#I'm going to try to draw at least one Splinter for Splinter week

[truths33k3r4]

Hey, everyone!!!

A while ago, I started noticing that some well-known artists were creating "Voice Claim" videos to show their audience what their characters sound like. (Thank you, @indieyuugure for the inspiration to do this!) And after watching their videos, I thought to myself- "Hmm... I want to do that!"

So, for the last few months, I have been searching and gathering intel trying to decide what my characters from my story, "The Strength in Weakness" would sound like. Finally, I had all my voices picked out.

Then the new year came, and with it, a whole new burst of creative inspiration and drive. One of my main goals this new year, was to practice animation more. And then it clicked: I was going to animate every scene I had picked out for my characters.

I have been working for the last week on this video, and now I can finally present it to you all!!!

~VOICE CLAIMS FOR "THE STRENGTH IN WEAKNESS" CHARACTERS~

Leonardo - It took me a LONG time to figure out my Leo's voice. In my chapters, I describe his tone being cool, calm, and very gentle. However when he's angry or feels threatened, his voice sharpens like the edge of an icicle. This specific tone was NOT easy to find in a VA- A tone that can be as tender and smooth as silk, while also snapping to cold and commanding in a mili-second. I went through many options, but eventually landed on the cool, kind voice of Kirby Morrow, from Scott in X Men Evolution. :)

Raphael - THIS DUDE- THIS....MUTANT- Took the longest to find his voice. Apparently looking up "Brooklyn-accented character" was as useful as a UNO card in a game of poker- A huge part of me wanted to just steal the voice of 2003 Raphael- (Cause he's amazing), but my stubbornness to keep the voices unique won out against that. Eventually I had two options left- Christian Bale in Newsies, or Renegade Knuckles from Sonic Prime. I couldn't find enough audio to use for Christian's voice, so I chose Renegade's instead. Vincent Tong delivered his gravelly, Brooklyn/New York accented lines in a way that fit perfectly with my version of Raph. :)

Donatello - It did not take me that long to see how perfect Jack De Sena's voice was for my version of Don. Sokka, (the original character voiced by Sena), is my favorite Avatar character- and his passion, intelligence in engineering, and squeakiness were just too good not to pick for my angry, freckled genius. :)

Lotus - My precious little oc took a bit of time to get the right voice.. In my story, (at least where I'm up to), she's mostly quiet, but has her explosive moments of suppressed anger or bitterness. She's also quite passionate and argumentative when it comes to someone "lying" or "manipulating" her in any way. She's very conscious of everything happening around her, always taking note of changes in emotions, attitude, and body language. This took a bit of searching, but eventually I found the perfect tone and attitude in the voice of AJ Michalka. :)

Michelangelo - After finding Kurby Morrow's voice, I remembered that his character in X Men Evolution had a little brother... With a chill vibe... and a surfer dude tone. And I was sold on the relaxed, surfer dude, innocent voice of Matt Hill. :)

Originally, I wanted to animate and record the voices for my Splinter and my main villain, Specter. But um... Life got busy again- as well as I was too scared to try drawing- NEVER MIND ANIMATING- Splinter... Soooooo yeahhh that didn't happen... But hope you guys enjoy this all the same. :)

To God be the glory!

~ Melissa

[teddy06writes]

Overworked

Steve Rogers x gn!reader

Trigger Warnings: swearing, yelling/crying, reader has a bit of a break down, reader is a grad student studying something in the humanities, because I am studying something in the humanities, implied Avengers' Tower Era because I'm still at the restaurant

Summary: Grad school has been wearing you down, bit by bit. Luckily, when it finally seems to push you over the edge, Steve is there to catch you.

{it should be noted that I'm in undergrad right now, not grad school so everything your reading could be wholly misrepresented}

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you were being completely honest with yourself, you didn't really even want to look at your grades, or even your never ending list of upcoming assignments. In fact, if you were being honest with yourself, you would be perfectly happy never doing another assignment, and simply withdrawing from classes all together.

When you had decided to take on graduate school, you thought that you'd be able to breeze through, and get one step closer to securing the job you had always wanted. Now, sitting and your desk, drowning in assignments and library books, that idea couldn't feel farther from the truth.

The weeks leading up to midterms were probably the worst throughout the whole year, with professors cracking down on already harsh grading standards, and piling even more assignments onto your already crowded work load. You had just turned in your final midterm paper, and yet you couldn't find a single splinter of relief in that fact.

The pressure of submitting your thesis proposal, not to mention Tony's constant badgering about getting you to sit in on meetings in the Tower, were weighing down on you. So when your laptop screen lit up with notifications showing that one of your professors had begun viewing and commenting on one of your papers, you just couldn't take it.

Shoving away from your desk, you started out of your office, forcing deep breaths in and out of your lungs. Out in the living room, you could see Steve lounging on the couch, Sam's copy of The Two Towers open in his lap.

You only had to plop down beside him on the couch for him to read the expression painted on your face, closing the book and sitting up, "What is it? What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"I just-" You inhaled sharply, trying to speak around the lump in your throat, "I can't do this. I can't do grad school. I don't know who I was kidding."

Steve frowned, "What do you mean? I thought you said everything was going well?"

"It is- or at least it was- but midterms kicked my ass and now I'm behind on my thesis proposal- and I still don't have my research outlined- and I just- I can't do it. I don't know why I thought I could do it."

When you finally stopped gesturing, he gently took hold of your hands, "Hey, listen to me. You can handle this. I know you can, so why do you think you can't?"

You pulled away from him suddenly, standing and desperately trying to put words to the feelings tearing you up inside, "Because- because what if it's not good enough? What if my best just doesn't cut it and my thesis gets rejected? What if I'll have put in all this time and this money only to realize that I could never do it? That I was never cut out for it? I can't have let all of this be for nothing-"

You cut yourself off with a broken sob, and in an instant, the super soldier was on his feet, drawing you carefully into his arms. You buried your face into his chest as one of his hands worked its way into your hair, carding through it gently.

"It's not going to be for nothing, sweetheart. No matter what happens, it'll be okay. You're gonna be okay."

You sniffed, hand fisting at the fabric of his t-shirt when he moved to pull away, "Can we just stay like this, for a minute?"

