Full Baby Back Guarantee Not Included (dp x dc)
“Look, lady. It was a joke, ok? I don’t actually want your newborn baby,” Danny said as he held up his hands trying to back away from the woman with a bundle of blankets in her arms.
“We made a deal, you can’t back out now,” The woman said as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Your kind can’t break their words.”
“My kind?” Danny exclaimed incredulously, because what the hell was she on. “Lady, you are delusional.”
Then his eyes caught on the awkward way the woman was holding onto the bundle and he frowned.
“Wait a second.” The halfa’s eyes went big. “Is that even your kid?!” his voice turning into a shriek at the end. “Did you kidnap some random child?”
“It’s my sister’s,” the woman cut him off coldly. “She and the father are both dead.” That was pretty awful, Danny thought as he winced. But then she turned to look blankly at him.
“Nobody will look for her.”
Dear skies above, he was supposed to be the ghost here, why was he the one getting chills.
“Holy fuck,” the halfa let out softly.
He had to get that baby away from that psychopath.
“What is it you want again?” Danny asked faintly.
“Make me the new chief operating officer,” the woman answered.
“What?” The halfa choked out.
“They’re giving the position to Shwartz this monday. You need to make sure that doesn’t happen,” she continued evenly as if she wasn’t currently selling a baby in exchange for a fucking promotion.
“Yeah sure, deal,” Danny answered, eager to get away from her as soon as possible.
“Give me your word,” she insisted.
“I give my word, I swear,” the halfa said. “Gimme the kid and you’ll get your job.”
The woman looked at him for a second before seemingly being satisfied.
She extended the bundle of blankets towards him and handed him the swaddle baby. As soon as the kid was in his arms, Danny zipped away, fully intent on never seeing the woman again. He sure as hell was not getting her that promotion. Not that he would’ve been able to, what the hell, lady? At least research better before making a deal for your sister's baby!
Though in retrospect, it was a good thing she hadn't.
As Danny flew over a few buildings, he thanked the ancients the woman hadn’t had any ghost restraining tech, and only the summoning ritual. Which was a thing he had not been aware existed but he he would have to circle back to that because, right now, he had a whole ass baby nestled in his arms.
What the hell was his life.
Danny slowed down the flight once he felt he had put enough distance between them and the psycho and landed on a nice patch of green next to a road. He looked around and took notice that they’d gotten out of whatever that city had been, or at least the more populated part. He gave a quick look for people or cameras around before de-transforming. If he was spotted with a baby in his arms, his human look would help his chance of not getting shot.
The halfa started walking away from the road and towards the green vegetation. Still walking, he took a deep breath before looking down at the baby.
“You ok, kid?” Danny asked softly as their small (so so tiny!) face twitched in their sleep. “Oh you’re sleepy, huh?” he murmured gently. “Sleep tight sweetheart, I’ve got you.”
Then he secured the blankets around the baby again, making sure none of the wind was reaching her. It was probably a her? The blankets were pink but he couldn’t know for sure since the psycho had only called her an it. Danny felt his lips curl. And as the night replayed in his mind, he felt the weight of the situation settle down on him.
Ancients what was he going to do?
He couldn’t pull up in Amity with a baby in his arms and no explanation of how he got her. He’d be arrested for kidnapping, which was technically absolutely what he was doing. But then again he couldn't just give that baby back to her aunt.
“What are you doing here?” came a voice from ahead of him.
Danny startled out of his thoughts to find himself facing an older man in a suit with a severe look on his face. The halfa instinctively brought the baby closer to his chest and the movement drew the older man’s eyes towards it.
Danny could see the realization of what it was he was holding settle and the man's face softened. He sighed deeply as his gaze went back up to meet the halfa’s.
“Despite what the media fancy printing, Wayne manor is not actually an orphanage.”
Danny had no idea what he was talking about so he just stayed silent and did his best not to look like someone who kidnapped babies.
The older man took the silence in stride. “If you need some help, there are programs to help young people in your situation,” he continued delicately.
Danny frowned as he tried to figure out what the guy meant by that before his eyes grew wide. “I’m not her dad!” He cried.
“I see,” the man said evenly as he looked back down at the bundle. Danny held her closer in response. “I see,” the guy repeated with a slight change in his voice.
