @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior @deanwritings @deanwinchesterswitch @deanbrainrotwritings @kaleldobrev -- and whoever else wants to join! 💜

21 notes · View notes

that-one-poison-trainer · 4 months

Text

50 Fun Facts About Viper!!

"but wait wasn't this going to be 25 fun facts?"

Yes but I wasn't expecting this option to win the poll so I originally lowballed the amount of fun facts

NOW ON TO THE FACTS

1: When I first wanted to participate in Pokemon Roleplay I was originally going to play a different character. She would've been my player character OC from Brilliant Diamond and Legends Arceus. She was the former Sinnoh champion, had a connection with Dialga, was sent to and back from Hisui, and became a Pokemon groomer after experiencing all those horrors and coming back home. I scraped the idea because it felt too "mary sue" and I didn't know if people would be too critical of her or not.

2: Viper was originally an OC before she became a role play character, surprisingly I haven't made too many character changes when deciding to role play as her. Except for her connection with the Subway Bosses, which changed a lot. Originally they were her surrogate uncle figures, but I changed the relationship they had because I wasn't aware if there were any Ingo or Emmet roleplayers. Even after meeting [TAG INGO AND EMMET] I feel like the whole surrogate uncle thing wouldn't work with their current relationship

3: earlier Viper character designs had a lot of Scene and Scenecore influence. However these were scrapped because they looked bad and I hope they never see the light of day

4: Viper has really sharp teeth, similar looking to Iono's. There's no real reason for why they are so sharp other then I thought it looked cool

5: I have never actually played any Gen 5 games. A lot of my knowledge comes from Bulbipedia, my experience with the Gen 5, anime, and my Submas hyperfixation

6: Viper is autistic, because the mod is also autistic

7: Viper's current special interest is Poison types. But when she was a kid she had a train and Subway Masters special interest, and after that she had a botany special interest.

8: Viper currently lives in Virbank, but she was born and raised in Nimbasa and spent some time living in Driftveil

9: when Viper lived in Ninbasa she befriended a Trubbish who she would eventually reunite with. This Trubbish became Viper's ace Buttercup the Garbodor

10: Viper's Mom is a Flouriest and her Dad was a mechanic at Gear Station but he has since retired

11: Viper was bullied a lot as a child

12: Viper's parents divorced when she was in middle school. She chose to move with her mom in Driftveil

13: Viper is a Highschool drop out

14: Viper started her Pokemon Journey because of her Mom insisting that "if you're gonna drop out of school you might as well become a trainer". She even called Professor Juniper to send a Snivy as a starter. This was how she met Oleander the Serperior

15: Viper really likes camping, it makes her nostalgic for her times traveling Unova doing the gym challenge

16: Viper had two pokemon on her gym challenge team that are she no longer owns, they're Stamp the Swoobat and Dribble the Vaporeon. They were donated to Professor Juniper a little after she started working at the Virbank Gym.

17: Dribble was caught in Castelia as an eevee roaming the streets

18: Stamp was caught as a woobat on Reversal Mountan

19: Viper never grew out of her admiration for the Subway Bosses, she's just better at hiding it now.

20: Viper only caught a Litwik and a Joltik because they're prominent pokemon on Ingo and Emmet's teams. They're even named after them

21: Emmey was caught in charge stone cave

22: Ingrid was caught in the celestial tower

23: Viper absolutely despises any and all evil teams, this stems from an incident during her travels. Viper was walking out of a pokemart late at night with Emmey out of her pokeball, when a team plasma grunt ran by and grabbed her. Viper started physically attacking this grunt out of fear to get Emmey back, which was successful.

24: Viper was inspired by battling Roxie to become a Poison Type specialist

25: Viper completed the gym challenge and had the chance to fight the Elite Four, but decided against it because she had no desire to become champion

26: Viper caught her Scolipede Belladonna as a Whirlipede in Lostlorn Forest after she finished the gym challenge bur before applying to work at the Virbank Gym. She remembers this day fondly.

27: Viper works part time at the Battle Subway, she just gets called in to battle trainers on the lines when no one else is available.

28: Viper has made a kid cry before after beating them in a pokemon battle at the Virbank Gym

29: Dripple the Vapoureon was eventually donated to a swimming school to help kids learn to swim. Viper visits her often.

30: Viper has a kitchen cabinet in her room dedicated to Ingo and Emmet merch, both official and unofficial. If you ask her about it she'll deny it's existence.

31: Two Ten the Arbok was found as an ekans in Floccesy Town. It was believed to be released by a trainer and was considered invasive in the area, so Viper decided to investigate it.

32: Cyanide is Viper's most recent pokemon, they were originally an egg gifted from someone at the gym who acquired it in Galar.

33: When is comes to @lostlornghost Viper originally started bickering with them as a way to prove her superiority after their altercation in the Subway tunnels. But now she fights with them as a way to show her affection.

34: Outside of team skull business, Viper wants to know @team skull unova better

35: Viper would've probably participated in the Team Skull raid on the Plasma Castle regardless if she was a team skull member or not

36: Viper recently started to keep her personal life a secret from the people at the Virbank Gym. She doesn't want anyone to know about her wacky, cosmic horror filled RoTumblr adventures.

37: personally I believe that Viper putting on the @liminal-station head and getting possessed by Virus was really out of character her to do. I feel like she would've been more adverse to putting on an inter dimensional severed head. I only did it because of my love for the trope of characters getting possessed and evil shadow selfs, and I think I made it work.

38: from Viper's perspective, she was trapped in a room of static during the Virus arc. Viper still has nightmares of this place

39: Viper was semi-aware during the Virus arc. She she had the energy for it she could sorta tap into her senses and see what Virus was doing in her body.

40: despite everything, Virus doesn't blame the Liminal Subway bosses for what happened to her. They had no idea any of this would've happen, she knows it wasn't their fault.

41: Ever since the Virus arc Viper has been suffering from Post Eldritch Madness. That head flooded her 3rd dimensional brain with knowledge from a world without knowledge, indescribable things she does not fully understand. And despite everything she's expecting to return to her life as normal.

42: Viper gained some unintentional side effects after taking off the head. These include being able to understand and speak Binary Code and her voice sounding like it's on a bad discord call when stressed

43: Viper also developed a fear of the Porygon line after the events of the Virus arc.

44: Viper is so confused about the Garbodor doll with a mohawk given to her by @doll-anon because she has never had a mohawk in her life

45: Viper keeps the Garbodor with a Mohawk plushy in a bin because she's a little convinced it's haunted.

46: if you were to ask Viper what type she would specialize in if she wasn't a poison specialist, she would say grass

47: If Viper was a monster, she would be a Mummy

48: If Viper was a card suite, she would be the club

49: Viper has a cabinet in her house dedicated to Subway boss memorabilia, both official and fan made.

50: Virus never left（╹◡╹）

#pokemon irl #pokeblogging #Rotumblr #Ooc

12 notes · View notes

starseneyes · 2 years

Text

Romitri - Rose / Dimitri - Vampire Academy - Season 1 - Eps 1-5

Hello fans of epic metas! Yes, I’m at it, again.

I never read the Vampire Academy books. They came out when I was thick in Musical theater and working at a humanitarian non-profit that specialized in Disaster Relief. I’ve always enjoyed a good YA read, but I missed these at the time.

I did see the movie, and found it interesting. The series has the space and breadth to try new things and flesh out the world in different ways than the constraints of a 100 minute film. That said, Sisi Stringer and Kieron Moore are crushing it as Rose and Dimitri, and I’ve been so bloody impressed, I had to write a meta.

SPOILER ALERT: I will spoil the entire season to this point (halfway through). Please do not proceed if you wish to remain un-spoiled. I go into great detail. Had I knowledge of the books, I’d do that, too. Please feel free to educate me in the comments on book nods!

Pilot

“Lissa!”

Rose approaches with her usual warmness—the warmth shared by two women who had known each other for years and feel the bonds of sisterhood so strongly they needn’t occupy the same space to know that cord is unbreakable.

But it is SO good to see her, and she doesn’t even notice Dimitri evaluating her, aware that something is off about her uniform—something is hidden.

The first strike, she looks at him, completely annoyed. But, he’s good, and he easily takes her down.

Note, though, that he doesn’t take her out. He makes sure her head doesn’t hit the ground when he gets her down. He keeps her in a neutralized position, but she’s not completely restrained. He simply showed her he wasn’t going to let her waltz up to Lissa.

Dimitri doesn’t know their history, their bond, their sisterhood. All he knows is that this Damphir Novice strolled up to his Moroi, and that is not acceptable.

“It’s a super dangerous welcome home present.“

I love how... annoyed Dimitri is. This is not a love-at-first-sight tale. Yes, they both probably noted one another’s hotness (we know Lissa did), but right now, he’s annoyed with her as much as she’s annoyed with him.

He’s an obstacle to what she wants—to be with Lissa—more than she even knows at this moment.

“Will Rose Hathaway be a problem?” “Rose is always a problem” ... “With all due respect, I’m not a nanny. My job is protection.”

It doesn’t matter that Rose is 18. From Dimitri’s perspective, she’s immature and a liability. Dmitri is all about rules, order, discipline, and duty. Anything that gets in the way of him doing his duty is an unwanted obstacle, and that includes Rose Hathaway.

“So you’re just... having a staring contest with the air?”

Ah, their first verbal sparring match. Rose comes in, ready to take this new Guardian off-guard, hoping to show him just how great she is so he feels a little uncomfortable about his place as Lissa’s guardian.

But Dimitri is a natural mentor. While throwing some obvious shade, he lets her in on his process.

“So I suppose you could say I’m having a staring contest with the streets, the gates, the rooftops, and the turrets.” “You’re kind of a Guardian nerd, aren’t you?”

Rose wants to snark at that, but doesn’t have the ammunition. She switches gears, trying to intimidate the great Dimitri Belikov.

“I’m number one. I’m always number one.” “Then perhaps you’re not as good at perimeter control as you think.”

Ohhh, the shade. He knows her ranking has fallen, and he’s not going to tell her outright. Again, he’s a natural mentor. He’s going to let her discover it for herself.

At this point, she’s just a Novice, to him. He sees her as nothing more, and he’s going to speak to her as such. Still, there’s a part of him that is curious about her. If she really is the best, so much so that Alberta asserts so no matter what Rose’s ranking, that’s something worth fostering and a person worth helping—no matter how stubborn she is.

Shirtless on a Tower

This isn’t directly Romitri, but I have to call out the makeup artists for doing a fantastic job covering up Kieron Moore’s tattoos.

If you’re new here, I’m the daughter of a makeup artist. I’m also a demisexual. So, when I see a jacked, shirtless man in a series who I know has real-life tattoos (but his character does not), my first thought isn’t, “OH, baby!” My first thought is, “Wow, great coverup!”

So, kudos to the artists. NOW, back to the Romitri.

Dimitri spots the two rising tributes, and he knows that something’s off.

“I don’t suppose there’s any way we could keep this just between us?”

Oh, Rose. You don’t know this Guardian. This is not Mikhail, who is like a big brother to you. This is not Andre, your other big brother, who was always up to some mischief and could get away with it because of his Moroi status.

This is Dimitri f*cking Belikov. Top Guardian, save for your own mother. You know what a stickler for the rules Janine Hathaway is, so don’t underestimate Dmitri.

And Dimitri is pissed.

Interesting Note: In the Strigoi attack, the Strigoi is atop Rose when Dimitri kicks it off of her. He looks down at her, disapproval dripping from his features. He hesitates on offering her a hand up. After he does, his focus is entirely on Lissa, his charge, the one person he is supposed to protect.

“What you did was reckless and impulsive, no matter how good you are. Strength doesn’t matter. Style doesn’t matter. Courage doesn’t matter. There’s good enough, and there’s gone. Tonight you almost got the person you say you care about most in the world killed. There isn’t a rank low enough on the board for you right now.”

Rightfully, Dimitri goes off on Rose. He’s infuriated that she would put something before her duty of protecting Lissa. Because, at this point Dimitri’s own definition of “protection” is keeping them out of danger. He doesn’t get the heart and soul of Rose and Lissa.

Yes, Rose majorly screwed up. But, Rose was trying to protect her friend in a different way—one that doesn’t require stakes and armor.

The other side of this is Dimitri’s own guilt that he couldn’t save Alexei, his own Moroi best friend. As viewers, we didn’t know about that, at this point. But, Dimitri knows his own regrets and pain, and he knows how it ended for the two of them, and that he’d do anything to go back in time and be there when Alexei needed him.

He looks at Rose and sees frivolity, lack of control, and immaturity. He sees the Novice.

Remember, this isn’t a love-at-first-sight story. They see each other as obstacles, issues, and problems, at this point. It’s not personal.

Dimitri wants to keep Lissa safe and thinks Rose can’t do it. Rose wants to keep Lissa safe and thinks Dimitri is in her way.

But she does feel humbled by his words at the end of the Pilot. You can see how she nods her understanding of his words. And I think that matters to him.

She doesn’t talk back. She doesn’t get sassy. She accepts his words. To Dimitri, accepting responsibility for your own failings is very important. Deflecting does nothing for growth.

SIDE NOTE: Notably, this is the one time we see her in pigtails in the series, thus far. It does a lot to add youth to Sisi Stringer’s stunning features, but is also often a characteristic of immaturity in cinema.

I’ve heard some complaint that Rose didn’t have her “reckless-to-focused” phase that was apparently a big part of the books, but I feel they had to compress it down to a single episode because we really need to root for Rose.

And by the end of the Pilot, I’m rooting for her... even if Dimitri isn’t, yet.

Earth. Air. Water. Fire.

It’s a third of the way through the episode before Dimitri and Rose have a scene together. He spots her in the training area and sits beside her. The natural mentor in him is coming out. He knows she’s good at fighting and sparring. He knows there’s a lot of fire in there. But, he genuinely feels bad for her.

“I heard about the tribunal.” “I guess you think I deserve this... that everything’s my fault.”

He stands up, frustrated. He doesn’t mind being supportive of someone going through a bad time, but not taking responsibility for your action is a classic mark of immaturity, and he can’t bother with that.

Something stops him, and he turns back.

“Not that you’re asking, but the definition of immaturity is blaming others for your own failings... Am I annoyed one of the most promising young Guardians I’ve ever come across is too stubborn to see sense? Yes. Do I want you expelled. No.”

Rose stands, not believing him. Remember, there’s not a lot of love between her and senior Guardians (save Mikhail). She thinks these are hollow words, because so much of Damphir life is fighting against one another to get to the top, then fighting to stay alive. Her own mother is her greatest example of this duty-above-all mentality, at the great expense of compassion and caring.

Rose doesn’t believe that this practical stranger could actually wish her well.

“No? The image of me out there in the Communes doesn’t give you a thrill?” “No, Rose.”

It’s the first time he’s spoken her name to her. And he’s sincere. He wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

“My mother and sister live in the Communes. That’s not the life I would wish on you.”

And there’s the first crack, for her. He genuinely means what he says. He’s not rooting against her (though he’s not yet rooting for her). She deflects... her favorite defense mechanism besides snark.

“Well, until the Tribunal decides to kick me out officially... I’ve got a leader board to climb.”

There’s that tenacity. There’s that drive. He knows she has that. But he thinks she needs to do some growing up. And while he doesn’t want to care about her, he is starting to care about her fate.

“You’re fighting like a Strigoi.”

Dimitri has to step in on the fight. Rose is feeling the effects of Lissa’s abilities, but she doesn’t yet understand it, and she’s not yet ready to tell Dimitri. And he sees another loss of control.

He doesn’t understand why this is happening, but he’s seen enough of her fighting to know something is off.

Maybe he thinks it’s the weight of the upcoming Tribunal, or the strain of not seeing her best friend in a time of strife... but he decides to help her in the one way he sees proper at this point—training.

“...when you’re back at number one and taking my job, I’d rather not see our future queen under the watch of someone who can’t keep a grip on it.” “How do you do that? You have this way of criticizing me and complementing me in the same breath.” “Perhaps because you have this way of being both extraordinary and infuriating all at once.”

I love this exchange. The more time Dimitri spends with Rose, the more things shift with them. You can see it here. She challenges him as much as he challenges her.

He has his arms crossed in a defensive position, but also an authoritative one. It’s easier to keep the distance that way. I don’t think that he’s necessarily tempted by her, at this point. But, he’s caring more than he’s meant to.

Something in him wants to see the best for her, even if that means simply surviving her tribunal, at this point.

“I will, Dimitri, because that’s what I do. I survive. I survive car crashes, and loss, and an absentee mother, and a best friend that I’m not allowed to see, and know-it-all Guardians who show up out of nowhere to ruin my life. I will survive whatever shit this world keeps trying to throw at me because that’s what I do. Because I’m strong. And I will survive this fucking tribunal because there is no other option.”

It’s a d*mn good speech. And it even gets through to Dimitri. Before, he was staying on the outside of this, but after that speech, he’s on her side.

“Good. Then I’m rooting for you.” “So, can we be done with wind sprints now?” “What do you think?”

She turns on the cute, but Dimitri Belikov is immune... or so she thinks. As soon as she turns around, a grin breaks out on his face. D*mn, she IS cute.

I think another key thing to remember about her speech is that Dimitri may not be aware of everything Rose has been through. He’s made it his priority to protect Lissa, and while he knows that the Dragomir family was all killed in the crash, save Lissa, he might not realize that Rose was in there. He might now have considered the loss she’s suffered.

And that sets her apart, further, from other students there. Yes, the other students there are isolated, to a point. They don’t really have families, and they’ve learned to cling to one another. But Rose did have a Found Family in the love of the Dragomirs. She lost them. They died.

This loss is another thing that separates Rose from a lot of the other Novices... this intimate understanding of loss and death. Something Dimitri shares.

Death has a way of changing a person. To understand loss and live a life with its grip still upon you takes superhuman strength, sometimes. And in that speech, Dimitri sees the serious side of her. He sees the fire. He sees the passion. He sees the survivor.

And he sees the Novice a little less.

“Lissa.” “Rose.”

Dimitri has seen Lissa’s panic. He can tell that his charge is struggling, Yes, Rose is banned from seeing Lissa. But, Dimitri had a best friend, once. He knew what it was to want to be there for him, no matter what. He can’t get Alexei back, but he can give Lissa and Rose this moment.

“What’s going on?” “It’s nothing you need to hear about right now.”

This is Rose putting Lissa first. And Dimitri can see that. He can hear it. He’s RIGHT THERE this whole time. Yes, Rose thinks she sneaked right by, but we know different.

In this conversation, Rose is hurting just as much as Lissa. They’re both facing exile. They’re both facing the worst possible things that can happen to them, save death.

But Rose doesn’t utter a word of her own strife. She prioritizes Lissa and her needs in that moment. That’s what a Damphir is supposed to do.

“I’ve missed you this week. You staying out of trouble?” “Oh, you know me. I’m always dancing alongside of it.”

And, again, Rose has the chance to tell Lissa what’s going on. But, she just got Lissa calm, and she knows that’s where Lissa needs to stay.

So, she chooses Lissa.

Lissa leaves, but Rose doesn’t. Dimitri looks in to see her standing there, crestfallen. She’s accepted her fate, and he knows it. He can see that she’s not balking it, fighting it, or trying to avoid it. In what might be her last night on campus, she has put Lissa first.

And he’s seen it all. He’s thought, before, that she was prideful and immature, that she was blasé about her fate. No. It’s hitting her so incredibly hard, but that strong woman he talked to earlier with her big epic speech is now showing him who she is... without her even being aware.

He knows, now, that a lot of Rose’s bravado isn’t lack of understanding... but protection. And he knows a bit about that. He protects himself with discipline and training. They’re very similar, though they attack the issue in different ways.

He’s seeing the Novice less and less. He’s seeing Rose. And right now, Rose is hurting.

“I’ve asked around about you. You’re one of the best Guardians around. Second only, maybe, to Rose’s mom. Yet earlier... somehow Rose slipped past you right when I needed her most.”

His definition of “protection” is shifting. I really do think he sees a lot of himself and Alexei in these two... Moroi and Damphir best friends. But, also, he sees Rose for the fighter that she is—full of fire and passion, but also dedicated entirely to Lissa when it matters most.

“Lissa. Has anyone told you what’s happening with Rose?”

You can see the internal struggle. He almost says nothing. He blinks several times, as though fighting internal programming to even get out Lissa’s name. Not Princess... Lissa. This is a personal request.

He could have let it be and done nothing, but when it comes to Rose Hathaway, that instinct to follow duty and the chain of command will be challenged. Essentially, he’s going to the top with this. He’s going over everyone’s heads for the sake of Rose. Now, Lissa’s relationship with Rose makes it possible, but this is still a struggle for our stoic, dedicated Guardian.

“I’m fucked.”

Rose accepts her fate, much as she hates it. As she sits at the bar with her friends, hair flowing beautifully, she looks behind her to catch the eyes of Dimitri Belikov—watching her. He’s concerned. He’s worried. She doesn’t know that, of course, and proceeds to drink with her friends and dance on the bar like it’s the last night of her life.

Dimitri can’t help bopping along the beat as he watches her dance. He can’t join in the chant—that’d be too obvious—but he is finding himself enjoying the show.

Dimitri walks up to pay, sliding a coin across the counter, when Lissa’ snog-fest causes Rose to pass out. He catches her as she practically slides into his arms. And as he looks down, the protective mode kicks in. He sees her, in need, in his arms. He looks back to Mason, who can say nothing.

