#Slivko imagines

[magnoliabloomfield]

I decided to branch out with my fanfic writing, I’m interested in doing some imagines for the following characters:

Gally

Sierra 6/Court Gentry/Gray Man

Steve Harrington

Reg Slivko- Kong Skull Island (my whole big move into writing was because a fic I started for him blew the hell up, people have been following it since 2017)

I’m making some prompts you can request along with a trope of your liking and what character you want.

[redthreadoffate]

That inspiration I have as I write my Reg Slivko (Kong: Skull Island) fic 😭 I’m only 3 chapters in but my golly it’s doing so well, even better than I imagined 😭

[winchesterbrotherstan]

Kong Skull Island- Childhood Homes and Childhood Traumas

Pairing: Reg Slivko x Irene Brown (OC), James Conrad x sister!OC

Summary: James and Irene are home, but they continue to relive the trauma of their lives.

Warnings: cursing, crying, nothing else i'm pretty sure

Word Count: 2358

“You feeling alright, Ire?” James asked as we stepped out of the airport, back in England.

I shook my head. “I miss them already.” I looked up at him.

He sighed and wrapped an arm around me, letting me bury my head into his shoulder. He sighed and flagged down a cab.

“Where are we going?”

“Home.” He held the cab door open for me.

I sighed as I slid in. He helped the driver with our bags before slipping in next to me. When our parents died, they had left the house to us. James had his own apartment, which is where I lived while he was gone, fighting in the war.

“Which one, Jay?” I asked after he leaned back, having given the driver a destination.

“Back to the house.”

I huffed. “Why there?”

“Because, Irene. We need to sort things out.”

“Sort what out? We went…” I lowered my voice and leaned in. “We went, we almost died, we made it out, we got paid. End of story.” I settled back. “What is there to sort out?”

He sighed and turned to look at me. “You’re eighteen. You’re not gonna live in England with me forever.”

“James…”

“Unless that was the plan, in which case, I am entirely delighted.”

I sighed, looking out the window with my chin in my hand. It was raining, as it always did in London.

“You and Slivko are in love with each other, anybody could see it. I don’t think you want to stay 4,000 miles away from him.”

Of course, I wanted to go live with Reg more than anything. I wanted to be close to Jack, close to his family, and I wanted to be able to see Stephen if things went well. But James wasn’t going to leave England. This place was, and always would be, his home.

I didn't seem to have the same luxury.

TEN DAYS LATER

“Do you think your mom would be sad if we sold this painting?” I called down the wooden stairwell, holding the large canvas in my hands.

“Which one?” James called back, probably from the kitchen.

“The one of my dad and I.” I trotted down the steps, showing him the painting.

He cringed. It was one that his mother had commissioned after Stephen was sent off to boarding school. My father and I were dressed in a military outfit and hunting gear, respectively. I had my crossbow in my hands, and my father had a rifle slung over his shoulder. I never quite understood why she had wanted it.

“No, I don’t think Mum would mind if she knew the truth about him.”

I chuffed. “Thank god, I cannot stand seeing this thing outside my bedroom door.”

James chuckled from the other side of the kitchen island and slid a mug of tea my way. I set the painting down on the ground, leaning against the counter.

“Mint tea, two sugars, just how you like it.”

I smiled at him. “Thanks, Jay.”

Since we had gotten home from the island, I had been having non stop nightmares. It felt like a terribly edited montage. One night, it would be the crash, the next I would dream that our first encounter with a Skull Crawler ended with Jack dead. Then it all melded together. Cole, the tooth through my arm, watching people get eaten. The one I had the night before was new, and I was shocked that it took so long for my brain to conjure it up.

Reg, dying, in my arms, at the hands of Packard.

It was, by far, the worst one yet. James had woken up to my stifled sobs. I wanted to call Reg, but we were five hours ahead of them, and he needed the rest, probably more than I did.

“Ire?” James called, waving his hand in front of my face.

“Sorry.” I shook my head, coming back to reality.

“You okay?”

I nodded. “Thinking about my nightmares.”

“We should get you a therapist.”

I snorted. “What’re they gonna say? Oh, you seem to be experiencing trauma. As if that’s anything new.” I shuddered, eyeing the painting.

James sighed, sitting down on one of the stools. He pulled out another one, further from the painting, and patted on it. “Come sit, Ire.”

I shuffled over and settled into the stool, blowing air onto my tea.

“So… I talked to Chapman, who talked to Cole’s wife. Stephen is still living with them. She said that he still talks about you. She suggested that we head out extra early.”

“Why?” I sipped my tea.

“So that you two can see each other, before the funeral.”

“Fuck, is that a good idea?” I felt my eyes bug out of my head.

“He misses you.” James gave me a sad look.

“God.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I… is he okay?”

James shrugged. “I didn’t ask much, I don’t think Chapman did either. We just all think that you two should see each other before the funeral. It might make it easier for him.” He sighed. “Less of a shock, less to process all at once.”

“Does he know?”

“Know what, Ire?”

“Does he know that our dad is dead?”

James paused.

“Does he? Because he adored that man, Jay. I don’t wanna have to be the bad guy who tells him his dad’s dead. Okay?”

James nodded. “I’m not sure if he knows. But it’ll be okay. We’ll figure it out. Okay? I promise.”

I scoffed, pushing the rest of my tea away.

“Irene-”

“I’m gonna go toss this painting into the sell pile, and then I’m gonna go shower.”

“Irene…” He reached for my hand.

“Jay, I…” I pulled my hand out of his reach and shook my head. “I’m tired, okay? I’m tired of the shocking news, and I’m tired of thinking about people who are dead. I’m tired of this already, and Stephen and I haven’t even seen each other.” I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Honestly, the only thing I want right now is to lay in bed with Reg and read a book.”

James sighed, holding his arm out for a hug. I trudged to his side and rested my chin on his shoulder. I began to cry the second my skin hit the fabric of his shirt. He wrapped his arms around me and rubbed my back as I sobbed.

“I feel so terrible and I don’t even know why, Jay. We survived, I should be happy.”

“You’re traumatized, Irene. A lot happened on that island. And now, knowing that Stephen is alive, it’s bringing up trauma you sustained during your childhood.”

I sniffed. “This sucks.”

“I know, Bitsy.” He cooed. “We’ll find you good help. I promise you we will. But I really do believe that seeing Stephen before Cole’s funeral would help a bit.”

I sighed in his hold, wiping my tears. “When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

I nodded. “Okay. I’ll finish packing my things.”

“Still gonna go shower?”

I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck and returning the long hug. “Yeah.”

“I’ll take care of the painting. I don’t want you to worry about it, okay?”

I nodded. “Okay. Thank you, Jay.”

He kissed the side of my head, and my bottom lip quivered once more.

“Of course.”

*******************************************************************

I stepped out of the shower and shook my hair out. I tugged the plastic cover off my cast and tossed it into the sink. I no long had to wear the sling, but I still had a cast for a little bit. My first instinct was to wonder if I would be able to use my crossbow. Then I remembered that I was no longer on a deadly island, no longer with a father who thought hunting humans was a game, and no longer on my own in London.

I finished drying off and got dressed, throwing on the shirt I had worn when we had all gone our separate ways. It was Reg’s, he had given it to me before we had gotten off the ship. Most nights, I slept hugging his army jacket. It still smelled like him, even though James had made me put it through the wash. In hindsight, I probably did not want my bed smelling like the island.

The phone on my nightstand rang, and I grabbed the hairbrush from my bathroom counter before sitting on my bed.

“Hello?” I put the phone up to my ear and began to brush my hair out.

“Hey, doll.”

I couldn’t help the giggle that rose from my chest. “Hi, love.”

“How’re you feeling?”

“I’m okay.” I rushed to finish brushing my hair. “I keep having nightmares.”

I heard him sigh on the other end. “They won’t end anytime soon, doll.”

“I know.” I tossed the hairbrush onto the counter and rolled onto my stomach, kicking my legs up.

“I’m sorry, doll.”

I shook my head, even though I knew he couldn’t see me. “It’s okay, love. James said we would find a therapist, so…” I sighed, trailing off.

“That’s good, right?”

I huffed. “I think so. I’m not sure. I’ve been through so much at this point… I dunno if a therapist could be much help.”

“I’m sure it couldn’t hurt, doll.”

“Yeah, that’s a good point. What about you, how’re you doing? How’s your leg?”

“I can walk without crutches now.” I could hear his grin.

I giggled. “That’s good. I’m happy for you, love.”

There was a beat of silence, and then he sighed.

“What’s wrong, Reg?”

“I just really miss you is all.”

My heart clenched in my chest, and tears began to form in my eyes. “I miss you too.”

“You remember, how, at the airport, I said I was gonna ask you to marry me?”

I giggled, butterflies floating in my stomach. “Yeah, I do.”

“If I were to ask you… for real… would you say yes?”

“God, Reg, without a doubt. Yes, of course I would.”

He chuckled. “Still no kids?”

“No, that’s a non-negotiable.” I shook my head. “No kids, ever.”

“Never?” He repeated incredulously.

“Never. I don’t know how to be a parent.”

“Why not?” He whined playfully.

I took a breath. “Never had a good example.”

“I’m guessing that’s the reason two four year olds ended up living in the amazon with tattoos on their arms?”

I chuckled. “Yeah. My mom, she died when we were little. Less than two years old. I don’t remember her, I’m not sure if Stephen does.”

“I’m sorry, doll.”

I shook my head. “It’s okay. I don’t mind talking about it. About her.” I sighed. “My dad used to say that… the only good thing that came out of her dying was that he could travel the world with us.”

“That’s a fucked up thing to say to a kid.” Reg practically growled, and I could sense his anger through the phone.

I scoffed. “Yeah, especially when she’s only five years old and all she wants is her mom.”

“Your dad sounds like a horrible person.”

I laughed.

“Sorry, that was kinda harsh.”

“No, it’s the truth. My dad’s the reason I know how to use my crossbow. He um…” I trailed off. “Actually, no. This is kinda heavy, I shouldn’t-”

“Irene. If you’re comfortable telling, I’m comfortable listening. I’m here for you okay? No matter what.”

I grabbed his jacket from the hook next to the bed and held it to my chest, curling up tightly.

“He used to… um… when we were six, he gave us weapons as gifts. My crossbow, it used to be his. He gave Stephen… a katana that he… took from a Japanese soldier that he killed.”

I heard him mumble a curse on the other end, and I fell back into the bed, wishing he was here to hold me.

“He would set us loose in the woods, and hunt us down.” I shook my head. “He used to say that he was just trying to keep us safe. Keep us prepared. We were ten years old, I… I still don’t get it. I don’t get what he thought he was trying to protect us from. He was so messed up. I don’t know. Maybe it was the war. I just know that my parents shouldn’t have had us.”

“Don’t say that, doll.”

“Cole adopted Stephen.” I blurted out, feeling tears stream down my face.

“What?”

“My dad sent him to a boarding school. Both of us, together, we were too much to handle. So James started taking care of me, and my dad sent Stephen away. We tried to find him when my dad died, but… it was like he disappeared.”

“Cole didn’t talk about his family much. But I know that all of his kids are adopted.”

“Exactly. Stephen’s one of them. That’s what Cole told me, before…” I looked at the crumpled polaroid that was pinned to my bedroom wall. “He gave me the picture, and he said that he had a son named Stephen. That he was adopted. And that I reminded him… of Stephen.”

“Does that mean…”

“He’s gonna be at Cole’s funeral.”

“Shit.” I heard him hiss.

I looked at the time. It was 2pm here, which meant it was 9am there.

“Do you have to go?”

“I’m so sorry, doll, I-”

“It’s okay. I know you’ve got stuff to do today. We’ll see each other in a few days anyways.”

“I love you. So much.”

I smiled softly. “I love you too, Reg. Thanks for listening to me.”

He gave a soft chuckle. “Thanks for trusting me, doll.”

“Reg, let’s go!” I could hear his older brother, Kenny, on the other end.

“Go, before he takes your car and leaves you stranded.” I giggled. “I love you. Be safe.”

“Always, doll. Kenny, fuck off.” He lowered his tone for that as he hissed. “Okay, doll, I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

I hung up the phone and sighed, turning to lay on my side. These next four days could not drag on any longer.

Previous: Airport Kisses

Next: Waffles

[merakiaes]

Home Is In Your Arms - Reg Slivko

Pairing: Reg Slivko x reader 

Requested: By @socialambivert​

Prompts: None. 

Warnings/notes: Not proofread so I apologize in advance for any possible mistakes. I was really unfocused when writing this so it might be a mess, but I hope you like it. Let me know what you think xx

Wordcount: 8019

Summary: When continuously being put in life-threatening situations, hidden feelings are bound to be confessed as it might very well be your last moment together. 

You first met Reg Slivko when you arrived at training camp together, both of you having signed up for the Vietnam war fresh out of high school.

He had set his eye on you pretty much instantly, seeing as you were the closest to each other’s ages and you also happened to be the only girl, and the first thing you had thought when first seeing those soft, brown eyes and that wide, silly smile of his, was how cute he was.

Oh lord, he was cute. He was dimmer than a broken lightbulb, but he was cute. 

Unfortunately, however, it was not the time nor place to get romantic or sexual, even though a lot of the soldiers in training with you turned gay-for-the-stay, so you kept your relationship on a friendly level.

If constant flirting, teasing and lingering touches, along with the occasional grope here and there, was what was considered to be ‘friendly’, that is.

On a more real note, though, everyone knew you were more than friends, but you kept insisting to everyone pointing out your closeness that you were nothing more than best pals. You insisted on it so much, in fact, that eventually, you kind of started believing it too.

But when you were a part of Preston Packard’s Sky Devils team, you didn’t get much time to think about it.

There was always work to be done, and when there wasn’t, the boys were never up to any good, running circles around you and nagging your ears off.

And this afternoon would be no different, you knew, as you stepped into the canteen of the ship you had boarded not long ago, wasting no time in walking up to your fellow soldiers when you spotted them at their table.

“What’s up, rat bastards?” You asked with a grin, holding your arms out to present yourself as you approached them.

All of them greeted you and Cole and Jack made room for you between them, where you effortlessly sat down on the bench.

Reg’s eyes were instantly set on you, but before him, or anyone else for that matter, could say anything, they watched as you brought your hand up to your face to slowly tilt your sunglasses down, setting your eyes on something across the room.

“Oh, yes please.” You spoke in a murmur, and their eyes instantly followed your line of sight, landing on the tall, muscular man standing at the other side of the room, conversing with a blonde woman.

Jack chuckled, slapping Cole’s back, who in turn slapped Mills, all of them joining in on the silent laughter and hooting. “Oh, look out. (Y/L/N)’s on the prowl.” Jack teased, and while you joined in on the laughter, Reg’s face pulled into a scowl.

“No, she’s not.” He spoke, maybe a little too quickly, causing you all to turn to him with raised eyebrows.

When seeing all eyes on him, he neutralized his facial expression and shrugged, slumping in his seat and averting his eyes to the food in front of him. “I mean, he’s like forty years old. He’s basically an old man.”

He looked up again to meet your eyes, and you smirked at him, eyes squinting with playfulness. 

Without breaking your stare, you stood back up and stepped out of the bench again, took off your sunglasses and leaned forward to give him a devilish grin.

“Maybe that’s how I like them.” You whispered, and then you stood up straight, slapped your own ass to tease him further, and walked away, smiling to yourself as you had successfully sent them all into a laughing fit.

You obviously didn’t care for the man you were now walking in the direction of, no matter how nice he was to look at. But Reg didn’t have to know the truth because where would the fun be in that?

In reality, you were more interested in the woman, whom you had been told, judged by the description of her appearance that you had gotten, that you would be bunking with during the trip to the island.

When you reached them, the two greeted you politely, introducing themselves as Captain James Conrad and Mason Weaver, and after a moment of conversing, you were all called in for a briefing during which the scientists and Jack told you why you were there and how you were going to go about the mission.

After that, you showed Mason where your room was, as she had arrived later than you and therefore hadn’t gotten the chance to find it yet, and when she excused herself to do… well, whatever it was she was going to do, you moved outside to sit with your fellow soldiers.

You joked around like you always did, until it started getting late and you started feeling tired.

Your room and Reg’s room were on complete opposite sides of the ship but still, he was right there by your side, walking through the corridor on your ship-side, banging his fist against the wall as you went.

You were used to his spastic antics at this point so you barely even paid any mind to it. You were so used to it, in fact, that you would’ve been more surprised if he didn’t make any noise.

But other than the sound of his knuckles knocking against the metal walls, both of you had been walking in silence this far, the only other sound behind heard being your dog tags clinking against your chests.

But then he threw his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side and asking. “So, what’s our plan for tonight?”

Again, you were barely fazed, simply raising your hand to grab a hold of his where it hung of your shoulder. “We do not have a plan.” You replied, turning your head to look at him to see his eyebrows raise.

“Well, let’s make one.” He said, mimicking your tone.

In response, you plastered on a sarcastic, playful smile, nudging his side. “I have my own plans, that doesn’t include you.” You said, and his face instantly pulled into a deeply, genuinely offended expression.

“I thought we were a team!” He exclaimed, stopping in his tracks and removing his arm from around your shoulders.

“We are.” You just raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on your lips. “Which is exactly why I need a break.”

“You need a break? From me?” He scoffed, raising a hand to his chest. “I’m seriously wounded. Like, worse than the time you accidentally shot me in the shoulder at camp.”

You chuckled at the memory, leaning back against the wall and looking up at him when he stood in front of you, a hand placed at the side of your face. “Yes, so I’ll still like you in the morning.” You answered the first question, ignoring the last part.

At that, he couldn’t keep up his offended act anymore, his lips lighting up in a smile and a chuckle leaving his lips. “Wow, I’m that bad, huh?” He asked.

“Oh, the worst.” You said, frowning in a feign-serious expression.

“Well, that’s too bad.” He replied. “Because I was just gonna go take a shower. Thought you could join me, save water.”

He shrugged, a goofy smile lighting up his entire face, and you could only laugh, your head falling back against the wall. “That has got to be the lamest pick-up line in existence.”

