#but now am finally freed from it and i have gained a level up in regards to hands. once again. bane of my existence

[aria0fgold]

YEEEESSS Only a bit more and I'll be freed from drawing Soleil, ngl tho I've just been procrastinating it a bit so that's why I was a slower on it. I've finished lineart and everything then last step is colouring it and I'll be done!

[rain-harmonia]

Give us a basic rundown on your OCs, who they are, what their favorite colors are, and if you have a song you associate with them :3

I’m a chronic oc maker so I will keep the list short by only talking about the ones that people might encounter in WoW! (US - Wyrmrest Accord, say hi if you see me!!)

• Zhuklesh: He’s a dracthyr evoker who combats the difficulties of his creation and abandonment by Neltharion with the joyous whimsies of life. Though not a Dark Talon (and overall claiming neutrality), he tends to stick with the Horde over the Alliance because he enjoys the vibes that the Horde brings to the table. He’s curious, fierce, and proud. Finding his favorite color was an absolute delight to him, and he’s settled on an enjoyment of bright and gentle pinks such as the shades found streaking the sky at dawn. I didn’t have a song readied to associate with him but I’m making the snap decision to assign To The Sky by Owl City.

• Vildryc: A primal dragon from the ages of Galakrond and the War of the Scaleborn, he was meant to be elevated with the power of an Incarnate after Vyranoth was sealed in the Vault. However, he failed the ritual and was consumed by the ice, thought dead and left forgotten for thousands of years. When the Dragon Isles were awakened and flooded with mortal explorers, Vildryc was unintentionally freed from his icy prison. Now he’s trying to adjust to modern Azeroth while still seeking a way to carry on the war that is so fresh in his memory, unwilling to forgive the Aspects. If asked about his favorite color, he’d answer that it’s a vibrant violet. As for songs, I’ll go with either Frequency or Back To The Earth, both by Starset.

• Ael’thein Mirthheart / “Eyes”: Ael’thein is a blood elf who was aligned with the Illidari on Outland, where he worked in the Den of Mortal Delights. After surviving the raid on the Black Temple, he fled back to Quel’Thalas where he grew in popularity as a courtesan. Enough popularity that the magisters began sticking their noses into his business to ensure his minor levels of influence could be used to maintain Silvermoon’s peace and order. Ael’thein grew resentful and took a “vacation” that spiraled into landing him among the Blacktalon. Now he adopts the code name and title “Eyes of the Black Prince”, returning to Silvermoon to use his status to spy for Wrathion. Just to keep him up to date on important happenings, of course. His favorite color is very typical for a blood elf, being the bolder shades of red. I don’t have any songs picked out for him yet.

• Caedmus: My very sad old man. A draenei who lived long enough ago to remember fleeing Argus, he spent the following thousands of years growing angry with the constant fleeing of his people. Draenor was a home that he’d hoped would become permanent. Obviously that didn’t work out, and his rage finally exploded when the Exodar crashed, killing his wife, and he learned it was sabotage. Despite being heavily injured, he went to confront the blood elves responsible and promptly got slaughtered. Years later, he found himself waking in Acherus, no memories of his previous life present. Being a death knight has been a very unfun time for him and after gaining his free will, he’s taken to wandering Azeroth, a shell of his living self. He’ll claim not to have a favorite color, that it’s not something he’s put much thought into. There are many songs (a whole playlist even) for him but I am choosing It’s All So Incredibly Loud by Glass Animals.

• Zolduri: Once a troll of the Gurubashi and now vaguely of the Darkspear, she was the high priestess of Hir’eek long ago when Hakkar and the Atal’ai were rising to power. For speaking out against Hakkar and preparing to leave with the Darkspear, she got jumped one night and sacrificed to Hakkar. Later, she was raised as a zombie by the Atal’ai. She spent several centuries enslaved to their will until she was able to break free. Her faith in Hir’eek remains as strong as ever and she has taken to coping with the shame she feels at her undead state by devoting everything that she is and does to her loa. Recently, she’s also taken to watching over the Darkspear from afar, lending them aid under cover of night and always fleeing before she can be seen. Her favorite color is the sort of greens that you’d find standing in a forest and staring at leaves filtering sunlight. She doesn’t have any songs associated with her yet.

• Nythoren Moonweaver: He’s a night elf who grew up as a caretaker of Elune-favored spiders and a temple healer. The second invasion of the Burning Legion ripped his life out from under him and ultimately resulted in his encountering Illidan, training as a demon hunter, and discovering being transgender. He elected to consume an aranasi for his ritual, clinging to his love of spiders. Afterwards, he served Illidan primarily as a strategist and as a trainer of basic first aid skills for the Illidari. In the current age, with the Legion defeated and Illidan gone, he’s taken up a hobby of spider breeding, half returning to his old life as a caretaker of the creatures. His favorite color is orange, especially in its softer or faded shades. I have no songs chosen for Nythoren yet.

• Leoranaku / “Leo”: They’re one of my newest, so this is going to be short. A Netherwing dragon who came with their flight to Azeroth, they’re determined to find a way to bring more of Outland’s creatures to the safety of Azeroth as their former home crumbles away. To this end, they travel Azeroth in search of environments that might be able to well-support Outland life. They’re quite taken with the forsaken, and assume the visage of one. Much less taken with orcs, having been a beast of the Illidari’s fel orcs in the past. Leo’s favorite color is just about any shade of blue imaginable. I currently don’t have any songs for them either.

[a-d-nox]

zeus, god of the sky (asteroids 5731 & h42)

WE MADE IT - 50 GODS, GODDESSES, AND LEGENDS HAVE BEEN POSTED!! the celebration doesn’t end here! the next post will be up in a few hours regarding aphrodite - her sign, degree, house, and aspects in your natal chart! so definitely stay tuned for my biggest post yet to come ;)!

“when talking about such a popular god or goddess i am going to for warn paraphrasing - of course all these stories have more details and all these popular gods have stories within stories. i would love to share them all/in detail but i would need a book and a lot more time to write it. my attempt in writing these posts are to inform you on the high level story of the god’s or goddess’s life. that being said if any one of the events regaled in the post pique you interest - please let me know i don’t mind giving a more in-depth tale of any of the events mentioned.”

now for the god who has been mentioned in 10/49 of my prior posts: zeus.

Zeus is the son of the titans Cronus and Rhea. As we know, Cronus had just usurped his father, Uranus, and had received the prophecy that he would be dethroned by his child. So in turn, when each of his children was born, he devoured them. Rhea was determined to save her sixth child (Zeus) after witnessing the first five get eaten (get mothering - took five cases of cannibalism smh). Rhea brought young Zeus to her mother, Gaea, who hid him while Rhea returned to Cronus with a swaddled stone in which he promptly swallowed. Zeus had a goat named Amalthea (yes, the goat (some stories have her as a nymph) from Abundantia’s story - I am sure that there is some sort of psychological insight to gain from that lol) who he received milk from (yea... definitely some thing for Freud to examine here) while warriors were made to dance and fight one another in the cave he was hidden in to conceal Zeus's infant cries (dang talk about attachment disorders and the inspiration for the little albert experiment). When he was finally old enough, he confronted Cronus and manipulated him into drinking poison that caused his siblings to be vomited up. With his sibling, he then planned a war to take down the titans - Titanomachy. With the help of his siblings and two titans (Prometheus and Epimetheus) a strategy was born - which resulted in the Cyclopes and Hecatonchires (the hundred handed primordial) being released from the forges in Tartarus. The Greek poet Hesiod believed that the Cyclopes are the ones who forged Zeus's lightening bolt as a thanks for their freedom. With the newly freed on their side, Zeus and his campaign were able to banish the titans to Tartarus and began the new era of gods and goddesses. Hecatonchires is said to be keeping watch over the titans as his form of thanks to Zeus for freedom. Gaea was irate by the capture of her children so she had another child with Tartarus - Typhoeus - who was also easily defeated. Gaea attempted to take Zeus down with giants as well but to no avail. As we know, his marriage to Hera isn't an easy one - early on she, Poseidon, Apollo, and Athena (namely) chained Zeus in his sleep and stole his bolt. It was Thetis and Briars who helped free him and get his bolt back - when freed, he used intimidation to make every god submit to his rulership and have them swear to never challenge him again. Poseidon and Apollo were sentenced to build walls in Troy (mentioned in Apollo's post), Athena got off easy because she was Zeus's favorite, but Hera suffered the most as she was sent to the void to be suspended in the sky with anvils hanging from her ankles, forced to stare into the gaze of Chaos until she swore allegiance to Zeus again. It is thought that perhaps this occurrence was the reason why he never truly trusted Hera again (and why he had so many affairs). Some of his most famed lovers include: Io (the cow myth - that was talked about in my Juno post), Europa (gave birth to Minos, you know the king from the Minotaur myth?), Leda (Zeus turns into a swan in this one), Danae (mother of Perseus - Medusa slayer), and Semele (Dionysus's mother). IN MY OPINION Zeus in a chart represents a) where you start from snatch, b) your relationship with siblings, c) where you save your family, d) where you experience trust issues, e) where you topple those in charge, f) romantic affairs, and/or g) where you are the ultimate ruler.

i encourage you to look into the aspects of zeus along with the sign, degree, and house placement. for the more advanced astrologers, take a look at the persona chart of zeus AND/OR add the other characters involved to see how they support or impede zeus!

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS/PLANETS: amalthea (113), athene (881), pallas (2), URANUS, poseidon (4341), hera (103), gaea (1184), rhea (577), semele (86), io (85), apollo (1862), chaos (19521), kronos (43), hepimetheus (1810), prometheus (1809), thetis (17), europa (52), leda (38), and danae (61)!

like what you read? leave a tip and state what post it is for! please use my “suggest a post topic” button if you want to see a specific post or mythical asteroid next!

click here for the masterlist

click here for more greek myths & legends

want a personal reading? click here to check out my reading options and prices!

[wandaluvstacos]

Chapter 36 of Good Investment is now up on my Patreon!

Good Investment is available at the $5/month tier. People who pledge $5 a month have access to not only Good Investment but The Sponsors series (ongoing), Pretty Things (complete), May the Blood Run Pure (complete), and Kept Man (complete), along with the $1/month tier books, the Reflections trilogy (ongoing) and The Halfwife (ongoing).

Adri Schvaneveldt has always felt split between two worlds. In one world, they are the adopted child of a large and conservative Mormon family. In another, she is the CEO of a burgeoning fashion empire that pushes boundaries. But in order to be the latter, Adri first has to find the funding. After gaining a hefty following as a social media influencer/model, Adri has the potential customers– if they can get a reliable production model pounded out. And that means a bit of groveling at the feet of investors, most of who have never even heard the term “non-binary”.