Of course, Dimitri could have put Rose on a chair somewhere and walked out. He could have asked Mason to come down there to help her. He could have done so many things. Instead, he takes responsibility for what has fallen into his lap... for who has fallen into his lap. He carries Rose all the way home.

He looks to her as he walks, checking on her, worried about her. He doesn’t have to say a word. We can see it in his features—he’s caring for her.

Rose... less and less a Novice in his eyes... more and more his Rose... Roza...

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

“Fucking Dimitri.” ... “You can thank Dimitri for telling me. He carried you here, you know. In those big, manly arms of his.” “What kind of macho shit is that?”

I really feel like Rose isn’t used to love for the sake of love... even kindness. Lissa is the best thing in her life. Everyone else—even Mason—is her competition. Alberta is the resident stick in the mud. Mikhail and she have a great bond, but he’ll still try to help her stay in her place. And Dimitri is a Guardian nerd who’s a stickler for following the rules—her least favorite thing.

It doesn’t occur to her that he carried her there out of compassion. And I think that says a lot about just how much Rose Hathaway has closed herself off from the world, from feeling and caring, too much. Lissa is her exception.

And Lissa is noticing that Dimitri has a soft-spot for Rose. Even allowing that meeting in Rose’s dorm is a breach. That’s three times, now, in one episode he broke protocol for Rose—letting her see a nervous Lissa, telling Lissa about Rose’s tribunal, and letting Lissa visit Rose to tell her the good news.

“I passed out from kissing.” “Mason?”

This is such an intriguing exchange to me. Now, you’re probably wondering, “What is this doing in a Romitri meta?” Welp, I think it sets a huge precedent for how much Rose shares with Lissa.

Rose hasn’t told Lissa about Mason and their hookups. To Rose, it’s nothing worthy of note because it’s just two people who understand one another releasing steam and pent-up whatnot. It’s not a functioning relationship.

At this point, of course, she’s oblivious to Mason’s attachment to her. But, she still could have told Lissa... but she didn’t.

Death Watch

This is one of my favorite episodes for Romitri. Let’s have fun, shall we?

“Eloise. Hi!”

Dimitri runs into an old friend, but it’s not a good chat. The poor dear has been called up to Breed. Even as she has a sweet baby born out of love to raise, now she’s been selected to bear a new Damphir baby.

The wife of his best friend. Forced to sleep with a man. Dimitri’s heart breaks. His own mother and sisters are trapped in the same situation, but he can’t hug them right now. He can hug Eloise, and so he does.

Little does he know that Rose is watching from afar.

And this is the moment something in her shifts.

She doesn’t realize it, yet, but she’s caring more than she should about someone else’s life. She’s bothered, watching him embracing this woman and then joyfully greeting the baby.

Rose barely listens to Mason, who’s talking about her thanking him with sexual favors. And he doesn’t notice her attention on Dimitri. But in the whole conversation with Mason, she’s facing away... facing Dimitri.

It’s a foreshadowing of what is to come.

“Why do you do that to yourself?”

The moment Janine Hathaway struck her daughter in the face, everyone winced, Dimitri included. Now, as she sits with her broken blood vessels on her face, Rose barely acknowledges him. He holds out the ice pack to her as he settles down, sitting next to her for the first time since they spoke of the Tribunal.

That time, they sat next to each other only a few seconds. This time, they’re settled in. He’s here to stay.

When she doesn’t take the ice pack, he runs the back of his hand along the hair hanging from her ponytail so he can gently grasp her neck in the same space where someday she’ll bear Mjolnir marks. He lifts the ice pack with his right hand, touching it gently to her face.

Her eyes trail to him, taking it in. It’s another act of compassion.

Nobody else brought her an ice pack. Nobody else came to check on her. That’s just not the way things work. That’s not how Rose has learned to live. But here’s this man checking on her and bringing her help without her having to ask.

Her lips part as she looks at him, this time without a snarky comeback. It’s not until he asks the question that she shifts, uncomfortable. She takes the ice pack from him, still accepting the help, but putting a little distance between them.

“If you want to be number one, when someone of her caliber gives you advice, take it.”

Rose drops the ice pack at this... it’s a rejection. She’s rejecting him, rejecting this advice, and rejecting his lack of understanding about her complicated relationship with her mother.

Dimitri notes the shift as she moves to stand and he grabs ahold of her thigh—not restrictive, but to gain her attention. It works. She looks to him, surprised, and he leaves his hand there, almost unthinkingly.

“I know how much you want this.”

And there’s her lips parting, again. He’s not telling her advice to needle at her, to try to break her, to try to get in her head, to tell her that she’s got it all wrong where her mother is concerned. He’s telling her this because he genuinely wants her to get everything she wants.

And that’s different. That’s new.

Most people are rooting against her, even in her friend group. But here’s this man who has entered her life and he wants nothing more than for her to get what she wants.

They freeze in the moment, broken only by Janine Hathaway calling for her daughter. Dimitri’s hand slides off of Rose’s thigh and he places his hands together, reminiscent of how he stands on duty with hands clasped before him. It’s regaining control.

Rose stands to go to her mother, but she keeps the ice pack with her, and she looks behind her at Dimitri as she goes. He watches back.

Something has shifted.

“Hi.” “Hi. I hope you dance half as well as you fight.”

In the moment before, Rose was carefree with Mason. He’s her buddy (and f*ck buddy) and they love having fun together. But Dimitri? This is something else entirely.

They both smile in the second before they pair up, but as soon as her hands touch his shoulders, they both freeze up, taking one another in. It’s the first time they’ve ever touched, like this. He’s battled her, sure. And earlier he offered her the ice pack. He carried her home, once.

But, this is different.

This is the first time they’re in a circumstance where they’re allowed to laugh with one another, touch one another, dance with one another. It’s not awkward. It’s charged.

He lifts her up, and instead of throwing her hands in the air, she keeps her hands on his shoulders. No doubt she never pictured a dancing Dimitri, especially considering how much brooding he did the last time they were both in this pub.

As she comes down, Rose connects eyes with Dimitri, and they both beam. Dimitri takes off for the front of the line, and she goes with him. A baffled Mason spies it, and Meredith pulls him back into the dance, eager to keep the fun time from being ruined by jealous brooding.

Rose and Dimitri dance. They twirl. They laugh. He picks her up in his arms, holding her in the same way he did when he carried her home. But this time, when he looks down at her, she’s looking back up at him.

And she’s beaming.

“Have you seen my mother?”

Dimitri is standing outside, drinking alone, one hand in his pocket. It’s possible he knows what Alberta and the others now know—St Jude’s was an inside job.

It’s a lot harder to have fun and engage in revelry when something that dark and insidious makes itself known.

He drinks thoughtfully, but releases his glass when Rose reaches for it.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t drink after just anyone. Rose has no qualms stealing his drink, and it implies a level of trust has been built.

His drink relinquished from his hand, he shoves that hand in his pocket. It’s all about control. He has to keep his hands under control. Rose is here, and this time there’s no valid excuse to touch her.

Rose’s mother’s words echo in her mind. “Maybe you should ask your friend Dimitri if I’m right.” First off, wow, Mom. Calling out your daughter and her man after 2.5 seconds of seeing them together? There’s a reason you’re the best. Second, it plants a seed for poor Rose.

And Dimitri, the poor bloke, has to open up about his best friend, a Moroi, who he was in charge of Guarding.

But my favorite part... is when she asks Dimitri how he lost Alexei.

First off, the language is spoken by someone who has experienced loss. “How did he die?” can be a bit insensitive when you’re talking about the most important person in another’s life. Second, Rose knows what it is to experience great loss.

“How did you lose him?”

Watch Dimitri’s face (and this is ALL Kieron Moore) and how he responds.

Before he speaks, he soaks in the words, likely tossed back to the memories of his friend and the great loss. But, also, I think the irony is not lost on him. He’s aware that he feels something for Rose, at this point. But he thinks he’s keeping it under wraps. He thinks he’s still got control.

But, a small chuckle escapes him. Because his best friend wanted nothing more than for Dimitri to have a life of his own... to have something more than duty to drive him.

And she’s standing right here... right here in front of him.

“He was always on at me to take care of myself in the small ways a Guardian can... Draw clear lines between myself and the job... Take the time off in the rare moments it was offered.”

Rose listens. She cares about Dimitri. She cares about his loss.

It’s a far cry from poor Mason, who will get on her next episode about her lack of interest. But, it’s a poignant juxtaposition of who Rose is with Dimitri versus who she is with Mason.

Dimitri draws something out in her that nobody else can, just as she does the same for him. They’re meeting each other in the middle a little more every day from the far-off points where they first began.

Dimitri is no longer in Rose’s way... not when he’s actively cheering her on. And he seems genuine. He’s real. He’s authentic. And he truly wants good things for her.

And now she can see why.

He has experienced great loss. He has gone through the very heartache he’s tried to spare her from—serving as Guardian to one’s best friend and losing them.

Rose trusts him, now. That’s huge for Rose. But he understands her plight in a way no one else in her life can. He’s been through it. He’s struggled with it. And just as he saw her bravado stripped before Lissa’ Specialization Ceremony, now Rose sees Dimitri stripped of the discipline and duty.

She sees the man, not the Mentor.

“I want everything he wanted for you. I want to do my sworn duty. I want honor. I want to protect my best friend from danger. And I want a life to call my own.”

Dimitri smiles a little at that. Yup. That’s everything Alexei wanted for him... everything he has convinced himself he can never have.

“My mother thinks Guardians can’t have that. And I’m starting to wonder if that’s true.” “I think Janine is one of the smartest women I know.”

Another thing Rose does not want to hear. She turns away... but this time he doesn’t have to reach over to keep her from leaving. His voice does it.

“But. I would never bet against you, Rose Hathaway.”

Rose smiles up at him, and he offers a small smile back. She knows he means it, and he’s finding himself more fond of her smile.

Something’s shifting.

“For it to work, I need to be as good as you. Will you teach me?”

During this exchange, Mason wanders out. He sees the two talking, but neither acknowledge him. Rose can’t see him, and Dimitri’s full attention is on her. I feel for poor Mason, I really do. But coming between these two is harder than breaking super charged magnets with your bare hands.

Ignoring Mason (because I firmly believe Dimitri is too disciplined not to notice him at all), Dimitri drinks in her words. Wow, this is a long way from where they began. Now she actively wants his help. She trusts him enough to ask, which is huge for Rose Hathaway, who is very accustomed to doing things on her own.

He smiles at her, a chuckle escaping. And our favorite rule-following Guardian nerd can’t help laying down a few rules.

“If I were to teach you, you’d have to take it as seriously as every other official class.” “I would.” “And you’d work on my schedule.” “I would.” “And no talking back.” “Mmmm, that last one.”

Folks, he is smitten. I don’t think we’ve ever seen Dimitri smile and laugh as much as this episode, and it’s all been because of Rose Hathaway. He’s completely smitten.

But he still thinks he has it all under control.

Benchmark

Rose Hathaway Tries Not to Tackle her Mentor

Like, seriously, that’s half the point of the training montage. Yes, we see it come back in this episode and in the next, but it’s mostly Rose Hathaway being majorly turned on by Dimitri Belikov.

Her little gasps for air? Oh, girl is in trouble!

Even Mason passing by, on his way to class, can see from a distance that these two are spending a lot of free time together.

“You’ve been paying attention.” “I have a fairly decent teacher.” “Fairly decent?”

Woah. You two just turned it up to 11 and I was not prepared for that. They’re openly flirting while sparring. And they’re both having a blast with this.

It feels like the first time Rose has had a real opponent to spar with who also happens to be on her side. And it doesn’t matter that they’re both slowly going mad for one another.

There’s this rhythm between them that grows more natural the closer they grow. In sparring and loving, they are well-matched and growing more in-sync, while still attacking each situation from different viewpoints.

“So the rules work?”

Ah, there’s our little Guardian nerd out in all his glory. Book lovers have mentioned that Dimitri has a lot of rules, so this feels like a nod to them.

Rose gets the upper hand and slams him down on the pew, and that boy breaks out into a mad grin. Oh, yeah, he likes that!

“Still room for improvement.”

Dimitri breaks away and the pair spar, ending on the floor with Rose’s stake in Dimitri’s heart and her legs spread across his body, prone on the floor. His right hand holds her arm on his chest.

Any other situation, this position would be entirely off-limits for them. But, in the spirit of sparring, it’s completely accepted. However, how long they stay in that position after she staked him might seem a little suspect.

They breathe hard together, eyes locked on one another. Rose is savoring this victory over him, and he’s enjoying every moment of it.

And poor Mason has a perfect view of the two. He know Rose prefers it on top. And he knows a look of desire when he sees one. He’s crestfallen.

When Alberta calls time, they stand up, and Rose and Dimitri can’t help but sneak a glimpse of one another.

Control is slipping.

“First rule of being a Guardian. They come first.” “More rules. Goody.” “Rose.”

I don’t know why, but this always sounds like the warning voice of a boyfriend, not of a Mentor. There’s something in his voice that is so familiar saying her name, now, so intimate that it can break through even her most stubborn moment.

Mikhail stands behind Rose (He’s always got her back). Alberta stands before her (the authority figure). But Dimitri stands to her left, facing her. He’s on her same level in this moment, despite being an authority figure. And his focus is on her.

“You aided Eddie in protecting his charge, took on the great Dimitri Belikov and lived to tell the tale.”

Dimitri nods to her in reverence, and she shoots him a small smile.

“Look. You’ve moved up two positions.”

Rose’s attention on the Leader Board, Alberta motions for Mikhail to join her. Dimitri, free from any orders, walks alongside Rose, noting her distress.

“You could complain more, or you could get some sleep.”

I love how Kieron Moore plays that line. The first half is their combative banter they’ve perfected. The second half, his voice drops near a whisper... intimate.

He even offers her a knowing look, quirking the edges of his mouth up as he turns to face her, giving her a little more incentive to go get some sleep because he already knows her well enough to know she’d gladly choose to complain more.

“I plan on coming for you even harder next time.” “Can’t wait. Comrade.”

Alberta looks up just in time to see Dimitri in profile, looking at this Novice in a way he never should—with desire, adoration, and admiration.

As Rose walks away, he turns to follow her, his eyes trailing over her body, and anyone watching would know—Dimitri’s got it baaaad.

“You might not get so lucky next time when it comes to who you’re fighting.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “Nothing.”

Mason is jealous. He can see the spark between Dimitri and Rose, but it sounds like he thinks it’s much more one-sided than it is. Also, this is super horrible and sad statement in retrospect considering the next person who Rose will fight will be... Strigoi’d Mikhail... But that’s a story for another Meta.

“We have to tell someone.”

Here it is. That growth that Dimitri was looking for Rose in the first episode. Something horrible and irresponsible has happened. And instead of trying to hide it, Rose realizes there’s a reason for the chain of command. There’s a reason there are rules, even if she loves breaking them so much.

“Rose? You alright?”

The moment he sees her storming across the square, he abandons his post. He can tell that something’s wrong. He’s learning to read her, to understand her, to pick up on those little things that make Rose who she is.

“I hate staying here and following your fucking rules, but he needs more than me right now.”

Rose tries to storm past him, but Dimitri puts out a staying arm. He wants her to confide in him. He wants to be there for her. And as soon as she tells him it’s Mason, the pair of them take off to find Alberta and Mikhail.

“I hate that I wasn’t there to help.”

This vulnerability while they train... it’s so intimate.

It’s strange, because they’re in a wide-open space where anyone could see and hear them, and yet this exchange is somehow entirely theirs. Rose doesn’t talk about emotions and needs, about her fears and wants. But she does with Dimitri.

In Dimitri, she’s found someone she can trust, even with her vulnerabilities. And she doesn’t even realize, yet, that he’s the one she can confide in.

“You don’t think you helped. Because of you, Christian and Mason survived the night.”

They stand back-to-back, so he can’t see her expression. But the grim one on his as she pulls away shows he doesn’t need to. He already knows he didn’t get through.

“All I did was tell you that my friends were in trouble. I didn’t fight! I just sat here while you and the other Guardians saved them. Mason said that I didn’t come after him to protect my ranking.” “He’s wrong.”

Dimitri locks eyes with her. She’d forced them apart in one push, but he takes a step toward her, now seeing the root of her anxiety and frustration.

He takes another step. And another. Closing the physical distance between them with his feet while closing the emotional distance with his words.

“What you did was far harder than fighting tonight... at least for you! You’re number one because you obeyed the chain of command. You did your duty.”

He finally settles an arm’s length away from her. He can see he’s getting through. She has no quips in response.

“Well, it sucked.” “Maybe. But tonight, Roza, you were brave.”

Control. Is. Slipping.

Yes, we can debate the accent all day. But an English actor doing Russian is never going to sound as pure as a Russian doing Russian. Or someone from Spain speaking Spanish (and there are even different accents throughout Hispanic cultures).

I did voice work for years, and I was known for my accents. But I had to have my voice taken out of my headphones to do it. Accent work is tough and I’m not here to judge. Instead, I’m here to enjoy Dimitri Belikov, King of the Nerd Guardians, Enthusiastic Rule-Follower... totally slip up.

He called her Roza.

I understand from book lovers that this is a big deal. Trust me, television-only watchers can feel this moment, too! It’s the first time his affection for her really spills out in a way that he can’t take back... in a way that she can obviously see and he can’t refute.

Well, he could try to refute it. But, he can’t.

“Roza?”

Watch. His. Face.

His face loses so much of the stoicism that carries Dimitri much of the time. He’s taken back to his childhood while also propelled forward to his future. He’s suddenly a shy boy talking to a girl instead of a steadfast Guardian, slayer of Strigoi.

“Sorry. Every now and then my Russian childhood comes out.”

Look. At. His. Face. He is looking for her to believe that... that it’s a slip of Russian childhood and not a slip of, “You are the most important person in my life, please don’t reject me now”.

Roza takes it in, breathes it in, asserting that she likes it. Watch how Sisi Stringer swallows after she says it, too. She’s as nervous as he is, right now. But she’s not going to show it.

And he drinks in her words. It emboldens him. Though, I suspect he also sees the person coming up to “kidnap” Rose for the rest of the benchmarks.

“You also live to fight another day. Which brings us to another important rule: always be ready, ‘cause today is a new day, and the Benchmarks continue.”

He’s closed more of the distance between them, so close he could kiss her. Instead, he leans down, whispering in her ear.

“Good luck, Roza.”

It takes her off-guard. It surprises her. Sisi Stringer does this thing with Rose where her lips part around Dimitri, especially when Rose is turned on by him. Her mouth drops so bloody fast in this moment, his breath whispering against her ear.

She likes his breath on her skin.

And, distraction or not, our boy meant it. He’s settling into his feelings for her more and more. But having a few days away from her is good for him. He needs the distance. He needs to regain his control. And staying here while she’s out there for the Benchmarks is a good way to cool down.

At least, that was the plan...

Near Guard, Far Guard

“Stand down, Dimitri. That is an order, Guardian.”

He was already upset. Now he’s enraged. For the Council to be so thoughtless and cruel is no surprise. But he had hoped for more from Alberta. And his worry for Rose is rising.

“Dimitri will do as he is told.”

Look. At. His. Face. That’s never been an issue for him before. He’s a champion at following the chain of command and doing what the rules demand.

But that was before he met Rose Hathaway.

“How could you?” “Don’t fucking lecture me. I have no choice. I do what I’m told. You should really have more faith in Rose’s abilities, especially considering all the extra training you’ve been providing her.”

Dimitri nods curtly, but he knows he’s caught. He knows his caring for Rose is showing, and he knows that anything he says can be used against them both. He bottles it up.

Alberta takes note of it, and she softens... a little.

I try to think of the motivation behind that shift in her, and I can only think that she knows they are all human, and she can see that despite whatever Dimitri might be feeling, he’s still trying to follow the chain of command and do his duty. That matters bigly in the Guardian world.

“They can handle it. She can handle it. If she can’t, Bravo Team will.”

She stalks off, the decision made. Dimitri can’t keep it together. He heads to church to pray for Rose.

“Prayers won’t help Rose, but you can.”

It’s the permission he needs. He might not have Alberta’s, but he has his charge’s, a Moroi’s, and he’s off to save Rose.

Rose Battles Strigoi Mikhail

In one of the most heart-breaking moves of the series thus far, Rose has to battle one of her best friends who has been turned. As she lays on her back, prone, with the Strigoi on top of her, my mind trails back to the Pilot.

True to form, Dimitri shows up to yeet the Strigoi off of Rose. But this time, he doesn’t glare down at her before offering her a hand up. He reaches down, pulls her up, and the two of them exchange a knowing glance.

We know what to do.

Rose and Dimitri don’t need words. They know the flow of one another’s styles. They know the movements, but more than that they know the feel. That’s what gets them through this fight. It’s not just the training, but the trust.

They move easily together, using the rhythms they’ve established in training to come up on the Strigoi together. When Dimitri realizes he’s getting thrown to the side, he connects eyes with Rose and releases his stake into the space between them. She reaches for it, connecting.

But it’s not enough. The Strigoi knocks her back and she finds herself on her back, once more. But this time when the Strigoi strikes, her stake is true. It finds its mark, and she sees the life drain away.