“Don’t worry.” He smirked. “That’s just Plan A.”

“What’s plan B?” You asked, raising an eyebrow.

He backed you further into the wall, and you had to really strain yourself to keep your smile at bay when he leaned in closer to your head.

“To take you hostage.” He continued after a moment of suspenseful silence, an evil grin overtaking his features, and the look he was giving you was enough to cause your entire stomach to flutter.

But you pushed the feeling down, raising a hand to his chest, trying not to think too hard about the sturdy muscle under your fingers and giving him a push to put some distance between the two of you.

He did nothing to fight it, keeping the smile on his face, as did you as you replied. “I already am. A hostage in this friendship.”

He simply chuckled, raising his eyebrows suggestively. “Are you sure you don’t want to join me, though? Last offer.”

“Pass.” You chuckled back.

He held his hands up in surrender, taking a step back from you. “Alright, your loss.” He said, and you shook your head at his antics, your smile now wider than ever.

“Bye, Reggie.” You sang, and turned around to enter your room, that you only now noticed that you had conveniently stopped in front of.

You pushed the handle down and pushed the door open, but before you could enter, you felt a finger being jabbed into your side, causing you to jump right back around with a squeal.

Out of pure instinct, your hand shot out to slap Reg’s arm, watching as he shrunk back into himself and raised his hands for protection.

“Get out of here!” You lightheartedly scolded him, and with one last look, he disappeared down the hallway without another word, laughing at himself.

You could only shake your head, looking after him until he turned a corner and disappeared from your field of view, only then backing into the room and closing the door behind you.

“He’s charming.” Mason’s voice reached your ears the second you stepped inside, and you raised your eyebrows playfully, looking over to her where she was sitting in her bed.

“He might seem like it but he loses a great deal of that charm when you get to know him better.” You told her, causing her to chuckle.

“If you say so.” She mused, and then looked back down into the book in her lap without as much as another word.

You didn’t say anything else either, going straight to your bed. You quickly got undressed down to your underwear and slid under the covers, falling asleep in no time with only one person on your mind; just like every other night.

The next morning, you were up and at it bright and early; significantly earlier than Mason who was still snoring away by the time you left your room. 

It was only seven o’clock so you supposed you couldn’t blame her, you were just used to being up at dawn from your military days.

You were in a good mood, excited to get some food into your stomach, but it became evident the second you entered the canteen that your fellow soldiers weren’t as excited as you were to be up that early.

They were the only ones in there, and you wasted no time in grabbing some breakfast and walking up to them.

“Good morning, shitheads!” You exclaimed as you got closer, and Mills visibly flinched at the volume of your voice.

“Stop that.” He said, leaning his head against the table. “It’s too early for you to be in such a good mood.”

You could only chuckle at his dismay, and all of their bad moods, plopping down beside Jack who looked to be a bit less miserable than the rest of them. 

“I take it you had a good night.” You said, and Mills brought his head up at that, heaving a heavy sigh.

“It was fun while it lasted. Not so fun now.”

Jack hummed, chuckling as he ate. “At least we’re not Cole.” He said, and your eyebrows rose, your interest instantly piqued.

“What about Cole?” You asked, and this time it was Mills’ turn to chuckle.

“He drank himself under the table last night.” He said. “Almost stumbled overboard.”

“Why am I not surprised?” You shook your head, laughing and looking around while you prepared your cereal. “Where is the idiot, anyway?” You asked, and right then, Reg came up to your table and wasted no time in sliding in beside you.

“I’m right here.” He replied chirpily, the only one besides yourself who wasn’t hungover.

You chuckled at him, dumping your plastic spoon into the cereal and getting ready to eat it. “Surprisingly enough, I’m not talking about you this time.” You answered, and before anyone could say anything else, Cole, the man you were talking about, approached the table too, raising his fist into the air.

“Right here.” He muttered, sliding into the seat next to Mills across from you and wasting no time in leaning his head into his palm and closing his eyes.

“Well then, if everyone’s accounted for, let’s eat.” You said simply, turning your attention back to your tray and picking up the sandwich laying on it, holding it out for Cole to take.

He took it without a word, unwrapping it and silently starting to eat it, and the rest of you took his silence as a hint to keep the conversation on a down low to allow him, and everyone else too, to wake up properly.

By lunchtime, everyone, including Cole, was feeling as good as new, and the entire canteen was filled with chatter; more so from your table than anyone else’s.

For this meal, Mason had asked to join you and of course, you couldn’t turn her down, bringing her with you. She didn’t say much, but she clearly wasn’t bothered by the loud conversation going on at the table, laughing along as you joked around.

“Hey, (Y/N).” Reg’s voice reached your ears from right beside you when you were all coming down from one of many laughing fits, and you turned to him, still chuckling lightly.

“What?” You asked, and he smirked at you.

“Close your eyes.”

“What?” You asked again, raising an eyebrow, suspicion filling you. “Why?”

“Just trust me.” He said, and you narrowed your eyes accusingly at him.

“The last time you said that you always burned my hair off.” You told him flatly, your face pulling into one of annoyance.

But his smile didn’t falter. “Well, yeah, but you didn’t die.” He pointed out, and again, you narrowed your eyes.

“That’s so not the point, Reg.”

“Come on, please. For me.” He whined, sticking his lower lip out in a pout and widening his brown eyes, making them look even softer and prettier than usual.

You kept your glare on him for a moment longer, but the longer you looked into his puppy dog eyes, the harder it got. So soon enough, the scowl fell from your face, a sigh leaving your lips. “Fine.”

He silently cheered, and you closed your eyes with another sigh.

“Open your mouth.” He said then, and you squeezed your eyes shut tighter, growing more and more suspicious.

“Slivko…” Jack warned, but the younger soldier only hushed him.

You were about to open your eyes again, and call whatever it was he was going to do off, but before you could, something incredibly sour was shoved into your mouth, and you instantly stared spluttering at the bitter taste overtaking your taste buds, opening your eyes again.

Your nose scrunched up and your eyes hardened. Spitting the lime out on the plate in front of you, you turned and glared at your best friend, violently slapping his chest.

“For fuck’s sake, Reggie!” You exclaimed. “Are you clinically insane or just incredibly annoying?”

“Probably both.” Cole wasted no time in answering for him.

Everyone was laughing, including Slivko, which only made you more agitated, causing you to slap him again, only with more force this time.

His smile fell at that, his hands coming up in front of him to protect himself from the hits that just kept coming. “Stop hitting me! Why are you so mean?!” He yelled, and you finally stopped hitting him.

“I don’t know. I think it’s just my factory setting.” You glared. “Or maybe it’s because you’re such an incredibly big pain in my ass!”

The smile returned to his face, his lips pulling into a shit-eating grin. “Come on, you know you love me. Give me a smile.”

He brought his hands out and pulled at the corner of your lips with his finger, and in return, you hardened your glare, crossing your arms over your chest. “No.”

“Fine.” He said, giving up. “I’ll just smile then.”

“Please, don’t.” You replied, but he was already holding the corners of his own lips up.

“Smiles are contagious.” He spoke through his teeth to his best ability as his lips were stretched up so hard.

He looked absolutely ridiculous, and even though you wanted to throw back some kind of insult, you found yourself unable to, your lips quivering as you fought to hold back the smile.

But he noticed it, letting go of his lips and pointing a finger at you excitedly. “See! See! What did I tell you?” He said, and you laughed.

“I hate you.” You said. “You are the worst human being on the face of the planet.”

“Aw, that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” He said, bringing his hand up to his heart.

Mason watched the two of you with a light smile on her lips. “You seem like really close friends.” She spoke up, for the first time since sitting down. “Did you know each other before the war?”

The sound of her voice attracted everyone’s attention, and Slivko instantly shook his head, throwing an arm around your shoulder.

“We’re not friends.” He stated flatly, wiping his face free of emotion. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

“Intimately close. Seduce your enemies.” You joined in, grabbing his hand that was hanging down above your collarbone.

Reg nodded in agreement, reaching out to grab your boob to prove your point. 

Without ever looking away from Mason, you delivered a slap to his wrist, causing him to pull back, but he wasn’t fazed, continuing. 

“Marry your enemies and poison the wedding cake. Boom.” He made an explosive gesture with his fist, and you turned to him with a glare. 

“I’m not marrying you if you’re going to bring the wedding cake into it, that’s just unnecessary.” You said.

In turn, he looked down at you, nodding his head with a regretful gaze. “I agree. I went too far. I apologize.”

While you kept looking at each other, Mason’s eyes flickered between the two of you from the other side of the table, her eyebrows raised in both confusion and amusement.

Seeing her questioning stare, Cole took it upon himself to explain, briefly looking up from his food to wave a hand in your direction. “They met in training, and we’ve had to put up with this shit every day since.”

Mason slowly nodded, a chuckle leaving her lips. “Sounds fun.” She said, and when you turned your head back to look at her again, she asked you. “What are you gonna do when you get back?”

You heaved a heavy sigh at the question, shaking your head. “I don’t even know, I haven’t really thought about it.”

“She’s gonna get herself a man. Pop out a few kids.” Jack joined in on the conversation, pointing at you with his fork.

To this, you raised an amused eyebrow, but before you could say anything, Mills let out a loud laugh from his seat. “You’re telling me you can actually see (Y/N), (Y/N) (Y/L/N), being a housewife?” He asked, and you shook your head in agreement.

“Yeah, no. I’m way too picky.” You admitted, turning your attention back to the food in front of you. “And either way, men aren’t very appreciative of women with strong minds and opinions.” You added, looking up at them while shoving a forkful of rice into your mouth.

Jack’s lips turned up in agreement and he dropped the subject, but Reg had other plans, scooting closer to you and leaning his head closer to yours. “I’m single and I don’t mind.” He tried, and you spared him a sideways glance.

“Dream on, lover boy.” You said, bringing your hand up to shove his head away from yours.

The boys, once again, broke into laughter, and Mills offered the discouraged boy a slap on his back. “It was worth a shot, my friend.” He said, and the smile was back on his face just as quickly as it had fallen.

Later that day, the boys were all out on deck in the nice, warm afternoon sun, mentally preparing for the mission that would officially start the next day.

When you had gone to join them, Packard had stopped you and presented you with a box of cake mix, telling you he had pulled some strings to get you into the kitchen if you wanted to treat yourself and the boys to something sweet your last night on the ship.

And how could you refuse?

It wasn’t the fanciest cake. You had to make do with the few decorative ingredients that you could find, but for a cake baked on a ship, it turned out pretty well.

It was around five o’clock in the afternoon when you finally stepped outside with the cake and a stack of plastic plates and forks on a tray, your eyes instantly rolling in amusement when you caught sight of a shirtless Reg posing in front of Mason’s camera.

Cole was sitting off to the side, as somber as ever, getting his hair cut while the others joked around with Reg in the sunlight.

Cole was the first one to spot you coming over, the others being too busy to even notice you. 

He was the only one who had known that you were going to make a cake, having walked into the kitchen while it was still in the progress to get one of his many snacks.

He wasted no time in sitting up straight in his seat when he saw you coming, waving his hand out to alert the others of your arrival.

When they turned to look at you, you held the tray up for them to see. “Behold. From chaos, order. From ugliness, beauty. From basic ingredients and an oven, cake.” You dramatically presented you work of art.

Reg instantly lit up in a large smile. “Nice!” He exclaimed, while Jack’s face pulled into one of disbelief. 

“Did you make that? By yourself?” He asked, helping you clear the empty beer bottles off the makeshift table they had made out of a wooden crate so that you could put the tray down.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” You asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s the first time we have an actual kitchen and get to eat food that isn’t coming from a can. It was either go big or go home, and the latter isn’t really an option seeing as we’re in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.”

“A woman who can fight in a war and bake a cake?” Mills said. “Where the hell do I get one?”

All of them pulled their chairs up around the crate, Mason sitting down on one side of you, and Reg sliding in on your other side, wasting no time in reaching for a plate and then for the cake.

You instantly slapped his hand away, snatching the plate from his hand. “I promised the first piece to Cole.”

“What?” His head whipped around to face you, his eyes widening. “I’m your best friend, the first piece should be mine!”

You gave him a narrow-eyed look. “My cake, my rules. Cole gets the first serve.” You said and held the plate out for Cole to take without breaking eye-contact with Reg.

“That’s right. Suckers.” Cole said, wasting no time in grabbing it from you and serving himself a piece, the size of it causing everyone to look at him strangely.

“You gonna eat all that yourself, man?” Mills asked him, and before Cole could reply, you did so for him.

“The more you weight the harder you are to kidnap. Stay safe, eat cake.” You said with your eyebrows raised at him, all while grabbing a plate and fork of your own.

Cole nodded, his head already stuffed full of chocolate. “What she said.” He agreed, and you turned to him.

“Right on.” You said, clinking your fork to his before moving to serve yourself a piece of your own, the others following suit.

No surprise with Cole there, the cake was gone in what seemed like just a second, and all of you spent the rest of the evening out on the platform together, listening to music and fooling around.

Mason slipped off without any of you noticing, and eventually, you went your separate ways too, Reg walking you to your room just like he had done the night before.

Come next morning, you were up and packing everything into the choppers bright and early, ready to head straight into the big, never-ending storm.

“Ready to do this?” Reg asked you, standing beside you and working on packing the record player into its briefcase while you packed a rucksack full off necessities.

“Yup. Today’s just a light recon day.” You answered in a breath without looking at him.

“Then why are you packing five pounds of explosives?” He chuckled, and only then did you turn to look at him, just as you finished packing said explosives into the leather bag.

“I want to be prepared.” You told him, pulling the zipper up. “I don’t trust those shady scientists.”

He raised an eyebrow, brown eyes sparkling with amusement. Before he could say anything else, however, you were joined by another person.

“That makes two of us.” Packard muttered as he came up between you, looking down at your bag and giving it a nod of approval. “Good call, (Y/L/N).”

You gave him a curt nod, followed by a playful smile. “I got you, sir.”

He nodded at you with a small smile of his own playing on his lips, and before you knew it, you were on your way.

You were in a chopper of your own with one of the scientists, struggling to keep the flying vessel straight with the way the strong weather was pulling on the controls in your hands. 

But in the end, you persevered, with a little help from Packard’s motivating speech.

The sight you were met with once you passed through the last of the storm clouds was the most beautiful sight you’d ever laid eyes on, but the moment of admiration was cut short for all of you when you began dropping the bombs and shortly after, were hit out of the sky one by one by a giant gorilla.

Everyone was screaming over the comms, but you kept going for as long as you could, opening fire at the gorilla like the rest of the choppers until you, too, were hit to the ground.

Reg yelled your name as he saw your chopper going down, and only a second later a body came flying into his windshield, his chopper crashing, too.

You didn’t know how long you were out for, but when you woke up again, there were no more choppers in the sky, and the radio in yours was dead, along with the scientist who had been with you, oh so gracefully having been impaled by a piece of metal.

It was horrible, but you were used to seeing death and weren’t too affected, just lucky that the bag of explosives hadn’t exploded in the crash.

You had no choice but to go on and venture into the forest on your own, hoping to come across someone else before dark fell.

Your peaceful walk took a turn for the worse rather quickly though and soon enough, you were being chased by some monstrous skull-lizard.

You weren’t stupid. You realized immediately that your chances were pretty slim, but you couldn’t let that stop you. It was escape or death, and you weren’t ready to die. 

You had to see Reg again, but it was going to be easier said than done, and just when you thought your life was gone for, you lost your footing and rolled down a hill, landing right at the feet of a bearded man.

You put your guard up immediately, shifting back on your hands and feet and fumbling for your rifle, raising it right to his head in all of your panicked glory.

He wasted no time in taking a step back and raising his hands in his defense, eyes widening. 

“Easy, easy. I’m a friend!” He exclaimed, and even though it went against your better judgment to trust a man you just met, you lowered your gun and dropped to your back on the forest floor, bringing your hands up to your face as you caught your breath.

A few minutes later, you were walking side by side with Marlow, which the man’s name had turned out to be, the two of you conversing.

Although, he was doing most of the talking, going on and on about how excited he was that “you had finally come for him”.

You, on the other hand, were still traumatized from the “Skull Crawler” you had been chased by just a few minutes prior, constantly on your guard with your rifle in the fear that it would jump out at you.

Eventually, you were joined by island natives that he introduced to you as the Iwi. Their faces were painted and they didn’t say much, a nice change from the man you had been walking beside up until then, who never seemed to shut up.

The sun was just beginning to set and you were just nearing some stone ruins, when the Iwi suddenly picked up on something and ran ahead.

You exchanged a look with Marlow, before the two of you sprinted off after them.

Marlow entered the ruins first, holding his hands up to calm the situation down, whatever it was, and when you entered after him, you instantly realized what was going on, and you had never been so happy to see the face of Reg as you were then.

His eyes found yours and he wasted no time in lowering his rifle, his face falling in disbelief. 

The Iwi all had their spears pointed at him and the people he was with, but the second they lowered their weapons, he came rushing forward to take you into his arms.

“Oh my God, (Y/N).” He breathed into your ear, and you closed your eyes tightly, taking in the feeling of his arms around you. “I thought you were dead. We found your chopper and-  Shit, your head.” He cursed, taking note of your bloody forehead when you came back apart.

He met your eyes again, holding you by your arms. “Are you okay?” He asked, and you put on a feign confused expression.

“I- Who are you?” You asked, and you watched as his face immediately fell.

“I-“ He struggled to find the words, and you held his sad stare for another moment, before the laughter bubbled up in your throat, your head throwing back and your hands coming to grab your stomach.

“You should’ve seen the look on your face!” You laughed, and his face instantly pulled into one of enragement.

“That’s not fucking funny!” He roared at you.

The tone in his voice and the look on his face was unlike anything you had ever seen with him before; he hadn’t even reacted like that when you had shot him in the shoulder.

Because of that, your laughter quickly died down, a confused look overcoming your features. “What? It was just a joke.” You said, chuckling. “Why are you getting so mad?”

The scowl on his face only deepened at that. “Because, because I-“

“Because you?” You raised an eyebrow, and watched with amusement as he threw his arms out.

