#IC. — ❪ I'm stuck here in between beginning and end. ❫

[sctsunai]

@duelrisen​ from here

          ...bad  talker.  well,  he  wasn’t  exactly  wrong.  Yusaku  was  far  from  a  conversationalist  and  hadn’t  exactly  had  many  good  run  ins  with  the  other  students  in  their  dorm.  he’d  basically  ruined  any  sort  of  idea  that  he  wasn’t  a  nasty  hermit,  not  that  he  particularly  cared.

           ❝  sometimes  it’s  because  of  you  that  I  need  that  stronger  word.  besides,  even  if  it’s  not,  I  think  you’d  find  it  somewhat  amusing.  ❞  maybe.  honestly,  he’s  not  even  sure  how  Takeru  still  puts  up  with  him  sometimes.  he  doesn’t  really  do  his  roommate  many  favors  when  it  comes  to  his  attitude.

[strawberrynull]

──⯎ ˙⛸ ̟ on thin ice

엔하이픈 | Enhypen | Park Sunghoon

──Pairing: skater!sunghoon x afab skater!reader

──Genre: angst, fluff, smut

──Synopsis: You've been paired with a new skating partner right before competition. The two of you work well on the ice but off ice, all you do is argue. One day, an argument leads to a heartfelt confession... and more...

──Warnings: cursing, fighting, unprotected sex, size kink, soft dom!hoon,

──A/N: erm... so this is my first time writing something spicy so I'm kinda nervous. I hope its not too bad lol. Please lmk if I could improve this kind of writing in any way. My messages are always open

masterlist

You would have never imagined that skating with the infamous Park Sunghoon would have lead you here- waking up in someone else’s apartment, wearing clothes that weren’t yours.

The past month had been busy with skating practice. Your coach stuck you with a new skating partner, making you have to adapt to his unique skating style only a few weeks before competition. 

Your coach had forced the two of you to hang out off ice often to bond since pair skating needed a real connection between partners. Trust. This was the most important value your coach was working on with you two. You needed to be able to trust that he would never hurt you purposefully. That was kind of a difficult thing to entrust on the Park Sunghoon. He was a short tempered person- he was known for losing his cool with his other skating partners. Hence why you were sceptical about skating with him but your coach insisted. She said that you two were a perfect match.

She may have been right though, There was something about the way you and Sunghoon just seemed to click on the ice. Off ice was a different story.You tried your best to get along with him but he was snarky and rude. Now you understood why he didn't get along with past partners.

“You guys get along so well.” Your coach claimed, one day, cupping her face in awe. You turned to her with a look of genuine shock and confusion. She let out a fake sob, wiping away an imaginary tear. “I’m so proud.” She turned toward you, her eyes pure, assuring you that she wasn’t lying. “What’s with the look dear?”

“Ah, I’m just confused. What do you mean? We get along horribly!” You flung your hands up dramatically. Your coach just laughed.

“Oh dear y/n, you may not see it but I do. I’ve been coaching this prick since the beginning.” 

“I’m afraid I still don’t understand.” You said causing your coach to let out a reminiscent sigh.

“You see, y/n,” she motioned for you to come closer, cupping a hand to her mouth. “Sunghoon has never been able to successfully skate with any of his past partners. It frustrated him and he would lash out- calling out every mistake his partner would make and arguing even more off the ice.” You pressed your lips into a small o before your face returned to a confused expression again.

“But…” You started, biting softly at your bottom lip. “We argue a lot off ice too. Aren’t you the least bit worried?”

“Not at all. You two don’t argue nearly as much as the last girl. And he’s so gentle when he does correct you.” As she rambled, you saw Sunghoon approaching from behind her. You tried your best to shoosh her by putting a finger to your lips. “And the way Sunghoon looks at you…” She said longingly, rocking on her heels. You dropped your head in defeat when Sunghoon snapped his neck toward you and your coach. When you looked back up, he was there towering over you with a disappointed look.

“You called?” He asked sarcastically, glaring down at you through his dark bangs.

“We were talking about our partnership.” You deadpanned, crossing your arms. A look of shock washed over Sunghoons face before returning to his usual cold glare. Your coach slinked away, not wanting to be in between yet another fight.

“A-are we ending the partnership?” Sunghoon stuttered, trying to hold back a worried tone.

“I dunno… it’s not completely off the table yet so…” You trailed off, causing Sunghoon to bite his lower lip. 

“So then you’re considering it?” He asked anxiously. He never acted this way normally. It was almost as if he didn’t want you to leave. “But we’ve been doing so well recently!”

“Sunghoon, nothing is set in stone right now-”

“You’ve never had a partner like me though. Coach told me that you, too, have never been able to connect with any of your partners.” This set something off in your brain. Like stepping on a twig, you snapped.

“Why do you always make things about you? Seriously, not everything is about you, Park Sunghoon! Grow the fuck up!” Sunghoon flinched at your sudden yelling. He stared at you in shock. When he didn’t respond, you mumbled, “Maybe breaking off this partnership would be a good idea.” You turned of your heels to leave.

“Wait, no!: He yelled desperately, reaching his hand out but ultimately pulling it back before you could see.

“What do you mean, ‘no’” You hissed, exaggerating every word. Sunghoon tried to speak but his words were caught in his throat. In his desperation he had trapped himself in a corner. “Hurry up and spit it out. Remember, our partnership is on the line and my patience is running out.”

“Fuck, fine. I don’t want to end our partnership.” He admitted, throwing his hands up in defeat. Your face softened as you realized that maybe, just maybe, he actually cared. “We’ve been doing so well on the ice. We can’t give up right before competition.” Your expression quickly hardened again.

“You only care about this stupid competition! You don’t care about me at all!” You shouted, pointing at him.

“No, y/n, listen.” He said sternly. His eyebrows furrowed when you didn’t listen and continued to yell.

“You’re using me so you can make it to the top!” You poked his chest repeatedly as you spat hollow accusations. Sunghoon clenched his fists, trying not to get angered by your meaningless words. “You never gave a shit!”

“That’s not-”

“That’s not what, Sunghoon? Tell me why i shouldn’t end this partnership right now.” You demanded making him gulp. 

“Please, y/n, you’ve been the first partner I’ve ever trusted this much-” He said, becoming vulnerable before being interrupted by you again.

“Trust!? You wanna talk about fucking trust right now!?” You laughed in disbelief. “I can’t even try to trust you when all you do is argue with me!”

“Then let me help you trust me.” Sunghoon proposed seriously. There was no deceit in his tone.

“W-what?” You stuttered with wide eyes.

“Let me prove to you that you can trust me- that I would never do anything to hurt you.” He said with sincerity laced in his words. He stepped forward, taking your hand in his. “I swear I care about you and not just competition so please give me this chance to make everything up to you.”

“How do you plan on doing that? That’s a big promise, Hoon.” You poke your tongue into the side of your cheek trying to  keep your stern expression. The way he held your hand, though- you couldn’t help but give into his now warm gaze.

His heart melted at the nickname you gave him. He stepped closer and tucked a stray hair behind your ear before leaning in to whisper in your ear. “Take off your skates and meet me in my car in 5. Then you’ll find out.” He gave a caring smile before leaving the building. 

You didn’t hesitate to rip off your skates like they were filled with bugs. You tossed your stuff into your bag before leaving the building too. You stepped outside and looked around for Sunghoons car. Thankfully it was very hard to spot since his was the only car aside from your own.

When you got to his car and hopped into the passenger seat, he turned to smirk at you with his chin resting in his palm. Your breath hitches as he leans closer to you.

"I knew I wouldn't have to wait long." He says, tucking a stray hair behind your ear. "Can I just kiss you already?" You nod furiously making him chuckle before lightly placing his lips over yours. Sunghoons lips were soft and gentle- the complete opposite of what you expected.

He took his sweet time exploring your mouth as if it would be his last time. His hand found it's way to your chin, tilting it up to gain better access to you. Sunghoon hungrily nips at your lips, wanting more. You grab onto his shirt, whining into the kiss. He squeezes your waist and slightly groans at the feeling of vibration on his lips.

Not too long after, you were on your way to his apartment. You were still in the passenger seat of Sunghoons car with his hand on your thigh, rubbing small circles on your soft skin. The moment felt surreal. You had never seen this side of Park Sunghoon. It was like he was a whole different person but honestly, you were liking the change of events.

As soon as you arrived at his apartment, Sunghoons lustful lips met yours again. You were pushed against the wall, one of Sunghoons hands on your waist and the other lost in your silky hair.

You pull away momentarily causing him to lean towards you, attempting to chase your lips. You put a hand on his chin to lightly push him away, giggling at his actions. "Was this really your master plan for trying to get me to believe you?" You chuckle as he sulks, trying to take your hand off his chin.

"It's working thought, is it not?" He smirks, sliding his hand from your waist into your pants and down to your already soaked panties. Your ears redden as you turn your head, avoiding his gaze. "Is that a yes?" He repeats, pressing his index finger against your clothed pussy.

"Fuck- then you better convince me real good." You demand through clenched teeth, snaking both your arms around his neck and pulling his face back down to your own. He hungrily kisses you, leading you blindly to his room where he pushes you to sit on the bed.

You run your hands up and down his torso as he leaves marks all over your neck. He takes off his shirt and begins tugging at the zipper of your tight skating jacket, urging you to do the same. Sunghoon stares down at you with his hands on your waist. You can see the prominent bulge in his pants grow. He can't take his eyes off you.

"You're so beautiful, fuck, princess." He hisses, palming himself through his pants. You reach down, removing his hand and replacing it with your own. A groan escapes his lips. "Your hand feels so much better than mine." He sighs, letting his head drop onto your shoulder. He nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck, kissing and nipping at your skin.

He mumbles something onto your skin, making you unable to hear him. You take your hand off his pants and push his forehead forcing him to look at you. He groans at the loss of physical touch. Sunghoon doesn't look into your eyes, instead he can only stare at your lips- your faces only centimeters apart.

"What'd you say?" You whisper against his lips.

"I said, I've been waiting for this moment for so long." He smiles softly before landing his lips on yours while his hand finds its way to the waistband of your pants, sliding them down your thighs. You do the same, helping him remove his pants. The pace of his passionate kisses slow down as he feels every inch of your body. His plump lips move in such a way that no longer feels like lust but rather that he's drunk in love.

His breath gets caught in his throat when he feels you tug down his boxers, freeing his painfully hard cock. It's big and has a nice girth to it. The tip is red and swollen, already leaking pre cum. You wrap your slim fingers around him, moving your hand up and down his shaft. He quickly remembers you calling him selfish earlier and grabs your wrist, removing your hand from him. The sudden desire to please you washes over ever part of him. Your panties are pushed to the side as Sunghoons fingers gently caress your folds, collecting your arousal. You hiss at the sudden contact. He then brings his hand to his length, stroking and rubbing your juices onto his cock. This elicits a groan from Hoon- his dick now aching to have more of you.

"Are you- um.. are you ready, princess?" You nod, wrapping your legs around his waist, pulling him closer to your small figure. He took his bottom lip between his teeth as he pushed his tip against your entrance. A whine escaped your lips. You close your eyes, anticipating the feeling of being stuffed with his cock.