The two held each other’s gaze for a moment before the older man sighed again.
“Shall we continue this inside? It is getting windy and we wouldn’t want the little one to suffer, would we?” The man offered in a soothing tone.
Danny hesitated but one look at the kid’s face that had grown pink from the cold decided him.
“Ok,” Danny said. “Lead the way.”
And with that the three of them started across the grassy lawn.
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important question: does murderbot (the murderbot diaries) wear socks?
we know socks exist in murderbot world (it describes human living spaces as smelling like dirty socks).
we know that mb's feet are inorganic and don't look like human feet or augmented human feet.
when mb gets new clothes, which it does several times throughout the series, it never mentions socks (at least not to my knowledge, and I have these books practically memorized at this point). the most we get is that some shoes are described as "soft".
when in armor, mb mentions its "suitskin", which seems to be an all-over bodysuit sort of deal that could cover feet as well, thus negating the need for socks. for most of the series, though, mb is not in armor and not wearing suitskin.
considerations/potential points
mb might hate the smell and/or human connotations of socks enough to go sockless
mb mentions its shoes being soft bc it doesn't need to wear socks with them
suitskin = no socks for secunits, but mb got some post-All Systems Red to when it had to start wearing human shoes
maybe human socks don't work with secunit feet, or aren't necessary for them (although shoes work, so i feel like socks would work too)
if mb mentions getting shoes, perhaps it can be assumed that it's also buying socks, and just didn't mention it bc it doesn't deem them important.
thoughts?
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I thoroughly enjoyed your medic story! Always a fan when the whole team gets a piece 😂 Do you think you might continue it someday?
Also, if you have the motivation, I beg of you to please write the western one! I feel like there's never quite enough outlaw whump
Have a great day today!
Hey thanks! I'd probably continue it if someone specifically requested it...I just have issues with pacing in a story if I'm being honest lmao
Anyway, western whump! I was very excited about this ask >:)
cw: branding, gun wound, pistol whipping, western whump, death mention, captivity, manhandling
It wasn't supposed to end this way.
With the malignant, rose-colored sun setting behind the shredded trees.
With the blood pooling out around him, staining the red clay.
With the butt of his gun glinting just out of his aching fingers' reach.
With the sheriff's men picking their way towards him.
He was supposed to get away.
They circled him, spurs cutting through the tall grass. They towered over the outlaw, smiling with satisfied confidence. The outlaw had seen vultures with that same expression in their beady eyes.
The sheriff crouched down, pushing his hat back to look at the outlaw. He smelled strongly of cigarettes and leather.
"Well, well," his toothpick shifted between his coffee-stained teeth, "Evenin' sunshine."
The outlaw grunted, keeping pressure on his injured arm. His fingers were slick with blood. His head buzzed, and he could suddenly see two of the sheriff.
It wasn't a pretty thing to see two of.
"You ain't talkin' so proud now," he said, hooking a calloused hand under the outlaw's arm and hauling him to his feet. He tied the outlaw's hands in front of him with quick movements, giving the outlaw no time to protest. "Should have put a bullet in your arm a long time back."
The rope was thick and the sheriff cinched it mercilessly.
The outlaw cursed through gritted teeth, his wrists turning an irritated red beneath the rawhide. "My-- my arm--"
The sheriff slapped him lightly. "None of that bitchin'." He gave the rope to one of his men and picked up the outlaw's gun.
The sheriff spun the outlaw's gun, letting him get a good look at the weapon.
A murderous glint flashed in the outlaw's eyes as the rope was tied to a horse's saddle. "That's mine," he spat.
I'll kill you.
The sheriff laughed. The toothpick jumped inside his mouth. "No, it ain't. Not anymore. The only thing that's yours is a date with the gallows." He stepped in close, too close, and pressed the still-warm muzzle of the gun to the outlaw's forehead. "You got that?"
The outlaw held his gaze, then dropped it. He said nothing, setting his mouth in a thin line.
The pressure increased. "Say, 'yes sir'."
The outlaw's mouth twitched.
"Say it."
Those two words brought the outlaw more pain than the bullets lodged in his shoulder. "Yes...sir."