But Adri lucks out with Gideon Snow, whose youth and open mind bring much needed funds to make Adri’s dream of diverse, accessible fashion a reality. Of course, lifting a newborn company to its feet is no small task, and late nights drive Adri to occasional stays at Gideon’s nearby house, where their relationship begins stretching beyond business. Adri knows they can’t put an entire business venture at risk for the turbulent whims of their heart. But reason doesn’t always win out.

Excerpt:

“Okay,” Tiffany finally said, voice quiet. “I get it. I am happy for you, you know. For once you get to date another ex-Mormon with the same fucked up coping skills as you.”

Gideon chuckled. “Yeah, we understand each other on a level I can’t explain to people who aren’t from Utah.” He inhaled shakily. “She’s so sweet, but not in the way my parents pretend to be. She’s genuine. And talented, of course. She’s… she’s a lot of things.” Again, Gideon glanced at the patio door.

“Aww, Giddy. You’re so cute when you’re in love.” Gideon wasn’t sure if she was making fun of him, but he decided to be generous and assume she wasn’t.

“Anyway, I probably should go. I’m sure it’s late there.”

“Only eleven-thirty. You go and enjoy your sexy vacation with your sexy mistress. Think about what we discussed, but also try not to get food poisoning.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll do my best.”

“Good luuuuuuuck,” Tiffany sang, then hung up.

Gideon sank back into the patio chair for a few minutes, just staring out across the ocean. Then he hauled himself to his feet and pushed the sliding patio door back, finally granted a decent look inside the room. Adri’s form was still nestled under the puffy white comforter, one slim arm stretched out across the pillow he’d abandoned. His chest swelled with emotions he struggled to contain, and he stepped lightly across the space between the door and the bed to rest a knee on the mattress and lean over Adri. They were mostly buried in sheets, but their bare shoulders and neck were exposed. Gideon pressed a hand to their skin, reveling in the texture of it before dropping his head and kissing the dip between neck and shoulder. Adri moaned softly and shifted, rolling onto their back before their eyes fluttered open, two warm pools of blackish-brown that Gideon wanted to dive into and curl up with like he did his cat.

“Morning,” Adri said with a sweet, sleepy smile.

“Hey,” Gideon replied, smiling in kind.

Adri reached up with thin fingers and pastel pink claws to push some hair off his forehead, then dropped a thumb to the center of his forehead, teasing out what must be a wrinkle. “Everything okay?”

Gideon braced an arm on Adri’s opposite side, which freed up his other hand to rub their forearm until they dropped it, allowing him to wind their fingers together. The distress that his conversation with Tiffany had rustled up now felt a thousand miles away. Love really had his brain simmering in its own juices like a slow-cooked turkey.

“Everything’s fine,” he told them, squeezing their hand.

[rpking99]

Digimon Digital monsters

But first! Quick summory on Digimon.

Digimon is short for Digital Monsters. They are digital life forms that, like Pokemon, can evolve and change shape. However they have the ability to go back and forth along their lines.

So each Digimon can be any one on their respective listed lines, but their preferred forms will be made larger and coloured. The higher the form, the stronger they are.

Also, they are essentially OC characters so they will have small descriptors of their personalities and names

Here we go!

Also, if you guys remember my old blog. Well... I am gonna be doing it a LITTLE different this time. I am only showing their MAIN form in this thread. And each girl will have a link to their full Digivolution line, so check it out to go and see all the options avalable~!

Lila

LadyDevimon

Level: Ultimate

Lila can be summed up with two words 'Dommy Mummy'. A sensual beauty who spent her life seeking the thrills and darkness of the world, from dark sensual kinks to the power of the shadow world. Eventually she gained the power of the Code Crown of Lust, the power of sin itself, and became Lilithmon. Queen of lust, queen of the dark world, she now lives seeking more thrill and pleasure with sensual excitment

She is sensual to the bone. Loving the embaressment others have, as well as the pleasure of the flesh. She can also be very cruel and sadistic when the mood suits her

Lila's Digivolutions

Sasha

Sakuyamon

Level: Mega

Sasha is a shrine maiden in the Digital World. A warrior shamen who has spent years training herself. She has trained long and hard to resist the temptations of sin and desire, even as her body has grown sensual and hungers for it.

She is very serious and confident.

(I am also fine as using this as Rika's partner Renamon, who uses the exact same Digivolution line)

Sasha's Digivolutions

Daisy

Rosemon

Level: Mega

Daisy was once an innocent child. Growing up gentle and naive. But then... she uncovered it. BDSM. And her life was changed forever. She fell in love with the fetish, she felt at peace and at home. Confident, sexy. It was fun like she had never had before.

Her love influincing her Digivolution until she became Rosemon.

When as Rosemon, she is a dom through and through. A little cold and a bit of a bully, but only because she knows her pet loves it. The sensual flower is more than willing to reduce herself, to enter her Ultimate stage and be a very eager little pet for her lover.

She is a very chill person at the end of the day. Confident in herself and her desires.

(I am also fine with using her as Mimi's partner with the classic Digivolution line)

Daisy's Digivolutions

Bella

BeelStarmon

Level: Mega

Bella has a little sister, Angie, and grew up protecting her. Bella was always a bit of a trickster.

The two where part of a religious school, a school that taught them of the mighty Yggdrasil system that governed the world and ran it. Bella was once a beliver of this 'truth', even if she did not follow the rules exactly. She was a free spirit after all. But as she grew older, more confident, she started questioning it more and more.

Until eventually, she left.

Finally freed she now rides the roads of the Digital World, sometimes crossing paths with Lila and having some 'fun'. But if she gets even a hint that her sister was in trouble, well... the assholes better be ready for a couple bullets in the back.

Bella's Digivolutions

Angie

Angewomon

Level: Mega

Angie is Bella's little sister. While her sister was a trouble maker, while her sister questioned the teachings of Yggdrasil, Angie never faultered. She prayed for her sisters salvation, knowing she followed the principals and ideals even if she did not follow the truth directly.

Angie rose up the ranks. All the way up to becoming one of the Three Great Angels who's mission was to spread the word of Yggdrasil protect the world.

Even though she was now as good as a queen, Angie was always kind and compassionate and helpful to all those around her. Sweet, sensitive and loving. It was why she preferred her Angewomon form, she was no better than anyone else.

Although, there was a darkness brewing inside her. A darkness she refused to admit to. A darkness born from her repressed desires...

(I am also willing to use her as Kari's partner with the standard Digivolution line)

Angie's Digivolutions

Minerva

Mervamon

Level: Mega

Minerva is the oldest of the three sisters. Angie had two older sisters, Bella and Minerva. And while Minerva and Bella are twins, Minerva is still older.

Like her sister Bella, Minerva did not agree with the teachings of the school… but Minerva did not even try to hide it meaning she was often in trouble. Trouble… that she embraced.

Pulling pranks with her twin sister was one of the few things she enjoyed. But as they pranked more and more, Minerva felt herself becoming absorbed by the excitment of it all. Escalating the pranks more and more, to the point they quickly became dangerous… and she was kicked out

Minerva told Bella to look after their baby sister before she went out into the world… and the world basically drove her insane. Her pranks, the thrill she got from them, soon where not enough… races, fights, drinking. She became a wild chaotic force, just looking for the next thrill.

Some Digimon just ran on sight as they saw her, much to her annoyance.

She gets along with Lila well, the two chaos incarnate in very different ways….

Minerva's Digivolutions

Cleo

Bastemon

Level: Ultimate

Cleo is the Queen of the kingdom of HarDrive. It is a rather large kingdom on an isolated island of the Digital World. Cleo was raised from birth to rule, family and servants alike making her seem more and more important

And then she took over the kingdom at the equivilant of 15. She... wasn't ready, but she didn't know that nor would she want to admit it.

In her own eyes, she is perfect. And she had convinced her kingdom the same. And while the kingdom flourishes, it also has some heavy drops.

Cleo loves to go out and have fun. To dance, to be pampered. She is a queen, after all~!

But she does not know she is part of the Olympos XII. Destined to be Dianamon, Goddess of the Moon... and how achiving that power will make her realise her failure.

Cleo's Digivolutions

Jeanne

D'Arcmon

Level: Champion

Jeanne was born in HarDrive, the daughter of one of the castles knights. She was even childhood friends with the, then Princess, Cleo. Seeing the Salamon as her only friend, even to adult hood.

Eventually Jeanne followed in her families footsteps, becomiong one of HarDrive's knights... even if she hated fighting. While she did fight, it was always in the name of peace and love.

One day she saw a corrupt member of the court trying to betray the the kingdom so he could hand it over to the Demon Lord of Lust, the Lillithmon Lila as a way to try and win her approval so she would sleep with him (it would have failed), and reported it... only to be kicked out. Stripped of her title. Called a trator for accusing a member of the court. Cleo, now the Queen, had known nothing of this nor the banishment that followed.

Jeanne traveled the world, eventually becoming a seemingly weaker form as she continued her travels. Of course as Sirenmon she was an Ultimate, but many thought she was a weakling because of her size. However it taught her that strength... pure strength meant nothing. That all a person needs in life is love, and the support to keep going.

She Digivolved into Venusmon, the first member of the new Olympos XII. The Goddess of love... ready to be there for her friend when she finally ascends.

Jeanne's Digivolutions

Violet

Lotusmon

Level: Mega

Violet was just a random citizen of HarDrive. An orphan who grew up alone, but she idolised the many doctors in the kingdom who helped and looked after each other and the citizens. She also idolised the, at the time, Princess Cleo.

She wanted to be as beautiful as the Princess, as many called her a weed. Bullying that only increased when she became Vegimon. When the kingdom was in termoil, caused by the council member who betrayed them to try and win Lila's affections, she ended up in the woods. Chased out by the invadors.

She spent years in the woods with just some medical books... and so she studied. And she studied hard. Surrounded by light and nature, she bloomed. And one day... she came across an injured Jeanne, healing the sick D'Arcmon back to health. After that Violet grew more confident.

Still feeling comfertable in the woods, she still missed her home. And so, she set up a house on the outskirts of the kingdom. Helping any injured Digimon she came across, legends of the mysterious and kind plant witch spreading.

That small bud had bloomed into a beautiful doctor, who onlt wanted to help....

Violet's Digivolutions

Rana

Ranamon

Level: Champion

Ranamon is the Warrior of Water. Basically a low level water god in the Digital World. And she is also an idol. She is a diva, a brat and thinks very highly of herself. Perfect for bullying.