As she lays there, trapped beneath him partially because of the weight and position, and partly because of her paralyzing heartbreak, she weeps silently.

Dimitri rouses from his spot and rushes to her, wrenching the dead body off of her. You can see the streaked tears on Sisi Stringer’s face, and it breaks my heart every time. We know she’s already been crying.

But, the stake free of her friend’s heart, she now sees him, again. Mikhail. The one who knocked boots with her. The one who constantly reminded her of her worth. Her big brother in the Damphir ranks.

“Mikhail.” “He’s gone.” “Mikhail.” “He’s gone.” “No!”

Rose shoves Dimitri off, and he can feel her heartbreak radiating off of her. He tries to get her attention, fumbling over his words, fumbling for her face.

“Rose. Roza.”

He grabs hold of her chin, stroking it. She meets his eyes. But her pain doesn’t abate. It merely shifts from denying her loss to being forced to accept it. Dimitri’s hand falls away as his face contorts, struggling to find a way to take away her pain and finding none.

She weeps over her friend, and Sisi Stringer crushes the agony here. You can feel every ounce of loss Rose feels in the moment.

Dimitri tries to comfort her, staying close, keeping an arm on her. They don’t note when the other Guardians approach, don’t even hear their voices. The two of them are trapped in a moment. This is a horrible, terrible moment.

But Rose isn’t controlling herself anymore than Dimitri is.

This is their first shared moment of lost control. She isn’t putting on a front and pretending that everything is okay. He isn’t keeping his distance and pretending that he doesn’t care.

To me, this is the moment of no return.

Rose has abandoned protocol to mourn. Dimitri has abandoned protocol to comfort her. In this moment, there’s nobody else there, to them. It’s them, and the fallen body of their one-friend... her big brother.

It isn’t until Alberta’s voice breaks through calling for “Status” that they both freeze, caught in an unsanctioned moment.

They straighten, and both fix their hair as they turn to face Alberta. It’s all about Control... about how they’re supposed to act in this moment as Guardians.

Rose gives the report through her tears, the voice only failing as she speaks the name of her fallen friend.

Dimitri stands to Rose’s left, as he once did... Alberta in front of them. Mikhail behind... But, oh, this situation is so different from that one only a night earlier.

Dimitri turns to face Rose as Alberta gets a good look at Mikhail. She says nothing of him breaking protocol. She says nothing of him allowing Lissa to show up there, unattended. Instead, she looks at her dead friend and tries to keep together while telling Dimitri to take Rose home.

And, yes, I know I’m not the only one who’s curious how that motorcycle ride went.

“How are you feeling?” “Like I’ve just had a thousand people trample over my corpse. I’m fine. Promise.”

She lies. And Lissa doesn’t even notice the lie. She breezes on by. And this isn’t a criticism of Lissa. She’s excited about something amazing she did, and she wants to heal her friend, and she is used to Rose being fine. Rose is always fine. Lissa misses the details.

“Rose. How do you feel?” “Like I killed a piece of myself. Like suddenly I’m beginning to wonder if I even want to do this anymore.”

Let’s start out by saying—Dimitri is in the Novice dorms. That’s insane. He’s stepped out of his world, out of their neutral world, and completely into hers. Yes, he’s still got his hands in his pockets to keep himself in control, but he’s here.

Control is slipping.

And the words falling from Rose’s lips are laced in agony. Her heart has broken, the the faceless Strigoi baddies of her past experience are replaced with the very familiar face of one of her dearest friends... who she killed.

“I wish I could say it gets easier, but” “But it fucking sucks?” “But it fucking sucks.”

I love this moment. They get one another in a way that nobody else really does.

Rose is the only one of her friends to experience such grief upon grief, losing the Dragomirs and then Mikhail. She is the one who had to put a stake in the heart of her friend and big brother figure. Dimitri understands this horror and heartache. He knows what it is to kill people once called friend.

And she’s completely open with him in a way that she can’t be with anyone else. She allows herself to be vulnerable with him, to talk to him about how she’s feeling and what she’s experiencing, instead of only surface-level chit chat. There’s something deeper between her and Dimitri, and she’s beginning to understand that.

So is he.

Watch his face before he starts his approach. He hesitates. Second guesses. But, no, he’s going to do this. He’s already come so far.

He crosses to her, removing his hands from his pockets, and he squats down to face her, putting them on a more equal footing, but not being so presumptuous as to sit on her bed.

“I’m sorry that Lissa got involved.”

This is huge. He’s always said that people need to accept responsibility for their mistakes and actions. That’s what he’s doing, here. He knows how much Lissa means to Rose, and this time it was his actions (if indirectly) that lead to Lissa being in danger.

“I’m supposed to prevent her from getting into danger, on shift or not. My mind should have been on her instead of...” “Instead of what?”

Rose is so tired. Her eyes trail to his mouth, as though reading his lips will make it easier to focus on this conversation.

“You. And whether or not you were safe.”

I love this line reading. His voice starts to break at the end of the sentence. His emphasis on “you” and “safe” tell you everything you need to know about his convictions and his priorities. They’re horribly out of order now.

Control is slipping.

He meets her eyes, looking for something, and she can only stare back in surprise. Of course, she’s felt something between them, but she knows what a stickler for the rules he is. She knows how impossible it would be for them to ever be together. She knows that it’s not going to happen.

Or maybe it is.

She barely moves when she hears Mason’s voice. And when Mason rounds the corner, she’s alone and standing, as though she can no longer occupy the space she shared before without Dimitri... not when she’s facing Mason.

Mason asks how she is, and she deflects. She can’t tell him. And then he confesses to her that she’s the one good thing in this place for him. He places all his happiness squarely on her shoulders. Honestly, it’s the last thing she needs, at this moment.

Rose ends the episode in absolute agony, high on the dark side of Spirit, and shattering the Leader Board in a way she never intended.

COMING SOON: Episodes 6-10, and hopefully a S2 renewal!

Thank you all for reading. I’ll do the second batch at the end of the season. But thanks for sticking around for the first batch! See you around.

#Vampire Academy #VampireAcademy #Vampire Academy Peacock #Sisi Stringer #Kieron Moore #Damphir #VAseries #Romitri #Dimitri Belikov #rose hathaway #dimitri x rose #Rose x Dimitri

123 notes · View notes

mewtonian-physics · 1 year

Text

@hylasregilla sounds like a deal to me! the whole character ask with raikov... let's go

1. My first impression of them

'oh god, why? i hate this. why does this have to be a thing'

2. When I think I truly started to like them (or dislike them, if you've sent me a character I don't like)

suckered myself into liking him april 1 2022. the real april fool was me

3. A song that reminds me of them

hmm. last time i got this particular question i said bubblegum bitch. this time i'll give you the first song on the raikov playlist

youtube

4. How many people I ship them with

just ooooooone

5. My favorite ship of them

raikov/the guy @setphies and i made up just so he could finally have a good relationship 2kforever

6. My least favorite ship of them

[points at volgin]

7. A quote of them that you remember

from mgs3? i think about 'do your job' a lot. from other metal gear content? 'regretful'. and if it's about lines i wrote myself, i'm quite fond of 'eat from the tree of knowledge, and pay better attention next time'.

8. Your favorite outfit of them

well in canon he only has two outfits, so... uniform, duh

9. Your least favorite outfit of them

that'd be the non-outfit [grimaces]

10. Describe the character in one sentence

'a lot more complex than official canon would have you think.'

11. What’s the first thing you think about when thinking about the character?

eva theory of course!

12. Sexuality hc!

highkey fucking gay of course. but also ace. he likes men but sex itself isn't something he's really interested in. (he's also sex-repulsed due to trauma but without that it'd just be 'whatever' to him.)

13. Your favorite friendship they have

him and ocelot naturally

14. Best storyline they had

the one i came up with myself

15. Worst storyline they had

official canon

16. A childhood headcanon

he doesn't actually know his own real name. he picked out 'ivan' himself as a child because he hoped it would bring him luck

17. What do you think their first word was?

'cold'

18. How do you think they were as a kid? (Like, were they shy, noisy, wild, etc)

as said previously, he was very survival-oriented and had very few limitations on what he'd do to stay alive. would as soon steal from you as talk to you. still pretty manipulative and he had fun doing it. who'd have thought someone who looked so innocent would rob you blind in a heartbeat? well. he would

19. The most random ship you've seen people have with them

i try not to pay attention to ships with him <3 but i've seen him and ocelot which just feels weird to me

20. A weird headcanon

i think a lot of people in this fandom would consider all of my headcanons about him weird. especially the one where i think he hates volgin with a burning passion. sucks to be them and not get it.

21. When do you think they were at their happiest?

not at any point during canon, that's for sure

22. When do you think they were at their lowest?

that'd be immediately post-mgsv ('but he wasn't in mgsv' shut up i don't care)

23. Future headcanon

that man is going to settle down and find a very normal and average and kind person who treats him like he deserves. and they will have a cat. and he will be genuinely happy for the first time in longer than he can remember

24. What do you think is a secret they have that they never told anyone?

he's a spy lol the amount of secrets he has are insane. but i think he's always going to be very secretive about the exact details of his work. he really doesn't want to talk about them.

25. When do you think they acted the most ooc

when kojima writes him

26. When do you think they were being "themselves" the most?

when i write him

27. If they could meet a character from another show/movie/etc, who would be the most fun for them to meet?

mello deathnote i think he should meet mello deathnote

28. The most unnecessary thing they ever did?

all the self-destructive shit he did because he had serious mental health issues and didn't realize it was okay for him to just not do that

29. How do you think they would be as a parent? (and if they are a parent, how do you think they would be if they weren't?)

spy x family but worse

30. The funniest scene they had?

nothing i didn't write myself

#team mimikyu

5 notes · View notes

a-land-lacking-sleep · 1 year

Text

Electric Trains Master Post

Electric Trains are the Future is an ongoing fanfic for Pokémon Legends Arceus, with an additional Submas focus. It is updated every Tuesday, with outlines of the newest chapter posted that following Friday.

Akari tries to use Dialga and Palkia to summon the man in Ingo’s memory, and ends up summoning Elesa instead. With the Dynamo Model in Hisui, what will Akari and Ingo’s life be like going forward?

Relevant Tags: Light Angst, Memory Restoration, Reunion, Healing, Pizza, Polyamory, Blankshippers DNI Relevant Characters: Akari/Hikari, Ingo, Elesa, Emmet, Volo Relevant Pairings: Romantic: Elesa/Ingo, Elesa/Emmet, Elesa/Skyla (Mentioned); Platonic: Akari & Rei, Akari & Ingo & Elesa, Ingo & Emmet For miscellaneous posts here on Tumblr, check the tag for my blog!

Chapter by Chapter and Outlines

Chapter 1: Koraid-ing into Hope. Akari aims for Ingo’s brother and gets his closest friend and girlfriend instead. (2057 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline Chapter 2: An Additional Coupling. Ingo deals with flashes of familiarity and awakened memories as Elesa figures out what she is doing in Jubilife. (2240 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 3: Dealing with their Devils. Two much needed conversations are had. Ingo learns about who he is, and Akari comes up with a better plan. (4632 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 4: An Excadrill-ating Day. Elesa gets to know her coworkers in Jubilife, and gears up for battle. (3411 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 5: Class 150 Vulcan Locomotive Vermillion -> Saffron. Ingo boards the train of memories while Elesa and Zisu finish their battle. (3896 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 6: Chatting over Lunch. With Ingo indisposed, Akari and Elesa take the day off to eat lunch with Irida and catch Elesa up. (3573 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 7: Like a Big Pecha Pie. Ingo and Elesa celebrate Ingo’s memories with a homemade pizza. (4096 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 8: I am Emmet. Have You Seen My Wife? Emmet gets some answers from Alola and Kukui is allowed to be badass. (2841 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 9: All the Time in the World. Life in Jubilife is easy when have family. Akari works on her Pokedex, Elesa gets used to her new jobs, and Ingo enjoys the company of those around him. (4054 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 10: An Unexpected Disruption. Jubilife needs to expand with all of the incoming immigrants, and Ingo and Akari are the right people for the job! (4848 words) (Major Character Injury) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 11: Living on the Honedge. Elesa reacts. To future knowledge, to absurd advice, and to a tumble. (5386 words) (Major Character Injury; Dissociation) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 12: For Thou Could Not Recompense. Akari deals with the consequences of her actions, and the others are not helping. (4160 words) (Dissociation and Mental Breakdowns) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 13: I am Emmet. Do Not Worry About the Anti-Christ. Emmet and Cynthia have a talk, and Volo tells his story. (3923 words) (Minor depictions of blood) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 14: Hello God, it’s Me. What is God to a believer? Is He Hope? Is He Despair? To Akari, He is an insurmountable wall. To Emmet, a challenge to be wrestled into the dirt if He defies him. (6040 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 15: Slaking Back at Home. While Akari has her coming to Arceus moment, Elesa tries to relax with Ingo. (4024 words) Read of Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline

Chapter 16: Reunions. Hikari has to quickly figure out how she feels about her aunt, her uncle’s brother, her worst enemy, and some kid. (3447 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 | Chapter Outline (Soon)

Chapter 17: A Two Car Train. Ingo wakes up and reconnects. (4702 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3

Additional Information and Works in Continuity

Electric Trains Timeline (Evolving Post) - Playing with Time means that Time gets a little funky! As such, I decided to do an in-depth look at events, as well as giving some full names and information not planned for side stories.

Railroad Daisies is a side story set 1 year after Ingo disappeared. Emmet decides that it is finally time to hire a new Subway Boss so that he can keep all trains on schedule once more. Chapter 1: I’m Not Your Boss. Hilda finds her nerves creeping up on her when Emmet calls her to the office. (4096 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3 Chapter 2: Battle from the Heart. Emmet needs more trainers and Depot Agents, and Hilda needs to learn how to hire. Meanwhile, Rosa tries not to crush when she is caught off guard. (4596 words) Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3

Dragged from the Whorl is a side story one-shot set in the decade before PLA, and focuses on how Kamado and Zisu met and their working relationship as mentor and student. Read on Tumblr | Read on AO3

Influencing Works

The fic is influenced by a short comic from @/fluorescent-air-fresheners, which is transcribed into Chapter 1.

#submas #submas fic #pokemon legends arceus #pokemon legends arceus fic #Electric Trains fic #evolving post #my writing #other's work

4 notes · View notes

jac-is-procrastinating-again · 8 months

Text

Chapter 5: Crowley gets very drunk, meets friends, and gets a very old letter which does not cheer him up ONE BIT.

Author's note; honestly i have no willpower today I may cave and publish all the way to 7 which is where things really start kicking off. We shall see....

= = = = =

Somewhere in Oxfordshire

The Bentley had been driving round for some time, but towards evening, its path had taken it off the motorways and onto smaller roads with more bends. Crowley stared out of the window. In the gathering darkness, the moon was rising and as ever he strained to see the stars. But snake eyes were not designed to let in that distant ethereal beauty. For the last six thousand years, he had had to content himself with the knowledge that they were there. That, and just the faintest traces of their song that drifted down to him sometimes, if he really listened.

“He had a book printed for me once, you know,” he told the Bentley. “In the Nineties. He said it was a special date. Fifty years since our successful magic trick. It had pictures in it of every star I’ve ever made—or at least the ones these people have seen. I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have been possible to get pictures of them from here without a miracle or two.” He sighed, and suddenly was angry. “This planet is a black hole without him! How far away do I have to go to not feel it?”

The car obligingly shifted gear but he shook his head, his temper deflating as quickly as it had flared. “Don’t bother. I already know the answer, and so do you.”

The car pulled over and parked, and the door flipped open. He grabbed his hip flask from the ever-resourceful glove compartment and got out, moving round to lean on the bonnet. He stared out at the peaceful evening from the top of the little hill on which the car had chosen to stop.

If the angel had been here, they’d lean on the car side by side; maybe share the excellent Talisker in the flask. They’d argue over whether it aged better in oak-smoked casks or brandy ones or some other such nonsense; Aziraphale would tell him how much that exact shade of golden yellow hanging over the horizon reminded him of some obscure painting he’d seen in a French gallery in 1647, and he’d have snorted at the idea that even an angel could possibly remember a colour that precisely.

Then, once Aziraphale was all flustered and just verging on the huffy, Crowley would have laughed and suggested they drop into some great little restaurant or other on the way home, where he’d have sat nursing a red wine and enjoying his friend’s pleasure at the food, which was always inexplicably excellent when the pair of them dropped in somewhere. He smiled, wondering if Aziraphale had ever noticed that. Probably not; the angel could be as innocent as a child.

The little streak of yellow paint caught his eye and he paused to run a finger over it as if it would help the desolation in his heart. Yellow. His car was not yellow. Except…

The car nudged him gently.

“Fine. You’re our car, I accept. But I hope you can still feel the angel somewhere because I can’t.” The Bentley sagged on its wheels, and he patted the bonnet, took a long swig from the flask.

“Crowley?” The voice that inserted itself into Crowley’s thudding brain the next morning was familiar, feminine and more than a little puzzled. As he opened his eyes and tried to straighten the cramps out of his spine, she continued, “Where’s Aziraphale? You haven’t left him in a bush or something, have you?”

= = = =

rest on ao3 here;

#good omens #ineffable idiots #crowley #ineffable husbands #good omens 2 #good omens 2 spoilers #good omens fanfiction #good omens fanfic #to love the stars too fondly #the bentley #we do actually love the bentley #guess who's about to turn up #with a passenger of sorts #poor crowley #crowley is having a hard day #not as hard as the one aziraphale's about to have mind #tadfield #okay bored of tags now

0 notes

bognasarniakhnd2c · 2 years

Text

Personal project - evaluation

PERSONAL PROJECT

BOGNA SARNIAK

EVALUATION

As part of the personal project you are required to make a written evaluation of your process from start to finish. The following information will help you structure the evaluation and cover all the points needed.

Introduction

Give a brief outline of the photographic task

Also provide an overview of the planning and developing stages of the project

For the Graded Unit we had to capture 10 images that would be a project of our choice. Five of them will need to be printed. From the very beginning I was struggling with the idea. I personally think this folio is very busy, and many projects are time consuming and overlaying, which had an impact on my creativity. Choosing something and committing to it few months before the submission was another reason I couldn’t decide about the final idea. I kept doors open by having three different approaches of my project in my planning. That would let me change the direction and give more time to decide what I want to do. My main theme was “The Body”, and three possible approaches were “Nature”, “imperfections” and “reversed standards”. Being near nature is important for me and I wanted this project to be meaningful, creative and arty. The whole planning had to be very precise, from the main theme, gear needed, location, models, dates of shooting, optimizing and printing. Most of that I have done with the previous projects however printing was a new challenge. It’s as simple as some would think – go to ASDA and print it off from one of the self-printing machines. I had to save file in a correct way, choose the print lab and paper that was used for my final 5 prints. Shooting was planned outdoor and it was weather-dependent. I did 3 shoots in total, having two models (including myself).

Main section

Identify areas of the action plan that have been modified during the course of delivery

Identify positive aspects of the process

Identify areas of knowledge and skills gained or developed

Since I had few approaches I decided to start with one that’s easier to do – the nature one. I didn’t have to look for a unique models with scars or other imperfections. People with imperfect bodies are also often very shy and don’t want to be photographed. The Reversed standards would also require “unique”/”brave” models. After the first shooting I decided I will stick to that approach. New ideas started to appear in my head and I felt like this unlocked my creativity. I created a table on my laptop and wrote 10 ideas. Then when I got the right shot (even if slightly different from the original plan) I marked it with a huge green tick icon. That helped me visualize where I am with my project, what I have and what I still need. After second shoot I got enough images to complete the project, but I found antlers at home and got that idea of using them for my project. I had to shoot again then, but the problem was I didn’t have college camera at the time and had to use my old mirrorless Olympus. I was a little bit frustrated as I forgot how to use it and how to work it. Probably the more time I would have the more new ideas I would have, so I’m glad the project is over. From not knowing what to do, or if I will even manage to get 10 images I got to the ”bogna’s classic dilemma” – having too many pictures I like and choosing only few. The calendar plan I made changed a lot, I got a job and had much less time for the project. Sometimes the weather wasn’t good, sometimes I couldn’t find a model (lack of time or will). Another thing I had to modify was me posing for the full body image. I hoped I will find somebody up for it but nobody wanted, so I ended up taking pictures of myself. It took me w while to set everything up, find a right place, and then take all the self-portraits. I had a vision of taking those images of a male model as I found it more arty and less sexual. Didn’t want those pictures to have any sexual appear, and unfortunately nowadays women body is sexualized. At the beginning I didn’t plan taking any self-portraits, so this was a little change to the original plan. I also didn’t know at that time much about printing, paper types and all the printing process. During my course I’ve learned a lot and it helped me with the final process – sending files to print. But sending files to print and types of paper is not all I learned through this project. I developed self-portraiture, as the last time we had a self-portraiture project my mind wasn’t in a right place to get much of it. And this time for a change I enjoyed it. The other things I learned is colour space, but that would be part of a sending files to print, which in my opinion is the most practical knowledge for somebody who would like to work as a photographer. Whole planning was a good lesson, although I think I am terrible in planning and I need to have a choice options, otherwise I feel very anxious about the project. In general I feel like I learned a lot about myself. I tried self-portraiture again and I liked it, I learned to have a visual preview of what I need to do and what’s done. I learned I prefer Canon over my old mirrorless Olympus as it’s easier to work on and has more options.