"Of course, sweetheart."

~~~

Enjoy this fic? Support me on kofi :)

[harrylm03]

[ONESHOT] Gravity falls X Spider-Man

I took the 2 draws from different artists and put it together

Mabel draw made by (un)trust us on tumblr

Peter draw made by imjayu

The sun was blazing down on Gravity Falls and Peter Parker found himself outside the Mystery Shack, attempting to help Dipper chop wood.

It was an odd feeling, being stock in an another dimension with no Avengers or heroes to help him find a way back to his own universe but at least the company was... interesting, if not a bit... quirky.

He'd only just met the Pines twins and the rest of the gang for 2 weeks but already he could tell they'd be great company.

Today, though was a different kind of challenge: wood chopping duty, courtesy of Grunkle Stan.

Peter squinted, sizing up the axe Dipper was holding. "Alright, so let me get this straight, Grunkle Stan, a "trustworthy" adult just handed you an axe and told you to what... chop wood... l-like Paul Bunyan?"

"Pretty much," Dipper replied, taking a deep breath as he lifted the axe above his head. 

"Where I'm from Stan could go to prison for endangerment of minor or something similar" playfully commented Peter then he karate chop a log of wood.

Then Dipper brought it down with as much force as he could muster, only to have the blade awkwardly glance off the log, barely leaving a scratch. "This is way harder than it looks."

Peter chuckled, taking a new piece of wood in his hands and gently pressing it down to split it, barely using a fraction of his strength. "Want me to take over? I mean, I’m not as good looking or muscular as a lumberjack but I think I’ve got a pretty good grip on this whole "cutting wood with super strength thing"

Dipper wiped his forehead, clearly grateful for the offer but reluctant to let go. "Yeah, yeah. Rub it in. By the way, I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything you can do. You’re like... like a Swiss Army knife of powers or something."

Peter shrugged, reaching for another log. "It’s not that impressive. I mean sure, I’ve got the basics covered: super strength, super speed, agility, a sixth sense and web-shooters (don't forget also my Peter luck). But you wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve, you know, messed up because of them."

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Dipper said, eyes narrowing as he pick up a piece of wood and handed Peter another piece. "You’ve got superhuman strength, superhuman speed, superhuman agility, superhuman stamina, superhuman endurance and you can shoot webs from your wrists... kind of gross but still cool. Do you also like... shoot webs from... y-you know?"

Peter’s eyes widened, and he choked on a laugh. "Wh- No! No, that would be... Oh, dude, no. Just the wrists. Trust me, the wrist thing is plenty plus dude, I use web shooters," Peter replied, shaking his head with a grin. He lifted his wrist to show Dipper the small device snugly fitted under his sleeve. "It’s all science, not magic or weird arachnid mutation"

Dipper chuckled but then noticed something. He looked around at the pile of wood they had already cut. "Looks like we're out of wood to chop," he said, glancing up at Peter. "Think you can... uh, grab an entire tree for me? You know, since you’re basically Hercules in a PJs."

Peter raised an eyebrow, turning around to see the tree Dipper was pointing at. "You want me to grab an entire tree?"

Dipper nodded with a sly grin, half-joking but curious to see if Peter could actually do it. "Yup, right there. Go ahead, Spidey."

Without missing a beat, Peter sighed dramatically, then smirked. "Alright but just this once, for science." He spun around, leaping toward the tree with ease and kicking it with a controlled, powerful roundhouse kick. The trunk splintered with a clean snap and before the tree could even hit the ground, Peter caught it with one hand, balancing it effortlessly.

Dipper’s jaw dropped. "Whoa... dude !" 

Peter casually adjusted his grip, holding the massive tree like it was nothing. "Let me just get rid of these leaves and branches real quick," he said, his tone light and playful. He raised his arm with the web-shooter and aimed.

With a quick flick of his wrist and precise pressure on the mechanism, a stream of web shot out and wrapped around the branches. Peter gave it a small tug, and with a loud crack, the branches and leaves were ripped clean off in one smooth motion. 

The now bare trunk stood tall in Peter's grasp.

Dipper blinked in amazement. "Okay, I gotta admit, that was pretty cool" he said, walking over to inspect the tree. "Nice work... Spider-Man."

Peter grinned and held up his fist. Dipper responded in kind and they bumped fists with a shared sense of accomplishment, both smiling widely.

But just as Dipper turned slightly, he caught sight of something or rather, someone out of the corner of his eye. He sighed heavily and rubbed the bridge of his nose in resignation. There, not far from the treeline was Mabel, awkwardly crouching behind some bushes and staring intently at Peter.

"What are you doing?" Dipper called over to her, raising an eyebrow.

Mabel jolted in surprise, standing up straight as if she’d been caught red handed. "Uh... nothing! I was just... um..." She frantically searched for an excuse then pointed upward. "I was... watching the stars!"

Dipper stared at her, unimpressed. "Mabel, it’s literally the middle of the day."

Mabel, undeterred, continued her charade, looking up at the perfectly clear blue sky. "Well, you know, sometimes you just gotta look really hard to see them!"

Peter turned around, noticing Mabel. "Mabel? What... uh, what’re you doing over there?"

Mabel immediately brightened up at the sound of Peter’s voice and bounced over to them, ignoring Dipper’s exasperated sigh. "Oh, nothing! Just, you know, hanging out, being awesome." She then flashed a smile at Peter, her braces gleaming in the sunlight. "By the way, that whole tree-kicking thing? Super cool. Like, super cool... super hot... super cool-hot"

Peter scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, slightly embarrassed. "Oh, that? Yeah, just... regular Spider stuff, I guess. Nothing too fancy."

* * * *

Peter and Mabel sat perched on the high branches of a towering pine tree outside the Mystery Shack, the summer night air cool and still around them.

The stars were spread out across the sky like glitter and the moon cast a silver glow over Gravity Falls. Mabel held on tightly to Peter’s arm, her fingers digging in just a bit as she glanced nervously at the ground far below.

“So… Mr spider pyjama man why did you become Spider-Man ?” Mabel asked, glancing over at him with curious eyes. “I mean, you’re sixteen like me. We’re supposed to be having fun, goofing off and doing… I dunno, normal teenager stuff.”

Peter’s face softened, a small smile playing at his lips. “fair point miss pink sweater” he admitted, giving her a sidelong glance. “We are supposed to be teenagers. But sometimes… life doesn’t exactly go according to plan.”

As they talked, a breeze blew through the branches, making them creak slightly. Mabel’s grip on Peter’s arm tightened instantly and she went pale, clearly uneasy. Peter noticed her reaction and leaned closer with a teasing grin.

“You, uh… want to get down a bit lower? You look like you’re about two seconds away from a mini heart attack.”

“What? Pff, no way!” Mabel said quickly, trying to act casual. She forced a grin but as another gust caused the branches to shift, she practically plastered herself against him. Her wide, pleading eyes looked up at Peter as if to say, "please get us down."

Peter chuckled softly, slipping his arm around her waist. “Alright, alright, don’t worry. I got you.” His voice was gentle, reassuring as he held her close. With careful, measured steps, Peter made his way down the tree, Mabel clutching onto him the entire time. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort with his arm securely around her.

"Yep," Mabel thought to herself, "if I go out now, at least I’m going out on top."

After a few moments, they reached a sturdier branch closer to the ground. Peter set Mabel down, making sure she felt stable before letting go. They both settled in and looked up at the sky, a comfortable silence falling between them as they took in the peaceful, starlit view.

Mabel was the first to break the silence, inching a bit closer to him on the branch. “So… why you decide to be a superhero ?”

Peter turned to her, his eyes thoughtful. “Mind if I answer that with a question?”

Mabel nodded, her curiosity piqued. “Sure, go for it.”

Peter looked back up at the sky, his expression growing more serious. “Have you ever… felt guilty about something? Like, "really" guilty? Like, no matter what you do, you just can’t shake it?”

The question seemed to catch Mabel off guard, and her face softened as she thought back to the events of Weirdmageddon. “Yeah,” she said quietly. “Yeah, I know what that’s like.”