“Because it��s just not funny! Okay?!” He said and you raised your hands in surrender, nodding your head.

“Okay, Mr. Serious.” You said, flashing him an amused smile.

You moved back to Marlow, who was now talking to Conrad, and when introductions were out of the way, you were on your way again, reaching the Iwi’s village not long after.

During your stay in the village, you tried spending some time with Reg, but for some unknown reason, he was still mad at you for pretending you couldn’t remember him and pretty much gave you the cold shoulder, instead busying himself with fixing the engine of the boat.

After getting the boat to work, you finally got in contact with Packard. He set on a flare to give away their location, and you wasted no time in heading in that direction, trekking through the jungle in silence, staying on your guard.

It was so silent, in fact, that when Reg let out a loud scream from beside you, you couldn’t help but almost jump out of your own skin.

But when seeing why he had screamed like he did, you instantly broke out into laughter, going up to him.

“Calm down, you big baby. It’s just a chameleon.” You told him, reaching up to carefully grab the body of the reptile that he was trying to slap away from his shoulder. After putting it down on a branch in passing, you gave him a smug smirk. “You scream like a girl, by the way. I’m embarrassed to be your acquaintance.”

Your teasing wasn’t as appreciated as it usually was, much to your dismay, only getting a scoff and a sour look in return before he sped up and walked ahead, leaving you to walk by yourself.

Smile falling off your face again, you sighed, keeping silent the rest of the way, until James stopped by a small stream of water.

“We’ll stop here. They should be close.” He said, turning around in your direction. “Rest up, fill up your bottles.”

Everyone did as told, sitting down wherever they could find a comfortable spot, Reg included who sat down on a log right by the water.

Meanwhile, you stayed behind by a tree, leaning your back against the trunk as you watched him from a distance.

You knew that he could feel you looking with the way he was doing everything with unnecessarily aggressive movements, but not once did he spare you a look, causing your eyes to narrow with annoyance.

He might be cute, but he was also petty as hell, something you had never been on the receiving end of up until now.

A few minutes later, all of you turned to face the forest at the sound of rustling  in the bushes, and before you knew it, Packard, Cole, Mills, Reles and Randa appeared, walking into the clearing where you were currently waiting.

Reg was the first one up on his feet, rushing over to greet his friends and fellow soldiers, and you weren’t far behind, greeting Cole, Mills and Reles with tight, brotherly hugs, and Packard with a firm handshake.

“Good to see you alive, (Y/L/N).” He said with a smile, and you nodded curtly, returning his smile with one of your own.

“You too, sir.”

Not long later, you were all, once again, running for your lives, having walked right into the graveyard of Kong’s family on Packard’s orders, which also happened to be somewhat of a Skull Crawler lair.

The memory of being chased down by the giant reptile-like monsters only a few days prior was still fresh in your mind, and having to relive it now was stressing you the fuck out.

But you kept going, running in zigzags through the giant skulls of Kong’s parents with your rifle held closely to your chest, trying your hardest to see through the mustard-yellow fumes.

You were all passing each other several times, focusing on yourselves and shooting at the Skull Crawler whenever it came too close to any of you.

A while into the fight that, at this point, seemed completely unwinnable, Reg ran up to you with his rifle raised just like yours, running by your side and yelling out over the loud gunshots. “Before we die, there’s something I need to tell you!”

Without looking at him, the two of you turning a corner, you hardened your face. “We're not gonna die, stop saying that!” You yelled back.

“I still need to tell you!” He kept fighting, and you growled under your breath in annoyance.

“Can it wait?! I’m kind of busy trying not to die!”

“No! It can’t wait!”

Right after he said that, a loud screech reached your ears, and you instantly recognized the thundering rocking of the ground under your feet, throwing a look over your shoulder to see that you were now the main targets of the Skull Crawler.

Turning your eyes back forward, you cursed, picking up your pace. “You’ve been ignoring me for well over two days, you can wait another!” You yelled, and just as you were about to be swallowed whole, you grabbed Reg’s arm and tugged him to side, the two of you sliding into one of the Kong skulls.

You were protected by the thick bones, but the Skull Crawler kept snapping at you, trying to get through, and you wasted no time in backing up and firing at it.

“I love you!” Came Reg’s voice then, and you widened your eyes, your head whipping around to face him.

“What?!” You exclaimed, your face briefly falling in disbelief, but when you realized he wasn’t shooting, but rather just staring dumbly at you, the disbelief turned into a hard glare. “What the hell are you doing?! Shoot, you idiot!”

He seemed to snap back to his senses when hearing your words, shuffling back and starting to shoot at the Skull Crawler that was still snapping at you, until it spotted something somewhere else and left.

Once it was gone, you allowed yourself to take a breather, but you barely even got the time to do that, your face being grabbed in Reg’s hands a second later.

“I love you!” He repeated shaking your head lightly. “I am absolutely, definitely, positively, unquestionably, no strings attached, beyond any doubt, unconditionally, in love with you. I want to grow old with you and love you, make you smile and hear you laugh, every single day for the rest of my life. I get butterflies every time you look at me, every time you touch me, like some freaking teenage girl. I know it may not make any sense but when I look at you, I can feel it. I look at you, and I’m home, and if you stay with me I promise to make you smile everyday with my weird jokes, I promise to share my food with you, give you good massages and laugh at your stupid jokes. I like you so much I don’t know what to do with it.  My heart beats so fast when I know I’m going to see you again. And then, when you look at me the way you do, I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I don’t want to go a single day in my life without you. I love you. I knew it the minute I met you, and I’m sorry it took so long for me to catch up. I just got stuck. But I- I need to know, if we’re going to die, if you feel the same way, bec-“

Without any warning, you grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into you in one single, rough movement, pressing your lips to his in a kiss so forceful your teeth clashed together.

He let out a soft “hmpf” at the force, but wasted no time in pulling you closer, the two of you kissing each other with such desperation, hadn’t you been in the situation you were currently in, your clothes would’ve been on the floor in a second.

But this was neither the time nor place, so you pulled apart way too quickly for your liking, meeting each other’s equally as wide eyes, both of you completely breathless.

“Does this mean-?”

“Yes.” You interrupted him. “You’re a fucking idiot and I’m going to be mad at you for a while for giving me the cold shoulder and then choosing literally the worst possible time to confess your love for me, but I love you too.”

His eyes, still wide, widened even more at that. “Whatever possessed you to do that should possess you more often.” He breathed out, and you gave him a stern look.

“It can possess me more later, but right now, our main concern should be getting out of here alive. Okay?” You asked, and he nodded.

“Okay.”

“Okay.” You repeated in a breath, pressing another quick peck to his lips before grabbing your rifle and running back out of the skull, leaving him to watch after you with literal heart eyes, the poor boy now more in love than ever.

Once you had made it out of there with your lives intact thanks to Mason throwing a lighter into the fumes and causing an explosion, you wasted no time in getting out of the graveyard.

Reg had a close call back there and you had never felt a panic as intense at the one you felt then, rushing to his aid once James had pulled him into safety to check on his hurt leg.

You were a loyal soldier, loyal to your brothers and your superior. The only thing you were more loyal to was your own morals, and when Packard, even after what you had just been through, still insisted that Kong was the enemy, you had no choice but to go against him, much to Reg’s dismay.

The look on his face when you moved to follow James, Mason, Brooks and San was one out of pure betrayal, but you knew he would get over it, if the two of you made it out alive.

Just like you, he was a loyal soldier. But while you were more loyal to your morals, he was more loyal to you.

One look into your eyes was all it took for him to, with a trembling lip, turn his rifle onto Packard, the others following suit, more loyal to their brothers than their superior, who was clearly losing his mind.

Still adamant on killing Kong, he got what he had coming to him while the rest of you fled for your lives, running all the way until the dark lifted and the sun was coming up.

When you reached the edge of the island, Mason was sent up on the rocks with the flare gun to attempt to signal Brooks and San who were at the boat, and while she did that, Reg dragged you along by your hand toward the water; away from the loud screeches following you, which were only coming closer.

It didn’t take long for the Alpha Skull Crawler to catch up with you, and while the rest of you kept running, Cole came to a stop turning to look at the giant creature while slowly reaching for a grenade in his vest.

Mills and yourself were the ones to notice it first, stopping to call after him, and when he didn’t acknowledge you, you set off into a sprint in his direction without a second thought.

“No, (Y/N)!” Reg called after you, trying to catch your wrist to stop you.

But you were too quick, running up to Cole and starting to pull at him. As a response, he began pulling back, and you glared.

“Don’t be an idiot, Cole. Come on.” You scolded him simply, and before he could protest, you ripped the grenade out of his hand, pulled the spring out and launched it straight into the open jaws of the Skull Crawler, hurrying to throw your bag full of explosives in the same direction and pulling Cole away just as it all blew up.

The huge explosion caused the two of you to be sent flying forward, and although it didn’t kill the Skull Crawler, you were sure it weakened it, along with giving you the chance to get away.

Slivko was at your side in an instant, yelling at you for being stupid, before pulling you into his arms. 

Everything happened so quickly after that and hadn’t it been for Kong, you would’ve all died.

But he was there, giving you all a second chance at life and getting you all out of there with your lives intact.

The only thing you could hear as you drove away from the island was the sound of the boat’s engine and the wind howling in your ears.

No one had spoken a word since you got out of there, all of you just letting reality of what you had been through sink in.

You were convinced that no one would say anything the entire ride, but of course, Cole would be the one to break the silence, in the most inconvenient of ways.

“I could die for a smoothie right about now.” He spoke, breaking the silence and causing all of you to look at him with various expressions.

While most people looked at him with either disbelief or annoyance, you could only chuckle in amusement.

“After everything we’ve just gone through, you really think that’s an appropriate metaphor?” You asked him, and he just spared you a glance, shrugging his shoulders before looking back into the floor.

You shook your head at him, before pushing yourself out of your seat with an exhausted sigh, moving out from underneath the roof and climbing on top where Reg was laying flat on his back, hands clasped together on his stomach and eyes staring into the sky.

You said nothing as you stepped over him and sat down beside him, making sure you weren’t too close to the edge before laying down on your back at his side.

The second you were situated, his hands unclasped, one of them moving out to seek after yours, and you met him halfway, your fingers intertwining.

You laid there in silence for a moment, just taking everything in, before he spoke up quietly from beside you.

“On a scale from one to ten, how bad of an idea do you think it would be if we got married?”

At the sound of his words, you turned your head in his direction, raising a doubtful eyebrow. “You just confessed your love to me yesterday and you’re already proposing?” You asked, and watched as he turned to look at you.

“You’re an idiot, I’m an idiot. We’re co-presidents of Club Idiot. I can’t think of a better match.” He shrugged. “So how ‘bout it? Would it really be that bad?”

A chuckle left your lips at his poor proposal. “It would be off the charts.” You replied, your lips pulling into a gentle smile and your eyes staring into his. “Let’s do it.”

He matched your smile with one of his own, sparing you one last look before wrapping his arm around you and pulling you into his side, your head resting on top of his chest.

“I’ll take care of you.” He promised, and you closed your eyes and smiled, letting out a content sigh. 

“I know.”

Cole, Mills and Reles all looked at you from below, watching as you cuddled close.

They had all known that you had liked each other long before either of you had spoken those feelings aloud. Maybe even before you had realized it, yourselves.

They could see it in Reg’s eyes, the way he looked at you. As if you were the sun, and he was a child seeing it set for the very first time, and then the way your eyes sparkled right back whenever you looked at him.

Being able to find someone you clicked with so naturally was the best feeling ever. You felt like you had been best friends your whole life, and you were so comfortable with each other.

Maybe that’s what a soulmate really was. Not someone who shared every single thing in common with you, but someone who made you feel like you were coming home, which was exactly what you felt like when he wrapped his arms around you.

No matter where in the world you found yourselves, as long as he was there by your side, you would be home.

Tagged: @marvelously-flawed​

(If you want to be added or removed from the tag list, send me a message, ask or leave a comment)

[judgement-free-sideblog]

Ghosts from the rainforest

Captain James Conrad x Reader

Summary: A simple rescue mission will bring him back to a place full of nightmares, and maybe this time he could find redemption. Situated in 1975, 2 years after the events of Skull Island.

Warnings: Violence, blood, wounds, mentions of war, cursing, implied smut, smoking, angst.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

I finally manage to write the end to this tiny fic, I hope you like it, and I'm going to start on my ideas for a Jonathan Pine adventure, but I haven't decide yet.

Chapter 7: Fever [Final]

The helicopter was already on motion, and the rescue crew that Brooks had sent for you were charging everything for the trip. The guys were excited to finally going back home, the Celebes Sea was ahead of you in the military base you were staying, and waiting in the Pacific the majestic USS Constellation  (CV-64) waiting to take all of you home.

Home? A country that had make more damage and taken everything from you, your family, and had force you to live away to mend some of the atrocities they had committed in the name of freedom.

"Not looking so charming today are we?" You said to him once he walked in your room to pick up your bags, you have finally stop the hostilities after he had offered you his shoulder to cry while you mourned Shukri on his funeral and after all the physical torture he had endured so you could safely leave Borneo.

He had been clear about letting you stay if that was what you wanted, and even when the rest of the crew asume you were coming back to USA, he knew you would have to say goodbye sooner or later, so instead of telling him all the things your heart was keeping from him you kept teasing him and pretending the chopper was not waiting for him.

"I have a minor headache love, but it's okay, are you ready to say goodbye?" He said and you noted how his temple had a few wrinkles, he was trying to smile over the pain in his head "It's a shame you don't come with us, I have a lot of things I wanted to show you" he grabbed your hand and all your alarms started to scream.

"Conrad are you okay?" Those words were all you have hoped for, however the radiant heat from his skin told you he was not exactly fine. "Dear God you are burning up" You said touching his head and looking desperately for a thermometer in your belongings.

"I like you too doctor, but why don't we wait until we get to the ship, we can share a bunk bed" He was definitely not himself.

"103° damn it Conrad!" You said, and for some oddly reason remember the night he told you about Randa and how much he complained about mosquitoes while he was dressing "Look at me, I'm not kidding, did you take Chloroquine before we leave Malaysia? I told you guys you had to..."

He nodded negative, and before he could speak he simply throw up in the nearest trash bin, making you suspect of the worst, specially since all the medicine was now gone and the only viable solution now was the aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific waiting for you.

"Also you have perfect legs you know that? I could spend my life sleeping on them." He kept saying things like that while you helped him to the heliport "Come here princess your prince charming needs your love" he said trying to kiss you.

"Later dear, preferably when you're not dying or smelling like vomit" you tried to stop him.

"Well you didn't mind me covered in dirt and sweat" He tried again but he stopped to scream "Reg! I love you man, you are like a son to me" and also tried to kiss the boy on the forehead.

"What happened to the Captain?" Slivko asked concerned once you help him to board the chopper while carrying his luggage and your medical bag.

"I have no idea, but I'm afraid it might be Malaria" you said bluntly and all of them looked concerned at you, while he vomited again "Do you have medical equipment here?" You asked the pilot and he only raised his thumb while you make sure he was steady on the helicopter floor, and almost didn't feel the machine take off while you tried to put an IV on his arm.

After one hour that felt like ten you could no longer see the island, only the immensity of the Pacific, and growing in the horizon the USS Constellation, even when you despised war and everything it represented the enormous carrier was enough to let you speechless, specially when a team of nurses and a doctor was already with a stretcher waiting for him.

"It's going to be ok James" you told him holding his hand while the experts rushed him inside.

"You really like men to die quite literally for you right?" He tried to joke, fighting the impulse of vomiting again, "Hey it's okay, I have to take care of you remember?" He smiled and you hold his hand trying to not get on the way of the medical staff, but he was too weak and fall asleep.

After they had stabilized his temperature, and take samples of his blood to determine the pathogen they let you in, the beds inside the medical bay of the ship were oddly spacious, and you could be sited next to him without any other person listening.

"Y/N?" He asked opening his beautiful eyes, "Hey it's okay love, I'm feeling better" He said and tried to reach for the glass of water on the table.

"Let me" You said and put it closer to him, "I know, once they identify the plasmodium they will know what is the best treatment for you, they take test and interrogate all of us, don't tell him I told you but Reles almost passed out when he saw the needle " He attempt to laugh but was still weak so he only smiled.

"Well is rewarding seen you on my dead bed, I'm quite honored, tears look oddly beautiful on you" He said and a small smile form in your lips.

"And you are still delirious" You said looking for a piece of cloth, and cold water from the sink to put on his head. "Here, try to rest, I'll come see you later" you told him but before your hand could leave his head he hold you still "What?"

"I might be dying, so you owe me at least listening me like adults" He said forcing you to stay next to him.

"You are not dying" you said trying to sound like it didn't matter and failing miserably "you are not, but fine. Let's talk" you concede.

"I'm sorry" he started contrary to what you had expected. "I had no idea how you looked before we met, and i was under no circumstances trying to seduce you to lure you back to America" you blush and regret your decision to stay by his side.

"I'm sorry too" You responded after a while "You have done so much helping me, even when half of the trouble I caused was preventable if I haven't trusted in the wrong people." You said and he hold your hand softly, he didn't want to hear about that, and you knew it so you took all the courage you have to continue. "And I'm sorry I over reacted, I am so used to people coming to me with second intentions that I just pushed you away to avoid getting hurt, and I just end up making other people hurt you"

"I'm sorry I make you come to the ship, I knew you wanted to stay" he said sincerely.

"It's okay, I have to make sure you stay alive, you know for the boys, maybe working at Monarch with you and Brooks won't be so bad"

"Well you can always run away from us in Hawaii, or maybe... we could run away together" He gave you a pleading look, and for moment you could imagine that life, keep running away, by his side, the soldier that never came home, and the idealist doctor, and keep leaving ghosts in every island, trying to find happiness apart from the world, but together. He kissed you, but this time it wasn't a lusty hunger kiss, nor passionate and angry like before, it was reassuring and you knew no matter what your answer was, he was on your side, for the first time you had someone on your side "So what do you say?"

