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peralta-guaranteed · 3 years

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good trope or bad trope: one of them waking up from surgery or something and being so high on drugs they forget they're together and the other has to explain it

good trope GOOD trope good trope! and this was probably just a question but I couldn't resiiiist

-*-

It's kind of sad to think about the fact that Amy is already used to monitors beeping in a cold hospital room around her squad and, mostly, around her partner. They've been in so many horrible situations, so many little moments where she's had to worry about them, that today she's almost glad she doesn't have to. Jake's surgery had neither been scheduled nor planned, and there had been a whole lot of panic leading up to it when she drove him to the hospital wincing in pain, his arms clutched around his lower stomach, but the doctor's told her they came in early enough for it to be a more routine procedure rather than an emergency. And now his appendix was out, and he would be hurting and healing for a while, but the trepidation about that is nowhere close to the fear she's used to feeling while sitting in these uncomfortable hospital chairs, wondering when the person in the bed next to her would wake up. The last time she'd been in this position, Rosa was hooked up to so many many more machines, and she looked like a bad wax figurine of herself, all pale and stiff.

Jake looks almost fine, no breathing mask or tube down his nostril, just a little beeping heart monitor and some infusion in his arm. The nurse told her he'd be waking up soon when she lead her into the room, and that they could probably go home later that evening already.

(She also told her that he'd been one of the more amusing patients she'd had under anesthesia, which was not a surprise, and that he'd been asking for her every time he groggily opened his eyes for just a few seconds, which was not a surprise either.)

He blinks awake slowly, eyes darting around the room as if to figure out where he is, before they land on her and stay stuck, his forehead creasing in confusion for a second before he grins.

"Heyyyy, it'sa Santiago!" He tries in a croaky voice, and Amy reaches for the cup of ice water the nurse brought in to hand it to him. He's shaky, but he can handle it alone, she notes almost subconsciously - she remembers enough moments where she's had to feed him ice chips instead because he could barely move his arms.

"Hey." She answers with a softer smile as he gulps down almost the whole cup - considering he still hates water, he must really need it. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, just splendid, thanks." He quips before trying to sit up more and wincing, the stitches in his stomach upset. "What the hell did I do this time to end up here?"

"What?"

"I mean, I don't remember a chase or a fight, but it sure feels like I took a knife to the stomach or something?"

They look at each other, equally confused, before Amy shakes her head.

"You dont remember-? It wasn't a work thing, Jake, your appendix almost burst."

"Ah dang. That's not even a cool story for a new scar." He sighs as he leans back a bit against the pillow and carefully palms the space where she knows the skin is going to be light pink and rougher than usual from now on. "Sorry they made you wait around for my stupid ass to recover, or is the squad at least taking turns?"

She stares at him, her mind racing, and it seems to make him nervous. He's still trying to go for that usual grin, but his eyes are darting around, sticking to parts of her without looking directly into her eyes, and she can see he's getting fidgety. Mixing that with what he's saying, and the way he's saying it - his voice is different, somehow, more - guarded, or distant, it's hard to explain, but she only remembers it from a long time ago - makes her suddenly realise.

He's been given some very heavy duty painkillers and narcotics, she hears the nurse's voice in her head, so he might be disoriented or confused for quite a while. It shows differently in lots of people, so I can't tell you what to expect, but he'll be back to normal once it passes through his system.

He doesn't remember, she thinks. He doesn't remember... a lot.

"Jake." She gets his nervous attention back, trying to school her voice into something calm and friendly, instead of the equally nervous and somewhat excited giggle she wants to let out so bad. "I think you're still working through your medication. Can you tell me what the last thing you remember is?"

He leans back again and stares at the ceiling, and it's hard to read the emotions on his face.

"Just... regular work stuff, to be honest. Nothing big."

"Okay, then what is the last big thing you can think of?"

"Uh." He swallows, and Amy refills his water cup, but he doesn't take it. "I, uh, I remember Hoytsman kidnapping me." He laughs a short laugh, obviously trying to make it seem lighter than it ever was, but that's not the only reason Amy feels her heart jump.

His mind is stuck before their relationship. After Sofia left him. He thinks he's woken up after being injured at work, and there's no one there waiting for him except for a work partner who he's been trying so hard to pretend he doesn't like anymore, and for whom he obviously has to play the "I'm okay!" role still.

"Wow. Uh. Okay." She babbles, trying to find a way to be gentle and not confuse him any more. "Then, uh, I guess, well, your medication should pass soon, I think, and you'll remember more, so don't worry-"

"Amy." He's staring at her when she finally looks up, and notes her shorter hair, her far more comfortable outfit than the pantsuits he sees her wear at work, and even while high on drugs it's not that hard for him to put two and two together. "How much am I missing?"

"Quite a lot." She finally admits, but drops her look down into her lap, to her folded hands, and she unconsciously covers her wedding ring before he can see it. "A few years."

"Years?!" He squeals while leaning forward and then groans, because that has definitely upset his wound.

"It's okay, the nurse said it would happen." She quickly tries to calm him. "It's - you'll remember when the anaesthetic passes properly, so it's alright."

"Alright, yeah." He nods and finally settles into the pillow again, as silence envelops them for a few awkward moments, in which Amy's mind races through all the things he's missing right now.

"Okay." He interrupts her sad little mental storybook of their life's drama. "Let's play a game until then, huh? I call it 'Shock&Tell'."

"Jake-"

"It's easy, you'll get the rules. Basically, you tell me stuff I don't know right now and see how shocked you can get me."

"That's not funny-"

"Oh, I think it is. I know how much you like to have me speechless." He grins at her, and she can't resist.

"Title of your sex tape."

"Amy Santiago!" He gasps with a laugh, but there's hesitation in his eyes, and she remembers they weren't exactly at a flirting stage back where he is right now. "For that alone, you have to play a round with me."

"I can't think of anything shocking at the moment." She lies, and he sees right through her.

"Okay, then tell me the worst thing you think happens to me in those years, and the best. From your opinion."

She sighs and stares at her hands again, but she knows he won't let up - he's not gotten any less obnoxious from back then to now.

"Alright. The worst thing. You went to jail." She states, matter of fact, and watches his eyes practically bulge out of his head.

"Holy shi- WhAT?! Like, for a crime? Or-what-did I-what?!"

"You were innocent!" She says as fast as she can, and watches him deflate only a little.

"I sure fucking hope so! But still, what- how- why- ?"

"You and Rosa were framed by a criminally corrupt cop. It took us a few months to get evidence against her and have her sentenced instead."

"A few months." He whispers and stares at his hands, scrunching up the blanket he's wrapped in.

"You weren't alone." Her voice is soft and calm now, seeing him in such a state of unrest, and it takes all she has not to pull him into a hug - it'd probably both confuse and actually hurt him right now, given the stitches. "I mean, you were alone in prison, but we- the squad - we were all fighting for you and Rosa, and Charles and I visited you, and we- I- we never gave up on you."

He smiles, soft and a little broken, but he nods, as if that was something he'd always expect.

"Okay, now the best thing. Because lemme tell you, Santiago, you have to make up for that suckerpunch."

She smiles much wider now, almost grins as she leans forward to finally reach for his hand, entangling their fingers (to which he goes along almost automatically) and feeling her rings clink against the one on his. Jake's eyes are frozen on her hand in his, where he can see a shiny wedding band over what is clearly his Nana's old engagement ring, and he's barely breathing.

"Oh my god." He whispers a moment later, squeezing her hand almost painfully tight as he looks at her again, and she's still smiling.

"We're married?"

"Yeah."

"To- to each other?"

"Yeah, you doofus." She laughs.

"I'm- I'm your husband." He whispers again. "Even thought I went to jail?!"

"Well", she still laughs softly at the absolute shine in his eyes, the awe on his face. "You proposed after that. But I would've married you before, anyway." I would've married you before a lot of things you don't remember, she thinks but doesn't dare say, for fear he'll ask about those other things.

"You're my wife." He says, still stunned, and she nods. "We're married."

She nods again, and watches as the confused awe on his face turns into an almost relieved joy, and his bottom lip trembles as tears start rolling down his cheeks.

"Jake..." She whispers in turn now, her free hand (that is not currently being gripped by both of his) cupping his face and wiping away some of the tears that keep flowing.

"You're happy?" He asks with trepidation in his voice, and Amy wonders if the emotional rollercoaster is another side-effect of his medicine or just his lowered inhibitions. "I'm a good husband?"

"I couldn't wish for a better husband. You make me very happy." She's almost close to tears now herself. "I love you so much."

He gasps at that, and pulls her still gripped hand up to his face, pulling her closer to him in the process.

"I love you, Amy." is his answer, and she realises he means it, even with all the things he doesn't remember, all the things he doesn't know yet. "I love you so much. I can't believe I get to marry you."

His tears have calmed down a little by now, and she fixes her awkward pose of leaning forward and having both arms reach for his face by climbing up onto the bed with him, as he lowers their hands and looks at her with stars in his eyes and so much love on his face, she can't resist to pass the last few inches and kiss him.

His eyes are still closed when she pulls back and touches her forehead to his, and he's whispering again.

"Wow."

"Well, that's certainly an appreciated reaction." She giggles.

"Don't tell me I don't react like that every time you kiss me, because there's no way I'll believe that."

"Yeah." She smiles again as he opens his eyes and smiles back. "Yeah, you kinda do."

And just to prove it, she kisses him again.

#B99 #Brooklyn 99 #Peraltiago #Jake Peralta #Amy Santiago #my writing #ficlet

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songfell-ut · 4 years

Text

Chapter 3, still a-comin’

Cirumstances, am I right, folks?

If you didn’t make it through Chapter 2 or this is all 100% new, welp, this is a continuation of this comic by @lostmypotatoes, after which Frisk has gotten him to be her witchly apprentice, but now he’s trying to flake on her. ACTION

Sans was getting soft in his old age, or maybe from proximity to someone as aggressively good-hearted as the High Priestess, because he found he didn't want to demolish the entire wall. For one thing, without his magic, it'd be too much effort. More importantly, though, Frisk's rooms were many, many stories above the ground, and falling masonry could kill or injure someone below who hadn't earned it. Most important of all: Frisk would probably end up trying to help dig them out and put herself in danger.

He also figured that he had time to do things neatly and cost her less in repairs. Everything had been loosened by that first colossal blow, but he had to give it a few more whacks before he could start pulling it apart, making a pile of glass shards, wood paneling, bricks and stones in front of her office. Luckily, whoever had constructed the outside wall hadn't done a great job, or else it would've taken him all night. A carefully judged body-slam was enough to weaken the remaining support structures; a few kicks and a yank created a space big enough for the giant skeleton to squeeze through, and then he could see the barrier itself.

Panting, Sans took a moment to survey his handiwork. It sucked to exert himself like that, but he figured that sometimes in life, you just had to punch things until they broke.

Unfortunately, he didn't have that option with the barrier. The old stories came back to him as he stared at the golden latticework hovering outside the ruined wall. How was he going to get through without touching it directly or throwing something big enough to hurt someone below?

His eyes fell on the worktable and the vials of stuff he'd made this afternoon. Four hadn't been infused yet. Sans grabbed one, pulled off the cork and, with a speck of magic, willed the liquid to boil, burn, dissolve anything it touched. It promptly began to fizzle and hiss in his hand, and he had to fling it away like an idiot before it started eating through his metacarpals.

He did one thing right in throwing it at the barrier, which instantly melted and let the chilly night air wash over him. Outside, moonlight shadowed the bricks of a nearby wall that stretched almost all the way to the ground, ending in the roof of a building only a couple stories high. He could hop out, grab onto the brick edifice, climb down safely and be gone before Frisk even got back up here, never mind moving the statue and getting the doors open. From there, it'd only be a matter of time before his magic regenerated and he could take a shortcut home.

Poor Frisk. She'd tried. Hell, she'd survived his murder attempts and taught him a few things, and he'd never forget her.

Anyway, she was better off losing track of him and finding a smaller, tamer monster to work with. What was she even getting from him being here, besides a hell of a lot of trouble?

The question was supposed to be rhetorical, but as if in reply, he thought of Frisk standing at the worktable with her arm up those ridiculously oversized trousers, grinning and saying, "The pleasure of your company," looking up at him like...well, like he was her friend, not an inferior or a dangerous monster or a giant pain in the ass, pun absolutely intended. Of course, it wasn't as if she had many other friends, but he couldn't tell himself that she was just using a captive freak to keep her company; he already knew her too well for that.

This, right here. This was why he needed to leave now. The skeleton took a few steps back, gauging the distance to—

Whhhsh went something in his mental ear. He jerked around to see Frisk standing half in his shadow, half in the moonlight, with her veil in her hand and absolute murder in her eye. "Sans." It was a whisper, lost in the wind.

Shit fuck shit shit shiiiiiiit fuckity fuck SHIT rang in his head as the satchel hit the floor. "Frisk?" he whispered.

Frisk beckoned him closer with one finger. Unbelieving, he knelt, and she punched him so hard that he almost felt it. "Here is what's going happen," she said as he touched his jaw. "I assume you've blocked the doors, so you will go and unblock them, and I'll tell the guard that you were—we'll say you were fighting off an assassin, and everyone will be impressed when they see how much damage you did trying to kill him before he escaped. Won't they?"

Sans nodded helplessly. "How...how'd you...?"

"How did I get here?" She tossed the veil aside, letting it drift to the floor. "Let me tell you a story, Sans. Once upon a time – yesterday morning – I had a long talk with Dr. Serif. He said you probably didn't intend to stay for a whole month, and I needed to be on my guard, just in case you decided to pull a stunt like this. I didn't want to believe him, but I followed his advice, and lo and behold, less than a week later, I caught my lying, backstabbing apprentice trying to break his word because he was apparently too bored with me to waste time learning crucial information for the survival of his entire race! The end!"

Frisk had to pause for breath. The boss monster took great exception to that last accusation, and he doubted that was actually the end of the story, but he was afraid to interrupt. "Do you see this?" she continued. Sans flinched as the tiny woman ripped off her brooch and brandished it at him. "Dr. Serif brought it yesterday afternoon. It seems he'd taken some of your magic while you were unconscious, and not only did he refuse to return it to you, he said I couldn't be here every hour of the day, and I needed to have this if you ever tried to break loose. He infused it with enough of your power to teleport myself one time." Another deep breath. "Do you have any idea how angry I am that he was right, and I was right to listen? And do you know how sick to my stomach I feel right now?!" Frisk threw the brooch to the floor, where it shattered. The last bit of magic quietly evaporated, and she pressed the back of her hand to her lips, eyes unfocusing. "And...how do you stand—"

There it was. He couldn't believe it had taken this long to catch up with her—the first time he'd tried using a shortcut, it left him feeling like his head had been screwed on backwards.

The skeleton glanced at the open, crumbling wall, then at Frisk, who was leaning heavily on the worktable, eyes closed. Then...

The priestess squeaked as Sans swept her up into the crook of his arm and headed to the bathroom. "Put me down!" she croaked, thumping his clavicle.

"Yes, m'lady," he said, opening the door, poking the light on and placing her at the very back of the room. "Go for it."

Once she was settled and could puke in relative peace, Sans went to the double doors leading into the hall, replaced the statue in its niche, and headed back to the workroom. Her office door was blocked by the many chunks of wall piled in front of it, and moving them again would take effort, so the skeleton ignored it for now. He picked up the satchel and set it on the worktable, wondering if the wind was too cold for her and how, exactly, he was going to pay for this, in every sense of the word. After one more look outside, Sans made himself tiptoe back to the bathroom and ask, "You done?"

There was a pause, the sound of water running, and a much longer pause before she opened the door and stared up at him. "What are you still doing here?" she demanded.

Sans blinked at her, mostly for effect. "'Zat a trick question? I'm makin' sure you're okay. That magic can knock you on your ass the first couple times ya try it."

Her face tightened, a hard, bitter expression that probably shouldn't have surprised him. "You don't say." She turned her head to cough, resting her forehead on the tile wall. "Congratulations to you, Sans. I'm here, but I'm in no condition to do anything. Your plan worked after all." She pushed herself upright. "Good night."

Shit. "Uh...Frisk—"

The priestess walked right by to open the double doors. He heard her exclaim something about the guard not being there, and mutter that she'd deal with it in the morning. She barred the doors shut, which he hadn't even noticed was an option, and wobbled past him into her dressing room, evading his halfhearted attempt to steady her.

Hangers rattled. There was an occasional sniffle. When Frisk came out in a long crushed-velvet robe, she actually looked offended to see him. "Don't you have somewhere to be? I said good night, Sans."

Wasn't she going to at least try to stop him? Sure, she was sick and exhausted, but where was her determination? ...Was she so upset that she was determined to cut her losses and let him go?

That really seemed to be it. Well, Sans should have been elated, but he mostly just felt insulted. Besides, he couldn't leave until they got a few things straight, or else he'd spend the rest of his life trying not to think about it. The boss monster wracked his brain for a witty yet conciliatory opener, but what came out was "You're not boring."

A blast of wind howled through the room, flipping the lighter books open and ruffling the weighed-down stacks of paper. Frisk remained stock-still as her short, wavy hair fluttered across her face. "I beg your pardon," she said, colder than the autumn air.

"Okay, yeah, I admit it. I was gonna ditch ya," he said desperately. "But it wasn't 'cause I don't like you or I don' care about helping the other monsters. I—you remember all you heard about Papyrus, right?" Her expression softened a little as she nodded. "I had a dream about him last night that I'm pretty sure was real. Me bein' gone and him not knowin' I'm okay is killing him, Frisk. I can't..."

She stayed silent as Sans pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead. It had been so long since he'd told someone the entire truth that he felt completely exposed. It was scary as hell, but he owed it to her and to Pap. "Ya gotta understand," he mumbled. "My brother's all I got left, and I'm all he's got. You've been nothin' but fair to me, and it's not yer fault there's no real way t'contact 'im. I just...I can't go a whole month without lettin' him know I'll be home soon, and I can't dream at him with yer barrier up." He sat down with his legs crossed, staring at the floor. "I spend too much damn time away as it is. He never knows for sure if I'm comin' back."

Frisk swallowed. "Why didn't you tell me sooner how important this was to you? And what do you mean, 'dream at him'?"

"I didn't bother 'cause you might'a thought I was lying to make you feel sorry fer me. I know I wouldn't trust me." The skeleton jerked his head at the ruined wall. "What I mean is, I can talk to Pap while we're both dreamin', but you wouldn't be there to hear what we were saying. I could tell him all sorts of crap, like how strong the High Priestess is and how much safer it'd be for us monsters if she was dead."

The priestess was silent again. Sans risked a glance in time to see her reach up to sweep her hair behind her ear, only to yelp in pain. Sure enough, as she raised her hand to inspect it, the outside knuckle was red and swollen. "Augh! How did I not notice this?" Frisk tried to move it and had to stifle another exclamation. "Wonderful. If it hurts this much, I must have broken it." She made an incoherent noise and started toward the rack of finished potions on the worktable.

Sans dimly recalled that humans didn't feel as much pain when they were scared or excited, and that it could catch up to them pretty fast. It also occurred to him that it was a bad idea for a small human to hit a thick-headed skeleton with her bare hand. "What are you doin'?" he wanted to know. "You can heal that up in a jiffy."

"I can't heal myself," she said brusquely. "I'm not very adept at healing to begin with, and I can't make it work on me at all."

That couldn't be right. "Ya mean to tell me you're good enough to hold me off and keep me penned in for days with no magic, but—"

"Leave me alone."

Her voice was so quiet and furious that he stopped dead. But as she picked a vial and started to pull the cork out with her teeth, Sans got up and held his own hand out. "Lemme see."

With as much dignity as she could muster, Frisk closed her mouth and handed him the vial. He put it back impatiently and beckoned again. "Not that, dummy. Yer hand."

The priestess gave him a long, eloquent look. When he didn't move, she placed her broken hand in his huge one, wincing as his thumb closed lightly over her wrist. It was hard to remember how to turn his magic green, but she'd been right about intentions: it helped to think about how badly he wanted it to work, not only to help her, but to prove that he was capable of fixing things as well as destroying them.

Sure enough, within seconds, his palm began to glow as if he held a handful of emeralds. When Sans could bring himself to let her go, she flexed it easily. "You've gotten some magic back already," she observed. Frisk smiled at him for a moment, and he couldn't not smile back. "You know," she said, anger rapidly resurfacing, "you're not only a lying reprobate, you are a huge idiot." She rapped her knuckles on his palm. "I've always had a barrier guarding the bedroom from any external magic. If that was the only thing keeping you from reaching Papyrus, you should have asked me to remove it."

Sans sat down again. "But—"

"As for the possibility of giving him illicit information, I will ask you this only once." Frisk moved closer, looking him square in the sockets. "Do you intend to tell the other monsters, at any point, that your race would be better off with me dead?"

He didn't even have to think about it before he answered, "Not anymore. You're pretty damn useful as you are, speakin' up on our behalf to the other humans. I don't see anyone pressuring you into screwin' us over."

A brief smile. "I'm glad to hear it. For my part, I don't mind letting you talk to your brother as long as you take me with you. I'd love to say hello—I've heard so much about him that it'll be like meeting an old friend." She stifled a yawn. "If you start tattling on me in some fashion, I can always pull the barrier back up."

"...You want me to...bring you...in my dream?" Blink. Blink. "But how—what're you gonna—"

"One thing at a time, Sans. First, we're going to bed."

"We're what now?"

"If you're not leaving yet, then we're going to bed, now. This mess can wait till morning." With a nod at her blocked office door, Frisk motioned for him to follow her into the bedroom. "Come along. There's nowhere else for me to sleep, and I'm freezing."

And so it was that Sans found himself lying rigid on the huge feather mattress, the priestess curled up like a cat in the armchair. He had no idea why he was so nervous; he couldn't even muster a semi-joke about her joining him in bed. "I've heard of this spell before," said Frisk, who seemed unperturbed by their proximity. "It's not very complicated. You've just healed me, and I've recently used some of your magic, so we have enough of a connection that I should be able to find you once we're asleep. ...The key word being sleep, Sans. You have to relax. I'm not going to eat you, no matter how short-sighted and dishonorable you've been."

"You're not gonna let that go, are ya?" he mumbled.

"You have no idea. We haven't even talked about repairing the wall yet." Her voice warmed again. "For now, though, don't worry about it. We need to find Papyrus and set you both at ease."

Now Sans felt nervous and extremely weird again. He turned onto his side so she couldn't see him changing color. "'Kay. I...yeah. Thanks."

"Of course," she said, as though it was the most natural thing in the world to do a favor for someone who had completely betrayed her trust, and turned off the witchlight. He felt her raise another barrier at the bedroom door, one solid enough to stop an army, and a thinner barrier disappeared from behind the headboard. "There," she said in the darkness. "We'll see how well this works. Go to sleep, Sans."

That seemed unlikely, but he'd forgotten who he was dealing with. When about ten minutes had passed and the orange light of his eyes was still going strong, something wonderful started creeping up on him, a soothing vibration that spread through every bone in his body before he even knew what he was hearing. It was Frisk humming, of course, and of course it worked; Sans was more than content to let the sound and her presence lull him to sleep.

He jerked upright as something hit his skull, reflexively swatting the air and yelling, "Piss off!"

The lights were back on. In fact, it was full daylight, or what passed for it. Sans rubbed his eye sockets, turning this way and that. He was still in bed, but the bed stood alone in the middle of an open, snowy field. Kid monsters were racing back and forth under gaily decorated trees, throwing snowballs at each other and catching him in the crossfire.

The skeleton brushed himself off, reasoning that the Underground could be a weird place, but it wasn't quite random-snow-bed weird. This must be a dream, then. Damn it...

Oh, well. At least it was a nice one, and it felt pretty real—his good dreams tended to be fuzzy, while every single one of his nightmares was incredibly vivid.

Footsteps crunched on the snow behind him. "Well, hello there. That was simple," said Frisk, looking around them as he got up. She was in her plush robe and bare feet, but seemed at ease. "So this is Snowdin. Which house is yours?"

"BROTHER?"

Sans froze as a familiar shape emerged from a nearby fog of ice crystals. "Papyrus?" he whispered.

"I KNEW IIIIIT—OOF!" Papyrus had run to give his brother a bear hug and fell straight through him, as if Sans was also made of fog. "WHAT IS THIS, SANS? HAVE YOU BECOME TOO LAZY TO STAY SOLID?" he accused him from the ground.

"It's a dream, bro. This happens every damn time," the boss monster said wearily. "Just keep it together and listen, okay? I'm here t'let you know—"

"WAIT. A HUMAN? IS THAT...KRIS?" Papyrus was staring up at Frisk, his face somehow creased in puzzlement. "IS IT REALLY YOU? I THOUGHT YOU'D BE...KRIS-ER, NYEH."

Sans snorted. "Not every human is Kris, Pap. Don't be racist."

"Hello," Frisk said, offering a bright smile and a hand up. "My name is Frisk. It's wonderful to meet you, Papyrus."

"YES, IT IS. NYEH-HEH-HEH! YOU ARE CLEARLY VERY WISE AND ATTRACTIVE, HUMAN!" Papyrus brushed the snow from his fake armor, throwing his red scarf back over his shoulder in so dramatic a fashion that he didn't notice Frisk grinning, though Sans sure did. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY GREAT AND ATTRACTIVE DREAM?" he added.

Still smiling, Frisk watched the pack of young monsters run by. The monsters didn't seem to notice them, though the bed was still there and her purple robe stood out like a dark beacon against the snow. "Your brother wanted to see you, and I decided to come along," she explained. "Sans was captured by humans about a week ago when he was out looking for food, but please don't worry about—"

"CAPTURED?!" Papyrus clapped both hands to his skull. "THIS IS TERRIBLE! PLEASE DE-CAPTURE HIM IMMEDIATELY, HUMAN, OR ELSE I...I...!"

"Pap! Take it easy. She's okay. 'Fact, she's the reason I ain't dead or enslaved right now." Sans plucked at his shirt. "See, she even got me some new duds. You can finally stop bitching about what I'm wearin'."

Papyrus stopped flailing long enough to examine Sans' shirt. "NYEH! I SEE NO HOLES OR QUESTIONABLE STAINS. WHAT SORCERY IS THIS?"

Sans smirked, letting his brother poke at him in vain. "I told ya, bro, I just got it. You don't hafta rip me apart like this."

Frisk rocked back and forth on her heels. "So," she said over Papyrus' exasperated groaning, "I gather you knew a boy named Kris from the last human delegation. Is that right?"

"YES, IT IS RIGHT! KRIS WAS OUR DEAR FRIEND," Papyrus said as Sans grimaced and turned away. "WE WENT FOR WALKS AND HAD SLEEPOVERS, AND MADE HAND PUPPETS THAT ALSO HAD SLEEPOVERS. IT WAS LIKE HAVING A CUTE LITTLE PET THAT CLEANED UP AFTER ITSELF. WE'VE ALL MISSED HIM VERY MUCH, NYEHHH."

"Yeah, he left with the other humans," Sans muttered. "Can we please move on now?"

"Yes, of course. I'm going to borrow your brother for a few more weeks," Frisk told Papyrus. The latter was glaring at his brother's new shirt again, as if daring it to make a false move. "I have a plan to start making peace between monsters and humans," she continued, "but I need a monster's help to do it. Can you get along without Sans until I send him back to the Underground?"

"HMMMM." Papyrus straightened, one hand on his chin. "YOU WON'T HURT HIM?" he asked, sounding almost timid.

"Absolutely not, Papyrus," she said firmly. "He'll be back safe and sound."

Papyrus nodded, evidently impressed by her sincerity. "I AM IMPRESSED BY YOUR SINCERITY, HUMAN. IF THIS DREAM IS NOT MY MAGNIFICENT IMAGINATION PLAYING TRICKS ON ME AGAIN, THEN I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL SPARE MY GOOD-FOR-NOTHING BROTHER FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. NYEH-HEH-HEH!" Without warning, the skeleton grabbed at Sans' wrist bones. "HUMAN! I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO MY BROTHER IN SECRET FOR A MOMENT, IF YOU WILL PLEASE EXCUSE US. IT WILL BE SECRET!"

"Of course," said Frisk. "I'll be right here. Just make sure it's not too secret, please."

Sans covered his face with his hand as Papyrus marched toward the fog bank, still holding his brother's imaginary wrist. "Ya can't touch me, remember?" Sans called after him.

"...I KNEW THAT. CONGRATULATIONS, BROTHER! YOU HAVE PASSED THIS TEST! NYEH. ...HEH." Papyrus waited for Sans to join him, and they walked towards the river. "ARE YOU SURE THAT'S NOT KRIS?" the younger skeleton asked doubtfully.

Sans laughed, jerking his thumb in Frisk's direction. "Does that human look like a sixteen-ish-year-old boy?"

"HMM. NO, IT LOOKS LIKE A HUMAN. BUT! IT SEEMS DELIGHTFUL! THE GREAT PAPYRUS THINKS YOU SHOULD BRING IT BACK HERE WITH YOU. IT'S BEEN TOO LONG SINCE WE HAD A HUMAN TO PILLOW-FIGHT WITH, NYEH-HEH-HEH."

"That's probably not a great idea," Sans remarked.

"NYEH-HEH! WHY NOT?"

"I could spend literally the rest of the night tellin' you all the reasons why not, but the biggest one is that she's the High Priestess, Pap. The other humans would definitely notice if she was gone."

"HIGH PRIESTESS?" Papyrus cocked his head in perplexity. "WHY WOULD A DELIGHTFUL HUMAN BE A HIGH PRIESTESS? DON'T THEY CREATE BARRIERS?"

"It's complicated, bro. Look, I've gotta go soon. Is there anything else you wanna say?"

His younger brother paused, and sighed, shoulders slumping. "SANS. WERE YOU REALLY JUST LOOKING FOR FOOD? WHEN YOU GOT CAUGHT, I MEAN."

The bigger skeleton tried to kick a chunk of ice into the water, his foot passing right through it. "I wasn't slaughtering humans, if that's what you're askin'. I was mostly tryin' to track down monsters who've been sold off recently. But I did want to see how the humans' harvest turned out, an' it looks like it was pretty good this year."

Papyrus nodded, still troubled. "ALL RIGHT, BROTHER. I UNDERSTAND. PLEASE, JUST...TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. NYEH."

"You too, Pap." Sans felt a familiar stab of trepidation and backed away. "Shit, I've got a nightmare coming. I'll see ya soon, okay? Don't tell anyone about Frisk!"

He had to turn and run before Papyrus could answer. Frisk was sitting on the bed in the snow field, ducking snowballs. She turned and started to say, "I hope you weren't telling on m—"

"No more dream! End it now!" he panted.

The priestess didn't waste time asking stupid questions. As the nightmare nipped at Sans' heel, Frisk made a quick swiping gesture, and just like that, he was back in bed, in the bedroom, staring at the sun-washed ceiling.

The skeleton sighed in relief. He rested his forearm across his eyes. Between the radius and ulna, he could see the flickering shadows of birds flying past the open windows. "Thanks, kiddo," he said, "an' thanks for lettin' me talk to him. I really appreciate it." Sans scratched the top of his skull, rolling over to face Frisk. "So, how'd you like Papyrus? He's a cool guy, huh?"

Frisk didn't answer, because she wasn't there. A strange human child sat in the armchair, perched on the edge of the seat, holding a kitchen knife. It stared at him with red-shining eyes, teeth bared in a horrible grin.

If Sans had had more than a shred of magic left, he would have pulled all his blasters at once and obliterated half the building. As it was, he jerked back, nearly choking in terror. The child wasn't moving, but menace radiated off it like heat from a furnace, eyes boring into him as its grin widened. Sans looked around wildly for an escape. The windows were too small, but maybe he could—

A sharp whistle split the air. The barrier snapped on, and the child vanished.

Sans was sitting upright in bed again, in the dark, awake, panting as though he'd run a mile in a few seconds. "Sans, I am so sorry!" The light snapped on. Frisk stood at his bedside, wide-eyed, clutching the neck of her robe. "I didn't think I was going to have that nightmare again before we woke up! I thought it'd be fine, I—" She took a step onto the bed, leaning over to grab his humerus. "Sans? Sans! Please say something!"

He shook her off, and she stumbled backwards, falling into the armchair. "What the fuck was that?" he rasped.

Frisk sat up and pulled her robe tighter around her shoulders. "I'm sorry," she said again. "I should have warned you. It's the reason I have that barrier up in the first place." She swallowed hard. "It shouldn't happen again."

"It better not," Sans snarled. "What the hell was that thing, anyway?"

"I don't know." She looked so miserable that Sans wanted to smack himself, but he was too unnerved to lie and tell her that it was okay; he was shaking so hard that he could almost hear his bones rattle.

For a solid minute, the only other sound in the room was the wind blowing outside the shuttered windows. "I hope you had a good talk with Papyrus," Frisk said presently with a decent attempt at calmness, placing her palm on the bedroom door to dissolve the thick barrier. "I can see why everyone likes him so much. It's good to know he hasn't changed."

The skeleton grunted, hoping she was smart enough not to ask him any questions about him changing. "Yeah. Thanks for fixin' that up for us. Sorry I pushed you just now."

"It's fine. It was an accident." Frisk fiddled with the key in its lock. "You know, Sans, I'd like you to help repair the damage you caused, but...if you still want to leave, I won't stop you. I wasn't thinking of how much it was to ask, staying an entire month."