Peter nodded slowly, his gaze distant. “I became Spider-Man because… well, because I made a mistake. A mistake that cost someone I loved… a lot. My Uncle Ben, he… he was like a father to me. I had a chance to stop the guy who… who ended up killing him. But I didn’t. I thought, you know, it wasn’t my problem. I could’ve stopped him... but I didn’t. And because of that, my uncle’s die.”

Mabel’s eyes filled with sympathy as she reached out, placing a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Oh, Peter… I’m so sorry.”

He shrugged, forcing a small smile, but there was a sadness in his eyes that Mabel could see . “Thanks. I mean, I try to keep my head up, you know? But… that guilt, it’s always there. It’s what pushes me to keep going. To try to make things right.”

Mabel watched him for a moment, then looked down at her hands. “You know, I get it. When Weirdmageddon happened, I thought it was all my fault. Bill Cipher, all the chaos… I trusted him. I thought he was helping me but I was wrong. And Dipper, Grunkle Stan and everyone else… they all had to fight because of me. I felt like… like I’d let them all down.”

Peter nodded, understanding. “It’s tough. Feeling like the weight of the world’s on your shoulders… like no matter what you do, you can’t fix what’s already happened. But the thing is, Mabel, you and I… we’re not defined by those mistakes. They shape us, yeah but they don’t define us.”

Mabel smiled, a soft, sad smile. “Yeah. I guess so. But it still feels like no matter what, you’ll always carry that little bit of guilt with you.”

Peter looked over at her, his expression tender. “True but that guilt also reminds me why I do what I do. Uncle Ben used to say that "with great power, there must also come great responsibility", and I have this… this gift, you know? So if I can help people, if I can make the world even a little bit safer, I have to try. Because if I don’t, then… then I’d be letting him down.”

Mabel reached over, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “He’d be proud of you, Peter. You’re doing a lot of good, and… you’re a good person. And honestly, I think that’s what matters.”

Peter smiled at her, squeezing her hand back. “Thanks, Mabel. That… means a lot.”

They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying each other’s presence as the summer night wrapped around them. Mabel, feeling a bit bold, leaned her head on Peter’s shoulder, sighing contentedly. “You know, for a guy with superpowers and a tragic backstory, you’re pretty alright, Peter Parker.”

Peter chuckled softly, resting his head on top of hers. “And for a girl who climbs trees even though she’s scared of heights, you’re pretty awesome, Mabel Pines.”

She giggled, swatting his arm playfully. “Hey! I’m not scared. I just... you know, prefer solid ground is all.”

“Uh huh. Sure.” Peter grinned, nudging her lightly. “You looked like you were two seconds away from begging me to get us down.”

“Okay, maybe a little,” Mabel admitted, laughing. She looked up at him, her cheeks flushed.

* * * *

“Okay, so there I was,” Mabel began with a dramatic flourish, leaning forward on the couch, a bowl of popcorn balanced precariously on her lap. “And Peter goes, "Mabel, this is no time for chit chat with Papyrus!" Can you believe him?”

“Wait, who’s Peter?” Grenda asked, confusion wrinkling her brow.

Candy tilted her head, equally curious. “Yes, Mabel, you’ve mentioned this "Peter " before. But what kind of guy is he?

“Oh, he’s soo cool !” Mabel replied, her eyes sparkling. “Peter Parker is this amazing superhero guy! He swings around on webs, crawl walls and fights crime and he’s got this super cute grin that could melt ice caps.” She sighed dreamily.

Grenda stuffed a handful of popcorn into her mouth, intrigued. “Sounds pretty rad ! So he’s a spider, like literally?”

“Well, not exactly,” Mabel said, giggling. “He’s just a normal guy except, you know, he has all the powers of a spider ! He can climb walls, shoot webs, and... oh you should see his muscles! They’re... like... like gladiator level.”

Just then, the front door of the Mystery Shack swung open and a very wet Peter staggered inside, water dripping off him in rivulets. Dipper followed, looking sheepish.

“Sorry about that, Peter,” Dipper said, scratching the back of his head. “I really didn’t think the river would be that deep.”

“It’s… fine,” Peter replied, peeling his soaked shirt off and wringing it out.

Peter and Dipper continue their nerdy conversation, animatedly discussing some scientific concept that flew right over Mabel, Candy, and Grenda’s heads. Dipper noticed the girls and gave them a quick wave. “Hey, Mabel, Candy, Grenda! We were just talking ab-”

“Nerd stuff,” Mabel cut in with a grin, rolling her eyes playfully. “We get it, Dip!”

Peter laughed, glancing over at Candy and Grenda. “Right, sorry about that... I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.” He gave them a friendly wave. “I’m Peter. Uh, Peter Parker.”

Grenda looked him up and down with a smirk. “The Peter Parker we’ve heard so much about, huh?”

Mabel’s cheeks flushed pink.

Peter raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Oh, really? Mabel’s been talking about me, has she?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” Candy replied, giggling. “She’s practically written a novel about you”

Peter chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “Well, I’m flattered, I think.”

Mabel, flustered, grabbed a sweater from the couch and tossed it at Peter, hitting him square in the face. “Here, put this on! You can’t just go around, you know, walking around without a shirt. P-pervert!”

Peter caught the sweater, looking at it with a raised brow. “Pervert? Mabel, you’re the one who threw the sweater at me!”

The girls all burst into laughter as Peter, red-faced, shrugged and pulled on the sweater. He glanced down and his face turned even redder when he saw the words “I’m a snack” emblazoned on the front.

Mabel grinned, crossing her arms triumphantly. “There. That’s more like it. Now you’re, uh… fully dressed.”

Peter sighed, giving her a mock glare. “Oh, really? Thanks for the wardrobe upgrade, Mabel.”

Grenda and Candy exchanged glances, giggling uncontrollably. “That’s the perfect sweater for him!” Candy said, nudging Mabel.

Peter rolled his eyes but took it in stride. “Alright, alright, laugh it up,” he said with a chuckle. “I’ve got a book I need to finish anyway, so I’ll just… be over here.” He pointed toward the far wall, where his backpack lay.

He turned and started walking in that direction. As he reached the wall, he placed his hand on it and then, without missing a beat, he began to walk straight up it.

Candy and Grenda gasped, eyes wide with shock. “He really can walk on walls?” Candy stammered.

Peter grinned, glancing back at them while casually hanging upside down from the ceiling. “Yeah, just a little side effect of being bitten by a radioactive spider,” he said with a wink. “Don’t mind me, I’m just… catching up on my reading.”

Grenda looked up at him, absolutely stunned. “That is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen! Mabel, how come you didn’t tell us he could do... that ?”

Mabel, grinning from ear to ear.

Peter pulled out a small paperback from his backpack and started reading, still clinging to the ceiling like it was the most natural thing in the world. “Anyway,” he said, looking down at them, “if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I can multitask.”

Candy looked up, her mouth still open in awe. “So, uh, what does it feel like? Crawling around on walls?”

Peter closed his book, considering her question. “It’s actually pretty natural. I can feel every little bump and crack in the wall, and my hands and feet just sort of… stick, like magnets. It’s not as scary as it looks!”

“Can you, like, crawl on the ceiling and stuff?” Grenda asked, clearly impressed.

Peter nodded and promptly crawled from the wall to the ceiling, hanging directly above them. “Yep, just like this,” he said, grinning.

He gave them a little wave with one hand, still hanging effortlessly with the other then Peter start giving his best dance move, who have as a result of making everyone in the room laugh.

Mabel sighed dreamily, staring up at him. “You’re like… the perfect boyf- I mean superhero. You save people, you can walk on walls, you’re a total snack…” She caught herself, her cheeks burning.

“Uh, I mean, the sweater says that! Yeah, that’s what I meant.”

Peter laughed, flipping down from the ceiling and landing lightly on his feet. “Thanks, Mabel. That’s… flattering, I guess?”

[one-boring-person]

Only Traitors Consort With The Damned. (Part Two.)

The Lost Boys x reader

Warnings: blood imagery, injury, mention of death.

Context: The reader helps out Paul with his little problem, and tries to figure out what another Hunter is doing in Santa Carla.

A/N: I know there has been quite a gap between this and the last part, but I think I'm gonna try and get a new part out every Sunday, so that I have time for requests, school work and other fics. I apologise if this is a bit short 💛💛

Masterlist.