But you couldn't answer because out of nowhere your stomach make you nauseous and you rush to the toilet to empty its content.

"Are you okay dear?" He screamed from the bed "I'm trying bloody hard to not take this as criticism"

"I'm okay, but I'm going to check your tests and start taking the pills before I end up confessing my sins on the fever like you" you said and walked out of the bathroom to saw him "We can talk later" you assure him.

You marched inside the medical office and started to look in the cabinets, when the young doctor that had received Conrad walked in.

"I'm sorry, I start feeling the symptoms and I thought it would be better if I start on the chloroquine before it gets worse" you excuse yourself.

"That would be great, if any of you had Malaria" he said offering you a seat that you take since he speak with a Texan accent and an authoritarian voice that made up from his young face "But we test all of you and what our SAS friend has is more likely a stomach flu from some bad shrimp, I was just on my way to tell him." He said and you sigh in relief, but also concerned about your own symptoms

"Oh that's great, but I start barfing too, and I didn't had the shrimp last night" you said and he took out a small file with your name that the nurses had put together earlier.

"Well it may be motion sickness, we are in a boat after all, or maybe... you told the nurse you didn't remember when was your last period?" He said looking the file.

"Well we have been in the jungle almost a month so I wasn't exactly counting" you tried to joke.

"The change of environment can trigger the vomit, or if you had sex in the past three weeks you might be pregnant" He smiled and all the weight of the world fall into your shoulders instantly. "In any case you should rest and let alone my medical cabinets, go with nurse Matthews she will give you some vitamins" he said but you were not longer listening.

No, it couldn't be that, right? You tried to convince your mind, but deep down you knew it was true, what would he think? He was a soldier, a man of the field, not a father, and you were obviously not a mother, what will happen now? Now that he wanted to run away in the world next to you, a baby had a place on that plan?.

Two days later Conrad was out of the medical bay and trying to approach you, offering you a fresh start from the afternoon you pause all those weeks ago in Malaysia.

But the stolen kisses on the hallways, and his nightly incursions on your cabin only made it harder for you to find a way to come clean about your news, even when the idea had already sink in your mind, because it was a baby, and it was his baby, how could you not be happy and grateful? Yet you haven't say anything to him.

Four days later he had spend the whole day walking on the deck with you, like if the planes and choppers were an appropriate sighting for a date.

"We'll be in Hawaii soon" He started "If you want to go out for a walk in the morning and get lost in the jungle we have to star planning now" he said and you were looking at the ocean trying to make up your mind.

"Maybe... I was wondering about the work you do at Monarch, maybe I will give it a chance" you start not sure how the whole we are having a baby situation will fit in your speech "I mean if you want to travel the world it might help to have a paying job for a while" you were nervously touching your hands.

"Of course, also when the baby comes I would like to have a proper house for him to be... or she, I don't care you know? as long as they're healthy" he said and you nodded yes.

"Yeah of course... what??" You look at him and he had the most radiant smile on his face, and he was clearly holding his laugh and apparently tears, of joy? "How do you know?

"Well nurse Matthews saw us kissing and then she complained about how Children this days keep having children out of wedlock" he said and you hide your face on your hands.

"I was really going to tell you... for real is just..." but you didn't have the words in you, and the tears were running on your face

"I know, it's fine, I mean is a little soon but if I'm honest I'm tired of running, and after all we've been trough I couldn't imagine a single person to share this experience with" He said cleaning the tears from your face.

"You sure?" You asked again, needing to hear it from his mouth.

"I'm sure, I fall in love with you when I saw you scaring local vendors in Malaysia and then fighting guerilla liders in Borneo, I even loved you when you vomit after kissing me for real, I'm completely taken by you Y/N"

"I fall in love with you too James" you said, and his expression got serious for a moment. "What?"

"Nothing, is just that I'm going to miss Prince Charming" he said giving you again the disarming smile that had started all this adventure.

The end

@damalseer

@kinghiddlestonanddixon (I hope you like the end)

[jannieka394]

Random characters working at disneyland rides (paris)

Enoch o'connor: terror tower (dark and scary)

Kit walker: rock'n' rollercoaster (loves cool music)

Peter parker: star tour (star wars nerd)

Lucy pevensie: Peter pan's flight (happy thoughts)

Reg slivko: toy soldiers parachute drop (he's a soldier)

Bellamy blake: dumbo the flying elephant (loves kids)

[sserpente]

A/N: I re-watched Kong the other day and I just felt so inspired. This is based off a request from anon. Slivko makes an appearance too! ;-) Have fun reading!

Words: 1881 Warnings: injury/implied infection

Two days. It had been two days since you arrived on this bloody island. Two days since you cursed yourself for accepting to join this excursion and two days since that… thing had bitten you. A giant creature unlike any animal you had ever seen, although it had rather resembled a gigantic insect rather than an actual animal. You couldn’t get your head around what it was but that didn’t matter now. The only thing you knew was that the bite hurt like a bitch, pulsating and throbbing non-stop. Your first-aid kid had helped disinfecting it and had you put a clean bandage around it but that hadn’t helped against the rash spreading. It covered your whole forearm now, looking red and nasty and disgusting. If it killed you, surviving on this bloody island and trying to find back to your group would have been completely and utterly in vain and you certainly couldn’t have that.

You grunted. Slivko was the one who had found you first, being stranded a few miles from where the rest of your troop was and helping you putting new bandages on the wound. Together, you had made it through two long and terrifying days accompanied by strange, threatening and eerie noises and disgusting dried meat. You didn’t dare to touch the plants and berries. For all you knew, they could be poisonous.

“Hey, you okay there?” Slivko asked, a worried expression on his face. You had been wandering through the thick forest for hours now and your water rations were slowly coming to an end. Soon, you would have to find a new source of water, until then, you were damned to dehydrate. Your injury made the feeling even worse. You felt sick, like throwing up what you had just eaten. Panting, you leaned against a tree, feeling Slivko stepping up behind you and putting an arm on your shoulder.

No. You were not okay. God damn it, you wanted to slip back into Conrad’s arms and have him protect you. Just why had you had to be separated? James wasn’t exactly your boyfriend but he wasn’t just a friend either. Right before the mission, after the two had been introduced to each other, the erotic tension had been sizzling between you.

You had fallen so hard for him, it had stolen your breath away, for he was everything you had ever wanted in a man. Determined, intelligent and ambitious but also intimidating, controlling and strict. Not to mention his good looks so before you knew it, he had ended up in your hotel room, fucking you senseless the night before you had left for the island.

Neither of you knew where you were going to take this but ever since the crash—the sorrow, the pain and the fear—you were sure to have feelings for him. And you truly wanted to tell him that before you died in this bloody place.

“I’m alright,” you finally replied. “Just… exhausted. We need to find the others as quick as possible, I really don’t know how much longer I’m going to make it.”

“Yeah. We will find them. The rash looks pretty bad, (Y/N). What if it spreads and…”

Hissing, you stopped him. “Don’t. Just don’t.”

Millions of possibilities bumped into your head. The bite killing you, causing a chronic illness, having your guts rot from the inside out or infect you with rabies or some shit like that. God, you really hoped you’d make it back home alive.

The radio set had stopped working after your crash from the helicopter. Slivko’s was still working at times but all the responses he got from his Colonel were distorted and barely audible. The only thing you had understood was the order to reach the north end of the island as soon as possible.

“We should be there soon. Only a few miles and we’ll see—(Y/N)!” The soldier rushed to your side when you tripped over a root or something and fell face-forward to the ground like a wooden stick. You hardly had any energy left in your body, your limbs weak and unreliable. Shit.

“Can you walk?” Slivko was almost hysterical as he helped you up again but before you could even answer the question, he had already lifted you up and carried you bridal-style, your rucksack hanging from your arm loosely.

“You can’t carry me the rest of the way, Slivko.” You protested weakly. It was hardly convincing.

“Betcha I can.”

It was dawning when you finally arrived at the boat. It was ready to take off, the rest of the troop already there or… what was left of it. You heard James before you could see him, hurrying towards you as if the devil himself was after him.

“(Y/N)! (Y/N)!”

Anxiously, he took you from Slivko’s arms and pressed you close to his body. “Thank God, you’re safe.”

“Were you worried about me, Captain?” You joked weakly, hugging him as tightly as you could. Relief flooded your body when he touched. Instantly, you wished for him to never let you go again.

Then, after a moment of silence, he pulled away a bit so he could look you in the eye.

“Are you alright?” He asked, setting you to the ground carefully but supporting you to make sure you wouldn’t drop to the ground again.

“Not quite,” you whispered, showing him the rash the bite had caused. It looked even worse than this morning. Shit, what if they had to amputate your arm back home?!

Immediately, concern flashed in his blue eyes as he slowly led you to closer to the boat, with Packard watching you curiously as you approached. He was in the middle of a discussion with the others, debating whether or not the boat was going to carry you all without sinking.

“What happened?” James asked quietly.

“I got bitten by some strange… thing. It was huge, came down from the tree like a bloody giant squirrel on ecstasy.”

“You got bitten by something?” Packard interrupted with a scowl. “By what? That monkey?”

“Ah, no. He would have probably swallowed me whole.” You shot back, rolling your eyes in the process. You were in pain, god damn it. All you wanted was help and instead you were confronted with suspicion. Could this day possibly get any worse? James pulled you close again, noticing you trembling.

“Conrad, you know the rules. This boat might not transport all of us safely.”

Frowning, you looked at your almost-boyfriend. “What’s he talking about?”

James shot him an angry glare.

“Soldiers who get bitten by an unknown species of insects or animals usually fall back. To ensure they won’t endanger their troop by infecting them too. Whatever bit you could carry a contagious disease that will kill us all.” He explained calmly, his grip around you tightening so much it almost hurt.

Packard nodded. There was no emotion in his face whereas you were on the verge of freaking out. What did that mean? That they wanted to leave you on the island to die?!

“We can either make it back home safe and travel by this boat or we can take you with us and risk that all of us die because of you.”

He did. He did want to leave you here. Panicking, your breathing quickened, your lower lip quivering. You were not going to cry. No.

“I am not going to leave her behind, Packard.” James said coolly. His voice was still calm and controlled, it was like he chose each and every word of his wisely and calculated.

“Who are we not gonna leave behind?” Slivko jumped on the boat to join his comrades, a smile playing on his lips as his gaze fell upon you.

“(Y/N) is gonna come with us and if you are to impede that, you’ll have to go through me first.” There was a hidden, threatening tone in James’ voice, this much you could tell. Packard, however, seemed but unimpressed.

“I have no problem with shooting you both,” he answered coldly. Slivko flinched.

“Sir, I’ve been with (Y/N) for the past two days. The rash is bad and she’s ill but I’m sure that if it was contagious, we would know by now. Leaving her here or…” he gulped “shooting her… wouldn’t that be irresponsible for a colonel?”

He was going out on a limb. As a soldier, this was not how you were supposed to talk to your colonel, especially not if he had one hand wrapped around his gun. Questioning Packard meant questioning the military and that was one of the first thing they knocked out of you when you joined it as an honourable soldier to-be.

James was still staring daggers at Packard. He didn’t budge, instead lifted you up again and carried you on the boat, ignoring his protest.

“Let’s take off!” He shouted then. “I’ll be fucking damned if that girl is gonna get us all killed.”

You only winced. The thought of Slivko defending and James coming through for you warmed your heart. Would he have done it? Stayed on the island with you or risk getting shot just to save you? Did he… did he feel the same for you that you felt for him?  

With a loud rumble, the boat took off, gliding over the water almost gracefully. It was calm. Peaceful, even and still, you wanted nothing more than to finally leave this godforsaken place.

“You were bitten? What did it look like?” The man speaking up and approaching you had a half-heartedly tamed beard. He was wearing rather worn-out clothes, introduced himself as Marlow and looked pretty lost but there was no time to ask questions, though he was probably the one who owned this… what he called a boat. Well, as long as it floated.

“Like a giant… oh, I don’t know, it didn’t really look like an animal, more like an insect. It was black and crawling on six legs. Dark red eyes, eerie and big and those pincers…” You shuddered. “It bit me.”

“Got a rash?”

“Yes,”

“Nothing to worry about then. What you described sounds like one of the ants to me. Sound like birds and hide in the trees but they’re nasty beasts. Their poison is supposed to paralyse their prey but it doesn’t work on humans, just hurts like a bitch until it’s out of your system again. Nothing contagious, really. Only comes with a bit of nausea now and then.”

Once again this day, relief surged through your whole body, numbing your pain for a few seconds before anger took over. You were going to survive this.

And Packard had wanted to leave you behind. Disgusting coward.

You gnashed your teeth, allowing James to lift you up and position you on his lap. He held you close, knowing that it was no use to start another fight. After this nightmare, you’d never have to see that cruel and soulless colonel again anyway.

“We’re gonna be home soon,” he whispered, resting his forehead against yours. “You’ll be alright. Everything will be alright.” You only managed to nod in response before you pressed your lips against his, kissing him gently but passionately until all the pain in your body ceased to exist.

[itscaptaingally]

I'm not addicted to this movie at all. Pff..

[capcarolsdanver]

Promise

Request: Can you do a Mason Weaver imagine ? Like her and reader going on an adventure and something bad happen and Reader have to protect her or something ?

Pairing: Mason Weaver x Reader

A/N: So this ended up being a lot longer than I originally planned! This is my first Mason fic and I love this character so it’s exciting to write for her! I’m sorry it’s taken so long! I had a lot of personal stuff go on and lost all motivation to write until recently. I kept the ‘adventure’ the same concept as the movie, an exploration of Skull Island, so I hope you enjoy it! As always, feedback is greatly appreciated!

Please do not repost my writing anywhere without my permission.

“We said we’d always be there for each other. We promised.”

Mason looks at you from across the room, tears running down her face. “How can we be? We never even get to see each other anymore.” She gets the words out, holding back the sobs you know she wants to let out.

“There’s gotta be some other way we can work through this,” you say. You feel your own tears stinging at your eyes as Mason walks towards where you’re sitting at the edge of the bed.

“Y/N, you have a bag packed ready to leave. By the time you get back I’ll probably be gone again, too. We both know there’s no other way. At least not right now.”

Of course, you know she’s right. You both took your careers very seriously and neither of you would ask the other to sacrifice that. It doesn’t mean this hurt any less, though.

Tears start flowing from your eyes and Mason is quick to embrace you, holding you tightly in her arms and you try to hold on to the feeling of safety she’s always so effortlessly offered you.

Pulling back from her slightly, you press your lips to hers in a kiss that is both too fast and too slow before you rest your forehead against hers.

‘I think you’re the love of my life,” you whisper, your voice cracking. Mason closes her eyes for a long moment and when she opens them you watch a tear roll down her cheek. She can’t find the words but when she pulls you even closer in an almost desperate kind of way, you know she feels the same. Really, you’ve both always known.

You eventually manage to peel yourself away from Mason, grabbing your bags and walking away, leaving behind the greatest love you’ll ever know.

You shake the memory from your head, your eyes trained on the figure walking ahead of you on the dock. In theory, you know it’s unlikely to be her. The expedition you’re about to get on a ship for isn’t the kind that you’d consider an anti-war photographer to join. Still, you can’t help the overwhelming feeling of familiarity as you watch the woman.

At some point you lose sight of her among the crowd, and it finally gives you the chance to snap out of the trance you’d found yourself in. You continue walking until you reach the correct ship and board it. You’re led to your room and it’s only small but you’ve definitely experienced much worse, so you thank the man who led you here before walking in and shutting the door behind you.

You place your bag on the small bed and remove your jacket, tossing it onto the bed. You take a moment to collect yourself, taking slow breaths before pushing the door open and stepping out of the room again. When you reach the deck you almost immediately spot Bill Randa, the man leading the expedition.

“Bill, hello,” you say in greeting, offering a warm smile and shaking the hand he offers you when he turns to you.

“Y/N! It’s good to see you. Thank you once again for joining us.” You nod at him.

“Of course,” you say and he gestures for you to follow him.

“Let me introduce you to some of the team.” He walks you over to a group of people and gathers their attention.

“Everyone! I’d like you all to meet Y/N, our tracker for this expedition. I expect everyone to give her the respect that she deserves. I have it on good authority that she is very good at what she does.” They all seem somewhat surprised that their hired tracker is a woman, but you pay no attention as your eyes roam the group and land on a pair of eyes already focused intently on you.

Mason is standing amongst the team in front of you and she looks just as shocked as you feel. You realise rather suddenly that the group is standing in silence, waiting for you to speak.

“Uh, thank you Bill, I appreciate it. It’s good to be here with you all, I’m really looking forward to seeing you all do what you do best.” Everyone mumbles their own greetings towards you before Bill walks away with a wave and the rest of the group disbands.

You and Mason are left standing together, silently looking at each other before Mason’s face breaks into a grin and she throws herself at you, the force of her embrace throwing you off balance for a moment before you steady yourself.

“Oh my god,” she laughs, pulling back to look at you. “I can’t believe this. What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? I could ask you the same question, Mason Weaver, anti-war photographer.”

She smiles softly at the sound of her name coming from your lips before a more serious expression takes over her face. She quickly scans her surroundings before motioning for you to follow her, and really you never could say no to her, so of course you follow her without a second thought.

When she finds a more secluded area, she tells you that something doesn’t seem right about this expedition, that no one can give her a clear answer on what the purpose of the mission was or why the military are even involved.

“The second I found out about this I knew I had to come. There’s something going on here that we don’t know about.” She voices the thoughts you’ve also had since you had been asked to join the expedition, and you move closer to her, quickly checking the doorway behind her for anyone who may be trying to listen.

“Mason, listen to me. I have a feeling things are about to get very dangerous. You know it’s not too late to get off this ship, right?”

She rolls her eyes light-heartedly at you. “Come on. You probably know me better than anyone else. You seriously think the threat of danger is gonna scare me away?”

“No, but I thought it was at least worth a shot,” you sigh and Mason chuckles at you before you hear Bill’s voice calling for the team to attend a mission briefing.

------------------------

“Seismic charges? What kind of mapping mission needs explosives?”