Rana's Digivolutions

Miyu

Jellymon

Level: Rookie

A real bratty girl. Miyu is a very big fan of Rana and her shows, Miyu loves exploring the oceans. A free spirited ball of chaos who just enojoys teasing and panking people

Miyu's Digivolutions

Sky

Sanzomon

Level: Ultimate

Sky was a simple Digimon. She enjoyed flying, being free. That was her life. Eventually that freedom even leading to her becoming a sage who helped others with their spiritual freedom

...

And then she found out the truth

She was one of the Olympia XII. She was Junomon, goddess of love. And now... she was shackled. To a duty she did not as for. ... And an eventually marriage to a Mon she had never met.

(also happy to use her as Sora's Biyomon)

Sky's Digivolutions

Boudica

Kinkakumon

Level: Champion

Bousica was a princess of a small kingdom, sat in the Continent of Router. When she was young her kingdom was attacked and ravaged by bandits

And so... She trained

Never wishing for that pain to repeate itself. For herself or her kingdom

She is a mighty warrior queen, to her very core

Boudica's Digivolutions

Sakura

BanchoLillymon

Level: Mega

Sakura has been a loner... possibly her entire life. She did not remember a time when she was with others.

She spent most of her life trying to survive in the jungle, having been saved when she was young. Leading to her trying to do the same whenever she arrived in a new jungle.

However one day she fell into a depression after failing to save innocents during an attack that sent the current forest abalze. Regressing into herself, she stayed like that. Time having no mean.

Until she was needed again. Despite failure, despite the laws, despite what others saw, she would fight for what was right.

She was a bancho, ready to kick the ass of anyone who would mess with the weak...

Sakura's Digivolutions

Kai

Mermaimon

Level: Champion

Most of her life she had just been.... Normal. And she hated it. All her life she'd been jealous of the great stories she had heard, of other Digimon being seen as more beautiful and desirable than her. But she did have a dream of singing...

Then Ranamon entered the scene. The beautiful singer who stole hearts across the Digital World....

She snapped. She became a Demon Lord. She hated that she didn't have it all!!!

Although now her envy was directed at Lila. Jealous the Lust Demon Lord's mega level was osnmuch more beautiful than her own...

Kai's Digivolutions

Arachnee

Arukenimon

Level: Ultimate

Arachnee was just down bug, in the forests deep in the Digital World. Where most Digimon where almost just mindless animals. Survival of the fittest.

Starting as a scavenger, scared and alone, she slowly grew. Becoming a predator in her own right. Life... Meant nothing to her. Other lives didn't matter. She needed to feed. She needed to live

These mindless animals didn't

Her life, her enjoyment, was all that mattered

She didn't know she was Plutomon, the goddess of death. Of course she didn't. But the Olympos XII will regret abandoning her in this hellscape of a jungle....

(Fine to use her as the 02 Arukenimon as well)

Arachnee's Digivolutions

Mei

Meicrackmon

Level: Ultimate

Angels are pure. Angels are justice. Angels are light.

That is the lie that is spread across the Digital World. It is the story many know.

But Mei? Mei knows different

Because SHE is an angel... And she is vile.

Yggdrasil, the Digital Worlds god, made her with a single purpose. Kill evil. Slaughter any threat.

She was an angel

An angel of death

Maybe that's why she looked so different. So animalistic

This 'holy mission' wears away at her. But she does it

For peace.

(Willing to use her as Meiko's partner as well)

Mei's Digivolutions

Fiona

WereGarurumon

Level: Ultimate

Fiona was an orphan. Alone. She eventually fell into a bad crowd, becoming a punk. But she refused to let the gang go after those weaker than them, or the innocent

Even taking over the gang.

They delt with assholes and the worst of the worst. In a way, idolising the Bancho Digimon she had heard about across the Digital World

Own day her gang was all deleted when they where caught in the cross fire of hellfire. As a giant beast of flames and death damaged the land.

She helped the Royal Knights defend the cites, the people's. And when it was over... She was accepted into their ranks.

But she was still a rebel at heart. Who she was, truly was, never breaking. If the knights did something she disagreed with, deciding the greater good was above helping people, she'd do what was right.

She was a punk, after all.

(Am fine with using her as Matt's partner)

Fiona's Digivolutions

Gaia

Ceresmon (Medium)

Level: Mega

Gaia has always been a kind, motherly figure. Gentle, loving, supportive. That did not change when she found out the truth about herself. How she was one of the Olympos XII, Ceresmon, goddess of nature and life

Using her giant rocky bird-like mount that is formed via her will, she travels the Digital World. Taking in orphans on her travel while also feeding and restoring the ecosystem wherever she goes

Gaia's Digivolutions

Celeste

Antylamon

Level: Ultimate

Celeste was chosen and trained to be one of the Three Great Angels... and they trained. No peace, no kindness.

An angel raised like a tool. To be the messanger of Yggdrasil and to gover its laws to the Digital World.

Almost emotionless, Celeste sometimes wonders if this could be called living. Now joining the table of three Angels alongside Ophanimon and Seraphimon, the negatives of their life threaten to unleash themselves at any time...

(Celeste has their bio written with gender neutral terms because the idea is for them to be raised to be 'so pure and angelic' that they are 'above gender', so Celeste is a non-binary character)

Celeste's Digivolutions

VeeVee

Flamedramon

Level: Champion

VeeVee was raised by the knights from a young age, knowing they could be any number among their fates 13 warriors

Very trained. And trained. And despite being a playful youth, cheeky and flirty, they lacked a childhood in pursuit of their destiny, and the chance to make their family proud

(VeeVee's bio written with gender neutral terms as they can be a femboy muse it a female one. The default is femboy, but the option is there. Because of that, pics of both are avalable/used)

(I am also happy to use VeeVee as Davis or Rina's partner Veemon with their spercific Digivolution lines)

VeeVee's Digivolutions

Gali

Guilmon

Level: Rookie

Once there was a mighty beast of the apocalypse. The terrible dragon of the end that was threatening to destroy the entire Digital World

It had appeared out of nowhere. And all life was threatened... Until it suddenly stopped

The Royal Knights had searched the location the beast had vanished in... and found a small Guilmon. Quickly putting the pieces together, they knew what the monster was.

But they could not kill such an innocent creature, with no memories of it's past actions

Gali was raised by the knights. An innocent and pure soul, childish she could be at times. Not knowing of her own darkness.... she eventually left them, and becoming her own kind of knight

(I am also fine playing her as Takato's partner Guilmon)

Gali's Digivolutions

Total Muses: 22

[paper-cuts-and-fresh-bruises]

So once again I’ve taken my time to collect my thoughts because wow, I am all in the feels right now (warning, long post). First things first, I am so oddly HAPPY that they didn’t give us a Nancy and Ace kiss, because beforehand yes I was wanting it and by all means I still do, but it made so much more sense with how everything played out. Plus, the proximity Nace had in the dreamscape was immaculate, and when dreamscape Ace said “knock ‘em dead”, oh lord that knocked me dead for a good minute. Plus, we’re in it for the slow burn, and part of that is letting it unfold naturally and gradually, not forced by circumstance or manufactured; make no mistake, the writers are invested in giving us everything we could want and more, but they know how to do it without falling in too deep into the rabbit hole, they have to take clarity in real time, we can only do that after the fact. I personally find that for once the writers know me better than I do, I’ve thrown out theories (some I’ve shared on here and some not) that I’ve had into the void with varying levels of accuracy, from none, to partial, to spot on (this last one being more rare personally). And honestly, I’m actually quite comforted at the moment with my trust in what the writers will do just in general, but obviously especially with Nace. For now I’m living on Kennedy’s words “just let it ride baby”. Plus, season 3 is the place to be for it to flow naturally like a river, give us that progression and have it happen.

Another Nancy x Ace feature I loved was Ace’s tendency to be more touchy (literally) and drawn to Nancy in the finale, because although make no mistake Ace has had numerous moments through the season in terms of his journey towards Nancy, Nancy has definitely been a bit more loud on that side of things although it does make total sense for the both of them. Nancy’s near death experience was definitely a catalyst in the journey for Ace to acknowledge those feelings, I mean the eye contact when Nancy woke up was astoundingly loud. Also, going back a bit for a second, aside from the fact I am so glad that Nancy dumped the dumpster fire that is Gil, I am also so giddy at what Ace said to Nancy because it was so sweet but I also adore his clear affirmation to Nancy that she can do it and that her breaking up with Gil was all her, she has the strength and as can be seen she proved that. Also quick note, aside from the back rubs and hand holding, his concern when the blood was draining, MY HEART. On top of that his “I feel like I left something behind” is giving me everything, and btw I can give you an eye witness description Ace, plus any additional info if you’d like. Coupled with Nancy’s speech she was rehearsing at his door, the girl has it bad for our boy, he just needs to gain clarity in return.

Other things I want to mention, I know we kind of talk about who Nancy’s gonna be with next but I’m gonna throw it out there and say no one, at least not until Ace comes along, at which point they play the game of awkward interactions and figure things out. The Nancy we’ve known up to this point has jumped from guy to guy, but we understand at this point that that’s down to her avoiding her trauma, which she’s now not only in charge of but has to face head on, which means not diving into just any guy’s arms, she understands at this point that it’s not healthy and it’s not helpful. As a result, I think she’s gonna fuel her time with other things; this will obviously include investigating, but maybe even hanging out at Ace’s house whilst he’s on the “romantic” trip (also I really don’t like Amanda defending Gil, I can understand defending family to a certain degree, but girl “he got dumped for no reason” is complete bs, did you even ask or just assume? Ace is right about all he said, and as someone with a brother myself I’ll say it doesn’t take having a sibling to know that, you didn’t even acknowledge Gil’s toxic behaviour properly when Ace called you back). I feel like even though Ace encouraged the trip that he’s already not feeling it, because his feelings are elsewhere *hint hint* right now, it’s more of an excuse to run from what (or who) he’s feeling different about, but when he returns we’re gonna get a lot of juicy content (I don’t think they’ll waste much time doing this for season 3). 

The episode really went there, addressing a lot but not making it feel rushed. Which whilst we’re on the subject, aside from Nancy’s whole ordeal, it’ll be interesting to see if maybe there’s a solution for finding a way to separate George and Odette (I’ve had this theory in my head that Temperance might be the devil they have to make a deal with), though if they do I want it to be a case of Odette being freed and her moving on, because Bess deserves to find someone (as they hinted in the interview for the finale) and not just be dragged back because whilst it was cute for a bit, the whole Odette thing was definitely messy regardless of her noble choice to not resurface again, but also give George her life back where she isn’t having to rush milestones and Bess can get the screen time (which btw I think they deliberately scaled her back this season to serve the other plots better so that they could do more for her in season 3, to give the writers credit where it’s due). Another thing, from the interview as far as the Bobbsey’s are concerned, as far as I know they’ll be taking a backseat, which has me intrigued as to how they’ll be used if they do turn up. On top of that, I loved the reference to Nancy and Ace’s feelings as “nothing casual” which leads me to the last bit of this long post (I will likely make more posts but I’m trying to control myself).