Conclusion

Offer conclusions about your experiences

Discuss things that you would like to improve next time

Now, when project is done, my images printed I can have a wider look at every process and stage of this project and can tell what went well and what I would do differently. Beginning with the first stage – planning - I would like to be more concerned about the main idea. Having too many approaches doesn’t let focus on any. I would stick from the beginning to one, and do better research on that one idea. I am aware the plan might change and some new ideas might come, and here I am happy I did the extra shooting after finding antlers. Don’t think using the old camera is what I would do again, especially after a long break from it. After this project I am sure I prefer DSLR cameras over mirrorless (or at least that one I have). Editing went quite well, but I need to work on my deciding process, as it takes too long for me. It is hard to choose particular amount of images, and it’s time consuming for me. Printing was definitely the highlight of this project. New skill, new knowledge. Something so practical for somebody who would like to work as a photographer. I still don’t know everything about the papers and what paper will be the best for what images, but working with Deadly Digital was so easy and will be using them in the future. Prints were beautiful, I decided to go for a Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl which is not too glossy but also not too matt. I would like to print in the future on other papers to see how they present. At the end I want to say I am glad I did that project. I learned new things, I liked the idea and prints looks great.

#gradedunit #evaluation

0 notes

snackhobi · 4 years

Text

pairing: jungkook x reader / word count: 7.4k / genre: pacific rim au with brief smut (NSFW, 18+)

summary: there are no secrets in the drift. if jungkook were to see the mess inside your head and heart, laid utterly bare, he’d turn away from you.

warnings: sexually explicit content (briefly), unprotected sex (please be safe when you have sex) / reference to injuries but nothing graphic, giant robots powered by love punching big alien monsters

a/n: this is a birthday gift for the amazing @yeojaa. happy birthday, erin. this is completely self serving and is stuffed full with inside references that I hope you’ll enjoy. I wrote this in two days and it kicked my ass because I did so much reading and researching that turned out to not even come up in the story 👁👄👁 you know when I said I was studying? I lied. I was writing HAHAHAH ily I hope you like it hhhh (this is unbeta’ed so please forgive any mistakes it’s 1:30am as I’m scheduling this) (also summaries are so hard, I’m sorry)

Jeon Jungkook really is the perfect posterboy for a Jaeger pilot.

Broad across the shoulders and trim at the waist, all sharp punches and hard muscle, resilient and tough, with a face that’s the perfect balance of angles and softness; the cut of his jaw easing up and into his pretty mouth, the line of his brows subdued by his warm eyes—he’s a Goddamn vision, raw masculinity overlaid on rich veins of boyishness, glittering stratum that sparkle and shine even under the harsh lights of the Shatterdome.

He pouts when he thinks and his hair hangs a little in his big, big eyes and he has dimples that appear when he grins, teeth poking out onto his pretty pink lips, like someone took a rabbit and turned it into a man and packed on pounds of muscle alongside. Undeniably powerful and strong, but youthful and sweet, too.

Alongside Kim Taehyung—arresting and beautiful and somehow affable and approachable, all at the same time—they’re exactly what South Korea needs right now, propelling the country’s new look for their renewed assault against the kaiju. They’re the lucky new Rangers who’ve claimed ownership of the only Mark-5 that their homeland has produced, Bulletproof Striker, a fucking gorgeous Jaeger bristling with the latest and greatest technology that the world has produced.

But that doesn’t mean they’re the best that South Korea has to offer.

Cypher Zero is smaller, lighter, older, but she’s fierce. Just like her pilots. You and Yoongi might not be the burning beacons of hope that Jungkook and Taehyung are, polished and buffed to a squeaky shine, but you don’t need to be. You’re vicious and victorious and show no signs of stopping. The kaiju kills painted on your Mark-4’s shoulder are evidence enough of that, notches for each monster taken down, spray painted in one tiny corner of the huge swathe of burnished metal plating, the red edges of her midnight skin.

Bulletproof Striker is almost untouched, deployed just once since her recent launch, flawless exterior so at odds with Cypher Zero’s battered facade. Cypher’s beautiful, of course, but bears the history of your skirmishes, inside and out: scuffed paintwork, dented metal, rust dripping down from the ladder rungs dotted across her, melting into the obsidian of her hull.

Jungkook and Taehyung move in a way that’s practiced, disciplined motions of combat that their Jaeger echoes in turn. Her mechanical movements reflect those of the men inside her head, skilled and superb. Stunning. But you and Yoongi? You fight dirty, violent and rough; messy bar room brawls; shattered glass and clawing hands in beer soaked backrooms, tinged sulphur yellow under dirty lightbulbs; two kids who fought against a world that was against them.

(Two damaged people coming together in the Drift to make something even stronger than the sum of your parts.)

(Two damaged people who survived the rough hands of the Jaeger Academy, trying to take them, push them, shape them, break them.)

(Life isn’t kind. You’d learned that young, surrounded in the splintered remnants of your childhood home, the facade of family and happiness already gone, long long long ago, leaving you aching and lonely and cold. The prospect of fighting thousands of tons of alien hatred, lifting out of the depths of the uncaring, dark sea? At least you can see the kaiju coming. Broken households and loneliness? A little harder to lay your hands on.)

(But out of everything you lost, you’d gained one thing—Min Yoongi, another quiet, damaged thing, but with the biggest depths of warmth and love underneath that hard surface; your best friend, your brother-in-arms, growing alongside you, with you. Damaged kids turned bitter teenagers turned razor-edged adults, outcasts in solitude, but together. Not alone.)

(The deeper the bond, the better you fight. Falling into the Drift with Yoongi had been easy, years of tangled connection bleeding into the images that flashed across your brain. The same memories from different angles, overlaid with different emotions, undercurrents eddying under the surface that caught both of you and swept you up in its flow; the same mind, bridged by hundreds of tons of metal and technology and firepower underneath you, linked together in the silence of the Drift.)

There’s reverence, in the way these two new pilots look at you both, reverence and awe and respect alike: older Rangers, more experienced, history written across the worn edges of your Drivesuits, the paint flaking away from your battle armour, scuffs and scrapes on the once unblemished veneer; knowledge etched into the feline slant of Yoongi’s eyes, the turn of your shoulders and hips.

You know Jungkook’s track record. You know of the endless months of assessment and sparring and psych evals and Drift tests and simulation drops that every successful Ranger has to go through, and Jungkook had trumped them all, stood atop them like a conqueror surveying his hard-won lands—gifted, talented, some even said God-touched. And yet for all this indomitable talent and skill, there’s still humility at his core, a willingness to defer with respect.

That deference is obvious whenever he sees you. Jungkook’s dark eyes will touch your own, for a moment, dark and deep and bright—and then his gaze will skitter away, cockiness and bravado dissolving into something submissive, yielding. (Shy.) You’ve watched him orbit you, the younger ranger caught in your gravity, always nearby—the Shatterdome is only so big, for its magnitude and sprawling corridors—but never broaching that final gap, that little step, into Cypher Zero’s space, Yoongi’s space, your space. Keeping himself at arm’s length.

South Korea’s golden boy, less afraid of the Kaiju than he is of his sunbaenim.

Jungkook and Taehyung are both beautiful. But you and Yoongi are less so, unapproachable in ways that the younger pilots aren’t, private and prickly, like grasping a patch of stinging nettles with bare hands, stinging and burning.

As if Jungkook isn’t terrifying and gorgeous in his own ways. As if he doesn’t shine brighter than the sun himself. Taehyung moves through the world with a thoughtless, charismatic ease that Jungkook doesn’t share—but he’s still magnetic, bold and brilliant, monstrously skilled at everything he puts his mind to, training again and again and again to get it right, get it right, get it right.

To get it perfect.

But there’s no level of perfectionism that can surmount the twisted, unpredictable nature of the kaiju belched forth from the breach. No matter how good you are, how strong or fast, how smart or seasoned, sometimes you still get caught in that hurricane, even in a Jaeger.

It doesn’t matter how many engines are packed into each muscle strand. It doesn’t matter how fast the pistons and levers and gears shift and move. It doesn’t matter that the pilots in her cockpit are impeccable and incredible. Under the cloak of deepest night and pouring rain, blanketed in darkness and water from the heavens above and the sea below, movement is impossible to track—and when Steelbrute rises from the waves, no one sees the kaiju coming.

Bulletproof Striker takes the hit. Jungkook and Taehyung fight back but they’re blindsided and overwhelmed, and their Jaeger falls to her knees in the churn of the Pacific Ocean, salt water crashing over her in choppy waves as Steelbrute’s merciless maw gapes wide open.

Cypher Zero is 250ft tall and weighs 1410 tons. You and Yoongi are tiny specks of organic matter in a fearsome behemoth of titanium and tungsten and graphene and circuitry, commanders of a weapon that’s the same size as a skyscraper—and yet you wouldn’t think that for how fast you move. Zero hesitation. No verbal communication. Cypher’s legs cut through endless waves and gain momentum with each crashing step that slams into the seafloor before you leap forward in a flurry of motion and Drift powered fury.

Your motions in the Conn-Pod are ragged and incensed, your arms and legs moving in sync with Yoongi, with Cypher Zero, a snarl ripping out of your co-pilot’s usually quiet mouth as the kaiju lurches underneath you. The world narrows down to this: throwing yourself into the fray, jagged knuckles edged with plasma pummelled into Steelbrute’s skin in a scuffle that’s vicious, aggressive, until Bulletproof Striker regains her footing.

The sun is rising, grey and cold on the horizon when Steelbrute finally sinks into the sea, toxic blood flooding the water with neon blue. When you step out of the cockpit, Yoongi’s fringe is matted with sweat, and you can feel all the places the circuitry suit sticks to your skin—piloting a Jaeger is mentally and physically exhausting, every muscle and organ and bone working overtime for endless hours as you fight tooth and nail. Without the helmets in the way, there’s nothing stopping you bumping your foreheads together, heedless of the sweat slicked there; Yoongi’s hand rests at the back of your head, a familiar cradle.

“All good,” you say. Yoongi lets out a quiet bark of a laugh, rough and exhausted.

“I want a nap,” he says, like he always does, even if you’re a long way away from that, still fully suited and due to speak to the Marshalls. There are so, so many things separating you from the bliss of sleep.

One thing that’s not part of the normal routine, though, is the other pilots catching you, demanding your recognition, respectful (Taehyung) but insistent (Jungkook). You know that Yoongi doesn’t like attention or hero-worship, but there’s nothing except gratitude, here, bent heads and words of thanks. You’d saved their lives, after all. Saved their Jaeger from being torn apart, pain screaming through their own bodies of flesh and bone, connected to their metal monster. Of course they’re grateful.

You dismiss it with a hard cut of your hand.

“It’s nothing,” you say.

You’re speaking the words you know are in Yoongi’s head—years of friendship and shared Drifts leaving his thought processes wide open to you—although you know you’re sharper than he is, harsher than he is, even, for all that he looks like the cold one from the outside. Long lashes and silken hair don’t translate to something soft and feminine and pretty, and you’re all ragged edges and rough parts, bleeding into the delivery of your words. Yoongi rounds the words in his mouth and places them into the world with a rumble of quiet strength that belies his past, but you? Your tongue is cutting and terse and drips with distrust, even when you don’t mean it to, staring at these two boys, Jungkook’s eyes so brown and large when he stares back at you.

The truth is that you care about humanity, of course. You care about humanity and you care about the millions of people in the cities that line the coasts and further inland, and you care about your fellow pilots, skilled but soft-hearted as they are. You’re stronger. You have to be. That’s what Yoongi is, that’s what you are: fighters. You fight dirty because you fight to win, not to protect yourselves. You’ll fight and you’ll die for this, for them, even if there’s no friendship there. Not yet. You’re still too distant, for all that you’d thrown yourself in the line of fire to rip the kaiju from the younger Rangers.

And when Jungkook levels a look at you, there’s a flicker of something. A spark. All the glittering of his warm eyes comes together like the cascading sparks of molten fire that fall when metal is cut through— his eyes score through you, down down down, right to your core, underneath all the armour you’ve laid about yourself throughout your life. Your heart stutters. You’ve been watching Jeon Jungkook, and he’s all cocky Ranger bravado, or innocent brown eyes and shy, curving smiles, and yet.

And yet. You know he sees this soft part of you, somehow. Past the thorns and sharp leaves, past the hard husk, into the rich, bursting sweetness inside, oozing red gems of pomegranate that yield so easily to the fingers and mouth.

(He’s temerarious and modest and wickedly perceptive too, it seems.)

“That was our kill,” he says suddenly. Taehyung—the voice piece of the two, the one who’s been smiling and speaking, easy and slow—goes still at his side.

“What?” Yoongi’s eyes pierce through him, but Jungkook keeps his focus on you.

“Steelbrute. Our kill. It was a hit from our rockets that took him out,” Jungkook says, eyes still glinting with that sparkling shine. Slicing through you with an explosion of light. “Not your blades.”

Silence steals over you, for a breath. It’s never truly silent in the Shatterdome, an iron fortress that never sleeps, but for a second, there’s quiet. It wraps around you. Tight. Almost deafening.

But then you break that silence.

You laugh.

You laugh at the cheeky grin that pulls at Jungkook’s lips, the boyish lift to his face. You laugh at his shamelessness, the sudden 180 from his earlier fear. You laugh at the way he’s diluted this astonishing, formidable thing—humanity coming together to destroy alien predators that threaten the planet—into a competition.

“You’re a menace, Jeon Jungkook,” you say.

Stinging nettles you might be, but if you’re grabbed hard and fast by confident hands, you don’t wound. Jeon Jungkook defers to respect, avoids confrontation, bows his head and quiets his mouth, but he knows, now, that he can do this. That he can push you like this, and you’ll let him, sway against it, let yourself be pushed.

Yoongi slides you a glance out the corner of his eyes, a light touch, a tacit agreement to an unspoken question.

“You can have it. Steelbrute’s yours.” There’s the smallest curl to your lips as you speak for you both. There’s something weirdly easy and familiar to this, to this interaction, even if you’ve barely exchanged words before now, giving this triumph to the other pilots hand over fist.

(Giving it to Jungkook on a platter.)

You can see the flare of triumph in Jungkook’s eyes. You know it’s not for the notch of their first kill, one they can add to their Jaeger. It’s for something far harder to achieve, something far more ephemeral: digging down and past your cool veneer and lifting out a smile, spreading it across your lips like warm butter, liquid gold.

And he keeps making you smile.

Jeon Jungkook, you find, is a force of nature, relentless, an ocean. Sometimes he’s soft, loving waves of glittering blue that crash on pearly white beaches, playful and bright. Sometimes, he’s intense, the crashing waves of a storm tossed sea, powerful and unstoppable. Always, he’s striking, even when he’s not trying—even more so because of it, moving without thought or uncertainty, a silence settling over your thoughts whenever you see him like this. See him in this raw state, so unafraid where before he’d curbed his tongue and bent his head in front of you. Now, he’s just himself, without filter.

Taehyung is there too, of course. Both pilots join your small, fiercely private circle, not just a path from you to Yoongi any more. They become intertwining lines, a pattern that’s drawn between the four of you, pilots, friends. And you learn, that for all that you’d thought that Taehyung was the dominant one outside of their Jaeger, social and extroverted and unabashed, Jungkook isn’t quiet. Not when he’s comfortable.

(Not, now, when he’s with you.)

He’s a myriad of things, endlessly deep, so different from you, from Yoongi, but—the truth of it settles inside you, your joints, the marrow of your bones, the blood that pulses forth from your heart each time it beats in your chest, liquid life running through you.

Drift compatibility.

Not that it matters. You already have a partner. You’re never going to open yourself up to anyone that isn’t Yoongi, who’s seen every part of you already. There’d been no fear about letting Yoongi see inside your brain, your heart, the raw, bleeding parts of you—because he’d already known them. Just like you’d known his. Yoongi stands to your right, inside the Conn-Pod and out, a driving force, even in his silence.

But Jungkook is softer, sweeter, for all his raw power and skill, respect engraved into his every motion, even when he’s teasing and making you laugh. Even when he ignores the social guidelines that he should follow, does follow for others, everyone except you.

And you don’t mind. You don’t bite out insults at him when he slides into the quiet hollow you’ve scraped out, a small space with just enough room for the people you keep in your heart. You’re still barbed and spiked, warding away unwanted attention, but for Jungkook, the claws retract.

You’re still you, of course. Jungkook calls you mean, says that you bully him, even as he’s flopped across your bunk, eating your rations, shovelling coveted popcorn into his mouth. He might pout and sigh and cry oppression, but you’re soft on him and he knows it. That quiet hollow in your heart is a little larger, now, a little louder. Jungkook is brazen in his claim of this space, spreading each of his limbs wide as he fits himself into every part of it. He doesn’t know every piece of your past, and you don’t plan to let him see all the messy parts bundled in your chest, but. But he’s still there.

And you let him stay. You make a home for him inside you and let him take the key. He might tilt his head and goad you, might pretend there’s a genuine challenge in the set of his jaw, but you know it’s all tempered with admiration, veneration. Friendship.

(And where he clearly respects you, you admire him in turn. You’re reminded of your differences every second he moves and breathes and just exists in front of you, but you don’t have to be similar to someone to realise just how incredible they are.)

(But though you’re different, there are similarities. You’re not a mirrored image, a reflection, like you are with Yoongi. Instead, you’re a line drawn between two separate places, an isohel, sun lighting up your world for the same sweep of the clock even for how far apart you are. Sharing that same, tenuous thing, for all your contrasting parts.)

(This thing that’s growing, held in your hands. This soft, gentle thing, shimmering, frail, unfurling slowly but undeniably. Tinged with happiness, disbelief. Disbelief that you’ve found this, that you can see Jungkook across the echoing cavern of the Shatterdome’s main hall, so far in the distance, barely visible at the foot of his Jaeger—and something will settle in your chest. Featherlight, iridescent. Something comforting.)

When you fight the kaiju, now, it’s with a deeper reserve of desperation. Taehyung and Jungkook aren’t just fellow pilots, dongsaeng that you’re obliged to look after: they’re your friends, something more than that too, part of the rare handful of people in the world who understand, this overwhelming pressure to fight and win and protect the things you love. The people you love. They understand what it’s like to step into someone else’s head, to be connected to that person on a level that’s unfathomable, anchored in a depth of love that’s endless. You’re their aegis, now, their shield.

(Jungkook’s shield.)

Maybe that’s what’s to blame. Maybe that’s why you’re so sloppy, this time. Maybe that’s why you throw yourselves in the way of the blow that was meant for Bulletproof Striker. Maybe that’s why Ojousan shreds Cypher Zero’s chest apart, her head, why Yoongi is almost ripped from you, his fear and pain screaming through your neural connection. You feel everything he feels and more beside, your heart hammering in your throat as you scream, Jaeger’s arm swinging up and around in tandem with your own motions as you try to rip the kaiju away, anything to protect Yoongi, so scared of losing him, always always always, scared of being left alone.

But you’re not alone.

Bulletproof Striker lifts up like an avenging angel. Her horns roar a challenge, an echoing battle cry as the younger pilots move in. Heavier and stronger, keeping her balance even in the turbulence of a fight, she takes the hits, gives back her own, sends the kaiju down into the crashing waves, waits for it to rise. But the monster is crafty and quick and even as you’re lifting your left arm—Yoongi’s hurt, so hurt, you know this, feel this, but he moves with you to ready the plasma cannon buried in the mechanics of your Jaeger’s hand, even if he’s keening with pain—you watch as the other pilots, too, fall victim to the clawed tail of the kaiju, screeching through layers of alloys and across their Conn-Pod.

Terror strikes through every part of you and morphs into hate. You hate the kaiju, hate your own weakness, hate the pain that’s been saved from being written into your own body while Yoongi screams and sobs even though he still fights. Your motions are anguished and desperate as you battle to overcome this beast that’s almost taken away everything that matters to you—and Cypher Zero, Yoongi, as damaged and hurt as they are, come through. (Like they always do, for you, always.)

And somehow, despite everything, for all the self-hatred and pain and fear, you pull through. You pull through. Damaged and hurt but alive.

Barely.

Barely alive.

(One hand gives, the other takes away.)

It takes hours for them to pick Yoongi’s Drivesuit from his body, crumpled around him from Ojousan’s claws, cutting into the soft flesh of his body, body ruined further by the fighting he’d been forced into despite his injuries; so many of Taehyung’s bones are shattered, and when you finally see him awake and with his eyes open, there are burst blood vessels that cast red across the usually warm expression, his friendly eyes.

You should be grateful that they’re alive. You should be on your hands and knees, weeping, benedictions dripping from your graceless mouth as you thank whatever merciless God above decided to turn their gaze on you and grant you this leniency. So many pilots have died and will continue to die, you know this, but somehow your partners are still alive.

And you are grateful. You are. But there’s bitterness on your tongue, twisted across your palate, sour and acrid and filling you with its taste. You’d been foolish and reckless and you’d almost lost the things you cared about most, even if you’d destroyed the kaiju, torn it apart and left its fluorescent indigo blood to corrode the ocean.

That’s what’s important, isn’t it. Saving humanity. One person, two people, four people—you’re the tiniest cogs in a whirring engine of billions. Unimportant. Just a spinning part that keeps the machine going.