After the mission briefing, Mason was quick to pull you aside, stealthily leading you to the ship’s cargo hold. You look around at the amount of charges you see stacked up around you.

“That is what they’re telling us it is, right? A mapping mission?” Mason’s fingers trace the side of one of the charges before she turns to you.

“Apparently,” you say. “The charges are for the geologists, to check the density of the earth.”

Mason raises her eyebrows at you. “And you believe that?”

“Do you think I believe it?” Mason maintains eye contact with you for a few moments before her features soften. She knows you, knows that you both had always shared very similar views on most things. The only outlier being the fact that you often needed a gun with you during your work, though she knew you only used it for protection, so she was always willing to overlook it.

You eventually make your way back to the deck together and your attention immediately lands on a storm cloud in the distance, the ship heading straight towards it.

“That’s where we’re heading?” Mason asks incredulously, just as Colonel Packard walks passed.

“Yep, and we’re getting set to leave now so if you intend to come with us, I suggest you get yourselves ready to go.” You and Mason glance at each other as he walks away to talk to some of his men.

“Well, you heard the man. Guess we’re going through the big, terrifying storm cloud.” You and Mason run off to grab the things you both need and a few minutes later you’re already sitting in a helicopter, hooked up to the safety bar. Mason joins you, hooking herself up to the safety bar too. She catches you staring at her and offers you a mischievous smile before you look away with a smile of your own.

It isn’t long before your pilot, Slivko, starts the chopper and takes off, joining the rest of the choppers in the air.

“Here we go, hold on,” he says to you and Mason and he takes the chopper straight into the storm. Immediately everything starts shaking and thunder flashes in every direction around you amidst the pouring rain. You grab the edge of your seat to steady yourself and look over to Mason. She wears a panicked expression on her face, and though you likely wear the same expression, you reach over to grab her hand reassuringly, which she clings to tightly.

Just as quickly as you enter the storm, you’re flying out of it, and you’re left only with clear skies and beautiful scenery before you. Mason gasps beside you and you share a look before you both grin widely. Mason lets go of your hand in favour of picking up her camera, snapping some photos of the island the chopper flies towards.

She lets out a joyous laugh and turns to you, aiming her camera at you to take a photo. You stick your tongue out at her and she chuckles, playfully bumping your shoulder with hers.

You notice the scientists being taken to the ground and setting up their equipment, painfully aware of what’s to come next, and you flinch at the sound of the first seismic charge being dropped. Mason furrows her brow and shares a grim look with you as explosive after explosive is dropped.

A loud banging sound and screams from another helicopter pull you from your thoughts, and you look up in time to see the chopper up ahead of you spiralling towards the ground, a tree sticking straight through it.

“What the hell?” Mason says and you hear even more screams in the distance as another chopper is taken down.

When your eyes fall upon the creature causing all the destruction, you gasp. You can’t believe your eyes, and you have to blink a few times to make sure you’re really seeing the gigantic ape standing ahead of you, glaring at the choppers as they approach.

Slivko speaks over his headset to the rest of his squad, obviously getting orders to engage as he and the rest of the soldiers fire at the creature. Mason shifts closer to you, her eyes open wide in terror.

You watch in complete shock as chopper after chopper gets taken down, the ape easily ripping them apart and punching them towards the ground. Despite the bullets seemingly having no effect, Slivko continues firing and closing the distance between you and the creature.

“What are you doing?! You need to retreat right now!”

“I don’t take orders from you!” Slivko yells back at you. You sense the clear terror in his voice and before you can say anything else, a body is thrown seemingly from nowhere towards you. It hits the windshield, a loud thudding sounding through the vehicle, and the body is pulled towards the rotor. Mason screams as the helicopter shakes heavily and a loud beeping comes from the cockpit.

“We’re gonna crash!” Slivko warns you and sure enough the vehicle starts declining towards the ground. Mason looks around frantically with wide eyes and you wrap an arm around her, pulling her into your body and tightly holding on to some railing inside the chopper as it plummets through tree branches.

------------------------

You hit the ground hard, quickly surveying yourself for injuries. You swipe at your forehead and find some blood there and your body aches a little from the impact, but otherwise you’re fine.

“Mason!” You exclaim, unhooking yourself from the safety bar and quickly moving over to her as she groans, squeezing her eyes shut tight. There’s some debris trapping one of her legs from the knee down and you struggle to remove it but eventually it shifts and you’re able to free her.

“Mason, hey. Look at me,” you say, gently grabbing her face in your hands. She opens her eyes and you look over her carefully. “Are you okay?” You help her sit up and she grimaces for a second.

“I think so,” she says and you grab her hands to help her stand up. The moment she’s on her feet she shifts her weight and lets out a cry of pain, practically collapsing into your body as your hands tighten on her arms.

“What is it?” You question, concern lacing your words. She stands gingerly on one foot, distress entering her features.

“I don’t know. Just give me a second, I’ll be okay.” She shrugs your hands off of her and you let her, but you remain close to her. Clenching her jaw with determination, she slowly moves to take a step before another cry of pain leaves her lips and you quickly reach out to grab her before she’s able to fall.

“I got you,” you say softly, spotting a log a few feet away and helping her to sit on it. You lift her pant leg, gently touching her slightly swollen ankle with your fingertips. Mason hisses in pain.

“Shit, I’m sorry.”

“It’s my ankle, isn’t it? Do you think it’s broken?” You look at her face, her eyes welling with panicked tears.

“I don’t know, but we’re gonna figure this all out, okay?” She shakes her head, tears falling from her eyes, and looks at you with a pained expression.

“No, I’m not gonna slow anyone down. If you just leave me here then I can try to-“

“Hey, stop,” you interrupt. “I promised I’d always be there for you, remember? I’m not breaking that promise today and I’m not planning on leaving you again. You hear me?”

After a second, Mason nods. “Yeah,” she replies weakly, another tear rolling down her cheek which you wipe away.

“Good. Now I want you to grab my hand and try to put some weight on your ankle again. I think it might just be sprained but I want to make sure, okay?”

She nods and takes your hand, letting you help her back to her feet. Hesitantly, she places some weight on her injured ankle. She visibly winces but is at least able to somewhat support some of her weight on it and you let out a relieved breath.

“Okay, looks like it’s not broken. Everything’s gonna be fine, Mase.”

------------------------

You make your way through the forest with the group you’ve found yourself in, an arm wrapped securely around Mason’s waist. You had found some bandages in the choppers emergency kit and wound it tightly around Mason’s ankle to provide some support, and to hopefully keep it from swelling anymore. Thankfully, as more time went by, she was finding it a little easier to place more weight on the ankle, though only slightly.

“So, you never told me how you ended up on this mission,” she said, breaking the silence that had fallen upon you.

“Well, long story short, my friend Conrad was actually offered this job. He’s former SAS, I met him on a tracking mission not long after we…” You pause and glance at Mason. “Anyway. He couldn’t take the job, so he recommended me. Like you, I was pretty intrigued. Plus, they offered me a lot of money.”

“Yeah, but you were never one to take a job based on the amount of money you were offered.” You shrug, lost in your own thoughts.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately. When I was offered this job, I saw it as the perfect way out.” Mason squints her eyes at you curiously.

“A way out?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve always loved what I do. But it’s been so exhausting and it’s taken so much away from me. I mean, just look at what happened between us.”

“My career played a part in that too, you know.”

“Yeah, I know. But your work has always been more important than mine,” you say easily. "If I had just stayed two years ago, maybe things would be different now. We would have been able to work through everything.”

Mason hums, but otherwise remains quiet as you continue walking.

A few minutes later, as you follow the river towards the north side of the island, a sound from the water startles the group. You see what looks like a giant water buffalo emerging from the water, and it moves closer, looking down at you.

Mason shrieks in surprise and you quickly position your body in front of her, you and Slivko both raising your guns towards the creature. You watch it for a moment, quickly deciding that it is only curious, and doesn’t look to be hostile in any way. You lower your weapon, turning to Mason. She smile with wonder on her face and you move aside to allow her to take photos of the buffalo.

You look away from Mason for a moment, realising that Slivko still has his gun raised.

“Hey, Slivko. It’s okay, it’s not gonna hurt us.” You silently walk towards him, placing a hand on his shoulder slowly to avoid startling him. “Put the gun down.”

You feel him trembling and he looks at you over his shoulder. You nod reassuringly and he lets out a shaky breath before nodding back to you and lowering his gun.

“Are we ready to move on?” Everyone nods and Mason takes one last snap with her camera, wide smile still on her face, and looks at you.

“Yeah, let’s go.” She moves to take a step without thinking and winces. You’re by her side in an instant, your arm back around her waist and she slings an arm over your shoulders.

“I hate this,” she huffs with a pout on her face.

“I know,” you lightly chuckle, knowing she’s always hated not being able to do things on her own.

You direct Slivko on where to lead the group and stay towards the back of the group with Mason, stealing constant glances at her to make sure she’s okay. And just to look at her. You’d forgotten how much you missed seeing her face.

You walk on for at least a couple more hours without really taking any breaks, besides a minute or so here and there. Mason does her best to keep up with the rest of the group, though the last hour or so you notice her start to struggle a little. You know she won’t complain though. She wouldn’t want to slow the group down.

You keep going a little longer until you find what looks like a walkway, lined with walls and some kind of decorated arches. You all walk cautiously, looking out for any movement, and on a particularly rough bit of terrain Mason winces and tightens her grip on you. You immediately signal for the group to stop.

“No, don’t stop. I’m good.”

“Mason, it’s okay. We’ll just take 5 and then we’ll be on our way again, alright?”

She lets out a frustrated sigh but nods appreciatively at you, finding a large rock behind her to sit on. While the rest of the group pass around Slivko’s bottle of water that he shares, Mason lifts her leg to rest on the rock, pulling her pant leg up and touching her ankle.

“The sun’s starting to set. When we find a safe place we’ll stop and stay put for the night, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” she replies. The bandaging on her ankle has loosened a little while you’ve been walking, so Mason begins removing it so she can reapply it. A deep bruise has formed along her foot and ankle, but you feel relieved when you notice that the swelling has lessened slightly.

You hold out your hand to take the bandage from her and she gladly hands you it. She leans back a little as you kneel in front of her to reapply the bandage to her ankle and you see her grabbing her camera and readjusting some of the settings.

“You think you’ve got some good shots?” You ask as you finish up with her bandage.

“I guess,” she shrugs. “Not as many as I’d like though. But let’s be honest, this whole expedition has been full of surprises so I might still have some opportunities left.” As she speaks she lifts the camera to her face, adjusting the focus. She lets out a sudden loud gasp, dropping the camera and rising from the rock as quickly as she can as her face pales.

You furrow your brow, quickly turning around and spotting what appears to be a tribe closing in around you, holding spears towards you. You immediately aim your gun towards them as they approach, using one hand to grab at Mason’s shirt and tugging her behind you as you lead her to the rest of the group.

“Stop, stop,” Slivko warns them, clutching his rifle tightly, not quite sure of where to aim it.

Some of the scientists in your group also hold up their own guns and Mason’s hand falls to her knife sheath at her belt, at the ready to pull her knife out if needed. You try to think the situation through quickly, looking around at all the natives surrounding you.

“Woah, okay. It’s alright, do not shoot. We don’t want to hurt anyone. Just wait a second.”

With no obvious plan coming to mind, you almost run out of options before you hear a booming voice coming from behind the tribe.

“Woah, woah. Hey, everyone just calm down.” A man in an old flight suit runs out, making his way through the natives and greeting the group. You’re skeptical but he seems happy to see you so you listen to him. He introduces himself as Lt. Hank Marlow and explains that he’s been stuck on the island for almost 29 years.

“See, they’re okay,” he looks around at the natives and they slowly lower their spears, you and the group lowering your own weapons.

“There’s something out there, man,” Slivko says to Marlow, who raises his eyebrows knowingly.

“Oh, there’s a lot out there. Now come with me, you don’t want to be out here at night.”

The group all look to you, and you eventually shrug and lead the group to follow Marlow.

------------------------

You follow Marlow to a village and he tells you that the ape, known as Kong, is actually king on the island. He’s a protector to the native people, and there are, in fact, much worse creatures inhabiting the island. With this knowledge, you convince Marlow to come with you to the north side of the island to finally return home.

“We’ll stay here for the night, and first thing in the morning we’ll head out,” he says, pointing out the tents you have been given permission to stay in.

“Thank you,” you nod sincerely to Marlow and he returns the nod. Once again wrapping your arm around Mason, you help her to one of the tents and she sits down, looking completely exhausted after the day’s events. You share eye contact for a moment before you move to leave.

“Hey,” Mason reaches out to gently grab your wrist, effectively stopping you in your tracks. “You know, you did a really great job at keeping your promise. You’ve been there for me probably much more than I deserve.”

“Mase.” You sit next to her, your thigh touching hers. “You deserve the world. And I don’t know if I can give you everything you’ll ever need, but I mean it when I say I’ll always be there for you.”

Mason gets teary eyed watching you speak before she clears her throat to compose herself.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything,” you reply, giving her your full attention.

“If we get off this island, do you really plan on retiring from this?”

You take a breath before nodding. “Yeah, I do. You know just as well as I do that it’s cost me a lot. And when they offered me what they did for this expedition, it seemed like a perfect opportunity.” You hesitate for a moment. “Seeing you on that ship was kind of perfect, actually,” you add.

“What do you mean?” Mason tilts her head at you slightly.

“Well, it just seems like a sign. I never once considered leaving this career until it was the reason why I lost you.”

Mason makes a point of taking your hand in hers, interlocking your fingers and looking you in the eyes.

“You never lost me.”

You look at her softly, blinking back the sudden tears that sting at your eyes and leaning forward to rest your forehead against hers.

“Oh, this seems eerily familiar. You’re not gonna tell me that I’m the love of your life and then leave again, are you?” Mason jokes.

You laugh at her words, at least glad it seems like you aren’t the only one who recalls that conversation so clearly. You pretend to consider Mason’s words for a moment before speaking.

“Hm, maybe. This time I’m cutting out the part where I leave, though.”

“Good. I think I’m gonna like this version a lot better,” Mason says.

Your smile grows before you lean forward, softly kissing Mason, and it’s like everything in the world is right again. You feel Mason smiling against your lips and when you both have to break away from smiling too much you suddenly feel hopeful that you might actually be able to get off this island and be happy again.

[lokimostly]

Home from War (Ch.5/8)

James Conrad x Reader Word Count: 3,015 Warnings: character death, injury, depictions of violence and gore Fic Summary: One year after you lost the love of your life, a last-minute decision changes everything you thought you knew. Now only one question remains: how to make it out alive, and return home from war?

A/N: Whoo. I could have posted a day ago, but y’all know me, I’m a perfectionist to a fault and I had to make sure everything was *chef’s kiss.* Also, I split the chapter AGAIN cause it was way too long (and I like where it ends better, anyway). I’m looking forward to your comments on this one. <3 

Prequel Series | Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven | Chapter Eight (Epilogue)

As you and the group travelled west across the island, the feeling of dread in your stomach began to tie itself into knots. 

Everyone but Colonel Packard and a few of the soldiers were visibly on edge. No one would meet your eyes, focused instead on the forest around them, and what could possibly be in it. Particularly what wanted to eat you alive.

You took solace in walking with Conrad. You couldn’t imagine what it would be like, stuck on this island without him. But he too looked tense, every tone muscle in his body taut like a coiled spring. If Conrad was nervous, how could you not be?

The trees thinned. The air was thicker, and sick-smelling somehow. You began to pass huge, moss-covered pillars that jutted from the ground: giant bones. Thousands of them. They were overgrown by vines and trees, the only remnants of ancient creatures long-dead – and whatever had killed them.

You came over the crest of a grassy hill and your breath caught when you saw the valley below. 

Filled with putrid smoke, polluted with gaseous vents and littered with the monolith bones of two former giants, the smell alone was enough to make you gag. The bones of the giants were still bloodstained. It may have been years since they’d died, but not so long ago that whatever killed them hadn’t stopped gnawing on their bones.

“You smell that?” Marlow said in disgust. “That’s death.” 

“What the hell is this place?” Slivko asked weakly, pushing up his bandana and looking like he might throw up. 

“This is what’s left of Kong’s parents,” Marlow said, clenching his jaw.

“I’ve taken enough photos of mass graves to recognize one,” Weaver deadpanned. She stared ahead with a sour expression. The mood of the group dropped even further and settled into heady discontent.

Colonel Packard, on the other hand, was unfazed. “The crash site’s just on the other side of this valley,” He nodded, gesturing to the terrain below you with his rifle. “We’ll cross through and make it to the highest point west.” 

You looked down into the crater of bones, which was so polluted by fumes that you could hardly see into it, much less across to the other side.

Yeah, this was not a good idea.

Marlow gaped at the Colonel, astounded that he was still set in his course. “Uh-uh,” he said, shaking his head, vocalizing your thoughts. “This place is a real no-no, sir.”

“We need to be going to the north side right now!” One of the LandSat scientists piped up quickly, riding the wave of insubordination.

The Colonel turned to look at him sharply. “And you’re welcome to do that, my man,” he snapped. “By yourself!” 

He turned back to the rest of you, looking from face to face obstinately. “Now who’s with me?”

The soldiers looked between each other with uncertainty. You and Mills glanced shared a glance and he gave you a severely disgruntled look behind the Colonel’s back.

“We can make it,” Conrad said. His eyes were fixed on the valley. Your mouth opened in shock and you stared at him, screaming in silent disbelief.

Are you kidding me? You thought.

Conrad glanced at you and tightened his jaw.

“Mighty right, we can make it,” Packard nodded. “Now, stay sharp, keep an eye out.” And with that, he began walking down the hill. 

Most of the soldiers fell into line automatically, some more reluctantly than others. You stood on the ridge for a moment, looking at the path ahead. Marlow adjusted his cap with a stony expression.

“I’ve only been here twenty-eight years, what do I know?” he muttered, shaking his head and following them downhill.

You sighed, rubbing your face and shaking your head into your palm. Everyone else began the descent. You felt the ghosting touch of a hand on the small of your back as Conrad passed you, glancing up to make sure you would follow.