For the longest time I’ve shipped Nancy and Ace, like day 1 type stuff. And part of me just thought it was my brain working overtime and wanting it to be that way, especially when season 2 rolled around and we got all this CONTENT. It could’ve been the writers just latching onto us. But as it turns out I and the rest of us Nace shippers have been right in what our eyes saw this the entire time. They looked at Ace (Alex Saxon) as a love interest for Nancy (Kennedy Mcmann) the moment they had him cast. It’s such great validation because in season 1 amongst other scenes, especially when they went to the library and there was that look between them when they read the emails, I was like...am I? are you seeing this? the seeds were being planted. Anyways, that’s all that’s on my brain right now (surprise surprise), nevertheless I can’t wait for what’s next overall, but obviously I and the rest of us will have to. Luckily though it’s not a whole year we have to wait so we are truly blessed. Looking forward to what’s in store.

[doublebladedbitch]

Savior - Captain Howzer x reader

Paring: Captain Howzer (tbb) x fem reader

Warning: cursing, Howzer being the cute protective daddy he is

Chapter 5

„Men, I tell you those Twi’lek women…“ Cast said to Hood in a low voice, but I was still able to hear him. I rolled my eyes at his statement, but chuckled.

„would you please not only think with your dick, cast…or at least not for everyone to hear“ I said when I turned around to them.

„yeah, very convincing coming from the girl crushing on our captain…“ he replied, causing Hood to struggle holding back his laughter. I hit him into the shoulder, but he continued making fun of me.

„I bet our captain would be into that“ he stated, trying to hold back his own laughter.

„Shut it! I am not crushing on Howzer!“ I protested and hit him again. Before any of us could add anything the alarm for a meeting went off. Currently we were heading from our quarters to the hall of the venator class ship for a meeting. Our next mission would be on Ryloth, but we didn’t got any more informations about the objctive until now.

We got into formation and I stood between Hood and Cast, everybody carried their helmet under the arm and straightened their position, when we heard a shot open and someone enter. I couldn’t help but glance over, hoping it was Howzer. And there he was, walking behind some imperial officer I didn’t even paid one second of my  attention to, unable to take my eyes off of him. They walked past me and for a split second I had eye contact with him, before I stopped myself from staring. After they were gone I couldn’t help myself from looking after him, Cast noticed and smirked at me victoriously. I rolled my eyes at him, to play over the fact, that he did catch me off guard. I turned my attention back to Howzer, when he started talking to his batallion. 

„Troopers, the empire has a new mission for us. It’s gonna be a longer one and bigger than the ones we did. So pack everything, we won’t return for a long time.“ He explained and smiled into the crowd, before he stepped back to let the imperial officer speak. It was hard to take my eyes away from him, until I recognized the voice of the imperial.

„Thank you, captain“ Rampart. „Your mission will be to secure the plant Ryloth and it’s citizens. It shouldn’t be too hard to gain their trust, since many of you including our captain here have fought along side them during the war. The goal is to get the political issues on this planet under control and maintain peace and order.“ Rampart finished and nodded towards Howzer, who gave us the signal to prepare for this mission. 

Hood, Cast, me and the other got to our cabins and got ready. We were told, that we had one hour to do so, before we would come out of hyperspace. We packed everything into boxes and I sat down onto my bed, when I was the first of us three to be done. 

„You ever been on Ryloth?“ I asked them after a while. 

„Yes…its fantastic!“ Cast answered excited. 

„Then whats the problem, that we need to take care of?“ Hood asked his brother.

„Well…lets just say the political situation is difficult…the people of Ryloth have been through a lot of fighting and really experienced the war at first hand and then one of their politicians took over and the people are not happy about that…thats the last thing I heard of“ Cast explained.

„How do you know so much about this?“

„I fought with them against the seppies. We freed Ryloth, but it took years…“ Cast said and I could see him dozing off into memories. 

„So you were part of what Rampart was speaking of…with Howzer?“ I asked him. 

„Yes“ he answered and eyed me weirdly, trying to check, if I was only asking because of Howzer, so I blushed and looked at the floor. 

„You two ready?“ Hood asked us when he was finished packing up to break the tension. I nodded and Cast quickly finished up. We got to the transport that would take the boxes of equipment and helped loading the ship. More and more clone troopers loaded up the ship with their boxes and more equipment. I noticed that a lot of the boxes carried weapons, I couldn’t help but wonder for what we would need them, if this was more of a political mission and that the „threat“ was already dealt with, I quickly stopped myself from questioning this decision and focused on loading up the heavy boxes. 

„You sure those boxes aren’t too heavy for you, girl“ I heard someone say behind me, I placed the box on some of the other in the shuttle. 

„I think I can handle them very well, thank you for your concern“ I snapped back with sarcasm dripping from my voice as I said the last part, before I turned around. 

Kriff. Admiral Rampart was standing in front of me with a risen eyebrow. I froze in shock and immediately regretted everything I had said and that I had been unable to recognize his voice. 

„I-I am sorry, S-Sir“ I stuttered out. Then I noticed Howzer standing next to him, maybe it was just imagination, but I could have sworn I saw an amused smirk on his face, when I glanced over. 

„I expect you to come into my office, after we land“ was everything that Rampart said before he walked off. Howzer gave me a quick worried look, before he followed the imperial. Hood and Cast stared at me in shock. 

„You don’t have to look at me like that, I know this is bad…“ I told them and sat down on one of the boxes, burying my head in my hands. 

……………....

The flight felt a lot longer than it actually was and I couldn’t get my mind off of what Rampart could do to me. Would he send me to another battalion…or take my rank away? Forbid me to serve as a stormtrooper? 

When we finally landed I was so nervous, I felt my stomach turn with every second that passed. Howzer walked up to me when I got out of our transport shuttle and gave me a weak smile. 

„come with me“ he said in a gentle way, even though it was an order. I did as I was told and gave Hood and Cast a last worried look. We walked through a back entrance into a huge building, almost palace like. It looked very luxurious and if I wasn’t this uneasy, I would have probably enjoyed looking around and walking through the long hallways. 

„You’ll be alright, Seven“ Howzer said after he noticed how uneasy I got. 

„Are you sure…after I spoke in that tone to him…“ I replied, still worried. 

„I wont let anything happen to you…“ He answered softly causing me to stop walking and stare at him. I did not expect this  at all…of course, he was extremely kind and had a good heart, but this…and the way he had said it…it warmed my heart and I wanted to jump into his arms and hug him. 

Suddenly the door opened and looking inside I saw Rampart leaning against a desk. I gave Howzer a last look before I walked inside and the door shut behind me. Rampart nodded towards the chair that was in front of his desk, I hesitantly walked up to it and sat down. I dared myself to look at him and tried my best to not appear scared. 

„You know why you are here, aren’t you?“ He asked me and started to slowly walk around my chair. 

„Yes, Sir.“ I answered in a clear voice. „But to my defense, I did not know it was you…and did not expect an imperial admiral to make such comments“

Rampart stopped in his tracks and I didn’t have to look at him to imagine how shocked he was at my words. It took him a short while to find the right words. 

„I forbid this tone“ he stated and paused again. „…but it looks like I have to excuse myself for my comment“ he continued, causing me to raise my eyebrow in surprise. Did he just apologize to me?   

„I have to apologize, Sir“ I said looking at him. He stopped circling my chair and leaned against his desk again. I still wondered why he was so…nice…to me.

He shock his head and chuckled. „no, no, no…let me make it up to you.“ He replied, making me even more surprised. I eyed him a little suspiciously, still wondering why he was like this. This seemed very unlike him.

„Tonight will be a dinner with some imperial officers and Ryloth’s politicians. I would like you to be my guest“ he explained with an arrogant smirk, knowing very well it was more like an order, than an invitation. 

„Thank you, Admiral..but I don’t think I have a fitting attire for such occasion…“ I stated truthfully and hoped he would leave it at that. My gut told me that I couldn’t trust him and I really didn’t not want to go with him to any event. 

„Don’t worry about it, I have already taken care of that.“ He answered and stood up, leading me towards the door. I followed him and looked at him confused. Rampart pressed a button and the door opened.

„Go to room 8, level 4. Dinner’s at 800“ he stated with his signature smirk. 

„y-yes sir“ I stuttered still a little confused, before I walked out of his new office.

[dropofgoldensun]

omg hiiiii i am here from cat (@luvdsc) wondering if you could offer any advice about college apps 🙏 especially about the uc piqs? thank you so much i hope ur doing well!!!!!!!!

yes yes hello friend !! 💝 miss cat directed you to me because i did my college apps last year !!! (yikes one year passed already?? why does that feel ages ago 🤧)

first of all, congratulations on making the decision to apply to college !! i know it’s been hard for a lot of people our age to figure out the college situation recently, so i’m proud of you for choosing to take the extra step this summer to buckle up and write those essays 💞

i’ve compiled a few tips on answering the PIQs (i was actually in the middle of typing this up when i received your ask haha), but some of them can be applied to other essays, as well !! they’re all under the cut (because, unfortunately, being brief is not my forte) 😊

(and for reference, the prompts i chose were #2 (creativity), #6 (subject), #7 (community), and #8 (anything) !!)

tip #1: understand the prompt.

before you even begin writing, it’s important to understand what the question is really asking. for the UC PIQs, this will look different depending on which four prompts you decide to do.

in question one, for example, they want to know about your skills in leading others, but notice that they’re also curious about your resolution abilities and teamwork experience. or in question two, they don’t want to know that you paint and that you love painting—they could be asking how resourceful you are, how you think outside the box when you have an idea.

once you know the question you’re going to be answering, you can move on to brainstorming!

tip #2: write down three (3) key takeaways.

these are like the most basic, not-even-a-sentence answers you would give to each question. so for me, in response to question eight (“what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for the UCs?”), my answers were perseverance, courage, and character. i had a story about that, so i wrote about my experience with martial arts.

i recommend you do something similar. decide on three things that you want to communicate to your audience, and write them in the footnote of your document. your goal is to cover all three points so that, if anyone were to read your essay, they would walk away understanding those three things about you.

i found this strategy really helpful for keeping my essay streamlined while writing—if a sentence didn’t relate to any of those main points, i would cut it since those words would take up valuable space in the word count. stay focused on what needs to be in this essay, and if you have extra words left in the word count later, you can add those details back in.