When you’re not with Yoongi or Taehyung, an unmoving presence from their hospital beds, a hovering gargoyle carved from stone, you’re with Jungkook. Always, always, always. Somehow you’d both escaped without the injuries inflicted on your partners—you’d manage to break your little finger, and Jungkook had a black eye and a twisted ankle, and the both of you had mottles of bruises cast across your skin, pulled muscles, an ache carved into your bones, but that was it. That was it. It was almost laughable, how unscathed you are.

You hate it.

(It should have been you.)

Your legs—unbroken, unharmed—hang over steel scaffolding, motionless as you watch the tiny specks of people scuttling across the catwalks that criss-cross Cypher Zero’s body. You can see under her skin, damage peeling back all the layers of metal that should be holding her together. Endless showers of sparks fall and scatter as she’s stitched back together. Your beautiful girl is so damaged, so disfigured.

(You’d caught Yoongi as he’d fallen from the harness, listened to the horrible noises that had torn out of his lips as he’d dripped blood and pain over your shaking hands.)

The bland food you’d scraped off your dinner tray settles fitfully in your stomach, still one second, nausea bubbling up your throat the next.

It’s one of the rare times you’ve been alone, since… since everything. You’ve been taking comfort in Jungkook’s presence, unwavering and understated, needing someone there when staring at Yoongi’s battered face proved too much. Even with his own upheaval Jungkook’s been there, at your side, always close. Eyes locked on you and taking everything in, the tired set to your face, the expression that tugs down your lips, and still, he stays.

But he’d disappeared after you’d eaten, a peculiar look on his face—you know him well enough now to recognise that look, that it means he’s got something in his head, some plan he means to unfold. It’s the first time you’ve seen it since Taehyung had been pulled out of the Conn-Pod. It’s some semblance of normality, an expression of something other than pale-faced dread and bone-shivering guilt.

(You feel it too, that survivor’s guilt. Taehyung and Yoongi will recover but it’ll take time and so much suffering and you wish you could take that from them, heft that burden onto your own shoulders.)

(You know Jungkook feels the same.)

(You see it written in the tense lines of his body. Hear it unspoken in the words he shares with you. The bruises on his skin melt from red to purple to blue to yellow, but even if his body heals, his brain and heart bear the scars of helplessness.)

Jungkook reappears, finds you at the heavy steel door that leads into your room, rusted and worn but silent as it swings open in front of you. His eyes are wide and he’s breathless, like he’s been running, chest heaving as he sucks in air through his parted lips, a flash of teeth and tongue as he smiles.

Despite everything, you smile back. Helpless for that smile, always, happier now for the sight of it, for how little you’ve seen it. You want to see that smile every day. You don’t want him to worry for anything. You want him to feel the same way you do, when you see him: that quiet, maybe selfish thought that things are okay.

Maybe he does. (His eyes are so warm.) He presses something into your hands, something soft and round like a well-practised secret, and then he’s gone. You can tell by the gait of his stride that he’s going back to Taehyung, giving you a moment of lonely reprieve to wash the grime and dirt off your useless body before you follow in his footsteps, stationed at Yoongi’s side.

The door swings shut behind you.

You lift your hand.

It’s an orange.

It’s a small, overripe thing, hard nub of the stem falling away from the skin with only the lightest brush of your fingers. You stare at the fruit, its brightness cutting through the muted sepia tones of your surroundings, a point of colour in an otherwise dull room.

You haven’t seen an orange in months. Rationing is tough on everyone, even Jaeger pilots. You’d mentioned in passing, so long ago, an old habit of yours. Before something else floated above it, more important and interesting, you’d made a fleeting statement that had flitted across the surface of the conversation: you liked eating oranges in the shower. Liked that nice, cool citrus sweetness in your mouth while the rest of your body was caught in the fall of warm water.

It’s such a small, tiny thing. Just the briefest lament—there are more important things than the fact you can’t have shower oranges any more, after all—and you’d forgotten you’d even mentioned it.

But Jungkook hadn’t.

It’s almost syrupy sweet, this orange. You savour each slice, pressing them between your teeth, feeling the rush of juice burst forth through the pith and skin, and it’s so good you could cry.

You do cry.

Your mouth is full of orange and your eyes are full of tears and your head is full of—of—something, something so all encompassing that it overwhelms you, water cascading down the aching planes of your body as you crumple inwards. Jungkook had protected you with the overwhelming power of Bulletproof Striker, and he’s protecting you now, soft and considerate and kind, vulnerable and human. Stripped of tons of metal and technology, Jungkook wears his beating heart on his sleeve and is none the weaker for it.

This seemingly small thing means so much, so so so much. You understand him, and he understands you too, knows that this gesture is indicative of support and care and nurturing, a tiny fragment of peace he can offer you in the tumult of everything out of your control.

A tiny fragment of peace that’s part of a greater whole, all the things that Jungkook gives to you.

When the Marshalls gather you and tell you the plan going forwards, you’re unsurprised.

It makes sense, of course. Four pilots down to two still leaves a pair, and Bulletproof Striker is nearly functional even if Cypher Zero will stay out of commission while she’s rebuilt. Simple maths. One Jaeger, two pilots. You and Jungkook.

You’re scared.

You know you’re Drift compatible. Every fight in the Kwoon Combat Room is evidence enough of that. A dialogue, each challenge is meant to be a dialogue to show physical compatibility, and it is: there’s perfect sync in how you each move to strike, even if your motions are so different, muscles burning and breaths coming faster each time you attack, parry, strike, block. It’s not about winning or losing. It’s a conversation, one that you and Jungkook fall into without thought.

And he would be the perfect partner. That much isn’t in doubt. Loyal and open and strong, honourable and brave and kind—and you know him, have grown to learn so much about this golden boy, this bright, brilliant boy. He’s fucking indomitable and anyone would be lucky to find themselves in the same Jaeger as Jeon Jungkook.

But there are no secrets in the Drift.

To let someone in, you have to trust them. And you do, you do trust Jungkook, probably far more than makes sense, some unspoken thing between you burning like a wildfire. But while you trust him, confident in his strength and his heart, you trust yourself less.

You’ll be flayed open, naked and defenceless. He’ll see right to the core of you, every dirty corner of your crumpled soul, every shameful part of your foundations, uneven brickwork layered into your shaky temperament; strong one second, weak the next. He’ll see that you’re hard inside, too, biting and acidic right down to your shrivelled heart. This nascent thing that you’ve been building with Jungkook, been keeping safe in the cradle of your careful hands, will sputter out and die.

“Baby.”

Yoongi’s voice is comforting, a familiar rumble that rolls through your ears as you rest your head in his lap.

“And I mean that you’re literally being a baby,” he continues, and you curl your lip back from your teeth in a small snarl, menacing.

Yoongi just continues to thread his hands through your hair.

You’ve Drifted with Yoongi often and long enough to know how every thread of thought unspools in that skull of his. You know he has every confidence in the unshakeable pillar of your soul. He’s a brother to you, a connection that thrums deep in your veins even without the intimacy of the Drift, and the love you hold for him is undying and true.

But whatever you have with Jungkook is so timorous in the face of that.

“It’s different.” Yoongi looks down at the twist of your face. You know his thoughts and he knows yours too, your face and heart an open book to him. “But different isn’t bad.”

You keep your mouth shut, keep the words swallowed down in your throat, shoved down to the pit of your stomach. Keep it secret. Keep it safe.

“Baby,” he says again, softer, lower. This time, you know it’s an endearment.

At the end of the day, no matter what fear grips cold and endless at your insides, you’ll do it. You’ll Drift with Jungkook. You’ll throw everything you have into the pyre, watch it burn and turn to ash, if it means you can keep everyone safe. To save Yoongi, Taehyung, Jungkook—you’ll open yourself up to the mortifying ordeal of opening up, laying yourself bare. You have to.

It’s chaotic, anyway. The day that your practice Drift is scheduled is the day the next kaiju rises out of the breach, that dreaded rift between our world and theirs, because why would you be allowed to breathe, even for a second?

It’s a scramble into the cockpit. There’s no time for trial runs or test Drifts. You fly or you fall. Everyone’s in a state of orderly upheaval as you’re suited up and left to stride forwards into a Conn-Pod that isn’t yours, in a Jaeger that isn’t yours.

(Left to stride forwards to stand next to someone who isn’t yours.)

Your Drivesuit is grey. Jungkook’s is white. There’s a subtle hologramatic sheen laid across the planes of his armour, leaving him a multicoloured vision that shines out under the flicker of the cockpit’s endless tiny buttons and lights. Your own suit is a matte, gunmetal with accents of burning scarlet, far more battered and worn. Dark and wild in the face of Jungkook’s radiance. He’s the perfect answer to the kaiju invasion. You, though, feel like an interloper in a space that wasn’t designed for you, this circle room that’s been home to Jungkook and his true, real partner.

But he’s looking at you like there’s no one else he’d rather have by his side.

He doesn’t care that everything about this moment just cements how he’s too good for you in every conceivable way, elevated above you. Doesn’t care that you’re just a temporary stop gap. There’s trepidation, of course, skittering nerves that dance across his face for this first Drift, surrounded by all the commotion that’s swallowing the world up outside the cockpit. But there’s also that fire in his eyes, one you’ve learned to expect: Jungkook is a wildfire and will surmount any obstacle in a blaze of white-hot light.

And he wants you along for the ride.

(Burns bright for it.)

“You ready?” He asks, and the tiny tremor in his words takes you off guard even as it soothes a balm over the rash of apprehension that prickles across your skin.

(Because he’s nervous, too.)

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” you answer, truly.

His eyes crinkle into a smile, crescents of happiness as his lip peels back from his teeth. It should be jarring, seeing his sweet bunny smile in the pit of a Jaeger, so at odds with the military polycarbonate that girds his body with protection, the masculine edges of his face—but it’s not. The world is just a backdrop to Jeon Jungkook, dropping away as you fall into his eyes, twinkling stars of brightness and warmth that hold you safe, even now.

Peace and contentment steals over you. You’re almost shocked by it, the way your own face softens into a smile, the rising beat of your heart. Every ragged messy edge in you is smoothed over by Jungkook’s presence and you glow for him.

When the Conn-Pod drops, there’s the familiar weightlessness, the sway of your body in the harness as you fall. Anticipation roils through you as Bulletproof Striker’s head locks into place, whirring mechanisms securing you to nearly 2000 tons of metal, so much heavier than your own Jaeger. You’ve taken Jungkook’s usual place and he’s taken Taehyung’s, the right hemisphere, the dominant pilot, familiar with this machine in a way you’re not.

Not yet, at least.

“We’ve got this.”

Jungkook’s voice cuts through the noise, the AI talking at you, a narration of events you’ve long grown used to. You turn your head to look at him. He’s already looking at you, intent and sincere. Like always.

“Yeah,” you say. “Yeah, we have.”

There’s no point being afraid. In a few seconds, Jungkook will be in your head, washing over every part of you—and you’ll be in his, pressing your ethereal touch into every facet that comes together to make Jeon Jungkook who he is.

Seconds pass. There’s a little hitch in his breath, a stiffness to his limbs, and he shuts his eyes. You breathe in deep, deep, deep, sucking in a harsh breath into your greedy lungs—

—the timer hits zero—

—and then the Drift slams into you all at once, all encompassing and consuming, threading your minds together.

(Drifting with Yoongi is easy, the familiarity of coming home after so much time away.)

(But this?)

(This is throwing yourself into a cold lake on a hot summer’s day, bracing and refreshing and breath-stealing all at once, shocking life into every one of your limbs, so sharp and fast you’re scared you might drown before you breach the surface, water holding onto you and not letting you go. This is driving reckless and fast down empty roads, watching the world pass you in a blur, laughing in delight at the pleasure of it all. This is scaling a cliffside with nothing but your own hands and determination, digging your fingers into the unyielding rock, pulling yourself up-up-up, never letting yourself fall.)

(This is having Jungkook beside you. This is having Jungkook diving into the lake with all the grace of an Olympian before he rises to the surface, tosses his hair carelessly out of his face, and spits a mouthful of water at you with laughter in his eyes. This is having Jungkook behind the driver’s wheel, shifting gears without thought, looking away from the road to watch the way your hair dances in the wind. This is having Jungkook climbing beside you, waiting for you at the top, holding a hand out to pull you up and over so you can sprawl out beside him, exhausted and exuberant at the top of this mountain, basking in the sun with Jungkook just a hair’s breadth away from you.)

(He takes one look at you. He takes one look at all the dark of your memories, the cascading mess of your insides, the hidden things that are open to him in the Drift, cut open and peeled back for his gaze—and he doesn’t look away.)

(He sees everything, past skin and muscle and bone and nerves, even deeper, right into your heart—)

(—all the torrents that eddy the deep waters of your soul—)

(—and he doesn’t look away.)

(He doesn’t look away.)

(Can’t look away.)

(Doesn’t want to.)

(Never wants to.)

(Jeon Jungkook takes one look at you, your whole being, and he knows you.)

(And he doesn’t want you any less.)

It’s just a second, a flicker, a breath, this first connection in this Drift, falling into each other. But it’s also a lifetime, two lifetimes, four lifetimes; your memories, Jungkook’s memories, Yoongi’s memories in yours, Taehyung’s memories in Jungkook’s. Layers and layers and years and years piled over one another, a tumbling sprawl—but it’s easy. It’s easy, so easy, Jungkook seeing you, you seeing him, everything he is, everything you are, everything you are to each other, with each other, for each other. The important things. The things you need to know to navigate this together, in sync even before now, reading each other to a level neither had even realised.

And when you’ve killed the kaiju. When you’ve walked Bulletproof Striker back to shore, brought her back to the Shatterdome, back home, it doesn’t end. You lift out of the Drift, step out of your Drivesuits, as different as they are (as different as you are), and it doesn’t end.

Jungkook’s eyes linger, as heavy as a physical touch, and even as congratulations for a successful drop are bandied about you, he doesn’t leave your side. He keeps his hand against yours—not intertwined, but brushing, the curl of his fingers against your own. Touching. You’re not the protector here. He’s protecting you, in a way that doesn’t leave you feeling inferior or weak. You feel soft and warm and small and safe, pulled inexorably towards him, supported, buoyed up, and you don’t feel selfish for it.

Because he wants this.

He wants to be your comfort and your support.

He doesn’t want it to end.

(You don’t want it to end.)

And when you finally break away from those crowds, released from the shackles of responsibility and expectation—when you’re finally left alone, the two of you with each other, there’s no hesitation when you come together.

He lays you out beneath him and has you sobbing, back arching into the pleasure he draws out of your body, playing you like a maestro. Because he knows you, after all. He knows exactly how to trail his lips across your skin, your neck and stomach and thighs, painting marks across your body like it’s his personal canvas. He knows exactly how to have you twisting underneath him, how to pull those pretty sounds from your lips, fucking you with his fingers and his tongue until you’re a shaking mess. He kisses you sweet, merciless, letting you claw at his skin as you beg for more, more more more, wanting it, needing it, wanting him, needing him.

And you know he’ll give it to you. He’ll give himself to you, give you everything you ask for. You know how he wants to see you fall apart and you know how to move your body to have him gritting his teeth and staring in awe. You know how desperate he is to worship you, to show you his adoration and reverence, and you open up for him, unfurl like a flower, dripping nectar. When he finally presses into you, hot and long and thick, it’s so good you could cry. You draw him in-in-in, into your body and arms and heart, pressing your lips to the sweat at his brow, the taste of skin and salt and Jungkook bursting across your tongue.

There’s no Drift here, no curl of memories and unspoken thoughts between you. It’s physical and human, the crash of your bodies against each other, skin on skin, the thrust of his cock pressing into the dripping folds of your cunt. It’s the other half of that connection, the final piece, this thing you have with Jungkook, this perfect balance you have with him. It sears itself across your body and into your soul: it’s pleasure and passion and devotion carved into each touch of your lips and fingers, each roll of your hips, each time Jungkook makes you cum, gasping for him.

When he’s finally come apart inside you, spilling into your willing heat as you shake beneath him, arms and legs wrapped around his body as you pull him as close as you can, unwilling to let go—it still doesn’t end. You’re so wrapped up in Jungkook, in his arms, his heart, and you know he won’t let you go, either. He presses his lips against yours, chases those kisses, quiet and chaste to open-mouthed and dirty as the mood takes you, and then Jungkook rolls over you again, a spark in his eyes as he decides he’s still hungry for you.

You know, now, that all that time ago, when you carved that space for him into your chest, he’d done the same for you. He’d laid his heart at your feet and waited there, kneeling, for you to accept it, patient and willing. Staring at you with all the deep love you never thought you deserved, never thought you’d receive. But here he is. Here he is, love burning in his dark brown eyes. Eyes that have seen all the damaged, aching parts of you and love you anyway.

“I’m yours.”

Jungkook shines so bright at your words, a supernova of joy. His smile is so wide and his gaze is so soft, for you, for you, for you.

“Everything I am is for you,” he murmurs, letting the words curl into the air, settle across your skin, sink deep inside your chest. Your eyes flutter shut as you feel this touch of him inside you, wrapped around your heart.

And when you lift your hands, he comes so easily. He presses his cheek into the curve of your fingers, lets you hold him, lets you cup those lovely cheeks in your palms.

“I love you,” he says.

Right now, in this instant, there’s nothing but him. No kaiju, no Jaegers, no crumbling world, nothing. There’s only him, and you, together.

“I love you too,” you reply—and when you smile, gentle and tender, Jungkook falls in love all over again.

Burns bright for you.

1K notes · View notes

spook-central · 3 years

Text

So you know how I said I was gonna write a short Ray fic based on that garage kiss in Some Kind of Wonderful?

GUESS WHAT I DID IT

I’ll be posting it here and on archive of our own! Find me there at egonspenglersnose and give it some love!)

It’s based on this scene and this song if you need a little more context! Enjoy!

•••

She Loves Me

Word Count: 2939

Warnings: none it’s fluffy!

The day had started off normally enough, aside from the usual craziness that often occurred around the firehouse. Spring was in the air, and after what had felt like a bleak and oppressive winter, it was finally time to open up the doors and air the place out.

It felt good, letting the spring air in, and it made your overtime far more bearable.

You often stayed late a few times a week to make sure everything was caught up on for the next day when things got busy during the work week, something which Janine always appreciated greatly. Tonight was no exception, but the sun staying out for a longer time in the evenings definitely made it more enjoyable.

It also helped that Ray had lingered behind this evening to work on the Ecto. You had always been incredibly fond of him, and it was obvious to just about everyone that a crush had blossomed on your part.

You recalled the day you had met him; they had hired you on the spot mainly because they needed the help but also because you had a fairly impressive resume, and Ray was one of the first of the guys you had been introduced to.

He was quite honestly one of the best looking men you had ever met, and so incredibly sweet. You immediately liked him and got a good feeling about him.

You loved how passionate he was about the Ecto, and his overall knowledge of cars had always impressed you. Even if you didn’t know much about them, you loved his enthusiasm for them and it easily rubbed off on you.

Now, as you finished up the last of your paperwork for the evening, you could hear him tinkering away not far from you. Ecto had her fair share of problems, but there was nothing Ray wouldn’t do for that car. It was like another member of the team, and you couldn’t imagine the guys doing anything without it.

Ray would occasionally come in from where he was working for something he needed, and your eyes would meet on occasion. You had never had the guts to tell him of your feelings. Ray was just so cute and enthusiastic about what he did that it was hard NOT to give him heart eyes 24/7.

From time to time, you would hear him shuffle in for a drink of water or a missing wrench that he had left in the lab, smiling at him as you took in the sight of his wild brown hair and big, sweet eyes. How was it fair for one human to be that cute? You felt like you were sixteen again with the way you wanted to fawn over him.

However, restraint was a quality you possessed as well, and you hoped that you had been able to be somewhat subtle around him.

Oh well, maybe someday you would have enough courage. Sighing as you finished up your paperwork for the night, you stood to stretch your back, adjusting your jeans, purse and blouse as you made your way towards the door.

“She still down and out?” You asked Ray as you came to stand carefully beside the lovely car he had so caringly constructed and repaired. It really was his baby, in a funny way, and you respected the work that had gone into it a great deal. Ecto kept the guys in one piece, and you gave the vehicle a sweet little pat on the roof as if to say thank you.

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” he said, his voice echoing off of the metal interior before attempting to stand up too quickly and bumping his head on it. “Ow!”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, it always gets me like that,” he chuckled, rubbing the spot on the back of his head that had been bumped and smiling that sweet, bright smile of his at you that always made you melt. “Are you headed out for the day?”

“Yup, unless you need anything else from me that is,” truth be told, you would’ve gladly stayed all night just to hang around with him. Ray seemed hesitant to fully say Goodnight, and you couldn’t help wondering if he was thinking the same thing.

“Well, uh...hand me the socket wrench?” You had gotten a fairly decent rundown of which tools were which upon receiving your first car as a teenager thanks to your father, so luckily you knew exactly what he needed. “Thanks.”

“Sure thing,” adjusting your purse on your shoulder, you couldn’t help asking about a case that had piqued your interest. “How did that class 5 turn out?”

“The one from yesterday?”

“Yeah, that one sounded nuts!”

“It was,” he laughed, “Venkman’s aim is getting better, he didn’t make any chandeliers explode this time.”

“I thought that one was Egon?”

You both laughed, and part of you was thrilled at how naturally conversation came for the both of you.