“Stay close?” He said, raising his eyebrows. A promise.

The two of you had already made so many promises. 

You nodded. “I will.” 

~

The air was thick with smoke. Your vision was dangerously cloudy– you could see only a few yards ahead. The ground itself was treacherous. There were random outcroppings of rock and half-buried bones, and giant, gaseous vents that seemed to go on to the center of the earth.

The group kept a loose single-file behind Packard, treading softly along the floor of the valley. Everyone with a weapon in their hands held it raised, attentive and on edge.

Gradually, you spread out. Your breathing became a little less quiet as you grew more familiar with your surroundings. For the moment, there were no monsters around. It gave you time to scope out your surroundings. You were quietly stunned at the amount of dinosaur bones and other geological marvels littering the ground like discarded baubles. This place was an archeologists’ dream -- if their dream included meeting monsters face-to-face.

Soon, the only sound wasn’t your own measured breathing. A few of the soldiers were brave enough to talk in low murmurs as they walked in groups. Randa’s flash camera made a high-pitched whine every time he took a photo.

Your backpack was much heavier than before your groups had joined up together– you and Slivko had taken on some of the weight of Griffin Co’s cargo. Bullets and gas cans, mostly. Not for the first time, your thoughts drifted to the medical bag stored in the Sea Stallion with Chapman. 

If you made it that far, at least you’d have something to look forward to. The constant discomfort of being parted from your tools was not a feeling you wanted to get used to.

Conrad stood alone, kneeling on the ground and pressing his hand into the dirt. You made your way over to him, watching as he pondered over an enormous, three-clawed footprint pressed into the earth.

Like I needed a reminder that Skull Crawlers are here, you thought, and shivered.

You looked away to distract yourself and saw Mills nearby, walking slowly alongside Cole as the older of the two lit a cigarette.

Mills turned and saw the stick dangling from Cole’s mouth, and his expression turned to indignation. “Cole, we don’t got time for that, man,” he chastised quietly. “Put the cigarette out.”

Cole paused in lighting the cig and stared at him for a moment before reaching up, taking a drag, blowing a puff of smoke, and then discarding it with an absentminded flick of his hand. 

There was a boom as the cigarette’s ember flame ignited the gas coming from the vents. A fiery cloud blasted against your front and you turned away, ducking down to avoid the flames.

You coughed as the smoke cleared and looked up at Conrad, who held his shirt over his mouth, looking watery-eyed.

“Watch those fumes!” Randa shouted from across the field, shaking his head and mumbling something under his breath. The camera in his hands fizzed and sputtered as the lightbulb flickered.

“Let’s go!” Packard called through the smoke, rallying the group to him. “We gotta move!”

Conrad coughed and dropped his shirt, standing up. The two of you jogged back to the group, falling into line and catching your breath. Everyone else did the same. 

Just as your boots found their rhythm, you heard a familiar sound: hollow screeching in the distance.

Your blood ran cold.

There was a split-second of silence where nobody breathed. Conrad had already moved towards you in one step, shoulders squared and gun raised protectively.

Then Marlow shouted, “RUN!”

You and Conrad sprinted through the smoke, dodging giant pillars of bone as they appeared through the fog.

“Here! Hide!” He said, pulling you down with him against a fragment of skull. It was curved inward, just big enough to shield the two of you when crouched down and pressed together.

Your heart was pounding out of your chest and you struggled to catch your breath. The Skull Crawler screeched again: closer, this time.

“Shhh,” he soothed, reaching a hand out to squeeze your leg before he shifted his grip on his rifle and tightened his jaw, leaning his head back against the bone. 

It was silent as a tomb. You forced yourself to calm down as the monster came closer, its heavy footsteps reverberating through the ground. Every pounding step drove fear into your mind like a hammer to a nail, until it was right on top of you. 

The monster’s throat warbled in a howl loud enough to burst your eardrums. Your own terrified shout was lost in the noise as you buried your face against Conrad’s shoulder. You felt his hand squeeze your thigh.

The roar changed into a disgusting, retching sound. Its muscled throat convulsed and, in a spray of bones and stomach acid, it disposed of what it couldn’t digest.

You pulled away from Conrad’s shoulder and stared at the bones tumbling across the ground, rolling to a stop in front of you.

Among them, a skull.

Around it, a dog tag. 

Dripping with acid, the punched letters read: Jack Chapman, Lieutenant.

You put your hand to your mouth to stifle a whimper of horror.

“Breathe,” Conrad whispered. His grip tightened when the Skull Crawler retched a final time. Its muscled throat warbled, and with a swing of its tail, it thundered off.

It felt like eternity before the rumbling of the monster’s footsteps subsided. Then, silence.

Conrad let out a breath he’d been holding and pulled you against his chest. Your bottom lip trembled and you fought down a wave of tears, nearly overcome by the feeling of near-death. He reached up to cradle your head, hand tangled in the loose strands of your hair.

“Shh. It’s all right,” He comforted, pressing a kiss to your forehead and exhaling heavily. 

“Rally up! Rally up!” Came Colonel Packard’s voice. 

You forced yourself to pull away from Conrad and stand, fighting the taste of bile that came whenever you thought about Chapman. Conrad snatched up the tangled dog tags and shoved them into his pocket, following behind you.

“Somebody cover the civilian’s six, let’s move!” The Colonel ordered. You beckoned to Weaver and the others to follow you.

They came quickly -- all except Randa, who lagged behind. He lingered in front of one of the dinosaur skulls while trying to take a picture. The flash bulb of his camera popped again, and began to malfunction, flashing at random. He turned it around. The bulb flashed. There was a low warbling behind him.

You turned around just in time to see the Skull Crawler’s giant mouth snatch Randa from thin air, throwing him from side to side before engulfing him whole. As he travelled down the monster’s throat, the camera’s lightbulb flashed erratically, glowing underneath the reptile’s skin. 

Everyone opened fire. The Skull Crawler screeched, swinging its heavy tail towards you. You ducked, feeling the wind as it passed inches above you, before the gunfire drove it way and into the smoke.

“Set up the 50!” Packard ordered. A few soldiers jumped to the task of anchoring a 50-caliber machine gun to a half-buried skull, but everyone else stood still. 

The silence was deafening. Your sweaty hands gripped the cold metal of your gun, finger floating above the trigger. In the distance, the camera flashed. Again. And again. The monster was moving quietly now– the only way to know where it was hiding in the smoke was the telltale whiz and pop of the lightbulb.

Beside you, Mills was sniffing as he tried to keep his composure. Slivko was on the verge of the same mental breakdown. You would have offered words of comfort, but you were feeling just as terrified.

Suddenly the Skull Crawler screamed and charged out of the smoke.

“Run!” You shouted, sprinting away immediately while the other soldiers opened fire. Mills followed you, catching up when you took cover behind a curved rib. The two of you gasped for breath, watching as the Skull Crawler rammed into the dinosaur skull where the 50-cal had been firing away and doing no damage. 

It caught one of the soldiers with its teeth as he flew through the air. He disappeared with a sickening crunch. The Skull Crawler snarled, and set its eyes on another target: Mason Weaver, who was armed with nothing but a camera.

Your eyes widened and you jumped to action. “Stay here!” You told Mills. You ran out from your cover and followed the Skull Crawler as it chased her. She wasn’t stupid: she ran from cover to cover, dodging the monster’s snapping jaws until there was nowhere left to run.

Mason slid underneath the curved ribcage of one of the skeletons, buying herself a fraction of time. The Skull Crawler smashed into the bones with terrifying force and began digging at her with its claws. She screamed, covering her face while its powerful jaws snapped and frothed angrily.

You skidded to a stop next to one of the soldiers, who stood dumbfounded.

“Torch!” You screamed, snapping him from his trance and pointing to the chemical backpack he was wearing. “Now!”

He let fly a sea of flames, dousing the Skull Crawler in fire.

It worked– to distract it, at least. The Skull Crawler shrieked angrily, digging its claws into the ground before swinging its monstrous tail and sending the flamethrower flying. You watched, mouth dry, as he fell into one of the vents.

An explosion rocked the ground and blasted you several feet backwards. Slivko went flying, landing on an unforgiving outcropping of bones and rock. 

Slivko didn’t get up. The contents of his backpack spilled onto the dirt: punctured cans of toxic gas. They whistled dangerously, like a kettle sitting on the stove for too long.

You groaned and pushed yourself off the ground, trying to ignore the high-pitched ringing in your ears. Your head throbbed as you came unsteadily to your feet. 

This is too much, you thought weakly, leaning against a bone pillar and trying to snap out of your dazed state.

You heard Conrad’s voice cut through the air. “Slivko!” he shouted, but his voice fell on unconscious ears. “Gas!”

You watched the cans burst in an explosion of green. 

Clouds of poisonous smoke filled the air and you pulled up the fabric of your shirt to cover your mouth. A whirlwind of yellow birds appeared out of nowhere– the very same terrors who had devoured LandSat director Nieves only hours earlier. They dive-bombed at you and the soldiers, and a fresh wave of terrified screams filled the valley. 

Meanwhile, the Skull Crawler was fully enjoying the hunt: chasing down man after man, devouring them in a single bite. The screams would haunt your nightmares.

As soon as your vision cleared, you took your own gun and aimed – not at the Skull Crawler, that was a lost cause – but at the birds. Mills and Cole did the same. They fell out of the sky one-by-one. You were no excellent marksman, but you could hold your own. That is, until something distracted you.

You saw Conrad out of the corner of your eye as he sprinted past, picked up a gas mask mid-run, and pulled it onto his face before charging into the smoke. You watched him in horror. Saving Slivko or not, it was reckless and unspeakably dangerous.

You weren’t about to let him go alone.

Pulling on a mask of your own and shooting at the birds as you ran, you sprinted through the gas. He had Marlow’s sword in his hands, using it deftly the cut down the low-flying monsters.

When did he learn to use a sword? You wondered vaguely.

As Conrad plowed ahead, you raised your gun and shot the birds that he missed, keeping them off of his back. 

The two of you came out of the gas at the same time. You pulled off your gas mask, and sucked in the fresh air, coughing. 

“Slivko!” Conrad shouted, spotting his unconscious body lying in the dirt. You dropped your mask and ran to him, landing on your knees. 

“C’mon, Sliv,” you urged, pulling him onto his back. He stirred and mumbled something incoherent. You gasped in relief, shifting him into a sitting position as he regained consciousness. “That’s it. Easy,” you soothed. His head was bleeding profusely.

“Help me get him up,” you instructed. Conrad obeyed. You both looped Slivko’s arms around your shoulders and pulled him up.

“Hang on, Sliv,” you stalled, reaching frantically into your pockets for something to wrap his head-- gauze, cloth, anything. 

Somewhere in the distance, Colonel Packard’s voice rang through the valley. “This thing’s moving!”

You barely had time to feel dread before you saw the silhouette of the Skull Crawler coming towards you, jaws gaping. Rows and rows of teeth flashed in its bloodstained mouth. Its forked tongue lashed out and it screeched, churning up the earth beneath its feet. 

Your hand felt something cold and familiar in your pocket.

Without any warning, you dropped Slivko’s arm and pulled the lighter from your pocket, running towards the Skull Crawler.

“Y/N!” Conrad shouted, his voice cracking in terror, as he watched you run to you doom.

You skidded to a stop as the Skull Crawler appeared in the gas and pitched the open lighter as hard as you could.

One little flame, but it was enough.

The lighter arced through the air and flew into one of the vents. An explosion, bigger than any of the others before, rocked the ground below you and caught the Skull Crawler in its wake.

You, Conrad, and Slivko flew back through the air. They landed on their backs against the softer ground, coughing and groaning as they came to their senses.

You weren’t so lucky.

Your back slammed against one of the giant, half-buried ribs and there was a sickening crack. Pain shot up your left leg like a bolt of lightning.

You hit the ground and everything went black.

---

A/N: Thanks for reading! And thanks for all the kind messages lately. Tag list is still open! <3 

Tag List: @tarynkauai​, @jessiejunebug​, @o-sacra-virgo-laudes-tibi​, @fire-in-her-veinz​, @daylight-swiftie​, @un-consider-it​, @torntaltos​, @majahu​, @et-puto​, @kinghiddlestonanddixon​, @awesomefandomsunited​, @damalseer​, @uinen-ulmiel​, @fire-in-her-veinz​, @naspter1129, @fandomdarlings​, @embracingtom​, @alina-margaret​, @bthtallmadge2​, @larryspantaloons​, @lady-loki-ren​, @captainsherlockwinchester110283​, @holacherrycola90, @indelwen-of-mirkwood, @marveloushiddleston, @ladybugsfanfics

[thepageofa1000worlds]

Pairing: James Conrad x reader  Part 1 · Part 2  · Part 3 · Part 4 · Part 5 · Part 6 ·

Synopsis: After having left thing uncompleted and unresolved with James Conrad 3 years ago, you two find yourself again in the kong island. What happened three years ago with you two? How is it that you got to make part of an expeditionary mission? 

Song: Ólafur Arnalds- So Far

Warnings: it’s a six part mini-series.

A/N: 

Words:  1957

    It had been almost 40 min since the group had left the gate. You were sited up front to get a better view of the island.

    “Putting the giant creatures aside and that everything that moves may try to kill you, this place is beautiful,” You told to Conrad, who was standing close to you.

    “ I agree with you,” Said Mason walking towards where you were.

    Hanks music was calming and the fact that you were in the way to the extraction point made it even better. 

    Now and then Slivko would turn the radio on to see if he could get any signal.

    “ Nothing? “ you asked 

    “ Nah” was all you got of an answer. 

     Every few moments you would turn your head to look at James and he would reassure you with a smile, that you were headed the right way. 

        “So those she now?,” asked Weaver at his side. 

She had been watching the exchange for what it seems to be 20 minutes now. 

    “ Tell her what?” Asked him

    “It is not like am trying to get in the middle of whatever this is, but if you two continue this way, I better be invited to the wedding” She joked making him laugh, of course, Conrad knew what she was talking about. Sometime during the night, he heard You whispering his name, trying to wake him up. It seemed that during the night he had moved and decided to put an arm around your figure, it hadn’t bother you at first but then you moved and hurt shoulder with his proximity. 

    James sighed, he could also feel Marlow’s eyes on him. 

    “  Oh I know that look,” Said Marlow “ You better say it” 

    “ Say what?” You asked walking up to them. 

    “ How far could we be from the extraction point” Said Slivko who too seemed to have heard the conversation they were having before you arrived. 

    “ So how far?” You asked looking at Conrad.

    “ I can’t tell for sure” 

    As the answer, he gave you left you a little down you decided to change the topic. 

    “ So who do you have waiting at home?” You asked Hank.

    “I got a wife, had a wife” He answered taking a photo from one of his pockets, he delivered to you and you pass it around for everyone to see. “ guess I don’t know anymore” 

    You could hear the sadness in his voice as he told how he got a telegram saying that his son had been born, a grown man he’d never met. 

    “ Yeah he defiantly thinks you’re dead men,” Said SLivko on the roof. 

    “ Slivko” You called out.

    “ Hey,” said James banging on the roof.

    “ Am just saying” 

    “ Then stop saying” you tried to imitate his voice.

    “ You don’t know that, you’ll be surprised how long people wait” Said Conrad looking at him. But you couldn’t deviate your eyes from him, you had waited so long to see him again and by doing so you weren’t prepared for the feeling that came back to the surface. 

    Hank didn’t expect to be waited he explained, he just wanted to meet his son. 

    “ That can be arrange,” you told him with a smile.

    “ We’re gonna get you home” added Mason 

    The voice of Packard through the radio broke the silence that had formed. You listen as Slivko told him about the boat and Hank.

    “ We need their location Slivko”

    You moved to the head of the boat to be able to have the best clarity, the flare appeared up ahead, you couldn’t avoid the cheer that came from you, but even better was the fact that you weren’t the only one that cheer.

    “ Get down” Shouted James, as Victor was in the air, just taken for what could be better described as a pterodactyl. As fast as you could you took one of the weapons at the side of the ship and tried to get a clear shot, sadly the close you came was to shot the bird in the wing which wasn’t enough to get it to stop. The screams of Victor were deafening as the birds devour him in form of your eyes.

    “ WHAT THE HELL MAN” Scream Slivko at your side. 

    “ He’s gone” Informed James. 

    Everyone face showed how horrified they were for what had just happened, and you could feel your stomach feel it too. Looking behind you, you were met by Mason and San who hadn’t moved their eyes from the scene.

    Once In the river, you made sure to refill the little metallic container with enough water to wash your face, as all you could see every time you closed your eyes was Victor’s body been dismembered up in the air. The cold that seemed only to be in your head made you put your jacket on.

    “Unless they were eaten by something bigger than us” You heard Mason said. 

    You walked towards James but stopped as you heard the sound of someone cutting through the dense jungle.

    “ Ah, holy shit” Exclaimed Slivko raisin from where he was to greet his team. 

    Cheers were heard all around, while you all said hi to each other.

    “ Its good to see you y/n,” said Packard, smiling at you. 

     After greeting them you turned to look for Randa.

    “ I thought you were crazy,” said Brooks to Randa.

    “  I wish I am” Randa looked at you. 

    “ Thank the gods you’re alive,” he said while hugging you. “If I made it out of here and you weren’t, he would kill me” 

    “ Its good to see you too,” You said with an enormous smile.

    “ WEST? We can't go west” shouted Hank, making all of you turn his way “ East is best, west is worst” 

    What were they talking about? moving towards the group so you could hear better.

    “ Guys I think we should listen to Marlow, “ Said Mason, raisin from her spot.

    “ Hey, your job is finding lost men” Said Packard, to James who shifted uncomfortably on the spot.

    “ Okay sir, but if we reach that position and that man is not there” Conrad had agreed “were back here by nightfall, in 24 hours we have to be on the other side of this island ”

    “ Roger that” 

    Oh god No, something about the way that Packard had said it didn’t give you the best feeling. You turned around to see Randa’s face, that confirmed your beliefs. 

    “ This was not on the plan,” You said to Randa.