Sans stared at her. She wouldn't turn around. Finally, he said, "What the crap, lady? You already let me talk to Pap. That was the whole reason I tried to bust out of here. Why wouldn't I stick around 'n make it up to you? Ya really think I'm that bad?"

There came a soft knock at the door, startling them both. "Your Eminence?" It was a male voice, deep and pleasant. "Are you awake, my lady? Please forgive my intrusion, but His Holiness urgently requests your presence."

Daylight was showing through the closed shutters. "Yes, of course. I'll be there in a moment," said Frisk, running her fingers through her hair, eye twitching as she found a tangle.

Sans watched her, and watched her move to unlock the door, feeling a different sort of unease. "Wait a sec," he rumbled. "Frisk, wait. Didn't you bar the big doors last night? How'd he get—"

The man knocked again. "Just a moment," Frisk repeated, turning the key. She glanced behind her. "What, Sans?"

The door banged open. Before she could blink, a stranger in tattered clothes rushed in, his arm raised to strike.

The boss monster was already moving. The man lunged, and there was a sound of steel hitting bone; the priestess found herself staring at the tip of a knife, inches from her face, jutting from between massive skeletal fingers. "Sans!" cried Frisk, twisting around to look at him.

Red clouded Sans' vision, but one clear spot remained: with his free hand, he reached out, corralled Frisk and gently maneuvered her behind him, fingers forming a protective cage. The other hand flexed briefly, then backhanded the intruder so hard that the man rolled clear out of the bedroom, hitting the worktable with a crack and a thump.

The skeleton clamped his teeth on the dagger's hilt and pried the blade out from between his knuckles, jerking his head to fling it to the other side of the bedroom. There was technically nothing to pierce where the knife had been lodged, but it still stung. He glanced down to be sure Frisk was unscathed, then edged forward into the workroom.

To his great irritation, the man wasn't dead; he was not only conscious, but pulling himself up on the table. "Who the fuck are you?" demanded Sans. Only the vague awareness that Frisk was watching kept him from grabbing the guy and pinching his head off.

The stranger wiped the corner of his mouth on his sleeve, squinting against Sans' literal glare. He was gaunt and generally gross-looking, but had moved fast enough and aimed the knife with enough skill to peg him as a professional killer. "What's a big-ass talkin' skeleton doing here? They said you got sold off already!" The assassin laughed shakily. "So it was you bashin' that wall down! What the hell'd you even do that for? It took me all goddamn night to get out!"

Sans glanced at the office door, which was ajar. Several pieces of broken masonry had been moved out of the way by shoving the door repeatedly from the inside. The guy must have snuck into the office after Frisk left, while Sans was in the bedroom but before he blocked the entrance, and gotten trapped in his hiding place by all the debris piled against it.

It would have been kind of funny, except that if Sans really had left, Frisk would be dead now.

The young woman was leaning on Sans' femur, peering around his outspread fingers. He could feel her trembling, which only intensified his urge to kill something. "I know you," she said. "You spoke to me after a service last week. You said I...I..."

"Had a positively angelic voice?" The man leered at her, showing several broken teeth. "S'truth. But I needed to be sure 'xactly who you were. The last High Priestess used body doubles sometimes." He looked her up and down. "Gotta say, I like yours a lot better."

She shuddered. Sans leaned down, not taking his now-flaming eyes from the assassin. "You need this piece of crap alive, Frisk, or can I take 'im apart now?"

"Frisk?" The man cackled, slapping the worktable with a dirty palm. "That's your real name, lady? That's gotta be the dumbest—"

And just like that, he launched himself at Frisk, closing the distance and ducking between Sans' legs like a snake. He whipped another knife out from his belt and would have sliced her neck open if Sans hadn't been ready to nudge her out of the way, grabbing the assassin on the backswing and slamming him against the open door.

Before Frisk could react, Sans turned his head to the opposite wall and said, "Holy crap, what's that?" As she whirled around, Sans plucked the knife out of the man's hand and gave him one squeeze, very quick and very hard. "Whoops, my bad. Nothin' there," he said to cover the sound of ribs breaking.

The priestess started to turn back. "Stay where you are," Sans ordered, pulling the assassin out of her line of sight, stepping into the workroom and closing the door behind him. "Oh, no you don't," he said loudly, as if chasing the man down. "Nooo, stop! We just want to talk to...oh, no!"

The assassin didn't seem to appreciate the theatrics, especially because Sans was carrying him straight to the broken wall. Ignoring the man's feeble protests, the skeleton drew his arm back and murmured, "Now think about what you've done, pal," before tossing him out into the open air.

His only concern was that the bastard would make a lot of noise on the way down, but it seemed he'd knocked the wind out of him, ha. By the time Frisk peeked out of the bedroom, the assassin was long gone.

Sans shook his head and turned from the opening. "Nope. Sorry, I couldn't catch him before he told us who sent him." He wished he had his jacket; his hands had nowhere to go. "You all right, Frisk?"

The priestess gulped and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "No, I'm not." She slid down, back to the wall, and wrapped her arms around her knees.

She didn't seem be physically hurt, so for the moment, he said, "'Kay," and stared at the slightly open office door. "Son of a bitch. I'm gonna tear that guard a new one. D'you think he knew you were sleepin' in there, or was it just a convenient...place to...crap."

Frisk's shoulders had hunched and her face gone pale. Sans ground his teeth, cursing his stupidity. "Well, it's over. He won't bother you again," he reassured her, coming to kneel beside her. "At least that cover story 'bout the assassin ain't a lie now. Right?"

She didn't look reassured at all. With the threat of bodily harm removed, Sans was out of his element again, with no clue how to help her. Should he frame this as an inconvenient but probably solvable problem that she'd always known might come up? No, that would be dumb. She already had enough problems. She didn't need to worry about more shitheads getting in here to hurt her. As long as she was an important and politically vocal person, it wasn't like she could do much to...

Wait. That was it: Sans had the idea. "Actually, ya know what?" He waited for her to shake her head. "You were sayin' this weird stuff about me leaving once I'd seen Pap. Before we talk about that, I gotta ask, what's the going rate for a bodyguard around here? A good one, not just some moron following you around tryin' to look scary."

She bit her lip, a habit Sans had noticed and been distracted by several times already. "Um...it depends. A skilled full-time personal guard? Anywhere from fifty to a hundred dinar—"

"Oh, nice. I can probably—"

"—an hour. I only sleep a few hours a night, so..." Frisk gave him the ghost of a smile. "If you're offering your services, Sans, I'd be glad to accept. Would a salary of one thousand per diem be acceptable?"

Now he really was at a loss for words. "A thousand a friggin' day?" he repeated blankly.

Frisk nodded. Her shock seemed to be fading as she thought aloud: "You could pay for your clothes in one day, and I can negotiate the repairs down to about ten days' worth. After that, well, wheat is about five dinar a bushel." Despite herself, she sniffled again. "You could buy a lot of wheat, or beans, or...or wedding cakes, or literally anything else you want to take Underground with you."

He was patting himself on the back when, without warning, Frisk's smile faded. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you before I unlocked the door." Sniff. "Thank you for staying with me." Sniff. "And thank you for saving my life."

Shit shit was as far as Sans got before he lost even that bit of coherence. His senses were already heightened by the unexpected danger, his SOUL still feeling a little queasy at how close she'd come to dying right in front of him; to cap it off with Frisk looking up at him like this with big eyes, messy hair, and her robe falling off her shoulder was more than he could handle. She never looked bad, but right now, damn.

Sans didn't realize he was reaching for her until his fingertip brushed her cheek, toying with a wavy lock of hair. "Don't mention it," he said gruffly. "'s the least I can do."

Frisk pulled away, face flushing, but only in momentary surprise. He devoutly hoped that she'd get up and go get dressed, or maybe pack her things, buy a fast horse and leave the kingdom forever, but that damnable woman didn't know any better than to smile and take his hand, or at least rest her hand in the space between two of his fingers. "Just so long as you keep in mind that you're still my apprentice," she said with mock sternness. "Do you promise?"

Fffffffff

Neither of them understood what happened next. Sans felt something welling up that made him want to grab her and...he didn't know what would happen next, but he wanted it so badly that he backed away in sudden alarm. All he knew was that this feeling – this energy – had to go somewhere, and if he directed it at her, he could accidentally mash her into paste. The only thing he could think of was to whip around, look for something else to latch onto, and focus his attention on the pile of stones, etc. by the office.

His magic was barely available, or so he would have said a minute ago. Fueled by the whatever-it-was, though, and with the barrier gone from one of the walls, Sans didn't even have to think about it: Frisk jumped back as the heap of debris by her office began to glow red, rising into the air and flying into the broken wall. To their mutual astonishment, the outside bricks and internal structures zipped back into place first, followed by more bricks, mortar, stone, wood, and finally the glass and lead of the windows. When the dust settled, the entire facade had been imperfectly but almost entirely restored, the floor sagging under the windows.

Sans stared at his hand, still breathing heavily. "Huh," he said by way of explanation.

"Indeed." Frisk absently ran her fingers through her hair again, working out a tangle as she examined the wall. "Did I know you could do that?"

"I didn't know I could do that." Now that the unfamiliar energy was gone, Sans found he wanted to sit down. He sat down next to her, comfortably but not dangerously close. "Welp, I need a break from life," he said, which got a laugh out of her. He snorted. "Break. I actually didn't mean that one."

Frisk gave a long, long sigh. "We'll knock down your fee to three or four days of repairs," she said gravely.

Sans couldn't help grinning. "I always knew there was mortar life than money."

She kept a straight face until he added, "Makin' it pretty again is gonna be a pane in the glass," whereupon she broke out in hysterical, snorting laughter, which cracked him up in turn and guaranteed a minutes-long feedback loop.

As nice as this all was, Sans was a little concerned when he got under control and she kept going, and going, and ended up nearly gasping for breath. "You okay, kid?" he asked. "Ya need some water?"

"Oh, Lord," she wheezed. Frisk wiped her eyes on her already-damp sleeve. "Sans, you're killing me."

Silence. Frisk thought about it, and promptly buried her head as far between her knees as she could get it. "I didn't do that on purpose," she said, muffled and sheepish.

Sans shifted his weight. He wasn't ready to admit to himself how badly the whole attack had scared him, much less to her. Just to check, he considered escaping again – maybe once she was letting him walk around with her outside and his magic was naturally restored – and now, less than twelve hours after doing his damndest at it, he couldn't believe how much he hated the idea. No problem, really; he could chalk it up to her letting him connect with Papyrus and needing to make it up to her. Also, holy shit, one thousand dinar every day for the next twenty-five days? That was as solid a set of reasons as he'd ever come up with.

"Well," he finally said. "Guess you'd better get yer scary witch dress on and go tell everyone about this whole mess." He snapped his fingers, making an odd click, as something occurred to him. That's right—I got both those knives off him. Maybe someone can take a look at 'em and figure out who he was, where they were from."

Frisk raised her head, staring into space. "No," she said, as if to herself. The boss monster looked askance, and she smiled in a small, nasty way he hadn't seen before. "We won't say anything." The smile grew. "I'll go about my day as if nothing happened, except I'll be accompanied everywhere by a ten-foot skeleton. Whoever set him after me will have no idea what happened, and it'll drive them absolutely mad. We can see if anyone incriminates themselves, but...ohh, I'm going to enjoy this."

"It's a neat idea, but the garbage threw itself out already, remember?" Sans indicated the repaired wall. "Someone's bound to notice 'im."

The young woman did a remarkable impression of shock and distress, eyes wide and mouth hanging open before she murmured, "That poor man jumped from such a height? What a hideous tragedy. Peace be upon his soul and those of his loved ones."

"Daaaamn" was all Sans could say. He might have killed the guy and covered it up, but he couldn't look that cute telling a bare-ass lie! Also... "Ain't you a priestess? Isn't that a little...?"

Frisk scowled. Despite her bedhead and furry robe, she was the very image of sternness and, yes, determination. "I was taught that it is my duty to aid the weak and be an instrument of justice against people who, for example, want to stab me in my own bedroom when I've done nothing to harm them. It's no sin to protect yourself."

The skeleton shrugged, holding his hands out. "Okay, that's enough. I think I love ya. Where do I sign up to kill people for you?"

The priestess laughed. "I bet you say that to every girl you try to escape from. And, please, don't kill anyone." She glanced at the clock, and her amusement melted into panic. "Dirt! I have matins in twenty minutes!" She sprang to her feet and made a beeline for her dressing room. "Can you please find my veil for me?" she called before she shut the door.

Sans also got up, muttering, "'Dirt'? Seriously?" as he retrieved the veil from where it had blown onto the table. As an afterthought, he returned to the bedroom and picked up the assassin's daggers. He studied them, saying out loud, "I think I'm screwed, is what I am," then placed them on the nightstand.

He heard Frisk emerge from her dressing room and went to meet her as she asked, "Sans, do you have my—"

He handed the veil over. "Thank you, sir." She threw the veil over her head and adjusted the headdress over it. "May I assume that you haven't been to many religious services?"

"Er..."

"Well, we have an oral contract, effective immediately, and I am going to church, so you are going to church." She inclined her head, moving toward the double doors. "Follow me."

And, of course, he did.

#frans #onwards aoshima

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tomeandflickcorner · 4 years

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Episode Review- The Real Ghostbusters: Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster

Awesome! We got a Janine centric episode! And it really gives her a chance to shine!

There’s apparently been a huge spike in paranormal activity within the city, and the Ghostbusters are struggling to keep up with their mounting workload. Each day, they have to head out to take on a number of busts and when they come back, they’re greeted with a pile of new additions to their worksheet. Needless to say, they’re really exhausted. Peter asks Egon what could be causing this rising amount of ghosts appearing in the city, but Egon doesn’t have any answers. And when he takes out his PKE Meter, it immediately overloads, further illustrating how serious things are.

When Winston and Ray head down to the basement to unload the new batch of captured ghosts into the Containment Unit, with Ray saying they’ll have to add another Klein Bottle to the machine to prevent it from going over max capacity, Janine approaches Egon and Peter. She basically says ‘hey, I know you guys are super busy and all, but my apartment is haunted. Can you please do something about that?’ But Peter and Egon tell her they can’t address her problem until after they resolve the supernatural crisis. And yeah, I can see both sides of the issue here. Janine is clearly not the only one dealing with a ghost problem right now, and it probably should be an issue of first come, first served. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fair to everyone else. At the same time, Janine is on the Ghostbusters’ payroll, too. You’d think there would be some sort of office perk to that.

Anyway, Janine ends up returning to her apartment after clocking out for the day. When she arrives, she is aggravated to discover that the ghosts haunting her apartment have moved all of her furniture up onto the ceiling. In frustration, she yells at the ghosts to get out, but the ghosts all just laugh. Though they do unstick all her furniture, which all falls to the ground, forcing poor Janine to put everything back in place. The next morning, Janine wakes up to find her bed is floating in midair. And when she gets into the shower, no water comes out of the showerhead. Instead, the shower quickly fills up with frogs. As one might expect, this is the final straw for Janine. So when she returns to the Firehouse, she is fully prepared to demand the Ghostbusters help her out. But when she arrives, she is greeted only by Slimer, who informs her the Ghostbusters had already headed out to deal with other calls. So Janine decides to take matters into her own hands, borrowing one of Peter’s spare uniforms and taking an extra Proton Pack and Ghost Trap. She returns to her apartment to catch the ghosts herself, with Slimer tagging along. When they get there, the apartment seems to be deserted. And for a brief moment, Janine wonders if the ghosts had simply gotten bored and left on their own. But then the lights suddenly turn off, and the ghosts begin throwing random objects at Janine while Slimer hides in a nearby cabinet. (Janine is particularly angry that a vase her mother had given her gets smashed against the wall.) Despite Janine’s best efforts, the ghosts quickly get the better of her, wrapping her up in a blanket and taking away the Proton Pack she was carrying. Fortunately, Slimer eventually decided to quit cowering in the corner and actually help out. While the other ghosts were distracted in tormenting Janine, Slimer carefully pushed the discarded Ghost Trap into position and triggered it, making sure to hold onto a fixed object in order to keep himself from being pulled into the trap as well. So the ghosts haunting Janine’s apartment are soon trapped. And Janine thanks Slimer for coming to her rescue.

Meanwhile, the Ghostbusters were still hard at work catching all the other ghosts plaguing the city. Including a group of thug-like ghosts who were actually wielding real guns. I have no idea why I found this so hilariously shocking. After all, it’s not the first time we’ve seen guns depicted in this show. Maybe it’s the fact that the guns are being held by these small ghosts as if it was no big deal. Sometimes I forget that the 80s were a different time. Anyway, as the Ghostbusters start to head off to their next assignment, Winston remarks how the last time ghosts were crawling out of the woodwork like this, it was when Gozer was around. Peter briefly wonders if it was possible that Gozer was somehow coming back, but Egon says this wasn’t the case, as none of the readings suggest such a thing. However, he does take note that the ghosts they’ve been catching all have a common spectrography. Which suggests that there’s a single source for all the ghostly activity. Unfortunately, there’s too much spectral static for him to pinpoint the exact location of that singular source. Peter tries to put a positive spin on things by reminding his teammates of how much money they’re making. Winston counters this silver lining by reminding Peter that they’ve been too busy to make much use of that extra money.

As the Ghostbusters head off to Gracie Manor, which is being haunted by a Class 9 Free Roaming Vapor, that statue of Atlas at Rockefeller Center suddenly comes to life, scaring off all the ice skaters in the process. (So I’m guessing this episode takes place during the winter months.) The Atlas Statue ends up throwing the globe it was carrying, which just narrowly misses the Ecto-1 as it drives by. The Ghostbusters try to shoot the Atlas Statue with their Proton Packs, but it proves to be completely ineffective, since the stature was infused with so much ectonic energy, it could resist the force of the Proton Streams. So the Ghostbusters have no choice but to run. They try to get creative and slow the Atlas Statue down by using the Proton Packs to melt the ice beneath it as the Atlas Statue sets foot onto the ice skating rink, but this doesn’t work as the Atlas Statue is able to jump back out of the hole in the ice. The Atlas Statue then fires of a beam of light emanating from its finger at the Ghostbusters. In a flash of light, the Ghostbusters all vanish from sight, much to the shocked dismay of the onlookers and news reporters.

Elsewhere, Janine and Slimer return to the Firehose after capturing the ghosts that had been haunting Janine’s apartment. When they see the Ghostbusters haven’t retuned yet, they decide to wait for them to get back. As they wait, Janine pulls out a TV set. This results in her seeing the news report announcing that the Ghostbusters disappeared while fighting the Atlas Statue. So Janine and Slimer hurry back out to try and figure out what happened to the Ghostbusters. When they arrive at Rockefeller Center, Janine pulls out the PKE Meter she’d brought with her, but quickly admits to Slimer that she has no idea what she’s doing. She can’t even properly analyze the readings on the PKE Meter.

Janine and Slimer begin to wander along the city streets, at a loss as to what to do. But that’s when Janine realizes something. Remembering how the Ghostbusters seemed to disappear as if they got pulled into a Ghost Trap, she gets the idea of getting information from some of the ghosts that have recently been caught. After all, maybe they might know what happened to the Ghostbusters. While she admits it’s a long shot, it’s the only possible lead they have. Of course, Janine can’t enter into the Containment Unit herself as she’s alive. (And she probably can’t use that special suit Egon used to enter into the Containment Unit back in X-Mas Marks the Spot as I imagine she’d need someone who knew what they were doing manning the control panel.) So she recruits Slimer to go into the Containment Unit instead. Slimer is not exactly on board with the idea, but Janine doesn’t give him much of a choice. Upon being put inside the Containment Unit, Slimer wanders around for a bit before he manages to locate the Thug Ghosts that the Ghostbusters had recently caught. Slimer eavesdrops on their conversation, overhearing them gloating how they won’t be there for long as Proteus will see that they’re released soon enough. And that Proteus already has the Ghostbusters in the Erie.

Okay, hold on a minute here. First off, how do these Thug Ghosts know what happened to the Ghostbusters? From what we saw, these ghosts were captured before the Ghostbusters encountered the Atlas Statue. How would the ghosts in the Containment Unit know what’s going on in the outside world? And come to think of it, when did the Thug Ghosts get put into the Containment Unit in the first place? They were just captured earlier this very same day. Did the Ghostbusters swing by the Firehouse between capturing the Thug Ghosts and starting to head off to Gracie Mansion? Because I didn’t get the impression they had the time to do that. Talk about a plot hole.

Getting back to the episode, Slimer’s presence is discovered before he can get the chance to hear anything more, so he has to make a run for it when the captured ghosts begin chasing after him. Slimer manages to make it safely back to the entrance/exit port of the Containment Unit, and Janine is able to pull him out in the nick of time while preventing any other ghost from escaping. Now that she’s armed with the information Slimer was able to gather up, Janine does some research and locates the only Erie building listed in Manhattan. After making a remark about how there’s never any thirteenth floor listed on the elevator buttons due to how superstitious people can be, Janine ventures up to the top floor of the building. But she notices the PKE Meter is going off as they pass by the 14th floor. As a result, Janine is able to discover this building has an unmarked 13th floor, and she is able to reach it by hitting the emergency stop button and blasting the elevator doors open. She finds herself in some sort of other-worldly office building, complete with a demonic receptionist. After brushing past the Demon Receptionist, Janine forces her way through a large doorway, ending up in a room that appears to be filled with mirrors. These mirrors are soon revealed to be some sort of prison cells, with the Ghostbusters all imprisoned within one of the mirrors. Which gives Janine the opportunity to make a Lewis Carol joke. Egon instructs Janine to get out of there since she doesn’t know what she’s up against. Ray backs up Egon’s statement by explaining that Proteus was a primal god like Gozer.

At that moment, Proteus himself appears. And he somehow knows Janine’s name. (Yeah, I suppose he might have overheard the Ghostbusters calling her Janine, but that doesn’t explain how Proteus knew her full name.) Janine attempts to shoot Proteus with the Proton Pack, but to no avail as Proteus is much too strong. Slimer, showing some courage, ends up charging at Proteus and keeping him distracted. While Slimer is distracting Proteus, Janine turns and fires at the mirror prison holding the Ghostbusters captive. This not only results in the mirror breaking, freeing the Ghostbusters in the process, but the light reflecting off the mirror surface apparently momentarily blinds Proteus. The blinded Proteus ended up firing off one of his finger beams randomly, with the finger beam bouncing off the other mirrors. This resulted in the finger beam overloading, causing the place to begin to fall apart. Thankfully, the Ghostbusters, Janine and Slimer are able to make it out of there safely before the 13th floor blows up, clearly taking Proteus out in the process.

Upon returning to the Firehouse, Egon remarks that Janine showed real bravery to come after them like that. The other Ghostbusters then notice the phones are no longer ringing off the hook, and Ray concludes that, with Proteus gone, the paranormal activity in New York will probably return to normal. Peter then tells Janine that she’s pretty handy with a Proton Pack, so Janine suggests that she should try to go into business for herself. Peter offers an alternative suggestion- she stay on as their secretary, but with a raise in salary. Janine accepts this, on the condition that they continue to make sure her apartment remains ghost-free. With the exception of Slimer, of course.

As someone who likes Janine as a character, this was one episode I’d recommend to anyone who was interested in giving the show a chance. Obviously, Janine doesn’t have the experience and knowledge that the actual Ghostbusters have, but she still is able to hold her own when the situation calls for it. She even managed to defeat Proteus, a literal god. Sure, Slimer did help keep Proteus distracted for a little while there, so she didn’t do it alone. But the fact remains that Proteus was defeated because of Janine. And she also helped save the Ghostbusters in the process. That’s not just an impressive feat for a secretary with no real Ghostbuster training, it’s impressive for anyone. Though I do find it a bit strange that Peter seemed surprised how good Janine was with a Proton Pack, as this isn’t the first time she’d wielded one. Even if you don’t include that time in Mr. Sandman, Dream Me a Dream (since that was technically Dream Janine), she did get the chance to wield a Proton Pack in Janine’s Genie.

There’s one other thing I want to comment on for this episode. In the opening scene, we can see the Ghostbusters heading out to what I think was either a library or a bookstore. I couldn’t tell which. But the ghosts they were catching were clearly Captain Ahab, the Frankenstein Monster and one other ghost that was apparently supposed to be Mr. Hyde, though I didn’t get a good enough look at him to properly identify him. I wanna know the story behind this haunting! Are they suggesting these characters were actual people, the way Ebenezer Scrooge was shown as an actual person in X-Mas Marks the Spot? Or were the ghosts haunting that location simply taking up the form of famous literary characters? Because that would have made for an interesting episode. Especially since it could have potentially gotten kids watching the show interested enough to actually read the actual novels, the way the movie Pagemaster was trying to do. (Although, I’ve been told that with the book Moby Dick, every other chapter in that novel takes a break from the actual narrative to discuss the whole history of whaling. I imagine kids might get bored rather quickly if they tried to read that one.)

(Click here for more Ghostbusters reviews)

#the real ghostbusters #rgb episode review #ghostbusters franchise

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honeypiehotchner · 5 years

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Beautiful Stranger (Chris Evans x OFC) -- part eleven

This is a very cute and special part ;)

Warnings: none! Unless you count the fluff content in here to be illegal.

Chris -- despite my protests, because what if people are watching? Or have cameras out? -- holds my hand as we walk back to my car. He opens the door for me, or tries to, but pouts when I laugh at him because I haven’t unlocked my car yet.

“Sorry, you’re trying to be nice and I’m being an ass,” I say, but that doesn’t stop me from continuing to laugh. I do unlock the car, though, and he smiles brightly -- like a child, I swear -- when he gets to open my door.

“M’Lady,” he bows his head and gestures into the driver’s seat.

I roll my eyes, but that’s because I’m trying to get rid of the wild butterflies in my stomach.

“Thank you for lunch,” he says once we’re driving back to my office.

“Thank you for letting me pay this time,” I tease. “And for surprising me, of course.”

He grins. “I’ll do it more often.”

“Please,” I say without thinking, and then immediately reel back. “I mean, if you’re not busy filming. You need to finish filming first.”

“But I also need to eat,” he counters, leaning his elbow on the side of the door. “So I think they’ll be okay if I ask to have lunch at this time every day.”

“Chris…” I shake my head in warning, starting my car. “I feel like I am way more conscious of cameras than you are.”

“I’ve gotten used to it,” he shrugs. “But I should be more careful, I know.”

“Your publicist already give you the speech?”

“Well, she forced me to tell her about you.”

I stay quiet and drive, hoping he’ll give more context. But he doesn’t, so I have to say, “What?”

And he continues. “She asked why it was-- Okay, normally -- I won’t lie -- normally after a few days of staying in, I’m calling her and telling her the guys and I are going out and that I’m apologizing in advance for anything she’ll have to yell at me for in the morning.”

“Is it that bad?”

“No, it’s not,” he chuckles. “But the media gets ahold of something and then it is. But point is, she caught me out. She asked why I hadn’t been going out at all yet and asked what the hell I had been doing-- She’s like my mother sometimes, I swear.”

“It sounds like it.”

“But she asked me that,” he shrugs his shoulders for emphasis, “and I can’t lie and say I’ve just been staying in for no reason because she knows me better than that, so I had to tell her.”

I grip the steering wheel tightly to relieve some nerves. “What did she say?”

He lets out a breathy laugh. “As my friend, she’s over the moon. As my publicist, she said she’s going to start doing damage control now.”

“Now?” I ask, raising my eyebrows. “Your name hasn't been anywhere.”

“Not yet,” he reminds me. “It’ll happen soon, and I’m sorry for when it does.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“No, but it’s something I wish you never had to deal with.”

“Well,” I pause, turning my blinker on. “It’s been a month and so far, so good.”

“That’s because we’ve been in my apartment,” he replies, laughing but he sounds wary. “I know I’m being cynical, it’s just--”

“No, you’re being realistic,” I admit, sighing deeply. “I wish you didn’t have to worry about it.”

“I wish you didn’t either.”

“Well, too bad. I worry about everything,” I laugh, only half in jest. “So don’t worry about what I’m worrying about because chances are, I’m already worrying about it.”

“That worries me.”

I don’t even need to look over to see the grin that is stretching across his lips, but I still do because I still want to see it. It’s just as blinding as always, but this time there’s some real worry hiding behind it.

I decide to change the subject, though, because I do see that hint of genuine worry in his eyes, and he doesn’t need to do that. “Where do I need to drop you off?”

“There should be a car waiting for me somewhere outside your office.”

Slowly, as I stop at the redlight, I turn to look at him. “You have no idea how fancy that just sounded.”

“It’s the truth!” He defends. “They dropped me off earlier. I didn’t just walk through downtown Atlanta until I got to your office.”

“It’s a good thing,” I reply, looking back at the road as the light turns green. He would’ve literally gotten mobbed, probably. “What time are you done today?”

“Not sure,” he sighs. “Why?”

“No reason,” I shrug, parking my car.

Chris gives me a look. “You can go see Dodger even when I’m not there, you know.”

“I feel bad!”

“Why? I’m telling you that you can,” he nudges my arm. “I gave you the spare key for a reason.”

“Okay,” I breathe. “Can I?”

“Please do,” he replies sincerely. “Send me pictures.”

“Deal.”

He’s still grinning wildly as I park my car, glancing at the clock to see I’ve still got twenty minutes left for my lunch hour. But he probably needs to get back to filming, so he should probably go now.

A frown settles over my features at the thought.

“How much longer is your lunch hour?”

“Twenty minutes,” I tell him. “But if you need to go right now--”

“No, I’ve got twenty minutes,” he turns to face me, unbuckling his seatbelt. “But if you need to go back to work now…”

I shake my head, fighting back a smile. “I’ve got twenty minutes.”

+++

I call Camile on my way back to my apartment -- well, Chris’s, because I’m going to see Dodger first thing.

“Hey girl,” my best friend answers tiredly. “What’s up?”

“What’s up with you?” I counter.

“Exhausted,” she lets out a laugh. “Ready to be home and in bed. You?”

“Same. Well, I’m going to see Dodger, but I am tired.”

“Dodger, huh?” She teases. The mere mention of my soulmate’s dog -- or anything to do with Chris, for that matter -- and her attitude brightens. “No Chris?”

“Chris and I had lunch today,” I say, earning a muffled scream from her. “And he’s still filming anyway, so.”

“But he’s letting you go see his dog.”

“Hey, Dodger needs love, too.” I’ll probably take him out for a walk, too. He probably needs to pee and breathe some fresh air. I’ll just make a pitstop at my apartment to change out of this dress and heels.

“Mhm,” Camile coos. “I’m still not over the fact that you’re Chris Evans’s soulmate.”

“I’m not over the fact that I have a soulmate.”

“Please,” Camile breathes. “You always knew you did.”

“But I didn’t know if they’d want me.”

“Fair,” she says. “Speaking of, has he kissed you yet?”

“Cam!”

“It’s a valid question!” She yells back. “It’s been a month. Jack kissed me after a week.”

“Well that’s you and Jack,” I remind her. “Speaking of, do you think you guys would be free this weekend, Saturday night?”

“We...can be, why?”

“Dinner. At Chris’s. With me and a couple of his friends.”

“Oh...my...God.”

“Is that a yes?” I laugh. “You’ll have to mentally prepare Jack. And make sure he won’t freak out. Sebastian and Scarlett are coming I think.”

“Sebastian Stan and Scarlett Johannson?”

“I think that’s their names, yes.”

I can practically hear her eye roll. “Oh, you think.”

“I just know Scarlett as Chris’s best friend who brings him groceries to cook dinner with while he’s on lockdown and Seb as Chris’s friend who keeps trying to take his phone to send weird text messages to me,” I smile, thinking of their antics. Chris says it’s annoying, but I know he loves it. “Not...whatever their characters’ names are.”

“Oh my God.”

“Is that a yes you’ll be there or not?”

“Of course we’ll be there,” Camile blurts. “I’ll tell Jack in advance who all is coming so he won’t pass out when we get there.”

“Thank you,” I chuckle. “I’ll tell you the time whenever we figure that out, but yeah. Saturday night.”

“You got it. We’ll be there.”

“Good,” I sigh, pulling my car into the parking deck. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go change and then take Dodger for a walk.”

“Well you are excused,” she replies in a matter-of-fact tone. “Have fun.”

+++

I meant to take Dodger for a walk. That was actually the plan, but somewhere in between walking into Chris’s apartment and kneeling down to play with Dodger and searching for his leash, we ended up asleep in the living room floor.

I didn’t know I had fallen asleep either until I felt footsteps on the floor. I cracked my eyes open, Dodger’s head still tucked under my chin, and craned my neck to see Chris standing with a soft smile on his lips.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” I murmur, sitting up and keeping a hand on Dodger. “How was work?”

“Good, we wrapped early.” Chris crouches down next to us on the floor, gently petting Dodger and searching my eyes. “I was wondering why you went quiet.”

“Oops,” I chuckle, rubbing my eyes, stopping myself when I remember I still have makeup on my face. I curse when I look at my fingers, black smudges all on them. “Ugh.”

Chris sees my frustration and nods down the hall. “I have some makeup wipes in the bathroom.”

I raise an eyebrow, my hands falling into my lap. “You have makeup wipes?”

“Sometimes I forget they put makeup on me when we’re filming and have to take it off here,” he explains, and adds, “but you’re welcome to use them.”

“Well, thank you,” I begin to stand. “Did you wear makeup today?”

He looks up at the ceiling, clearly trying to remember, but I just shake my head.