Needing a socket wrench turned into needing pliers, but soon enough Ray ran out of tools to need and it was clear that he really just wanted to spend time with you. You weren’t about to object in the slightest, comfortably sitting on a nearby stool and watching as he worked.

Truth be told, he had liked you ever since meeting you on that first day. You were always kind to him, and listened to anything he had to say no matter how out there it was.

He also couldn’t help thinking that you were incredibly pretty and very smart, but his own shy nature prevented him from saying so the way he wanted to.

A long time passed with you talking to Ray as he worked, and it was quite nice. The sun was setting now, the light golden as it streamed in from the open door beside the Ecto, but you didn’t mind.

“So Venkman seriously busted up this woman’s entire China cabinet?” The conversation had strayed back to Venkman now, and you couldn’t help laughing. He was such an odd duck, and you always got a kick out of him and his wild antics.

“We were able to blame it on the ghost being rowdy, but my god, it was a mess!” Ray tried to smooth back his messy hair as he laughed again, his hands covered in engine grease and not helping the situation much.

“He seems like he can be a real peach when he’s not causing trouble,” you rolled your eyes, smiling as Ray closed up the Ecto’s hood.

“He teases me plenty, that’s for sure, but I love him. He’s one of my best friends,” Ray was clearly fond of Venkman, and you didn’t doubt that their bond was a special one.

“What on earth does he tease you about?”

“Mostly my luck with women. Not that his is anything to go by,” this got a gut laugh out of you, and you were surprised by how witty Ray could be at times.

“No kidding. What, does he think you haven’t got game or something?”

“He tells me women won’t want to kiss me since I smoke so much.” Ray rolled his eyes, and you couldn’t help thinking about how far from the truth that actually was. “Or he acts like I don’t know how to do it at all. I mean, sure, I spend a lot of time at work but I’m not a complete hermit.”

You both laughed again, and you sat your purse on the ground as you got a rather cheeky idea. Was it even smart to try and approach things like this? Would he go for it? God, you hoped so.

“I’m sure you know how. I mean, everybody has a general idea of how to lay a proper smooch on someone if they want to.”

He raised an eyebrow at this, thinking the phrasing was humorous and wanting to hear more from you on this subject in particular.

“A ‘proper smooch’?”

“Yeah, you know. The kiss that kills. Butterflies and rainbows and all that stuff.”

He watched you as you took a few causal steps toward the Ecto now, the gears visibly turning in his head. Was this some subtle attempt at flirting?

The nearby radio, which had been playing softly in the background the whole time, played a song that perfectly fit the mood, the lyrics softly ringing out as you contemplated what to say next.

‘Who made the rule

that I should always play the fool?

All the nights I suffered

when I need not have bothered…’

“I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those, now that I think about it,” he admitted with a half smile.

“I uh...I think I’ve gotten close, but never all the way there,” you tucked a bit of hair behind your ear, watching as Ray adjusted his uniform, which he still had on. It had smudges of engine grease on it now, and you found it endearing.

He realized that this chance was now or never, gauging by the look in your eyes that you wanted what he wanted and deciding to go for it.

“How would it work? I mean...you seem like you know more about it than me,” he took a step closer, and you knew your eyes were shining in an undeniably flirty way.

“Oh you—you want me to show you?”

“I mean...if you feel up to it. I’m no expert and I could use the help.” Cheeky man, you thought. You could certainly show him if that was what he wanted.

“Do you have your eye on somebody, Ray?”

He wiped his hands on a nearby rag, the tension heightening as you watched them and then met his eyes again. You had always had a thing for those wonderful hands of his.

“I guess you could say that, yeah,” he nodded, his big brown eyes warm and sincere and you knew what he wanted to say but didn’t right then.

Instead of pressing further, you nodded, thinking this might be the most fun lesson you ever had the pleasure of teaching anyone as you got right into it.

“Well...I mean, first you have to start off in a stationary position. That helps,” he was closer now, and your cheeks flashed a soft tinge of pink as the space between you lessened. You didn’t usually have it in you to be playful, but decided to gently hop up on the hood of the Ecto in an attempt to bring him closer. “Come a little closer than that. Can’t do a thing from that far away.”

You moved to scoot nearer to the edge of the hood, willing Ray closer and practically beaming as he closed the space between you both more and more with each step.

Had anyone else sat on the hood like this, Ray might have gotten finicky, but the sight of you so close to the car he loved so much actually only ended up getting him going even more.

“It definitely helps,” he rubbed the back of his neck now, seeing that this had clearly turned into something beyond just a lesson in kissing techniques. You could smell his cologne now that he was so close, which only seemed to set your senses on overdrive even further.

“Now, uh...do you know where your hands go?”

His eyebrows raised in what seemed like a mix of curiosity and confusion, and you couldn’t help the way your breath hitched now that he stood directly in front of you.

“My hands?”

“Yeah. They go on the hips of whoever you’re kissing,” the mood had certainly shifted now, and you felt more daring than you ever had before. A timid smile crossed your face as Ray allowed you to guide his hands to the appropriate place, and the realization that this was definitely about to happen made your stomach do leaps.

“Hips, got it.” God, his hands were so strong and steady and you didn’t even care if this got engine grease on your jeans, it was just thrilling to have him this close.

“Okay, now look into my eyes. Eye contact is important.” The both of you gave a shy, breathy chuckle as your eyes met, and you playfully shoved Ray’s chest. “Come on, we’ve gotta take this seriously if you want to learn anything.”

“Sorry, I get a little skittish with these things,” he admitted, and you shook your head with a smile.

“It’s okay, but the lesson isn’t quite over yet,” you said, your cheeks noticeably warmer. The tension was enough to make your heart race.

“Alright, and uh...after that?”

“Well, uh...my hands go here,” you reached up to loop your arms around his neck, inevitably bringing him directly between your legs and causing Ray to clear his throat.

“How do you, uh...I mean, how do you know that that happens every time?”

“I watch a lot of TV, I guess,” you managed a soft laugh with this, “now, uh...close your eyes.”

Ray’s heart was pounding. Was this seriously about to happen?

“Close my—? Oh, yeah, okay.” He nodded a bit, doing as you said and knowing he had wanted this for what felt like forever. He was so handsome up close, and you couldn’t believe your luck.

It was time to go in for the kill, and you didn’t waste a second.

Leaning in, the first contact was soft and exploratory, and it took Ray a moment to figure out exactly how to respond. But once he got the angle right, it was everything you had described and more.

The music swelled on the radio nearby, and you thought you could’ve melted right then and there.

‘The minutes that we missed

idle lips that should’ve kissed

and now gently together

The first kiss lasts forever

She loves me, she loves me

Oh and she loves me, all the time…’

Tilting his head a bit, Ray found just the right angle, and one kiss turned into what felt like a million. Your hands made their way into his hair, that hair you loved so much that often seemed to fly out in all directions.

His lips were soft and very pleasant to kiss, and it occurred to you that he must use lip balm of some kind. Ray himself couldn’t believe this was happening. He honestly couldn’t fathom how he had been lucky enough to end up kissing you like this, but he was, and he was putting everything he had into it.

Ray’s mind moved at a million miles a minute. All he could think about was how it felt when you moved in a rhythm with him, how soft your lips were, your soft body, and how GOOD you smelled—

He nearly sighed as he felt your leg brace around him to bring him in as close as possible, gripping your jeans to pull you close by your hips in return.

You nearly melted into a puddle on the floor at the feeling of his grip, so strong and firm on you like he couldn’t bear to leave any space between the two of you at all.

He must have shaved that morning, you thought, having expected him to have at least a little stubble and feeling surprised that there was none. Where on earth had Ray learned to kiss so well? Boy would Venkman have egg on his face if he knew about THIS.

Unfortunately for you both, you had to break away and breathe at some point, just looking at each other until you finally managed to speak.

“Well, uh...Venkman was wrong. Way wrong. Wow.”

“It was...I mean, was it like you said? Butterflies and—and all that for you too?”

“Are you kidding?” You laughed, “sheesh, I didn’t know you had that in you. You wouldn’t have any trouble hooking any woman you wanted if you kissed her like that.”

He seemed surprised and incredibly flattered, looking down and then back up at you with a grin and eager brown eyes.

“Was it obvious at all that I was referring to you?”

“I kind of hoped that was the case,” both of you grinned then, the final chorus of the song fading out in the background as the spring breeze blew in once more.

‘She loves me, she loves me

Oh and she loves me all the time…’

You couldn’t resist leaving a sweet peck on Ray’s cheek just because you could, earning a bright smile from him as he got a somewhat playful gleam in his eye.

“The guys are gonna be gone for the rest of the evening, and I don’t have anything else planned...would you want to grab some dinner with me?”

“Sure, but only if we can do more of this afterwards,” you giggled, and Ray helped you off the hood of the Ecto to stand you up and kiss you so that he could press you flush against him now. You were sure you looked like a cartoon character with birds chirping around your head as he pulled away.

“You drive a hard bargain,” Ray said, unable to keep from grinning as he took your hand, “but you’ve got yourself a deal.”

What a lesson to teach with anyone, you thought. He was a fast learner, that was for sure.

Picking up your purse, the two of you headed out, and you couldn’t help humming that lovely chorus to yourself one last time.

‘She loves me, she loves me

Oh and she loves me all the time…’

#ghostbusters #dan aykroyd #ray stantz #ray stantz x reader #ray stantz fanfic #ghostbusters fanfiction

134 notes · View notes

doreamu-san · 3 years

Text

An analysis of SolKy

Hello! Thank you so much for clicking on this. A while ago, I was asked to do an essay explaining why people ship SolKy other than the whole rivals/opposites attract reason, and I got a lot of feedback stating it was useful for newcomers to the ship! As a result I’ve decided to post this on tumblr, but just on the ship’s tag as to not bother uninterested people.

A couple of disclaimers before I begin. This is firstly just my own opinion, so whilst it makes sense for me, other shippers may disagree with my points. I’m also not claiming they are canon because they are not. But I do hope it’ll give some insight into why some people like me enjoy them together.

Even once you’ve read this essay, you can still dislike SolKy. This isn’t an essay stating you have to ship them.

This will be extremely long as I basically cover every single interaction they’ve ever had with each other since I know some people sort of gloss over their dialogue, so grab yourself a drink, get comfy, and I hope you enjoy reading!

(Last edited: 09/05/2021. This will be updated again when Strive releases!)

How this all began

If we’re starting right at the beginning, it’s common knowledge that Ky and Sol weren’t exactly on great terms and often clashed most of the time due to their conflicting beliefs. Ky saw the world in terms of black and white, and had very strict rules on what constituted as right and wrong. Sol seemed to think differently and went against that, which was a stark contrast compared to the other Order members at the time.

Considering that they were in fact, in the middle of a war, you would think that generally people would be willing to put their differences aside and work together.

But Sol wasn’t like everyone else, going off and doing his own thing instead of actually listening to orders, so it’s understandable why Ky found him rather irritating.

However, Ky did grow curious of Sol. Obviously curiosity does not equate to love, but it is the basis of Ky wanting to become more friendly with and know more about Sol. There seemed to be something that Sol knew but Ky didn’t, but how was that possible..? As a result, despite how infuriating he could be, Ky sought to seek out the truth and so fought him for answers.

In regards to why exactly they fight (aside from the fact that this is a fighting game), Ishiwatari wrote something called ‘Hostility is Akin to Love’ right above a picture of them fighting:

Hostility is akin to love Thinking of your opponent’s actions to fight, Reading your opponent’s inner thoughts to fight, Planning attacks that will hit your opponent to fight, And then transmitting your thoughts with those attacks, The more you think of your own advantage, at the same time you think of your opponent, In the instant you mix with your opponent, a passionate feeling arises, and blood boils, Reality is hurt, and you wound your opponent, Hostility is akin to love. — Guilty Gear Isuka Mook

It states how fighting someone can be close to feelings of love because you have to think about what your opponent is doing, as well as how you’re going to respond to your opponent. Overtime, you start to memorise how your opponent thinks, and as a result you’ll know them on a deeper level.

So considering the above, this explains how even though they weren’t on friendly terms, they still formed a bond with one another.

Now we’ve established how exactly their relationship started, and why Ky was curious about Sol in the first place, let’s look at things from Sol’s perspective.

Sol’s attitude towards Ky

We know that Sol was also pretty annoyed by Ky, which was totally justifiable given the extreme way in which Ky thought the world worked. But Sol didn’t exactly dislike Ky.

In order to provide some evidence that Sol cares about Ky, let’s cover that infamous scene everyone likes to reference which shows Sol crying over Ky’s dead body:

Sol: "I came to pick you up." Ky: "Always coming late... you never could fix that..." Sol: "You..." Ky: "As to be expected... until the very end... I could never beat you..." Sol: "Don't say anything!" Ky: "I have... a request..." Sol: "I said shut up!" Ky: "After Commander Kliff... carry on... the Holy Order..." Sol: "Stop it... that's your job!" Ky: "Please... promise me..." Sol: "Dammit..." Ky: "If it's you... you can do..." Sol: "Hey.... what's wrong. Hey! KYYYYYY!" — Guilty Gear XX Drama CD Side Red, Battle of Rome — Deathmatch

A lot of people bring this quote up when discussing SolKy and yes, it does show Sol cares about Ky considering how Sol never really cares about anyone in general, but the fact that Ky’s death managed to make him emotional shows what an impact Ky had on him. There are however more quotes that show Sol’s feelings.

There’s this scene in the GG Xtra manga, Ky and Sol get attacked by a mountain-sized gear. In order to save them, Sol rips off his limiter and Dragon Installs. This scene is very poignant when you take into consideration what Sol said in After Story A:

Sol: "Back during the Crusades, before we met... Kliff told me this rumour about a prodigy swordsman." Sol: "If you couldn't guess, that was you. I didn't give a shit at the time..." Sol: "But then I saw you on the battlefield." Sol: "I saw someone out there who surpassed all of my expectations. Or perhaps I should say 'something.'" Sol: "No openings, no wasted movements, no carelessness, no hesitation, no embarrassment, not even any honor. No chivalry or mercy. A being unaffected by emotion." Sol: "You were a killing machine. Taking down gears with brutal efficiency." Ky: "...That was a long time ago." Sol: "I'm not done talking. I've seen the face of the 'serious' Ky." Sol: "Then one day, you challenged me." Sol: "You wanna know what I thought right then?" Ky: "..." Sol: "I was afraid. Hell, I was scared shitless." Sol: "'He figured out that I'm a Gear, and he's come to kill me.' That's what I thought." — Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-, After Story A

Sol admits that he knows just how scary Ky can be. Since Ky was extremely against Gears, if Ky found out that Sol was a Gear, then Ky would have most likely attempted to kill him. But Sol knew this and was willing to die for Ky’s sake, and transformed anyway:

Ky: "Sol..." Ky: (Really... that's really..) Ky: (That's really you!?) Ky: "SOL!" Sol: "Shut it..." Sol: "I didn't do it..." Sol: "To help you out—...." — Guilty Gear Xtra, Chapter 5: Unspeakable Thoughts

Going off on a bit of a tangent from Sol’s feelings, but I just want to point out Ky’s state of mind at this point. Ky in this time period was still very anti-Gear, as it was only through this moment and his encounters with Solaria and Dizzy later that made him change his way of thinking. It took a long time for Ky to accept Gears, and he still had the remains of that mindset in him when he had Sin, as he refused to make eye contact with him because Ky was ashamed of having a Gear child. So the fact that Ky knew Sol was a Gear, believed all Gears were evil, but still decided to accept Sol into his life and wanted to support him regardless of that, is interesting.

Back to Sol, another small quote that manages to show Sol’s feelings towards Ky is this:

Sol: (Maybe I'll finish them off while I'm at it...) Sol: (But that would mean breaking my promise to Ky...) — Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R, Sol Badguy Path 2

Now, Sol doesn’t care about 99% of what other people do as long as they don’t get in his way. The fact that he intends to keep his promise with Ky suggests that he holds Ky in somewhat ‘high’ regards compared to others.

There’s also this quote that shows Sol is thinking about Ky in Overture:

The frustrations of the man wielding a giant sword were piling day by day, and a familiar face appeared in his head. What’s he up to right now? “Hmph, whatever…” With a feeling of self-contempt, Sol Badguy shook his head. What am I getting sentimental for? — Guilty Gear 2: Overture, #0 “Noise”

And when Sol encounters Raven later on after seeing Ky incapacitated, Raven points out how he can tell Sol is upset, meaning Sol’s not really doing a good job of pretending he’s still indifferent to Ky.

Raven: "You're as ruthless as ever, huh, monster?" Sol: "Look who's talking." Raven: "Can you not put down your sword and talk? I understand you're upset with Ky Kiske defeated." Sol: "I'll ask your corpse for answers." — Guilty Gear 2: Overture, #5 "Gaze of the Chronicle"

Sol’s thoughts about Ky become even clearer during his confrontation with Sin when he’s under the influence of Valentine, where Sol defends Ky’s actions and tries to make Sin understand Ky is not 100% at fault:

Sin: "Can you see it? Can you feel it? This is my real power. This is my mother's strength." Sol: "But it's light. It must be from your father." Sin: "Shut up! Don't ever mention him!" Sin: "He abandoned my mother and me using justice as an excuse!" Sin: "Who cares about the King!? Who cares about the people!? That man, and that Kingdom, not one of them can protect a damn thing!" Sol: "I don't give a damn about your family." Sol: "But you know what, Ky may be a stubborn idiot, but at least he's true to his beliefs." Sol: "A punk like you is still alive thanks to his justice." — Guilty Gear 2: Overture, #15 "Roaring Compass"

Okay, that’s the pre-Xrd era for Sol done, now to focus on Ky’s pre-Xrd’s emotions.

Ky’s attitude towards Sol

We’ve established earlier that Ky was annoyed by Sol and disliked him in the Crusades. However, afterwards it seems as if Ky saw himself as friends with Sol:

Ofc1: "All of them seem to have been destroyed by... fire?" Ofc2: "Yeah... why could that be?" Ky: "........" Ky: "Change our course!" Ky: "Head towards the Eastern United States!" Ofc1: "May I ask why, Chief Ky?" Ky: "To meet an old friend." — Guilty Gear Xtra, Chapter 4: Former Friends

We know that Ky outwardly expressed his first signs of liking Sol when Sol stole the Fuuenken and Ky chased after him, only for Sol to win in their duel, and Ky says this:

Ky: "Promise me one thing..." Sol: "..What?" Ky: "We'll meet again." Sol: "Hmph... Well, if fate brings us together..." Ky: "..That's fine." — Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R, Sol Badguy Path 1

It’s pretty interesting that Ky wanted to see Sol again despite how Sol never used to listen to his orders, and how Sol never even tried to act like what the Order expected their men to act like (chivalrous, putting the people first, etc). It at least shows us that Ky saw possibly the potential of becoming friends with Sol. And Sol didn’t even say straight up ‘no’ or ‘in your dreams’ or whatever Badguy-esque notion he usually would’ve done, so we can assume he doesn’t mind seeing Ky again either.

Then they don’t speak to each other properly for 5 years until the tournament that Testament holds, though they have probably ran into each other a few times within those years.

A common misconception people have is that during those 5 years, Ky was obsessed with Sol and would constantly try to find him. Obviously, this is not true. Ky was busy with IPF stuff and Sol was hunting Gears down.

However, it’s not as if Ky completely forgot about Sol — he was just probably at the back of his mind, and Ky does admit that he has been chasing after Sol the most more than anyone else:

Ky: (Waiting outside for me when I left the ship... burning red flames. Soon, they seem to take the shape of a man... and he appears before me. Yes... it's him. The one I've been after the most... it's him.) — Guilty Gear X Drama CD, Vol. 1: Track Seven — Crater

There’s also these two other quotes:

Ky: (Sol...) Ky: (Why are you so stubborn about doing things alone?) — Guilty Gear Xtra, Chapter 5: Unspeakable Thoughts

You can interpret this in two ways: either Ky wants to help Sol out and/or he’s curious as to why Sol always does stuff alone.

And then there’s this:

Ky: "Maintaining peace, law, and order. That is my duty." Sol: "Whatever..." Ky: "You and I, we are cut from the same cloth." Ky: "How long are you going to keep that facade?" Sol: "..." Ky: "Answer me Sol!" — Guilty Gear Judgment, Sol and Ky Ending

Being ‘cut from the same cloth’ is quite a strong statement. The phrase means that Ky thought he and Sol were similar somehow, and that he shared something with Sol. Regardless, the ‘how long are you going to keep that facade’ at least shows that Ky knows Sol is intentionally acting distant/rough/etc. and that its not actually who he is.

Jumping to pre-Overture, just before Ky gives Sin to Sol, Ky is in a really depressive state due to all of the stress he’s been going through. This leads Dizzy to contact Sol. The fact that Sol is called means that Dizzy knows that Sol is possibly the only person who can help Ky at that point, which puts some emphasis on just how much Sol means to Ky or at least affects him.

Before I move onto Xrd, there’s this part where Ky gives his son to Sol. This proves he trusts Sol so much considering he was asking him to take care of Sin for a long period of time.

Ky: “Sol....I want to request something...” Sol: “...hnn?” Ky: “My son....Sin..can you take care of him for a while?” Sol: “...what did you say?” Ky: “I know it’s unreasonable but...I still want to ask...” — GG2: Overture Story, Sol's Story

The Xrd era (because it is so long, it needs its own section)

The Xrd era is extremely interesting to me, because Sol and Ky have some more in-depth conversations, and boy, do they have a lot of conversations.