and once you’re done with your essay, make sure to refer back to your takeaways and check that you covered all of them sufficiently!

tip #3: highlight your stories.

i sent cat an ask a couple days ago with a few pictures of my response to an end-of-year college counseling survey that referenced this tip (you can find it here). basically i said that, when choosing what topics to write about, pick things that interest you! if you get excited talking about it, your audience should get excited about reading it, because they’ll pick up on the passions you have and then everyone’s excited !!! :D

i’ll tell you a secret: everyone you meet, everyone you see, has countless unique experiences that few others may have. me? i spend hours making mashups out of kpop songs. i earned my black belt years after a traumatizing experience during training. i get russian harry potter and spanish dr. seuss books from the library. and i created a collaborative online google photos album for my classmates that now has thousands of entries. although these aren’t necessarily unique to only me, they’re still special enough to the point where, when you put them all together, you get a better image of the person i am, and what i value.

so find a story, a habit, a hobby that makes you different, because i believe that everyone has them. give them some food for thought, or that one-liner that sticks in their brain and won’t go away. and remember: these stories don’t all have to be extraordinary—they should be about people or moments of special value to you, because that’s what matters.

personal tip: when i was brainstorming ideas, i decided that the best way to get ideas out there was to go on a rant (because sometimes it helps to just have a conversation with yourself !!) and i recorded myself, so i could replay what i said !! this was so so crucial to me finding my own voice for writing essays. notice the way you word things when you talk—a good line or two may make it into the final draft :)

i found it helpful to read sample essays as well! they give a lot of great ideas on the kinds of topics people write about. (also, it’s kind of fun, because who doesn’t love a good story?)

but the people reading your essay won’t be there to just enjoy your story; what they really want you to do is to tell them what you learned from your experience. they want to know whether you’re teachable and willing to grow both as a student and as a young adult. so make sure to take note of the life lessons you learned, experience you gained, character you built, etc.

minor tip on ending your essay: if you’re telling a story that happened in the past, then close with what you learned and how you can apply that to your life moving forward. if you’re telling a story that has no definite end yet (like a passion or dream you have), you probably don’t have everything figured out (and you can say that in your essay!), so it might be better to close with your hopes for the future.

tip #4: ask your family for help.

peer-editing is one of the most effective ways to detect errors and inconsistencies in your writing, because, after staring at your essay for so long, you might gloss over glaring contradictions. for all of my essays, i printed them out and asked my parents to help me revise them. we’d meet every other night (or every night, depending on how much time was left) to review and discuss improvements.

i actually kept some of those printed drafts (only the first and the final ones for comparison), and let me tell you from experience—you’re probably going to have a lot of drafts (i think the most i did was seven? but you don’t need to go that far!). this part of the process does take some time, so remember to be patient and kind to yourself :) these essays won’t happen overnight!

enlisting the help of others also helps keep you accountable. one of the struggles many seniors face while writing essays is just... setting aside time to do them. and even though the constant reminders from your parents will definitely get repetitive and a bit stress-inducing, i can tell you from personal experience that i’m so glad they did; otherwise, i don’t think i’d have my essays done in time :’)

while writing college essays is challenging, your family will be there supporting you each step of the way. chances are that they’ll have their own pointers to pass on to you, since they probably remember doing this process themselves! and, out of everyone in your life, they probably remember the most about you (because you probably don’t remember much when you were four or five), so they might have a couple starter ideas for topics when brainstorming. you can rely on them for their advice and their experience.

tip #5: self-editing.

here’s the part that takes the longest time.

use action words. this is probably something you’ve heard all throughout elementary school where they didn’t like you to say “said” because it was “boring”… but honestly, the difference between “doing my own version” and “infusing it with my personality” could go a long way. also, use words that you would actually use in an essay—then it’ll have your own special flair, and not sound like it’s taken from some stuffy 80s textbook!

here are some of the words i used (once again, you shouldn’t use these words if they don’t sound like something you’d write/say): potential, overlay, wrestle, launch, analogous, weave, infuse, experiment, outlet, revel, fascinate, satisfaction, pursue, expand, distinction, capture, range, archive, engage, beyond, build, adversity, cultivate, preserve, commit, explore, convey, naturally

also, be on the lookout for repeated words. i once wrote an essay without noticing that i used “hope” three times in the same paragraph. don’t do that! use synonyms :) personally, i tended to run short on synonyms, so i always kept a tab or two open on my computer reserved for searching up new words.

side note: unfortunately, during my search for synonyms, i discovered that thesaurus.com just didn’t give me what i was looking for. i highly recommend using wordhippo instead; it has so many more options and they’re grouped by the different definitions of your word! i found the synonyms i needed really quickly and it was very satisfying!

avoid the passive voice! my teacher gave me this tip for theses or any other college-level writing. here’s an example of the passive voice: “there was a large part of me that wanted to turn back.” that’s twelve words taking up precious space in your word count! instead, say something like, “i considered turning back.” you’ve just freed up eight words :)

tip #6: final revisions.

this is the step where you fine-tune your essays. meet that word count.

read your writing out loud. does it sound like you? it should. every writer has a different voice, and you need to ensure that yours is pervasive throughout your essay. feel free to use contractions—not only do they reduce your word count (this was a good thing for me, since i had a problem with getting under 350 words), but they also give a more casual tone to your essay, as if you’re telling a story to someone in the room.

next, pretend to be an admissions officer and have someone else read your essay to you. do you get excited hearing about this student who shares your name? if you do, there’s a good chance the real admissions officers will love your essays, too. this also gives you a chance to review to your essay as a whole. pay attention to the overall flow. is there a clear beginning and end? do you resolve the issues and overcome the trials you brought up? listen to it as if it’s a story, and take this time to enjoy what you’ve written. you worked hard!

final thoughts / encouragements.

oh my goodness, did we make it to the end? honestly if you did, thank you so much 🥺

okay but despite my relatively optimistic tone throughout this post, i’m still going to be honest with you—the college essay writing process is difficult. it requires you to look inside yourself and analyze the “why” behind some of the things that you love, and that isn’t easy to do at all. it’s intellectually and emotionally challenging, because not only do you need to use so much energy writing, but you also have to dig deeper to understand yourself, and that’s not easy, either.

but i wanted to encourage you, too. no matter what you may think of yourself at 12am, 2am, 4am writing these essays, believe you have a personality that others love and will love when they meet you. you are an interesting person with unique experiences who deserves to share your thoughts with others. you have so many people behind you, supporting you during these next few months. and when you find that you can’t write any more, remember to take time to care for yourself. have a warm shower. go to bed early. i could go on and on about why sleep is good for your brain but i’ll spare you the details in this post 😉

one last thing: keep the bigger picture in focus. remember, by december or january, you will be finished with most of the application process. that’s no small accomplishment. you can do it. 💝

i really hope you found tips that you were looking for, and that they’re applicable to your own PIQs and other essays !! if you have any other questions, feel free to send in another ask (i promise my response won’t be this lengthy LOL) 💘💓

oh, and if you feel comfortable enough reaching out about anything in particular, i’m only a DM away 💕 i wish you the best of luck on writing your essays and i hope you enjoy your final year of high school !! 💗🌸💟💖

[zenonaa]

'The conglomerate taught him a dozen languages and how to play as many instruments. They trained him to operate multiple types of aircrafts, earn billions of dollars and not bat an eyelid as a rival company begged for mercy... However, when it came to developing feelings, that was treated in the same way as stabbing a fork into a plug socket, or offering to wash the dishes instead of letting the servants attend to them. It was common sense not to do those things.'

Fandom: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Fukawa Touko/Togami Byakuya Characters: Fukawa Touko, Togami Byakuya, Naegi Makoto Additional Tags: Togafuka Week Summary: Togami tries to prepare himself for his reunion with Fukawa.

Comments: Day 3 for TogaFuka Week! Fantasy/Kiss.

💗 Please like, share and comment if you enjoyed it! 💗

***

As the helicopter soars above the city, Byakuya visualises skyscrapers reaching toward the sky as if wanting to claim the blue expanse for itself, like that’s its God-given right. The buildings wouldn’t look out of place in a boss battle in a light gun video game. Makoto once compared them to the final level in an old zombie shooter that he played a few times at his local arcade.

Byakuya imagines the futuristic city, teeming with electricity and life, but the image lingers only for a couple of seconds before rusting, wilting, collapsing. In reality, Towa City is an industrial wasteland. Its railroad halo dips and splinters throughout, as if made from thorns, and the ghost of a bullet train explodes into dust that rains down on the city. Buildings have been amputated, leaving only stumps if nothing at all. Squinting, he discerns a car park that is now a graveyard, with graves instead of cars.

They land the helicopter in the concrete clearing behind a rundown hotel, the loud wailing of the rotorcraft’s blades slowing into pops before falling silent. No red carpet awaits them. A staircase unfolds from the helicopter’s doorway to the scarred ground. The sky is a red lipstick stain that fades into purple like a bruise.

And a short distance away from Byakuya stands Touko Fukawa.

Touko bounds toward him. “Byakuya-sama!”

Yes, he thinks, she would still call him that. Her wild mane of aubergine hair writhes with every step. Meanwhile, he glides over. His feet make no sound.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she says, stopping in front of him. She breathes in, filling her lungs with air. He brings a finger to her lips.

“Let me speak first.” Byakuya can feel her lips vibrate as words bubble in her mouth. After he lifts his finger off, her mouth hangs ajar but she stays quiet. Now it’s his turn to inhale deeply. “We have been on quite a journey. Before we met, I held the weight of the conglomerate and all the pressures involved, while you...”

The light against her lenses flashes warningly as her brow dips into a furrow.

“... had, and still have, your own,” he finishes. His teeth scrape against his lips. “When I entrusted you with Towa City, do you remember what I said?”

“No matter the distance, I will not feel a thing,” she recites.

“That’s right. You must understand that my creation was a business investment.” He swishes a hand through the air, maintaining eye contact. “Romance goes against my existence. At that time, though I had started opening up to the idea of relying on others, and letting others rely on me... I was not interested in... in romance.”

Her silence provides a clear sky that his voice fills with grey clouds. He coughs into his knuckles.

“Part of me rejected the idea of romance... And yet, to my surprise, during our time apart, where we could only speak in video calls, my heart grew fonder for you.”

Touko’s puzzled squint blooms into a wide-eyed stare. Its intensity burns his cheeks. Still, she doesn’t say a word. What if after she had drawn close enough, without the gleam on the computer screen on his face, she realised he is as cold as a monitor? Is that what is happening now? Aoi sometimes remarked that Touko was too good for him, and when Aoi became annoyed enough with something he did or said, she would add that Touko deserved better.