“I’ll bring one back.”

I walk down the hall to his bathroom, finding -- sure enough -- a packet of makeup wipes on the counter. They’re a cheap brand, but I didn’t expect him to have the same kind I use -- which are in a pink package and for sensitive skin with aloe infused in the wipes.

I clean the eye makeup I smudged and wipe away the little foundation I had worn today before tossing the wipe. I grab a second, shutting off the bathroom light as I venture back into the living room, finding Chris laying down next to Dodger now, holding his paw.

I can’t help the smile that crawls onto my face as I get closer. I lay on the other side of Dodger, moving so I can reach over and wipe the makeup from Chris’s face, careful not to wake the sleeping puppy between us.

I don’t realize how intimate the moment is until I’m wiping under his eyes, and I realize how deeply he’s staring into mine.

“Hi,” I say nervously, swiping quickly over his forehead and nose, hitting the places I assume they’d use some concealer just to cover some redness.

“Hi,” he replies, letting out a laugh when I tap his nose with the wipe once I’m finished. “Thank you.”

I set the wipe above our heads so I’ll remember to throw it away when we get up. “You’re welcome,” I murmur, bending my arm to rest my head on it like a pillow. “How was your day?”

“Good,” he breathes, then gets this cheesy smile on his face as he says, “I had a really cute lunch date today.”

I scoff, rolling my eyes, but I’m smiling, and he keeps going.

“She let me hold her hand, too. Made me so damn happy.”

I pause and just look at him, my chest swelling with every moment that he keeps going.

“She’s really pretty,” he murmurs, his hand reaching over Dodger to tuck some hair out of my face. “But I know she doesn’t think it.”

“What’s got you in such a sappy mood?” I tease, trying to deflect and change subjects. It’s my one and only talent.

But Chris isn’t letting me get away that easy. “No reason,” he shakes his head, best he can when he’s laying on the floor. “Can I tell you something?”

I nod. “Anything.”

“I’ve been in a sappy mood,” he chuckles when he uses my words, “for a while. Since the day I met you.”

My face softens.

“But I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t want to scare you away.”

“Why would you scare me away?” I whisper, my hand reaching out for his. He finds mine easily, lacing our fingers together and resting them on Dodger’s stomach.

“Because everyone’s watching me,” he says, his voice quiet and his eyes sincere. “Everyone’s always watching and I don’t want them to watch you too. I want you to just be mine, not everyone’s.”

“Chris…”

“And if the fame scares you away then that’s just what happens. I know it isn’t for everyone.”

“Chris…”

“But I know I’d rather have you in my life, whatever way I can, than not at all.”

“Chris, stop,” I squeeze his hand, getting his attention. “You’re not going to scare me away.”

“I don’t want to.”

“And you won’t. Nothing will,” I say without thinking, and the scariest part is, I know I mean it. “I know fame isn’t meant for everyone, and that’s fine. I don’t think it’s for me, but that doesn’t matter. My soulmate isn’t fame.”

He cracks a small smile. He always does when I call him my soulmate. I remember the first time I noticed it, I made a mental note with myself to call him my soulmate more often when I’m with him.

“My soulmate is Chris Evans,” I keep going, running my thumb over the back of his hand. “This super cute guy from Boston who also happens to be a superhero in his spare time.”

He laughs then, but it’s small. It’s not his usual belly laugh.

“Who loves his family and has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. And who has a pretty awesome puppy.” Dodger stirs in his sleep, tucking his head further into Chris’s chest. “And he opens doors for me. He brings me coffee and surprises me for lunch and makes me laugh. He makes me smile more than I’ve smiled in years. And he gives really good hugs.”

I can see him slowly cheering up, so I say one more thing.

“Oh, and his hands are super soft, too.”

He laughs loudly then, his free hand holding onto his chest as he leans back a little, his eyes closing. The noise wakes Dodger who jumps up and runs off into the kitchen, leaving Chris and I holding hands, laying in the middle of his living room floor.

The laughter dies down and I find myself scooting closer, our hands still linked together. He leans back onto his side, his eyes searching mine, a smile dancing on his lips.

“Thank you,” he whispers.

I shrug a little, smirking. “Just telling the truth, that’s all.”

“Can I tell you the truth?”

“I hope so.”

“I wanna kiss you.”

I freeze, but freeze isn’t the right word because my blood isn’t running cold. My body is warm, like it always is when I’m around him. Warm and safe.

But time stops. Or it feels like it does. Because we stay there, laying on our sides, just looking at each other, for what feels like ages but I know is only a few moments.

“Can I kiss you?” He asks, his hand squeezing mine.

And I nod. All I can do is nod.

He lets go of my hand to instead snake his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. The rug scratches against our clothes as we move, but it doesn’t stop us, and he doesn’t stop until he’s pressed his lips against mine.

It’s nothing like I imagined — or maybe it is, and I just don’t want to admit that I’ve imagined this moment. I have, if I’m being honest. I’ve thought about kissing him from the moment I came and knocked on his door a month ago. From the moment he hugged me.

But I obviously didn’t imagine it to be like this, both of us curled up in his living room floor, bodies pressed against each other.

His hand cradles my face as he kisses me, soft and slow, gentle as always. I’m smiling when he pulls back to breathe, resting his forehead against mine. I open my eyes and see he’s staring right at me, his eyes filled with a certain emotion I’ve never seen and don’t know how to describe, but I’m sure it’s something like what I’m feeling. I’m positive I’ve also got a dreamy and dazed look in my eyes.

We hear Dodger’s paws on the hardwood floor before we see him, and then suddenly a toy is being dropped right between us. A well-rested Dodger bounces around us before jumping onto Chris and licking his face all over.

I sit up and cover my mouth to muffle my laughter, but also to feel my lips, to see if this buzz I’m feeling is real — to see if this is really all real. If I really did just kiss my soulmate.

I did. I really did.

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escapingreality1992 · 4 years

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The Competition of Misdirection Ch. 10

Earlier That Day

Nina’s POV

Sunlight glinted into my room; I squinted and tolled over, my hands coming into contact with Bucky’s chest. I smiled, trailing my fingers over his abs, stopping at the edge of his boxers. Dare I go further? It would be a nice wake-up call for him. I moved my hands back up towards his jaw, rubbing my thumb over the light stubble coming in. Better to wake him in a sweeter way. I propped myself on one elbow, carding a hand through his hair. Bucky let out a soft sigh, his lips parting open. I repeated the motion for a few moments before placing a kiss on his lips. He stirred and opened his eyes.

“Good morning, Nina,” He said.

“Morning. Did you sleep well?” He nodded and pulled me down for another kiss. His tongue swiped over my bottom lip, asking for entrance; I granted permission, letting the kiss go deeper. His hands shifted my body to straddle his hips. He sat up, our naked chests nearly pressed together, continuing to kiss me. The kissing turned into a make-out session; more passion infused into it. His thumbs grazed over the outward curves of my breasts. I gasped, my hips grinding against him.

“Captain Rogers has requested you both for a training session,” FRIDAY alerted us. So much for some morning sex.

“Thanks FRIDAY,” I said. I reluctantly pulled myself off Bucky to change into workout clothes.

“Don’t get ready just yet,” Bucky said. I hadn’t heard him move to stand behind me. His hands glided over my body before he turned me to face him. He lifted me up onto the dresser, spreading my legs and rubbing a finger between my folds. I arched up, my head falling back.

“Steve’s expecting us,” I reminded him. Bucky slipped a finger inside me and I let out a moan. Fuck, I really need him inside me.

“I’ll be quick. Then we can head down to meet Steve,” He moved his finger faster inside me, adding another to slick my folds. Satisfied with how wet he wanted me, he pumped his cock a few times and pulled my body to the edge of the dresser. Bucky sheathed himself inside, both of us moaning as he did so. He thrusted hard into me, the roughness causing my walls to clench tight around his cock; he let out a moan, going faster to get us to our climax. I came first, crying out his name, my nails digging into his back. Bucky soon followed, holding me close as we came down from our high.

He pulled out of me, helping me down; he kissed me, changing into his clothes from the night before and left to put on workout gear of his own.

We met in the training room finding Steve alone.

“Where are the others?” I asked.

“Upstairs. It’s just the three of us. I want to train just the two of you. You’re close to each other. Perhaps too close. I would like for you both to get more in sync with each other. Be able to defend not only yourselves but also each other. Especially if you decide to date,” he explained. We nodded and he ran us through various drills that played to both our strengths; some highlighted certain weaknesses we needed to work on for next time. We went through them over and over until we were both dripping sweat, resting for 20 minutes and then running through them again, only with Steve acting as a villain.

“Great job guys. This is what I want to see going forward into missions,” Steve said. We both had pinned him against the wall using a combination of my calming ability and his combat training. Bucky tossed me a towel to wipe off with, taking a sip of water to cool down. He made the mistake of kissing the top of my head, his arms wrapping around me; it caught Steve’s attention.

“I knew you were super affectionate with each other. I just didn’t know you were that affectionate. Is there something you need to tell me?” he asked. We shot each other a look that said, ‘Maybe we should tell him’ and turned to face him. We would have told him all of it, the whole truth. We knew he would have been excited about it. We would have…if it weren’t for the fact, we had a date planned. We wanted to tell everyone at the same time, but later in the afternoon.

“No. We’ve always done this. Though it’s usually been behind doors. No need for Loki to mock us. We’re headed out to get breakfast and I feel like you have more people to train. See you later,” Bucky said. We didn’t give him time for a response, leaving to change into clothes that weren’t soaked in sweat.

“We are going to tell him, right?” Bucky questioned. We stood in line at a crepe bistro downtown. I had piled chocolate chips on top of fresh strawberries I had already placed in the thin pastry.

“Yes, but I thought it might be easier to tell everyone at the same time. Less hassle to tell everyone separately,” I answered.

“When would that be? Not that I’m in any rush. We have different schedules sometimes,”

“When we get back to the compound. We’ve going to be getting together tonight. You know, for the annual ‘let’s go out drinking’ night. I figured everyone will be hanging out in the lounge before getting ready,” I told him. We continued down the line, waiting patiently as the cashier rang up our crepes and beverages. Bucky went to pay, but I swatted at his hand.

“You paid last time. It’s my turn to cover things,” I said. I figured if we were dating, that it would be equal terms; trading off paying for future dates we went on. We sat down at a table to eat – his coffee and my London fog tea latte to wash it down with.

“Good plan. Oh, you’ve got a little whipped cream here. Let me get it,” Bucky leaned over and kissed me, licking it off my lips. I held him in place to steal another kiss, before letting him finish his crepe. It seemed like a good plan at the time. All hell would break loose when we returned to the compound.

Present Time

Bucky and I had just returned home and heard yelling coming from the living room. The voices were unmistakable; Loki and Stephen were at it again.

“Do they ever stop fighting?” Bucky asked.

“I thought it had gotten better. Turns out it hasn’t,” We continued our path to see what all the commotion was about. We wouldn’t expect the reveal.

“She’s not meant to be played with. You can’t mess around with her feelings or her heart. The competition is over. That’s final,” Stephen snapped. Now I was confused, but still curious to what they were arguing about. Is that why they were always at each other’s throats? Is this about a girl?

“What competition?” I asked. The room went silent. You could drop a pin and hear it hit the floor. Stephen’s body went rigid, setting off alarms in my head. I looked around the room and no one could meet my eyes. I tried to turn things into a joke.

“Oh, come on. You can tell me. Are you trying to figure out whose magic is superior? Who can make better balloon animals? Is this a surprise for some girl? An apprentice, maybe?” I said. No answer. Stephen didn’t relax his posture. Loki stepped around him, an icy grin on his lips.

“No, this actually concerns you,” he said.

“Me? Oh, are you trying to impress me with new tricks you’ve learned? I’d say Stephen-,”

“No, no, sweet Nina. It’s more of a way to see who could win your love. We both like you. Tell me, love. Do you want to be with me or Doctor Wizard over there?” Loki interrupted me. My blood went cold. They were fighting over me. These last few months. The sabotage, the times they crashed my hangouts with Bucky. It was all to…win my heart. The cold dissipated and turned to anger. I linked my fingers with Bucky’s.

“I choose Bucky,” I answered. Loki laughed sending chills through my bones.

“How do you know he wasn’t in on it?” I froze. No, Bucky wouldn’t have done this. Would he? I thought.

�� “I didn’t know anything about a competition. This is all you and Strange’s doing. If I had, I wouldn’t have bothered to compete. I would rather do things the old-fashioned way. It’s how I did things anyway. Because I love her,” Bucky snapped. Relief spread through me.

“You’re no fun. Strange, we wasted our-,” Loki’s head whipped to the side; I didn’t stop with him. I repeated the same thing with Stephen, both slaps echoing through the room. Everyone looked up at me then.

“I take it the rest of you knew about this. Bucky and I appear to be the only ones who were in the dark about it,” I said.

“I’m sorry. We wanted to see how things played out. We didn’t think they would take it this far,” Tony said. My anger spiked.

“You elected not to share this with us. Did everyone have fun messing with our head. Did you honestly think it was all fun and games? Save it,”

“I meant to come in here to tell you all that Bucky and I are dating. I fell in love with him. It’s always been him. We thought we’d surprise you with the good news,” I stated. Tears pricked my eyes. I forced them back, turning my rage on the sorcerers.

“I am not a prize to be won. The fact that you can stand there and be proud to have participated in a competition over me is disgusting,” I turned to Stephen, feeling betrayed by him. I thought he was my friend. “How could you do this to me? I thought we had formed a great bond,” I told him. He opened his mouth to speak, but I shook my head and returned to Bucky’s side.

“Nina, at least tell us who would have won. Me or Strange?” Loki said. It took all my strength not to slap him again. I whirled around, the tears escaping as if a dam broke.

“No one wins. I just said I’m not anyone’s trophy. Bucky had my heart all this time. Not you, not Strange. I’ve been lied to people who I believed was family. I’m not joining any of you tonight. I can’t stand to see your faces, especially those two,” I spat out. I continued my path to Bucky, who told me to meet him in his room. Once there, the tears I had been holding spilled forth and wouldn’t stop, even after a pair of familiar arms wrapped around me.

Bucky’s POV

I’ve always been in love with Nina. She made me feel comfortable and calm; she had quickly become one of my favorite people to be around. The last couple of months, I had been trying to spend more time with her, to get closer to her more than I already had. I wanted her to be mine, hoping one day I could marry her.

I found it odd when Strange and Loki had showed up to a couple of hangouts. I thought they were also trying to be good friends to her. Although, the constant arguing confused me, but I shook it off thinking they had always been at war with each other. At one point, I grew tired of their meddling; as did Nina, who would call me to get out of situations she preferred not to be in.

I never dreamed it would end up like this. I didn’t want to see Nina hurt. Ever. It took a lot for her to break her calm exterior. She always managed to keep her composure, holding together for us on missions. After the reveal of a competition for her heart, that composure broke. I don’t think a person could’ve been so hurt and angry at the same time.

She had slapped the sorcerers hard, the echo surrounding the room. Handprints were visible on their cheeks – red and inflamed from the force of it. The question of who would’ve won made things worse. Tears had escaped to roll down her cheeks. I clenched my fists. They hurt her and didn’t care. She didn’t pick either of them, instead snapping at the rest of our friends before coming back over to me. I was surprised Strange had let this go on. I thought they had become rather good friends. I told Nina to meet me in my room in a few minutes, before turning my attention on everyone else.

“What were you thinking?” I growled.

“Buck, maybe you should-,” Steve began.

“Don’t tell me to calm down. I think I deserve to know why a competition was held over Nina. Why no one told us. Why you didn’t tell us,” Steve flinched and looked away.

“It’s not Steve’s fault. He wanted to say something, but we would let him. We didn’t think they’d last this long. We thought it would fizzle out because they were arguing so much,” Natasha said.

“It shouldn’t have happened at all. Nina is hurt because of it. Because of them. Her feelings are not meant to be played with. She’s not a trophy to display or to flaunt before another person, just because they can,” I snapped.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve stopped it from the beginning. I really started to like her as more than a friend. I should’ve stepped back-,”

“She trusted you Strange. She was happy to have you as a close friend. All while a stupid competition was underway. You’re both idiots. Excuse me, while I go comfort my girlfriend from the mess you’ve made,” I cut him off. Strange paled, averting his gaze to the floor.

“You’re overreacting. Nina’s a strong woman. She’ll get over it. We were only having a little fun,” Loki chimed in.

“Wrong choice of words, reindeer games,” Tony stated.

“I doubt he’ll do anything. Nina wouldn’t want that,” I turned around and stormed over to the god. I punched him, Loki stumbling back, caught off guard.

“I’m not going out with the group. I think a night in would be a better idea,” I said. I headed to my room to find Nina sitting on the bed crying. I held her in my arms, trying to sooth her with comforting words until her sobs subsided.

“Want to watch a movie? We could put on a horror movie and you can contemplate which method to tear Strange and Loki with,” I said. She nodded, leaning back into my chest.

“I should probably tell you that I decked Loki for saying you would get over this quickly,” I said. She laughed and looked up into my eyes.

“I want to go home. To get away for a week. Do you want to come with me?” she said. I guess she needed time to relax. I knew it would do some good to be away from those who hurt her the most.

“I can come down for the weekend. Make sure you tell Tony. He’ll know not to schedule you for missions. I’ll stay to make sure they don’t need me for anything. Besides, I’d like to see them squirm with guilt,” I said. This earned me another laugh. She got up to turn on a movie as we discussed plans for her to have a break from being a support system to everyone around her; me being excluded from them.

To say the sorcerers screwed up big time would be an understatement. They royally messed up how Nina saw them at the current moment. Within the next week, Nina would be in her hometown, away from them. She needed time to collect her thoughts, to relax. Bucky would arrive on the weekend, meet her parents and attend a festival with her.

Stephen Strange would work on a way to apologize to her, to win back Nina’s trust. He would be sincere about it and with time, she would accept it. Loki would take a little while to admit he was wrong, earning the cold shoulder from her. The guilt would get to him and he would beg for her forgiveness. As for everyone else, Nina would slowly come to terms with their apology and they would promise not to keep anything from her in the future.

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jamiebluewind · 5 years

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Misunderstandings

OC Perspective (Lyric)

Word Count: 1466

Notes: nonbinary character (Lyric), transmale character (Aultho), occasional use of fantasy language (elvish)

Characters: Lyric (original character), Aultho (original character), and Fabian (mentioned)

Warnings: bigotry, fantasy based racism, violence mention (please message me if I missed any)

Ships: None

Spoilers: Fantasy High Season 1 (minor)

Summary: Aultho had a bad day at work (due to a particular half-elf). His sibling Lyric tries to help.

Takes place after the bonus comic for Fabian's Gifts.

Requested by @rizbian

****

Lyric sat in their room tinkering with a new crystal array. Normally they would be in bed already, but their brother had messaged them from work saying that he would be home late. It meant one of two things; he either had a big last minute order or he had stuck his foot in his mouth again.

While soldering a few stray wires on their latest project, they heard their brother slam the door, followed by a loud "Vyshaana darrdartha biir!" Yeah. That was never a good sign. They put their tools away and headed towards the sounds of angry sun elf.

They leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, eyeing Aultho. He was facing away from them, searched for something in the upper cupboards. "I'm guessing your evening went well," they said with a smirk.

"Not now Lyric," he replied flatly without turning around. Uh-oh. This was bad.

Lyric reached out and placed a hand on their brother's shoulder. He was tense. The twins stood like this for a moment as Lyric's thumb made soft circles on the other's shoulder. Finally, Aultho's shoulders slumped with a sigh as he turned his head. A deep bruise blossomed across his jaw and he had the beginnings of a black eye. "Seldarine!" they exclaimed. "What... how... go sit. I'll bring some ice and healing aid."

A halfhearted smile appeared on Aultho's face as he shook his head. "Gys sa salen?" he said more like a question than a demand as he nodded towards the liquor.

"Sure," Lyric replied. "Elven wine or something harder?"

"Whichever you grab first," he answered as he walked towards the small livingroom.

Lyric poured up two drinks, sending a small machine to grab the healing aid while they got the rest. They pulled a coldpack out of storage and activated it with a tap before pressing it between their body and arm so they would have two free hands for the glasses. By the time they walk into the livingroom and sat the glasses down, the machine had returned, healing aid in hand.

Aultho glanced and the tin. "I only asked for a drink," he said. It was an absentminded observation, the kind he often made that got him in the most trouble.

"And I brought you something that will actually do some good," they replied. They dipped their fingers in the magic infused balm and applied a thin coat to his face. They made a mental note to make more for him to keep at work. Aultho would have never let them see him like this if he had any left.

Slowly, the balm did it's job as the scraps knitted themselves back together, the harsh bruise faded to a softer hue, and the swelling became less pronounced. "Thank you," Aultho said with a sigh. Lyric wordlessly ploped the coldpack in his hand before taking their seat. Aultho placed the pack on the sore area and sighed again before reaching over to grab his drink.

Lyric gave him a few rare moments of silence to collect his thoughts. They were going to find out what happened of course, but Aultho looked so drained that they decided he needed a little more time than normal. It wasn't the first time he had come home like this since they fled to Solace. In fact, when the twins first arrived it had been almost a daily occurrence! Lyric had gotten in their fair share of stupid fights too - especially those first couple months - but they had adapted and found friends that helped them understand. All Aultho had was Lyric, a prickly exterior, and a strong aversion to admitting when he needed help.

Lyric was about to start prodding when a heavy sigh came from Aultho. "I really have no idea how I pissed this one off," he said. His head was leaned back and his eyes were closed. "The gods damned biir."

"Did you call him a biir?" Lyric asked. Serious or no, they could never resist getting cheeky with their brother.

Aultho leaned up to roll his eyes at them, only to stop with a flinch and an "ow". He looked like he had a headache coming on. "I haven't been that stupid since the second month we arrived here," he replied.

"And yet-" they started

"I know," he said. "It still comes out sometimes when I'm mad. Apologies."

They reached out and patted his leg. At least he was trying.

"I was about to close shop when a customer came in," he said, looking at his sibling. "Tall. Loud. Probably half-elf or human. Wearing one of those stupid school sports coats..."

They furrowed their brow. "Letterman jacket?" they guessed.

"Yes!" he said. "That's it."

"So probably in high school or college?" they asked.

He nodded and then seemed to immediately regret it. "Yes," he answered. "That sounds about right. A real gabreth. He banged on the counter, demanding a small briefcase. I suggested he make it a briefcase of holding. Then he punched me, yanked me up by my collar, said he wanted the feature while threatening me, requested initials, and then said he would be back in two hours to pick it up!"

They stared. "That's... how could that even be done," they asked.

"Not easily," he answered. "I luckily had a small black briefcase already made plus several scrolls on hand to help with the magic and lettering, but it was close." He winced. "Too close. I half expected him to punch me again once I explained that the magic had to settle for a couple weeks before the holding feature he requested would work, but he seemed quite happy with it." A humorless laugh came out. "Even gave me a tip."

Lyric breathed out heavily and sunk into their seat. "Wow," they said. They blinked a few times, trying to figure out what to do next. "Okay. Lets go through EXACTLY what you said. Because this is either a learning moment for you or a perfect time for me to test out my battle tech."

This got a real laugh out of him. "Okay," he answered. "Let's see..." He scewed his face in thought. "I think he said 'I demand a goblin sized leather briefcase.' I told him it would be a tiny thing and turning it into a briefcase of holding would give the goblin a lot more space to store the shiny things they stole. Then he punched me and-"

"Wait," they said, holding up a hand. Lyric was pretty sure their brain quit working for a second there and was desperately trying to catch up. "Did you actually tell this person... that goblins are thieves who like shiny things?"

A pause. His eyes widened. "...yes?" he answered, drawing out the eh sound.

Oh dear gods their brother could be an idiot sometimes. "Al," they said. "You can't... that's month four stuff!"

"But just last week someone told me..." He stopped and closed his eyes as he breathed out, defeated. "Mhaor kiira," he whispered.

"Hey," they said, taking their brother's hand, "whoever told you that was the asshole here. It's not your fault. Not completely anyway." It was hard enough for Aultho to sort through the lies and truthes without some idiot making it harder on him. Unfortunately, their brother was an accidental bigot magnet.

"Maethe," he said solemnly, "but I am still the fool falling for their false truthes after nearly a year."

They glared at him. "I will fight you ya know?" they replied. "I have a pile of battle tech ready to unleash at a moment's notice."

He raised an eyebrow. "Is it beside the pile of gay stuff?" he asked.

"My dearest brother," they answered with a hand to their chest, "Everything I own is gay stuff. You have to be more specific." They punctuated it with a wink.

He chuckled softly. "I should have realized," he replied. He looked at them with a genuine smile now that reached his eyes. "We should probably prepare for bed," he said suddenly as he stood up and stretched. "Would you mind if I borrowed your mini crystal while I trance? I might need a refresher."

Lyric smiled brightly at him. It was the first time he had asked for the mini crystal instead of having it pushed on him. Progress. "Sure," they answered with a nod as they unclipped the purplish pink crystal and handed it to him. "No problem." They made a mental note to get him one of his own that they could update regularly.

He looked down at the crystal now cradled in his hands. "Thank you," he said with a soft smile before turning to walk away. "Goodnight, Syolkiir," he said over his shoulder as he went into his room.