Yet another strangled whine of pain escapes the shirtless vampire propped against the fountain before me, his slick blood already coating my hands generously after only five minutes of working the barbed splinters of wood from his muscular abdomen, the tweezers slipping in my grasp as I pull at one of the more deeply lodged pieces. Dimly, I am aware of the others watching me work, Marko biting his thumb so hard the skin has probaby broken by now, Dwayne silently eyeing my every move from his position beside David, whose face is etched with anger and frustration. Thankfully, I'm pretty sure there aren't that many left, maybe one or two, meaning that the vampire's discomfort should soon be over, something which I can tell will be gratefully appreciated.

Finally, the splinter I'm working at comes free, drawing yet another hiss of pain from Paul, whose head falls back against the fountain with a thud, blue eyes squeezed tightly shut as the wound starts to stitch itself closed, his natural healing ability kicking in pretty quickly. I drop the piece if wood on the floor beside me and wipe the tweezers clean on my shirt, seeing as it is already covered in blood, trying to pat away some of the crimson substance from the vampire's skin as I go, locating the next couple of places I need to pick clean. Biting my lip, I place a hand beside the wound and use two fingers to gently pry it apart, inserting the tweezers as I find the end of the splinter, clamping down on it even as Paul moans again, blood oozing out of the incision as I start to pull. This one eases out pretty smoothly, leaving only one more that needs removing, one which is right beside where his heart is.

"One more." I reassure him, cleaning the tweezers again before leaning forwards and inserting them into the hole in his skin, trying not to prod around too much as I search for the offending splinter, swiftly locating it and going to try and pull it out. Instantly, the tweezers slip off, the small piece of wooden shrapnel barbed and stuck in the flesh, meaning it'll be much harder to remove. Gritting my teeth, I carefully pull the hole open further, trying not to wince as Paul's hand instinctively comes up to grip my wrist, nearly crushing the bones there as he tries to get me to stop, his grasp only tightening as I finally manage to yank it free, one last cry of agony escaping him as he relaxes back against the fountain, nearly sobbing in relief. Sitting back on my heels, I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, shaking my hair from my face as I wipe my hands on my shirt, slowly standing up from my kneeling position.

"All done, they should heal now." I say to him, turning to the others with a grim smile, knowing that my appearance is not the most impressive, what with my hands being covered in blood and all.

"Thank you, (Y/n). I don't honestly know what we would've done." Dwayne thanks me, smiling gratefully to me as he goes to help Paul up, Marlo going to aid him in that as the tall vampire continues to whine to himself.

"I don't know, pulling splinters out with tweezers is not the most technical thing in the world, is it?" I point out, watching as they help Paul to his feet and over to a sofa, where they give him back his shirt and jacket.

"No, but still. You didn't need to help us, so thank you." David speaks up, looking at me in earnest as he adjusts his gloves, body still tense.

"It's no problem, just don't tell my boss." I reply, grimacing at the last part, being able to imagine his face if he found out already.

"We won't." The platinum blonde smirks, lifting an eyebrow at me, well aware that what I'm doing could get me hunted to my death if I was ever caught.

Smiling at him, I look to the entrance of the cave, noting the lightness of the sky outside with a sigh, knowing I'll have to return home now, so I can deal with the Hunter tied to my floor. The vampires seem to realise this, too, all of them quickly saying goodbye as I make my excuses, leaving the cave with the tweezers slipped into my pocket, my jacket pulled tightly around me as I start the long walk home, thinking up a story to tell the man in question. It shouldn't be too hard - I can make something up about him being attacked, and then found by me a little while later, somehow left alive by the vampire. I iron out all the details as I trek through the forest, enjoying the slightly cooler temperature of the early morning, glad now that I live in a more natural area, rather than the lousy motel I was required to stay in before. With my head in the clouds, it doesn't take me as long as I thought it would to reach the ramshackle shed, the sounds of someone calling out from inside already audible from my position behind the tree line to its left. The Hunter must be awake.

Sighing, I go over to the door and unlock it, swiftly finding the Hunter on the floor when I've done so, his rugged face twisted into a scowl of annoyance, only for it to turn into an expression of confusion as he takes in my appearance, his legs pulled up to his chest in a defensive gesture, ready to kick out at me if I provoke him to do so.

"Thank God you're awake! I thought you might've passed in your sleep!" I sigh out, starting the charade immediately, smiling at him as I close the door behind me, making sure to show him the insignia on my shoulder as I turn.

"Who are you? How did I get here? And why the hell am I chained to the floor?" He growls out, clearly not too pleased with the situation. I frown at his reaction, as if annoyed that he's rejecting my "hospitality".

"I'm (Y/n), an SRS Hunter like you, and I dragged you here after you got attacked by vampires in the dunes. You're chained to the floor because I don't trust you not to steal from me and then run off." I inform him, going to the table and replacing the tweezers, "Now, you'd better not prove to be like that anyway, or I'll report you to a superior officer, and we all know how that will end. You should be thanking me, I saved your life after all."

At this, he looks up at me in surprise, sitting forwards slightly as I bend to untie him, rubbing his wrists gently as he climbs back to his feet, revealing his height to me - he stands a good head above me. Smiling tightly, I offer him my hand, only to realise it's covered in blood, swiftly withdrawing it with a soft apology.

"Why are you so...bloodied?" The Hunter asks me, watching as I go to the bucket of water in the corner, rinsing my hands and arms in the icy depths, "I'm Archer, by the way."

"I spent the rest of the night chasing down your attackers. I got them in the end, but they put up one hell of a fight." I explain, lying through my teeth as I straighten again, drying my hands on a cloth nearby, "Do you mind just stepping out as I change?"

With a nod, he leaves the shack, going to stand outside as I hastily remove my filthy shirt and trousers, replacing them with clean ones as I grab my jacket again, inspecting the damage, noting that it isn't too bad overall. Relacing my boots back up, I take a cereal bar from the small cupboard in the corner and go out to see if Archer is still there, glad to find him sitting on the log outside. As I exit, he looks over to me, watching as I walk over to where he is, smiling and thanking me as he accepts the cereal bar from me, carefully unwrapping it and eating it.

"So tell me, why did you come to Santa Carla?" I break the silence, looking over at him as he shrugs.

"I was told to by one of the superiors, someone called Elijah, I think. He said he wanted someone to come and check on the Hunter over here." He chews his food before continuing, "At least now I know who that Hunter is."

"Yeah, I guess." I muse, troubled by his words. Elijah is an old friend, I never knew he'd become a superior whilst I was away. But the fact that he wants to check on me? That doesn't bode too well for me.

"I just got a bit caught up with some vampires that were on that attraction thing, the Broadwalk or something." Archer says, finishing up the food.

"The Boardwalk." I correct him, smirking a bit at his attitude, finding him quite pleasant to be around, "You think you're gonna stay?"

"Nah, I don't like it here. It's too small and weird for me. I'll go back to New Orleans and say you're doing fine, I reckon they'll be ok with that." He assures me, looking around at the surroundings.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Do you want me to show you back into town?" I offer, eating my own cereal bar quickly, standing and going to the door of the shack, closing it and drawing the chain across in order to lock it.

"Yeah, that'd be great, thanks."

Smiling, I gesture for him to follow me, leading him the quickest way possible back into town, glad that he's not looking into my residence too much.

A week passes before I receive the one thing I've been dreading, Archer's recount of events apparently not quite satisfactory.

A letter from the SRS, announcing the date of a visit from a senior officer, the situation here apparently needing assessment. When I find this, I try my best not to panic too much, knowing full well that I'm at risk of being found out.

Part Three.

[thelostandforgottenangel]

The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home - Short One-Shot

Enjoy 💔😭