He used to never doubt himself, but for the first time in his life, he wonders if he is good enough.

It feels like he has taken his first step somewhere damp and mouldy, where the floorboards could give way at any moment. Without moving, his stomach drops as if he’s already falling. Byakuya’s tongue squirms in his mouth, as if trying to reverse the words that it already unleashed, but he can’t take them back.

Instead of trying to articulate his feelings, he decides to demonstrate them to her. He grabs her waist. Her head jolts back in surprise and a moment later, their lips bump together. For several long seconds, they stand stiffly, Byakuya’s hands on her body, Touko’s hands cupping air, until he needs to peel himself away to breathe.

She gazes at him, brow wrinkled, not smiling. Then she opens her mouth and asks, “Are you okay, Togami-kun?”

The voice does not belong to her. Byakuya blinks, fracturing the concrete, the sky, her body, revealing his true surroundings. Opposite him sits Makoto, the two of them seated in a helicopter.

“You zoned out there for a good few minutes,” says Makoto.

Byakuya responds with a grimace.

To bat away the encroaching silence, Makoto chirps, “I can’t believe in an hour, we’ll finally be reunited with Komaru and Fukawa-san.”

In response, Byakuya gives a solitary hum. Makoto’s smile wanes.

“Are you motion sick?” he asks Byakuya.

“No,” Byakuya says more harshly than intended, the syllable cracking the still air like a whip and making Makoto tense. He flattens his tone and adds, “I’m in thought. That’s all.”

“About the reunion?”

Byakuya nods.

“It’ll be fine,” Makoto assures him with conviction that puts Byakuya on the defensive.

“What am I supposed to say to her?”

‘Her’ being Touko, of course. The conglomerate taught him a dozen languages and how to play as many instruments. They trained him to operate multiple types of aircrafts, earn billions of dollars and not bat an eyelid as a rival company begged for mercy. With the matter of future heirs, they instructed him on what to look out for on female applicants’ forms while choosing potential mothers. However, when it came to developing feelings, that was treated in the same way as stabbing a fork into a plug socket, or offering to wash the dishes instead of letting the servants attend to them. It was common sense not to do those things.

And yet here Byakuya was, spending the journey to Towa City mentally rehearsing how he was going to confess to a woman who had gained the power to make his heart swell too big for his chest. The conglomerate could not have prepared him for such a woman. Such an intelligent woman. Such an empathetic woman. Such a loyal woman.

Most of all, a woman who drew strength from what the conglomerate called weakness. Love.

“I mean... you can say hello?” suggests Makoto.

Byakuya’s steely gaze clenches Makoto. “Then what?”

“Like... ‘How are you?’”

“I can’t treat this like a regular meeting, as if we had only last seen each other at the end of work the previous day,” says Byakuya.

“Why not?”

“This one is different.”

As Makoto’s eyes flicker, he drinks in the tension in Byakuya’s shoulders, the tightness in his fists, and says, “Ah. I see.”

Though Makoto must have known for some time now. He and the others had started alluding to Byakuya’s feelings for Touko before Byakuya was even in denial about them, back when Byakuya didn’t know what he was experiencing, or what was making his stomach flutter.

Evening has dyed the sky orange, darkness creeping in at the edges. Byakuya stares at it through the window. His unsmiling reflection leaves a faint imprint on the glass. Silence swirls around them, hanging over their heads like the rotating blades of the helicopter.

“Are you going to tell her?” asks Makoto, and he doesn’t need to elaborate.

“I should,” Byakuya replies.

“You can try a pick-up line.” Without having to look at him, Byakuya can hear the grin seeping into Makoto’s tone. “For example... Do you like raisins? How would you feel about a date?”

Byakuya’s reflection glares as Makoto carries on.

“If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put ‘U’ and ‘I’ together. Or - ”

“That’s enough,” Byakuya says with a shudder, raising a hand. “I aim for my demeanour to be calm and composed. I do not intend to act like a fool, throwing out hackneyed lines.”

“Sorry, sorry. But if you don’t mind me saying, you’re overthinking it, Togami-kun.”

This earns Makoto a look from Byakuya. The curve of Makoto’s lips is slimmer now, but still holding on.

“In these sorts of situations, it’s best not to use your brain...” Makoto taps himself on the head. “... but to follow your heart.” His hand shifts to his heart and pats there next.

Byakuya tightens his lips and returns his gaze to the window.

“Easy for you to say,” he mutters.

The helicopter lands by the hotel that Touko and Komaru have been living in. If not for the lit windows and neon sign, the dark column would have blended in with the night. Steel bars cage the building, mostly unbent. Byakuya’s attention fixes longest on the sign that flashes ‘TOWA HOTEL’, ‘TOWA HOTEL’, pulsing like his heartbeat, reminding him over and over where he is.

He balls his sweaty hands into fists. He can do this. ‘Follow your heart,’ Makoto had said, and his heart has been caged for so long. It’s time that he freed it.

As in his imagined scenarios, Touko runs over, her arms spread as if about to take. Byakuya tenses, for a moment thinking that he has to catch her before she flies away again.

Fortunately, she stops in front of him, her feet rooted to the ground. “Byakuya-sama!”

Byakuya swears he feels the spray of her spit, but it might just be his sweat. Makoto digs him gently in the ribs, quirks his lips, then walks toward Komaru. At no point does Touko’s eyes stray from Byakuya, who lifts his chin and adjusts his tie. Low laughter simmers in Touko’s mouth.

“I can finally smell you...” She hugs herself. “It has been so long.”

In the past, he would have told her to shut up after saying something like that, but that doesn’t seem appropriate now. Such a comment used to come across as vulgar, and maybe it still does, slightly, but he has grown accustomed to the vines that her existence has curled around him. His tongue feels thick in his mouth as he tries to think of a response.

“Well, I can smell you,” he says.

This prompts Touko to shrink back and worry her lip with her teeth. “D-Do I...? I showered earlier today. Argh, did Komaru swap my shampoo for dog p-?”

Touko cuts herself off with a groan and shakes her head. Byakuya reaches a hand toward her.

“I mean you smell good.” He immediately cringes. Good. He said, ‘good.’ Her brow creases, whether it be from confusion or from hearing such a lame adjective, and he adds quickly, “You smell like...”

Byakuya breathes in but finds himself unable to smell her, so he leans toward her so he can. She gasps. He straightens sharply.

Time ticks as Byakuya mentally flips through the scripts he had rehearsed on the helicopter.

“Romance goes against my existence,” he says.

No, wait. He hadn’t meant to say it like that.

“Went against,” he clarifies. “Remember when I said ‘No matter the distance, I will not feel a thing’?”

Touko nods slowly, frowning. His head fills with steam, rendering it practically useless, which leaves him one other organ to depend on. His heart.

“Do you like raisins?” he says. “I’d put ‘U’ and ‘I’ together.”

Her troubled expression gives way to concern. “Byakuya-sama...?”

Byakuya lets out a frustrated groan and slaps himself on the forehead. “What I want to say is...”

She springs onto tiptoe and pecks his lips.

In that moment of contact, time stops. No more than a second could have passed, but by the time she returns her heels to the ground, he feels like he has been flung up into the sky before crashing back down again, his head spinning.

While he stands frozen, she wraps her arms around him.

“I understand,” she says muffled into his chest.

He hesitates, then hugs her back, and presses his lips against the top of her head. She smells like strawberries.

[keanureevesisbae]

eunoia - prologue

Summary: Sam is trying to adjust to a life post-Steve Rogers.

Sam Wilson x Quinn (Asian ofc)

Warnings: Some spoilers for Civil War, Inifinity War, Endgame and TFATWS

Wordcount: 2.2k

A/N: Did I just abandon my other wips to work on this one? Maybe. This story follows around 50% of TFATWS storyline, but it’s not identical. I honestly don’t know whether or not people are gonna like it, but if you do, please let me know 🥺Our boy Sam deserves all the fics 🥰

Masterlist // eunoia masterlist // 

Not a day goes by that Sam doesn’t think about Quinn. It was at the Joint Terrorist Centre’s headquarters in Berlin when he first saw her on security camera’s. While Bucky was being interviewed, a different set of cameras showed another interrogation room. It was nearly identical to Bucky’s room, though the difference was that there a woman was strapped in a similar containment cell. They had found her earlier that day and according to some intel she was part of another Hydra program, though there was not much known about her yet.

With the reactivated Winter Soldier Program, Sam tried to capture Zemo, before the fugitive disappeared into the crowd. Together with Steve, they took Bucky into an abandoned building. While Bucky slowly regained consciousness and both Steve and Sam being distracted, no one noticed someone sneaking up behind them.

In a twinkling of an eye, both Steve and Sam were tied up with one rope, despite the two of them being on opposite sides of the room. With a certain focus, the petite woman marched up to Bucky, ready to do whatever was her task. As her fingers wrapped around his neck, tips digging in his neck, Bucky seemed to recognize her. A soft ‘hey’ from the Winter Soldier was enough to snap her out of it.

The rope stopped cutting into Sam’s skin, as the woman looked around her. She dropped the rope and she ran her hands through her long black locks. There was something about her that intrigued him. Her eyes darted from one side to the other, before they landed on him.

Sam didn’t know her that long, but he could see that there were a lot of undisclosed feelings. She was confused, maybe even a bit scared.

She introduced herself as Quinn, though adding the fact that she had no idea what her  real name was and Quinn seemed fitting.

Just like Bucky, Quinn was also a target of Zero’s spree. She remembers Zemo breaking her out of the secret and deserted Hydra facility back in Munich, where she was put into cryogenic stasis. Zemo released her into the world, only for her to be caught within a few hours. She had no idea if that was Zemo’s intention, her getting caught that soon.

‘Just a few hours ago,’ Quinn explained, ‘there was this guy with black hair, questionable facial hair, who told me to catch a guy. It was a picture of you.’ She gestured towards Bucky, who tilted his head as his gaze softened.

‘You remember me?’ Bucky asked her.

She shrugs. ‘I don’t know,’ she whimpers. ‘I didn’t when he showed me the picture, but… There is something I sort of remember of you. You walked into the room, dressed in all black, looking visibly exhausted. You were in this other cell and looked at me and told me that it was all gonna be okay.’ Quinn let out a soft—yet meaningless—chuckle. ‘That’s not quite working out.’

Without any more painful questions, Steve suggested she came along and Sam and her actually fought alongside the rest on the airport, making sure Bucky and Steve were on that flight and just like the rest who stayed behind, they were imprisoned in the Raft.