"Goodnight, Quinpah," they answered. "Love you too."

~~~~~~

Elvish Words Used

Aul: in

Tho: truth

Vyshaana: vile curse or an insult (reference to the Vyshaan clan of sun elves).

Darrdartha: foamjaws, rabies

Biir: garbage, used as an insult against half-elves or those of human heritage

Seldarine!: Gods! (expression of exasperation)

Gys Sa Salen: Give Me a Drink/I Need A Drink

Gabreth: untrustworthy, likely to turn on you, cruel in battle (dangerous/vicious)

Mhaor: corrupt/corruption

Kiir: gem (plural is kiira)

Maethe: perhaps

Syolkiir: wild star/gem (meteor)

Quinpah: a type of elvish bread/pastry

#fantasy high #fantasy high oc #fabian seacaster #d20 fic #dimension 20 #d20 #nonbinary character #transmale character #bluewind writes #jamie bluewind fic #tw violence mention #tw bigotry #tw fantasy racism #original character

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duhragonball · 5 years

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Dragon Ball Z 265

Last time, Majin Buu got his ass kicked by Gohan, so he blew himself up and came back an hour later.... to challenge Gotenks instead. No one knows why he would want to do this, but Goten and Trunks insist on taking him on, and Gohan doesn’t seem very firm about stopping them.

Meanwhile, some flesh off of Buu’s back has sloughed off and is slithering around among all the rocks, but that probably doesn’t mean anything...

So there’s a few things at play here. First of all, no one gives Buu any credit for intelligence. He’s demonstrated on more than one occasion that he’s smarter than he lets on. The problem is that the characters who know that aren’t around to warn the boys. Babidi got killed, and Goku’s stuck in Otherworld. The Supreme Kai’s been warning anyone who will listen not to underestimate Buu, but no one’s ever listened to him on this point.

Of course, Goten and Trunks’ immaturity plays into this as well. They take Buu’s challenge at face value, and wonder why he’d ask for something so stupid. It never occurs to them that maybe he’s asking to fight Gotenks precisely because it isn’t stupid at all, so maybe they shouldn’t play into his hands like this.

What’s really dumb about this is that Buu made it pretty clear in the last episode that he was never in any real danger of losing his last battle with Gotenks. He only kept fighting so he’d have something to do while he waited for Gohan to show up. Gotenks knows this, but he doesn’t seem to care.

Finally, and most crucially, why is Gohan just standing around letting this unfold. He knows it’s risky to let Gotenks fight instead, but when they complain, he just yields the floor and lets them fight in his place. What was the point of getting that power up from the Old Kai if he wasn’t going to deal with Buu himself? Why isn’t he attacking Buu right now, instead of standing there like a dope waiting for Buu to make his move?

It’s inexperience, pure and simple. Gohan dominated Buu in their last encounter, and he probably figures that there’s no harm in letting Gotenks go first. If the kid loses, Gohan can step in to help, right?

I’d ask why Piccolo doesn’t object to any of this, but he had a nervous breakdown three or four episodes ago, so who can blame the guy? The only one who does suspect something’s up is Bee. I guess he can smell deception in the air? Anyway, no one listens to him because he’s a dog.

So he has to run towards the fight and show them what he’s seen, but by then it’s too late.

Suddenly, the pieces of Buu’s body jump on Piccolo and Gotenks and envelop them...

Then they recombine with Buu, apparently infusing Piccolo and Gotenks into his body somehow.

Look, I don’t want to be too hard on Gohan, but this is EXACTLY HOW CELL TRICKED HIM SEVEN YEARS AGO. Gohan was stronger than Cell, and he could beat him senseless without even trying, and then Cell revealed that he had a power Gohan couldn’t stop with punching. Yeah, Gohan had no idea he could do this, but why did he let Buu live long enough to demonstrate this kind of ability. In theory, he has the power to kill Buu with a single Kamehameha. If he doesn’t, then there was no point in sending him down here, but if he does, then he should have just done that two episodes back.

Incidentally, why didn’t the Supreme Kai tell anyone about this? We haven’t gotten to that episode yet, but later, he’ll explain how he’s seen Buu absorb people before, so it seems kind of odd that he didn’t anticipate this, or warn Gohan about it.

When the process is complete, Buu has Gotenks’s Fusion vest, a longer tentacle, and a nose. Also, he talks more eloquently. This form is sometimes referred to as “Super Buu 2��. I think I’ve seen “Buutenks” used before, but that sounds kind of dumb.

Buu declares himself to be the “Mightiest Majin”, which is a line I’ve never understood. Throughout this story, characters have referred to him as a “Majin”, as if he were one of a group of other Majin, and I’m pretty sure it’s just a word Toriyama made up for this story. It’s supposed to be a portmanteau of “ma”, the Japanese word for “evil” and “djinn”, or “genie”. Are there other Majins? Does Buu know of any besides himself? Wasn’t he already stronger than any of them to begin with?

Anyway, this whole development reveals a crucial flaw in any anti-Buu strategy. As powerful as Majin Buu is, it’s not enough to just match him in strength. If he runs into anyone strong enough to defeat him, he’ll just absorb that guy, or however many other guys he need to in order to stay on top. It almost feels like this is some overriding aspect of Buu’s nature, like Bibidi programmed this into him.

So why didn’t Buu just absorb Gohan, since he’s the strongest one. Ah, but Buu wanted to have someone to fight once he increased his power. There’s an element of risk to this plan, because Buu’s power-up is mostly contributed by Gotenks, and the fusion will expire soon. That’s why Buu waited an hour before coming back to pull this stunt. He didn’t want to absorb Gotenks back in Episode 262, because he didn’t know how much longer they would last. This way, he got them right after they fused, so he has the full time at his disposal, however short it is.

Even so, he has to beat Gohan before that time runs out. It probably would have been smarter to just absorb Gohan, but Buu loves a good fight too much to pass this up. Besides, he can always absorb Gohan later.

Seriously, why did anyone think Toriyama was going to make Gohan the main character? More to the point, why did anyone want Gohan to become the main character?

Let me back up and explain that for anyone who didn’t know about the story. Years ago, there was this legend that Toriyama planned to make Gohan the protagonist of the Buu arc, but fans in Japan sent him death threats or something, demanding that he bring Goku back, so he changed the ending. Kanzenshuu.com has a pretty thorough article debunking this rumor, but the quick version is that Toriyama did plan on Gohan taking the lead, then changed his mind at some point, because he felt Gohan wasn’t suited for the role.

I’m pretty sure the rumor only got started because of wishful thinking and changed premises. There was a time, however brief, where Toriyama made it clear that he was making Gohan inherit the role from Goku. And then Goku came back anyway. The simplest explanation is that he changed his mind, but I think fans have trouble accepting the possibility of authors calling an audible in the middle of a story. They like to imagine that the story exists fully-formed in the creator’s mind, and any inconsistencies or changes are due to outside influences. When Gohan got sidelined from the Buu Saga, it was easier for fans to believe that there was some sort of conspiracy at work. Either Toriyama’s editor made him change it, or Toei pressured him to bring the more marketable Goku back, or misguided Japanese fans coerced him into rewriting the story.

My take on this is that the situation looks pretty obvious when you watch the show. Maybe I shouldn’t say “obvious”, because when I first watched the Buu Saga, I kept obsessively checking Funimation.com’s episode list to see what would happen in upcoming installments, and I knew that Goku and Vegeta would somehow return, use fusion, and fight Buu themselves. And that was the main event, as far as I was concerned. For my money, the whole point of this fusion business was to see Goku and Vegeta use it, so what do we need Gohan for?

But besides that, what exactly is the alternate scenario here if Gohan remained the protagonist? Presumably, we’d get this far, I would think. Gohan is too much for Super Buu, so he absorbs Piccolo and Gotenks to give our hero a greater challenge. And it’s not an impossible task. If Gohan can hold out until Gotenks’ fusion expires, he’ll have the advantage again.

But then what? Do Goku and Vegeta come back to help him anyway? Does Gohan journey into Buu’s body to rescue his pals, or does he just kill Super Buu and wait four months on an empty planet to wish everyone back to life? Does Kid Buu ever factor into any of this?

These aren’t insignificant questions. I get the impression that anyone who believes that Toriyama changed the story because of fan pressure or editorial pressure or whatever, they believe this because they’re huge Gohan fans who resent him getting a raw deal. Or they just don’t care for the Buu Saga in general, and they like the idea that there’s a better version floating around in Toriyama’s brain, or maybe even scribbled into a notebook. Basically, they’re just rejecting this story, the one we got, and they’re clinging to a potentially better story that probably doesn’t exist.

But I think that’s unfair. It’s easy to say that an imaginary comic is better than the one that saw print. It’s completely safe from criticism, because no one can read it, and no one can say for certain what is and isn’t in it. So my question to the Gohan-truthers is: What was supposed to have happened instead? How does Gohan being in the lead and beating Buu improve anything? Because the way I see it, the story we got kicks ass.

This part of it? Not so much. This is just Super Buu dominating Gohan for three episodes. That wouldn’t be such a bad thing, except that we’ve been getting a steady diet of Majin Buu steamrolling everyone this whole time. Hell, this isn’t even the first time he’s beaten Gohan. It’s just taking a little longer tis time, that’s all.

What does work is that this new development only adds to the burden on Goku’s conscience. He was the one who insisted on staying dead, that he was the one putting the Earth in harm’s way, and that Gohan could protect the world better than he ever could. He was the one who taught the boys the fusion technique, and assured his wife that they would be more than powerful enough to stop Buu and save the world. And none of it is working.

For me, that’s the most compelling thing about this leg of the story. There was a period where, yeah, it looked like Goku was going to stay dead, by choice, and for keeps this time. And everyone was comfortable that he was making the right decision. But this arc is revealing that Goku was wrong. He never should have left, and the world now suffers for his mistake.

That’s a sort of pathos that Gohan just can’t grasp. He’s a good character and maybe you could make him the protagonist of some other story, but he’ll never be quite as compelling as his father. These are fictional characters, after all. Gohan can’t just inherit his father’s qualifications as a heroic archetype. Goku’s an alien refugee who grew up in the woods. He’s an outsider to everyone, and somehow he keeps making miracles happen. He has friends and family, but he never quite feels like he belongs. He has a restlessness to him, and a profound modesty. That’s why he was so sure that staying dead and trusting his sons to carry on in his stead was the right call. He just blithely assumed others could do the things he did. But he’s lightning in a bottle. The Legendary Super Saiyan. Others can learn to imitate his powers, or even surpass him in strength, but that still doesn’t change the fact that there’s something special about him.

Let me blow your mind with a crackpot theory of my own. I think Toriyama changed his mind about making Gohan the main character pretty early on. A lot earlier than people may think. Goku died in Episode 188, but he continued to appear in the show all the way up to Episode 199. And then... he returned in Episode 205, to tell Gohan that he would return to Earth for the tournament. From there on, the whole story revolved around Goku. Everyone wanted to see Goku again, and even though Gohan was still in the lead role for a few more episodes, all he was interested in was hanging out with his dad.

To put this in terms of the manga, Gohan’s first chapter as the main character was #421, published on May 11, 1993. The chapter where Goku announced his return was #426, published on June 15, 1993. Goku’s actual return to the comics happened in Chapter 430, published July 13, 1993. From there, he remained a fixture in the manga until it concluded two years later.

My point here is that Goku never really went away. He was absent from the Namek Saga longer than he was absent from the post-Cell Games era. In-universe, yes, he’d been dead for seven years, but for us, the audience, we basically flashed forward right up to the point where he returns. My suspicion is that Toriyama tried telling new stories with Gohan and Videl in Satan City, got frustrated with it, and decided to bring back Goku after about a month. But fans who took Gohan-as-protagonist as a guarentee, they assumed that Goku was returning as a supporting character, and he would eventually leave and let Gohan have the reins again. When that didn’t happen, they assumed foul play.

Anyway, Super Buu is clobbering Gohan at will. If Goku doesn’t save him, who will? Tien? Pfft, yeah right, like Tien’s gonna... oh, wait.

#dragon ball #2019dbliveblog #fusion saga #gohan #goku #majin buu #goten #trunks #gotenks #mr satan #dende #bee #supreme kai #kibito #elder kai

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mdelpin · 5 years

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Small Sacrifices - Chapter 3 (Final)

Gratsu Bingo 2019 Prompt: Love

Chapter 3

It had been a week since the incident and Natsu was going stir crazy. The hospital had kept him under observation for several days poking and prodding him incessantly. They’d checked his brain and his heart and everything else they could think of before finally discharging him.

He’d been lucky, aside from the rather severe burns on his hands, the damage hadn’t been too bad. His organs were fine, but he’d suffered some muscle injuries as well as a dislocated shoulder from when he’d smashed into the wall behind him, and he felt generally sore.

Gray had been a nervous wreck throughout, refusing to leave his side. Natsu knew he was terrified that if he left for even a moment, Zeref would swoop in and take him away. It was ludicrous, but Natsu didn’t fight him, he knew Gray had his own issues, and he certainly didn’t mind getting so much attention from his man.

Through it all, there had been no more word from his brother and although he’d like to think Zeref had seen the error of his ways It wasn’t like him to give up so easily. So Natsu waited for him to make his move.

He heard the apartment door open and found himself relaxing, Gray had left that morning for his dissertation defense and had promised to be home for lunch. He looked up, smile at the ready only to see Lyon coming into his bedroom.

“Hey Pikachu, how you feeling?” Lyon greeted, smirking at Natsu’s heated glare. He helped Natsu off the bed and into some clothes.

“You’re not funny,” Natsu complained, he hated needing help, but the burns on his hands were still very tender and even he wasn’t stubborn enough to subject himself to that much pain just for the sake of pride, “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Gray called me, his defense is taking longer than he expected, so he asked me to check on you,” Lyon explained as he walked Natsu over to the bathroom, being careful to give him as much support as he could since Gray had mentioned sometimes Natsu’s muscles would spasm randomly.

Natsu stopped mid-step and glanced at Lyon worriedly, “Wait, is that bad?”

“No, I think it’s good, they just had more questions than what he’d anticipated, he sounded pretty upbeat actually. I think in a few hours we’ll have to start calling him Dr. Fullbuster,” Lyon beamed at the giddy expression on Natsu’s face at hearing those words.

“We should have a party or something,” Natsu clapped his hands, forgetting his injuries in his excitement and almost passing out from the pain.

“You really are an idiot,” Lyon sighed as he grabbed hold of Natsu and held him against his body while the younger boy rode out the wave of pain. “Where are your pain meds?”

When Natsu didn’t immediately answer Lyon sat him down on the toilet and looked in the medicine cabinet. Reading the instructions on the Vicodin bottle, he grabbed the appropriate dosage and poured some tap water into a rinsing cup.

“Open up,” he placed the pill on Natsu’s tongue and held up the cup to his mouth to allow him to drink it down. “Stay here, I’m gonna get you a snack, you shouldn’t have that on an empty stomach.”

Natsu nodded listlessly, he couldn’t wait until he could do things for himself again. He didn’t mind it so much when it was Gray, but anyone else irritated him, especially if it was someone from work. Lyon soon returned with a glass of milk and a cereal bar. He fed him, and after helping him use the restroom, he looked at the bandages nervously.

“Come on, we might as well change your bandages,” Lyon declared bravely. He was rather squeamish, but he’d promised Gray he would take care of Natsu and so he would do it.

He grabbed the instructions and assembled all the pieces. Natsu stared at him with wide eyes, but he took a shaky breath and presented his hands without complaint.

Lyon donned some gloves per the instructions and after twenty of the most torturous minutes of both their lives, they were done, and Lyon walked Natsu over to the living room setting him down on the couch before sitting beside him and grabbing the remote.

“Have the pain meds kicked in yet?” Lyon asked guiltily, wondering if perhaps he should have waited. Natsu’s glare was reply enough. They sat in companionable silence, neither of them really watching the TV.

Soon, he could see Natsu’s body relaxing, and after some deliberation, he finally blurted out, “What’s the deal with your brother?”

Lyon wasn’t sure Natsu would answer him, but after a week of nagging his brother for information and getting nowhere, he figured it was at least worth a try. He needed to know how much of a threat this guy really was so he could take steps to protect them.

“I never told you about that, huh?” Natsu sounded very calm, and it was a bit unnerving to see him this way, even though Lyon knew it was just the effect of the opioid on his brain.

“You know, considering how overprotective you both are you’d probably have gotten along pretty well.” Natsu smiled at Lyon, his eyes closing briefly in thought. “I don’t remember much of it, but when I was five years old, I almost died, well technically I was dead for a few minutes. Zeref could never get over it.”

Lyon peered at Natsu in confusion not understanding what that had to do with anything. He waited for more information, not wanting to push, but none seemed to be forthcoming. His cellphone rang, and he answered it, assuming it was Gray while Natsu sat quietly, lost in his thoughts.

“Hello?” A slew of frantic babbling came over the line, and Lyon looked down at his Caller Id to make sure he was talking to who he thought he was.

“Laxus?” Lyon called out, “You gotta slow down, dude, you’re not making any sense. What about Natsu’s brother?”

He listened for a few minutes and in a voice filled with rage, he announced, “We’re on our way.”

Lyon nudged Natsu to get his attention, “We gotta go to the office, your brother is threatening to sue the business for negligence. The lawyers need you to come in for a deposition.”

O-o

Gray still couldn’t believe it was over, after all the months of research and writing he had finally presented his dissertation, and it had gone much better than he could have ever hoped. The professors had asked so many questions it had gone way over the scheduled time, and now with their approval, he was officially a Doctor! He’d even been offered a few job interviews. After all the years of struggling to make ends meet, everything was starting to look up for them, and he couldn’t be happier.

He couldn’t wait to celebrate with Natsu and Lyon, both of whom had encouraged and made it possible for him to pursue his dream. He’d stopped at Natsu’s favorite pizza place on the way home and ordered two of their favorites pies before stopping at a convenience store to get a twelve-pack of Lyon’s favorite beer since Natsu couldn’t drink while on his pain meds.

Gray knocked on the door, but when no one answered, he figured Lyon was probably helping Natsu. He balanced the pizza boxes and case of beer as best he could by pressing them between his chest and the door as he fumbled in his pants pocket for his apartment key.

Somehow Gray managed to make his way inside without dropping anything, and he pushed the door shut behind him.

“I’m home,” he announced loudly, heading towards the kitchen to put the food down on the counter. He opened the box of beer putting four in the freezer and the rest in the fridge before grabbing a pile of plastic plates from a cabinet. He was a little surprised no one had come out to greet him yet.

He walked out towards the living room, “Where are you guys?”

“They’ve been called away, I didn’t want our conversation to be interrupted,“ a voice replied. It was a voice Gray had only heard once before, but it had managed to imprint itself in his mind.

A sheen of cold sweat covered his body as he turned to see Zeref Dragneel standing in his living room, his expression disgusted as he peered down at a framed picture of Natsu kissing Gray at the beach. It had been taken by their friend Levy a few years ago, and it was one of Gray’s favorites.

“How did you get in here?” Gray snarled, trying to hide the fear that he couldn’t seem to shake after so many years.

“This dump?” Zeref took out his wallet and showed him a credit card. “Does Natsu really enjoy living here?”

“He’s never complained,” Gray bristled at the man’s haughty tone as he stood there looking down on their home. Gray walked over to the door, pulling it open roughly, “Thanks for stopping by, now get the hell out.”

“There’s no need to be hostile,” Zeref smirked, sitting down on their couch, “Gray, is it?”

“You know damn well what my name is, I’m sure by now you’ve had me checked out.”

Zeref chuckled, “I have indeed. I have to admit given your proclivities, I was expecting to find something more...scandalous.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Gray retorted, and when Zeref made no move, he growled, “Am I going to have to drag you out?”

“Sit down, Gray,” Zeref ordered, his voice infused with authority. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Gray could feel his blood turn to ice as his previous elation turned to dread. What did Natsu’s brother want with him? He thought about Natsu, and it helped bolster his courage, whatever it was didn’t matter, there was nothing this man could do to tear them apart.

“There’s nothing for us to talk about, you’ve made your feelings quite clear,” Gray snapped before closing the apartment door with a frustrated grunt and sitting down in an armchair.

“Where’s Natsu?” Gray demanded.

O-o

Lyon and Natsu had rushed to their workplace to find the office in chaos. There were several men dressed in business suits that Natsu had never seen before along with a white-haired man that seemed vaguely familiar. It bothered him that he couldn’t place him until Lyon reminded him he had been at the hospital with his brother.

Another group of men was talking to Laxus in the office’s conference room. They could hear Laxus muffled shouts before the door was pulled open so hard the room shook around them.

“This is bullshit!” Laxus yelled at the group of lawyers who only nodded politely and entered the room, shaking hands with the men inside, closing the door behind them. Freed hurried in with a pitcher of water and some cups.

Sting was also in the office, and he looked positively terrified. Natsu felt terrible for him, it had been a stupid accident, and now his brother was using it as some sort of excuse to come barging into Natsu’s life.

Freed came back out and informed Sting the lawyers wanted to speak with him first. Sting took a shaky breath before going inside.

It was slowly beginning to dawn on him that there was only one way for this to end. Zeref would threaten to put the company out of business unless Natsu went home with him. It was despicable, but it was just the type of thing he’d expected from his brother.

“I have to quit,” Natsu thought out loud, it was the only way for Zeref’s threat to disappear. He wasn’t willing to go back home, but his friends shouldn’t have to suffer for it. But if he quit, what would they do for money? They didn’t really have a lot saved up, and until Gray found a full-time job, they’d be screwed.

“Like hell, you will! You’re one of my best employees and more than that, you’re family,” Laxus protested, grabbing a stress toy and squeezing it in his hand, “There’s no need for any of that, Pikachu, this will blow over.”

Natsu rolled his eyes at the nickname. Great, it had stuck. Fucking Lyon!

“They just showed up requesting a bunch of documents,” Freed reported, looking a bit flustered by all the activity in the usually quiet office. “Then they asked for you, and when they learned you were still out, they demanded you and Sting come in for depositions. They want to talk to a bunch of the others too.”

“You’re an adult,” Laxus pointed out, hand squeezing the toy ever faster, “He shouldn’t be able to initiate legal matters on your behalf. Come to think of it shouldn’t they be talking to you first, seeing as you’re the injured party? How’re your hands healing, by the way?”

Natsu and Lyon looked at each other at the same time and yelled, “Gray!”

“We gotta go,” Lyon held the door open for Natsu, and they rushed back to his car.

O-o

“Natsu should be fine, I’m sure by now he’s beginning to realize what he’s up against,” Zeref’s smile was almost predatory, “But let’s talk about you. How long have the two of you been together?”

“Ten years, “Gray replied defiantly, wanting Zeref to know how strong their relationship was. They’d been together through some tough times, clinging to each other just to get through it.

“Ten years, huh? I have to hand it to you, that’s a long time,” Zeref whistled, “That’s actually longer than our parents managed to stay together.”

“So tell me, what are those ten years worth to you?”

“They mean everything to me, he means everything to me,” Gray replied simply.

“No, I mean, what do you think would be adequate compensation?” Zeref took out a checkbook from his jacket pocket, “How about one hundred thousand for each year, that’s a million dollars just for shacking up with my brother.”

“A bribe? After all these years, that’s the best you can manage? This is what I was so scared of?” Gray laughed in disbelief.

“Take it and leave. It’s not a bad haul for someone like you.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“We both know you’re nowhere near Natsu’s league. If he hadn’t run away when he did, you would never have even met.”

“Do you believe in fate?” Gray asked, suddenly.

Zeref scoffed, “I believe you make your own way in the world.”

“I believe that Natsu and I were fated to meet, that we are two halves of one whole and there’s nothing that can break us apart. Not your money, not your lawyers and certainly not you,” Gray sneered.

“I know you don’t approve of us, and frankly, I don’t care. For years, I’ve had to watch as Natsu worked his ass off just so we could have a life on our own. He paid for everything, including my school, and he did it all with a smile. But that’s about to change because Natsu deserves the world and now that I achieved my dream, I’m going to give it to him, not you.”

“You can’t seriously believe this is what’s best for him? I’m his brother, I know what’s best for him,” Zeref roared.

“You’re so full of shit, you know that? You know nothing about him. With all your resources, you could’ve found Natsu at any time, but you didn’t even bother looking for him, did you? You were probably expecting him to come running back to you. Tell me something, is your father really back, or was that just bait?”

“That’s enough!” Natsu’s voice was full of rage, and Lyon immediately moved next to Gray, as if he expected Zeref to attack him at any moment.

“What are you doing here, Zeref?” Natsu asked, “I thought I made myself clear at the hospital.”

“Natsu, for God’s sake, look at this dump. How can you live here when you could be back home?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you,” Natsu snapped, but when he saw a flicker of something real in Zeref’s eyes, he reined himself in. “I wish you’d understand. There’s more to life than money, Zeref. I’ve never been happier anywhere than I am here.”

“There is nothing you can do or say that will make me leave Gray and I think you realize that or you wouldn’t be here. Did you try to bribe him?” Natsu chuckled already knowing the answer.

Zeref looked at the ground, making Natsu laugh harder.

“How much?”

“One million dollars,” Zeref responded grudgingly.

Natsu whistled, “That’s a decent chunk of change, Gray.”

Gray crossed his arms, annoyed at how Natsu didn’t seem to be taking the situation seriously, “Perhaps I should have taken it.”

Natsu laughed, “Nah, don’t be a sucker. I’m worth way more than that.”

He suddenly looked over at the kitchen counter, “Is that pizza I smell? Why don’t we go eat it at the beach? I want to hear everything!”

“Aren’t you forgetting someone?”

“Zeref?” Natsu looked confused, “He can come if he wants to.”

Gray and Lyon were both looking at him as though he’d grown a second head.

“Actually, why don’t you guys go ahead and set it up, we’ll be right behind you.”

Natsu waited until the two brothers had left with the food, smiling at Gray reassuringly when he noticed his worried expression before turning to face Zeref, his smile replaced with determination.

“If you want to give me my life back, with Gray in it, I’ll consider it. But I won’t be your whore. Either make the deal without me or not at all. And back off my boss, he runs a good place and helps a lot of people out.”

“I don’t get you,” Zeref growled with frustration, not used to not getting what he wanted.

“I don’t expect you to,” Natsu shrugged, “Our lives are too different. All you really have to do is accept me, Zeref. Love me for who I am, not who you wanted me to be.”

“I’m going to lose a ton of money on this,” Zeref complained, but he didn’t try to change Natsu’s mind, and he took this as a good sign.

“It’s only money, Zeref, you have plenty of it,” Natsu reminded him, “Loosen up a little, have some fun. Eat pizza at the beach while drinking a cold beer. Get to know my boyfriend, he’s amazing.”

Natsu motioned for him to open the door to his apartment so they could head over to meet the others. Zeref only stared at him in confusion until Natsu waved his bandaged hands in his face. Zeref paused for a moment before complying.

Natsu began ambling towards the beach, and Zeref settled in next to him, matching his pace.

“He does seem to care for you,” Zeref admitted reluctantly, “He didn’t even consider the money.”

“I give amazing blowjobs,” Natsu retorted with an evil grin, enjoying his brother’s obvious discomfort at his words.

“I really don’t want to hear about that,” Zeref groaned uncomfortably, “Oh God, please tell me you never did anything like that for money.”

“I could have if things had been different,” Natsu stopped to look his brother in the eye, his tone serious, “Your words really hurt me back then, and I didn’t ever want to go back. I would have done anything to stay gone. But I found Gray instead, and he saved me. He introduced me to Gramps, who made sure I stayed in school and got me a job with Laxus when I graduated.”

“Natsu, I—,” Zeref began but didn’t expand, only managed to look embarrassed.

“I’ve had to work hard for everything I have, and I’m proud of it. I like my life. I enjoy my job, and my friends even though they’re dicks half the time. I found someone I love, and I do love him Zeref. He makes me want to be the best I can be to be worthy of him. I would do anything for him, “ he stared at his brother, daring him to say anything against his next words, “and I plan to marry him as soon as I can.”

Zeref stopped in his tracks, “Marry?”

“Yes, Zeref, marry,” Natsu deadpanned, “It’s a thing we can do now. And I’d like you to be there and be happy for me, but I can’t make you accept me. That’s up to you.”

Zeref considered his words, remaining quiet for what felt like forever and staring at Natsu the whole time.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I said those awful words to you,” Zeref sighed in defeat, “I know I’m an asshole, but I really don’t want to lose you again. I’ll try.”

Natsu gave him a hug as best he could with his injured hands, “I forgive you, we’ve both grown up a lot since then. At least I hope so.”

They arrived at the beach and were able to see Gray and Lyon by the picnic tables. Gray was pacing while Lyon tried to calm him down. Natsu smiled.

“You’re right, it’s kind of nice here,” Zeref commented beside him, “The view is beautiful.”

Natsu, who only had eyes for Gray, replied with, ”I couldn’t agree more.”

Zeref snorted marking where Natsu was looking, “You really have it bad, don’t you?”

“Hmhm, and he’s a doctor now, you know,” Natsu grinned proudly, “That’s what we’re celebrating, his dissertation was approved.”

Zeref rolled his eyes at his excitement but smiled before looking suddenly ashamed. “Hey uhm, Natsu? Igneel didn’t really come back.”

“I figured, let’s just go eat, okay?”

They made their way to the table with Zeref getting a slice of pizza and putting it on a plate for Natsu while Gray fussed over him.

“Everything’s gonna be fine, Doctor Princess, we’ve come to an agreement. Zeref’s gonna try not to be an asshole, and I will no longer deny he’s my brother,” Natsu grinned happily at Gray’s disgust at the new nickname and Zeref’s annoyed grunt. “Now tell me all about your dessert presentation.”

Gray glanced at the two brothers, and although he was a little hesitant to take Natsu’s words at face value, he dared to believe they might be true. That they could move forward without having to worry about Natsu’s family ever again.

He wrapped his arms around Natsu, being careful of his injuries and whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Natsu replied before kissing him sweetly, “and you don’t have to get me the world. Everything I need is right here.”

“Really? That’s too bad, cause I thought since you were injured, I could do this,” Gray whispered some words into Natsu’s ear that made him blush and peer at him with undisguised desire.

When Natsu tried to coax him into doing whatever it was Gray shoved a pizza in his mouth, and the two of them began laughing hysterically with Natsu almost choking on the food.

They could hear Zeref ask Lyon, “Are they always like this?”

“You don’t know the half of it…”

#gratsubingo2019 #faiy tail #gratsu #ftlgbtales #update #prompt: love

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lululawrence · 6 years

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lululawrence’s December 2018 Fic List

Click here for previous months’ fic lists

It’s December! As usual, it has given us many glorious fic reading opportunities, both those that are holiday focused as well as Louis birthday focused and totally not December related at all. I loved so many while I was trying not to go completely insane with the craziness that is also part of the season, despite not having gotten to nearly as many as I wanted to, but here are the ones that really helped me survive the past month.

The Lace That Saved Christmas by @alarrylarrie / Larrymama15 What a great way to kick off a fic rec, honestly. This fic was so cute and sweet and pure and lovely and all things good! Plus a bit saucy hehe Manda uses her words for good once again and blessed us with a Christmas fic this time. Defo a great fic to reread every year hehe

Just Say the Word by @louandhazaf / YesIsAWorld I am horrifically behind on all of the girl direction fics from the exchange, but this one was fantastic. The TENSION and the sexiness from a fucking kiss!!! I’m telling you, i was fanning myself reading it and it was a bloody kiss! Anyway. You have to read this if you have even considered girl direction, because it is soft and wonderful. And who doesn’t love pining idiot girls in love?

Treat Mothman With Kindness by @lesbianiconharrystyles / flowercrownfemme Okay yeah this fic was fantastic in the most crack fic way. It was crack, and yet not. It was soft and lovely and pining again and like…mothman Harry? You know you want to. hahaha The entire cast of characters is fabulous, though. Especially the lesbian cats.

The light is coming by @pocketsunshineharry / ishiplouis Okay so like. This fic has everything I love about A/B/O in it haha It’s angsty with a touch of softness and the kind of gritty animalistic undertones that can come with A/B/O fics that I kinda adore. Louis is pregnant and a bit feral as an omega and Harry is the softhearted alpha baker who just wants to take care of him. There is nesting, fighting of instincts, and all sorts of wonderful things. A fab read.

There’s really nothing better (than a beautiful boy in an ugly Christmas sweater) by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed / we_are_the_same This is another adorable pining Christmas fic featuring a meet cute, punny Christmas sweaters, and a bet. Hehe It’s adorable and cute and I love it. A completely fluffy and soft read that is perfect for a cold night snuggled beneath blankets.

The Christmas Lift by @homosociallyyours / homosociallyyours Fake dating! Misunderstandings! Annoying but affectionate coworkers! Annoying saxophone playing neighbors! This fic has them all and it’s all done to PERFECTION. I was still thinking about this days later, which is always a good sign. Another great read.

Holiday Greetings (And Gay Happy Meetings) by @2tiedships2 / 2tiedships2 This is actually the first half of the fic! I haven’t gotten a chance to read the second half yet, so it’ll probably be part of my January list, but this first one is SO GOOD. I loved how she worked the fact that Louis and Harry had not only met before under less than stellar circumstances, but things just worked together so perfectly. It’s such a fun fic and I can’t wait to see how it all comes together for Louis’ birthday in the second part.

Empty Nights by Anonymous This is the fic that was written for me for the Tomlinshaw exchange! And unfortunately the only one I’ve been able to read from the exchange at large as of yet. Sigh. I’ll get to the others hopefully in January! Anyway, this one was FAB. It was so painful and angsty and awkward and lovely but all without being too much. So many feelings and it all comes together so so so perfectly and they are truly the answer to all the upset surrounding them and how healing and beautiful is that? Anyway. It’s a really really great read, and this person’s very first fic ever! I loved it.

Her Love On My Lips by @suddenclarityharry / FallingLikeThis SO SOFT! SO SWEET! SO PERFECT! I loved this fic and the way Tabby imbued so much emotion and feeling into the words. It’s so impactful while still being short somehow. I adored it. So, if girl direction is for you, you will LOVE this fic. If it isn’t for you, fine, but you’re missing out on a hella amazing fic here.

Winter Drabbles by @homosociallyyours / homosociallyyours These three drabbles came together to tell a longer story arch and it was so lovely. Such a sweet little taste of how they are together. I really liked them!