And that's just what he did. He slowly pushed more into you, asking every few seconds if you were doing okay. Giggles filled the room when Sunghoon asked for the nth time.

"Why are you so nervous all of a sudden, Hoonie?" You asked stifling laughs.

"You're just so perfect- I don't want to mess this up." He explained in a low voice, covering his face with one of his shaky hands.

"Look at me," you demand, propping yourself up on your elbows and bringing your lips close to his ear. "I want you to fuck me so hard I won't be able to skate tomorrow." You whisper in a low hushed voice.

Sunghoon groans before pushing the rest of his length into you, almost bottoming out completely- he couldn't help himself. A muffled moan slipped past your slightly parted lips.

"Shit you feel... mmh... s-so good." He says through clenched teeth. "Tell me what you need from me. I want you to trust me, princess." He whispers, leaning down to kiss your neck. Your heart warms hearing his selfless desires; putting your feelings before his own.

"Hoon, please move." You whine grasping at his soft hair and moving your head to the side, giving him full access of your exposed neck.

He groans at the nickname you gave him. He begins pushing in and out of you with slow, sensual trusts. He sighs in satisfaction, dropping his head on your shoulder.

A deep moan erupts from your throat. Your face contorts from the pain and pleasure of being filled with Sunghoons cock. Though, he still handles you delicately, which is too slow and soft for your liking.

You bring your hand to cup his flushed cheek. "I told you to fuck me until I can't walk, not fuck me like I'm made of glass." Your thumb rubs circles on the soft skin of his cheek.

"Are you sure you can handle that?" He asks, not meaning to sound intimidating, though it comes off that way.

You snake your hand from his cheek to the back of his neck and pull his face close to yours. "Don't underestimate me."

Sunghoons eyes widen at your response. Like a switch has been flipped, his hips start moving on their own. One of his large hands grip your waist as his pace quickens. He grunts, clamping his eyes shut. You gasp in surprise by his sudden actions and by instinct you grip his shoulders harshly, digging your nails into his skin. He hisses before crashing his lips onto yours, presumably to muffle his own moans.

You bring one of your hands up to weave your fingers through the boys dark locks. The sounds of muffled moans and skin slapping fill the room making both you and Sunghoon dizzy.

He pulls away as he runs out of breath, gasping for air. His gasps mixed with desperate moans fill your ears. Your cheeks flush at the thought that he was in so much bliss that he was nearly whining from your touch. His brows were scrunched together as his mouth hung slightly open. You never would have expected that a guy as cold as Sunghoon would be this needy in bed.

You groaned out his name as he pressed his hips forward, burying himself deeper inside your cunt, his larger body towering over you.

"Shit- was that good? Did that feel good?" He asked, trying with all his power to keep his head up to look at your beautiful face. You knew he was trying to sound sexy but he sounded more genuinely concerned than anything. It was endearing that he cared so much about how he was making you feel. Looking back, he had always been this way. Always reassuring you when you did difficult stunts on the ice; he would always make sure you were ready before attempting anything too difficult. He was definitely the type of guy you could fall in love with.

"Hoon, feels s'good..." You groan, tugging lightly at his scalp. He gasps at the pain your fingers cause as he's forced to look down at your smaller figure. Though he urges you to continue pulling at his hair, and you do just that, earning more whines from him.

Sunghoon drops his head onto your shoulder, unable to hold it up any longer. His body drapes over your own so your chests are touching. You could feel him shaking above you like his arms were about to give out at any second. You could tell he was getting closer as his moans became higher in pitch with every thrust of his hips.

"Yn-" he calls your name through a choked gasp.

"Yes, Hoonie?" You answer, lifing his chin so he can look you in the eyes. He bit down on his bottom lip. His damp hair was stuck to his forehead, half pushed to the side in a weak attempt to keep it out of his face. His dark eyebrows furrowed together from the pleasurable bliss you made him feel. He looked like he was in heaven.

"I- ah!" He chokes back moans, trying to form a full sentence but clearly failing to do so. You know what he was trying to say though. You could already tell he was close and so were you. "I'm... cumming..." Oh shit. He was closer than you thought. "Oh fuck... oh- fuck!"

Before you could think, he was already spurting ropes of thick cum, painting your insides white. Sunghoon was whining uncontrollably, burying his face in the crook of your neck. In a quick attempt to silence his noises, he decides to bite down on the soft skin of your neck. A loud moan slips past your lips as you feel your own high rip through you. You claw at his back, leaving many scratch marks that you profusely apologized about later.

Sunghoon continued to piston in and out of your warm pussy sloppily until the very end of your climax. Then he collapses next to you, huffing and panting like he had run a marathon. His arms snake around you to hug your small body from the side. He dips his head down to the crook of your neck, panting soft kisses.

"Shit, Hoon," You jolt upright. "I gotta get home and I don't have my car-"

"Just stay the night then." He replies nonchalantly.

"What?"

"Stay." He groans, pulling you back down to lay next to him. After giving it some thought, you nod hesitantly. You lay back down, scooting back into his embrace. "I really do love you, y'know." Hoon's smooth voice rings through your ears.

"Me too." You say without bothering to look at him.

"Are you being serious?" He asks genuinely, sitting up quickly. His eyes were wide with what was perhaps a relieved expression.

You turn around to look him in the eyes, reaching a hand up to cup his cheek before reassuring him. "Yes, Hoon. I love you." You chuckle as he lays back down next to you, leaving many happy kisses all over your pretty face.

In the morning, you woke up in an almost unfamiliar room. Though, it wasn't really unfamiliar after you remembered what had happened the night prior. Now you remembered where you were. That's how you ended up in Park Sunghoons bed.

© strawberrynull, 2024. Do not copy my work. Please DM for permission before translating or reuploading. Thank You

[astyrial]

sparks between you suna rintarō x fem!reader (fluff) synopsis: you’re practicing with a hockey player for an event word count: 1.1k warnings: mentions of skating blades masterlist | requests are open part 1 / part 3

    "all you have to do is toss me a little, not throw, mr. reckless," you skate up to suna, your hands reaching for his, "and you have to position your hands here on my hips."

  your fingers interlace with his, hands guiding his until they're up against your hips. his fingertips glide across your bodysuit, the feeling carries through to your skin, sending goosebumps along your torso. you look back at him and give him a short smile, "we'll start with you slightly lifting me off the ground and dropping me on the ice."

  it took a couple of practices for the two of you to get where you are. the first one filled with you criticizing his hockey skates, stating that 'they aren't built for this', and him commenting that it won't matter since it's just for a day. he would turn away from you a lot, rolling his eyes at your instructions. you end up sending kiyoko a look similar to daggers since you're stuck with the most stubborn person alive (besides yourself). 

  you nearly strangled him by the end of the practice and told kiyoko such. through a long phone call, you shared all of your grievances with the hockey player. she ensured you that all will be alright if you just give him a viable chance. due to her reason and influence, you promised yourself you would be better for the next practice. 

  the second practice started with a short truce that suna actually ended up initiated...

  "i'm sorry... for my attitude the other day. i get that this is your thing and you understand better than i do. let's get this done and then we can part ways forever," suna holds out his hand, a pair of cloth gloves covering his probably freezing fingers.

  you bite your lip, looking between his eyes and his hand. without thinking much of it, you hold out your hand and give his a short shake. his hand is rather cold against your own glove. when you look up at his eyes, you can see the heat from his mouth forming a small cloud of fog. suna gives you a short smile and pulls his hand away, "we should get started then..."

  "right, how about we work on spinning? not your forte, i know, but we wanna win," you begin ruffling through a large duffel bag that you had brought, causing suna to look around you in an attempt to get a peek, "but that means you need a blade with a toe pick."

  you pull out an old pair of your uncle's figure skates (the main reason you ever got into skating). it's battered, definitely having seen better days, but it works for what you're trying to accomplish (especially because it miraculously fit). suna stands there for a moment, his mouth open a little.

  "trying to compete with hockey skates are dangerous due to the make of them, so, wouldn't want mr. reckless to get hurt in the middle of a season."

  something about the two of you changed, the way you interacted was no longer tense. he'd finally face you while rolling his eyes at your instructions. he finally gives you a small smile when you say something funny. suna's hands even grip you a little better and you can practically feel him lighten a little. 

  he brings you up, using his upper body strength to toss you a little. with what little space you have, you accomplish a half spin, landing with one leg out. you let out a small sigh as you turn around to look at him, your eyebrows raised.

  "well suna, it seems we have something that we can work with," you rest your hands on your hips, skating back towards him.

  suna shrugs his shoulders, crossing his arms across his chest, biting back a smile, "seems we do, i guess we have you to thank for that. because i really have no idea what i'm doing."

  you shake your head, skating around him on the somewhat jagged ice. the two of you began your practice after kiyoko and tanaka's and the zamboni hadn't had a chance to smooth it out. you bring yourself to a stop and hold out your hand, your fingers wiggling while you wait for suna to grab it. 

  he raises an eyebrow, nervously putting out his hand to grab yours. "what are we doing now?" suna runs his thumb against the back of your hand, a chill following quickly behind.

  "we're going to skate side by side, i mean, you can't just be throwing me around to get points," you pull him towards you, gliding your skate against the ice, letting his skates follow suit, "we have to find a rhythm, work together, just for another week..."

  "yes, another week," suna looks away for a moment before he begins to copy your footwork, his skates moving harmoniously with yours. 

  the two of you start around the rink, his free hand moving until it latches onto your waist, keeping him with you. he moves ahead of you, skating backward, his fingers still resting firmly against your hip. you bring your free hand up to his shoulder and replicate that of the waltz. as you look into his eyes, it feels as though the two of you have been skating together forever. 

  he goes to turn around, continue behind you, but something catches on his skates. suna falls onto his back; his hand that's latched onto you, brings you down with him. he slides against the cold ice, his eyes closed in anguish. suna's arm is still around your waist as he instinctively protected you from the fall. 

  you let out a soft sigh, breathing heavily, "um- you okay?"

  "okay? i mean, i did just slip on some ice and completely ate it-" he begins to complain about what happened, but he quickly stops as soon as he opens his eyes.

  the first thing that he sees is you staring back at him, eyebrows furrowed. your eyes search his golden-hazel eyes, your noses nearly touching. he doesn't know what to do besides give you a small smile and shrug, "i'll be okay, though. trust me, hockey is a contact sport."

  his reassurance sends a smile to your face and he looks away from you. you finally realize just how awkward of a situation the two of you are. "uh, thanks for the save suna, appreciate it," you bring your leg over him and rest your knee on the ice.

  suna lets go of your waist, his fingers sliding off of your torso like he didn't quite want to let go yet. you watch as he brings himself to his feet, holding out his hand for you to grab. when your hand takes his for another time, it becomes clear to you that initially misjudged the hockey player.

[iceman-maverick]

Huddling for warmth + "I really think you should re-evaluate your priorities."

“I really think you should re-evaluate your priorities,” Ice says, twirling the phone cord as he waits for the tone to go through. 