Focusing on Sol first, theres a scene in REV where Sol asks Ky why he isn’t interested in his past:

Sol: "Why don't you ask me already?" Ky: "Ask you what?" Sol: "About my past." Ky: "I can ask you?" Sol: "I guarantee, it won't be interesting." Sol: "Every other word that came out of your mouth was 'Duel me,' or 'I challenge you!' You were so eager to fight and..." Ky: "........" — Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-, Story Mode: Chapter 03, Sense A

Given that Ky was constantly pestering Sol about his background in the past, it makes sense why Sol is suddenly a bit confused about Ky’s sudden change in behaviour. But it also shows that Sol wants Ky to know about his past. After ~170+ years of being alive, Sol wants to finally open up to someone again, and he specifically chose Ky for this. It shows in the very least Sol trusts Ky and knows him well enough to decide to let him know about who he used to be.

And then Ky says this, which is basically him just showing Sol how much he cares and understands him:

Ky: "Sol. Of course I have an interest in your past." Ky: "But wanting to understand someone and trying to understand everything is completely different." Ky: "Right now, Sol Badguy's future matters much more to me, than Frederick's past." — Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-, Story Mode: Chapter 03, Sense A

There’s also this scene in SIGN:

Ky: "I don't know your history." Ky: "I don't know if you had friends once, or if you fell in love, or why you burn with such hatred for That Man and the Gears..." Ky: "I don't even know your real name." Sol: "..." Ky: "But I do know a great deal about a man named Sol Badguy." Ky: "Blinded by vengeance, he lost sight of himself, and now he runs from the truth that frightens him." Sol: �� "...Say that again." Ky: "Tomorrow always comes, Sol." Sol: "..!" Ky: "If tomorrow promises to be cold and dark, I cannot stand idly by... even if I know my efforts will come to nothing." Sol: "... The self-righteous apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Ky: "I don't expect the world to change tomorrow, but I do hope that, today, perhaps my words will reach you." Ky: "Sol..." Ky: "I'll be waiting for you. We'll all be waiting for you. Sin, Dizzy..." Ky: "Once all this is over... come home." — Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, Story Mode: Chapter 04, Kaleidoscope B

Three things to take away from this:

Ky admits that he doesn’t know anything about Sol’s background, but that he knows a lot about the current Sol, and then goes on to explain how Sol acts. Which to expand on, means that although Ky used to care about Sol’s past, he doesn’t really mind about it anymore because Sol’s past won’t really change much who Sol is to Ky now. Also, the part where Ky explains how Sol was ‘blinded by vengeance,’etc. shows that Ky knows Sol’s current personality well enough in order to be able to distinguish his behaviours. Which is interesting because nobody has been around Sol long enough to be able to know him really well unlike Ky (Aria and Asuka count too, but they were around Sol when he was Frederick, and Sol seems pretty adamant on the idea that he’s a separate person from Frederick.)

‘Come home’ is pretty significant, as it implies that it’s almost like Ky is saying home is with Sin, Dizzy and the Valentines, and so when Sol is done getting revenge on That Man, instead of letting Sol just wander off alone, Ky wants Sol to be a family with them.

The fact that says Ky says ‘I’ll be waiting for you’ separate from ‘we’ll all be waiting for you’ implies that either Ky’s want to wait for Sol is somehow different from everyone else’s or it’s just for the sake of being dramatic. I interpreted this in both ways, as it seems like Ky knows that Sol treats him differently compared to others. So in a sense, by Ky emphasising that he’ll be waiting for Sol, it might make Sol more likely to ‘come home’.

There’s also a scene that shows Ky knows Sol’s personality well:

Ky: "When I look at you, Sol, I see a man who is afraid." Sol: "... What?" Ky: "It became clear when I watched you caring for Sin." Ky: "You work very hard to keep everyone at arm's length." Sol: "..." Sol: "I got Gear blood in my veins, and it ain't friendly. It's always there in the back of my head, whispering that I oughta just destroy all of this." Sol: "The only way I'm gonna get some closure is tracking down That Man and beating some answers out of him." Sol: "And if he doesn't have 'em..." Sol: "Then maybe there really isn't a good way to live." Ky: "That's why you close your heart off." — Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, Story Mode: Chapter 08, Hope A

There’s also this:

Ky: "Not all people have the strength to stand on their own." Sol: "..." Ky: "If only life were simple, and the right path was laid out before each of us..." Ky: "But even then some would leave it, and some would struggle with walking it. Such is human nature..." Ky: "The truth is that no path will ever be 'right' for all people. Each of us must find the one we are meant to walk--and sometimes that is where none exists." Ky: "That is what I learned from you." — Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, Story Mode: Chapter 08, Hope A

This just shows that Ky actually learnt something from Sol. Which I think is important because Ky is someone who always used to be very strict to his ideals. The fact that he learnt something from Sol that had an impact on his mindset means that Sol actually managed to have a great impact on Ky.

There’s this scene where Sol finds out that Aria isn’t dead when he confronts That Man, and he has somewhat of a mini mental breakdown. So Ky excuses them from the room, and goes outside to talk with Sol:

Ky: "Sol. The grudge you hold is certainly not something that can be taken lightly. And, whatever answer you think you've found, I doubt any of us will be able to stop you from seeing it through..." Ky: "But we have very little time left. Right now, we need the Gear Maker's help." Ky: "So, I'm begging you... Just for now. Why don't you stay outside with me." — Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-, Story Mode: Chapter 06, Cause A

The last line that Ky says is interesting because it’s obvious that he’s just trying to calm Sol down, and Ky thinks that if he stays with Sol outside for a bit, he’ll be able to help him calm down. Furthermore, Ky thought it was more necessary to pause everything and help Sol out rather than keep listening to the plans of what their next course of action would be.

Ky does have the habit of comforting Sol. One of the more significant moments is whenever Sol refers to himself as a monster:

Ky: "Yes, he took away some of what makes you human, but that doesn't mean he altered your mind or your soul." Sol: "So what?" Ky: "I want to believe that you'll fight for the people of this world." Sol: "Are we seriously having this conversation?" Sol: "Look, kid. I'm a monster. I'm here to do two things: Destroy That Man, and kill all the other Gears." — Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, Story Mode: Chapter 04, Kaleidoscope B

To expand a little on Sol’s mindset, it’s common knowledge that Gears were generally in the past regarded as akin to monsters. Now we don’t have any solid proof Sol is referring to himself as a monster because he’s a Gear, or because he feels guilt about the whole Gear Project, etc. But we do know it’s something he’s affected by given that he constantly refers to himself as one.

So the fact that Ky constantly reassures him that he’s not one, and that Ky didn’t treat him differently after finding out he was a Gear, must be comforting to know.

Then at the end of REV, there’s the scene where Daryl is about to shoot Sol, because he (quite rightly) doesn’t trust the fate of the world to be left to Sol. And so, the kids get beamed up, but Ky asks to be left behind:

Ky: "But, if you plan on targeting Sol, then you must leave me behind, as well." Daryl: "What!?" Zappa:"60 seconds until impact..!" Sol: "What the hell are you doing?! Stay with Sin!" Ky: "I am well aware that this is a one in a million chance..." Ky: "But, if I survive at the expense of my dear friend, then there is little reason left for my ruling this world as king." — Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-, Story Mode: Final Chapter, Fireworks

This was a really odd moment because Ky’s life was never in danger at that moment. If he had been sent on board Daryl’s ship as originally planned, he would have been safe. But Ky intentionally chose to risk his life, and its kind of startling because Ky has always put his people above everything. There were times when he put the people above his own family, like when he kept his family a secret instead of coming out with the truth about them in order to remain as King to protect his people.

So Ky suddenly going ‘I would rather die with Sol than take care of my people’ is really extreme. Also Ky was willing to leave his family behind, which is even more extreme. So this just really proves how highly Ky regards Sol considering how he would rather die with him than live without him.

Some concluding notes

I think Sol and Ky’s personalities do work really well. Perhaps not in the Crusade era, but if we take a look at the Xrd era, they have shown to get along and have deep conversations with one another that they both enjoy. They know each other extremely well; they know how to support one another when life gets a bit too much and they’re also capable of telling one another when the other is wrong.

Sol teaches Ky that life isn’t as simple as it seems, and that (figuratively speaking) he shouldn’t stick exactly to the textbook. He’s able to see under that perfect image Ky puts up about him being able to cope with everything, acting as a source of stability when you consider how Sol has been the only person who’s been around Ky since the very beginning.

Throughout all of Ky’s life, he’s been under so much pressure. From being Commander in the Crusades, to becoming the Head of the International Police Force, to becoming King. In every situation, people are constantly relying on him, and his environment is changing rapidly. But despite everything, Sol has always remained the same. He looks the same, acts the same, etc. Ky can rely on Sol and trust Sol. He’s like a source of stability for Ky in those hectic times.

And Ky provides something similar to Sol too, given how often he ran into Sol time and time again. When you’ve been alive for so long, it’d feel reassuring in the very least to see a familiar face. And Sol does seem to get less annoyed each time they meet each other again, considering like how in Overture he voluntarily went to go see Ky after seeing himself on a wanted poster.

Ky also gives Sol the chance to open up to people again and form connections with them, something that Sol has been reluctant to do. Sol needs someone to care about him, and Ky proves that by constantly reassuring him and never giving up on trying to help Sol, even though he kept getting pushed away.

They may not be canon but I really do love how they work together. Yes it’s true some people may like them because they are ‘rivals’and seeing rivals get together and bicker is great, but actually I think when people focus more on how much they support and rely on each other, as well as the fact that they do get along, them being in a relationship is more convincing.

Whilst this essay focused on their canon interactions, there’s plenty of other great material out there. For instance, the Guilty Gear 4KomaKINGS manga provides plenty of great SolKy interactions (like the time Ky wanted to have a friendship diary with Sol, only to get rejected and start crying about it. Of course, take these interactions with a pinch of skepticism considering the frivolity of the source material.)

And that, was my very long SolKy essay. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading! Though you may not have agreed with everything I have said, you still continued reading, and I am grateful for that. Thank you for showing such enthusiasm and loving this franchise.

#solky

64 notes · View notes

the-darklings · 2 years

Note

The otp ask thing for clara/augustin? pretty please? I'm so curious about augustin, he's on my mind at least once a day ngl. The way you write characters is so mesmerizing and I can't wait to finally read ASE and get to know all the characters more; You're doing amazing and please keep feeding us amazing content <3

oof this was such a surprise but a really lovely one? thank you sm, anon!! so i should preface this by saying that while clara/augustin canonically have a very complex relationship, it's not an inherently romantic one because he's Like That™ (hence my inclination towards ot3 personally) but there's more than enough meat on the bones to make this vvv interesting to explore. hope you enjoy!!!

1. What are things they both find funny?

augustin finds anyone who isn't them to be an insect beneath his feet, so everyone is either annoying or hilarious to him. if it's someone particularly irritating, they might both enjoy an inside joke.

2. If they could each describe each other in one sentence, what would it be?

augustin: honestly kind of hard to pin this one down since I imagine his feelings are too complex to accommodate only one sentence, but def something along the lines of 'his' and 'loyal'. clara: "chessmaster." (take that as you may)

3. If they complimented each other, what would they say?

augustin has a mean vanity streak so he very much enjoys it if clara compliments his appearance, and often. she in particular likes his golden hair when it catches the sun. it still amazes her how angelic/boyish augustin appears despite his personality being the exact opposite, and how well he employs the misconception to his advantage. for him, if praise is earned, it boils down to her intelligence and ruthlessness far more than outright appearance. he's grown up as essentially an aristocrat, so while looks always matter, he knows better than most how hollow and empty beauty can be.

4. What would be their ship name?

never really picked one for them. but now that I'm sitting here, something like augara maybe? their ship tag is i'd let you win, deriving from the phrase 'as long as you play my game, i'll let you win.'

5. What activities do they enjoy together?

clara doesn't know a lot. she never finished school and has a mountain to catch up on. she's also very hungry to learn which is something augustin fully indulges in. he likes the attention and being her source of learning and bettering herself. with each lesson, she evolves and becomes a little bit more like them, like him, and he very much enjoys that. they have hours-long discussions whenever they're both back at the manor where they debate a wild number of topics. he also teaches her to play chess and later down the line tries to show her way around a piano. likewise, he finds her poison and plants rather fascinating, so he's the top person she can discuss the deadly and the impossible with without exhausting him since their hunger for knowledge is equally matched.

6. What is/are their love language(s)?

augustin won't, uh, be very good with any of these tbf since he's not really a man who has 'love' in his dictionary. however, gift-giving and quality time are ones he would probs do best at. for clara, acts of service since she works for him and it's a dangerous job. her loyalty is the one thing he doesn't question though.

7. Write a ~300-word love scene for them.

“Five moves.”

Clara frowns at the warning. Brows dipping inwards, her nose scrunching, and hazel eyes several shades darker—her concentration is palpable. Shrewd scrutiny gliding back and forth across the board. Augustin can practically hear her mental gears working and grinding, and leaning his cheek against his folded fingers, finds himself biting back a smug smirk.

He does enjoy this though. Seeing her so focused, so guileful, is testament to years of work he’s poured into her. She’s grown in all aspects from starving, gaunt nobody he found wandering those gardens. One thing that remains unchanged is her unfaltering stubbornness though.

She hasn’t won once against him, yet still she battles. Over and over again. Her drive has certainly taken her this far. Proven itself to be a fine weapon in her arsenal. She keeps evolving and, as such, she keeps growing into a stronger and stronger opponent with each shedding of old skin.

Rather poetic. Certainly his finest work still.

“No rush,” he drawls, legs crossed and marble chess board caught mid-battle between them. “I’m sure next season will come and go before you’re done.”

“I don’t rush you,” she grumbles. “Nice try though.”

His lips twitch. “All is fair in love and war, isn’t that what they say?”

“Who says that?

He shrugs, sliding his gaze down where her full bottom lip is caught between her teeth. “Those who lose in both.”

8. What were their first impressions of each other?

mutual "oh?". while his was mixed with keen interest to prod and see how sharp her instincts were (basically if she was worth his time at all), for her, it was mixed with a healthy amount of wariness/unease but beneath that arousing fascination.

9. Have they made each other cry?

nope, but he's the top contender make anyone cry lmao.

10. Write a ~300-word argument scene for them.

“Augustin, please.”

“Do not beg,” he seethes quietly, disgusted, his voice a whip. “It’s beneath you.”

Clara stalks after him, refusing to stare at his back. He’s the one who always insisted that if she wishes to be treated as an equal, she has to stand as an equal with them.

“I’m not,” she defends, sighing. “I’m negotiating. Let me handle it. I’ve been working on something. It will loosen his tongue. His wife and daughter have nothing to do with this. There’s no reason to involve them.”

Even if they are the quickest, surest way to get information they need, she can’t. Jean has dug deep and found nothing. The wife is an average woman who loves her daughter more than the world. She’s not guilty for her husband’s sins. Perhaps it is weakness, or a show of love—protectiveness—she saw the woman display when it came to her child with her own eyes, but she doesn't want them harmed. Clara doubts the time crunch is making her case appealing to Augustin, but she will be damned if she just folds.

Their footsteps meld as they cut through the vacant manor hallway, this time entirely out of beat. Jagged and opposing. Just like their stances on the matter.

“Fine,” he declares flatly. “You have a day.”

Granted to her as a test and not mercy.

Augustin pauses but Clara still exhales in relief, shooting him a grateful look. A day will be difficult but he’s thrown harder challenges her way in the past. He levels his dark, cold stare on her, grasping her chin between his fingers. His touch tingles her skin, tingling and electrifying, her eyes hooding when he leans closer.

“For your sake, I hope your little concoction works, Clara,” he whispers darkly. “You know how much I hate repeating myself.”

11. What causes them to fight?

they have pretty converging moral standings. while clara is ruthless and can kill at a drop of a hat if needed, she still has personal moral limits and lines she won't step over. for augustin, no such lines exist. people are pawns, tools, and they're only useful if they serve his goals. the moment people cease being of use, they usually also cease existing. while they both disagree with each other, they are usually respectful of each other's different moral grounds. if anything, they find it interesting discussing these topics and trying to make the other see each other's perspective. while fights are rare, real and unplanned situations where these principles are challenged is the most likely cause for fights.

12. Do they have differing political opinions?

no, but if they do these are heavily debated.

13. Name something they would never do for the other person.

for clara, it's stuff like killing jean/ramona, anyone at the pit etc. for him, I honestly don't ever see him saying words 'I love you.' - it's just not him.

14. What would be a dealbreaker?

it's vvv easy to lose augustin's favour. one wrong action/sentence and you cease to exist in his eyes. he's not really the type to hand out second chances either. I think outright disloyalty would be a massive blow for him since it's the one quality he lauds in her more than others (aside from intellect/ambition). for her, it's feeding back to 13, if he killed anyone she loves deeply, she might try to forgive but won't be able to do so, especially if it's someone really close to her heart.

15. What are traits they dislike in one another?

she cares so damn much he's honestly a little disgusted by it initially. a lot of augustin's own aversion to caring/bonds/attachments stems from his childhood and being ruthlessly and repeatedly taught that no such bonds should ever exist between him and other people. while her ability to bond with people genuinely is incredibly useful/beneficial to him, he's just a bit resentful of it even if he would never admit to it. he's feared, but she's loved - eventually he begins to wonder which is more powerful. for clara, while she understands, his inability to care for anyone to a point he's willing to sacrifice anyone for his ambition is often difficult to comprehend.

16. If they broke up, what would be their opinions of each other?

tbh they won't really have a boyfriend/girlfriend dynamic, so breaking up isn't really a thing that would happen. but, to be frank, only death could separate anyone from augustin. if he sees you as his own, you exist in his sphere. so no matter what distance clara tried to put between them, his shadow would always follow her step. he won't need to follow her physically, harm her, or do anything other than let her live. he's in her head, and that's enough.

17. What senses (sights, smells, feelings, etc). remind them of each other?

for augustin: sunlight, jasmines, earth, poison, the rustling of book pages, curiosity, satin one second & woollen jumper another, bird mid-flight, footsteps beside him, corruption, sweet, warm laugher, seed blooming into a deadly flower, white rook piece, molten wine, viper coiling in the sun.

for clara: horizon (will make sense with ase context), moody piano music, moonlight/Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, soft smiles/cruel eyes, chess pieces scraping across the board, ink, secrets, ambition, cage, darkness, smeared shadows, icarus with his golden hair & burning wings.

18. What would be their love motto?

not sure they would have one tbf

19. If they could each write a single line in their marriage vows, what would they be?

those two would never get married for many reasons. for one, augustin is not the marrying type period, but also clara would know better than to expect it from him. at best, if it were to be done, it would be nothing but a ruse to achieve something beneficial.

20. What is a promise they have made to each other?

she's definitely likely to promise she would stick by his side no matter what (and boy would that be tested lmao)

21. How have they changed each other for the better/for the worse?

while clara would certainly do well in balancing augustin to a point (challenging him, keeping him busy from his destructive moods, being equally as hungry and always eager to learn more, providing him with slightly more patience for others, if only a crumb, and being a definition of his 'good side', however minute and eroding) she would inevitably be the one more affected by him. honed. sharpened. under his tutelage, she only grows that much more ruthless and above all else vvv good with people. he teaches her how to read others and how to bend those weaker than her to her will. in the case of them actually being in a "relationship" it would be a case of gradual, dangerous corruption. while clara's heart could never be entirely destroyed, augustin would blacken it to fit his own sooner or later. not by force or manipulation but by the natural progression of her surviving by his side.

22. If their lives were what was originally intended at birth, would they have still fallen in love?

I actually really surprised myself by sitting here and really pondering this for a solid minute, only to realise that, yes - yes, they would. augustin is pretty much what life intended him to be (there is one other avenue that might have come to pass but that's spoilers for ase and we might be able to return to this concept at a later time) but it's augustin who first spotted clara at her absolute lowest (starved, uneducated, a tool) and saw more in her. even had she had a normal life not twisted by crime and they simply met somewhere randomly, she might be slightly less hungry initially (likely not realising her own potential) but her intelligence is still there (it would arguably be even more present since she would not have been as deprived growing up), so yes, I think he would still see that initial spark that caught his interest. someone who has little fuelled by a steep hunger for more. the rest would just be him moving the pieces so she's by his side.

23. Write a ~300 scene between them with no dialogue, only body language.

Augustin’s fingers glide over the ivory keys with elegance and rage that binds Clara to her spot as usual.

She’s not truly here, at the manor, she’s not anywhere that isn’t wherever his woven melody takes her. Not one melody is the same, she knows, no familiar tune played with the same sentiment twice. And indeed the mere mention of the word ‘sentiment’ would likely prompt a scoff from Augustin if she voiced it. She never does speak during these sessions. These instances are private, hers and his, connecting them without words. She doesn’t like sharing them, marring them with an insistent human need to speak. To fill the quiet. His music does the speaking, and she does the listening. Years ago, when she first found her way into this lonely, barren room where nothing but a single grand piano stands, he didn’t force her to leave because she respected said silence.