Drabbles by @laynefaire / Layne Faire (HisDarlin) The only other drabbles I’ve read as of yet, because I am woefully behind on pretty much all reading, but these are all amazing as well! This collection holds the drabbles Layne has written for the previous drabbles fests as well as the winter drabbles she wrote, so just hop on in and enjoy the ride, because they’re all wonderful.

Christmas With The Devil by @taggiecb / taggiecb Are you seeing a trend with my reading this month? I focused on shorter fics because I couldn’t handle anything long, and JUST LIKE ALWAYS Lacey took her Satan/Santa series and ramped it up a bit more with this one. How does she always infuse so much melancholy and fear and just…full-bodied emotions into her soft and happy fluff? She does! Just a touch of this and a pinch of that and it comes out to be this completely delectable experience of a fluffy cake. So anyway. That got out of hand, but all the same, this is a fab addition to the series and I highly recommend it.

Make my wish come true by @tommosgun / Star_Henderson Listen. Shar is one of the first writers i followed in this fandom and I’ve never looked back. This fic reminds me so much of why I fell in love with her stories to begin with. They’re so fun, there’s always an emotional bond that is so strong and so immediate and the way she writes it is like exploring something new. I can’t even explain it, but this fic is defo a Shar classic that was so fun for Christmas.

Set Your Heart A-Whirl by @becomeawendybird / QuickedWeen The first of six fics from our Secret Santa fic exchange, I’m kicking it off with this one because IT WAS WRITTEN FOR ME!!! We all wrote a fic based on the same prompt, and this one was just beautiful. It was so soft and sweet and cute and funny and ahhhhhhh! A true pleasure. You’ll love it. Go read it. hehe

Do Not Falter (There’s a Star Ahead) by @londonfoginacup / LadyLondonderry This was Emmu’s fic for Molly and NESTING OMEGA HARRY!!! Oh gosh this fic made me squeal softly into my pillow as I read it. I loved it. I’m sighing again just thinking about it now.

Twinkle Lights and Snowy Nights by @haloeverlasting / haloeverlasting This was the fic Brit wrote for Bri and SHE HURT US ALL. There is so much emotion and fear and hurt and yet love. So so so much love! And healing! Gahhhhh it’s beautiful and art and poetry and makes you just want to cuddle in some blankets. It was glorious.

You Should Be Here With Me by @dimpled-halo / dimpled_halo Jacky like… took Emmu and wrapped her up into a fic from the bubble tea to IKEA to just… ALL OF IT. Another fab A/B/O fic that is so soft and rife with miscommunications and good intentions and fixing what was messed up and just. LOVELY.

This Christmas by @suddenclarityharry / FallingLikeThis I might have commented on this fic twice and not even realized, but that’s okay because Tabby deserves all the comments on this fic. It is such a great read, featuring Exes to Lovers, and has flashbacks that fill in the back story as we go. It’s a wonderful read with just the right touch of pain and angst and just. Sigh. Wonderful.

love isn’t brains, children, it’s blood by @briannamarguerite / BriaMaria Bri went and wrote a full on Buffy fic for Tabby for the exchange!! It’s hard core and wonderful and Zayn as Spike kinda made the entire fic for me. Like, Harry as Angel and Louis as Buffy was already pretty amazing, especially when I realized Steve was Giles, but then Roman Kemp was tossed into the mix with Liam and I was just like the shock emoji the entire time I was reading. It was wonderful and such a great read!

Forget the Silent Nights by @londonfoginacup / LadyLondonderry As of writing this up, I still haven’t finished the last chapter of any of the three advent fics from this year, but it’s okay because I adored them all. This one was such fun reading from all the varied POVs and having little snippets of their history mixed in with the present story! I loved reading the insanity every day. You’ll have to go as Emmu how much of the fic is based on real life, too. The answer might surprise you. hahahaha

Santa Baby Honey by @sadaveniren / SadaVeniren Crack fic meets advent fic in the very best of ways. hahaha I died laughing so many times while reading this and went screaming to sada about it and it was just. Such fun and so insane and great and just. Do yourself a favor and read it because it’s a fucking TRIP.

hymns for restless stars by @turnyourankle / turnyourankle This fic had such feeling!!! Famous/non-famous!!! But of course, it’s complicated. Never so easy as just that. It’s wonderful and so soft and worrying and painful and lovely and made me cry just a touch. hehe This was the perfect addition to the other perhaps more lighthearted advent fics because while it was also lighthearted, this one also gave a dose of heavier emotions too.

And that’s it! I have SO MANY MORE Christmas fics to catch up on, so most of my January reading will probably be that. Get ready! hehe Happy belated Christmas for those that celebrate, Happy New Year to everyone, and ALWAYS Happy Reading! Please remember to leave kudos and comments (and reblog their fic posts, if they link them!) to show your appreciation!

#mine #december 2018 fic list #my fic rec #fic rec #28th appreciation #fic writer appreciation #fic list

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pikapeppa · 6 years

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Fenris/f!Hawke and the Inquisition: Anything

Chapter 3 of Lovers In A Dangerous Time (i.e. Fenris the Inquisitor) is up on AO3! Now that this chapter is done, I can start working on all those lovely Fenquisition prompts... 😉

Dedicated to @essequamvideri20, who did this beautiful Fenris the Inquisitor art, and to @desultorymuse for the music inspiration this week!

Read on AO3 instead if you prefer (>8000 words). For @dadrunkwriting Friday. Oh, there be smut. You’ve been warned.

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

When Fenris woke up, it was to the sound of a very familiar voice reading a very familiar book.

“... Donnen bypassed the Captain's office and went looking for Jevlan,” Hawke read. “By now the kid ought to be rested up, and Donnen suspected he would need backup if his large, suspicious shadows decided to pick a fight. But Jevlan's bunk was empty.”

She was reading from Hard in Hightown, and her voice was close; just above his head, in fact. The more Fenris came awake, the more information he was able to piece together about his current situation: he was stretched out on a bed, and Hawke was lounging beside him - more like halfway underneath him, given the way his arm was wrapped around her waist.

He swallowed, finding his throat dry, then spoke in a cracked voice. “Keep going. You’re almost at the part where I appear as the bartender for some unfathomable reason.”

He heard a sharp intake of breath from Hawke, then the careless sound of the book hitting the floor. “Fenris!” she breathed. “They thought you might wake up today, but they weren’t sure…” She stroked his hair back from his forehead, and Fenris finally opened his eyes to find Hawke’s smiling face looking down at him.

She looked exhausted. Her golden skin was pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes. The cut on the bridge of her nose had become a scab, and she was the loveliest thing he’d ever seen.

He swallowed again. “What time is it?” he asked.

She gave him a funny look. “It’s… it’s just past noon. Do you know where we are?”

He frowned. “We’re in Haven. Aren’t we?”

Her face relaxed, and she resumed stroking his hair. “Just checking. You weren’t… you were confused for a while.”

Fenris frowned more deeply. “A while?” He lifted himself onto one elbow. “How long have I been asleep?” Now that he thought about it, it had to have been at least a day if her cut nose was already scabbing over.

Hawke grimaced. “Three days,” she said.

“Three days?” Fenris stared at her in disbelief, then looked around the small cabin. His armour and cloak were hung in the corner along with Hawke’s, and the greatsword he’d salvaged was leaning against the wall beside Hawke’s staff.

He sat upright and swung his legs off of the bed, then idly patted Toby’s head as the mabari bounded over to greet him. “We should get moving,” he told Hawke urgently. “That Cassandra and Leliana - they have some kind of plans for you. I don’t wish to find out what they are. Where’s Varric-?”

Hawke grabbed his wrist before he could stand. “It’s all right,” she said. “I already know what they had planned. I sorted it out, and it’s fine. But they still want to talk to you.”

“To me?” Fenris scowled. “Why?”

She barked out a laugh. “Because of that thing on your hand, of course. Everyone is talking - well, you’ll see soon enough.” She looked away and rubbed her nose.

Fenris narrowed his eyes. “What are you not telling me? And what do you mean, ‘you sorted it out’?” He tilted his head chidingly. “Did you kill them?”

She laughed again, then shuffled to the edge of the bed beside him and cupped his neck in her palms. “Maker’s balls, I missed you,” she said. She leaned in and nuzzled his cheekbone. “I was so scared, Fenris.”

He gently ran his fingers through her shoulder-length hair. “I’m all right, Hawke. I just needed some rest.”

“No,” she said plaintively. “Before this. When we - when I thought…” She shivered and buried her face against his neck. “That was the worst three days of my life,” she whispered. “And then finding you here, but everyone thought you were going to die…”

Fenris wrapped his arm around her shoulders. His throat was swelling with empathy, swelling with the memory of that cloying fear that she was dead, and he swallowed hard to push it down.

Hawke was still talking, her words a warm rush against his throat. “You were really ill, you know,” she said tremulously. “Adan was really worried you would die. And Solas with his fucking frown… Maker’s fucking balls. You know a couple of people tried to sneak in here and kill you?”

“What?” Fenris said in surprise. “Why?”

She laughed wetly and wiped her face. “That bloody mark on your hand. But it’s all right, Varric and I took care of them. With great pleasure, I might add.”

Fenris opened his left hand. Sure enough, a flickering green light still stained his palm, but it seemed less active than before. Less angry, somehow.

He closed his fist. “Where is Varric?”

“Making friends,” Hawke said. “He figures the more people we butter up, the fewer will come hunting us down if we, you know. Blow up a building or something.” She smirked.

Fenris pursed his lips. “That seems less likely to happen without a certain abomination of a mage by your side.”

Hawke rolled her eyes at the mention of Anders. Then Fenris reached out and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

Her eyes darted back to his face, and for a moment, Fenris simply studied her: her clear amber eyes, slightly reddened from her tears; the thinness of her cheeks after their month of hard travel, and that new scab on her nose, and the ever-present raspberry-red hue of her lips.

She was perfect, and so very precious. He gently traced the line of her jaw. “I would never have given up,” he told her quietly. “Even if everyone thought you were lost. I would have searched every inch of these mountains until I found you.”

Her face crumpled, and Fenris wiped a fresh tear from her cheek. “I w-wouldn’t have given up either,” she said shakily.

He carefully cradled Hawke’s face in his hands, then brushed his nose against hers. Her lips were slightly cracked, and so were his, but the kiss he gave her was perfect all the same: it was a kiss with Hawke, something he was terrified he would never have again.

She tightened her fists in his tunic and parted her lips, and the relief that rushed through his chest almost rendered him lightheaded. He slid his hands into her hair, and she shifted closer to him and deepened the kiss, soothing the dryness of his mouth with the taste of her tongue. She leaned away slightly to nip at his lower lip, and Fenris exhaled eagerly as her fingers slid over his abdomen.

She kissed the corner of his mouth. “I missed you,” she said huskily. “So fucking much.” Her fingers crept beneath his shirt and up toward his chest, and Fenris dragged in a breath.

He tightened his fingers in her hair and pulled her head back until she gasped. “As did I,” he said. He dropped a gentle kiss on her throat, then trailed his lips up along her skin toward the edge of her jaw. “I couldn’t - the thought of living without you…”

“Don’t,” she panted. “Don’t think about it.” She shifted onto his lap to straddle him, then clasped his shoulder as her other hand moved higher inside his shirt to caress his nipple.

He hissed a pleasured breath through his teeth and grasped her hips, pulling her flush to the rising eagerness between his legs. Then Hawke was pulling off her loose tunic, and Fenris dragged his palms up her back to pluck at her leather bustier.

She leaned back into his palms, and Fenris lowered his face between her breasts to breathe her in. She smelled like sandalwood and sweat and sleep-infused skin, scents that struck of life and of Hawke, and all of them were intoxicating.

He bit her nipple through her bustier, and she mewled and pressed her chest toward him. “Fenris,” she gasped.

He lifted his face, and Hawke kissed him hard. And then there was a knock at the door.

They both froze. The knock came again, and then Varric’s voice drifted through the door. “Hey, Hawke? I’ve got lunch for you, if you want it.”

Hawke exhaled and slumped slightly on Fenris’s lap. “Fuck,” she whispered. “We should let him in. He’ll want to know you’re awake.”

Fenris sighed. He eyed her breasts longingly, then nodded. “All right. Call him in.”

Hawke smiled cheekily, then slid off his lap. “Just a second, Varric,” she called, and she dropped her pointed gaze to Fenris’s bulging crotch.

He pursed his lips with displeasure, then rose from the bed and made his way over to his armour. He felt wobbly on his feet, but he did his best to hide it, not wanting Hawke to worry more than she’d already done. He pulled on lambswool breeches over his leggings, then shrugged moodily at Hawke. “Go ahead,” he grunted.

She winked at him, then threw open the door. “Varric!” she said cheerfully. “Your timing is impeccable, as always.” Varric stepped inside with a dented tray in his hands. He raised one eyebrow at her mostly-naked torso. “You do realize it’s the middle of winter out there, right?” he said. Then his eyes shifted to the bed.

His eyebrows leapt high on his forehead. “Where’s Fenris?”

“I’m right here,” Fenris said. He leaned against the fireplace and folded his arms.

Varric whipped his head around and grinned. “Elf! You look good! Surprisingly good, actually.”

Fenris couldn’t help but smile back. He bowed his head slightly. “Thank you. I hear that you stopped some attempts on my life, for which I am grateful.”

“Ah, it was nothing,” Varric said breezily. “Bianca was getting bored waiting for your lazy ass to wake up, anyway.” He smirked at Fenris. “Being a bodyguard for the Herald of Andraste might just be our calling.”

Fenris frowned. “The what?”

Hawke gave tiny cough. “I, um, hadn’t gotten around to telling him about that yet…”

Varric wilted and gave her an exasperated look. “Too busy catching up on other things?” he said archly, with another pointed look at Hawke’s bustier.

Hawke shrugged and grinned, and Fenris rolled his eyes bad-temperedly. “When you have finished staring at Hawke’s bosom, would you care to explain what you’re talking about?” he drawled.

“Ooh, jealous, are you?” Hawke purred. She bent over provocatively to lift her shirt from the floor, giving Fenris an eyeful of her cleavage in the process.

Fenris raised one appreciative eyebrow, and Hawke grinned. Then Varric huffed and set the tray on the bedside table. “And to think I missed you idiots,” he said ruefully. Then he looked up at Hawke. “Does the Seeker know he’s awake?”

“No,” Hawke said. She pulled on her tunic and fluffed her hair. “He just woke up maybe… twenty minutes ago?” She glanced at Fenris for confirmation.

He nodded, then unfolded his arms and looked between them. “Tell me now. What is this Herald of Andraste?”

Hawke and Varric glanced at each other. Then Hawke picked up the tray of soup and bread that Varric had brought. “Here, you should eat this,” she said brightly. She jerked her chin at the table. “Have a seat.”

Fenris frowned. “Varric brought it for you. You need it.” He eyed her hollowed cheeks.

She shook her head and brought the tray toward him. “You haven’t had anything for three days aside from water and elfroot extract,” she retorted. “You need to eat.”

“No,” Fenris said loudly. “You need to eat. You are skin and bones beneath that shirt.” He scowled at Varric. “Tell me about this blasted Herald of Andraste business.”

Hawke placed the tray on the table with a clang, and she and Fenris glared at each other. Then Varric piped up. “Is this what you guys have become in the past few years? An old married couple who nag each other?”

Fenris shot him an annoyed look. “We are not old,” he muttered.

“Or married,” Hawke added.

Varric smirked. “Well, some people will probably want that to change, what with the whole Herald thing-”

“Will you stop speaking in circles and tell me what you mean?” Fenris snapped. “I have been asleep for three days already, and before that I was asleep for three more, and I remember little of what happened before that. You might recall that I am not fond of having gaps in my memory.”

Hawke’s belligerent posture softened at his words, and Varric lifted his hands in surrender. “All right, all right. So the word around town is that you’ve been chosen by Andraste to save the world from the Breach with that mark on your hand.”

Fenris wrinkled his nose in confusion. “Chosen by…? Why would they think that?”

Hawke twisted her lips wryly. “Apparently when you… when you came back out of the Fade, there was a woman behind you,” she said. “They say this woman pushed you out of the Fade or helped you or something. A lot of people think it was Andraste. But no one knows for sure,” she added firmly. “You know how these Chantry people are; any excuse to sing Andraste’s praises and they’re going to jump on it.” She sat in one of the chairs at the table and gestured for Fenris to sit in the other.

He slowly took a seat. Hawke picked up the roughly-shaped little loaf of bread and tore off a small piece, then offered the rest of the loaf to Fenris.

He took it from her fingers. “And… what? They think this cursed magic on my hand is a gift from Andraste?”

Varric shrugged noncommittally. “Something like that, yeah.”

“But… Andraste wasn’t a mage,” Fenris said.

Hawke rolled her eyes. “She also probably didn’t see visions of the Maker and was likely just touched in the head. That doesn’t stop people from making things up to reinforce what they think.”

Varric grimaced and shrugged again, and Fenris frowned thoughtfully. He took a bite of bread while Hawke ate a spoonful of soup, then accepted the spoon when she offered it to him. Now that he had food in his mouth, he realized how hungry he was.

He ate the soup and bread while he thought about what Varric and Hawke had said. He didn’t know what to think about the Andraste idea; as Hawke had said, there wasn’t any clear reason to think the spirit of Andraste had helped him escape from the Fade. He could only vaguely remember a humanoid shape behind him in the Fade, and it wasn’t enough for him to make any guesses as to who it could have been. For all Fenris knew, he could have been fleeing from a desire demon. The Fade was the source of all demons, after all.

He glanced at his flickering left palm again. It seemed unlikely this magic had come from Andraste. But the vision he and the others had seen - and that deep, malevolent voice in the basement of the Temple of Sacred Ashes - came back to his mind.

Slay the elf. The voice had seemed familiar to him… familiar in a terrible way. If that voice belonged to who Fenris suspected it did, then that was an obvious possible source of this blasted magical mark.

He flicked his eyes to Hawke as he swallowed another mouthful of soup. She and Varric were quietly joking around, and Fenris decided to hold his tongue for now. He would mention his suspicions to them later. Varric had been in the basement too, after all. Maybe before bringing it up to Hawke, Fenris could ask Varric in private whether the voice had sounded to him like the person that Fenris thought.

A person who should, by all rights, be very dead.

He scraped the last dregs of soup from the bowl, then leaned back in his chair. “All right. The people here think I am some ‘Herald of Andraste’. Now what?” He looked at Hawke. “You genuinely don’t think we should simply leave?”

Hawke’s eyes flicked to his left hand, and Varric spoke. “You may want to hear what the Seeker and the Nightingale have to say first.”

Fenris sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “All right. Where are they?”

A few minutes later, after Hawke and Fenris had pulled on their coats and Hawke had put on her boots, they stepped out of the cabin. Fenris shielded his eyes against the bright afternoon sun. As his eyes grew accustomed to the brightness, he realized that all the nearby people had slowed to a crawl.

Most of them were just standing there and staring at him, in fact. And it was exactly as Hawke and Varric had said: they were whispering about the Herald of Andraste.

“It’s him! That’s the Herald!”

“Why did the Seeker have him in chains, then? I thought Seekers knew everything.”

“It was a mistake. He’s going to save the world.”

“Or maybe it’s a trick. I don’t believe it.”

“Why’d Lady Andraste pick an elf?”

“Shut yer trap, Malleg, or the Maker will smite you for backtalking about His Lady’s Herald!”

“Is that... the Champion of Kirkwall? What’s the Herald doing with a mad apostate?”

Fenris hunched his shoulders. There were so many eyes on him, crawling over his hair and his tattooed chin and his blasted glowing hand, and all the damned whispering was putting him on edge. He’d grown accustomed to the peaceful isolation of the last few years, with only Hawke and Toby for company. Being thrust into this crowded settlement where everyone was staring at him…

“I don’t like this,” he muttered to Varric and Hawke.

Hawke took his left hand and twined her fingers with his. “You’ll get used to it,” she said breezily. Then she glanced at his wary expression. “Well, maybe.”

He reluctantly extricated his fingers from hers. “Perhaps you should be careful,” he warned. “This mark, it’s… it seems unpredictable. What if it injures you?”

Hawke firmly took his hand once more. “I’ll take my chances,” she said. “It hasn’t hurt me yet.”

Fenris pursed his lips, but he allowed her to hold his hand. He didn’t really want to release her, anyway.

As they neared the Chantry, Varric slowed down. “I’ll catch you guys later,” he said. “I’m off to Fliss’s.”

Hawke raised her eyebrows. “You mean you don’t want to come inside and talk to Cassandra with us?”

She was smirking, and Fenris tilted his head quizzically as Varric smirked back. “Nah,” Varric said. “I’ll give her a break from my overwhelming manliness. Come join me later when you’re done.”

Hawke snickered, and Fenris nodded farewell as Varric drifted away. Then Fenris lifted an eyebrow at Hawke. “He and the Seeker don’t get along?”

Hawke shrugged and pulled open the doors to the Chantry. “She’s still angry that he didn’t tell her where we were,” she said. “I’d have thought she’d forgive him after she actually met me, but - ah, well, you’ll see.”

Fenris narrowed his eyes as they walked toward the rear of the Chantry. “Are you going to explain what blasted plans they had in store for you, or am I going to have to forcibly pry the knowledge from your tongue?”

She grinned salaciously at him as they reached a sturdy wooden door at the rear of the building. “That depends. How exactly were you planning to pry this knowledge from my tongue?” She winked, and without waiting for an answer, she pushed open the door.

Roderick, Leliana, and Cassandra were within. They were clustered around a large table with a detailed map of Thedas rolled across its surface, and Roderick’s face instantly creased into a scowl as Fenris and Hawke stepped through the door.

He pointed accusingly at Fenris and glared at Cassandra. “Chain him. I want him prepared for travel to the Capital for trial!”

Hawke rolled her eyes and folded her arms. “Maker’s balls, this again? Your stupid demands aren’t like wine, you know. They don’t get better with age.”

Cassandra ignored her and scowled at Roderick. “Fenris is not going on trial. The Breach is stable, but it is still a threat. I will not ignore it.”

“And he is absolved of all guilt, just like that?” Roderick demanded furiously.

Cassandra took an authoritative step toward him. “Leliana and I heard the voices at the Temple. The Divine called to him for help.”

Roderick waved an angry hand in Fenris’s direction. “So his survival, that thing on his hand - that’s all a coincidence?”

“Providence,” Cassandra said firmly. “The Maker sent him to us in our darkest hour.”

Fenris raised his eyebrows. She sounded so confident.

Hawke nudged him with her elbow. “See, this is what I mean,” she said, very quietly. “Chantry people.”

He frowned slightly, then folded his arms. “We attempted to close the Breach. The attempt failed,” he said bluntly. “What else would you suggest?”

Cassandra turned to him. “We must try again.”

“And your mark is still our only hope of closing it,” Leliana added.

“That is not for you to decide!” Roderick snapped at the two women.

Cassandra scoffed in disgust, then turned around and picked up a large tome from a crate on the floor. She turned back to the table and slammed the tome onto its surface.

She glared fiercely at Roderick. “You know what this is, Chancellor. A writ from the Divine granting us the authority to act.” She straightened and lifted her chin. “As of this moment, I declare the Inquisition reborn. We will close the Breach, we will find those responsible, and we will restore order.” She turned her glare to Roderick once more. “With or without your approval.”

Fenris watched in tense silence as the Chantry brother clenched his jaw, then turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. He slammed the door behind him, and Cassandra released an annoyed sigh.

Leliana looked at Fenris. “This is the Divine’s directive: rebuild the Inquisition of old and find those who will stand against the chaos.” She shook her head ruefully and glanced at Cassandra. “We aren’t ready,” she said. “We have no leader, no numbers, and now no Chantry support.”

“But we have no choice,” Cassandra said. She met Fenris’s eyes. “We must act now, with you at our side.”

Fenris narrowed his eyes. “It’s my understanding that the previous Inquisition evolved into the Templar order,” he said. “Where are the Templars now? Why are they not the ones keeping order, with all this wild magic wreaking havoc?”

Leliana’s eyes widened. “You know your Inquisition history, Fenris.”

“He reads a lot,” Hawke interjected. “Don’t let his fine body fool you. It’s merely a shell for his brilliant mind.” She sauntered over to the table and casually seated herself on its edge.

Fenris shot her a chiding look, and she gave him a tiny wink. Then Cassandra spoke up. “The Templars have lost their way,” she said. “You may have heard that the Lord Seeker denounced the Chantry earlier this year. This has thrown the Templars into disarray. Half of them remain with the Chantry, and the other half…” She sighed. “It is unclear what has become of them.”

Fenris frowned more deeply. “Then perhaps your focus should be on reuniting the Templars and seeking their aid with the Breach.”

“Or seeking help from the mages,” Hawke interjected. “If the Breach is a work of magic, then mages like Solas will be able to study it and figure out how to close it.”

Fenris scowled and opened his mouth to argue, but Leliana spoke up. “These are both good options,” she said. “And under the Inquisition, we will explore them both. But only we can do that now, with the authority granted to us by the late Divine.”

Fenris made a skeptical noise. “You say you’re functioning under the authority of the Divine. But that Chantry brother did not seem very fond of the idea,” he said, with a jerk of his head toward the door where Roderick had gone. “You’re up against the Chantry now. Is it your hope to start a holy war?”

Cassandra frowned at his sarcastic tone. “We are already at war. You are already involved. Its mark is upon you.” Her gaze fell pointedly on his left hand. “As to whether the war is holy… that depends on what we discover.”

Fenris folded his arms. “And if I refuse? Will you shackle me again? Throw me in your dungeon until I comply with your wishes?”

Hawke stopped swinging her legs. “Excuse me? They did what?”

Leliana flicked a glance at Hawke, then bowed her head to Fenris. “You can go, if you wish.”

“But you should know that while some believe you chosen, many still believe you guilty,” Cassandra added. “The Inquisition can only protect you if you are with us.”

“Thank you, but we don’t require protection,” Fenris said flatly. “As you well know, we were protecting ourselves perfectly fine before all this.”

“And you failed you mention that you chained him up,” Hawke said to Cassandra and Leliana. “That’s not very much in keeping with your whole ‘let’s stand together’ spiel.” Her tone was casual, but her eyes were narrowed with anger. She slid off of the table and stood slightly in front of Fenris as though to shield him from the other two.

“That was for our protection. Fenris was an unknown entity at the time,” Cassandra said unapologetically. “But circumstances have changed. He is the only hope we have, and we will protect him.” Then she frowned at Fenris. “Do not pretend this has not changed you. You cannot simply hide the way you did before, not now that everyone has seen what you can do.”

“The Champion and the Herald of Andraste,” Leliana said thoughtfully. She tilted her head. “You are arguably the two most well-known people on this side of Thedas. It will be impossible for you to hide. But if you remain with the Inquisition, there will be no need for hiding. And we will help you.”

Fenris scowled. They might not be threatening him and Hawke, not directly, but they weren’t exactly offering a choice, either. “What makes you think I require your help?” he demanded.

To his surprise, Hawke sighed and loosened her belligerent stance. “Actually, Fenris, this is why I was thinking we should stay,” she said. “Solas is the only person who seems to understand the mark. He might be able to-”

“He already told me he could not remove the mark without resulting in my death,” Fenris snapped. “If I am stuck with it, then what help is there?”

“Maybe he just needs more time to study it,” Hawke retorted. She was holding his hand again, and her thumb was sweeping across his cursed left palm as though his skin was perfectly normal and not stained with yet another brand of unwanted magic.

“We will help you clear your name, as well,” Leliana added. “As Cassandra said, many still believe you responsible for the explosion at the Conclave. If you remain with us-”

He spun toward her. “I don’t care who thinks I am responsible,” he snarled. “I was not at fault for this. I do not remember it. It is not my prerogative to… to beg forgiveness for something I did not do, or to make excuses for something I have no memory of!”

Hawke’s fingers were tight around his own. He released an angry exhale, then met Cassandra and Leliana’s wary eyes.

Then something occurred to him. He turned to Hawke. “This is why they wanted you. They wanted you to lead this Inquisition.”

“Yes,” Hawke said quietly.

Fenris turned to Cassandra and Leliana. “Well, you cannot have her,” he announced. “You hunt her for years on end, and now you think-”

“It’s all right, Fenris, it’s sorted out,” Hawke interrupted. “They don’t want me to lead them anymore, so it’s fine.”

“Oh,” he said. He took another calming breath, then eyed Cassandra suspiciously. “Your search for Hawke was relentless, to say the least. What changed your mind?”

“Ah, they took one look at me and decided I was a bad fit,” Hawke said cheerfully.

Fenris frowned at Cassandra and Leliana. That was an unfair judgment of Hawke. She had never particularly enjoyed being Kirkwall’s protector, and Fenris hadn’t always - or even often - agreed with her decisions as Champion. But Hawke had a knack for soothing ruffled feathers with her humour and her charm, and she had eradicated the qunari threat all those years ago. She was likeable and friendly, and she inspired great loyalty in a very odd mixture of people. Hawke was a strong leader and an even stronger mage. So why…?

Then Fenris shook his head slightly. What am I thinking? he wondered incredulously. He didn’t want Hawke to be the leader of the Inquisition. If he had his choice, she would be nowhere near the dangers of this blasted Breach.

Cassandra’s lips thinned into a narrow line. “That is not true,” she retorted. “The Champion-”

“It’s just Hawke, Cassandra,” Hawke said patiently.

Cassandra scowled. “Hawke refused to take on the role of our Inquisitor. And…” she sighed. “After what you have been through these past few years, I suppose I do not blame you.”

Leliana delicately rested her fingers on the tabletop. “You do not have to stay,” she told Fenris and Hawke. “But I do believe it is your best option right now. You would be helping us, yes, but you would also be keeping yourselves safe.” She folded her hands humbly. “Fenris, you have seen firsthand the types of demons that are pouring from even the smaller rifts. And those rifts are not only in the Frostback Mountains. By all reports, they are…”

“Everywhere,” Cassandra interjected. “They are everywhere. They must be closed.”

“And while you help us close them,” Leliana finished, “you will be safe and sheltered here at Haven. You will have whatever resources and protection we can offer at your disposal.”

Fenris didn’t reply. He studied Leliana and Cassandra in silence for a moment. He was strongly opposed to staying for the purpose of having his name cleared, and he wasn’t convinced that Solas would be able to remove the mark, even with time and further study.

But thinking about the demons and the rifts, and the dangers they’d all just faced… that got him thinking. Haven was the place where he and Hawke had found each other again. He’d been safe here during two bouts of recuperation, and the settlement seemed reasonably well fortified at first glance.

If the world had gone as mad as it seemed, then Haven was probably the safest place that he and Hawke could be.

He looked at Hawke once more, and she raised her eyebrows. “Where would we go if we left?” she said.

It was an entirely rhetorical question. Now that their identities were widely known, there was no way that they could safely sneak away, and Fenris knew it.

He sighed. Then he looked at Cassandra. “Fine,” he said. “We will stand with you. For now, at least.”

Leliana bowed her head in thanks. “That is all we ask.”

Cassandra took a step toward him and extended her hand. “Thank you, Fenris,” she said. “We must close the Breach, before it is too late.”

He reluctantly shook her hand as Leliana spoke again. “We will have a lot of work to do, and soon,” she said. “But for now, you should rest. Both of you."

He nodded his head, and so did Hawke. “See you later,” she said. Then she and Fenris left the meeting room.

They headed toward the Chantry’s exit, and Hawke wrinkled her nose at him. “Makes you almost miss Kirkwall, doesn’t it?”

He grunted. “And this is only the beginning,” he muttered. “I can’t imagine what they have in mind for fixing this. If this mark already failed…”

Hawke twisted her lips ruefully. They pushed open the Chantry doors and stepped outside, and as they sauntered along the path away from the Chantry, Hawke took his hand once more. “Shall we go meet Varric at the tavern?” she asked.

He furtively looked around. Everyone was staring at him still, from the quartermaster to the soldiers and the refugees and the Chantry sisters milling around outside the Chantry doors.

He shook his head. “No,” he murmured. “Not right now. Let’s return to the cabin.”

She squeezed his hand and nodded, and they made their way to the cabin in an easy silence.

Hawke opened the cabin door, and they both stepped inside. True to form, Hawke immediately pulled off and discarded her boots as Fenris closed the door, and once the door was locked behind them, he grabbed her hips and pulled her back against his chest.

“Hey-” She broke off with a gasp as Fenris slid his hand from her sternum up to cradle her throat.

He gently turned her head to the side and inhaled the scent of her neck, and she exhaled shakily and pressed her bottom back against his groin. “Picking up where we left off, I presume?” she said breathlessly. Then she whimpered as his unoccupied hand slid beneath her coat and tunic to stroke the planes of her belly.

“Yes,” he murmured. He brushed his nose along the line of her neck, then released her and began unbuttoning her coat from behind. “I suspect we won’t have many moments of peace and privacy in the future. I wish to take advantage of the time we have.”

She allowed him to unbutton her coat, then turned around to face him as she shucked her coat and dragged her shirt off. “You mean that three years of alone time haven’t made you utterly sick of me?” she said.

Her tone was jocular and light, and Fenris smirked, but his eyes were drifting across her body. She was thinner than usual, more hollowed-out and wiry after the hard travelling they’d done and the hardships of the last few days, and he silently resolved to bring her a hearty meal when they were done.

He lifted his eyes slowly to her face, then stepped close to her and began untying her breeches. “Never,” he said. “I meant what I said. I will never grow sick of you. Especially not after…” He swallowed hard. “Not after that bitter taste of being apart.”

She pulled off her breeches and smallclothes, then clasped his neck in her hands. “Don’t remind me,” she said, and she started unbuttoning his coat. “I don’t want to think about it. I hated it,” she breathed. “I just - I hated it.” She pushed his coat off, then pulled his tunic up and over his head, and Fenris wrapped his arms around her as she pressed herself against his bare chest.

He heaved a huge sigh as Hawke tightened her arms around his waist. Her dark-haired head was snugly tucked against the side of his neck, and her naked skin was so warm in his arms, and Fenris simply revelled in the comfortable heat of her body for a moment.

She turned her head slightly and graced his collarbone with a gentle line of kisses, kisses that travelled away from the dip at the base of his throat and up along the line of his neck, and a pleasant ripple of goosebumps trailed down his arms as she grazed his earlobe with her lips.

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” she whispered. “You’re not… you were really ill. You don’t feel unwell or tired?”

He shook his head. “I want this,” he replied. Then he gave her a tiny wry smile. “Perhaps you can be on top, though.”

She grinned against his cheek, then kissed his ear. “Deal,” she said. Then her lips were easing their way along the line of his jaw as her fingers slid down to the laces of his wool trousers.

She breathed slowly against his lips as she tugged the laces loose, and Fenris breathed her in as well, savouring the warmth of her breath against his lips and the delicate touch of her tongue as she traced his lower lip. Then her fingers slid into his trousers, and he inhaled shakily.

He wound his fingers in her hair and gently pulled, and Hawke tilted her head back so he could access her neck. He pressed his lips to her throat and took the salt of her skin on the tip of his tongue, and as her fingers continued petting his cock within the confines of his trousers, Fenris grew more eager and impatient.