Sam watched her, day in, day out. She was yet again strapped inside a containment cell within her cell, another counter measurement to make sure she was unable to escape. Sam saw how she kicked an entire van to the side on the airport, without breaking a sweat. It made him question whether or not she was just cooperating or if the restraints were really working.

Her petite frame was perfect for her to blend in the crowd, in contrast to Bucky, however strength wise, they were around the same level.

Speed wise, it was Quinn who had the upper hand there.

She simply sat in the cell, staring ahead of her. Sam wondered what happened inside her head, but when they made eye contact, all he could see was sadness and hopelessness.

At night, when the lights were dim and everyone was asleep, he told her that it was all gonna be okay.

‘How do you know?’

‘I just do,’ he said.

For the first time, she smiled at him. ‘And I just have to trust you on that one?’

‘It’s the wisest thing to do. Besides, what have you got to lose?’

After Steve freed them from the Raft, he did not know what to expect from her. Deep down, Sam kinda hoped she would join him. On the airport, it was obvious how well they worked together, but just like Clint, Scott and Wanda, she decided to live her own life.

And just like that, she disappeared.

Sam never thought he’d see her again, but when they all met in the New Avengers Facility, when they learned about Thanos’ plan to capture all the Infinity Stones, she walked in as if she never left. She stayed close to either him or Steve, not once speaking up about what she did in the meantime and Sam never felt like he could ask.

When they landed in Wakanda, Quinn took him aside and asked: ‘You got my back?’

He smiled at her, realizing that his efforts in gaining her trust back at the Raft and the Facility had helped. ‘Always,’ he promised.

But he didn’t keep his promise. He didn’t have her back like he promised.

Quinn was the last person Sam saw, before he disintegrated into ashes, together with half of the world population. Her hand on his cheek, as her eyes darted from side to side, slightly confused of what was happening, but also realizing that he couldn’t have her back anymore.

While Sam was aware that she was right there on the battlefield after they were all brought back, the first time he saw her was on Tony’s funeral. After Steve told him, Banner, Bucky and Quinn he was going to return the Infinity Stones and Mjølnir—looking back on it—it was obvious she knew what Steve decided to do. Sam can still hear the words that left her lips then: ‘Are you sure you want that to be your future?’

Sam did not know what it meant then, but he sure does now. After he received the shield minutes later of a much older Steve, Quinn did what she always does: disappear.

He never knew where she went, what she was doing and while he respects her decision, he still thinks about her. Every single day. His hope of seeing her again, hasn’t faded away and sometimes it frustrates him. He barely knew her, why is he so hung up on her then?

Sam lets out a sigh, as he drives his truck over the roads to his destination. It has been a rough couple of weeks. He is working closely together with the United States Air Force and after a few missions, he made his decision whether or not to give up the shield.

Without Steve, the shield is nothing.

He desperately needs a break from all of this and there is no place like Delacroix Louisiana to wind down from the hectic of an after Blip world. He had been there two times, but both times ended abruptly as the Air Force needed him.

Now, he has the time. All the time in the world to relax and forget about an Avenger like life.

Sam parks his car on the dock and his nephews AJ and Cass are the first to notice him. ‘Uncle Sam, uncle Sam,’ they exclaim.

‘Ah, there you two are,’ he says, hugging the two boys tightly.

‘How long are you gonna stay this time?’ Cass asks.

‘Awhile,’ is the answer he is giving his nephews, but that is mostly because he wants to keep them in suspense a little.

AJ scoffs. ‘That’s not an answer.’

‘Okay, okay, gotta give you that,’ he chuckles. ‘How about: at least two weeks?’

The two boys high five each other. His sister Sarah loudly places a crate on the ground. ‘Finally,’ she says, ‘took you long enough.’

‘Nice to see you too,’ he retorts with a smile, before giving her a hug. ‘Missed you.’

‘Of course you did,’ she says. ‘We missed you too, just like almost everyone here. Almost got me thinking that you’re the favorite Wilson sibling.’

‘That’s because I am.’ He carries the crate to where Sarah wants it and he smiles when his eyes land on the family boat. ‘She sure is a beauty.’

‘A broken beauty,’ Sarah says, ‘that is costing me a fortune.’ She places her hands on her hips as she says: ‘With both the house and the boat needing some fixing up, every penny I got to spare is going to the house.’

‘Is this about you wanting to sell it again?’

‘Yes, since I’m not willing to sell a working organ on the black market in order to afford its repairs.’

‘I told you I would fix it,’ Sam says.

Sarah rolls her eyes. ‘Yeah, you told me that months ago, but the boat still isn’t working. You know the situation, Sam, the thing’s gotta go.’

‘Sarah, you’re kidding. We grew up on this thing.’

She scoffs. ‘Yeah, I know, I was there. It’s just that I cannot afford it anymore.’

Sam sure loves his sister, but there are moments where he—just like back in the days—he’d want to put her behind the wallpaper, making her shut up. It’s always this doom thinking. Everything or nothing at all, there is no in between. ‘You know I can help with this.’

‘Yeah, big help you’ve been.’

Sam clenches his jaw. ‘Well, I’m sorry I was taken away by the blip.’

‘It’s not about you being gone for the blip,’ Sarah says. ‘It’s about the fact that there is too much for me to do here. I need to keep the house, so it’s either keeping the boat or the business and since the business is my income, it’s only logical that the boat has got to go.’

Great, he has been back for a few minutes and he is already having this conversation with his sister. ‘I’ve got this, Sarah, I promise.’

She doesn’t believe him, he can see it in her eyes, but decides to drop the matter. Maybe she realizes too that this is no conversation for them to have after he got back for only a few minutes.

The two of them step back on the dock, where his nephews are stretching out their necks, almost like they are searching for something. ‘Whatcha looking at?’ Sam asks. ‘See a pretty lady?’

‘Is that,’ Cass starts, only for AJ to exclaim: ‘Auntie Quinn!’

The two boys drop their stuff and rush over the dock to the woman Sam never thought he’d see again, let alone right here. Quinn holds out her arms and despite the boys being nearly the same height as her, she still manages to catch them both as they jump in her arms. They must’ve known about her enhanced strength, Sam thinks to himself, otherwise they wouldn’t have jumped right in her arms.

But that raises another question: how could they’ve known?

‘Auntie Quinn?’ he asks Sarah.

Sarah nods. ‘Auntie Quinn,’ she confirms.

She’s gonna leave it at that? ‘Care to explain?’

‘I think it was two weeks after you were blipped away. It was chaos here, like literal chaos. People were missing, I hadn’t heard anything from you. She walked up the dock and offered her help. I thought for at least a month she was an angel send from the heavens. She told me she saw you right before you were blipped away and that she went to your place back in DC. She found out about us and decided to see how it all went down here. Thankfully she did, because I desperately needed her help. She assisted with the business, helped raising the boys.’

To say he is confused, would be an understatement. ‘She stayed here?’ he asks. ‘During the entire blip?’

‘Oh yeah,’ Sarah says, holding up her hand to Quinn. ‘I think all in all, she stayed here for four years. Sometimes she went away for a few weeks, but she always returned. Near the end, she called me and told me that Steve needed her. It’s actually the first time I’ve seen her in a while.’

Sam can’t stop looking at the big smiles and chuckles being exchanged between AJ, Cass and Quinn. She hugs his nephews tightly and even from a distance he can tell she is scolding them for growing taller.

‘I think that without her,’ Sarah continues, ‘I barely would’ve made it. She was slightly clueless though. Had issues with the simplest tasks, like cooking and day to day stuff, but she’s a fast learner.’

It shouldn’t warm his heart like it does, but Sam can’t help but smile as he realizes that Quinn went on the look out to care for his family.

‘She told me she had no memories of growing up. Poor thing,’ Sarah says, shaking her head as she as well looks at the trio. ‘She tried so hard to remember, but in all those years she spend here, no luck. I wonder if she does now.’

She doesn’t. Sam doesn’t need to ask her, because he simply knows.

Quinn still doesn’t remember her past.

[rjhpandapaws]

Something Familiar

Chapter 2: Lessons in Good Faith Tw: PTSD and mentions of torture and death

Living with Daniel was a lesson in many things. A lesson in patience, trust, and it was a constant trial in checking is biases. Daniel was one of the few good humans, and Silas’s fear still ran unchecked. He knew it would take time to work through all of his baggage, and that Daniel was willing to wait. The thing was that Silas wanted to trust him, but couldn’t because there was still too much in the way. Daniel had even given him space after they sealed the contract. Silas bore the mark of it on the inside of his left wrist. A small circle of red, yellow, and blue lining. Daniel had the same on his left wrist as well. It marked them as equals, but it still felt like imprisonment to Silas. He was grateful for the week alone though. It gave him time to get used to his human shape again. He spent a lot of his time on the upstairs balcony watching the world go by with out him. Being outside like this was something he hadn’t been able to do for years. He would have preferred to change shape and wander, maybe even fly; but he was still on the mend and under strict orders not to shift unless it was an emergency. Daniel wasn’t here to stop him. He could have run away, and yet he stayed. Like a good Familiar.

When Daniel came back Silas’s private moments gained a witness, and his nightmares gained an exit. Daniel was always gentle when he woke Silas. He made sure he was genuinely awake and then let him come back to the real world on his own. He would offer to listen and Silas would always turn him down. There were nights that were worse. Nights when he didn’t dream, but remembered. The sleep he got was always more restful on those nights, but waking up always hurt worse. He woke up buried under the weight of all the things he should have done; could have done if he was a better person. On these mornings the only thing he wanted was space to think. So he would quietly make himself coffee and head up to the balcony. Daniel always came up eventually, and he usually brought breakfast with him. He would set the tray down on the small glass table and take a moment to observe Silas. He never said was he was looking for, but Silas assumed he found it because he would go back inside after a while. As a healer it wasn’t in Daniel’s nature to leave things alone, but he seemed to understand that Silas needed time to himself every once in a while. It was something Silas was grateful for. Someday he would let Daniel in, he deserved to know what he had gotten stuck with.

He woke suddenly from a dead sleep and sighed. He could still see Connor clearly in his mind, the fear in his eyes as they were separated almost felt accusing now. He should have stayed. He should have done a lot of things, but he was a coward and ran away instead. Silas got up with a practiced silence and started on his coffee. The house was still dark, but he had the kitchen layout memorized. By the time his coffee was ready he could use the early rays of dawn to make it up to the balcony. Today was going to be long and painful. He leaned against the front railing of the balcony to watch the sunrise and let his thoughts run loose with him. If he got it out of his system now, then maybe he could be something close to composed by the time Daniel came up to check on him. So for now, he would let himself remember. They were good things at first. His childhood, play fighting with his brothers. Learning the importance of the ancient magic they carried with them. The rush of freedom that came from knowing a thought was all it took to become any creature he wanted. The sacred bind that came with choosing a patron mage. There was a complexity that came with choosing to be a Familiar. It was a bond based on sharing strength and it lasted a lifetime. Different from a contract.