A note lingers—somber, deep—and his eyes cut to her, silver burning in the pale moonlight. Cutting, hollow—they’re no better than her sharpened blades, so lovingly honed. Augustin tracks her breaths, her exhausted mien, all while he plays. She hates missing his sessions, but more often than not she falls into her poison work for hours, wandering back to the manor long after the sun has set and its monstrous occupants have succumbed to slumber.

Sometimes she likes to imagine he waits longer to start so she doesn’t miss him playing. He always did enjoy having her absolute attention for himself.

The song fades, lingering, lingering, lingering—

Clara smiles, wondering if his music choice on this moonlit night means he hoped a piece he composed himself would lure her to him.

After all, why would he play a piece he titled Clara, if not to snare himself a snake?

24. What is something they have each had to forgive the other for?

canon babey.

25. What moves do they know work on the other?

displays of ruthlessness, especially for him. her protectiveness is often amusing to him but also rouses his hunger like nothing else (an argument could be made he's never had someone lay it all on the line so thoroughly for him, and while one side insists it’s foolish, another darker side of him craves that unconditional devotion with destructive hunger). overall their bouts of sexual encounters tend to be more frenzied/desperate than steady/affectionate.

26. What are their favorite parts about physical affection/sex?

oh, it takes a vvv long time for him to allow her anywhere near for unprompted physical affection. it stirs contempt, revulsion, and makes him feel out of control if she's showering him with tenderness. once again, big time leans into how he and ramona were brought up. if he permits anyone that close, he's already lost control of the situation. he should never need anyone but himself. with time and a lot of patience which clara, admittedly, has in spades, I imagine he would grow a lil more used to it. maybe even grow to like it to a degree, even if he would never voice this or show weakness by asking for affection outright. mainly because with her he doesn't have to question any ulterior motives that might come with such displays. clara and her big bleeding heart. she does it simply because she loves him, because it makes her happy, and while these are distant concepts to him, he makes them room for his own amusement if nothing else. for her, I think it's the knowledge that she's allowed closer than anyone else ever has been. it's thrilling. even if it is dangerous.

27. Do they have any kinks/fetishes that they share?

a fair few, augustin is big into control but with years she learns exactly how to work him just enough to have him craving a different type of release basically I'm not saying augustin is lowkey bottom in the bedroom if with vvv specific type of individual but I am

28. Write a ~300 fantasy one of them has about the other.

“Hands on the lid.”

The command—soft, oh so soft—hooks into her flesh, near instinctively jerking her into obedience. Gnashing her teeth, Clara instead stands still, feet firmly planted.

Beguiling, seductive melody has faded minutes prior. In those hushed minutes, Augustin scrutinized her leaning on the piano, listening to him playing as per usual.

“Or what?”

He doesn’t repeat himself—he never does. He stands, his long shadow stretching with him. Augustin may not be a fighter, might not have the muscular build people like Hector do, but his menace stems from somewhere else. Far deeper than most people can comprehend.

Anyone can break a body, but few can break a mind.

Her skin buzzes with his approach. His slacks creased alongside his white shirt. Unbuttoned. His floppy, golden locks hang disheveled in contrast to his noble, sharp face. There’s that edge to him tonight; the creeping darkness, emptiness, that worries her. It has for years. Clara is not alone in this concern, she knows. Augustin is never mild, but he’s always devastating. This Augustin makes her feel like there are monstrous claws creeping down her spine.

She holds her ground until he’s before her, looming over her like a wraith.

“Your hands,” he exhales against her ear, his breath searing. “on the lid, Clara.”

Heat floods through her body, her breaths growing uneven, “Are you going to fuck me on that piano?”

“Yes,” he says calmly, his stare glassy. “Until you’re begging for more.”

His knuckles graze against her cheek lightly. Deceptively so.

“I won’t.”

Augustin’s cold, thin fingers grasp her wrist; a shackle. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

29. What are each of their signature foreplay moves?

clara is pretty good at giving oral & enjoys it, so. more often though, augustin just gets inpatient so anything she tries to slow it down by neck kisses etc, he gets even more inpatient. in truth, his pride, while dictating his pleasure comes first, likely can't resist the urge to go slower, more through, if only to see/hear how she falls apart for him. clara is vocal and working her up can be rewarding if he puts his mind to it.

30. Write a short exchange of dirty talk between them.

He watches her, observing each silky breath, each desperate writhe in his lap. Nails bite into his bare shoulder, scoring the skin. Greedy, greedy—so set on marking all she wants. Not unlike him. In this, they are the same. Augustin entertains her when he’s feeling particularly merciful. It’s not often, but Viper uses these moments to her full advantage, just as he taught her to.

He catches the skin of her neck with his teeth, a chuckle rasping from his lungs when she lets out a sweet, drunken sound. Clara’s voice borders on a snap; splintering, wanting.

“A little louder,” he goads, amused by how viciously she claws at his shirt, now mere tatters. “If you want to come, louder.”

She grabs his neck; nails and sweat fusing with dull, biting pain. Her glare is dark, lust hazed, but her jaw remains set. Stubborn. Unyielding. Augustin swallows his hollow amusement. She does make him work for it.

“No.”

His fingers bruise her hip, sinking in her deeper, harder. Half undressed mess and needy in his lap. Catching her like this tends to be his favourite.

“Oh, yes,” he hums sweetly, all feigned sympathy and sugary fondness, dragging his thumb down her pounding pulse. Soft, damp skin trembles beneath his touch. He traces it with hateful gentleness. He likes how she quivers. Not in fear. But in anticipation. Waiting for the grip around her throat she knows is coming. “Aren’t you good for me? Lovely Clara.”

His fingers latch onto her jaw, yanking her to him, all pretenses now gone, delighting in her fluttering lashes and deliberate roll of hips in revenge. She likes it when he’s mean, her back straighter, her jaw clenched. Her own hand slips around his throat and she grins viciously, squeezing.

“Are you? Which will—ah—it be today? I-inside? Chest? Mouth? You’re so close, I’m flattered.”

31. What do they love to do after sex?

as mentioned previously, he's not super touchy-feely initially or for a long time. more likely than if it's the middle of the day he has other things to do so there isn't much PDA. with time though he would get more accustomed to her more needy nature. how much she likes physicality post-sex as well. if it's night, he's more likely to let her slot herself neatly beside him with a content smile across her face. when she's asleep, he nudges her closer, but very much because he’s possessive of what's in his grasp only. she doesn't need to know it though.

32. Do they enjoy morning or night sex?

night sex. after a long day if there's still energy leftover and/or any frustrations lingering, letting off steam helps him quieten his restless mind.

#thank you so much. this was vvv interesting to do #oc x oc #otp headcanons #s: i'd let you win #otp asks #c: augustin #c: clara #asks #anon

10 notes · View notes

marshmallow-phd · 3 years

Text

Healing Touch

Part of The Untamed - EXO Wolf Universe

Genre: Wolf!AU

Pairing: Yixing x Reader

Summary: Medical school abroad was the last line on your to-do list before starting the rest of your life. Everything was going according to plan. Everything, that is, until tragedy strikes your campus. In the wake of a professor’s untimely death, you’re partnered with the cute boy with a breathtaking smile in the newly combined labs. You find yourself unable to resist the dimples and shy glances, but his life is here with no plans of leaving. Will you continue on as planned or will you accept the hand that Fate had dealt you?

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I Final

You were anxious, but you couldn’t describe exactly why. Was it as narrowed down to Ran and Yixing simply interacting? The two worlds colliding? Or was it as broad as the fact that Yixing was stepping into your apartment?

The place wasn’t dirty. Both you and Ran were diligent on keeping on top of the dishes and dusting. You weren’t necessarily the “make your bed everyday” type, but it wasn’t too much of a jumble of sheets. There were no leftovers out on the counter or crusted plates in the sink. The air smelled of artificial citrus thanks to the plug-in that Ran kept up with on a steady rotation.

Ran ushered everyone in and then closed the door with no concern of a noise level. “Pizza should be here any minute.” The only responses she received were silent nods.

It was awkward as the three of you stood around, no one talking, no one moving towards the available seating in the living room. Ran often brought friends over and they naturally made themselves at home. Whenever Victoria or Amber were in town, you met up with them at coffee shops or restaurants serving brunch. Your apartment was not a typical place to congregate. It was your sanctuary, the place you went to in order to get away. Now the outside world was coming in and you weren’t sure what to do.

“Yixing, you want a drink?” Ran offered.

He nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

Ran shot you a very pointed look before whisking off to the kitchen. Yixing’s eyes roamed over the mostly empty walls. Neither you nor Ran were good with tools so ramming a nail into plaster didn’t seem like a logical way to spend an afternoon. Any decorating done to give the apartment a homey feel was done on the side and coffee tables. Ran’s novels were stacked in with your medical textbooks for easy reaching. Picture frames containing silly faces and fond memories sat on top of the wooden surfaces. Your favorite was the one of you and your aunt mid laugh, soaking wet from the water ride that had splashed from behind. Wherever you went, that picture went too. Yixing found it after a few seconds, walking over to it like in a trance. He picked up the cheap, plastic black frame with a gentle hand. A dimple made an appearance in his right cheek as he studied the photo.

“You look like you had fun.”

A small laugh pushed out as the memories of that trip flashed through your mind like a PowerPoint. Lost chargers, multiple changes of clothes from water rides and dropped ice creams, and dozens of wrong turns to get to the right ride. Neither you nor your aunt were good at working the app made for the amusement park, but that only added to the adventure.

“We did,” you replied. “That was right before my freshman year here. One last hurrah before moving on to adulthood.” That was what your aunt had said, anyway, though both of you knew she meant it sarcastically. She didn’t believe in full adulthood. A little bit of childishness was necessary to live life to the fullest – a concept that you couldn’t quite fully understand in words but could when you were looking at her. Yixing nodded, the smile growing by a few centimeters as he set the frame down again. Ran entered from the kitchen and handed him a steaming mug of fresh tea. You nearly hid your face in your shirt when you noticed which cup Ran had chosen or the gesture of a gracious host.

Little chibi figures depicting characters from your favorite drama danced around the porcelain mug. It was cute in your eyes when you’d ordered it from the online shop. Now, it was mortifying. You just hoped that Yixing assumed that it was Ran’s and that Ran didn’t mention anything to the contrary.

“Thank you.” Yixing blew on the steam that danced from the caramel colored liquid and took a sip small enough for a mouse. Still, no one sat. Ran glanced at you with a curious expression. If she was telling you to do something, you weren’t able to pick up on what that thing might be. Miraculously, you were saved by the door knock.

Ran shuffled over to the door to answer it. Yixing leaned down and placed the mug on the coffee table and that’s when it hit you.

He still wasn’t wearing a shirt.

Grabbing his wrist, you pulled him into your bedroom while Ran was distracted with the delivery guy. You let go of Yixing and started rifling through your closet for a more unisex shirt.

“What’s wrong?” Yixing asked right behind you.

You jumped at his sudden closeness but didn’t look behind you. “You’re still just wearing the jacket. When Ran notices, she’ll start asking questions.” Your fingers landed on an old band t-shirt that you hadn’t worn in a while. The black was a neutral color and most of the wording was faded. You doubt Ran would recognize it. “Here. Put this on.”

Seemingly laughing at you in his head, Yixing smiled and unzipped his jacket.

The first time you’d seen him shirtless, you were too distracted by the hiker to take real notice. Now that he was the only one around and standing in your bedroom… heat exploded all over your body. And the jerk seemed to notice as he took his time to take off the jacket and push his head through the shirt. You scurried around him and poked your head out of your room just in time to see Ran hand over the tip, closing the door with the pizza boxes in hand.

“Smells good,” Yixing commented as he snuck up behind you once again. He really needed to stop doing that.

“And its still warm, too,” Ran cooed, having heard him. She took a long whiff. You couldn’t help but take one, too. Delicious. Your mouth was already swimming when you sat down at the table. You didn’t even remember telling your feet to move. Ran grabbed plates from the cabinet before flipping open the lids, engulfing the apartment with that familiar scent. “Bon appetite!”

“Thank you for dinner,” Yixing said again. He was always so polite. It was endearing. So much so that you had paused midbite and started staring at him with a grin of your own pulling at your lips’ corners.

Ran chewed through a mouthful before answering. “No problem. You just have really good timing.”

A silence that you couldn’t quite call comfortable settled over the meal. You thought over and over of what you could say to continue a conversation, but all options fell flat. The consequence of that? Ran jumping in.

“So, Yixing, how do you know (y/n)?”

“We have class together,” he explained, not bothered at all by the questionnaire he was about to receive. Or he was simply unaware that this might only be the beginning.

“Which one?”

“Human physiology.”

Ran’s eyebrows shot up. “The one that just combined? So, did you have the other professor?”

Yixing nodded solemnly. “I did.” Though there were still several bites left of his current slice, he put it down and folded his fingers with his elbows resting on the table. “She was a good teacher.”

“That’s what I heard a lot,” Ran agreed. “It’s scary what’s going on. You never know who’s going to be next. I heard that there might have been another attack today.”

You looked at Yixing thinking that he would do the same given your shared knowledge that there was indeed another attack, but he didn’t turn his head in the slightest. He kept staring at the table. You knew this was bothering him. It was written in every facet of his posture and face. But Ran didn’t seem to notice.

“I think they should send the rangers out and put down the animal. I mean, I hate to kill anything that is just living its life, but there’s obviously something wrong with it. Like it went mad or something. Putting it out of its misery might be—”

“Ran, do you have plans tonight?” you jumped in.

Ran blinked as her mind quickly changed gears. “Yeah. Hae In is picking me up in a few minutes and we’re going to go out. You two are welcome to join us.”

“That’s okay,” you answered for both of you. “Thanks, though.”

Ran grinned cheekily. “I kind of figured.”

A quick succession of knocks rattled from the front door. Ran leapt up and ushered her friend inside.

Hae In, a girl whose personality was as bright as her blonde hair, waved excitedly at you and Yixing. “Hey! Ooo, that looks good!” She was quickly distracted by the pizza, grabbing a slice as soon as Ran gave her the okay. She swallowed down a few bites. “I’m Hae In, by the way,” she said to Yixing. “Are you (y/n)’s friend?”

“Yes, I am,” he said, a bit his previous light coming back. “I’m Yixing.” Standing up, he held out his hand for her to take.

“Nice to meet you,” Hae In shook his hand after wiping the grease off on an unused napkin.

“We should probably get going,” Ran suggested. “You know Marnie will take forever and we want to get there before they start charging covers.”

“No kidding,” Hae In giggled. She waved goodbye and followed Ran out the door.

Yixing turned to you. “They seemed nice.”

“They are,” you nodded as you stood to your feet and started clearing the table of the dirty dishes. Yixing was soon on his own feet, helping by moving all the leftover pizza into one box and then closing the lid so it could fit in the fridge. You rinsed off the plates, the water plashing all over the counter. After a quick clean up, you put the plates in the dishwasher. Yixing had moved on to the living room. He was seated on the couch, leaning forward with his forearms resting on his thighs and looking deep in thought. You sat down beside him. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah,” he said none-too-convincingly. He sat up so he was now sitting back into the couch. “I’m okay. It’s just been… a day.”

You snorted. “Yeah, you can say that again.”

He didn’t respond to what you had said. He changed the subject in a sharp turn. “This shirt’s comfortable.”

You frowned, confused. “Yeah, its old so its been washed a few times. But it was soft like that when I bought it.” What were you even saying? Why were the two of you talking about your shirt? Honestly, you wanted to forget for a second that he was wearing your clothes at all. Because then you mind drifted to what was underneath the cloth.

“I think I’ve heard of this band,” Yixing said as he tugged on the front where the members were proudly displayed in a tough-guy fashion. There were a few breaks in the plastic-y photo that split some of the faces at odd angles. “They’re a pop group, right?”

You cleared your throat as you shifted in your seat. “Yeah. I guess you could call them that.” Why were you suddenly dying of humiliation? Why should you have any anxiety over what music you liked? One fear might have been that he was one of those people who looked down on others for liking such “shallow music.” You never thought the group in that way. If the vocals were good, who cared if the songs were mostly about love? “I like them anyway.”

To your surprise, Yixing was smiling. “I like them, too.”

In your heart, you were sure he was saying something else. Implying someone else that he really liked.

Or maybe that was just wishful thinking. Because… well, you were realizing that you liked him. Very much. More than a friend. You liked Yixing. And you wanted him to like you, too. While you weren’t a mind reader, you thought that maybe there was a chance that he already did.

Going with the second thought that popped into your head, you looked at him shyly. “Thanks for coming along when you did, by the way. I don’t think I would have been to get him help in time if you hadn’t.”

Instead of returning your soft expression, Yixing remained stoic. He reached out and touched your cheek with the tips of his fingers. They were warm against your skin – No, not warm. Even with the minimal contact, you could feel the fire. It felt like a constant wave of sunshine pulsing into your skin. By sheer instinct, you leaned in deeper to his touch. That was encouragement enough for him to shift so now his palm was against your cheek. The reaction to pull away coursed in your mind, but you couldn’t bring it to fruition. If it had been anyone else, you would have been up and off that couch, putting plenty of room between you and them. But with Yixing… you simply wanted to move closer.

And someone did.

You weren’t sure if it was you or him – your money would have been on a mutual understanding, an equal pull that shifted both of you like magnets. But there was no gnashing of teeth or crumpling of shirts. It was a softer collision. A hesitant one. Your hands dug into the cushion to force you not to move as his lips brushed against yours. When he pressed more, his other hand came up and pulled you in closer by your hip. You didn’t resist, encompassing the space that was his lap.

That fire – that heat and warmth like a log alite on a winter’s day – was everywhere now. But just as it was growing, it was also drifting farther back in your mind. Yixing’s presence, his touch, was consuming your thoughts. You were not the kind of person who did this. You shied away from intimate moments like this. The weeks you had known Yixing were short, but that felt like a detail of little consequence. You believed yourself safe in his embrace.

The kiss ended abruptly. With hands that were simultaneously harsh and gentle, Yixing removed you from his lap, placing you on the cushion beside him. He gave no explanation for his sudden switch in direction. You weren’t sure what for, but the urge to apologize was swelling up, like you were the only one who had crossed a line.

“I’m… sorry.”

Yixing rubbed his eyes, releasing a sigh. “No. Don’t be. I just… I need to figure some things out first.”

“Some… things?” Was he… already seeing someone else? That’s what that usually meant, right? In all this time, he had never mentioned having a girlfriend. He wouldn’t have let you borrow his jacket if there was a chance that another girl might see it. Unless— unless she didn’t go to the university in town and they were in a long-distance relationship? The more you thought about it, the more your stomach was beginning to churn.

“I know that’s— What I mean is—” With another heavy sigh and a shake of his head, he stood to his feet. Not looking at you, he concluded, “I should… probably go.”

You were in state of confusion and sadness as he hurried out the door. Your eyes stayed trained on the last space that he had occupied. This was exactly why you didn’t do things like this. No moment of bliss was worth the terrible heartache that was always doomed to follow. Bringing your feet up on the couch, you made yourself as small as possible. Minutes went by. You weren’t sure why you didn’t move. Was there some stupid part of you that was waiting for him to come back through the door? Things like that only happened in the movies or a teen novel. As if to prove yourself wrong for why you were still in that spot, you peeled yourself up and walked into your room.

Laying there on your bed, folded like a store window display, was the jacket. Divided more than ever, you continued to stand in your doorway and stare at the last remaining evidence of Yixing’s presence.

As soon as he was outside, Yixing whirled and threw his fist into the grimy brick. Shaking out the pain, he cursed at himself under his breath. Stupid. He didn’t lash out like this. It wasn’t the right way to work out his anger. Even if it was towards himself.

The wolf both cheered at the line he’d crossed and whined at the sudden retreat. Part of him knew what the outcome would be once Ran left the apartment. The right thing to do would have been to say goodbye immediately and leave. But he had you to himself and to a wolf with his mate, that was a drug that couldn’t be discarded. So, he sat down on that couch, waiting for you to join. Sitting so close, Yixing’s muscles had tightened from the restraint. And then he snapped.

The scent rolling from you was too great to resist. Besides, you were leaning in, too. You were wanting it, too. Lips so soft as they kissed him back. Minseok had been right; it was like heaven on earth.

Then his mind pulled him back to hell.

A hiker had been attacked right around the time that he had blacked out. Again. And this time, they’d lived to describe the animal that had charged on him. A gray wolf. The same color as his own fur.

He fought against the thought that it might have been him. He held on tight to the chance that it was coincidence. But if it wasn’t… he couldn’t risk you getting hurt. If he did something to cause you harm… he’d never be able to forgive himself. He needed to get a handle on this, and fast. He just hoped that you didn’t hate him for the stunt he pulled back there.

In his pocket, his phone rang. Thankful for the distraction, he pulled it out and then the gratitude scrambled away.

It was Junmyeon.

Already knowing what this call would be about, he answered it. “Hello?”

“Yixing? Where are you? I need to come back to the house for a family meeting.”

He didn’t even bother to pretend to not understand. He didn’t ask for the reason to cover his current state of mind. “Okay. I’m in town, so it’ll take me about an hour to get home.”

“We’ll wait for you.”

Exhaling as his thumb hit the red button on his phone, Yixing pushed off the wall of the building and hopped into his car. A back and forth debate carried on as he drove down the backroad. Would he tell his pack what was going on and risk being ostracized? Or did he try to do this on his own and risk everything?

207 notes · View notes