She slid her hand deeper into his trousers and cupped his balls, and Fenris groaned and nipped her neck. She burst out a breathy little moan, then pushed at his abdomen with her free hand. “Lie down,” she panted.

He pushed off his trousers and lay back on the bed, and a moment later, Hawke was kneeling between his legs. Her hands slid up his thighs, and she dipped her head down toward the rising of his cock, but Fenris reached down and gently captured her chin.

“Wait,” he said. “Take this off.” He slid his fingers down over her chest and slipped his thumb into the cup of her bustier.

She gasped and twitched as his thumbnail slid across her nipple. Enticed by her reaction, Fenris stroked her nipple with the back of his thumb and stared at the euphoric flickering of her eyelids. Her nipple was firm and tempting, and just when Fenris was on the verge of demanding again that she take off the bustier, she sat back on her heels.

She spread her knees wider and bent forward once more. But this time, she arched her lower back and pressed her chest toward his groin, and Fenris gasped fitfully as the rod of his cock slid between her breasts. Hawke bent low over his body, her cheek and lips grazing his belly as she arched and flexed her spine, and all the while, his cock was caressed by the silk-soft valley between her breasts.

The leather edges of her bustier were a distraction, though. Fenris arched his back and lifted his hips toward her. “Hawke,” he begged, “take the bustier off. Please…”

She sat back on her heels once more, and Fenris opened his eyes to shamelessly watch as she untied the laces of her bustier. Her spine was provocatively arched and her knees were spread, and Fenris’s greedy gaze fell between her legs to find a trail of shining moisture at the inner margins of her thighs.

He swallowed a sudden flush of saliva on this tongue. Then his eyes rose back to her chest as she pulled the bustier away and dropped it on the floor.

He stared at the dusky points of her nipples, and his breath grew short and sharp as she lowered them toward his cock once more. She brushed her pert little breasts over his cock, and Fenris jerked his hips again. “Hawke,” he groaned.

She rubbed her breasts against his cock, and he strained toward her desperately, tortured and tantalized by the softness of her flesh. When the teasing became too much, he ran his fingers through her hair.

“Hawke, I need more,” he gasped.

She lifted her chest away from his skin. “More what?” she breathed. Her hands slid across her own skin, fingers tracing her collarbones and down across the hollow of her belly, and Fenris breathed hard as he tracked their slow progress.

She dipped her fingers between her legs. “More of this?” she asked.

“Yes,” he blurted.

Hawke smiled and smoothed her fingers through the heat of her cleft. She lifted her hand from between her legs, then leaned forward suddenly and brushed his lower lip with her slick-dampened fingers.

Fenris grabbed her wrist, and Hawke gasped as he took her fingers in his mouth. He sucked the sweetness from her fingers, then pulled her fingers from his mouth and looked her in the eye. “Turn around,” he rasped. The taste of her was so damned good, raw and warm and vital, and he wanted more of that: more of her essence on his lips, and more of the ministrations of her mouth, and… venhedis, he just wanted more - more of Hawke and everything she could offer.

She nodded eagerly. Moments later, she was spread-eagled across his face with her back to him, and Fenris groaned as she took his cock into her throat. Then he was devouring the slickness between her legs, collecting her sweetness with his lips and his tongue as he caressed the swollen bud of her clit.

She arched her spine and spread her legs, and Fenris felt her muffled moans between his as they poured across his cock. He listened to her stifled sounds of pleasure, breathing hard into her cleft as he stroked the bud between her legs with his tongue, and within the space of minutes she was shuddering on top of him.

He ran the flat of his tongue along the length of her cleft, and she released his cock with a gasp. “Oh fuck, Fenris, please,” she cried.

He relaxed his head back, then snaked one arm around her thigh and stroked his fingers between her legs. Hawke jolted and mewled again, then cried out more sharply still as he slid one finger inside of her.

She pressed back onto his finger, then suddenly pulled away from him. Seconds later, before Fenris had time to do more than blink, she was straddling his hips and sliding onto his length.

Hawke kissed him firmly, and he groaned into her mouth. She was so gloriously warm, both inside and out, and Fenris revelled in her private fragrant heat and the warmth of her chest as pressed herself flush against him. Her hands were buried in his hair, and her gasping lips were pressed to the corner of his mouth, and Fenris tightly wrapped his arms around her. He was surrounded by her, blanketed by the weight of her body across his own and grounded by the tightness of her pussy and the tightness of her fingers in his hair, and…

Fasta vass, this was the meaning of comfort. This was the meaning of being together, of being reunited and being safe. Hawke was his touchstone, the one single thing he never wanted to live without, and as she moved on top of him, taking him deep and hard with the careful grinding of her hips, he sank happily into the safety and the solidity of her heated form.

She panted against his lips. Her cheek was hot against his face. “Do you want me faster?” she breathed.

He shook his head and flattened his palms on her shoulder blades. “No,” he whispered. “I want you exactly like this. I… want anything you would give, anything…” He trailed off and nipped her lower lip, and then she was kissing him again, and Fenris twisted his tongue against her own as she gently tugged his hair.

She moved slowly over him, hips rising and falling with the easy grace of an ocean tide, and Fenris felt his rapture swelling higher like a growing wave. His fingers took refuge in Hawke’s hair, and his lips were safely anchored against her own as she thrust down onto him in a careful rhythmic tempo.

He gripped her hair and lifted his hips, and she pressed down to meet him in a firm and heady stroke, and soon he was shuddering beneath her, crying out his pleasure against her cheekbone as she rode him to a scintillating finish.

He gasped one last time as she rolled her hips against him, then loosened his fingers in her hair and stroked the nape of her neck. “Rynne,” he breathed.

“Yes?” She stroked his neck and nuzzled his cheekbone.

He turned his face toward her and brushed her nose with his. “Let’s remain here in this bed,” he whispered. “Just you and I and this bed. I don’t wish to leave this cabin again.” He shot a quick glance at the carpet in front of the fireplace, where Toby was obliviously sleeping. “I suppose Toby can remain with us as well.”

Hawke chuckled. “You must be a mind-reader. That’s exactly what I was thinking.” She rolled onto the bed beside him and snuggled up against his side. “Now if only this cabin was somewhere warmer. Like Rivain in the summer.”

He hummed in agreement and closed his eyes. “A cabin in Rivain. On the beach, perhaps.”

“Exactly,” she whispered. Her fingers were in his hair once more, stroking the strands back from his forehead and his ears. “A cabin on the beach, and fresh seafood… Maybe some of that good Rivaini wine…”

Fenris smiled as she continued to whisper fantasies in his ear. Once their sweat had cooled, they shuffled beneath the blankets for warmth, and Fenris turned onto his side to face her.

“Hawke,” he said quietly. “I don’t understand what they expect us to do to close that Breach. Unless they can rouse the Templars-”

“Or the mages,” Hawke interjected.

He twisted his lips. “Or the mages,” he said reluctantly. “I… I just don’t see what they think we can do without some form of outside help.”

She shrugged. Her thumb was gently stroking his chin. “Maybe that’s the point,” she said. “Getting outside help. Maybe that’s what they’re going to send us to do.”

He huffed skeptically. “A Tevinter elf cursed with malevolent magic, and the notorious mage-loving Champion of Kirkwall. We are hardly the most promising spokespersons for an institution such as this.”

Hawke snickered. “Maybe people will listen to us because we’re gorgeous. That’s how these things work, right?”

“I don’t think so, no,” he drawled, and she laughed again.

Fenris stroked her arm quietly, and her face grew sober once more. “Are you all right?” she asked. “You look like there’s something else on your mind.”

He hesitated and nibbled the inside of his cheek. The problem of that ominous voice in the Temple of Sacred Ashes was weighing on his mind again.

Finally he sighed. He hadn’t meant to bring this up just yet, not before asking Varric about it first, but now that Hawke had called him on it… “When we tried to close the Breach, there was a… memory, of sorts. Like a reflection of what had happened right before the explosion. Did Cassandra or Varric mention this to you?”

“Yes, Cassandra told me about it,” Hawke said. “What about it?”

He swallowed. “She told you of the faceless shadowy figure that was threatening the Divine?”

Hawke’s expression grew apprehensive, “Yes,” she said slowly.

Fenris pressed his lips together. Already he regretted spoiling their post-coital cocoon by bringing this up. “The villain they seek… I think it’s Corypheus.”

Her eyes widened, and she sat up on one elbow. “That’s… that’s not possible,” she said. “He’s dead. We killed him years ago. Why do you think it’s him?”

Fenris rolled onto his back and ran a hand through his hair. “The voice,” he said. “That voice in the temple was familiar. I… I can’t be sure,” he confessed. “We should ask Varric what he thought.” He turned his head to look at her. “But if it was Corypheus…”

“Fuck,” Hawke said. Her eyes were still wide. “I don’t understand. We killed him! How…” She trailed off into silence, and she and Fenris simply gazed at each other for a moment.

Then she blew out a breath. “Well, you know what we should do.”

Fenris nodded. “Contact the Grey Wardens. We should write to Stroud.”

Hawke nodded as well, then slumped down beside him once more and buried her face against his chest. “Why can’t anything ever be simple?” she complained. “When you kill an insane ancient Tevinter magister, they’re supposed to stay dead.”

Fenris grunted. “No enemy is ever truly dead when magic abounds.”

Hawke tsked and nipped his chest with her teeth.

Fenris hissed in annoyance at her little bite. “Hawke,” he said warningly.

“Fenris,” she replied mockingly, and he scowled at her until she settled her cheek against his chest once more.

They lay in an uneasy silence for a moment, and Fenris could feel the tension in his jaw as they stewed in their respective thoughts.

Then Hawke sighed and lifted herself onto her elbow again. “Should we tell Cassandra?”

“Let’s speak to Varric first, and see if Stroud has anything useful to share,” Fenris suggested.

She nodded, but her face was creased with worry. Fenris brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t know, either,” he said softly. “I don’t know what to make of any of this. But we will deal with it together.”

To his surprise, she glared at him. “You’d better mean that,” she said fiercely. “Cassandra and Leliana obviously have plans for you and that mark of yours. I’m not staying behind again while you go off doing whatever they want you to do. I won’t have it.”

Fenris frowned. “I’m not suggesting-”

“I won’t be separated again, all right?” she interrupted. “If they send you somewhere, then I’m going too.”

“I know that,” he said impatiently. “I would not suggest otherwise.”

She glared at him for a moment longer, then settled back down with her head on his chest. “Okay. Good,” she said in a small voice.

Fenris ran his fingers through her hair, combing through the damp tendrils and smoothing out the tangles. He couldn’t imagine why Hawke thought he would willingly be separated from her again. There was little he knew about their current situation, or what the future would hold; he didn’t even know what the next day would hold. But Fenris did know one thing for certain: he would never let Hawke be torn from his side again.

#fenris #fenris fic #fenris smut #Lovers in a Dangerous Time #fenquisition #fenris the inquisitor #fenhawke #fenris/hawke #fenris x hawke #fenris/femhawke #fenris x femhawke #fenris/f!hawke #fenris x f!hawke #pikapeppa writes

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insanely-creative-things · 5 years

Text

Big Hero 7: The Series

www.fanfiction.net

Big Hero 7 S2

Muira-Horror!

*The Dark of the moonless, Friday night goes over Sycorax as Liv Amara is discussing with her main employer: Nozako. The old woman stared at the younger lady as the blonde discussed her latest new victim.*

Liv: And that's what I'm adding to Speckles. Is it any good?

Nozako: I suppose so, but if he turns into a chicken send me any footage you can of him. I love seeing insufferable brats like him and yourself squeal like pigs.

Liv:*Taking note of her comment on herself* If that is your wish Madame Nozako.

Nozako: Anything else you would like to tell me?

Liv: Only that I am going to Muirahara woods to search for any...peculiar species to research.

Nozako: Do as you wish... except...

*Nozako pulls out a hologram of Muirahara woods and points to one specific lot of land.*

Nozako: I have business to attend right there in some time soon, and it is in your best interest to not go anywhere to that spot until I deem it necessary... Understand?

Liv: Yes Madame Nozako.

*The Hologram ends from Nozako's side as she floats through the room where she looks at her guard.*

Nozako: Are your men ready?

*The guard nods, bowing his head. Nozako nods her head as well before she goes back to the hologram map where soon, the lot of land reveals itself to be a small, provincial village living in the midst's of Muirahara woods... and her crimson eyes are laced with impending doom.*

*The next day it starts in Krei's office where Alistair Krei himself is calling his assistant, Lois Carter.*

Krei: Judy? Judy? Judy?

*Lois then comes in.*

Lois: Its Lois sir, not Judy.

Krei: Of course, would you please tell Hiro and Mizuchi I need to talk to them?

*Lois then calls Hiro, who is setting up his new lab, and Mizuchi who is lifting the cartons to the storage when they hear Lois via earpiece.*

Lois: Mr. Krei wants to talk to you and Hiro/Mizuchi.

*Soon enough the two arrive at Krei's office.*

Mizuchi: What is it you need Boss?

Krei: I have a very exciting project, how are you two with bugs?

Hiro:*Thinking of tech bugs* I've written my share of code, fixing bugs isn't exactly my strength but I'm up for it.

*The bugs Krei is talking about however, is not of technical bugs that any electronic would experience, but literal bugs. Hiro swats the bugs away before Mizuchi picks him up and puts him on his shoulder to sit.*

Hiro: Thanks Mizuchi.

Mizuchi: You are welcome Hiro.

Hiro: *To Krei* Mr. Krei, why did you take us to Muirahara woods?

Krei: I've been considering buying some land out here for Krei Park, my new tech campus. *Sniffs air* Smell that pine?... or fur... or ham was something eating here somewhere?

Mizuchi: Lets explore the woods more before you could consider the purphase, don't you think?

Krei: Sure! I've always loved the woods!

Liv: Me too!

*That's when the four men turn around to see Liv Amara and Chris walking up behind them. Hiro's grip tightened as his heart raced; sensing Hiro's discomfort Mizuchi keeps a firm grip and fist ready, just in case any of them does something.*

Liv: *To Mizuchi* Hello Mizuchi, haven't seen you around since the dinner party? You doing well?

Mizuchi: I am just fine, Miss Amara.

Liv: *Flutters eyes* That's good to hear. And that's quiet impressive of you, holding the boy up.

Mizuchi: That would be Hiro, Miss Amara, and Krei's intern.

Liv: Is that so? *To Hiro* How is Cora?

Hiro:*Slightly narrow eyes* she's fine.

Krei: Liv Amara.

Liv: Alistair Krei.

Krei; What are you doing out here?

Chris: Sycorax wants to acquire this land for a nature conservatory.

Liv: We infuse business with heart, and nature is mother earth's heart.

Krei; Whatever, find another heart. I'm buying these woods, putting in an offer now.

*He pulls out his phone to call.*

Liv: My offer will be higher. *To Chris* Chris?

Krei: As if they would accept the offer from the a lady who let a monster kidnap a young intern, which ended up being killed to save her life! Not to mention she quitted the next day.

*Liv Amara makes no gestures, but Chris is on his way to call to purchase the land.. but got nothing.*

Chris: I'm not getting a signal.

Krei: Well, if you were using a KreiTech Phone...

*His phone has no signal as well.*

Krei: We're in the middle of nowhere, its the signal's fault.

Hiro: *From Mizuchi's shoulder* No, its Bessie's fault.

Liv: Bessie?

Hiro: A meteorite that-*Pauses as he realized what he was gonna say before he changes subject.* Its nothing actually. Mind if we go talk to Krei... alone?

*Liv Amara says nothing as the three men walk off be out of earshot of Liv and Chris. But Liv merely nods at Chris to which he stealthily hides close to hear the conversation.*

Krei: What's that for? What were you gonna say?

Hiro: Bessie is a meteorite that messes up technology.

Krei: Well that's inconvenient, why hasn't someone gotten rid of it?

Hiro: Well there's this guy, he protects Bessie by pretending he's a monster called the Hybagon. His real name is Ned Ludd.

Krei: Ned Ludd? The Real estate guy? He used to be an old golf buddy of mine! He'll see things my way.

Hiro: Look, the woods changed him.

Mizuchi: And lets just say our previous encounter is less an ideal.

Krei: How much could he have changed? So where is he anyway?

Hiro: Mizuchi knows where he lives.

Mizuchi: You could say that.

*Chris then returns back to Liv Amara and whispers the info he learned, to which she gives a very ominous grin.*

*The three men head back at Krei tech where they are joined with Lois to share a glass of sparkling lemonade.*

Krei: This calls for the good stuff. Sparkling Lemonade. To the Muirahara woods. Which I officially own.

Mizuchi, Lois, and Hiro: To the woods.

Krei: Exactly.

Hiro: Huh?

Krei: To the woods! Tomorrow! I have to convince Ned Ludd to take Bessie and leave.

Hiro: Good luck with that.

Krei: Thanks, since you and Mizuchi are coming. Get some sleep, you'll need your wits in the wilderness.

Hiro; Yeah... no.

Krei: But you and Mizuchi are the only ones who knows where Ned Ludd lives. Plus Mizuchi is the only man who could wrestle a bear into submission.

Lois: And your contract has a mandatory spontaneous camping trip clause.

Mizuchi: You really come prepared don't you boss?

*At Sycorax labs, Liv and Chris.*

Liv: Well this is incredible, six months of searching and we learn from Krei's intern where that meteorite is.

Chris: What about Krei, Hermit, and the giant.

Liv: Krei and the freak will be out of the picture. Mizuchi however, is someone I'm very interested in.

Chris: So what do you propose we do to get them?

Liv: Well... lets make the hybagon legend... into reality.

Chris: Lets just hope we don't go near that place Madame Nozako told us...

Liv: Its OK, she will never know.

*The next day at the Lucky Cat, the gang are eating their breakfast as Hiro relays the news to them. Cass gets off the phone as she goes over and delivers the pancakes to them.*

Cass: I just got a great last minute catering job! But I can't leave the Lucky Cat.

Hiro; Sorry Aunt Cass, I wish I could help but I have to go to the woods with Krei, its in my contract.

Fred: Spontaneous camping trip clause? Yeah, that will get ya anytime.

Minimax: You eat like an animal.

*Fred then proceeds to eat like one while Honey Lemon and Gogo get their pancakes but its shaped like a heart.*

Cass: Still can't believe you two are a thing now! How does it feel?

Honey Lemon: It feels so wonderful! *To Hiro* And you can't bring Baymax after what Bessie did to him last time.

Cora: Not to mention the wolves...

Cass: Who's this Bessie? And what wolves?

Baymax: Bessie is not a person Aunt Cass. Bessie is a-

Hiro: operated chipmunks that are attracted to large white surfaces... they swarm.

Cora: And the wolves resided in the woods where Baymax was but they moved.

Gogo: Yeah, OK. Krei has no idea what he's doing and he's dragging you and Cora's dad into this. I'll go with you.

Cora: So am I!

Hiro: Really? Thanks Gogo, *Puts arm around Cora* And thanks babe.

Cass: *Sighs* Well I guess I should cancel my catering job.

Honey Lemon: How about the three of us run the lucky cat?

Cass: Aw that's sweet. Are you sure?

Wasabi: Absolutely!

Fred: It'll be a piece of taco.

Honey Lemon: Don't you mean cake?

Fred: I prefer tacos.

Cass: Wasabi, and Honey Lemon are for sure gonna be here right?

Honey Lemon: Yeah! And maybe Esme can join! *To Gogo* Be careful sweetie.

Gogo:... I will babe.

*Cora turns to Hiro and holds his hand tight.*

Cora: I'm bringing my book with me, just in case...

Hiro: Cora, its OK. I can take care of myself! No snakes this time K?

Cora: OK

*The two smile before they hug each other tightly. Meanwhile Nedd is conversing with Bessie*

Ned: Bessie girl, if I didn't have you I'd loose my mind! Oh! you haven't touched your sap!

Liv: Hello? Mr. Ludd?

*Nedd turns around to see Liv Amara at the top of the tree ledge. He gets up and prepares his stance.*

Nedd: Hey! Who are you?!

Liv: An eco-forward entrepreneur.

*That's when Chris lands behind Nedd to attack. Nedd spins his staff*

Nedd: Where you come from Handsome?

Chris: The world's most advanced genetic lab.

Nedd: Who is what now?

*Chris gives the go ahead and fight sign and so Nedd does, fluffing his hair for battle. He charges at Chris but the genetically enhanced guy knocks out Ned's staff and disappears.*

Nedd: Hey dum dum! You show yourself!*Picks up his staff*

Chris: Up here!

*He lands on top of his shoulders and presses the five pressure points to submit Ned to temorary paralysis.*

Liv: Thank you Chris.

*The then places the knock out sticker on Ned's neck to keep him out.*

Liv; We'll have Ned take care of Krei for us.

Chris: Will the patch work around that?

*He looks at the meteorite to suggest.*

Liv: Oh Bessie? I have plans for her.

*That is when Chris looks outside and sees smoke coming from the far distance... and what sounded like screaming.*

Chris: A fire?

Liv: Hmmm... its too far and its contained to one area. Its nothing of our concern.

*But when she stands up to walk out she steps on a glass picture. Carefully picking it up her eyes widened before she puts the photo in her pocket. This requires... further research. Meanwhile, Krei is sitting shot gun with Gogo as the driver and Hiro on the back while Mizuchi is driving his motorbike with Cora on his back.*

Krei: Its my SUV, why can't I drive?

Gogo: Because, I know these woods better than you know your own private island.

Krei: Which one? Kreitopia? or Kretucket? Or Little Hawaii?

*The car's power then went out, slowing it down as does Mizuchi, getting off the bike while he puts Cora down.*

Gogo: Looks like we're in Bessie territory. We walk from here.

Mizuchi: And I'll lead the way...

*Baymax opens the door of the café to their costumer, dressed in a cute apron.*

Baymax: Hello, welcome to the Lucky Cat Café!

Minimax: Your dining experience will be exemplary!

Customer: Oh this must be one of them robot cafes!

Esme: Not quiet good sir.

*The customer turns to see Esme in a tight white blouse and blue pencil skirt.*

Esme: Would you like to be seated?

Customer: *With red face and squeaky voice* Yes.

* Wasabi is busy sculpting a foam kitty cat while Honey Lemon delivers the orders to the other customers. Fred had drank the order Wasabi made for Number 16 sadly. When the next customer enters, Mochi leaves through the door.*

Minimax: Was the feline supposed to exit?

Honey Lemon: Oh no! Mochi!

*Honey Lemon steps outside to see Mochi being nowhere in sight.*

Honey Lemon: He's gone!

Baymax: House cats can run up to a speed of thirty miles per hour.

Wasabi: We have to find him!

Esme: OK, plan is simple; Fred, Minimax, and Baymax will go search for Mochi. Wasabi, Honey Lemon, and I will handle the café.

Fred: One hundred percent agree! We're bringing back Mochi!

Minimax: Dead or alive!

*The gang stare at Minimax.*

Fred: Lets just go with Alive for now.

*The day turns to evening as Krei, Gogo, Cora, and Hiro walk ahead with Mizuchi carrying the gear with ease. Though the two teens offered to carry some of the stuff to lighten the load, which Mizuchi appreciated.*

Mizuchi: You certainly are getting stronger Hiro.

Hiro: Oh its nothing much.

Cora: No joke, the training with Papa has been working! Did you manage to pull out the arrow too?

Hiro: Well... not really.

Mizuchi: He has yet to master Discipline and strength.

Hiro; In translation: two heavy rocks tied to my hands.

Cora: You'll get it babe.

Krei; OK, which way now you two?

Mizuchi: We're getting close.

*That is when Nedd comes walking through the woods, shuffling as if he's regaining consciousness.*

Krei: Ned! Golf buddy Hello!... you're gonna need to shave if you wanna get back in the club. Spiders are living in your beard.

Nedd: Think someone jumped on my head...

Cora: Who could've jumped Ned?

Ned: Out of nowhere... from above... handsome styled man... beautiful eyes..

Gogo: He's acting weird.

Cora: Weirder then Ned Ludd weird...

*At the tree house, Liv Amara returned back from exploring the rooms, holding a couple things in her arm. Chris had set up a box to contain the meteorite safely.*

Liv: The containment unit should cancel Bessie's disruption field.

Chris: I think its sweet he named it.

Liv: Everyone names their pets. I named you didn't I?

*She throws a cookie at him to which he catches it with mouth.*

Liv: Good boy. Now shut it.

*Chris locks the box which soon gives Liv Amara signal to activate her dastardly chip on Ned.*

Liv: Perfect.

Chris: So whatcha packed there? I doubt the hermit has anything else valuable.

Liv: He doesn't...*Pulls out photo to reveal a young Akemi with her mother standing by the sea, holding a very familiar herbal book in their hands.* But they do... the question is where are they now?

*The five stare at Nedd as he tries to recall what has happened to him.*

Ned: Show yourself.. Oh! City folks think they're so smart.

*When a piece of his hair moved Cora spots a familiar sticker on his neck and a even familiar chip within it.*

Cora: Guys! Somethings on Ned!

Krei: What a spider?

Cora: No! A chip!

Hiro: A chip?! You mean-?

*The chip activates which soon takes control of Ned Ludds body, twisting his form and making him more feral than ever before.*

Ned: What is happening?!

Krei; What is going on?!

*Finally, Ned Ludd had transformed into the very legend itself. The Hybagon.*

Krei: Please tell this isn't real!

Hiro: No its real!

Cora: 100 Percent authentic!

*The Hybagon jumps towards Krei as it howls. Mizuchi and Gogo grab a stone and throw it at the hybagon, causing the monster to focus on them.*

Gogo and Mizuchi: Run!

Mizuchi: We'll loose him in the trees! *To Hiro* Hiro! take Cora away from here and look for help!

Hiro: Got it!

*Hiro takes Cora's hand and runs faster then before as the hybagon slashes and hops through the trees. Before the Hybagon goes after the teens the monster is pinned down by Mizuchi before he pushes him off.*

Mizuchi: COME AND FACE ME YOU COWARD!

*the hybagon howls before he launches himself to Mizuchi. Hiro and Cora continue running with the group. Mizuchi slashes and bits the Hybagon, his strength pushing tenfold as he keeps him from going after the others. They rolled through the hills, hitting and bitting until Mizuchi has the hybagon pinned down. Before Mizuchi could knock him out, he notices a smell.. smoke.. and its close... He looks up and immediately his heart stops. The Hybagon uses the opportunity to kick Mizuchi in the stomach and send him down, landing with a thud and a groan, finally passing out. The four stop running and look back at the woods.*

Hiro: I think Mizuchi got him!

Hybagon:*ROAR!*

Cora: Oh no! Papa!

Hiro: Lets keep running!

Cora: But Papa!-

Hiro: Would want us to make out of these woods alive and get help!

Cora: *Worry then determination on her face* You're right Hiro!

Krei: Go left!

Gogo: No we need to go right!

*Hiro and Cora pull Krei to the left, which catches Gogo's attention.*

Gogo: Would you hurry up!-

Krei: You're going the wrong way!

*She slides down a ridge and into the river.*

Krei: Well I hate to say I told you so but I told you so!

*And so, Krei runs towards Gogo to save her.*

Krei: Cora! Once I get Gogo bring your herbal medicine book out!

*Meanwhile, Baymax put up a missing flyer for Mochi on a street post along with Fred and Minimax.*

Minimax: Are you certain that these visual notifications are the most efficient way to find the feline?

Fred: Definitely Minimax! Somebody will be able to help!

*Felony Carl then goes to Baymax, holding the missing flyer, while holding a puppy on his other hand.*

Felony Carl: Hey, I got some missing cat here.

Baymax: That is a dog.

Felony Carl: Oh wait. Here you go. * He pulls out a mouse*

Fred: What else you got?

*Hiro, Cora, and Krei run alongside the river to which she notices heads over a waterfall.*

Hiro and Cora: Gogo!

Gogo: Well this isn't good!

*Gogo tries to swim back as fast as she can while the remaining three go after her. Krei notices a thick branch and pulls it out. Gogo manages to cling to a rock while Hiro and Cora lean their way to grab Gogo's hand but the woman slips. Just then Krei slips by and holds out the branch he grabbed earlier and throws it to Gogo.*

Krei: Gogo! Grab onto this!

*Gogo catches the branch just in time as Krei holds onto it. Hiro and Cora soon pull Krei and Gogo out of the waterfall and into dry land.*

Krei: I'm so out of shape I need a new personal trainer!

Hiro; I hate this river...

Cora: I'm suddenly getting flashbacks of the river... radishes up ahead.

Krei: *To gogo* why didn't you listen to me?! Why did you go right?

Gogo: Because the opposite of anything you say usually works.

Krei; The right part of the path had lush foliage! A clear indicator of a significant body of water nearby!

*Gogo and Hiro look at Krei with surprise while Cora is impressed*

Cora: Wow... you really do know your stuff.

Krei: Yeah, I know things.

Gogo; I thought the hybagon thing was fake.

Hiro: Not anymore.

Cora: Thanks to a little chip on his neck.

Gogo: A chip on his neck?

Cora: It looked just like-

Krei: Shh... do you hear that?

*That's when they hear the howl of the hybagon.*

Gogo; OK, not fake! I get it!

*Krei gathers up mud and starts slathering himself in it.*

Hiro: Uh what are you doing?

Krei: masking my scent? Do you know anything?

*Hiro and Cora soon join in slathering themselves in mud.*

Hiro; Gogo come on!

Gogo: I'm already freezing and wet. There's absolutely no way-

*That's when the hybagon shows up in front of Gogo.*

Gogo: OK I'll just take those leaves now thank you!

*The Hybagon howls as Gogo screams like little girl and runs off. The Hybagon hops over the three covered people to give chase.* She dodges and runs to avoid the hybagon but is soon caught in his grasp. Soon enough the three come for her and Hiro jumps into action. Using the fallen tree he gets up and jumps, grabbing a large branch to swing at him, knocking him out while releasing Gogo. However the fall breaks her leg badly. The three carry Gogo to safety and out of the Hybagon's view. Cora is quick to throw mud at her face while giving a look that spoke, 'why didn't you listen?!'. The four stand still until the Hybagon goes away, loosing the scent of the speedster.*

Krei: And what did we learn about masking our scent?

Hiro: Guys... I think we're lost.

Cora: Lost in the woods...

Fred: *looking into a garbage can.*

Fred: Mochi! Where are you Mochi?!

Baymax: Here, kitty kitty.

Minimax; Show yourself calamitus cat!

Fred: If we don't find Mochi Aunt Cass is gonna freak!? Wait! Maybe we could dress up Minimax in a cat costume?! How's your purring?

Minimax: Minimaximum cat impression! Purr purr! In the name of all that is cute purr purr!

Fred:She might not buy it..Ooh! Hey Baymax! You can scan for things and stuff right?

Baymax: Yes, I can for many things and also stuff.

Fred: So why haven't we scanned for Mochi yet?!

Baymax: Scanning for Mochi. *He soon finds a match* Mochi is over there.

*Soon they all see Kage and Baymax 1, carrying Mochi in his arms as he purrs.*

Fred: Mochi!

Minimax: I will get him!

*Minimax jumps towards Kage which causes Mochi to spaz before jumping up the window vendor curtain and all the way to the top of the lamp post.*

Baymax: A fall from that height would be hazardous.

Fred: Hop on down Mochi! Pretty sure I got you out here!

*But Mochi jumps onto the top of the bus instead, being driven away from the group.*

Baymax and Baymax 1: Oh no.

*Meanwhile, Cora had just finished wrapping Gogo's leg with herbs and leaves to deal with the sting on her leg after finding that she couldn't walk.*

Gogo: My ankle is really messed up.

Cora: Lie down and get some rest Gogo.

Gogo; *To Krei* What are you doing?

Krei: Ta da!

*Krei pulls out a brace made of wood and vine.*

Hiro: Its a...

Krei; Its a walking thing I made for Gogo. Put it on.

*He throws the wood brace to Gogo which she catches it. After Cora helps Gogo put it on, the teens help her stand up... and it worked perfectly.*

Gogo: That's actually not bad. *testing the brace and finds herself able to walk* Thanks Krei.

Hiro: How do you know all this stuff?

Krei: Every summer when I was home from boarding school my parents would ship me out to fire scout camp. Who's a fire scout? I'm a fire scout! I didn't really have any friends there so I spent most of my time in nature by myself. I guess that's why I still love it out here, I don't mind that I don't have any friends. Single tier.

Cora: That's really cool!... Papa would've loved to hear that...

*When Krei sees Cora's smile fade and replaced with worry and fear that's when he realizes something important.*

Krei: Listen, first we'll look for edible berries nearby and once we gather our bearings we'll look for your father.

Cora: OK...

Krei:...Come on now, where's that smile?...

*Cora remains her melancholic face as her eyes start to water. Krei sighs as he starts patting on her head.*

Krei; I mean it. The last thing your dad wants is to see you cry.

*That is when they see something in the sky... smoke.*

Hiro; smoke?

Krei: that means other people are here!

Cora: Which means help!

*Hiro and Cora quickly pick up Gogo as Krei runs forward towards the origin of the smoke.*

Krei: Its very close! And judging from the color the fire is dying out!

Hiro; Then we better hurry!

*Krei reaches to the ledge when he stops... his posture stills. Hiro, Cora, and Gogo catch up to him only to see him stand still like a rock.*

Hiro; Krei?...

*There was no response.*

Gogo: Krei?!

*Cora walks over to Krei to wave a hand at his face, only to see his face struck with shock and horror. She turns her head and gasps as what she sees. Hiro and Gogo join to see to their horror... a completely burned out village. Krei slowly slides down along with Cora, leaving Hiro and Gogo to go the longer way down.*

Krei: Check for survivors.

*The four of them look around the remains of the village with caution, their ears open to hear any calls for help. The burnt remains of the ladder collapse, frightening Gogo and Hiro. Cora goes through a door with a missing house, searching for any voice when she looks down to see a lone, simple doll on the floor. She picks up the doll and gently holds it to her heart, realizing what had happened to its owner. Krei then spots a familiar figure, kneeling down in front of a trench.*

Krei; Mizuchi!

*The others hear Krei's voice and soon the fastest to catch up was Hiro.*

Hiro: Mizuchi! You're alive! Did you see any other people survive?

*But when he reaches there, he sees in front of Mizuchi the trench filled with the bodies of the villagers, all of them having bled out to death. He then sees a lone figure in Mizuchi's arms... an old man with a large gaping wound on his side, barely breathing.*

Hiro: Mizuchi... who's he?

*The old man focuses his eyes onto Hiro.*

Hanizuko: Mizuchi... is this... the boy your daughter... is seeing?

*Mizuchi nods solemnly. Hiro goes towards the man, his heart pounding as the man looks at him then Mizuchi.*

Hanizuko: You've really outdone yourself Mizuchi... he's a mischievous one... but with a good heart like you said... You two... and all you love... will live on despite... the dark...ness...

*The old man stops breathing all together, his eyes closing for the last time. the others arrive in time to see the man die and the bodies of the villagers. Cora then runs towards Mizuchi as he places the old man to the ground gently. Cora sobs into his body, to which Mizuchi hugs his daughter tightly back. They look at the rest and soon, without a spoken word, leave the village, using two sticks to use as a grave marker. Once they got out Krei goes to Mizuchi and slowly pats his back.*

Krei:... When we get home, I'm setting up a proper funeral for them...

*Mizuchi says nothing, but nods to show his gesture that he appreciates Krei's promise. That is when Hiro's phone... starts ringing..*

Hiro: *Reading the text* Everything is fine and Mochi isn't... lost'...

Cora: Wait! You just got a text!

*Everyone else pulls out their phone to see that they all have signal.*

Krei; Its working!

Hiro: So what happened to Bessie then?

*That's when they hear rumbling through the trees*

Cora: Uh oh.

Hiro; Definitely uh oh!

*Hiro and Cora join Gogo to help while Mizuchi stands by Krei.*

Krei: Can you guys trust me?

Gogo: Is now really the time?

*The hybagon swings close.*

Krei: Do you guys trust me?!

Hiro: Fine yes!

Krei: thank you, means a lot to me. *To Mizuchi* Mizuchi, come with me!

*soon Mizuchi and Krei leave the three alone.*

Gogo: For the record, I said I trusted you, Hiro.

*The Hybagon jumps towards the three when an SUV and a motorcycle come by and lands in front of them to protect them from the hybagon.*

Krei: I figured if our phones worked, our car would too!

*Cora, Hiro, and Gogo get inside the car while Mizuchi revs the motorbike to confuse the monster before joining Krei to escape the hybagon.*

Krei; I told you to trust me.

Gogo: Just so you know, I trusted you.

Cora: You saved our lives... thank you.

Krei: Thank you Gogo, I'm touched. And your welcome Cora.

*But what they fail to notice is that a truck just so happens to drive by and so the hybagon lands on top of it to chase after the group.

*After much convincing and screaming; Baymax, Minimax, and Fred suit up to save Mochi, with Kage on Baymax's back while Baymax one is on the ground just in case.*

Fred: Mochi!

Baymax: I have detected Mochi on the bridge.

Fred: Nice move Baymax lets go!*to Kage* Hold on man who was formerly known as Obake!

Kage: HAAAAAAA!

Minimax: Salvation is near carnivorous mammal known as mochi!

*The four land on the rope, with Kage clinging for dear life as he tries not to look down.*

Baymax: We have found Mochi. Also Hiro, also Gogo, also Cora, also Papa, also Alistair Krei.

Fred: And- THE HYBAGON! Its real!

Gogo: Wait a second, is that Baymax?

Hiro: And Fred and Minimax?

Cora: And is that Kage on his back?!

Fred: Watch out behind you!

*That's when Hiro turns around to see the hybagon on top of the truck behind them. The hybagon jumps up and lands on top of Krei's car.*

fred: Well now he's in front of you!

*Kage looks at Mizuchi as he drives near the car to reach the hybagon.*

Kage: Mizuchi what are you doing?!

Mizuchi: Not my daughter or her boyfriend or their friend or my boss you walking piece of rotten fur!

*Krei slams the breaks, allowing Mizuchi to grab the hybagon and throw him away from them. Krei gets out of the car to which the hybagon gets back up and roars. Krei stands near the teens and Gogo as Mizuchi stands the opposite side, though during the crash he had badly sprained his leg. Fred then jumps into action as he uses a wall of fire to block its path.*