He’s a vision in his briefs, sprawled out all sunkissed across Maverick’s baby blue sheets. The sun is just beginning to set, casting the room in a light orange glow- a picture perfect ending to a deliciously relaxing day by the pool. Mav was drawn to this rental mostly because of the price and proximity to Carol's house - the pool was just a bonus that left Ice hellbent on getting as much return on investment as their instructor schedules would permit.

Maverick tries not to think so hard about how sweetly the sheets bring out the color in Ice’s eyes. Tries to forget Carol's gleeful teasing from back when he bought the damn things on a Target run.

Seriously Pete? She had squealed, Look at the tag! They're called Pradise Ice for Heaven's sake.

He pushes her laughter from his mind - or at least he tries to.But then Ice rolls his shoulder, stretches like a sunbathing cat and exposes his neck for all the world to see. Peppered along the tanned skin is a constellation of angry red and purple bite marks, evidence of a night well spent.

Maverick smirks and turns to open his drawers. He’s drenched to the bone, shirt clinging uncomfortably to his chest and making all sorts of strange and off putting squishing sounds as Maverick tries to wrestle himself free. He nearly loses his footing and doesn't even wait for the cackling to start before he raises a middle finger up to Ice who is far too pleased about Maverick's spectacle. 

“I couldn’t let it die,” Maverick whines, putting as much elbow grease into peeling his jeans off as his still aching back is willing to allow. 

A night well spent, indeed. 

“Mother nature can be cruel,” Ice drones. Even with his back turned, Maverick can hear the frown in his voice. The line’s engaged, Mav figures, just as he hears the testy click of Ice dropping the phone back to the receiver. “We’re going to starve because you had to go all Baywatch on a frog,” 

"It was a nice frog," Mav shrugs, tossing his wet clothes to the side of the room and happily ignoring Ice's pointed frown.

Mav forgoes fresh clothes and instead opts to crawl up the bed and flop down squarely across Ice’s chest. He brings his arms up to wrap around Ice’s shoulders, basking in his radiating body heat. Maverick swears that Ice is some sort of lizard what with his uncanny ability to soak up the sun. Ice always tends to run hot - the irony is not lost on either of them - and Maverick is more than happy to help himself to his wingman’s warm embrace. 

“Baywatch, huh?” Mav smiles into Ice’s neck, trailing his fingers lightly along the trail of hickies. He pokes at a particularly angry mark and delights in Ice’s squirming. “Didn’t peg you for a Hasselhoff kinda guy,” 

“Oh shut up,” Ice pushes away Mav’s proding fingers, and then starts to buck until Mav slides off besides him. Mav makes a noise not unlike a dying animal before flailing his arms back towards Ice.

“Oof- Mav let go, it’s fucking hot,” 

“Yeah, well I’m fucking cold,”

Mav successfully gets an arm back around Ice’s shoulder and uses it to propel himself back into the warm cocoon of Ice’s chest. Ice begins to worm his way out again but then Mav quickly shoves a thigh firmly between Ice’s legs and well, looky here, doesn’t that do that trick nicely?

“Now, are you going to help or am I stuck warming myself up all by myself?” Mav says, leaving a fresh trail of kisses along a suddenly much more cooperative Ice.

---

I was going to go in a completely angsty direction with this prompt - I'm talking chemo angsty - but then I opened up pinterest and the monstrosity above was suddenly thrusted upon me. Val Kilmer's body is obsecene, I want to feed him grapes and fawn him with various large leaves.

We're playing an IceMav askbox fic game. Send me a trope and a first sentence and I'll write at least one paragraph!

[obxone]

Vigilante Shit (Chapter Twelve)

Edited-ish. ~1.8k words

SURPRISE! I'm starting to feel a lot better. I've felt better for awhile, but just didn't have the heart quite yet to get back into it. Ice storms and standing my ground has brought me back to you guys. Enjoy!

Tag list: @fishingirl12 @gillybear17 @sublimepenguinpeach-blog @gills-lounge @emmafitzzz @redfieldfx @baby19sthings @marauderssmut

Masterpage

The pogues, Sarah and Rafe, have come back to the Maybank house with you. No one wants to leave you just yet. You glance at Rafe as he presses a sanitized Q-tip to the cut below your eye. “Flashbacks, huh?” You speak softly to him. Your hands tremble as you touch his arms.

“A little,” he responds, eyes flicking to yours. “Angel, I’m not leaving this time.”

You smile weakly and quickly blink away the tears.

“Were you going to tell me about tonight if it hadn’t gone down this path?”

You chew the inside of the bottom of your lip. “Probably not.”

He frowns, swiping liquid bandage across the cut before moving to the other wound on your chin. “I would’ve seen the bruises and cuts.”

“I know,” you whisper and squeeze his bicep. “But… you didn’t need to risk getting hurt too.”

His eyes narrow.

“I’m just saying,” you murmur. “Barry and you have a history of violence because of me. And Topper is your best friend.”

“Was,” he corrects without hesitation.

“Right,” you murmur as he finishes, and then you cave. You lean into his chest, your head tucked under his chin. “I hate what has happened. All of it. Topper and his vile actions. The video.” You exhale. “If that hadn’t happened, so much of my life wouldn’t be so shadowed, and you wouldn’t have spiraled.”

“I didn’t spiral,” he mutters, pulling you closer.

You touch his jaw with your fingers. Your tone is gentle but knowing. “You spiraled.”

He chuckles, and his lips ghost your temple. “Maybe.”

You smile weakly and close your eyes. “I hate him. Both of them.”

“Me too.”

A few moments pass before you pull away and turn your back to him. “Unzip me, please?” You whisper. “I want to get out of this dress. It’s already going to cost me a month of my tips to pay for it.”

He frowns but does as you ask. “I’ll pay for it.”

“No,” you murmur as you stand and kick out the skirt so you can walk before heading to your closet. “This is my fault.”

He levels you with a look, and you look down.

“It is.”

“It isn’t.”

You huff and meet his gaze again. That argument would never end, so you choose to change the topic. “Turn around?” You ask as you pull out a pair of shorts and an oversized t-shirt. He does as you ask, and you quickly change before moving back to your bed and him. “Do you need to borrow something?” You ask him. Your fingers card through his hair, something you always used to do.

“Maybe in a minute,” he says while bringing your hand down to his face and kissing your fingertips. Something he always used to do. “Come here.” His voice is low as he pulls you into his chest again. You settle in his lap, head tucked back under his chin.

“I’m awful,” you voice your darker thoughts. “The guy I’m dating is in the ER after a car crash, and I’m sitting in the arms of my ex-boyfriend because his ex-best friend and my other ex-boyfriend couldn’t be decent people.”

He huffs and kisses your forehead. “You’re not awful. Just hurt and needing comfort.” He runs his fingers through your hair. “And it’s not like I’m letting you go anytime soon. You’re stuck with me, Maybank.”

You laugh softly and rub his sides. “You’re a good guy when you want to be, Cameron.”

“Just for you.”

-----

You stir awake, blinking away the sleep, and shift slightly before freezing as you are sandwiched between Rafe and Sarah. You lift your head to see John B asleep on Sarah’s other side. Pope passed out on the couch, and JJ and Kiara tucked together near the couch above your head. You shift and groan softly, throat aching. Your entire body aches. You begin to sit up, but Rafe is there, guiding you back down gently. Your eyes lock with his, and you see concern in his eyes. You start to open your mouth, but he cuts you off.

“Stay, rest,” he murmurs, kissing your forehead. “I’ll get you some water.”

You bob your head yes and shift as Sarah wakes and brushes your hair back behind your ear. You look at her, frowning a little. You hate how raw and exposed you feel after last night. You hate that you are not at the hospital with Mav, holding his hand, but you know his parents will not let you anywhere near him anytime soon.

“It’s okay,” she tries to soothe you. She can see the storm inside of you.

But you shake your head, tears in your eyes. “It’s not.”

A hard knock on the screen door of the house catches your attention, and everyone starts to stir from their various sleeping positions around the family room. JJ gets up and stumbles to the door, opening it. Reese steps inside, and you scramble to your feet, eyes wide.

“Hi,” he murmurs, looking anywhere but directly at you. “Y/n, I’m sorry.”

You realize without him even speaking the exact words what has happened, and it shatters your insides. Tears blur your vision, and your eyes burn. “No,” you whisper, voice breaking. “No.”

Your knees give out, and you collapse to the ground, sobbing. No one says a word or moves, all catching on.

 “No!” You sob louder, trembling as you hug yourself.

“I’m sorry,” Reese murmurs. “I’ll get you the details when I can.”

John B steps forward and pats Reese on the shoulder before squeezing him. “How’s Ben and Nat?”

“Not good,” Reese murmurs, tears in his eyes too. He swallows and clears his throat.

“When?” JJ asks.

“About 4 am this morning. I got the call just before five,” Reese explains. “Nat and Ben are at my house. Y/n?”

You look up, hot tears rolling down your cheeks. Nothing is spoken between you, it is an understanding. He nods once, and then he is gone, the screen door slamming shut behind him. Arms wrap around you, and Rafe holds you as you cry into his shoulder. Mav is gone.

Time passes, and the others begin to move about, but you do not. You stay in the safe warmth of Rafe’s arms. You cry and mourn the boy you have been spending your summer with. An empty hole settles inside of you, you feel the worst sickening turmoil you have ever felt.

“Shh… shh…” Rafe rocks you, stroking your hair.

Sarah sits with John B and looks at you while JJ paces. Kie and Pope are trying to get breakfast together in the kitchen.

 “What do we do?” JJ asks, his blue eyes flashing to you with worry. “Do… do we leave?”

“What?” John B looks up at him in confusion.

JJ shrugs. “Couldn’t she get blamed?”

“No,” Sarah pipes up. “No, if anyone is going down for this, it’s Topper.”

Snorting sarcastically, venom fills your voice as you speak. “Topper will get off scot-free, we all know it.”

Silence floods the room because it is true. Topper won’t face so much as a slap on the wrist for this.

You lift your head and look at Rafe. “He’s the reason we broke up.” You are ready to be Topper’s downfall. And you know Rafe will hold him accountable for what he has done to you all these years. “Back when we were together, he videotaped us having sex and said it was you. He held the tape over my head and lied to me about how you felt about me. He manipulated us into breaking up and pushing me into Barry’s arms.”

“What?!” JJ and Sarah both snap as Rafe stares at you. His eyes go cold, and his grip tightens.

 You sniffle and wipe your cheeks, getting angry now. “He admitted it last night. He confessed, and that is why he was trying to choke me. He doesn’t want us together. Says I’m not good enough for you. I’m a distraction from who you truly are.”

Rafe’s jaw clenches, and you look down. He is angry like you need him to be.

“Topper needs to be taken down,” you say, tone final. “I’ll do it by myself if I have to.”

“No, you won’t,” Rafe says, looking at the others. “I know you all don’t like me, fine. But this isn’t about me.”

“Agreed,” your little brother states firmly. The other pogues all agree.