    “ he wants to kill it,” Said him “ it isn’t such a bad idea” 

    “ This isn’t why we’re here “ You retorted

    “ He won't stop”

    Even though Conrad said to Mason not to tell him this was a bad idea, she did, either way, confirming even more what he already knew. Turning to see behind them, Mason saw Marlow talking to Slivko and his group about how they were all to die. On the other side, something much more interesting, you were having a conversation with Randa, Brooks and San. It was agitated as if you were trying to prove a point to Randa. 

    “ We better see what that's about” Said Mason standing up and moving to where you were. Conrad following close behind. 

    “ It basic biology and correct me you two if am wrong” You said signaling to San and Brooks “ If they take him out, balance will be shaken; He’s the bigger predator whose own presence is keeping any other creature at bay” You sighted “ If they kill him, the rest of the creatures here may try to get out” 

    “ Yes, you may be right but his own existence put us at risk” Said Randa

    “ She’s right Randa,” Said San

    “ Risk how? “ you asked “ He’d been here for far longer than any of us have been alive and he hasn’t left the island” 

    Mason was with you, years had passed and the very existence of kong hard remained unknown. 

    “anyway there is not much more we could do, Packard will do as he pleases” Said Brooks 

    “ Yes, he will and as he’s the only one with guns I say we better follow them,” Said, Randa. 

    The look on your face what that of someone at the edge, When everyone started to move you stayed contemplating the water of the river for a while. Mason decided that it was best to approach you. 

    “ We should better get moving,” She said, you turned around and looked at her 

    “ Am gonna regret going that way, I can feel it,” You said laughing, a smile spread through Mason’s face. 

    “ I already do” Your waves of laughter sounded even louder, both of you catch up to the group pretty fast so you weren’t the last ones.  

    During the entire walk, your words resonated on Conrad's head. They had altered the habitat of Kong when they first arrive and know looking back, they really didn’t know anything about the island. He had agreed to lead Packard to his man but as soon as that was, none of you (San, Brooks, Mason and Randa) were continuing with Packard. He was a danger in the current state. 

    Looking around, the things started to become way worst. The group had reached a place filled with gigantic bones, that made warning bells ring in his head. He searched for you among the crowd and find you near Mason who was taking photos not so far from him. Your luck was something you two laugher commonly, as you did have pretty shitty luck but this time he cursed, even if you were trying not to show if he could see it. The wound limited your movements, making you move slower and more rigid, your breath coming out uneven and you were paler than yesterday.  

    Deciding to wait until you and Mason catch to him. So he could make sure you were okay. You and Mason seem to have been talking the entire way here. 

    “ You two seem pretty friendly,” he said jokingly.

    “ She’s pretty cool,” You said, bumping your arm with her laughing.

    “ And she seems to be the only one with common sense” you couldn’t avoid the chuckle that came out “ Well you do have more than half the people here” Added Mason.

    “ You know what James, I want her to meet Dave” You looked at him and smile, he could only laugh.

    “ She keeps saying that but I don’t know what it means” Said Mason smiling at Conrad's side. 

    “ Imagine Conrad, but with a smile and better sense of humour” Mason laughter eclipsed yours and Conrads. 

    You all three stopped on your tracks. 

    “ Yeah, you smell that? Is death” Said Hank.

        Looking down, Conrad saw a mass grave that was surrounded by a strange gas. The long sight that escaped you didn’t go unnoticed by him. He heard Mason arrive, the same conclusion as he had. 

    “ We’ll cross through and make it to the highest point west,” said Packard. 

    Conrad heard Marlow disagree but his entire attention was on the grave in front of him. He felt you shift uncomfortably at his side and move his eyes from the grave to you. Your face was unreadable, but your body showed how you really felt. You had reached for your gun and fixed your backpack so that it was in the middle of you back.

     Your eyes connected with his and he could see the doubt on them, he wasn’t even sure that it was a good idea. 

    “ Keep close” He whispered to you. “ We can make it,” he said loud enough to be heard by Packard. 

    “ Stay sharp, keep an eye out” advice Packard.

    “ of course, let's ignore the man that has been 28 years in the island” You whispered back. 

    “ I think we already have” whispered Mason at your side.

Masterlist 

[finnofamerica]

Thompson - Reg Slivko x Reader || 3 ||

Summary:  Y/n and Reg Slivko have a rough history. After suffering from over a year’s worth of PTSD, what happens when the two of them meet up again? Will the memories get worse? Or will they finally heal?

Word Count: 853

Date Posted: 6.18.2019

|| Mastelist || 2 ||

“Well, home sweet home.” You unlocked your front door, swinging it open. It was still quiet in the house, save for the dull hum of the fan you left on in the living room. Reg walked in behind you, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. You would’ve carried it in for him but he insisted on doing it himself.

“I don’t, uh, have a guest room,” You said, awkwardly scratching your arm.

“The couch is fine.” He dropped his duffel onto it. “Than you, Y/n. It means a lot to me that you were willing to put me up.”

“Of course,” You smiled. It felt off to him. Like you were trying to put on a brave face for him. “I’ll get you some blankets from the closet, I’m sure you’re tired.”

He just hummed and nodded.

“Where is your bathroom?”

“Down the hall, second on the left.” You said as you headed into your room, grabbing blankets from your closet. “You’re welcome to anything in the fridge, just, make yourself at home.”

“Thank you again.” He took the blankets you handed him.

“You can stop saying ‘thank you’.” You shook your head. “Anyone would’ve done the same. I’m gonna go to bed though, good night.”

Perhaps he was foolish to think that being around you would fix his problems. He thought for sure it'd stop the nightmares, but it had only made them worse. Instead of it being you as you had been back then, it was you as you were now and you made him promise not to cry for you when you kissed him.

It was days of this. He barely slept, worried he'd have to watch you die in his arms. You weren't blind nor ignorant, of course, you'd noticed that he looked more tired. Scratch that, he looked exhausted, but every time you asked he would just write it off.

About two weeks into this self-destructive cycle, you'd finally had enough.

"I think you need to see my therapist," you told him one night while you sat with him on the couch, your t.v. dinners in your laps.

"What?" He swallowed.

"I think you need to see my therapist. I know you haven't been sleeping and I don't have what it takes to help you." You took his hand, maintaining eye contact with him. "If you don't sleep, your body will begin to shut down."

"You think it will help?" His voice sounded so empty and broken. You couldn't even begin to imagine what he saw in his dreams at night, and you'd seen your fair share of nightmares.

You could only set your meals to the side and pull him into a hug. This was a different man than the boy you'd met on that boat. How much changing could one person go through in a year?

"We can fix this," you promised, threading your fingers through his hair. He buried his head in your neck, holding you like you were the last thing cementing him in reality.

Softly, you began to sing to him. A lullaby melody filling the room as he broke down, tears soaking the shoulder of your shirt. You blinked away your tears, not allowing your voice to falter.

"Though your feet get cold in the winter time. The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine. It's hard to tell the night time from the day. You're losing all your highs and lows; ain't it funny how the feeling goes away? Desperado." You sang, massaging his scalp with your fingers.

His nightmare woke you up that night. He was screaming and crying your name and you were so scared when you woke him up. When you finally snapped him out of it, you both were full on sobbing.

“I’ gonna get you some water,” You said when you finally felt like you could breathe, but your legs still shook as they supported your weight.

“Y/n, please,” He sobbed, holding your hand. He looked at you brokenly, pleading you not to leave him.

“Hey,” You cooed, “It’s okay. I’m just gonna be in the kitchen, then we’ll go to my room. I promise.”

His phone buzzed, blowing up with messages that he ignored. Reg gave you a slight nod. You patted his head comfortingly then turned to get some water for you both. His phone buzzed again.

Babe, I miss u.

I’m sry. :/ pls take me back

His eyes flickered to you in the kitchen, pajama-clad and messy-haired, tip-toeing for a glass on the shelf that you couldn’t quite reach. He shut off his phone, tossing it to the side and followed you to your room. The bedside lamp dimly glowed in the dark, illuminating your pillow and the desk.

“You can stay with me for the rest of the night if it helps,” you told him, fluffing up the pillows and pulling back the blanket. “We’ll see Dr. Sherman in the morning.”

“Okay.” He swallowed, his voice still dry and crackly from crying.

Just for the night, he told himself as he slipped under the covers with you.

|| Part 4 ||

Tags: @carolinesbookworld @hvfflepvfff

[winchesterbrotherstan]

Kong: Skull Island- Airport Kisses

look at this bean i would give my left arm to marry this man fuck

Pairing: Reg Slivko x Irene Brown

James Conrad x Irene Brown (brother-sister relationship)

Jack Chapman x Irene Brown (brother-sister relationship)

Summary: The gang reassesses their next steps, and reassurance is given as they go their separate ways.

Warnings: cursing, crying, nothing new really

Word Count: 2300

“God, it is good to be back on solid land without giant monsters.” Mills grinned.

Reles elbowed him playfully and dropped to his knees, kissing the ground. Mills followed suit. I giggled, and Reg looked down at me with a goofy smile.

“What?” I stopped walking.

“I wish I could hold you right now is all.” He grinned.

I rolled my eyes as a blush spread across my cheeks. “Here.” I stuck myself to his side and maneuvered my arm around his crutch. I placed my hand on his bicep and smiled up at him. He bent down as far as he could and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

“Alright, let’s keep moving.” Jack teased from behind us.

“Oh, shove it, old man.” I stuck my tongue out at him.

He flicked the back of my head as he passed by my side, a huge smile on his face. James and Mason followed, and Hank stopped to stand at our sides.

“What’s up?” Reg looked over at him.

“You two remind me of my wife and I. So young, so in love. Perfect for each other, really.”

Reg and I met eyes, both blushing. I bit my lip as Reg thanked Hank before looking down at me.

“Man, next thing you know, we’re gonna be popping kids out too.”

My nose wrinkled up and I shook my head. “No.”

“No?” He gave me puppy eyes.

“Absolutely not, love.”

He grinned and pressed another kiss to the top of my head.

“Come on, lover-boy!” Reles and Mills teased from their spots on the back of the truck.

Reg rolled his eyes, and I giggled once more, letting go of his arm so that we could catch up with the rest of the group.

                                                         ***

“Weird to be in a civilian airport.” Reles looked around, shifting in his seat.

James and I looked at each other, and he smiled softly. Three weeks ago, we had landed at this exact same airport, ready to have fun in Vietnam. Now, we were coming back with a large sum of money, and enough trauma to burn through a few therapists. Reles and Mills sat on the furthest end of the seats, and Mason and James were sitting on the ground in front of us. Hank was on Reg’s other end, and I was between him and Jack. San and Houston had to fly out as soon as possible. They gave us our money and split, explaining that they had to inform Randa’s family and catalog their results in a way that would be safe for the island.

“Alright, I know nobody really wants to talk about this, but we should.” Jack leaned down from the end of the row, sighing deeply.

“Cole’s funeral… it’s gonna be in two weeks. I already talked to his wife. She wants us there. All of us.”

I shivered, and Reg’s arm tightened around my shoulders. I hadn’t told him anything more, but he had pieced together that my brother and Cole had been connected somehow.

“So…” Mason sighed. “Are we meeting there?”

Jack nodded. “I thought we could. Just so that we can all be together. I’m sure that’ll make it easier.”

“We should get together the day before.” James spoke up. “It’ll be easier to readjust.”

Jack mumbled something in agreement, but I had tuned them out. Whatever they settled on, James and I would do. I had my head resting on Reg’s shoulder, arm still in a sling and wedged between his torso and my own side. He noticed that I had seemingly dipped out of the current plane of reality, and he pulled me closer toward him and rested his chin over my head.

I huffed, nuzzling as close to him as I could, trying hard not to think about everything that had happened to us.

“So it’s settled.” Jack’s voice broke back through my haze.

“Two weeks from today, we’ll all meet at this location, in Nebraska.”

A thick silence settled over our group, and I looked up to see Reg lost in his own thoughts this time. Reles’s face had dropped, and Mills was holding his head in his hands. Cole had loved him like a son.

They called the boarding of a flight number over the loudspeaker, and Reles placed a hand on Mills’s shoulder.

“Come on, man. That’s us.”

Mills wiped the tears from his eyes and sat up, clearing his throat. I let go of Reg, and he and Jack got to their feet along with Mills and Reles. The four of them exchanged hugs and whispers, then rough pats on the back.

“We’ll see you guys soon.” Reles saluted at Jack, and then waved at the rest of us as he grabbed Mills by the shoulder and began to lead him toward their gate.

Reg settled back into his seat, and I let him sling his arm back around my shoulders. Jack sat down again, and I looked up at him, feeling my heart begin to strain. I was, once more, faced with the question of what would happen after we all went home. He noticed this, and he whispered something to Reg, who lifted his arm away from me.

I turned from my boy and snuggled into Jack’s side, my eyes beginning to well with tears. Mason and James took the seats that the boys had left behind, with James gently touching my knee as he passed by.

“We’ll figure it out. Hell, maybe you can come stay with Gracie and I for a while.” Jack gave me a goofy smile. “I’m sure Billy would love that.”

I shook my head, wiping my tears away. “It’s not just that, Jacks.”

“Then what is it, Ira? I mean, you’re eighteen now. You can travel the world, like you’ve always wanted to.”

“Stephen.” I whispered, looking up with a sigh.

“What about Stephen, honey?” His voice softened even more as he used the nickname he had only used twice for me before.

Once, when I told him about our father, and the second time, when I told him that I was leaving with my father and Stephen.

“He’s Cole’s kid now.” I fished the picture out of my pocket and showed him.

“God…” Jack’s accent was thick, and he rubbed the back of his neck. “I… Cole was private about his family, I never knew.”

“He’s gonna be there. And… and I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

They called for another flight over the loudspeaker before Jack could give me an answer, and Hank stood from Reg’s side. Jack looked up and nodded to him, asking for a minute.

“Look, Ira… that’s our flight, I’m escorting Marlow home, but…” He sighed. “We’ll figure it out, okay? We always have before, and we will again. I promise.” He held my face in his hands and put his forehead to mine.

I put my own hands over his wrists and nodded, taking a breath. “Okay.”

“We’ll see each other soon, Ira. Two weeks, yeah?”

I nodded as he kissed my forehead. “Two weeks. Go home to Grace and Billy, I’m sure they miss you like hell.”

He chuckled. “I’ll tell Billy that he gets to meet you soon.”

“Come on, Chapman. We’re gonna miss our flight.” Hank stood in front of him.

“Yeah. Let’s go.” Jack kissed the top of my head again before standing up.

Reg went to stand, and Jack shook his head. “At ease, Sliv.”

I smiled at the nickname, and looked at Jack with watery eyes. James stood and shook his hand, and Mason smiled warmly at both of the men.

“Thanks for taking care of our sister.”

“See you soon, Conrad.” Jack extended his arm for a side hug, the way that men usually hugged, patting each other’s backs roughly.

Reg saluted Jack off with two fingers, and I gave him a big goofy smile.

“Be safe, Jacks. See you soon.”

“Later days, guys!”

“See ya, Hank!”

“Good luck with your wife and your son!” I cupped my hands around my mouth and called after them.

Hank turned on his ankle and waved as he walked backwards, following Jack off to their gate. I grumbled as I changed spots, taking the one to Reg’s left so that I could rest my leg over his good one. He slung his arm around my shoulders, and I wiggled closer to him, practically sitting in his lap now. Mason and James were close together, Mason’s head on his shoulder and his head over hers. It seemed like they weren’t exactly at the level that Reg and I had jumped to, but they definitely had some feelings about one another.

“You okay, doll?” Reg’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I turned back to him with a soft smile and nodded. He put his hand on my cheek, and I leaned into his touch, letting my eyes flutter shut.

“I’m gonna miss being able to kiss you all of the time.” He whispered.

I gave a sad smile, opening my eyes. He was looking at me with so much love in his eyes, that I wanted to cry again. He caught onto it and pecked my lips, thumb holding my chin up.

“Oh, I-uh, I wanna give you something.” He pulled back, rummaging through the duffel bag at his feet.

“What is it?” I shifted, turning so that my side was completely perpendicular to his torso.

He pulled out his green army jacket and held it out to me with a big, goofy smile. “Here.”

“Wait, Reg-”

“I’m done with the army. Hell, we were supposed to be going home for good before Packard signed us up for the island expedition.”

“But… Reg, I… I can’t take it.”

“Please?” He gave me his puppy eyes, hand holding my cheek again. “I think it would look good on you. And you gave me your hair tie earlier.” He held up his wrist, the thin black hair tie still around it.

I gingerly grabbed the jacket, and he grinned, draping it over my shoulders, since I couldn’t put my arm through it just yet. I smiled and pulled him down to me, kissing him softly.

“I love you so much.” I whispered against his lips.

He ran his hands through my hair before grabbing my hand in his and kissing my knuckles. “I love you too.”

“Hey.” I felt Mason softly tap my shoulder. “Sorry, my flight is boarding.”

We both turned to her, and I grabbed her into a one-armed hug, resting my head on her shoulder. I was going to miss her over these next two weeks.

“Be safe. Please.” I begged her.

“I will be. I promise.”

“I’ll walk you to your gate.” James offered, standing up and holding a hand out for her.

Mason nodded at him and said goodbye to Reg, patting his shoulder with a gentle smile. James shouldered her bag and they walked off, leaving Reg and I alone in the busy airport.

“Hey, doll?”

“Yes?” I turned back to him, eyes wide.

“Do you wanna meet my family?”

I felt a blush creep onto my face. “Are you sure?”

“I mean, I already met half of yours.” He grinned, referring to Jack and James. “Also, I can’t wait to show my brother that I’ve got the best girl in the entire world.”

“Oh, shush.” I let my head fall onto his shoulder. “I’d love to meet your family, Reg.”

He only kissed the top of my head. The loudspeaker spat out another flight number, and Reg’s head popped up. I sighed.

“Yours or mine?”

He nodded. “Yours. Come on, I’ll walk you down to meet up with Conrad.”

                                                        ***

“Alright, Bitsy. Ready to go?” James hoisted my bag over his shoulder so that I wouldn’t have to struggle with it.