Minimax: We have to shake hands foul beast!

*The Hybagon catches Minimax and throws him out over the bridge.*

Minimax: AVENGE ME!

Fred: No! For Minimax!

*Fred goes to fight off the monster.*

Fred: Mr. Hybagon, I know we're in the middle of the battle, but I gotta say I'm a huge huge fan!

*The hybagon throws Fred to the rope where Mochi is located but Minimax catches him.*

Hiro: Baymax! Rocket fist!

*Baymax takes aim with the rocket fist and soon it hits the hybagon. But the monster musters enough strength to hurl it back and hit Baymax instead.*

Baymax: Oh no.

*Baymax lands on top of the car.*

Krei: OK, if this thing eats me tell my assistant that I knew her name was Lois but every time I think that I think of Family Guy!

Cora: Really?

*But before the hybagon would slash down the heroes Mochi comes in and starts clawing at the monster's face! During the scuffle Mochi removes the sticker from the hybagon before it goes to Baymax's arms. Kage picks up the sticker before the hybagon gets back up. but when he does the monster slowly reverts back to being Ned Ludd*

Ned: What? Where in blazes am I?

Krei: You've been through a lot but your safe. With Krei.

Ned: Krei... I know a fella named Krei. Cheated at golf.

Baymax: I will scan you for injuries.

Ned: Scanned? I don't wanna get scanned by a robot!

Gogo: Well, sounds like Ned's back to normal.

*Mizuchi looks at Kage before he hugs him tightly. As Baymax scans Ned, he finds some interesting things.*

Baymax: You have sustained Minor abbresion but are other wise in good health. Would you like a lollipop?

Ned: Yes I would! *Looks at the three* What? I got a weakness for sweets.

*The three look at Krei before Hiro looks at Mizuchi and Kage.*

Hiro: Hey... I need you to help Gogo.

Cora and Mizuchi: OK. Got it.

Hiro:...That includes you Kage.

*Kage blinks before he hesitantly helps Gogo up with her leg injury and guides her to Baymax. Cora looks at Hiro walk towards Krei at the side of the bridge.*

Hiro: Hey Mr. Krei. I'm sorry I misjudged you.

Krei; I'm can't say I blame you. I know how people see me. The wildly handsome business tycoon who only understands the finer things in life!.. because he's earned them.

Hiro: I said none of-

Krei: But I want you to know that I've made a decision that Krei tech won't build in the woods.

Hiro; Wow, that's really nice of you.

Krei: Yes it is. If the woods don't exist how would tomorrow's executives impress their interns with survivalist know how?

*Krei ruffles Hiro's hair in an affectionate, fatherly way which made Hiro smile. He then turns his attention to Mizuchi and Cora, who are hugging each other tightly... and on the hug is Kage, who does not hug back but stays still. Hiro smiles at the scene. Later on the Lucly Cat Café is wrapping up.*

Honey Lemon; That would be three dollars and twenty one cents. Thank you so much! have a wonderful night!

*As the last customer leaves Wasabi and Esme finish up cleaning the café.*

Wasabi: Another tip! Today has been super easy!

Honey Lemon; And we made new friends!

*The door opens to reveal Fred carrying Mochi. With Low battery Baymax and Minimax.*

Baymax: We find the HaiRY BaBY! I LoVE hIM So mUCh!

Esme: So I'm guessing your day was-

Fred: Drained. Not as drained as them now.

Baymax: I juST realiSEd! *To Minimax* You're LikE Me! only MIni!

Minimax: Haha oH Its TRUe!

*Later on, Gogo and Hiro and Cora drive Ned back to the tree house.*

Ned: I feel like a complete dum dumm. I can't remember a lick of what happened.

Hiro; Its over and you're safe.

Cora: Whatever attacked you is long gone now. That's whats important.

Ned: You two aren't right about much kiddos...Wait a second! Why isn't Bessie stopping your vechicular thing!

*Ned leaps out of the car and into the tree.*

Cora: Look, its a transneural patch. and it looks exactly like the one Liv Amara sponsored.

Gogo: You're saying Liv amara turned Nedd into a monster?

Hiro; But what for?

Hybagon: Bessie's gone!

Cora: I think... we just our answer.

*Back at Sycorax, the meteorite is at the lowest level.*

Chris: OK, the stolen rock is floating... now what?

Liv: I'm thinking... makeover!.

*She types over her code to the meteorite and soon causes it to break and show its inner most parts.*

Liv: Ooh. Pretty. But when I'm done with you Bessie, you'll be beautiful.

*As of while, Nozako sips her tea as she looks out her window, looking over the recording of the village's destruction as its screams rang loudly.*

Nozako: This is what happens... when someone decides to trick the Madame.

*Soon the flag in the video is planted, with the symbol of the crustacean scorpion hybrid burning through the sky.*

A.N: and that's Muira Horror! Your thoughts? Love you guys!

5 notes · View notes

lessawildmoon · 6 years

Text

Together - Prologue & Chapter 1

Title: Together

Summary: Emma and Graham escaped Neverland to Emma’s world together as teenagers and despite being separated, they later managed to find each other and build a life together. So what happens when her biggest secret from their time apart knocks on their door?

Pairings: Gremma and Snowing

Rating: T

Notes: This is a S1 AU that was plotted and planned during 3a. I may incorporate some later canon, but I also may ignore later canon that does not fit. Also, as I usually only post complete fic, here’s your warning that this is WIP.

Beta thanks to @arianakristine

AO3

Prologue

Neverland

“You are powerful. Maybe even more powerful than Pan.”

“Run”

The boy followed the girl’s demand and they tore a path through the jungle. It was not long before they heard the sounds of a chase behind them. Desperate to outrun their pursuers, they ran even faster. As she looked back to see how close they were her foot caught and suddenly she was falling, her momentum pushing her towards a patch of dreamshade.

“Emma!” He dashed forward impossibly faster to catch her, his arm coming round her waist and pulling her back. Their relief at her close call was quickly interrupted by the arrow flying past her head, close enough to make her wince as a couple of hairs were caught and pulled out. They started running again.

“Take this. I used it to open the portal I used to get here.”

“Where are we going? We cannot run forever.” They boy asked as they waded through a shallow stream, the water feeling like ice as it soaked into their clothes, Pan’s anger turning the island against them.

“Dead Man’s Peak. I have a way to get us out of here.” She smiled brilliantly at him despite the cold.

“But Tink, how will you get home?”

They did not stop as they reached the base of the cliffs, starting to climb immediately. Ignoring the way the rocks tore at their hands they threw themselves up the sheer face as fast as they could.

“The spring at the top is the source of Neverland’s magic. If we can get there I should be able to open a portal back to my world.”

“Nevermind that. You need to leave before he kills one, or both, of you. You’ll need the pixie dust to make it work.”

“Graham!” Hanging on to the cliff with one hand she swung herself over towards him to pull him out of the way of another arrow fired at them. He scrambled to regain his footing before they resumed their treacherous climb.

They pulled themselves over the ledge when they got to the top, and took a moment in relative safety to catch their breaths.

“Here love, it’s the last of what we stole, so make it count.”

On the move again, they raced to the entrance to the spring. Emma made quick work of the dreamshade barring them entrance and they dashed inside before the magical plant could block them again.

What little light there was sparkled over the spring as it flowed down over jagged rocks into a small pool. The boy looked at her, “What now?”

“Sprinkle the dust on the charm, hold it under the spring and believe; and you will get home.”

She was holding the dust infused pendant under the spring but nothing was happening and she looked back to her companion in fear. He reached for her hand and lacing their fingers together brought her hand up to lay a gentle kiss on it.

“You can do it. I believe in you.”

The whole cave shook as a swirling green portal opened in front of them and they looked at each other and smiled. Hands still laced together, they jumped.

“Now get a move on and go rescue your lad.”

Chapter 1

Boston – 15 Years Later

Graham had been waiting for his wife to get home and was already halfway to their front door when Emma virtually stumbled through. She stopped and sighed in relief when she stepped out of her shoes. Their home was not large, in fact Emma had called it a ‘glorified cabin’ when he had first brought her to see it. The main room combined both living space and kitchen and there were only two other doors, one that led to their bed chamber and bathroom, and the other to the small room they used as an office. But she had agreed to buy it anyway and had soon fallen in love with it as much as he had. He took the last couple of steps needed to be in front of her so he could welcome her home.

“You know, I still don’t get why you wear those.” One of the many things he did not understand about this world was the weird footwear that the women chose to wear. She still was not completely stable on her feet so he moved to steady her and then pulled her in for a gentle, but lingering, kiss. When he pulled away he smiled and continued, “It’s not like you need them.”

“You’re my husband; you’re contractually obliged to find me attractive regardless of what I wear.”

“Lucky that’s not hard, then.” He could tell she wanted to tease him for being corny, even though he knew that she actually didn't mind it as much she claimed she did. He had moved his hand round to her back when he felt her tense and he knew she had caught sight of the cake on the counter.

“Graham.” She tried to give him a disapproving look and pulled away to put her hands on her hips. But he had won this argument every year for the past 5 years so he ignored her reaction as he led her over to their kitchen. He had picked up her favourite chocolate cake, not above appealing to her sweet tooth to get his way.

“I know you are not much one for birthdays but I happen to think the anniversary of your birth warrants a little celebration, so humour me.” He pulled a blue candle shaped like a star out of the packet he had bought and put it on the cake before striking a match to light it and pushing the cake towards her. “Now make a wish.”

Emma closed her eyes, and for a moment he swore he could see what he could only describe as heartbreak on her face but it disappeared so fast he figured he must have been mistaken. She blew out the candle and opened her eyes.

“Satisfied?” She drawled suggestively as she trailed a finger through the thick icing and fixing him with a long sultry look, licked it clean, humming in appreciation. He swallowed a groan as he realised that just because he had won this battle it did not mean she was done fighting.

“For the moment.” He curved his hands around her hips to pull her in for a kiss when there was a knock on the door. He looked at Emma, puzzled, “Are you expecting someone?”

“No.” Living as far out of the way as they did, they did not really get many random visitors. She brushed her lips against his in a tease of a kiss before heading for the door. “Hold that thought.”

He watched as she put a bit of extra sway into her hips as she walked towards the door. He smiled, still not sure how he had gotten quite so lucky as to have this amazing woman agree to be his mate.

He was surprised to hear it was a child at the door and even more so when he heard him claim to be Emma’s son and was about to join her when the boy pushed his way into their home.

“Whoa Hey, kid! Kid! Kid! I don’t have a son! Where are your parents?” Emma followed him trying to get his attention and he turned back to face her once he reached the middle of their living space.

“Ten years ago. Did you give up a baby for adoption?” The lad was looking earnestly up at her, so focused on Emma that Graham doubted he had even noticed him standing there.

Graham waited for Emma to deny it, but when she looked at him and he saw the blood drain from her face and the shock melt into guilt, he felt something inside him break as he realised she had lied to him, been lying to him, for years. Her gaze was darting between him and the lad but he could not take his eyes off her. He stood deathly still unable to move, barely able to breath, as the knowledge of her betrayal spread through him. Suddenly unable to stay in that room a moment longer he quickly turned and strode into their bedroom, needing to get away from her before he either did something he would regret or broke down.

Being in the room they shared wasn’t any less painful, his eyes darting from the pile of clothes she had left on the bed and he had carefully folded earlier, to her favourite red leather jacket before finally landing on the wedding photo beside their bed. They had been so happy. After so long they had both all but given up hope of being reunited, and to stumble across each other completely by chance had seemed like a miracle, or fate. She had shared his bed that same night and they had wed within a month. He felt the shock and betrayal slowly give way to anger and he felt his fists clench and knew he should try to calm down but at least the anger was better than the pain and he wished he had headed out of the house, he always felt better out in the woods.

A moment later Emma entered and closed the door before leaning against it and gasping in several deep breaths in quick succession. Part of him, seeing her panicking, just wanted to pull her into his arms and comfort her, but that was squashed by the part of him that wanted to hurt her the way she had hurt him. She had been able to tell him all about how she had been betrayed and abandoned by her former lover. She had told him about being imprisoned for his crimes. But somehow mentioning the fact she was pregnant at the time had not been important enough for her to tell him.

“Something you want to tell me?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Emma’s eyes shot up to his and she stepped forward and looked at him pleadingly.

“Graham, I know you’re pissed at me and you have every right to be pissed. But is there any chance we could postpone this fight until we have dealt with the 10 year old in our living room?”

It was the desperation in her voice that swayed him. And she was right, dealing with the boy, who was shouting something about juice from the main room, was more important for the moment. So he took all the hurt and fury and shoved it down behind the impenetrable mask he had not needed with her since Neverland and asked, “What did he say his name was?”

Emma sighed in relief at his tacit agreement. “Henry, apparently.”

“Well, let’s go deal with Henry.” He opened the door for her and he saw her take a deep breath and brace herself before walking through.

“You know, we should probably get going.” Henry said as soon as Emma walked back in. He seemed to have had no problem making himself at home in their kitchen and shared Emma’s habit of drinking straight out of the container.

“Going where?” Graham asked.

It appeared the boy hadn’t noticed him earlier because his question seemed to take him by surprise and he asked, “Who are you?”

“He’s my husband, Graham.”

“You’re married?”

“Yeah, kid.”

“Is…” Henry’s eyes had shot to Graham and it was the first time since entering their home he had given more than a cursory glance to anything other than Emma.

“No, that was before we were together.” Emma was quick to cut him off and he could hear the small thread of regret in her voice that she was trying to hide. He was struck suddenly by the thought of what could have been, if things had been different, if they had not been separated. This could have been their child.

“Oh. I suppose he can come too.” Henry said after a moment and he wasn’t sure whether or not the disappointment he heard was just wishful thinking or not.

“Come where?” Emma asked and he could sense the frustration in her and shared it himself. He was trying not to be angry at the boy who had stormed into their lives and disrupted their evening, but it was not easy.

“I want you to come home with me.”

Did he really think it was that simple, that Emma would just leave with him? But then Graham supposed the lad really was not lacking in confidence, he had come all the way put here to knock on their door. Maybe it wasn’t so surprising he thought Emma would just follow him.

“Okay, kid. I’m calling the cops.”

“Then I’ll tell them you kidnapped me.”

That worried him, Emma had a record and it would be all too easy for the police to believe Henry. Particularly, as Henry was pointing out, given she was his birth mother.

“You’re not going to do that.” Emma said after giving him a long look and Graham was glad she was so confident, because we was not.

“Try me.”

“You’re pretty good. But here’s the thing – there’s not a lot I’m great at in life. I have one skill. Let’s call it a superpower. I can tell when anyone is lying and you, kid, are.”

Usually he would have said something about her habit of putting herself down as it always pissed him off, but his annoyance was swallowed by the knot of darker emotions he was trying to keep under control.

“Wait… Please don’t call the cops. Please, come home with me.” Henry seemed desperate for her to agree and was looking up at her with a wide eyed innocent look that he recognised and for the first time he could really see Emma in the lad.

He could tell that Emma was weakening and resigned himself to spending the night getting the boy home.

“Where’s home?” Emma asked.

“Storybrooke, Maine.”

“Storybrooke? Seriously?”

Henry nodded. When Emma looked over at him, Graham just inclined his head, letting her know it was her call.

“Alrighty, then. Let’s get you back to Storybrooke.” Emma headed back towards the bedroom. “Just let me get changed first.”

She closed the door behind her, leaving him alone with her son.

“So, how long have you been married to my Mom?”

“Six years.” He wasn’t sure what to say. He was not good and idle conversation at the best of times, and this certainly didn't qualify.

“Cool.” He looked around curiously. “Do you two have any kids yet?”

“No.” Every time he had brought up the possibility of a child she had brushed it off or changed the subject. He had always thought it was because she doubted their ability as parents, never having had their own. But he was starting to suspect this boy might be the real reason Emma had been so reluctant to think about starting a family with him and he wasn’t sure how to handle that.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself that it wasn’t the lad’s-- no Henry, he must start thinking of him as Henry-- it wasn’t Henry’s fault. No, the fault lay firmly with his mate.

They sat in silence until Emma returned dressed in her normal clothes and red leather jacket carrying a couple of bags. When he gave her a quizzical look, she said, “It’s a long drive, I packed us overnight bags just in case.”

He grabbed his own leather jacket and ushered mother and son out to his 4x4. Emma didn't even try to argue about who was going to drive, just got in the passenger side without a word. He wasn’t sure if that made him more or less angry, so he just started the car and got them on their way.

*~*~*

Emma sat looking fixedly out of the card window, her body tense, determinedly not looking at either her husband or the kid in the back seat. They had barely been on the road half an hour when the kid said he was hungry and asked if they could stop. Emma rolled her eyes, “This is not a road trip. We’re not stopping for snacks.”

“Why not?”

“Quit complaining, kid. Remember – we could have put your butt on a bus. We still could.”

“You know, I have a name? It’s Henry.”

Yeah, she knew, but as long as she called him kid she could pretend that this was all some big misunderstanding and she would be able to get back to her life once they dropped him off. Or nightmare, she would take a nightmare.

She noticed he was reading an odd looking book. It seemed to be nearly as big as he was, bound in brown leather with wear showing on the spine and edges, even if the pages seemed in good condition, and it had ‘Once Upon a Time’ in gold leaf on the cover inside some kind of decorative border. “What’s that?”

“I’m not sure you’re ready,” he said like it was some big secret. God, that kid was irritating.

“I’m not ready for some fairy tales?” She raised and eyebrow at him, giving him her best ‘you have got to be kidding’ look. If the kid only knew...she wondered if Pan was in that book and if so, how badly mangled this version was.

“They’re not fairy tales. They’re true. Every story in this book actually happened.”

At that, she and Graham exchanged a look. They knew that at least some fairy tales were real, but there’s no way the kid could know that, right?

“Of course they did.”

“Use your superpower. See if I’m lying.” He wasn’t but just because he believed it, didn’t make it true-- at least in this realm-- and she told him so.

“That’s exactly what makes it true. You should know more than anyone.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because you’re in this book.”

OK, now she knew the kid was nuts. ‘Cause she wasn’t from some fairy tale. She was from this world, that was about the only thing about her origins she did know. Graham on the other hand…

“Oh, kid. You’ve got problems.”

“Yep. And you’re going to fix them.”

*~*~*

Graham pulled them to stop in the middle of Storybrooke. The drive had been tense. Henry had been enough of a buffer to stop them from out and out fighting, but the tension between them did not make for a pleasant trip.

“Okay, kid. How about an address?” Emma asked.

“Forty-four Not Telling You street.”

If the lad wanted to win Emma over, he was going at it completely the wrong way. At this rate she was more likely to strangle him.

She stormed out of the car and Henry followed. While they talked, he stayed in the car but looked around. He could see a sign for ‘Granny’s Bed and Breakfast’ and made a note of where it was. It was getting late and it had been a long drive. He really didn't want to have to try and drive all the way back home tonight, this time without a buffer. And staying at an inn that probably had thin walls was as good an excuse as any to put off the fight a little longer. He wanted more time to deal with this before they had it out.

Emma and Henry climbed back in the car and she pointed up the road. “We’re looking for Miflin Street, the biggest house. Apparently he’s the mayor’s kid.”

Wonderful, if the situation wasn’t complicated enough as it was

*~*~*

Emma looked up at the house and compared it to the one room glorified closet she had called home after her release. This was what she had wanted for him, something better than she could have offered.

Graham was waiting in the car. She couldn’t believe how great he was being so far. But the fight was coming and she just hoped they survived, ‘cause this just proved how lucky she was.

“Please don’t take me back there,” Henry begged, returning her attention to him.

“I have to. I’m sure your parents are worried sick about you.”

“I don’t have parents. Just a mom and she’s evil.”

“Evil? That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?” She’d paid close attention to him the entire trip. He didn’t show any signs of injury and he hadn’t flinched or cowered when she’d snapped at him. She was pretty sure he wasn’t being abused.

“She is. She doesn’t love me. She only pretends to.” But of course abuse was not the only bad thing that could happen to a kid. She knew only too well the pain of growing up knowing that the people looking after you didn’t really care about you.

“Kid…I’m sure that’s not true.” She had to believe that. ‘Cause if it wasn’t, she would never forgive herself.

Emma looked around as the doors were thrown open and a well-dressed dark haired woman rushed out. Behind her was a dark skinned man in a sheriff’s uniform.

“Henry! Henry… Are you okay? Where have you been? What happened?”

“I found my real mom.”

Emma winced in sympathy at that one herself as the kid rushed into the house.

“Y-you’re Henry’s birth mother?” Her voice was slightly shaky and Emma could see the way she had paled at finding out who she was.

“Hi…” She wasn’t really sure what the correct thing to do in this situation was. She felt bad for intruding on the woman’s life like this but part of her still wanted find out more about the woman who had adopted her- the kid.

“I’ll just go check on the boy. Make sure he’s alright.” The man she assumed must be the sheriff said, following after him.

The mayor seemed to pull herself together from her shock in a way Emma couldn’t help but envy, and asked, “How would like a glass of the best apple cider you’ve ever tasted?”

“Got anything stronger?” ‘Cause once we’ve finished what I’m sure is going to be a really awkward conversation, I’m going to have to go explain to my husband why I have been lying to him for the last 6 years. The only reason she was still here instead of making her excuses and leaving was that a stilted conversation with the woman who adopted the kid she gave up was preferable to a fight with Graham.

The mayor, who had introduced herself as Regina Mills as she led Emma into the house, poured them both a drink.

“How did he find me?” Emma asked.

“No idea,” Regina replied. “When I adopted him, he was only three weeks old. Records were sealed. I was told the birth mother didn’t want to have any contact.”

“You were told right.” Yeah, ‘cause this was really not a situation she had ever wanted to find herself in. She’d just wanted to put that chapter of her life behind her and try to forget.

When Regina predictably asked about the father all she said was that there was one, Neal was not a subject she wanted to get into with this woman.

“Do I need to be worried about him?”

“Nope. He doesn’t even know.” And never will if she had anything to say about it. Particularly as, assuming he didn’t give up on her after this, she didn't think Graham was going to be any less inclined to kill the man after he heard the rest of the story.

“Do I need to be worried about you, Miss Hunter?” She considered correcting the mayor about her marital status but decided that was more detail than she really wanted to get into.

“Absolutely not.” No, she was going to get the hell out of here as quickly as possible and hope she could somehow salvage her marriage.

The sheriff came back down the stairs. “Madam Mayor, don’t worry. Other than being a little tired, Henry’s fine.”

“Thank you, Sheriff.” Regina turned to Emma. “Miss Hunter, this is Storybrooke’s Sheriff, Sydney Glass.”

“Nice to meet you.” Glass said.

“You, too.” She hoped the sentiment didn’t actually sound as fake as it felt like it did.

The sheriff left and Regina ushered her into another room and offered her a seat which she took gratefully. It had been a long day even before the kid showed up on her doorstep.

“I’m sorry he dragged you out of your life. I really don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

“Kid’s having a rough time. It happens.” She’d run away enough times, if never from a place like this.

“You have to understand. Ever since I became mayor, balancing things has been tricky. You have a job, I assume?”

“Uh, I keep busy, yeah.”

“Imagine having another one on top of it. That’s being a single mom. So I push for order. Am I strict? I suppose. But I do it for his own good. I want Henry to excel in life. I don’t think that makes me evil, do you?”

“No.” A little high strung maybe, but this life seemed to be pretty much what she had hoped for. She was really trying to tamp down the part of her that was ringing alarm bells. Regina seemed every bit the concerned parent, but something made her not mention Henry’s curse theory anyway. “You know what, it’s a long way home and I think I have taken up too much of your time as it is.”

She stood up and downed the rest of her drink. “I’m sure you want to check up on him anyway, so I’ll get out of your hair.”

She all but dashed out of the house but paused when she got halfway down the path. She looked back. She saw the kid in the window looking down at her before he turned around and disappeared from her sight. She took a deep breath, reminded herself that this was what she wanted, and turned to walk back to the car.

She climbed back into the passenger seat and closed the door, did up her seatbelt and basically did everything she could to put off looking at her husband. But she couldn’t put it off forever and when she did look up she was surprised to see concern in his eyes. He was obviously still mad at her, but seeing that did give her hope. She also noticed he had been flicking through the kid’s book.

“So he thinks the entire town are fairy tale characters who his mother cursed to forget who they are.” That seemed the safer topic for the moment.

“I think he left the book on purpose for you.”

“We should probably return it,” she said reluctantly looking back towards the mayor’s front door. She knew they wouldn’t now, the last thing she wanted to do was head back into that house, she’d ship it back to him if necessary.

“No, I want to read it a bit more first.” Her gaze snapped back to him, that was his ‘I think I’ve found something’ voice.

“You aren’t seriously thinking he might be right are you?”

“I don't know. But I have read enough to see these stories are probably closer to the truth than any we’ve seen in this world. And Regina was the name of the evil queen Tinkerbell was banished for trying to help.”

“Really?” She’d never heard the full story, but he’d spent much more time with her than she had. It would be a bit of a weird coincidence. And to be honest, she really could see Regina as a fairy tale villain, there was just something about her.

“Snow White’s stepmother.” He handed her the book and started the car. “I saw a B&B earlier; hopefully we can get a room.”

“Do we really want to stay the night?” She so wanted to put this town behind her.

“Do you really want to drive all the way back home tonight?” She could hear the edge in his voice and knew he wasn’t just talking about the drive.

“No, you’re right.” Yeah, let’s try not making things any worse for once.

They got to the inn. It seemed this town had remarkably little tourism, as the innkeeper had to literally blow dust off the books and she gave them a free upgrade. The surprise at having guests even seemed to distract her from the fact that Graham was staring at her. Emma gave him a nudge once they were checked in and they headed up to their room. At least he hadn’t been staring at the girl dressed like a stripper.

“So what’s with the staring at the poor woman down there?” she asked as soon as the door shut behind them. “Don’t worry, I don’t think she noticed.”

“I think I know her. I pretty sure that was the Widow Lucas, which would make the girl her granddaughter, Red. I traded with them a few times while I was near their farm. Granny would always make me come in and eat a hot meal if she saw me.” Emma didn't know what to say. “Emma, I really think Henry might be right. That this town is the people from my world cursed here.”

“Graham.” She paused, not sure what she was thinking. It sounded crazy, but then so would believing in Neverland and she knew that was real. And Graham was the one person she knew she could trust. If he thought it was real, then…

She sat down on the bed and started flicking through the book. She came to stop on a page right at the end with a picture of a fair haired man putting a baby into some kind of cupboard. But that wasn’t what had caught her eye and made her freeze. Graham sat down beside her and looked over her shoulder at the book and saw what she did. The baby was wrapped in a blanket, but not just any blanket, a baby blanket them were both very familiar with.

#Gremma #gremma appreciation #ouat ff #Emma Swan #Sheriff Graham #Once Upon a Time #my fic #fic:Together

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emeraldwaves · 7 years

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Title: Brighter than the Stars in the Sky Pairing: TodoMomo Harry Potter Yule Ball AU Rating: T Word Count: 4,361

AO3

Written for my most lovely bestie/beta @its-love-u-asshole We did a private exchange and she asked for TodoMomo HP AU! I had so much fun with this, and I love you so so much. Thank you for putting up with my bullcrap and constantly reading all the shit i send at youuuu <3

Full fic under the cut!

A date. Todoroki Shouto had never been on a date, and now he needed one. Unfortunately. He wasn't the best at talking to girls. Hell, he wasn't the best at talking to anyone, and being the champion, (well, one of them) had brought him so much unwanted attention; Todoroki had been nothing but incredibly overwhelmed for the past few months.

The Yule Ball was to be held on Christmas night, and as one of the champions of Hogwarts, Todoroki was apparently required to bring a date. But Todoroki could count on one hand the amount of girls he talked to, and he couldn't imagine asking any of them. Not because they didn't appeal to him but more so because he'd never thought about asking anyone out on any sort of romantic date.

He supposed the Yule Ball didn't have to be a romantic thing, but he was convinced any girl he asked at this point would immediately take it as such.

Ever since he'd become the champion, no one had looked at him the same. Everyone suddenly wanted to be his friend, everyone loved him, (minus those who were angry a Slytherin had been chosen). No one had looked at Midoriya the same either, but for very different reasons.

The Goblet of Fire had spit out Midoriya's name after the other three champions had been pick. Bakugou Katsuki from Durmstrang, Jirou Kyouka from Beauxbatons, and finally Todoroki Shouto and Midoriya Izuku from Hogwarts. Having four champions was absolutely unheard of, and Midoriya claimed to not have put his name in, but Headmaster Nezu had cleared it saying they had no other choice, the Goblet had chosen.

Todoroki was, of course, honored to be picked as one of the champions for Hogwarts. His father had been beyond proud too, though he was also murderously angry about the fact that there had been two champions picked. "A pure-blooded wizard from the Todoroki family should be the only champion! The winner!" His voice had boomed out of the letter he had sent, and Todoroki was rather embarrassed when some of his classmates had stared at him, but he was mostly embarrassed Midoriya had heard, the green-haired boy sitting across from him at lunch.

"Sorry..." he'd muttered apologetically to Midoriya, who'd waved his hands about frantically and said it was not a problem.

A small smile had curled up on Todoroki's lips. Midoriya was such a kind person, far too nice for someone who had had such a difficult life. The Gryffindor was used to people looking at him oddly; A mudblood, with incredible potential for magical power, the green-haired boy had run into some trouble here and there. And now, people had even more of a reason to look at him.

"It's not as if you can control what your Dad says!" he'd chuckled. "You're nothing like him, Todoroki, I know that."

Todoroki had purposefully done everything in his power to be nothing like his father. He'd heard the Sorting Hat could sometimes be forgiving about houses, and he'd wanted nothing more than to be in a different house besides Slytherin. However, he'd never even been given the chance to talk to the hat, as it had barely gone on his head before calling out: "SLYTHERIN!"

And so a Slytherin he was. Though he mostly spent his time with three Gryffindors, Midoriya Izuku, Uraraka Ochako and Tenya Iida. They were nice people, and Todoroki much preferred speaking to them, rather than the petty and somewhat snobby Slytherins. Though often times the three of them were the ones that did all the talking. Todoroki enjoyed listening more anyway.

"Yeah," Todoroki muttered, still feeling guilty Midoriya had heard such a horrible message. He already seemed so nervous about the whole situation, Todoroki was sure he had only made it worse.

And Todoroki had originally thought nothing would be worse than the Tasks themselves. So far, they'd only had to complete one of three Tasks, and one really had been enough. A fight against dragons, they were supposed to avoid getting hurt, and capture a golden egg, which had been carefully placed directly behind said dragon.

Midoriya had almost died when his broom had 'malfunctioned'. He'd completely lost control, crashing to the ground, which in-turn had caused him to break both of his arms. He'd somehow managed to snatch the egg, but Todoroki silently wondered at what cost. The green-haired boy had never been very talented at flying. Todoroki recalled their first flying class where Midoriya had taken almost the entire semester just to get off the damn ground.

Bakugou, the champion from Durmstrang, had fought the dragon by fighting fire with fire, and had used some sort of spell to allow himself to breathe fire. He'd been obnoxious about it, screaming directly in the dragon’s face, and Todoroki thought it a wonder the creature hadn't bit his head right off. He'd gotten the egg within record time though, which of course, made him brag about how he was the best champion, and the obvious soon-to-be winner of the Triwizard Tournament.

"Better than that shitty fake champion, Deku!" He'd spat, storming out of the tent after he'd finished his Task. Todoroki was unsure of where the nickname Deku had come from, but Bakugou had taken to calling Midoriya that for the time being, and as much as Todoroki appreciated Midoriya, he really did not want to get involved with Bakugou. The guy was annoying, and unfortunately, he'd come away unscathed from his dragon battle.

The only female champion, Kyouka from Beauxbaton, had barely even used a spell to quell her dragon. Using whips infused with magical electricity, she had wrapped its mouth shut, and wrapped its legs and wings together, easily avoiding it, though it had taken her longer than Bakugou to do so.

Todoroki had used his signature ice spell, freezing his dragon's feet to the ground, making it next to impossible for the creature to move. Originally he had thought to freeze it's mouth, but he knew it would be impossible to keep it frozen shut if the dragon used any of its fire. Keeping it frozen to the ground had only worked for so long though, because the moment it had begun to thaw, the dragon had broken free.

After narrowly avoiding claw swipes, and fire breath, Todoroki had managed to grab his egg, revealing the next Task would somehow involve water.

Something Todorooki was really not looking forward to.

Admittedly though, he was currently much more concerned about this whole Yule Ball, and who exactly he was going to bring. He really had thought nothing would be more terrifying than the Tasks they were given for the Tournament. And yet, the thought of asking some girl to a dance was horrifying in its own right.

"Have you thought about who you want to ask?" Midoriya asked that morning. He and Todoroki had met for breakfast as they normally did. They had Defense Against the Dark Arts together in the morning, so they would usually meet for food and then walk to class together.

"Hm..." Todoroki mumbled. "No." He didn't want to ask anyone quite frankly. He hated the idea of having to dance with someone and the thought of having to actually talk and entertain someone for an entire night felt exhausting. "You?" he asked shooting the question back to Midroiya.

"Mm..." Midoriya mumbled. "I was thinking about maybe asking Uraraka?"

Todoroki nodded. "Makes sense." He'd known about Midoriya's crush on the girl for quite some time now, if only because Midoriya was ridiculously obvious.

"I, uh, hope she'll say yes! I think she'd look cute in a dress," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. Admittedly, Todoroki thought they'd both look pretty darn cute together.