~~~~

@bloody-dark-shells03 @fyreball66 @lonelyheart-clubband @betelgeusessonajblog

She stood there in the clearing of Central Park surrounded by millions of people several sobbing uncontrollably as the skies opened up raining down the heavens tears for their fallen heroes the NYPD, stood off to the side Rebecca Vincent at the forefront of the entire City's police force as four flags were folded up and handed to her

A minister stood behind all four stones his voice ringing clear over the sullen silence yet she barely heard any of it ... he spoke of loss and some other crap but what would he know - what would any of them know about the four amazing turtles that made her life worth living

"Today our city has lost its hope and it's people all mourned, for years from the shadows and unbeknownst to many of us there has been protectors that moved in secret yet kept all of us safe from the unknown. Today we say goodbye to four - creatures who until last week none of us knew existed - today we thank them for not only their service but for their sacrifice and know for now the city is safe because of them..."

The woman crying the most kept staring at the headstones that had been placed... her life, her family and the only friends she had ever had all gone. Even as she fought them her tears finally escaped being hidden by the rain that drenched her in seconds

The battle was a fierce one; the Krang and Shredder had teamed up to bring New York to its knees and like always the four turtles had been there protecting the city as they always had only this time when the fight became too much they tried to draw their enemy away from the city

It was the last anyone ever saw them

Clutched in her hand was the last item they had ever given the now heartbroken girl a pendant to show how much they cared and loved her and now it was all left of them for the world to see

As she stood there the last image of the only family she had ever known was burned into her mind

The turtles had continued to fight Krangg and all of Shredder's forces near the bridge all of them strategically racing out in hopes that they could somehow turn the battle but as she opened her eyes the image of the blast that took out part of the ground under their feet and suddenly her friends falling was burned into her mind

At the very last second Donatello had somehow managed to reverse the portal the alien general had opened so anyone who was outside during the battle not only saw both get sucked into the opening; perminantly disappearing from the city completely but also they had to watch as New York's four shelled heroes disappeared under the murky dark water yet never resurfaced, search and rescue had scanned and scraped the water they searched for days but when the four turtles were never seen and never found the city set up a memorial to honor them

How fitting that on the day she had to say goodbye the world seemed to cry with her, as she stood there she could feel the eyes on her back a glance revealed several dark figures out on the outer rims of the crowd the familiar face of Karai standing out as she watched knowing she was looking for any sign of the four turtles.

Waiting for something she wouldnt find before in a bright flash of lightning she lost sight of her and the apparent foot soldiers

A strong hand landed on her shoulder as the rain suddenly stopped hitting her not having to look up to know Casey Jones had moved to her side from where he stood in ranks his eye red when he looked down on her, April covering the entire thing on the news yet she could hear the sadness and the tears of her only female friend. Chief Vincent finally started walking towards her as several shots rung out through the air visibly making her jump as each one tore a hole through her heart all over again before for folded flags were placed in her hands clutching them tight as they continued yet the world seemed Frozen around her

All too soon the memorial service was over and people started to leave yet she never moved her eyes trained on the stones and the names engraved deep into the flat surface even though Casey tried to pull her away she stepped forward and kneeled on the grass before the empty graves and for the longest time the man stood behind her his umbrella over her to try and keep her dry but as soon as it's slacked off April gently grabbed his hand and pulled him away knowing the girl needed time

How long she kneeled there was unknown but as soon as she was sure she was alone and the media was officially vacating the area she lifted her body and started towards a familiar ally on a side street; one she had been in millions of times the cover already moved for her open where it had been left for days walking silently through the tunnels taking the long way just in case somebody tried to follow her as took the four flags where they truly belonged

Stepping in through the front entrance the lair seemed way too quiet sighing as she dropped her purse and jacket over the table leaving wet footsteps across the floor before a heavy warm towel was thrown over her head

"Yer tracking water in danmmit!" Raph's rough voice rumbled playfully over her as she pushed it back seeing the smug grin on his face as the woman rolled her eyes "Was it sad? Did ya bawl like a baby at least make it look like ya missed us?" She didn't have time to answer before a set of timid hands was helping her dry before she caught her death

"The city has officially said goodbye to their Heroes of the Shadows and Leo's girlfriend was even kind enough to attend the service... it was pretty convincing to me and it didn't look like anyone suspected a thing after all Casey and April were in tears- speaking of which how long are y'all going to torture the two of them before you finally just tell them the truth"

Several deep chuckles made her sigh in frustration at the four turtles who were now gathered in the room around her looking at each of them finding they looked better then they had the night this all started. After the fight she had to rush to the lair in tears not knowing where else to go she had went to seek out comfort from Masters Splinter completely distraught over being unable to get a hold of any of the turtles. As she came through the entrance she was immediately wrapped in a tight hug from Mikey sobbing frantically into his shoulder at seeing him alive although he was bleeding from almost every cut her eyes could find before rushing to help Raph and Donnie as they both try to carry in Leo who was in bad shape even though they were both severely hurt