Somehow, he made it sound like fuck you. He worked his jaw in a tight circle, swirling the tobacco and blood out from between his teeth. Wasting no time, he spat in the sheriff's face.
The sheriff didn't waste any time either. He swung the butt of the gun across the outlaw's forehead.
The outlaw crumpled-- hot pain spiking behind his eyes.
A thin line of blood traced away down his shirt collar.
His hat was knocked off his dusty hair and when they rode away, it was the only thing to mark that they were ever there at all.
A cowboy hat, discarded in a muddy pool of blood and trampled grass.
They dragged him for miles.
Stumbling, coughing, arm ripped at jarring angles. Until his legs turned to lead, and every breath made his ribs ache. His jeans were shredded where he'd fallen, knees bruised and raw.
When they arrived at the camp, they tied him to a low-lying tree. They left him alone as they built up a fire, but his cramped muscles hardly let him stretch and every movement felt like his last.
The young moon shone with a tired glimmer, highlighting the sandy patch of earth with a watery glow.
The fire snapped, sending up sparks into the grey night.
Somewhere, a coyote yipped, and another joined in, then another. The chorus became a long, drawn-out howl.
The outlaw watched as they ate.
His stomach growled. He had been on the run for weeks, and the smell of venison made the starved realization crash down harshly.
The sheriff stood up with a long stretch. He bent over the fire, adjusting a metal prong. He turned towards the outlaw with a slow smile.
The outlaw snarled. "What the fuck are you looking at?"
The sheriff approached him, nodding to two of his men.
A straw-haired man put out a cigarette on the heel of his boot and walked towards the outlaw. Another man, with a greasy mustache and striped shirt, followed.
The outlaw glared at both of them, straining against the ropes. "Fuck--" Too much pressure on his arm. Hurt. He inhaled deeply. "Fuck off."
The sheriff looked down. He spat at the outlaw.
Tobacco-stained spit dribbled down the outlaw's face, and he couldn't wipe it away. He squinted up at the sheriff.
"Do y'know how long I've waited for this?" drawled the sheriff. "A long time. A long, long time."
The straw-haired man grinned. He was missing his front teeth. "We always knew you were gonna git him, sir."
"Shut up, Barney," said the man with the greasy mustache. "Kissass."
The sheriff ignored both of them. "I reckon," he said to the outlaw. "You know how many men you killed when you stole those cattle?"
Three.
"I dunno."
"Three," the sheriff confirmed. "Three good, hard-workin' ranch hands, you cattle-lovin' bastard." The sheriff spoke in a low, harsh voice. "Now the ways I see it, you're about to get what you deserve."
A cold dread filled the outlaw. "The gallows?"
The sheriff smiled. "That. And this." He waved his two men forward and turned back to the fire. "Death is too kind for the likes of you."
The straw-haired man flicked open a knife, and the other pinned the outlaw against the tree. They cut off his shirt, leaving the fire to cast shadows on his bare skin.
The outlaw cursed them, cursed the sheriff, and cursed their mothers.
The greasy-mustached man grabbed him by his hair and yanked his head back until he shut up.
The sheriff's spurs clicked to a stop beside him.
Out of the corner of his eye, the outlaw could make out the red-iron of a cattle brand.
His breaths quickened, rising and falling at a sharp, frantic pace. "No--"
"Yes. A cattle brand for a cattle thief. Only fair."
A new terror blossomed, wrapping around the outlaw's ribcage and rising up his throat as the brand loomed over him.
He could feel the heat before it even touched. He shrank back, incomprehensible swearing cutting through the night. Like his words were the only thing protecting him from the burning touch.
The sheriff pressed the brand down on the outlaw's chest.
The pain was instantaneous and brilliant, a fiery throbbing that made him scream until his voice was raw. He ripped away, back arching in a futile attempt to escape. Raw tears burned their way down his face, blurring his vision until the world narrowed to two things: the smell of burning flesh and the sheriff's veiny hand.
He collapsed as soon as the sheriff's men let go of him, spine curved in the moonlight as he doubled over.
The agony was new and fresh and throbbing, throbbing, throbbing.
The coyotes paused their chorus, then started up again. This time, the outlaw's crying joined them.
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