“What do we do?” John B asks, pulling Sarah into his arms.

You lift your head and look at them all with an angry and teary look. “We get revenge.”

-----

A few hours later, you sit with Nat, head on her shoulder and hand in hers, while everyone sits around Reese’s house talking.

Rafe brings you a bowl of fruit. “You need to eat.”

You take it and tuck it on your lap, but you do not touch it yet.

“Y/n,” JJ and Reese both look at you. “Eat.”

You nod and huff. “I was planning on it. I’m just… I feel sick,” you murmur and look down at the fruit. You look back up at Reese. “You saw him, right? Before he… before he passed?”

Reese nods. “He wasn’t talking, but he was awake.”

Tears pool in your eyes again, and you look back at your fruit. “I wish I could’ve seen him.” It hurts your heart that you have been banned from being there with him in his last moments. You wipe your cheeks as Natalie wraps her arms around you. Her chin is tucked on your shoulder.

“You’ll be at the service and funeral. I don’t care what his mother says.” She murmurs. “You’ll come as our friend.”

You nod and exhale, closing your eyes before hugging her back.

“We’ll make it right,” she murmurs to you, and you nod, sniffling. “I don’t care if Topper has a grandfather for a judge or not,” her tone turns angry.

“Me either,” you agree and look at the others then. Everyone meets your gaze head-on, with anger and something else in their eyes. Four out of ten of you grew up with lesser means and had never been a part of the kook world, but it seemed you all agreed that money would not protect Topper this time.

Rafe moves to sit next to you after Natalie releases you. His knuckles brush your cheek. “We should get you home to rest. Maybe some food and a shower.”

No one utters a word, they watch. This side of Rafe was new for everyone but you. He had always taken care of you and protected you when you dated him as a teenager.

Your eyes lock with his, and you nod. “Please.”

(Chapter Thirteen to come...)

[xf-cases-solved]

S1E8: Ice

Case: Two FBI agents, a geologist, a medical doctor, a toxicologist, and a guy who happens to own a plane walk into an Alaskan research outpost turned crime scene. Stop me if you've heard this one before...

A team of geophysicists doing some fun breaking of the ice suddenly end up dead, and Mulder and Scully are selected, along with a handful of other lucky ducks, to go find out what killed them. What they discover is a bloodbath and a very angry dog. The dog did not murder them, but he might be the key to finding out what did. As unfortunate parasitic discoveries start to be made, things descend into chaos faster than you can say "black nodule." Scully wants everybody to shut up, Mulder asks everyone not to judge his dick size, and CGI is used liberally. Is this a whodunit? Or a whatcausedthemtodunit?

Does someone die in the cold open: Yes. A confused looking man and a shirtless man with blood directly on his tits hold each other at gunpoint, only to then decide to kill themselves instead.

Does Mulder present a slideshow: No, but he did bring a video for Scully to watch.

Does the evidence survive the investigation: Nope! The evidence on the surface killed itself, and the whole place is torched before any more evidence can be found.

Whodunit: Okay, technically it was a bunch of murders plus a couple suicides, but they were just being Ratatouilled by some prehistoric, potentially extraterrestrial, ice worms.

Convictions: None necessary

Did they solve it: Yes. I'm giving this one to them. This is one of the few episodes where hard science, without any twists, saves the day. They could write this in a report and not make their bosses want to kill them. Good job you guys, you prevented a plague!

[how do i determine if a case is solved? check the scale here: x]

THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: The 1982 playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins.

Have you been struggling with stress? Have a lot on your mind? Maybe your job is running you ragged. Or maybe you're stuck in an outpost in Alaska researching the horrific deaths of some scientists. Or maybe the in-laws are in town this week! Whatever the reason, if you need help getting your mind off stuff, we've got the solution—the 1982 playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins!

***

General Total Stats:

(green means stat has changed since last ep; red means new stat added to list)

Total Cases *Definitively* Solved So Far: 3! (begin new streak...)

Total Number of "Mulder/Scully, it's me" phone calls: 1

Total Number of Times Scully Has Conveniently Not Seen Something Crucial: 3 (even tho she was barricaded in a room and was trying very diligently and pointlessly to break down a locked, solid metal door, she didn't actually miss anything she didn't already know)

Total Number of Times Mulder Has Been in Mortal Danger: 2

Total Number of Times Scully Has Been in Mortal Danger: 3 (she was never explicitly targeted, but i say that being on that base at all counts as mortal danger)

Total Number of Sexually Charged and/or Flirty Moments Between Friendly Coworkers: 5 (whyyy were those neck checks so sensual??)

Total Number of Autopsies Scully Has Performed On Screen: 1 (okay, she performed autopsies in this episode, but not on screen, and that's what I think matters, so i'm changing up this category to reflect that specification)

Total Number of Times Mulder Talks to an Informant: 4

Total Number of Nosebleeds: 4

Total Number of Cigarettes Cigarette Smoking Man Has Smoked: 2

Total Number of Alex Krycek Sightings: 0 :(

Total Number of Times I Had to Look Up What State the Episode Takes Place in Even Though I Literally Just Watched It: 2

Total Number of Times I Had to Look at an Episode's Wikipedia Page to Fill This Out Because It Was Fucking Confusing and/or Too Boring for Me to Pay Attention: 1 (Ice is a top tier episode, my dudes, i have that shit memorized. the next episode is Space, tho, so...)

[jpitha]

Just a Little Further 30

Part 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

We sent the Venusians home today.

We left them enough thruster to travel to the Gate and traverse, enough environmental systems to keep them alive - so long as they stuck to their quarters and the Command Deck - and... that was mostly it. Oh, we did take the entirety of their weapons. I even had their weapon lockers stripped. We now have a good supply of high quality rifles and small arms. I gave a few to Sep and asked them duplicate them and begin training. I also promised to stop by later and give some tips in the finer points of their operation.

When I saw their faces when they saw what I was sending them home in, I admit I cackled just a teeny bit. We made sure it was survivable and they won't be injured, but their ship looks like a joke. Large pieces are missing from the hull, whole rooms exposed to vacuum, the thrusters we left them are undersized for what would normally be used, and so on. I imagine they are going to have an... interesting time going through joint human/K'laxi space.

The wormhole generator was destroyed in the explosion, so they can't link home, so what they'll do after they reach human space an the end of the Gates is a bit of a mystery. They won't be trapped though, there are plenty of human Starbases or colonies they could reach via the Gates and ask someone to link a beacon to Venus so they could get a ride the rest of the way.

They don't use AIs at all either. Their ships run with only human crews, so it's not like we left some poor AI behind to drag their own corpse home. It's just a ship.

Well, it's 65% or so of a ship.

As for Raaden and Emery, I did wind up going with the option Ava and I discussed. We found an empty apartment building that was close - but not directly next to - the Royal Dawn. It had two empty apartments and we put Raaden, and Emery in separate apartments quite a long distance from each other. The apartments are guarded all hours of the day, and meals are sent up.

It feels like I just stuffed them into a corner and are trying to forget about them, and I guess I did, but I that's what having hostages is sometimes. I'm trying to make sure they're comfortable and well taken care of. Emery has seemed to accept his lot. He mostly reads and sketches. When he asked for art supplies he seemed excited when we brought him paper and pencils that were native to the Reach. He spends his time looking out the window and sketching what he sees. I've seen a few of them; the drawings are actually quite lovely. I have a feeling he's pretty used to being stuck in a corner somewhere and told to entertain himself.

Raaden... hasn't accepted her lot so easily. She's tried to escape twice already and the only thing that has prevented it was her unfamiliarity with the locks. After the second attempt I had to use my Voice to make her stop trying to break out. Now she just sits in her apartment and alternates between seething and sulking. I almost wish we had a hibernation cabinet to put her into. She'd be less of a problem if she was just on ice the whole time.

Wait a moment. I wonder if Omar can print one? I'm sure there are plans for one in the printer database we got from FarReach. I should ask.

Ginny we put up in the Royal Dawn. Not right near our rooms, but in a room in the hotel. I did use my Voice to order her not to talk to Raaden and Emery and to not have any contact with Venus without our permission, but she knew why and accepted the order.

Yes, we did decide to let Ginny stay. Of all of the people we interviewed she was the only one who actually wanted to be here. Everyone else was indifferent to it or was being actively ordered to be here. That was what finally convinced Ava, Omar, Um'reli and Starlight. We won't give her the Builder package for a long time, if ever, but that still doesn't mean we don't need the help. We don't have her doing much right now, but she is shadowing Sound of the City and they love that they have a helper and someone they get to show the Reach. Maybe I'll take her with us when we go to the Wilds of Besmara. She might enjoy that.

I'm just finishing up breakfast in the Royal Dawn when Omar comes in. "Melody, what are we going to do with all the parts we took from the Lavinia?"

I can't help myself. "Put them on a Starship, Omar."

"Melody. Which Starship? High Line and Sun Dancer are done. We'd have to put them back into the dock to add things to them, Immar IV isn't done, but do we want to put all the parts on that one?"

Ah I see. If we put the Venusian parts on High Line or Sun Dancer, then that delays how long before we can go to the Wilds of Besmara.

"Let's keep them off High Line and Sun Dancer for now. I do want to go to the Wilds now that we've dealt with Venus. Once we're back and Immar IV is done, why don't we start construction on a whole new ship?"

"A whole new ship?" Omar sits down at my breakfast table and looks off into the middle distance, thinking. "Yes, we could do it. I think we have a handle on how things work now. We would add the Venusian parts, of course. That would save a lot of time. I'd make a dreadnought of our own - smaller than the Venus or other human ones - but it would still pack a punch."

"See? What a great idea I had." I'm laughing, but I mean it. I think it's high time we make our own Starships. I wish we had more printers, we could really get production going, but it's not like we need a whole fleet right away. Slow and steady progress is fine.

"Omar, do you want to pilot High Line when we take it over to the Wilds? I want to go next week, and we need to figure some things out. You piloted it during the shakedown, but this will be our first Gate traversal since we came here."

"Yes, I'd like to drive if you're okay with that. We should have the others take a turn so we all get experience with it - it's different than being the Reach - but for now, I'll take us over. Who is going to come? We should probably leave at least one Builder here."

"I agree. I wanted you and Ava and Starlight to come, and we can let Um'reli run things while we're away. I want Ginny to come too."

Omar breaks his reverie. "Ginny? Why?"

"I want to show her she's not a prisoner like Raaden and Emery. She was the only one who wanted to be here. Might as well start treating her like that. Plus, we could use a reactor tech on High Line."

"You make a good point. Fine. Ginny can come too. We don't really need much of anyone else. With Builder systems I can run most of High Line from the chair. I wonder if it feels the same when an AI runs a ship? I'm doing a similar role."

"I don't know. If we ever get back to our side of the Galaxy we should ask." I really find lately I'm missing stuff from home. I hope once were done visiting some Starbases on this side we can go home, just for a visit. "I'd like to open up some lines of trade too. I bet people over there would like some of our foodstuffs and I sure could use some coffee." I looked wistfully at my cup of tea on the table. I hadn't had coffee since talking with the Venusians. I was trying to save what little she had for special occasions, but it's so hard!