He'd left Midoriya after Defense Against the Dark Arts class and wished him luck with Uraraka. He had Potions next and when he arrived at the classroom, he noticed his partner was already there, which was absolutely no surprise. Her dark hair flipped up in the back of her head, fanning out like a wave, and he could see she was already hard at work. The Ravenclaw, Yaoyorozu Momo was probably one of the smartest girls in their class, and he was lucky to have her for a partner in Potions.

"Good morning, Yaoyorozu," he said softly, taking his place next to her as he watched her set up the cauldron. "Can I help?"

"Ah! Good morning, Todoroki!" she smiled, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. "No, I, uh, got here a little early so I'm basically done. Don't worry about it!" Her smile was wide, infectious, and she had a way of getting their work done so efficiently. Todoroki was always impressed by her. He even felt a little guilty for not being able to help more.

"Well, thank you," he said, nodding his head to her.

"Y-You're welcome!" she said. "Sorry, I hope you don't think I'm overstepping any boundaries. I mean I know we're supposed to set up together, but since I got here early I just figured-"

Todoroki rest his hand on her shoulder. "Yaoyorozu, it's fine. I don't mind." She was often a little jumpy and anxious, but he had no problem reminding her she was fine as she was.

"Okay, yeah. I promise I did everything correctly," she said, smoothing her thin fingers over the page of their textbook.

"I trust you," he mumbled, and suddenly he felt his cheeks grow red. The potions master stepped into the room and began to instruct the class, but Todoroki, with his newfound revelation, was having the hardest time focusing.

He did trust Yaoyorozu. He trusted her a lot. Actually she was one of the only girls he actively talked to, and spent time with, as they had spent quite a great deal of time studying outside of class together. They usually didn't talk much while studying, or rather, he allowed her to do most of the talking, but he enjoyed her presence nonetheless. Plus, she was one of the only people who had treated him exactly the same after he'd become the champion.

"Congratulations on becoming the champion!" she had said when they had been studying together, the day after he’d been chosen.

"Thanks," he'd mumbled, not taking his eyes off of the book.

"Not...excited?" she asked, and Todoroki shrugged. "Why did you put your name in then?"

It had been a legitimate question, and Todoroki didn't have the best of answers, though deep down he knew he wanted to prove he could be better than his father, do something amazing, completely separate from him.

"I guess...I wanted to prove myself," he had muttered to her finally.

"I can understand that," she'd whispered, and from the way sadness flickered across her eyes, Todoroki could tell she probably wasn't lying, and she'd probably put her own name in, sad she hadn't been chosen. However, Todoroki had found himself feeling a little relieved. If he had had to watch Yaoyorozu do those challenges...he wasn't sure he could've handled that level of stress.

"Well I think you're going to be great!" she had smiled, pulling Todoroki from his thoughts. "I'm rooting for you."

The memory was such a positive one, and though they were in completely different houses, with completely different friends, Todoroki had always felt a strong connection to Yaoyorozu. And it was then that the answer to his problem seemed so ridiculously clear, he wondered why he hadn't thought of it earlier.

"Yaoyorozu!" he said, speaking without thinking, as the teacher was still lecturing.

"E-Eh? Todoroki?" she whispered.

"Uh, sorry, I just, uh," he whispered back, regretting his stupid brain’s inability to stop him from speaking out randomly.

"Mr. Todoroki," the teacher's voice boomed. "What is so important that you feel the need to speak out of turn in my classroom? If you have something to say to Yaoyorozu that simply cannot wait, then go on, please share with the class."

Todoroki felt his cheeks heat up. He really hadn't meant to yell out her name, it had just slipped out! And he was so damn awkward he had no idea how the hell he was going to get out of this situation now.

There was only one way out he could envision.

"Actually," he said, sucking in a deep breath through his nose. "I wanted to ask Yaoyorozu to come to the Yule Ball with me. She's the only girl I could imagine going with."

The whole class went dead silent, a few girls gasping at the blunt proclamation. Sweat was dripping down his brow, and he was terrified to look next him and see what Yaoyorozu's face would look like.

"Well then," the teacher scoffed. "I believe it best something like that wait until after class. Please think before you interrupt!" she scolded, and Todoroki waited for her to take points from Slytherin, though thankfully she didn't.

He kept his eyes forward, still too terrified to look at Yaoyorozu. He couldn't believe he had done that, in front of the class no less. But while he internally panicked, he felt a small piece of paper press up against his hand. Flicking his gaze to the side, he saw Yaoyorozu staring down at their cauldron so pointedly, it was obvious she too was purposefully trying not to look at him. Her cheeks were bright red, and she looked so nervous and cute. Todoroki was honestly dumbfounded he hadn’t thought to ask her sooner.

Opening the small note she had passed him, the only thing written on it was the word, 'Yes'.

On Christmas Day it snowed, but the castle felt warmer than usual, or maybe it was the excitement Todoroki felt. He had not expected to be excited, actually he had expected to wake up on Christmas morning filled with dread for the horrible dance, but he found he wasn't disappointed to be spending the evening with Yaoyorozu.

The champions and their dates were supposed to meet ahead of time, as they were involved in a procession into the room, and Todoroki could feel his heart pounding faster and faster as he slowly got himself dressed in his dress robes. He'd smoothed a part of his hair back, and adjusted his tie so many times, he was sure he was going to make himself choke.

As the evening drew closer and closer, he realized he was growing more nervous rather than excited. What the hell was he supposed to do? He wasn't a good dancer, and Yaoyorozu was probably going to think he looked foolish out there on the dance floor when it was just the small group of them.

"Happy Christmas, Todoroki!" Midoriya's cheerful voice cut through the silence, and Todoroki jumped, startled by the noise. He actually hadn't realized he'd made it to the meeting point outside ballroom, he'd been so lost in his thoughts.

"Ah, Happy Christmas, Midoriya," he said, bowing his head.

"Who did you end up inviting? You never told me!" Midoriya smiled, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

Todoroki felt his cheeks heat up, just thinking about her again. There was no way Yaoyorozu Momo wasn't going to look absolutely stunning, and there was no way Todoroki would be able to talk to her. (Even though he did talk to her practically everyday).

"Ah, I invited Yaoyorozu Momo, you know the Ravenclaw in our year?" he said.

Midoriya's eyes widened. "Really?! Wow! Yaoyorozu is so beautiful! I bet you guys will look great together!" he smiled.

"Heh, thanks..." Todoroki muttered, scratching at his cheek. Surely Yaoyorozu would look good, but he doubted he would look like anything good compared to her. "Did you invite Uraraka?" he asked, immediately changing the subject. The more he thought about Yaoyorozu, the more he felt like he was going to throw up. Which he assumed would be highly un-champion-like.

Pursing his lips, Midoriya looked down as he rubbed his hands together. "Well...I did...but it turns out...she had already been asked by someone!" he laughed awkwardly.

"Iida?" he asked, but Midoriya simply shrugged.

"She wouldn't say, but last I had heard, Iida didn't have a date yet so...I don't think so..." he mumbled.

Todoroki frowned. That was odd. He couldn't imagine Uraraka going with anyone but Midoriya. He was surprised she had said yes to this mysterious other person.

"It's alright! I asked Tsu instead!" he smiled quickly. "She's super fun. I think it'll be great," he laughed, trying to sound cheerful and Todoroki thought the two would be very cute together, and also maybe a little green.

"Sounds nice," Todoroki said quietly.

"Ah! Todoroki! Isn't that Yaoyorozu?" Midoriya said, nudging his shoulder.

He swallowed, knowing the second he looked behind himself, he'd see her, standing at the top of the stairs. She probably looked amazing, she probably looked like she belonged at this ball with someone who would actually know how to dance and make her look even better. She probably-

"Todoroki!"

-looked absolutely, incredibly perfect.

She was positively glowing. Her long dark hair was smooth and draped over her shoulder, her bangs swept to the side. He was so used to seeing her with her hair up in her wavy ponytail, he almost didn't recognize her. Her deep blue dress sparkled, and came all the way down to the floor, hugging her shapely hips perfectly. A fluffy white shrug was draped over her shoulders, and she wore small white gloves, which covered her thin fingers. His mouth fell open as he stared at her on the stairs, knowing it was rude to do so, but not giving any sort of care.

She waved once, her cheeks heating up as Todoroki could find no words to say. She was stunning, and he looked like a moron, mouth open, eyes locked on her. She had begun to walk down the steps, her shoes clicking against the marble staircase, and Todoroki slowly extended his hand for her to take when she stepped off the last step.

"Say something," Midoriya mumbled, nudging him.

"Uh...Ya-Yaoyorozu...you look...uh...wow," he breathed. Up close, she looked even better. Her eyes glittered with a gentle blue shadow, and her lips were blushed pink, making it impossible not to stare at them.

"R-Really?" she whispered, biting down on her lip (a sight so cute, Todoroki's knees could've completely given out right there). "It doesn't look weird?"

"NO!" he yelled. "I-I mean..." he stammered, squeezing her gloved hand, and slowly bent down to kiss her hand. She looked like a princess, and deserved to be treated as such. "It...you look...really beautiful,” he finished once he rose back up.

"O-Oh!" she gasped, her skin the reddest color he’d ever seen on a person’s face. "T-Thank you. You look really nice too. These robes...they uh...suit you!" she said, adjusting the bow tie around his neck.

"T-Thanks..." he muttered, hooking his arm around hers as they began to set up the procession.

Todoroki was surprised to see Kyouka had chosen Kaminari, a hyper-active Hufflepuff to be her date. But the real shock was Uraraka showing up in a bubblegum pink dress to be Bakugou's date. It was unexpected, and Midoriya looked a little surprised and disappointed, though the moment Tsuyu arrived, he focused on her and her alone.

They explained how the procession would work, but Todoroki found he wasn't listening. He couldn't stop looking at Yaoyorozu and how beautiful she looked. Her hair, her makeup, her dress had all been pieced together by what seemed to be perfection, and Todoroki couldn't imagine being here with anyone else.

When the four couples walked into the main ballroom Todoroki was shocked by how many people were there, clapping and cheering for them. As they made their way slowly to the dance floor, Todoroki suddenly remembered they were about to dance for everyone. He had been so nervous about seeing Yaoyorozu, he completely forgot he had to actually dance with her.

"We will now begin the introductory Dance of the Champions!" Headmaster Nezu called out, smiling wide as the music began.

Todoroki snapped his hand against Yaoyorozu's waist stiffly, and he held her hand in his own. He wasn't completely at a loss when it came to dance, as he had been forced to take lessons as a young child, but he was not talented at it in anyway. "S-Sorry, I'm not much of a dancer."

"Don't worry," Yaoyorozu giggled softly. "Me neither."

Todoroki pressed on her hand gently, pushing her forward as they began to sway in time with the music. Her dark hair swung around her face, and brushed against his hand on her waist. "I...didn't realize your hair was so long," he mumbled, staring into her dark eyes.

"Well, I don't like to wear it down because it...gets messy if I don't take the time to really style it," she admitted softly. "B-But I thought tonight, since it was a special occasion and all..." she whispered.

"Y-Yeah! It...looks great!" he hummed. "You should...do it more often."

Her cheeks turned red again, and she nodded quickly. The two moved about the dance floor, smiling at each other, and Todoroki was happy to see Bakugou was struggling far more than he was. He'd even heard Urarara squeak out in pain when he had stepped on her feet a few times. (Which Todoroki as much as Todoroki felt bad for her, he was happy to see Bakugou stumbling. Turns out, he wasn't the best at everything).

"Seems like we're not the worst ones out here," Yaoyorozu said, her hand on Todoroki's shoulder squeezing him gently.

"Not at all," he mumbled.

"You're a good dancer, Todoroki," she said quietly. "You had nothing to worry about." Her hand slid over his shoulder and she pulled herself closer to him, the two moving across the dance floor with much more ease than the other couples. Kaminari looked like he had never lead a dance in his life, and Kyouka looked less than pleased.

The song ended, and Todoroki stepped back, bowing to Yaoyorozu, as he held out his hand to return to the dance. The dance floor had now opened up to everyone, and though Todoroki hadn't expected to spend the evening dancing, he found himself enjoying being out on the dance floor with Yaoyorozu. She was a good partner, and even when Todoroki stumbled, the two would laugh, smiling at each other. Todoroki was lost in her, lost in the feeling of her hands against his body, and lost in her eyes which stared directly into his.

A slower song began, and he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. She draped her arm over his shoulder, and rest her head against his chest, the two swaying slowly. Perhaps the dance wasn't all that bad. And talking to girls, if they were like Yaoyorozu, wasn't all that bad either.

Being this close to her, he realized how nice she smelled; like a fall day with a dash of peppermint. He could've held her there forever.

"You want to take a break?" she asked softly, when the slower song ended and the music picked up tempo once again.

Todoroki nodded, and pulled her outside onto the balcony. It was cold, but the snow flurried around them, light white pieces getting stuck in Yaoyorozu's hair, decorating her like twinkling sparkles until they melted into water against her body heat.

"It's cold, but after dancing for so long, I kind of appreciate this temperature!" she giggled, leaning her arms against the edge of the balcony. The view was stunning, looking out onto the lake which surrounded Hogwarts castle, but Todoroki couldn't stop looking at Yaoyorozu and the way her long locks flowed through the breeze. "Plus it's so nice out!" she smiled, looking back at him.

He stepped forward, leaning over the balcony with her, and nodded. "It is really...nice." He swallowed, and quickly reached his hand out, taking hers in his. "T-Thank you...for coming with me tonight," he mumbled awkwardly.

"A-Ah!" she jumped back a bit, holding onto his hand, her cheeks flushing against the cool wind. "No! T-Thank you for inviting me!" she whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear with her free hand. "It's...been really fun!" she smiled, and Todoroki was convinced her smile outshone every star in the sky.

"Uh...y'know..." Todoroki muttered, his eyes glancing around at everywhere but her face. It was so hard not to stare at her cute, pink lips. "Maybe we could...do this again sometime?" he suggested.

"Come to...a fancy dance that only happens once every five years?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Ah...Uh...no..." Todoroki blushed, shaking his head as his eyes finally met hers. "I meant we could...go on another...date." He bit down on his lip, realizing he'd never actually labeled this as a date, but he supposed there was nothing else he could call it.

"O-Oh!" she gasped, and covered her mouth with her free hand. He could feel the one he held in his trembling a bit, but her eyes twinkled and she smiled again. Stepping forward, she held both of Todoroki's hands in her own, and she leaned up brushing her lips against his. "I...would love that," she said, pulling away.

But Todoroki's lips quirked up into a smile, and he slid his hand through her long dark locks, bringing their lips back together as he kissed her again, this time deeper, and longer, his lips lingering over her as he sucked gently on her lower.

"Great..." he whispered, pulling away from her.

"Y-Yeah...I...look forward to it," she mumbled shyly.

"Me too..." he said, squeezing her hand.

So maybe the dance had seemed terrifying at first, but now Todoroki was convinced it was the best thing that had happened to him all year.

#todomomo #todoroki shouto #momo yaoyorozu #boku no hero academia #my hero academia #BHNA Fanfiction #Harry Potter AU #Yule Ball AU #fluff #gift fic #AU #one shot #BHNA

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akaiikowrites · 7 years

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bruise me up a chastity belt

Notes: blame @stargazershiro for encouraging me. this is absolute size kink trash about Keith Suffering (TM) for That Dick. i regret a lot. i regret nothing.

Also On: Ao3

They’re in a pause in the endless fight against the Empire and Pidge asks Keith to try out the new training AI she installed in the gym. It’s meant to learn from their techniques, like a real opponent, and maybe finally give Keith a challenge after he started consistently beating Training Level 8. Put all of them down for scared and horny, when that happened, but no one’s gonna say shit because Keith is forever armed. And anyway, what’s important is they’re all there to witness this momentous occasion when Keith beats the shit out of yet another piece of machinery while Pidge holds back tears.

Fifteen minutes in and there’ve been no tears—yet. The AI is well programed and it’s picked up on Keith’s signature move. Namely, throwing himself headfirst at his opponent and rolling through the blow. There’s a reason it’s his signature and now that he can’t use it, Keith’s got this gleam in his eye, something part calculating predator and part manic joy.

Behind them, the door to the gym hisses open. None of them look. Shiro and Allura had been in some kind of miniature conference with a new planet that planned to join the coalition. It’s probably just them coming to check in on the progress with the AI.

Who are they kidding? They still wouldn’t have looked even if they didn’t know who it was behind them. For one key reason:

Keith, blocking a downward swing of the AI’s sword with his own bayard. Sweat stains the back of Keith’s shirt and clings lovingly to the hard line of his jaw. Every muscle of his body is flexed. The light does filthy things with the curve of his biceps. Intensity outlines everything about his expression and it gives a dangerous edge to the grin that tugs up one corner of his mouth. In a single, smooth motion he ducks out of the way of the sword and brings one leg up in a vicious roundhouse that catches the AI right in its nonexistent stomach. Plastene crunches and the AI folds.

They’re ready to congratulate him—Pidge’s eyes are already filling with tears as a Sarah McLachlan song plays in the distance—when the AI gets one last unexpected hit in. It catches Keith across the hips as it goes down. Like it’s trying to drag him down with it. There’s an audible grunt from Keith as the blow lands and he loses his balance.

Rather than try to catch himself Keith deactivates his bayard and rolls clear. Comes to his feet. Reactivates the bayard and readies his stance. Steady indigo eyes focus on the no longer moving AI. “Is it down?” he asks Pidge after several long seconds.

Pidge blows out a long huff that’s not quite a sigh. “Yes.” Everyone pretends the light sheen to her eyes is just the reflection of the gym lights off her glasses. They’re good friends that way.

The next minute and a half is business as usual. Pidge quizzes Keith about reaction times and prods at the AI’s exoskeleton mournfully. Allura congratulates him sincerely on his improvement under the Blade’s guidance and suggests he teach her that last move. Hunk and Lance argue about the appropriate sound effects in recreating the fight. And Shiro gives Keith one heartfelt, brotherly, extremely platonic clap to the shoulder and says, “That was quick thinking, Keith,” while Keith looks up at Shiro with heartfelt, brotherly, extremely platonic adoration.

Finally there’s a pause as Keith pulls up the hem of his shirt to wipe at his sweaty face and they all take a moment to eye his whipcord strong body. It’s always great when he does this because his training pants are slung low on his hips and it’s— It’s fucking something. Only today, in addition to the sweat trailing down his defined stomach muscles and the suggestive trail of hair disappearing into his waistband, there are bruises.

“Is that from the training robot?” Allura asks. There’s real concern in her voice and she’s already reaching toward the ugly purple marks.

Hunk leans forward but doesn’t try to touch. “Um, yeah, buddy, that looks pretty bad.” Then he looks over at Pidge, still crouched over the AI, and adds, “We don’t have to go against that thing right?”

Maybe Pidge wouldn’t have said anything if the half mangled AI hadn’t been brought into things, but her shoulders stiffen as she snaps, “It wasn’t the AI. It only caught Keith’s right side but those bruises are around his whole waist. And anyway they wouldn’t be that color if he had just gotten them!”

Allura finally makes contact and pokes one index finger into the mottled edge of the bruise that comes right below his belly button. “Does it hurt? We should get you to the healing pods. This could slow you down if we have to—”

“It’s fine,” Keith says. His voice sounds normal. Rough with vague irritation and self-assured pride in his ability to not give a fuck about blue-black bruises ringing his hips. It’s his face that isn’t normal. A flush covers his cheekbones and his eyebrows have scrunched together like some demented caterpillar. Plus, he’s released his tee shirt in order to start waving vaguely with his hands like that will punctuate how fine it is.

To think, only ten minutes ago they were all thinking about how stoic and badass and handsome he was.

Dodging out of the way of his increasingly desperate gesturing, Allura puts her hands on her hips and presses her lips together in a considering line. For a good three seconds it seems like she’ll be the one to call him on the bullshit. Like she’s just figuring how exactly she’s going to deconstruct it for maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

Lance beats her to it. Smugness infuses his voice as he rocks back on his heels. “I bet he got them last night,” he says. All of them whip their heads around to look at him as they remember that yeah, he does share a hall with Keith, he might’ve heard something. Credence is lent to this theory by the way Keith’s hands slow and stop. “There was an awful lot of moaning and grunting happening. Get stuck in the shower again, Keith?”

First off, Lance was the one who got stuck in the shower months ago. And he’d gotten a few bruises for it before he managed to squirm his way out. And Keith may have brought it up at an inopportune moment when Lance was being obnoxious as a way to shut the conversation down. Second off, let it never be said that Lance couldn’t hold a petty grudge if it suited him.

“I...” Keith’s eyes dart from face to face. There’s a twitch to his hands like he’s seriously wishing he could throw a smoke bomb and run. If they weren’t his best friends in the universe and also blocking the exit there’s a good chance he would. “Um...”

“Mm, don’t think so,” Hunk says. He’s barely paying attention to Keith now. “Your bruises were more on one side, remember? Because you got stuck against the wall.”

An inarticulate noise of betrayal escapes Lance at this. For the moment he’s headed off by his own embarrassment, but Pidge pushes her glasses up her nose and finally focuses on the conversation instead of the AI. They all know Pidge is a far more dangerous opponent. Which she proves by making eye contact with Keith and saying, “So how did you get those bruises, Keith?”

“I got...trapped...” Ignoring Lance’s abrupt crow of victory, Keith rushes onward, “Between my bed and a...” Only the especially observant would notice the flicker of his eyes toward where Shiro stands behind the rest of the group. “A hard thing.”

Important to note here is that Keith cannot lie for shit. He can evade, he can stretch, he can imply. But he’s made up of nobility and spite and truth and it goes against every fiber of his being to outright lie.

Bless Allura, she’s the one who goes in a slow, almost confused way, “A hard thing? You mean the wall?” When he doesn’t answer, she says, with a little more animation, “You got stuck between the bed and the wall?” Like she’s solved the puzzle. Which, since Keith’s refusing to meet any of their eyes and has crossed his arms defensively, it seems she has.

For the first time since this whole mess started, Shiro speaks up. “It’s lunch time and Pidge has tested her AI. Why don’t we take a break?” The mystery’s been solved and they all have better things to do now. No one really notices the irritated look that Keith shoots toward their fearless leader as they all tumble out of the gym in pursuit of space goo or the way Shiro mouths stay with the kind of command he usually reserves for the battlefield.

This time when the gym door hisses it’s as it shuts behind the rest of the Paladins. They’re alone. “Locking sequence engage,” Shiro says. It’s a formality. One that makes Keith shiver.

Feeling like prey—fuck but he loves this feeling when it comes to Shiro—Keith stays still as Shiro prowls toward him. Discontent illuminates Keith’s face as he struggles not to turn his head to keep eye contact as Shiro steps behind him. It’s worth it when Shiro pushes his hands under the sweat soaked tee to press deliberately against delicate purple bruises. Hot breath teases the shell of Keith’s ear as Shiro asks, “Still like them?”

“Yes,” Keith says. Moans, really, letting the word drag out over too many syllables as he arches into the touch.

Because Shiro’s hands fit just so around the slender curve of Keith’s waist. His thumbs brush one another as they settle into the hollow dip of Keith’s spine and his fingers flare possessively over the hard line of Keith’s stomach. It’s a perfect fit. A perfect, aching, bruising fit.

#you thought i had shame?#i have no shame #this is nothing but thirst #kaii writes sheith

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xempasuchil-love-blog · 3 years

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Lost on you chapter 2

Shadows in the night.

The night was clear, and the school cafeteria was full of laughter, Uma's stomach full and her eyes heavy with sleep. She never imagined that she could go to bed with a sense of calm and satisfaction in her chest. Not that there was any bed she would go to overnight on the Island. Mattresses came infrequently from Auradon, and although they were in poor condition, the fights over them were often brutal. There were four in Gaston's house, and she knew Mal slept in one, but for her there had always been a pile of cloth scattered on the floor and a pillow that Harry had gotten for her when they were twelve, or her hammock in Lost Revenge. Dinner was over and the most anticipated moment of that day was approaching, when she would see Harry so he could show her whatever he wanted to show her, and then they would go to sleep, ignoring Auradon with his absurd rules of not having boys and girls in the same bedroom. She had already gave the key of her room to Gil; luckily, Desiree didn't care that he stayed there. Uma allowed herself to enjoy the gentle evening breeze on her face, the weather was mild, and she longed to feel some freedom against her skin. At times, she missed the heavy winds that shook her braids as she held on to the ropes of Lost Revange, though she didn't miss the stench in the air. A familiar and agile figure approached from across the field at a careless jog. Harry reached her in a heartbeat, hugging her. Her muscles tensed for a second automatically, but then she relaxed and threw her arms around his neck, inhaling deeply the scent of his, so familiar to her. The smell of the Lost Revange hadn't left him: wood, a hint of rum. She wondered if her own scent had changed. "How was practice?" Uma asked her first mate, who had agreed to try the tourney to fit in with the school. “Well, I think so. Although not as intense as the ones we used to have on the Island. Bestie Ben says we could go practice swords whenever we want, you know? You, me, the crew.” Harry replied, unusually pleased. His hair was damp from the shower he had just taken, and Uma resisted the urge to run her fingers through his strands. She frowned. That had never bothered her before, she wasn't sure why it did it now. Harry melted at her touch, although she didn't want to think about it too much. They had already made quite a few exceptions on the Island by allowing mutual physical contact like hugging, Uma's touch on Harry's hair… in Auradon all of that was allowed. It was just that the gestures she and Harry had were too intimate, too intense. She had seen how the students looked at them strangely every time he offered her his hand to help her down from somewhere, or when she hooked her little finger on his hook (before he was forbidden to use it), when they looked into each other's eyes for a long time. That made her feel strange, as if it were the same as on the Island and they were looking for any weakness.

"It would be good," she commented. “I don't want my boys to rust. Who knows, if Ben fucks up, we might still give him a pretty good scare.” Harry laughed. Uma's words were empty, but she still laughed to see the scared expression of some Auradon guys when they saw the pirate crew that had kidnapped the king. "Anyway, there is something I want to show you." Harry pointed to the sky. There were stars, not a gigantic cloud of smoke and pollution. Uma looked in the direction of Harry's finger, to find a star that stood out above all the others in the sky. "It's there, Uma. That's where I come from.” Neverland. When they were children, Harry had been obsessed with finding the star, always disappointed when the only thing he could see of the sky from anywhere on the Island was gray. His sisters used to tease him out of obsession, so he stopped doing it. Uma knew that as a child, when Captain Hook still considered him worthy of being his heir, Harry had heard hundreds of magnificent stories about Neverland. He knew that his mother's family was still there, somewhere. "It's so bright," Uma said, smiling. She thought that Harry seemed to have carried the image of the star etched in his eyes, in that bright look of madness that was only his. The idea made her shudder with pleasure. They were silent for a moment, admiring the star, until Uma felt Harry look at her, then her attention focused on him. "Do you miss it, Harry?" Asked Uma. “The Island, the ship...” Harry vigorously denied. "Everything I could miss about the Island is here, Uma. You, the crew…. Also, Ben promised that he would bring Lost Revenge to the dock, remember? And I won't let it be an empty promise. Our captain must have a ship. Or else…” "You won't hook anyone, Harry." Harry blatantly feigned surprise. "I hadn't even thought about it." “Yeah right. I know you better than you do, Hook.” Harry seemed satisfied with that. He and Uma started walking to the bedrooms and as they did so, Uma wondered if she should tell Harry about her nightmares. She hadn't wanted to do it in the cafeteria, because sure Auradon already thought she was crazy enough. Not everyone was really convinced that she and her boys had been helpful in saving Audrey. Uma felt suspicious looks on the back of her neck, but she tried to forget about it so as not to generate more conflicts. Not when the barrier had fallen relatively recently. Definitely, not when her crew was so happy studying. So maybe she shouldn't worry Harry.

Ursula's cave was dark. Uma couldn't see anything, she could only hear the continuous splashing of the water droplets that fell from the ceiling to the ground, forming puddles. Deprived of sight and voice, Uma felt as if she was just waiting for the moment when it was all over. She heard something heavy crawl a few feet away and saw, through the blackness, her mother's necklace gleaming from her. She wondered if she had come to free her already, bored that Uma wouldn't give her the pleasure of flinching or trying to run away.. "Drink this, you ungrateful brat." Uma's heart began to pound. Ursula had been trying to make potions for the past two months or so, maddened at the idea of getting her magic back. She had also been forcing Uma to drink some of them, so that she could finally convert to her marine form, because Ursula was deeply ashamed that Uma had two human legs. After all, two stupid human legs had been the reason she had ended up in this hole, she thought. When he made her drink the potions, strange things happened to Uma. She lost the strength in her legs, so that she could not walk without excruciating pain coursing through her body for days. She was finding it difficult to breathe, something Harry had brilliantly solved by suggesting that she swim and let the seawater enter her lungs. Harry. Would he have realized that she was nowhere to be found? Would he be looking for her? "Don't resist, mollusk. That stupid son of a pirate won't come for you this time.” Úrsula laughed, a hideous sound that echoed through the cave and made Uma wince. "Come on, drink, drink! Do what I tell you, girl!” Uma felt the cold of the bottle against her lips and the grimy liquid slide down her throat, causing her to gag immediately. She needed to know what her mother had done with Harry, her crew, Gil, would they be okay? Darkness enveloped her again, only the weak light from Ursula's necklace flickering, and the echo of her laughter among the rocks of the cave. "Uma! You will never be enough, Uma, you can't even have a marine form! You are a disappointment!” “Uma!” “Uma!”

"Uma! Wake up!” It was dark, but it wasn't the crushing darkness of her mother's cave. For a second, Uma wondered what was happening. She looked around frantically, searching for her golden necklace until she saw it on her neck. She had stolen it from her, she had stolen it from her, and she didn't have to fear. Two hands held her face. Harry. She rose from the bed on shaky legs, wondering if the potion had somehow been real. Harry held her down as her legs gave out. How weak, how vulnerable. If crying hadn't been a weakness, she would have done it then. “What's going on?” He asked her, easily carrying her to the bed. Uma took several deep breaths, too fast, too shaken, until Harry took her by the shoulders and forced her to look him directly in the eyes. Uma felt her heart slowly calm down, she reminded herself that she was in Auradon, that old memories were just that, old memories. "Uma, tell me what's wrong." She sighed. "I've been having nightmares," she confessed, trying to ignore how weak her words sounded. "About my mother." Harry seemed to understand immediately. His eyes began to acquire the reddish hue that he had inherited from his father, without changing completely. He was also trying to control himself. "She can't reach you here, Uma," he reassured her. "You are far, very far. You are here with me.” "I know," she dropped into his arms, grateful. The constant pounding of Harry's heart reassured her completely. They were silent for a moment, sitting on the bed and leaning against the wall, not sleeping. The cool night breeze coming through the window, the moonlight like a precious silver ray. And far off in the sky, the star that Harry had shown her was shining. "Harry”. He made a sound to let her know he was listening. “Do you love me?” She asked the question directly, letting her words slip from her mouth before she could stop them, her voice infused with the force with which she commanded the crew. In some part, she was demanding an equally direct answer from him, afraid that Harry would run away from the answer, but he answered immediately, without a bit of hesitation, without thinking, as if the answer was so obvious. “Yes, I love you. I always have and always will.” Uma closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the feeling of knowing. The Island accepted loyalty as the ultimate show of love, even without being entirely well seen, something in which the two of them had excelled since they were children. But love… Uma knew that Harry would do anything she asked him, everything, and she knew that she would protect him at any cost. Love was a great word, new and at the same time so simple and natural. How had she not seen it before? Had they been so blinded, so obsessed with their parents' prejudice? Maybe they had loved each other from the first moment they saw each other, from the first time they stole some food together and shared it. "Uma? Why do you ask that? If it's because of the attempted kiss the other day…” He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I'm sorry I bothered you. You don't have to worry about me. I'll be fine as long as you allow me to still being your first mate.” He thought she didn't love him. He thought that Uma had rejected him and that she was still rejecting him right now. As if she could resist one more moment. As if she could keep pretending. Uma moved to straddle him, making him jump in surprise, blue eyes shining between adoration and disbelief. Suddenly, it occurred to her that her body belonged there, in Harry's arms, because she felt the same freedom she felt when she was at sea. "Uma?" She shook her head, cupping his face carefully, tangling her fingers in Harry's hair. As Uma expected, he melted at her touch, so she caught him off guard when she pressed her lips to his. It was as if an electric eel had touched her, her entire body seemed to respond to the timid touch and the next thing she knew was that she was kissing him fiercely, and that Harry was holding her by the waist as if she were better than any pirate treasure hidden in the sea. As if she were a goddess. He made her feel powerful and loved, and it hurt her heart to imagine how long she had been missing this. Harry kissed the corner of her lips, her cheek, the spot below her ear and a path that went to the middle of her neck, where Uma let out a sigh of pleasure that made him smile. Trying to regulate her breathing, she settled into Harry's chest, holding onto him tightly. She felt his happy laugh shake her body. "Does that mean you love me too, Uma?" She took a playful bite on his neck and Harry groaned in satisfaction. "It means you're mine, Hook. And... that I love you too.” Harry seemed so vulnerable in that moment, as if he believed that she was going to disappear as suddenly as a dream. So Uma kissed him again, her body demanding more closeness, more of Harry. Because she would never have enough of him, she thought with delight. Uma would never get tire of the taste of Harry's lips, the touch of his skin, she would never get tire of him being her first mate. For a moment, she forgot about the nightmares, she forgot about her mother, she forgot that she was in Auradon, because it seemed that everything Uma had always wanted was right there.

I also leave here the link to the story in AO3:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/30691319/chapters/75732848

#uma daughter of ursula #uma x harry hook #uma x harry #harry hook #Descendants fanfiction #auradon #ursula

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