Somehow they had managed to get away although it was obvious their wounds we're not anything less then what she would have expected, Leo's arm was mangled to the point they all feared Donnie wouldn't be able to fix it Raphael even though he was continuing to move had cracked his shell to the point duct tape almost didn't hold it back together even though Donatello continue to move around needing to help his brothers it was clear his leg was worse than ever she had known he suffered from weak joints brought on by an injury he sustained years prior but it wasn't until she finally made him sit down after really seen how much he couldn't walk on it that it became clear he would not only need a cast but he wouldn't be walking around for a few days, thankfully she found Mikey has sustained more of his injuries during the fall and stuff landing on him or a few smaller wounds sustained in the fight he basically just got a few small infections that were easily taken care of two days after they returned home

After fixing their wounds and finally getting them to rest the days following her and Mikey took care of everyone

"Its better off for the city if they believe we are no longer around for a little while longer just to be sure we succeeded in ridding the city of Shredder and that nasty blob of bubble gum" Donnie's voice came from behind her as she eyed Leonardo's arm in a cast keeping him from moving it at all

She walked across the room falling out on their couch before leaning up letting Mikey sit down and placing her head on his shoulder while Leo and Raph took their seats her feet over the leaders lap as the red masked turtle helped Donnie down into the recliner propping his leg up then dropping into his recliner having temporarily forgot how bad his shell hurt giving a pained grunt

It had been a long day and needless to say even though the act had been put on for everyone around her it has been draining and mentally exhausting " I understand... I'm just glad to get them off your scent for a while longer but please, no more funerals I can't do anymore - next time I die too" they all chuckled at her but knew deep down she wasn't kidding

[d-noona]

MAKE OVER

Chapter 7: Fairy God Mommy

Jung Hoseok x Reader

Reader as Kang Hyeonji

SUMMARY: When Kang Hyeonji transformed herself into a striking redhead, the entire male population of Seoul stood up and took notice. But her make over was for Jung Hoseok’s benefit alone. He began to show interest in the new look but not in the way she wanted. Suddenly he was over-protective, perhaps a little jealous. It seemed that the idea of having a relationship with her couldn’t be further from his mind. The girl however wants more. So it was time for an ultimatum. If Hoseok didn’t want Hyeonji to lose her virginity to another admirer, he had no option but to make love to her himself.

After that nothing could have made Hyeonji happy, not even when Mrs. Jung returned with her still apologetic mother in tow. Amazingly, Zil was thrilled by the idea of becoming Mrs Jung's cleaner, then estatic when Hoseok explained his refinancing offer.

"Isn't that wonderful news Hyeonji?" Her mother exclaimed. "Now we wont have to have a stranger in the house. And you'll have money for yourself for a change."

Hyeonji smiled and said yes, it was wonderful. She smiled all through lunch and laughed when the four of them moved Mrs Jung's living room furniture to new spots, then have to move everything back again to their original places when the end result did not please Mrs Jung's creative eye.

No one would have guessed how wretched Hyeonji felt. She was a past master at hiding her feelings, especially around Hoseok. But her heart grew heavier as the hours passed. By afternoon tea, she was exhausted with the emotional strain of pretending to be bright and breezy when inside she was shattered. Hoseok's getting back with Tinashe the following Sunday was the final straw.

His eagerness for their reconciliation had been palpable, his body language reeking of sexual frustration as he'd spoken of his time away from Tinashe. He could not wait to jump back into bed with her. Hyeonji could no longer fool herself. Any attention he'd been giving her had been the result of his boredom, not because of any suddenly selfless maturity.

"You won't forget about the refinancing," she reminded him stiffly when it came time for them to leave.

"Not at all. In fact, your mom is going to provide me the relevant papers this very afternoon. I'll collect them shortly, Zil, and have Sejin get onto it first thing this week, then I'll bring up whatever needs to be signed next Saturday." As Hoseok elaborates what he plans to have his secretary do.

"You coming home next Saturday, are you?" Hyeonji asked with a weary resignation. Normally, the thought of Hobi being around thrilled her to pieces. Now there was no pleasure in the news, only the cynical thought that of course he was coming home. Had nothing better to do till Sunday, did he?

"Yes, I've been invited to speak at a local business awards dinner on Saturday night. I'm also presenting the prizes" he says.

"How nice." Hyeonji answers blandly.

"Why don't you take Hyeonji, Hoseok?" His mother suggested. "The invitation says "and partner"."

Hoseok's instant frown was enough to turn Hyeonji off the idea, despite her stupid heart giving one last feeble leap. His eyes turned her way then travelled slowly over her. She could actually see his brain ticking away. Dear old Hyeonji doesn't look half bad now. She wouldn't be an embarrassment to take, not like she would have been a week ago.

"Would you like to go?" He asked her. "It's a black tie, so you'll need a dinner dress."

Hyeonji steeled herself to do the one thing she'd thought she would never do. Reject the man she loved. "Thank you Hobi," she said with superb indifference, "but I have other plans for next Saturday night."

His brown eyes instantly clouded a small stab of triumph lifted her spirits momentarily., quickly followed by a much stab of despair. Tears threatened and she just had to get out of there. Panic had her glancing around for her mother. "Ready to go home Mum?" She asked, determined to keep up the false gaiety to the bitter end. "I have quite a bit to do before the working week starts tomorrow."

"My working week starts tomorrow too, doesn't it Mrs Jung?" Zil returned happily.

"Indeed it does."

"Thank you so much," Zil went on, clasping her neighbor's hands with her own with rather touching gratitude. "For lunch. And...and everything."

Mrs Jung smiled and patted Zil's hands. "It's I who's grateful. I've found myself a wonderful cleaner and a new friend as well. See you in the morning Mrs Kang."

"And I'll be seeing you later Mrs Kang!" Hoseok called out as Hyeonji shepherded her mother out of the house. "To get those papers."

"What nice people they are," Zil said on the short way home. "And wasn't it kind of Hoseok to help us out with that money business?"

"Yes, it was." Hyeonji admitted, but tight-lipped.

A silence descended between the two women as they made their way inside, but Hyeonji could feel her mother watching her.

"Why didn't you say yes when Hoseok asked you to go out with him?" Zil asked once they were safely alone in the kitchen. "It...it wasn't because of what I said earlier, was it? About not being...well...pretty enough for him? Because that's not true, Hyeonji. You're plenty pretty enough. And he really likes you. I can see that now. He could hardly take his eyes off you all over lunch, and then later he..."

"Oh Mum, please," Hyeonji begged. "You don't have to lie. You were right the first time."

"No, darling. I wasn't. I was wrong. Very wrong. And I'm thoroughly ashamed of myself. I was feeling sorry for myself, and I was afraid. Yes, afraid." She repeated when Hyeonji's eyes widened. "Afraid some man would snap you up, looking as you do now, and I'd be left all alone in this world."

"But today opened my eyes there's Mrs Jung, a widow like myself, but she doesn't sit around feeling sorry for herself. Besides her writing, she plays golf and bingo and bridge. And she doesn't tie that boy of hers to her apron-strings, either. I can see its up to me to make something of my life for myself. I know becoming a cleaner isnt much but at least I'm good at it, and it's a start. I might even go to that hair dresser of yours with some of my cleaning money and become a blonde!"

"Oh Mum!" Hyeonji exclaimed, a burst of very real joy dragging her heart back out of the doldrums. "You've no idea how happy you made me, hearing you say that."