"One thing at a time, Melody. Let's do see if we can figure out what happened at the Wilds. Then, see if we can find any other Starbases or colonies. We could finish the exploration that FarReach abandoned."

I looked up at Omar in surprise. "That's it. We can continue the mission! Just because FarReach declared Captain Q'ari unfit and left doesn't mean that there isn't good things to learn out here." I jumped up and gave Omar a hug. "Thanks Omar. It really helps to talk things out sometimes."

"No problem Melody, glad to help."

I leave the Royal Dawn and start walking towards the Throne, thinking while I walk.

We're going to go to the Wilds of Besmara with the refurbished High Line and see what's up. Last time we went there was some kind of field that grabbed FarReach and started to pull it in. Maybe it was an overzealous landing field? I don't know. Either way, if it happens again, I think we want to let it take us in.

Also, that warning. I know now it was in the Voice, but it was over radio which - for me at least - commands in the Voice don't work. I wonder how it was in the Voice, I thought that was just an Empress thing. Maybe it was a recording? All these mysteries. We just have to go and find out for ourselves.

I take a long way to the Throne and say hello to people as I walk. When I first got here, people were so frightened of us, but now people tell me hello, they give me little bits of news from their world, I even get to meet families! More than once I've been told how nice it is that I was able to increase the food deliveries. As plain old Melody I was often intimidated making small talk with people and would try and avoid it, but when I'm Empress, I find it's much easier. It almost feels like I'm pretending to be the Empress; like it's a persona to put on and take off. When I'm with Ava in our room I'm just Melody, but when the gown comes on and I walk around I'm The Empress.

It's hard to explain. I wish I knew more people that had gone though this to see if it's normal. I guess, when you're the only Empress around, anything you do is normal, by virtue of the fact that you're the one doing it.

I make my way to the Throne and settle in. Ava, Um'reli and Starlight are there already. I can feel Um'reli and Ava showing Starlight how to work things.

"See Starlight, if you just look... over here... you can see the transit network."

"Yes, yes, I see. It looks like we have the trains on schedule and... wait, what's that one on that siding?"

"That's Melody's Royal Transport. She likes to use it when she feels like showing off, or if she needs to get somewhere after hours or when things are too busy to wait for a scheduled train."

Mentally, I look up at them "I don't use it to show off. I use it when I want to make an entrance."

"Okay, so when Emp-Melody's not showing off, she stores it over here?" I smile to myself when I hear the smirk in Starlight's tone. When I made them a builder, I let them call me Melody. I decided it would be weird for Ava, Um'reli and Omar to call me Melody, but Starlight has to call me Empress, and I didn't want to make everyone call me Empress as well, so Builder Starlight can call me Melody. They're still getting used to it.

"Um'reli, you're okay with staying here and running things while the rest of us go to the Wilds of Besmara to see what happened to them?"

"Sure Melody, it's fine. I have reports to go over on reactor efficiency. We have enough of a power surplus now we should look at taking down the reactors one at a time for refurbishment. I don't think it's ever been done!"

"What do you mean, take the reactor down for refurbishment?" Starlight looks curious as Um'reli and I talk.

"So, at least with our reactors, they need regular maintenance. We usually build our systems with enough overhead that they can run with one whole reactor down so we can work on it, or if one fails we can swap it out without inconveniencing anyone. Before we got here, the Reach had enough power, but I wouldn't have dreamed of shutting a reactor off. Now, I think we can turn one off, make sure it's in good condition and then turn it back on, move on to the next and so on."

"That's impressive, Builder Um'reli. You have found so many ways to improve efficiency."

"Just Um'reli is fine, you're a Builder now too, remember. But, thank you. I enjoy working with the reactors. I hope we can get Ginny up and helping us too, it will be useful to have someone else - someone who actually took some training on this and isn't just an enthusiastic amateur - take a look at things."

"Okay, good. Omar is going to drive, I'll sit in the Command chair, Ava can monitor systems, Starlight can let us know if there's anything we're missing with local information and Ginny is coming along to prove to her that she's not just another hostage like Raaden and Emery."

Ava looks up from the report she's reading. "I like it Melody, it seems like a good plan. Ugh, I wish there was something we could do about Raaden. I don't trust her as far as I could throw her."

"I know! I was thinking about it on the walk over. What if we printed a hibernation cabinet for her? I know that Starjumpers carry them, and that FarReach used to be one so I assume their printer database has the plans."

"Actually, I think that could work. Let's ask Omar how tough it would be to print one up. On the one hand, I don't like the idea of just sticking her in a closet until we decide what to do with her, but on the other... I don't know what to do with her. She'll never trust us, and we can never trust her."

"Exactly."

Starlight looks like they are warring with themselves over something. After a moment, a decision is made. "Melody, why did you keep her anyway? If it was me in charge, I would have declared her culpable for Rapid River Roaring's death and had them executed."

Now everyone is looking at me. "Starlight, for right now, she's worth more to us alive than dead. If we killed her and sent the Venusians home with their ship stripped and them humiliated they would have come right back with all their dreadnoughts and just fired upon us as soon as they traversed the Gate. No radio, no opportunity to use the Voice on them, just kaboom. This way, with Raaden, their Archduke and Crown Prince Emery, they have to think twice about whether to come in guns hot or not."

"Ah, I see. Yes Melody. You are making it so that we are too valuable to outright destroy. But, what do we do when they want their crown prince and their archduke back? Or worse, what if they don't want them back?"

My shoulder slump. "I don't know yet. As soon as we figure out a deal and we give them Raaden and Emery they don't have a reason to not come in and destroy us."

Starlight's eyes are bright. "Well then. We just need to be better armed then they are by then. We can then repel them the regular way."

"Hah. That's the best idea I've heard so far Starlight. For now, we'll go with that plan. Once we come back from the Wilds, Omar was going to look into building a dreadnought from the parts we... liberated from Venus. Do you know of any Aviens plans for large warships?"

"Actually, yes. I believe we have some plans for a ship like that. We should try and reach out to more of my people. Ever since our ancestors were trapped here, we have not heard from any other of our kind."

"Starlight, I was wondering, what did trap you and the Mariens and others here all those years ago?" Um'reli and Ava look up at Omar's question. I guess we were all wondering it.

"I wish I knew Omar. My parent's parents were the original ones left here, but they wouldn't talk about it. From what I can gather, there was... a war, or something like it. The last Builders left the Reach to... do... something and never returned. My parent's parents did mention that the first few years after the Builders left were very difficult."

"Another mystery to solve then. I want to get going. Hey Omar, do you think you can print a hibernation cabinet?"

"Probably Melody, what for?"

"For Raaden. I just don't trust her to be awake and around while we leave to do explore the Wilds of Besmara. I was thinking of putting her in a cabinet and sticking her on board in hibernation. Crown Prince Emery seems fine, we could probably leave him here under guard."

"Melody that's brilliant! We don't have to deal with her trying to escape and we can carry her around as a kind of... talisman against Venus attacks. You just have to get her into it."

"Leave that part to me."

It actually only takes Omar a few hours to print the hibernation cabinet. When you have printers that can make a whole starship in a few weeks, one small hibernation cabinet is hardly a feat. It comes out gleaming and white, looking like a long lozenge or pill from the medical department. On the top is a clear window to see the face of the resident and on the side is a small readout of vitals. I ask Omar to let me borrow some people, and an Aviens and Azurian wheel the cabinet behind me as we walk.

In front of the apartment complex it's clear that the cabinet is much too large to bring up to Raaden's room. "Wait here please. I will be down with them in a moment."

Upstairs, I nod to the guards and knock on the door before opening it. "Raaden, come here please."

"Go to hell mmmmmm-Empress."

I don't have time for this. "F̷̗͝o̸͔͌l̷̺̊l̴̨̃o̶̦̾w̵̡͠ ̶͔͘m̷̢̒ē̵̬.̸̹̊ Raaden." She gets up out of the other room and robotically walks to me. Her eyes radiate hatred, but she follows none the less.

We get to the bottom floor and I open the door to leave and she catches a glimpse of the cabinet. Raaden's eyes go wide and the snarl of hatred on her face is replaced with a new emotion.

Terror.

"No! No no no no! You're not going to put me in one of those! Please! Please Empress! Don't put me in a hibernation cabinet! I won't escape! Please! Don't put me in there!"

I stop and turn, surprised. "What? Why not Raaden? It's just a hibernation cabinet. It's brand new. Omar printed it up from our copy of FarReach's printer database. It's not even a local design, it's one of ours."

She's standing in the doorway, shaking. She is legitimately terrified of the hibernation cabinet. "I-I-Its a form of punishment in Imperial Venus. For people who have... displeased the Emperor. A person is placed into the hibernation cabinet and then they... manipulate the settings. They change the person's sense of the passage of time. A day can feel like centuries."

You know, I actually feel bad for Raaden right now. That sounds like a horrible punishment.

"Raaden, I'm not going to manipulate your perception of time. We're going to run you deep enough that you won't have any perception of time passing. It'll be just like when people were put in cabinets for Starjumper trips before the wormhole generators. You'll go in, and then you'll awaken on Venus when we've worked out the details with the Emperor."

"Possibly, or else I'll never wake up for my failure. Or worse, I will but it will be after ten thousand years subjective and I'm a gibbering mess. Empress, I am actually begging you." She gets down on her knees in the door way and bows down "Please. Please. Don't put me in hibernation. I will literally do anything else." She puts her head up and her cheeks are wet with tears and she's shaking. She whispers. "Please, don't."

I... I can't. It's too cruel. I look at her and try and concentrate. Is she just acting? No. I think she is completely terrified of going into hibernation.

Ugh.

I sit on the cabinet and reach out to my Builders. "Hey. Raaden is like, wet her pants terrified of going into hibernation. She's literally begging me not to do it."

Is it a put on, is she just really good at acting?

I don't think so. My heightened body language processing says she's being honest.

Just order her to do it anyway, use your Voice.

Doesn't that seem unnecessarily cruel to you? We'd be leveraging a legitimate phobia just to make things easier on us. She'd never forgive us.

You still think she'll forgive us?

Hey, we have a responsibility to treat our prisoners humanely, and that includes not torturing them. This would be torture for her.

They wouldn't have the same consideration of us.

All the more reason for us to treat her better.

Okay then, what do we do with her?

Take her with us.

WHAT?

Take her with us. She'll still be on board, I can order her around with the Voice and we'll still bring the cabinet. If she causes trouble I'll order her into it and we'll be done with it. This is her chance to show us how much she doesn't want to be in the cabinet.

Or for her to show us how good of an actor she is.

Ava, I'm pretty sure she's not acting.

Ugh fine. She can come. Let me get a room ready and strengthen the locks on it.

Thanks Omar.

I look up. Raaden has gotten up from the floor but her eyes are still wide with fear. She is working very hard to control it, but fear of the cabinet is still very strong. She truly is terrified of being put into it.

"Raaden. I won't put you into the hibernation cabinet."

As I complete the sentence, her body relaxes and she starts breathing heavily.