I sighed. “Yeah, just…” I looked over my shoulder to see Reg leaning against the wall.

He would wait for us to board before he went for his own flight.

“Didn’t you guys already say bye?”

“Yeah, but it didn’t feel like enough, Jay.” I mumbled.

“Go. I’ll wait here.”

I gave Reg a look, and he opened his arms, still leaning against the wall. I ran toward him the way I had in the river, which felt like ages ago. He caught me in his hold and pulled me tightly against him.

“I don’t know how I’m gonna go two weeks without sleeping in your arms.” I whimpered.

His grip on me tightened. “It’ll be alright, doll. We all just need a second to get things settled. After that, we’ll be together. Okay?”

I pulled my head back, ignoring the tears in my eyes. “How?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “May or may not ask you to marry me, no big deal.”

“God, Slivko.” I held a hand over my mouth.

He pulled it off and kissed my lips. “I love you, but we have to go. You two are gonna miss your flight.”

“I want more kisses.” I whined, pulling him down to my level.

“Doll, we’ll see each other in two weeks.”

“I don’t care.” I mumbled in between each kiss. “I want kisses.”

“Irene! We’re gonna miss our flight, let’s go!” James called.

I groaned and kissed Reg harder before pulling back. “I’ll see you soon.”

He winked. “I’ll call you?”

I blushed. “Sounds good. I love you!” I started making my way back to James.

“I love you!” He cupped his hands around his mouth.

James grabbed my good arm and began to tug. “Come on, Bits. Let’s go.”

Reg and I kept our eyes on each other, and right before I was out of his line of sight, he gave me a wink. My heart swelled within my chest.

Previous: Tears and Worries

Next: Childhood Homes and Childhood Traumas

[merakiaes]

Unexpected, But Loved All The Same - James Conrad

Pairing: James Conrad x reader

Requested: Yes. 

Prompts: #7 from the angst-list.

Warnings/notes: Not proofread so apologies in advance for any possible mistakes. I hope you like it, let me know what you think.  

Wordcount: 1783

Summary: James comes home from Skull Island and is greeted with a surprise he was not expecting. 

Getting a man like James Conrad to settle down was not an easy task. Many women had tried, and failed miserably.

He was simply not the kind of guy to settle down. He never thought about marriage, or having a family. The only thing on his mind was following in his father’s footsteps, to serve as a soldier whether it was in a war or in more private affairs.

He never really returned from the war, even after he resigned, and no one had been able to change his goals in life, until you came along.

Your first meeting took place in Malaysia, at a bar. You were there with your best friend on vacation, and he was there on a mission – one that had gone terribly wrong.

Your friend had run off with some guy she barely even knew, leaving you to drink your depression away all by yourself, and he was shaken up and regretful about the failed mission.

In short, you were both in dire need of a warm body to hold, and you ended up spending the entire night with each other. You were both heavily intoxicated, but that didn’t make it any less meaningful – for the both of you.

You didn’t think much about it back then. Not at all, actually, as you simply slipped out of his room when he was sleeping early the next morning and he went about his life like nothing had happened.

But then you ran into each other again. Once again, after your friend had left you alone for a man on what was supposed to be a girl’s trip, and James had come back from a job.

You ended up spending another night together, this time in your room, and much to your surprise, he was still there when you woke up, lying beside you flat on his back and staring into the ceiling.

You didn’t really know how it happened, but you just… stuck together, getting married, rather spontaneously, during a trip to Las Vegas and moving in together and settling down.

He put his old life behind him and you dropped your so-called best friend, finally realizing how badly she had neglected you and what a bad person she was when she tried moving in on James, who sternly turned her down and came right to you despite her pleas not to tell you.

You lived a pretty basic life. You worked as a nurse at the local hospital and James kept taking on fairly safe jobs every once in a while to make it all go around.

You didn’t like it, not one bit, but you couldn’t control him, and at the end of the day, you knew he could hold his own, and he was only gone short periods of time at a time, so you were never too worried.

He always returned to you when he said he would. All of the times but this one, that is.

He had been gone for a job in Saigon for four weeks now and he was supposed to come home tonight, but when you were standing in the kitchen preparing dinner for his homecoming, you got a call from him, telling you that he had been offered a lot of money to go on another mission and that he would be gone three more weeks.

You would’ve been okay with it any other time, but not now. Not when you had found out that you were pregnant the day before, which you were planning to tell him over dinner.

Now you were forced to wait for three entire weeks to tell him, and while you wouldn’t have been too worried in any other case, you were worrying for two now.

You were worried that something was going to go wrong and that your unborn son or daughter would never get to meet their father, and also that you were going to be forced to raise him or her on your own.

You had no living family left and neither did he. Without him, you would be all on your own, and now that you were controlled by pregnancy hormones, that thought literally never left your mind.

The only thing that momentarily took your mind off of it was to distract yourself by preparing for the baby’s arrival, even though you had seven months left until your due date.

So soon enough, your entire house was littered with baby stuff. Clothes, toys, blankets, diapers, pacifiers, everything you would be needing.

You did a decent job putting it all away so that the house didn’t look like a pigsty, and also because a part of you feared that James would spot something upon arriving back home and that it would give it up.

You wanted to tell him yourself, face to face.

What you didn’t think about, however, was that the crib you had assembled in your bedroom was still on full display, obviously, as you weren’t able to hide it.

You were completely oblivious to it, carelessly humming along to the music playing from the record player in the living room where you were sitting on the bedroom floor, folding baby clothes into a drawer you had cleared out to make room.

You were so distracted that you completely missed the sound of the front door opening and closing, and the volume of the music entirely drowned out the sound of your name being called from the hallway, too.

Not until James was standing right in the doorway, asking you: “Are you having a party?”, did you finally notice him, jumping with a surprised yell leaving your lips and whipping your head around to face him.

Your eyes met his and he pushed himself off the doorframe at that, chuckling in amusement as he approached you. 

“Sorry, darling. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He said, and you quickly scrambled to your feet, your foot discretely kicking the rest of the unfolded baby clothes under the drawer.

“I didn’t hear you come in.” You said and, again, he chuckled.

“Clearly.” He replied, finally reaching you and wasting no time in taking you into his arms. “Hi.” He mumbled as he looked down at you, and you smiled, wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing your face close to his.

“Hi.” You whispered back, the two of you leaning in to kiss.

Before you could meet each other in the middle, however, he stopped himself, his eyes narrowing slightly. “There’s something different about you.” He pointed out, and your heart instantly dropped in your chest, your mouth turning dry.

“Is there?” You asked, forcing yourself to smile and not make it too obvious that you were lying.

He hummed in return, inspecting your face. “Did you get a haircut?” He asked, and you wasted no time in nodding.

“I did, yeah.” You confirmed, the words slipping out easily as it was, in fact, the truth.

His lips pulled into a smile again at that. “Ah, well, that’s probably it, then.” He agreed, and moved in to kiss you again.

This time, you successfully met each other in the middle, your lips pressing together, and you smiled into it, your eyes fluttering shut.

James was about to close his eyes, as well, but just as they were shutting, he spotted something behind you; something that made him pull away quicker than you’d ever seen him move before.

You let out a small sound of surprise at the sudden movement, and your eyes opened wide when you saw his eyes, sparkling with disbelief, knowing already what they were looking at.

"There's a... crib." He struggled to get out, and you nodded, pulling a hand over your face.

"Yeah." You sighed, slowly stepping up to his side to watch it with him.

He took a moment to collect himself, his arms crossing over his chest and his hand moving up to his face, where he pulled it over his mouth and chin, taking a deep breath before asking, “How far along are you?”

You swallowed, averting your gaze as his eyes met yours for a brief moment. “Two months.” You replied quietly, and your words caused him to draw in another breath.

“So either you got together with someone else right after I left, or you-“

“James.” You quickly interrupted him with a glare, looking back up at him. “The baby. It’s yours.” You told him sternly and clearly, and watched as his head nodded and his jaw tensed.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, and this time it was your turn to sigh.

“It didn’t seem like appropriate news to deliver over the phone.” You confessed. “And I didn’t want you to be distracted, because I know you would be.”

He pulled his hand over his mouth again, having to take another moment.

“Are you keeping it?” He asked after a moment of silence, and at that, you could only scoff and cross your arms over your chest, a glare once again rising to your face.

“Well, obviously.” You deadpanned, and his face instantly fell, his eyes becoming regretful.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Yeah, you did.” You quickly answered, and he shook his head softly.

“No, I promise you, I didn’t.” He repeated, slowly stepping up to you and gingerly taking your upper arms in his hands.

You glanced down at his hands, your face softening as you looked back up at him. “So you’re not mad?” You mumbled, and again, he shook his head, his lips pulling into a gentle smile.

“No, this just wasn’t what I was expecting to be greeted with when coming back home. I’m a bit surprised, is all.” He told you.

“Are you sure that’s all?” You asked back, still doubtful, and he gave you a nod.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

This time, you took his word for it, lowering your gaze and slowly beginning to calm down, especially so when he brought his hand up to your face to catch your chin between his fingers and make you look at him again.

“I love you.” He told you sincerely, keeping one hand on your cheek and moving the other down to your stomach. “And I’m going to love him, too.”

At the sound of his words, your eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Him?” You asked, the corners of your lips twitching upward.

But he said nothing else, simply connecting his lips to yours and pulling you close, showing you that he had, truly, meant what he said.

All of it might have been unexpected, but you knew that the life you had created together would be loved all the same despite it.

(If you want to be tagged for James Conrad stories, let me know in a comment, ask or private message)

[judgement-free-sideblog]

Ghosts from the rainforest

Summary: A simple rescue mission will bring him back to a place full of nightmares, and maybe this time he could find redemption. Situated in 1975, 2 years after the events of Skull Island.

Warnings: Violence, blood, wounds, mentions of war, cursing, implied smut, smoking, angst.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 6: Family

The piercing blue eyes search for you in the dim light that came from the sunrise outside the shack, he found you and attempt to stand up getting down immediately from the pain.

"Don't even try" You said to him, sad to look at his face covered in dry blood and a still fresh cut on his cheekbone. Two days after arriving Walker had decided to inspire moral in his troops by beating him and putting you to treat their wounds "I suspect they broke one of your ribs when you call them bastards, also even if you could move there is also this" you pointed to the fetter around his ankle and he looked at yours too, your shorts were stained from the truck and the dirt floor of the shack, and the clear sign of a lash on the naked skin that you cover with a blanket when he looked at it.

"How is your head?" He asked finally trying to sit still "How long have we been here?"

"It has been better, it will take more than that to take me down, don't worry" You said taking a piece of cloth and wetting it on a small bowl "Well after you passed out I kept fixing a couple wounds here an there in the camp, so he won't kill you, that was three days ago, at least they left me this to fix you up, hold still" You approach as much as you could to him and start cleaning up his wounds.

"I have nowhere else to be love... hey!!" He pull apart when the alcohol touch the open skin, and gave you a panicked look when you show him the suture you will use to close the cut

"Oh Captain don't be a baby" You hold his face on your hand while continuing to clean the cut "You must be used to deal with vicious animals like that by now, because that frien of yours can call himself a man"

"You are right, Walker is a poisonous snake who will kill anyone on his way, the only reason we are alive is because he believes he may get something valuable out of you, which reminds me, what did he ment by next time he'll go for the throat?" He had his hand was clenched and his eyes firmly shut down when you passed the needle trough the skin.

"I have met Walker before, Shukri used to help him pass his weapons and stuff through the border so he send me as a symbol of friendship, but the man he wanted me to help die, wich of course he will because he had severe sepsis and many bullet holes, and I'm far from being an actual medical doctor"

"You really have a way to reassure people" He joke and you rolled your eyes at him.

"Anyway he went crazy and kill the men Shukri send to guard me and stab me in the stomach, and leave me for dead in the jungle, thankfully it wasn't a cut deep enough and I managed to walk to the next village". You finish and he looked at you surprised by how casually you talk about those horrible memories. "What does he meant by your taste still being constant?" His face darkened and the guilt and remorse appear again in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't meant..." You tried to stand up but he grab your wrist and you sit next to him.

"As I told you Jenny's mom was the lover of a British ambassador, and we actually met before we were send to find her, one night Sargent Walker was drunk and tried to force himself on her, and I stop her" He said with a sad smile on his face.

"You were together? You and her mother I mean" You tried to hide a hint of jealousy in your voice, it was funny that in this threatening situation you could still be thinking about you two.

"Of course not" He said and a grin of satisfaction show on his face when you sigh in relief "Although I had feelings for her, and maybe she had them too, but I knew I had a mission, then Walker betrayed us and Jenny die... well I guess she blamed me for it" you didn't say anything and just let him lay his head on your lap, the fetter was biting in your skin and your ankle was about to start bleeding but you feel the need of comforting him.

"How could you look this handsome aan peaceful cover in bruises, and cuts?" You ask yourself outloud after a couple minutes once you thought he was asleep.

"I could ask you the same Y/N" He responded opening his blue eyes, and you almost pushed him down but remember his bad shape. "Don't worry, the guys are looking for us, they will get help in Borneo and come back"

"That's what I'm afraid of, I heard them talking about asking for ransom money to the US Embassy in Borneo, what if they get too late, he is gonna kill me when he realizes I lie to him".

"I will like to him try" He said trying to stand hurting himself again.

"Easy there prince charming" You said holding him still and locking your hands together in the process, neither of you trying to pull apart. "I do know what I will do if we actually get out of here".

"And what is that?" Conrad asked trying to ignore how helpless your if was.

"I'm writing a strong worded letter to Houston Brooks about the terrible job of his tracker, since he keeps trying to charm the women he works for" You said and he smiled at you.

"Is it working?" He asked, trying to incorporate.

"Maybe" you said but before you could follow your instinct, some loud steps approach to the shack and you gently put him on the floor to curl in your corner pretending to be asleep.

"Ibu? Cepat! Kita perlu pergi" Mother? Quick! We have to go A young boy enter the shack carrying a big shotgun, and he open the fetter setting you free.

"Dia akan datang bersama kami" He is coming with us You said and he went to set a surprised James free.

"What is going on? Ibu?" He asked once you help him stand up, he was not as hurt as you thought since he could walk without help, but he was definitely not in his prime.

"You have your family Captain, I have mine" And since that explanation was not enough you had to continue "One of the men guarding me years ago was Shukri's nephew, he hates Wlker ever since, and has many of his children inside his little army so he can eventually sell them to the authorities"

"He is a layered man isn't he?" He said while you and the boy help him walk outside the camp, another infiltrator was already waiting next to a truck ready for you to flee, waving in the distance, and then the sound of a thunder brake the morning air, and he made a funny surprise face, and a blood stain start growing in his chest and he just fall on his back, and then all hell broke loose.

Walker men were following you, and since James was hurt it was so little that your young hero could do for you.

You run into the jungle just to be stopped in an open area where a tree had fallen an then four men were surrounding you, ready to kill.

"Drop it big guy!" Reles voice said, making your hear stop and race with happiness. The man in front of you turned around to meet Reels surprised by how calm he was.

"Didn't you listen? Drop it!" Slivko said coming out of the jungle with another six guys that you were sure were part of Shukri's village.

"I got you doc" Glenn said passing between the men who were already unarmed.

"I'm fine, help the Captain" you said and without thinking you took one of the weapons that had been dropped in the ground.

"I thought you didn't like those" Slivko said while Reels help the boy tie Walkers men.

"Desperate times Reg" You said, and hug him. "How did you find us so quickly?"

"Oh wow, sorry Captain" He said looking embarrassed "The guy, the weird guy that says he is your husband he meet us half way when we came after you guys, apparently one of the guys here told him what happened and he came with us and many men along to help"

"I knew it! Wait a minute Shukri is here?" You hold your breath because the feeling that something was wrong was strongly hurting your chest, and Conrad's words about Walker resonated in your ears.

You run back to the campsite, the ambush had worked out, the rest of Walker's men were dead or prisoners and unarmed, only their Sargent was too stubborn to surrender and both him and Shukri were aiming at each other in the middle of the camp. Shukri with a shotgun and Walker with two pistols.

Again without thinking and with the adrenaline running through your veins you pointed your gun at him and order him to drop it. As all response he aimed one of his pistols at you.

"You can't win this" You said to him not backing off and looking James concerned face approaching, but he was not looking at you, all his attention seemed to be focus on Shukri.

"Oh I know that doctor, but I have a question for you, who will be faster? Me or this little idiot here who came to rescue his princess??"

Things happened in the fraction of a second and by the time you understand what have happened both men where in the ground.

In the moment Shukri nod to James and he jump to take you out of the line of fire, Walker shoot his guns missing you, but not Shukri, but he didn't miss either.

"Hey, hey Shukri man, come on" Mills said approaching pressuring the wound, you stood up and walk away from James who was breathing difficulty from the jump, but overall okay.

"Shukri, you win, he is dead, please don't give up now" You said now no longer holding on the tears.

"Tears? Isteri if I had known that this is what I needed to do I would have let someone shoot me long ago." He said holding your hand with almost no strength. "Captain Prince charming?" He called for James and he kneeled by his side respectfully "Anda menjaga isteri saya" You take care of my wife

"I will" James said solemnly, and Shukri nod, then he hold your hand tightly and then after one last breath he and a quiet smile to you he was gone.

After a couple minutes people dispersed and you could hear his men arranging how will they move him, but it was wrong and you couldn't yet set what had happened in your brain, after one hour you felt like if you keep looking long enough he will smile again and wake up to tease you and life will be normal again.

"It's time" James said but he didn't force you to stand, he only gave you his hand, and stood there waiting, after a minute that felt like an eternity you took his hand stand up, and then you let all your unspoken feelings to come out, about Randa, about Shukri, about watching him almost be beaten to death two days ago, you cried and cried and he simply hold you, even when his rib was probably killing him, even when you were nothing to him but a job, he keep holding you.

[jannieka394]

Do you ever fall in love with a character from a movie or show. And go online to see if there's any fanfiction about them. And then notice you're literally the only one on the Internet who has a crush on them.

-_-