"Do you forgive me for saying those awful things to you, my dear? I didn't mean them, you know."

Hyeonji couldnt help but relent. "Of course, I forgive you," she said gently. "I love you Mom."

"Oh Hyeonji," her mother crude, and threw her arms around her daughter.

Unfortunately , it was not the best of time for Hyeonji to be hugged. Her mother's display of affection tipped her over the edge on which she'd been balancing for several hours., splintering the brittle control which she'd been holding in her misery. Her shoulders began to shake as sobs racked her whole body. "Oh my daughter," her mother groaned, and hugged her even more tightly. "Dont cry, darling. Please dont cry. Oh, you make me feel terrible. If only I hadn't said those awful things, you would have probably gone out with Hoseok when he asked you. It's my fault!"

"No, it isn't," Hyeonji sniffled when she at last pulled out of her mother's arms. "Hoseok only asked me out because Tinashe's trying to prove some point or other and she's refused to have anything to do with him for a month. But come next Sunday they'll be back together again, as thick as thieves. Who knows? If she plays her cards right he might even ask her to marry him."

"What rubbish!" Her mother pronounced firmly, startling Hyeonji. "Hoseok is not in love with that flashy bit of goods. No man in love with one girl looks at another girl as he looked at you today."

Hyeonji was dumbfounded. "But I...I didn't notice him looking at me in a special way..."

"Then you're as blind as he is, my girl. You made a big mistake refusing to go out with him next Saturday night. Now listen here; when he comes over to pick up those papers, you tell him you've changed your mind and you'd like to go after all."

"But...but..." Hyeonji stammered.

"NO buts. You said he's not getting back with that Tinashe till Sunday. Make the most of what time you have!" Zil pushed Hyeonji with both her arms on her waist.

"I was just going to say I don't have anything to wear," Hyeonji smiled weakly.

"Well, that's easily fixed."

"How? Hoseok's accountant can't get us anymore money immediately. And I'm not taking the cleaning money you earn, Mom. No way. One hundred dollars wouldnt be nearly enough anyway," she added with a sad sigh. "A dinner dress, complete with shoes and bag doesn't come cheap these days."

"Would five hundred dollars do?"

"Five hundred! But where?... I mean..." Hyeonji surprised at her mother.

Zil smiled her pleasure at her daughter's surprise. "You're not the only one who has rainy-day money stashed away, my girl. Come this way."

Hyeonji followed, fascinated, while her mother led her upstairs and into the master bedroom where she proceeded to lift up the mattress and draw out a battered brown paper envelope. She opened the flap and tipped the contents out onto the patchwork quilt. Notes of all sizes fluttered down, mostly fives, tens and twenties.

"I used to hide this is an empty washing powder box in the laundry when your father was alive. But now its safe enough out here. I know there's at least five hundred dollars, maybe more." She gathered the money up and pressed them into Hyeonji's hands. "I want you to buy yourself a dress which will knock Hoseok's eyes out!"

Hyeonji hated the wild rush of elation ehich flooded her heart, for she feared she was setting herself up for a disaster of monumental proportions. No matter what her mother said and no matter what dress she brought, how could she seriously compete with Tinashe? It was like comparing a nice little house wine with a top brand french champagne. Tinashe's extravagant self fizzed sparkled. She was special-occassion lady whereas she, was the common, everyday, value for money variety.

When Hoseok looked at her he only ever saw a familiar face. And everyone knew what familiarity bred. Contempt. Never chemistry.

Or was that how he'd seen her in the past? Dared she hoped that her new look had evoked a new appreciation? Hyeonji had told the truth when she'd said she hadn't notice Hoseok looking at her differently today. But after his news about Tinashe she'd been too upset to notice anything, and had avoided Hoseok's eyes as much as possible.

Could her mother's observations possibly be correct, or was she just trying to make her daughter feel better? She'd been guilty over her earlier less than generous remarks. Hyeonji didn't want to keep her hopes up. And yet, something was stirring within her soul. Something she'd never felt before. Something rather wicked.

Tinashe had called her a sly piece. Maybe she was right, Hyeonji thought with a steeling of her spirit. Because I am not going to go quietly, Tinashe, darling. Neither am I going to let you have Hoseok back without a fight. Come Saturday night, I'm going to use every female trick in the book.

The trouble was...she hadn't read that particular book yet. She would have to depend on her feminine instinct. The front doorbell ringing startled both of them. "That'll be Hoseok," Zil said urgently. "Now drop that money and go down and talk to him while I get those papers he wants. Tell him you've changed your mind about Saturday night, and ask him what time he wants you ready by. Be cool, though. Not overly eager."

Hyeonji shocked at her mother "Mum, you sneaky thing!"

"Well there is no point in being easy. Any girl who looks as good as you do can pkay a little hard to get. Besides, men never want what they think they can have, gratis. They like a bit of a challenge."

Hyeonji went down stairs shaking her head. Who would have believed that within her own shy reserved mother lurked the makings of a femme fatale? Heaven knew what would happen if the Kang widow became a blonde!

Hyeonji summoned up a pleasant smile to answer the door, resolving to watch this time for any sign that Hoseok looked at her differently in any way.

"Hello there again," she said. "Mum wont be a minute with those papers. Look, about next Saturday night Hobi, that was rude of me to dismiss your very nice invitation out of hand. I know what its like to go to these things alone..."

She didn't actually, because she's never been to an awards dinner. But Hyeonji had never lacked imagination. Just think of all those times Hosoek had made lover to her in her mind. Unfortunately, she began thinking of one those times right at this moment. It was her favorite scenario where Hoseok was concerned. He would bring her home to this door after a serious date and there would be much kissing and panting on the front porch. When she finally unlocked the door, he would push her inside, then scoop her up into his arms and carry her upstairs to her room where a three-foot bed was no barrier to true love.

Her mouth dried as she thought of their naked bodies blended tightly, writhing together. Her brown eyes glittered as they began unconsciously to rove over the object of her desire. Before they reach his waist, Hyeonji swallowed then cleared her throat. "Er...could I possibly change my mind and say yes?"

He stiffened. He actually stiffened. Why?

"Is there a problem with that?" She asked airily, even while her heart was thudding. He stood there frowning at her. The atmosphere on that doorstep was suddenly charged with a quite alien tension. Hyeonji didnt know what to make of it except that she found herself holding her breath.

"Hobi?" She choked out.

He seemed to have to shake himself to answer her. "No." He muttered. "No problem. I'll look forward to it."

Hyeonji had to be careful not to let all her breath out of her lungs in a rush. "Fine," she said with a small smile. "Well, where is this dinner and what time should I be ready?"

"Its being held down at the League's Club, in the Admiral's Quarters. The dinner starts at eight. Pre-drinks at seven thirty. I'll pick you up at...say...seven?"

Hyeonji nodded "I'll be ready. And thanks again for helping us with the finance business."

"My pleasure." He answered.

But it didn't look as if it was his pleasure. Not at all. He hadn't smiled once since she'd opened the door. Hyeonji could not make head or tail of his mood, except that it was obvious he had mixed feelings about taking her to that dinner.