"Yet."

She tightens up and holds her breath again.

"You're coming with us on the High Line to explore the Wilds of Besmara. I need insurance against Venus, and if you won't get into the cabinet then you'll come along. I will also bring the cabinet so if you cause us even a small amount of trouble I will just order you into the cabinet and be done with it."

I narrow my eyes and meet her gaze, "Do you understand?"

She stands straight and tall and matches my gaze, looking me in the eyes. "I will not betray you, nor will I attempt to escape, nor will I sabotage any aspect of your mission. So long as it keeps me out of that thing, I will be good."

"See that you do." I jump off the cabinet and gesture to my helpers. "Bring this to High Line. Omar will show you were to put it. "C̵͖͋o̷̤̒m̶͉̍e̶̩͛ ̶̰̎R̷͈̅ä̵̮å̷̡d̴͍̒e̶̙͝n̷̬̓.̶̀ͅ, I will bring you back to your apartment."

She follows me without struggling this time. I stop at the entry to her apartment. "We'll be back tomorrow morning. Do you have any requests for food or drink onboard?"

She blinks. "You're asking my opinion?"

"Well yes. You're going to be onboard with us for at least a week, if not more. You deserve to have some input."

She runs her hand through her close cropped hair, surprised. "Uh, I don't like coffee, so don't bother giving me any. I know you love the stuff, so don't waste any on me."

Oh nice. More coffee for me then. "Thank you. We'll be by tomorrow after breakfast."

She nods and moves to close the door. "Until then."

After the door closes and I lock it, I look at the guards and they acknowledge me. "Empress" they both say, and then face forward, silently.

Part 31

[kilikina34512]

Perfect

Let me preface this story by saying that I'm well aware that Ed Sheeran's song Perfect was not written or sung anywhere near the 40s. I'm taking creative liberties here. Divider courtesy of @firefly-graphics. Make sure to check them out!

Pairing: Winter Soldier Bucky x f!reader

Summary: After crashing into the ice together, you and Steve worked together as best friends and Avengers in the 21st century. The both of you, though, had left a piece of you behind in the past: his best friend and the love of your life. When you're stuck facing off against HYDRA's weapon, the Winter Solider, you discover the past may not have stayed there.

Warnings: bit of angst with HEA, violence (non-descript), fluff at the end

Word Count: 1,296

"Doll!"

The yell came from a concerned Steve, who was currently trying to make his way to you but was being held up by fighting three HYDRA soldiers at once. Yet, despite the fight happening around him, in the back of your mind, you couldn't be surprised that he still had an eye on you.

He'd made a promise to his best friend to watch over you after all.

Which he was no doubt kicking himself for not upholding as you were currently pinned underneath one of the worse HYDRA soldiers: the Winter Soldier. Both hands wrapped around your throat, you felt your air beginning to become restricted, causing a moment for your brain to flash back to an alley beside a bar in Germany about 70 years ago with a pair of blue eyes and a raspy voice in your ear whispering that he'd make sure you couldn't alert the fellow soldiers inside how good you could take him.

You were quickly pulled out of the memory, ignoring the pulsing pain in your heart, as you realized you couldn't breathe at all anymore. Despite your body reflexively trying to suck in as much oxygen as it couldn't get, you still caught the soldier off guard as you slammed your fist into the side of his head, knocking him off of you.

Rolling to the side and rising to your feet fast as you regained your breath, you felt the large, reassuring hand against your upper back. "You alright," Steve asked, concern in his voice as neither of you took your eyes off of the enemy in front of you. You confirmed you were as you watched the Winter Soldier rise to his feet, his back to you and the mask he'd been wearing at his feet where you'd caused it to come off with your hit.

Sliding a foot behind you, settling quickly into your fighting stance, ready for him to come for either of you again, you couldn't help but stare at the back of his head. Another memory flashed before your eyes, as they seemed to be doing ever since HYDRA's weapon had landed in front of the sedan you'd been traveling in. That shoulder-length hair, the same brunette color that you grabbed countless times whenever it was between your thighs.

You shook your head, dislodging the memory. You knew after this fight, you'd have a good cry session after you pounded your way through Steve's stack of punching bags. You couldn't escape reminders of your fiancé, something you'd thought you'd gotten good at handling, but then you weren't typically facing constant flashbacks like you were currently. You could usually handle a flashback here and there, now that time and therapy had allowed you to escape experiencing them daily, but nothing ever took away the pain or hollow hole in your chest that his death had left. Despite that, you'd reached a point of handling just about anything.

Nothing could've prepared you for the next few moments.

You lost all composure as the Winter Soldier turned to face you and Steve. You weren't sure if your heart stopped altogether or began beating faster than it ever has before. Your surroundings faded as all you could suddenly hear was the roaring in your ears of your own blood. Your lungs seized as if you were being deprived of oxygen all over again and you were sure your eyes were wrong.

Your eyes had to be wrong.

He was dead.

Steve stepped forward, and if you'd been able to tear your eyes away, you would've seen a level of shock on his face that mirrored your own as he quietly said, "Bucky?"

Oh, lord above. It was him. He was alive. Your eyes weren't wrong.

It was your Bucky. Your soulmate. Your fiancé.

Unexplainable joy filled your body before it was almost completely drained with the words that left his mouth.

"Who the hell is Bucky?"

The Winter Soldier, who apparently was Bucky, launched his attack, but you couldn't move. It wasn't until the sound of his metal fist, oh lord above he had a metal prosthetic and you were going to have to process the millions of scenarios that could've caused that to happen later, collided with Steve's vibranium shield that you snapped out of the shocked daze you'd been stuck in seeing the love of your life standing in front of you, looking as young and Steve and you appeared.

You were prepared this time when he came for you and you successfully blocked him. The three of you continued to be locked in combat as Bucky stayed on the offense, neither you nor Steve being able to bring yourselves to harm him. Steve stayed focused on trying to keep the both of you from getting hurt, especially once Bucky pulled out a knife, but you couldn't stop trying to get him to snap out of whatever trance had him in its grip.

No amount of pleas, begging, or reminders of his past seemed to be getting through to him. "Bucky, please, I know you're in there," you cried as you jumped between the once best friends after Bucky kicked into the side of a truck. "I know you are, come back to me."  As Bucky's gaze shifted back to you, you continued, "I lost you once, I will not give you up again."

That was the first falter you saw in his behavior. 

For a second, he froze.  A look of confusion crossed his face and you were suddenly struck with an idea. 

You put a hand up, signaling to Steve to wait, and you started to sing.  "'Cause we were still kids when we fell in love, not knowing what it was.  I will not give you up, this time."

In your peripheral vision, you saw Sam, who'd been fighting as well, land beside Steve.  "What is she doing," he asked skeptically.  His displeasure was obvious since Bucky was slowly approaching you, but Steve wasn't intervening and you were singing of all things. 

Steve, catching on, said, "Just wait and see, I think she's getting through."

"But darling, just kiss me slow," you continued, "your heart is all I own, and in your eyes you're holding mine."

Bucky took his final step, standing in front of you, watching you sing with rapt attention.  His eyes flickered as if recognition was dawning.  Music seemed to be helping him regain control. 

"Baby, I'm," you began the chorus alone, but as you continued, Bucky joined in, "dancing in the dark."  Floored that he was singing back, his raspy voice low as it always was when you sang together, you were stunned silent as he continued, eyes locked on yours. 

"With you between my arms.  Barefoot on the grass while listening to our favorite song." You couldn't resist reaching for him anymore.  Slowly, you raised your hand until it rested against his cheek.  He didn't move, but his eyes shuttered closed. 

"When you said you looked a mess," you rejoined, singing together just like you had decades ago before the war, "I whispered underneath my breath but you heard it.  Darling, you look perfect tonight."

His eyes slowly opened and you were met with love and affection.  "My Doll," he breathed, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you against him and clinging to you as if you'd disappear if he did.  You couldn't control the sob of both loss and joy as you truly began to believe you had the love of your life again. 

As you stood amongst the distraction around you, with Steve and Sam watching not far, you didn't know what the future was going to hold, what happened to your Bucky in the past, but at that moment in the present, everything was okay.  And you planned to do everything to make sure this second chance at a happy future wasn't lost again.

[thefairyhills]

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ* A COLLECTION OF QUOTES THAT LIVE IN MY HEAD RENT-FREE.

as the title says, this is a list of quotes from books, movies, song lyrics, videogames, pinterest posts and anything else that has been stuck in my brain forever, for one reason or another. a part 2 may or may not follow. adapt any gendered terms as needed!

❝ to love is to destroy, and to be loved is to be the one destroyed. ❞

❝ there are no men like me. only me. ❞

❝ the heart is an arrow. it demands aim to land true. ❞

❝ give me back my girlhood, it was mine first. ❞

❝ stories connect us to our past. they shape a people in profound ways. without them, we are lost. ❞

❝ everyone loves strength, but do you love me for my weakness? ❞

❝ i wish that i could say i am a light that never goes out, but i flicker from time to time. ❞

❝ just between us, did the love affair maim you too? ❞

❝ when the world owed you nothing, you demanded something of it anyway. ❞

❝ death doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints. ❞

❝ when they shattered our spirit, we became sharpest at the break. ❞

❝ she didn't want to be loved for her petals, she wanted to be loved for her thorns. she knew if someone loved her flaws, they would love her whole. ❞

❝ to love someone is firstly to confess: i'm prepared to be devastated by you. ❞

❝ love speaks in flowers. truth requires thorns. ❞

❝ because saving the people you love isn't stupid. it isn't even a choice. ❞

❝ don't go where i can't follow. ❞

❝ whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. ❞

❝ it takes grace to remain kind in cruel situations. ❞

❝ there's some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for. ❞

❝ the water hears and understands. the ice does not forgive. ❞

❝ i am my scars. ❞

❝ that's the thing about pain. it demands to be felt. ❞

❝

it's not your fault i ruin everything. and it's not your fault i can't be what you need. ❞

❝ i'm not interested in being polite or heterosexual. ❞

❝ the flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all. ❞

❝ you were the one who wanted to win. and i just wanted a sister. ❞

❝ you know how scared i am of elevators. never trust it if it rises fast, it can't last. ❞

❝ i am not ruined. i am ruination. ❞

❝ all my flowers grew back as thorns. ❞

❝ if i can't have love i want power. ❞

❝ i came out to attack people, and i'm honestly having such a good time right now. ❞

❝ anger was better than tears, better than grief, better than guilt. ❞

❝ i'm meaner than my demons. ❞

❝ i love her, and that's the beginning and end of everything. ❞

❝ you are haunted, like every other holy thing. ❞

❝ my skin has turned to porcelain, to ivory, to steel. ❞

❝ innocence died screaming, honey, ask me i should know. ❞

❝ what is infinite? the universe and the greed of men. ❞

❝ i could never hold a perfect thing and not demolish it. ❞

❝ how could somebody ever love me? ❞

❝ you don't get to destroy someone and decide how ruined they're allowed to feel. ❞

❝ i am afraid of you. in loving me, you hold a knife at my throat. in loving you, i tell you exactly where to cut. ❞

❝ because i take things away from stupid, evil old men. it's what i do. ❞

❝ they deserve to lose everything. and i deserve to have all their stuff. ❞

❝ tell me, if he handed you a bloodied hand, would you take it, just because it was his? ❞

❝ hell is empty and all the devils are here. ❞

❝ i desire the things that will destroy me in the end. ❞

❝ i have tried loving less but that hurts just the same. ❞

❝ wanting was enough. for me, it was enough to live for the hope of it all. ❞

❝ the only heaven i'll be sent to is when i'm alone with you. ❞

❝ i could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; i would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. i would know him in death, at the end of the world. ❞

❝ these violent delights have violent ends. ❞

❝ we love with claws and teeth and the blood is just proof of how much. it's feral. and it's relentless. ❞

❝ feelings that come back are feelings that never left. ❞

❝ good for you, you're doing great out there without me. god, i wish that I could do that. ❞

❝ if i could hold you for a minute, darling, i'd go through it again. ❞

❝ i don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch. ❞

❝ i don't like that falling feels like flying 'til the bone crush. ❞

❝ and logically, you're the last thing i should have on my mind, but i want you there sometimes. ❞

[sasukimimochi]

His eyes scanned the horizon, making sure he was on track to get home, but then his legs faltered as he saw something in the distance, between the many aspen and evergreens. A small splash of color amongst white and faded jade. He slipped, exclaiming as he tumbled down the slope, as shallow as it had been. The man groaned, and lifted himself slowly while dusting off the snow now stuck to him from the rolling.

            “Are you…Alright?”

            The man’s head shot up and met with another pair of eyes- like fields of ice, but soft. He’d never seen such eyes. “I…y…yeah, wait,” He shook his head and stood up, now noticing the ethereal man kneeling beside a frozen spring, thin, ivory digits stained pink from the cold and held calmly in his lap. This man…who was he? Why was he out here?

            “Uh…What are you doing out here? It’s freezing.” The ethereal figure quietly looked back to the stream, eyes somehow…speaking a thousand words, but none that the other could recognize.

            “Waiting…”

OK. I decided to bite the bullet and post this.

These are character designs for an original cultivation story (would be BL btw, i realize i forgot to write the genders on the sheets) and i was kind of nervous to post them for some reason so i've had them for a while now (as you can see at the end of 2022)

But i love the characters obv, and since i didn't draw today again due to trying to get some posts prepped for the future, i thought...what better time to share these than now?

um well, i hope you like the concepts? i don't really have a summary for the book yet. since its an original though i wanted to do a lot more research into cultivation before i began actually writing again (i have some bits and bobs but they need to be redone probably) uh, basically the premise is though that Wyn (chestnut hair) is disguised as a woman for an arranged marriage but then the husband he marries, when he lifts the veil, is very happy abt it and they end up having a happy life- for however long that lasts. something happens and he dies (he's already dead at the start of 1 this aint a spoil lol) and so we begin 50 years later where every day he waits at the spot his husband was supposed to meet him no matter the weather, and he meets a rogue cultivator who likes to go by Aspen. Ensue hijinks lol

Drawings that didn't make the cut [or you know, first scribbles/thoughts] are under the read more line.

honestly tho idk the rules of cultivation stories which is holding me back, i'm so interested in cultivation now but i have read 2 danmei and thats it rn

so i'm clearly lacking the needed experience sadlfhasdg-- anyway...

[whispers-soundtrack-project]

Loki

Fanmix Part Five

Part One * Part Two * Part Three * Part Four

Link to the Spotify Playlist is at the bottom of the post

Fire On The Mountain (Rob Thomas)

Fire on the mountain * Through the fields, save yourself * There's evil in the garden * You don't see it, I can tell

Is This The End (Hidden Citizens, ft. Young Summer & Sam Tinnesz)

The future is almost stolen, * The past keeps us wide awake * The shadows among the broken, * Too late for us to save

Human (Civil Twilight)

There's one way out and no way in * Back to the beginning * There's one way back to home again * To where I feel forgiven

Brittle (Icon For Hire)

They call me difficult * 'Cause I don't fit in the lines * But I didn't get this far * Without any scars * I'm not brittle * Well, maybe just a little

All The Kings Horses (Karmina)

I knock the ice from my bones * Try not to feel the cold * Caught in the thought of that time * When everything was fine, everything was mine

We Fly So Close (Phil Collins)

All my life, though I try * I cannot change the past * And the ghosts that come back to haunt you * Make you realize at last * We fly so close

The Way It Ends (Landon Pigg)

Run * Is this to be our fate * Hide * Freedom is ours as long as we escape * We walk in the shadows * We do * Find out what we all know * Our time is near

Breaking Inside (Shinedown)

How far do I go, no one knows * If the end is so much better, why don't we just live forever? * Don't tell me I'm the last one in line * Don't tell me I'm too late this time

Rust Or Gold (Jill Andrews)

The moon’s lit by the sun * The same as everyone * Same as everyone who shines, dear * Home inside your head, you fill it with regret * Fill it with regret, decorate with fear

Intermission (Sleeping At Last)

I want to turn these tired gears. * I want to feel the follow-through, * Some kind of equilibrium * Something to set my watch to * I'm here, somewhere between * Victory and a white flag * Caught in this purgatory dream, I'm stuck

[sctsunai]

@duelrisen​ reviving dragon au like

         ❝  Heatleo?  ❞

         the  sudden  reappearance  of  the  closest  thing  Firewall  could  call  a  friend  was  a  surprise.  Emma  rarely  stops  near  the  palace  unless  something  happened  with  the  royal  family  —  which,  unless  Firewall  was  missing  large  gaps  of  his  memory,  nothing  had.

          regardless,  he  does  feel  rather  elated  to  see  his  nestmate.  even  if  it’s  been  nearly  a  decade  since  they  could  actually  be  considered  such,  Firewall  felt  a  kinship  with  Heatleo  that  he  hadn’t  with  the  others  of  their  brood.

         ❝  ...welcome  back.  ❞

[mesillusionssousecstasy]

Love, Death + Robots : Volume 1

The animation were incredible and so different from each other.

But the show should have been named "Kill, Death + Robots".

My favorite one was again the three robots exploring the apocalyptic earth and lucky thirteen wasn't that bad at all.

So here a review for each episode :

Three robots (1x01) : I love those three robots, the way they are discovering each human tradition was well done. I really liked the part about the cats being the god of them all. It's also the fragility of the human race.

Beyond the Aquila rift (1x02) : The animation was amazing. From the beginning you know that it will end badly. It's the idea of what's real. Terrible story, I really didn't expect that.

Ice age (1x03) : The only episode with true actors. I also liked the mini world in the freezer, being the repetition of the same story, the same cycle.

Sonnie's edge (1x04) : It's about monster fight in a pit controlled by human. The end is really unexpected.

When the yogurt took over (1x05) : the story was very stupid and ridiculous, but I liked the demolition of human satellite.

The secret war (1x06) : It was the best SGI animation from the entire volume, every detail was so well done. However, the characters should have spoken in Russian and at the end, the episode became too much like a video game.

Sucker of souls (1x07) : I was sure from the first moment of the episode that it will concern vampires, but I don't understand what they were looking in the first place, in this tomb? Also, why Gary has a girl's voice, that doesn't make sense. And I really liked the importance of cats in this episode too.

The witness (1x08) : Every animation is different, this one was very different from the other, like animation on drugs too. Why there isn't any one in this town? Why the man has the key of the flat? It seems that the two of them are stuck in a loop in which he killed her and the other she killed him.

Suits (1x09) : Poor cows. It was honestly a weak episode. What was the point of it?

Good hunting (1x10) : First of all why the characters do not speak in Mandarin? And why it couldn't be a love story between Jan and Ling instead of this horrible story, even if the end is good.

The dump (1x11) : Is about a monster who survive on garbage, I called it "le monstre des poubelles".

Shape-Shifters (1x12) : I really hate war, but I think they want to show us, who are the real animal during war?

Fish night (1x13) : From the beginning, there was a foreshadowing of what will become later in the episode. The animation with the ocean sea was amazing, the desert becomes a sea of glowing fishes. It also shows us that the young boy becomes a fish, suggesting his descent to death.

Helping hand (1x14) : The episode was disgusting, but I presume it's about surviving and not dying in the atmosphere.

Alternate histories (1x15) : If only an application like this could exist. It's called multiversity.

Lucky 13 (1x16) : The story in itself was a bit sad, but cute. The ship sacrifice itself.

Blindspot (1x17) : The only episode with a happy ending I presume, but it's a shame that we don't know why this microchip is so important.

Zima Blue (1x18) : The episode with a bittersweet ending, the last art of Zima, beneficing himself at the end.

Some quotes:

"- You've seen one post-apocalytic city, you've seen 'em all." (Robot 1 - 1x01)

"- No. Indeed, it was their own hubris that ended their reign, their belief that they were the pinnacle of creation that caused them to poison the water, kill the land and choke the sky. In the end, no nuclear winter was needed, just the long heedless autumn of their own self-regard. (Pyramid robot) - Are you okay? (Orange robot) - Yeah, sorry. Thought that would sound better than, "Nah, they just screwed themselves by being a bunch of morons." (Pyramid robot - 1x01)

"- And what makes you so special? - I'm not special. Unique." (1x04)

"- Now, hate that was something I had to learn. You don't come into this world with hate." (1x04)

"- Everyone sees what they want to see." (1x04)

"- Do try to at least act excited. (Doctor) - Mercenaries are like hookers, pretending to be excited costs extra." (Mr. Flynn - 1x07)

"- Well, at least I'll die young and beautiful." (1x09)

"- You know what I think? It's all in the attitude. The right attitude can sell anything." (Young boy - 1x13)

"- God damn company penny pinchers, am I right? (Bill) - Why pay two when one'll do?" (Astronaut - 1x13)

"- I had to make a wee sacrifice to the great nothing." (Astronaut - 1x14)

"- In spite of all his success, Zima was still dissatisfied and what he did next was, for many, too extreme a sacrifice to make for art." (Clare - 1x18)

"- But you're a man with machine parts, not a machine that thinks it's a man. (Clare) - Sometimes, it's difficult even for me to understand what I've become. And harder still to remember what I once was." (Zuma - 1x18)

[birdybirdnerd]

BTS for "don't you ever wonder what it's like out there?" please!

BTS: I’ll write a DVD commentary about my personal favorite passage from [that fic]

oh man, my first tsp fic! well, sort of- id posted the prologue for somewhere else by then, but hadnt gotten further than that. i was still in the planning stages, and needed to get a better handle on their voices before i felt comfortable writing something with more meat to it

BTS below the cut!

Of course, the Narrator knew that. Had known it for awhile. That didn’t stop him from forcing Stanley through the game, over and over again, for some twisted and unknown reason. It was enough to drive a man insane- it had, on several occasions. But with how the world reset at the end each time, it always passed, leaving Stanley sitting at his desk, cracks in his mind sealed over once more and he would get up again and begin the game again.