She prayed his reluctance was because he'd begun to feel things for her which he found confusing, and not because Tinashe might get jealous if she ever found out. Her mother's arrival at that point steered the conversation to a less stressful grounds. Hoseok left a couple of minutes later and as Zil closed the front door she threw Hyeonji a questioning glance. "Well? What happened? You both seemed tense when I came down."

Hyeonji shrugged. "I don't really know. I told him I changed my mind about the dinner, and he agreed to take me, but not with great enthusiasm. To be honest, I think it worried the heck out of him."

"Well that's better than indifference, Hyeonji."

Nodding her head Hyeonji agreed "That's what I was thinking."

Zil patted her daughter's back "Only time will tell."

Chapter 08

Masterlist

[imagineclaireandjamie]

Could we get another chapter of Fergus through the stones? I'm a huge fan of any fic with our wee Fergus!

The Tagalong - Part Nine

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight

Fergus hesitated to get out of the car. He had stayed over at the manse at least half a dozen times but then it had always just been the two of them, Roger and himself. They had slept in Roger’s bedroom flipping a coin to see who would take the bed and who got the cot on the floor.

This time there would be several other boys from school and Fergus wasn’t quite sure what to make of the prospect.

“He said we’d be camping,” Fergus explained to Claire as she eased the new car through the streets towards the manse.

Brianna gurgled in the strange basket on the seat beside Fergus. It was mostly stuffed with blankets and pillows to keep Brianna well cushioned when they went around corners. Fergus liked to drape his arm over the top to keep it in place as well and he knew Mother Claire relaxed when she looked into the mirror and saw him watching protectively over his little sister. Brianna found it great fun too pulling one of the blankets over her face and then laughing when Fergus pulled it off again. Her gummy grin brought a smile of pride to his face and he reached into the basket to tickle her cheek, setting off a riot of giggles.

“Is there something wrong with camping?” Claire asked when they stopped to let a trio of pedestrians cross.

“Camping is for armies or if you are traveling and cannot find a place to stay,” Fergus complained. “It is not something to be done when a proper bed is near. Why would anyone enjoy to sleep in the cold and the dirt and the mud?”

Claire was glad Fergus couldn’t see the full extent of her amusement from his seat in the back.

“Making camp is one of the things that’s different in this time––for the most part,” she tried to explain. “For one thing, most of the children have only had beds to sleep in. Even during the war, special care was taken to get the children to safe places. The beds may have been crowded and the rooms dar, but they were usually safe and warm too.”

“So they find the dirt and such interesting because it is different?” Fergus sounded less disbelieving and more fascinated. “Like when Bree wishes to play with the red ball instead of the blue even though they are the same.”

As though to underscore her agreement, Brianna screeched and pulled hard on Fergus’ arm, demanding his attention. He gave her his hand and she promptly pulled his fingers to her mouth so she could gnaw on his knuckles.

“Yes,” Claire concurred, turning her head to check the way was clear before easing through the intersection. “It’s a novelty. And they do some fun games and things too. Probably tell ghost stories and use a telescope to look at the stars.”

“Is this why I must bring something to give to Roger? To say my thanks for being asked and so we will have the games to play?”

“The present is for Roger’s birthday. It’s how they’re celebrated in this time. Friends and family have a party and the birthday person receives gifts.”

Fergus sighed and pulled his finger from Brianna’s mouth looking carefully at the skin to see if her new teeth had finally broken through and left a mark. They hadn’t so he wiped the drool from her chin as she blew bubbles. He gave her one of the strange toys to chew on. They were hard like wood at the core but had an odd and colorful coating on top of that, some material that didn’t chip or splinter and was soft enough not to hurt Bree when she bit down hard.

It was unlike anything he’d seen for children before but then there were many things about this time that were like that; sometimes it was more overwhelming than others and this was one of those times.

“How did you manage, Mother Claire?” he asked. “You lived for years in a time not belonging to you. I never would have known did I not follow you here. How is it you found your way so easy?”

She laughed. “It wasn’t easy and I did have help with most of it,” she remarked.

“Milord,” Fergus nodded looking down at Brianna. It was incredible how much the chubby-cheeked babe looked like her father. His eyes shone from her face and his hair gleamed on her crown… but her laugh was all her own.

Claire’s voice was somber as she responded, “Yes. I had Jamie. I didn’t tell him right away but he did know fairly early��� And where I went backwards there’s the advantage of having some idea of what you’re going to find,” she added, moving on to the less painful side of the matter. “Even if you don’t study it specifically or know a lot you can’t help absorbing something of the past simply by living. It’s the future that leaves you blind… even then… trying to change things… I still don’t know if what we did had any impact one way or another…”

Fergus reached forward and rested a hand on her shoulder, snapping her from her reverie.

“You and Milord impacted me,” he assured her quietly. “And Bree. We would not be here.”

Claire smiled at Fergus in the rearview mirror and blinked back her tears before pulling to a stop and parking the car.

“Are you ready for Roger’s birthday party?”

Fergus stared out the window at the manse. There were two or three of the boys from his class saying goodbye to their parents, eager to move on to the fun and games ahead.

“Are all birthday parties like this?” he asked, his face scrunched with anticipatory disgust.

“Many are… but they don’t have to be. You can have whatever kind of birthday party you…” She stopped herself and looked carefully at Fergus. “Oh, darling…” she murmured.

“If this is what birthday parties are, I’m not sure I mind not having one,” he declared, quietly resolute.

“You don’t know when your birthday is,” Claire stated.

“Madame Elise sometimes said it was spring and that my disposition was sunny for that, but when I displeased her she would say it was my winter coming out.”

“March,” Claire said with some certainty, enough to draw Fergus’ attention to her. A smile crept across her face. “They say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.”

A light lit Fergus’ face. “It was in March that Milord found me and brought me home to you.”

“Do you remember which day?”

Fergus puzzled for a moment before shrugging.

“Near to Easter, I think, but I cannot be sure was it the 23rd or the 24th.”

“Well, pick one and we’ll make that your birthday––the day you became a Fraser. We’ve overshot March by a few weeks now, but we’ll find a way to celebrate it; just the three of us if that’s all you want.”

Fergus grinned. “I will think which day I like. But now I must do the camping.” He stuck his head between the headrests to kiss Claire’s cheek.

“Wish me luck,” he said with resignation that made Claire laugh as the car door closed behind him and she watched him head for the door with Roger’s gift tucked under his arm.

When Claire returned the next morning to retrieve Fergus, she found him in much better spirits if a little tired.

“Have you had a change of heart about camping?” she asked with an amused smile.

“No, I still prefer a bed that is inside but I most definitely want to have a birthday party. The games were enjoyable––I was the most skilled at the game of picking up sticks and I showed everyone games for playing cards and won most of their sweets but when the Reverend and Mrs. Graham discovered this they made us stop and I had to return the candy,” Fergus rattled on as Claire negotiated the drive home. “I have decided I want my birthday to be the 24th and I want a present like the one Rabbie gave to Roger––they are shoes with wheels on the bottoms.”

“I take it you want some of the boys from school to come,” Claire guessed with a chuckle.

“Oui, I have already invited them.”