I always loved the idea that, since the resets fix any damage to Stanley's body, that they would also repair any damage to his mind- i.e. a mental break brought on by despair, or whatever's going on at the end of the Mariella/Insane Ending. I imagine that that, in and of itself, would feel like a new kind of torture, though; unable to recede into the haze and blur of a broken mind, forced to be one hundred percent present for every waking moment, for every dragged-on second you're trapped. Truly, Hell.

I am tired, he signed up at the ceiling. Tired of your bullshit.

“Stanley!”

askfjasd okay I know it's overdone but I love having Stanley just spew profanities and offend the Narrator. See: the 'asshole'/'not those words!' exchange from Somewhere Else. It's funny to me and it'll never stop being so.

“In one, it goes just like the Freedom Ending: you find the mind control center, turn it off, the door opens, freedom! Ta-da!” He laughed, the sound sending ice down Stanley’s spine. “The twist is, I would let you step outside. You would wander around, find civilization, maybe even make a home for yourself. You’d think: ‘Is this it? Am I finally free?’ You’d have your doubts of course, who wouldn’t?

This? This is horrifying. It's a form of the 'it was all a dream' trope, but in a new and horrifying way, to me. To imagine going through all that, getting out, making a life- only to have it snatched away and have you stuck right back where you started?

Horrifying.

“I’m… sorry, Stanley,” he murmured. “That was too far, even for me.”

Goddd, I love when they're both stuck and they both hate it but there's no one else around to take their frustrations out on, so they hurt each other and then they regret it and make up, only it's hard, because there's no one else to go to, nowhere else to hide, and it's awful and toxic and these two are not healthy for each other here. I'm not about to go expanding on this particular iteration's relationship, but there's no way they can grow anymore than swinging violently back and forth between animosity and cautious companionship unless they get out. Tragic.

-

Thank you so much!! This was fun, returning to an old story of mine :D

[nebulein]

Spending my lunch break thinking about 1988 rookies to lovers to exes to teammates finding themselves thrust together again as they're The Last, struggling with everything that was between them, the team and the city, trying to reconcile how Nothing Good Lasts Forever (be it their relationship or them being on the Hawks, possibly their hockey careers). They had grown apart but now they're forced back together by circumstance much like in the beginning of their relationship, their lives too parallel to separate.

Because really, who else on the team can relate what it means, to suddenly stand before this decision and all it encompasses? Seabs and Sharpy retired as Hawks on their own terms (trades aside), Hoss and Shawzy forced out by injury, Duncs leaving for family reasons that Jonny can't begrudge. None of them have been here, at this fork, holding their destiny in their hands and yet having no choice at all.

"You good?" Pat asks, bumping his shoulder into Jonny's.

"Haven't felt good since 2019," Jonny mutters. It falls flat as a joke, even with Jonny's dry humor. "Sorry." He rubs across his eyes, pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Yeah." Pat doesn't smile, and this right here, this is why they're "Kane and Toews" again, for the last time of their careers. They haven't talked, haven't been close in forever, but suddenly Jonny wants to share a hotel room again just so he doesn't have to lie in bed alone at night, the world closing in until the room feels too small to hold an ounce of oxygen.

Sometimes even one day at a time seems too insurmountable a task.

"I'm Pat."

"Jonny." The handshake is dry but firm. "Nice to meet you."

Pat had known, of course, who Jonny was, the quiet but explosive kid from Manitoba, third overall in 2006, spent another year at UND.

"You planning to stay up?" Jonny had asked at the end of their first day of training camp, teeth white and sharp in his grin, and Pat had huffed, annoyed. Who did this guy think he was?

"Yeah." No time to show weakness, or doubt.

Jonny nodded, a short sharp jerk of his head, like he believed Pat. Like it was their decision to make. "See you there."

~

They had both stayed up, of course, Pat fueled by a desperate desire to show everyone that he could do it, that he belonged. The Hawks had picked him first overall and they hadn't picked wrong. He'd wanted to show the coaches, the staff, the reporters crowding into his stall every game asking about every turnover and mistimed pass, wanted to prove his family right and all his naysayers wrong, and maybe somewhere, a little bit, show Jonny.

~

They've got nothing left to prove to each other now. They tried to make a run of it and failed, shouting matches that somewhere turned from harmless arguments to barbs stuck deep under each other's skin, hitting where it hurts, their ammunition enough to sink each other whole until Pat had finally called it quits. Jonny had hated him then for giving up, hated himself for driving Pat away, hated everything, out of his mind with rage.

It had all gone to shit in other ways after '15, years and years of mediocrity that Jonny can't help but wonder. What if he'd been better? Nothing had clicked like 2010, all of them too dumb and young to know what they had at the time. It worked again twice after that, but ever since Panarin left keeping the team together had felt like trying to hold quicksand in his palms, Pat a million miles away and yet putting the team on his shoulders on the ice in ways that Jonny never could. He'd always been the one to hold the fort down in the room, or maybe that was Seabs really, everything worse after Seabs' hips had finally given out, maybe Jonny had just been deluding himself.

Jonny barely knows anyone in the locker room, and what's worse, he barely likes any of the guys that have come in to replace the last good pieces they had, Jonny still too bitter to give anyone a proper chance.

~

"We had a good run," Pat says, and Jonny wants to shout in his face 'no, fuck that, we didn't. We could've been so much more.'

He wants a do-over, a second chance, the last six years of his life back. And maybe then Jonny could show everyone, could show Pat that he's better than this, that there's another way.

But the truth is, he isn't. Everyone knows Pat's the superior player.

They used to be Kane and Toews.

Kane and Toews

Kane and Toews

Kane and Toews

Kane

[zaiban2989]

BNHA S2 Ep12 - Todo/Baku Pre fight? & Fight

Yeah I know I already made a post somewhere about TodoBaku Sports Festival Final Fight but I am back to it because this ep is just so fucking good.... for bkdk! lol

I'm actually gonna watch bit by bit and comment along because there are some gems in different scenes of this episode.

Let's begin!

First of, Katsuki is such a fucking PUNK for real lmao the way he fucking kicks the door of the waiting room open?! 🤣 That idiot is acting like a fucking gremlin without even knowing there's someone in the room, i.e. he seriously doesn't give a shit about manners at all in all aspects of his life lol (also that "Huh?" and dumbfounded face he has when he realises he's in the wrong room? Fucking priceless lol)

THEN, Todo gets out of his stupor when Kats asks him (more like blasts him) "Where the heck you're looking?" and Todo goes on a ramble about how Deku said the same thing, acted recklessly to blow away his personal issues and shit, and of course, he ends with "You guys were childhood friends, right? Was he like that too when you were young?" and what do we see? Katsuki's fucking twitching from being asked that and before he can even really 'think', his subconscious provides him with flashbacks of Deku saving him during the Sludge Villain accident and the damn river childhood memory (lmao I think the next time I'll binge watch bnha, I'll be counting how many fucking times Kats has been thinking of that particular scene man). THIS IS BIG PEOPLE. Kats has "that damn nerd"'s face in his mind so fucking much (lol) and by being shown those flashbacks, it's clear that we're supposed to understand something else than "I just fucking hate this guy so much". Hori and Bones are showing us those memories over and over again throughout the series, and yeah at this particular moment when Todo asks about Deku, Kats thinks of Deku saving and helping him and he clenches his fists, pissed by it because at this stage of the story, he's still not 'understanding' what "Save to Win" means (to put it plainly, he knows something seriously ticks him off when he thinks of Deku and how he never hesitates to come and help/save people even while being a useless quirkless nerd, but he's so stuck to being angry about it, he's refusing to take a minute and truly think of what other feelings are lying underneath that anger... I guess that's why I found his character development so beautiful 🧡)

(his upset face is just the best dkqmdqmd)

Anyway I digress lol

Back to the Todo/Baku scene, Kats blows up his fuse saying "Who the hell cares about that damn nerd" and then orders Todo to use his flames on him before storming out of the room and walking to the stage with anger written all over his face.

Like I know people would take what he's saying literally: "I'll win indisputably and be at the top!"... But honestly? After what just happened? the conversation between him and Todo and Kats having flashbacks of Deku, it's rather clear that all is thinking about is more along the lines of "I'll beat the Half & Half Bastard in the same type of fight he had against Deku and win and I'll be above Deku because of it!". Todoroki here is literally just a roundabout way for Katsuki to feel (finally) superior to Deku again (the nerd beat him twice already lol). That's also why he's so pissed at the way he won the tournament.

*taking a huge breath because of the next scene*

I'm not gonna talk too much about it cuz I already made a post for it (will link it later if I find it lol) but yeah. Just reached the actual battle on stage. First of, Sero's comment about Kats coming out of the ice like a mole is so fucking hilarious, can someone please draw a mole!Kacchan deojzfremfe

More seriously, time for some appreciation for Kat's fucking fighting skills man (pic below), I mean... the fucking mobility, reflexes and smartness he has when it comes to combat are so fucking amazing!! That precise explosion to propel himself to Todo's left and avoid the ice attack while still being in the air? Like damn, my boy, you're hot!

Aaand we get back to his inferiority complex in full bloom when Todo grabs him to block his attack but instead of using his flames, simply throws him away. (Endeavor should have shut his goddamn mouth I swear lol)

You know what comes next, right?... His full anger is back and of course, he's got to mention Deku again djsmekdldle "There's no point if I can't get higher up than Deku" ARE YOU SERIOUS LOL

This is literally screaming Katsuki's fucking obsession with Izuku, again lol the only thing I find missing here? The fact that based on Deku's face, he's probably heard this, yet we don't hear his thoughts at the moment nor later during the series (well up until Deku vs Kacchan part 2, a little). It's a real shame.

And we finish off with Deku shouting at Todo "Don't give up, do your best!" which triggers Todo to actually get his shit together for six seconds (lol) and what do we see? Kats running to the dude but with enough time to spare a quick glance at his nerd lmao I can't man, somebody kill me already please 🤣😭💚🧡

He's actually fucking happy! lol Why? pure conjecture but I think it's because he knows that Deku's words will have some sort of impact on Todo and lead him to push himself to have a proper fight too. (That or he's just happy to hear his baby shouting? lol ok ok I'm shutting up)

And yeah, first time launching his Howitzer Impact, he doesn't have the time to notice that Todo pulled his flames back and he's stunned when he realises that it didn't happen (before getting pissed and put to sleep by Midnight)

Honestly, I've been listening to Kats' voice when he's holding the passed-out Todo by the shirt and shouting things, and that dude really gets emotional and on the verge of crying when he's frustrated man it's something else. I mean that happen in s1 when he lost to Deku (Bakugo Katsuki's Starting Line ep) and he's actually crying in frustration. It's just the same here.

Look at his face, my god...

I'm sure if Midnight didn't actually put him to sleep, it would have happened. (There's so much emotion in his voice omg I wanna hug that baby)

Last pic I'm putting cuz fuck me that guy is beautiful lol 😭🧡

Anyways, like I said... lots of bkdk gems in that episode alone. Can't wait to get to the other episodes lol

Thanks if you've read the whole thing!