He remembered the day everything changed. The day the world as he understood it would come to an end. It was a normal day, he and his brothers woke up and did their chores, but never made it back to the house. Traps had been set in the night and each of them fell victim to one. He remembered waking up in the dark and in pain, surrounded by everyone from his village. All of them had been taken. They were given a week to recover and adjust to their new life before the Conditioning started. Each of them was branded with a unique number. Something that could be used to find them in the event that one of them escaped. The ones that the Conditioning worked on disappeared. Bought by mages that believed them to be Creature Familiars. Those who didn’t take to the Conditioning were tortured until they broke. It went on like this until their anger finally outweighed their fear. Their revolt; if it could really even be called that; was a failure in Silas’s opinion. So many of them had died. Freedom for the few of them that had made it out was paid for in the blood of those who hadn’t. Silas had taken his new freedom and run to the nearest mage. Signed it away in exchange for survival. Even if Daniel saw them as equals; Silas had still done the exact thing they had fought so hard to be freed from. He would have almost rather having died. Almost.

He could feel Daniel’s eyes on him and had the feeling he wasn’t going to be able to get out of this one without talking. He knew Daniel wouldn’t ask outright, but would linger until Silas said something. It Gave the illusion that he had other options; but if he wanted to be alone he would have to say something. “There were three of us, you know, that made it out.” He began and did what he could to keep the emotion out of his voice, “Me and then two of my brothers. I lost them in our mad dash to get out, and now I don’t know if they’re even alive.” He tried to blink away his tears, but they only rolled down his cheeks instead, “After everything we’d been through; I couldn’t be bothered to stay. I ran away like a fucking coward and sold myself out in a desperate bid to survive. Some fucking brother I am.” Daniel was quiet for a long while. This was the most Silas had ever ‘willingly’ said to him. “In a few weeks you’ll be healed enough to handle mildly strenuous activity.” He said eventually, “We could go looking for them if you would like.” Cold heavy dread settled in the pit of Silas’s stomach, “Why?” He snapped, “So you can add them to your collection? So you can have the complete set of the last shapeshifters known to man?”

“No.” Daniel replied sharply, “So you can have some damn closure and a place to stay once the contract is up. I actually want you to be safe, believe it or not.” Silas flinched. He knew Daniel wasn’t the same as the other humans he had dealt with, but he was still afraid. He set down his mug of long forgotten coffee and breathed out a defeated sigh. It was too early in the morning for a fight. On top of that, Daniel hadn’t done anything to deserve this. The contract was a means of protecting him. He understood that. “I’m sorry. You’ve been nothing but kind to me, and yet I still fear completely offering you my trust.” He said after the silence had long since grown uncomfortable, “You may very well be the only human with my best interests at heart and I keep pushing you away.” He took a deep breath and tuned to face Daniel, “I’ll think about it, but that is asking a lot of faith from me; and for now, I think I would rather be alone.” Daniel looked away from him and his shoulders slumped, “I understand.” His voice was almost level, but hurt lingered just beneath the surface, “I’ll be in the house if you need me.” Silas watched him leave and wondered if he should have been gentler. It wasn’t Daniel’s fault he’d gone through all that, but he had nothing else to do with all his anger. Burying it clearly hadn’t helped. 

He picked through the food Daniel had brought up for him and tried to gather himself a little more. Daniel didn’t deserve to bear the brunt of his anger. He wasn’t responsible for what was done to him. He was the only person that was trying to help. The least Silas could do was give him the results he wanted. Even if they were fake. Time to see if he could even manage to be a convincing liar. The sooner he seemed well, the sooner he could get out of here. He didn’t know where he would go, yet, but he was sure he would find his place eventually. On top of that Daniel wouldn’t have to deal with him anymore. He could go back to whatever it was he had been doing before Silas had come crashing into his life. It was late in the day when Silas had gathered enough of himself back together to handle being around another person. He didn’t say anything to Daniel when he came back; because he looked busy, and because he simply didn’t feel like it. He got to work on the dishes so he would have less to do later in the evening. “I’m sorry Silas.” Daniel broke the silence after a while, “For this morning. It was insensitive and out of line.”

The laugh that hitched and bubbled it’s way out of his chest was bitter and humorless. It surprised him, this was the first time he had laughed in years. “Was it?” He asked coolly, “Are you rescinding your offer to help me find my only remaining relatives then?” “Well, no.” Daniel scrambled, “I just; I wanted you to know that I meant no offense by it.” He explained and Silas relaxed some, “I feel like I’ve messed something up, and I want to know how I can fix it. I hate seeing you so upset.” “It’s a matter of learning to trust you.” He said and looked down at his hands, “My whole life up until now has been spent in fear of humans. I just have to keep in mind that you haven’t posed a danger to me yet. Sorry for being so... defensive, I guess would be the word.” “You’re alright.” He replied kindly, “These things take time. Even at that, you have a lot of trauma to work through and-” “Daniel stop.” Silas interrupted, “I need someone to listen to me, not psychoanalyze me. Believe me, I am well aware of all my trauma and the power imbalance of our dynamic. I really don’t need the reminder.” “Right.” He agreed with a sharp nod, “It can be difficult to turn my doctor off sometimes.”

“I understand.” Silas replied as he leaned against the counter to face Daniel, “It’s the only way people will acknowledge you, so it has become your primary mode of existing.” He watched with mild amusement as Daniel’s jaw dropped, “You’re more than that to me, you know. You’re the closest thing to a friend I’ve had actually.” “First of all, ow.” He said with a laugh and put his hand over his heart, “Secondly, what happened to not psychoanalyzing each other? I’m glad you think of me as a friend though.” Silas smiled, and it felt strange after not having done so for so long, “I figured that you’ve done it to me enough times that I deserved a turn.” “Fair enough.” Daniel replied as he began to put his things away. “How many weeks?” Silas asked once his curiosity got the better of him, “Until we can leave?” He was quiet for a long while before he replied, “Six, if you mind your limitations; eight to twelve if you keep ignoring them like this.” His smile fell away, “That was a lot more than I was hoping for.” Daniel just shrugged, “You’ve been stubborn. Agitating your old injuries and coming back from your little excursions with new ones. You need to rest.”

“Fine.” He said as he made his way to the bookshelf to go through the travelers’ guides, “I’ll be a better patient from here on out.” He settled on his bed with the books he had grabbed, “Six weeks should be enough time to find a place to start.” “Of course it will.” Daniel replied with a gentle smile Silas felt like he hadn’t been meant to see. It was finally time to venture out into the world. He just hoped they found Connor and Richard before anyone else did. If he lost his brothers he wouldn’t have anyone left. There was no way he could survive that.

[nonbinary-octopus]

Not Just the Two of Us  Chapter 1: Confession

Summary: Roman's boyfriend is the best. Really. So why can't he shake this crush?

Wordcount: 1.7 K

A shoutout to @magpiemorality for the title! Thanks, Magpie!

[Masterpost]

[More of my writing]

~~~

“Okay,” Roman muttered to himself, getting the coffee grounds out and measuring careful, level scoops into the coffee machine — five scoops of the regular grounds and one scoop of the hazelnut ones, exactly how Logan liked it. “Best case scenario.” He took a deep breath. “Best case scenario. Logan isn’t upset. He tells me how to fix this. We move on, and it’s like nothing ever happened. It’s a… hm. It’s a one.” Roman poured the water into the machine and turned it on. “Worst case scenario.” He winced. “Logan immediately dumps me, and then he calls our friends and tells them and they friend-dump me, and I’m alone forever.” Roman grimaced and opened the freezer. “That’s a one too, though. Or less,” he added, getting out the box of frozen waffles. “Most likely scenario,” Roman continued, putting a waffle in each slot of the toaster and pushing the lever down. “Logan is hurt. But he thanks me for being honest and— and says it was brave of me to come to him with this. Then he tells me how to fix it, or we figure it out together, and then we put it behind us and move on. Not as if it never happened, but we’re still happy together. That’s a… an eight, at least. Maybe even a nine, but that’s pushing it.” Finally, Roman filled the teakettle with water and set it on the stove. He nodded to himself. Although there was still a ball of nervous energy resting in the pit of his stomach, he felt that he could do this. He got out a pair of mugs, putting a teabag in his and leaving Logan’s empty.

Logan came in just as the kettle began to sing. “Good morning, love,” he greeted.

“Good morning!” Roman answered, taking the kettle off the stove. As Logan crossed the kitchen, Roman poured hot water in his own mug and coffee into Logan’s. He passed it over, and Logan took a moment to observe as stars appeared on what had previously been a plain black mug. Roman bobbed his teabag up and down in the hot water, watching the color seep out.

“Something is on your mind,” Logan noted.

Roman nodded. “Mm-hm.”

“Care to tell me what it is?”

“Let me give you breakfast first.” Roman turned away, pulling the warm waffles from the toaster and placing them on a plate. He spread them with butter and Logan’s favorite jam, trying to calm his heart rate. It had spiked up again at the thought of what he had to confess.

When he turned back around, he thought he had himself under control. Logan had sat down at their small breakfast-nook table and was sipping his coffee. Roman sat down across from him with his tea and set the plate of waffles between them.

“Thank you,” Logan said fondly, picking up one waffle. Roman watched him take a bite, and as Logan chewed, Roman opened his mouth to confess.

“Let me preface this by saying that I love you,” Roman said. “I’ve never been happier than when I’ve been with you.”

“I love you too,” Logan answered sincerely. He didn’t ask what was wrong, and Roman appreciated that.

“I also want to say that it was an accident,” Roman added. “I didn’t mean to, and I was trying to fix it by myself, but I can’t, so I need your help. And I understand if you get upset, but please let me say my bit before you answer.”

Logan nodded seriously. He put the waffle and his coffee down, clasping his hands around the mug and giving Roman his full attention. “Alright.”

Roman took a deep breath. He’d rehearsed in his head what he wanted to say, and though he was feeling more than a little stage fright now that it came down to it, he remembered his lines. Quickly, almost rushing through the words, he said, “I have a crush. On someone else. I didn’t do it on purpose, and I haven’t acted on it, of course, and it doesn’t lessen the love I have for you in the slightest, but it’s there and I don’t know how to get rid of it.”

Roman finished abruptly, and silence hung between them for a few seconds as Logan first waited a moment to be sure Roman had finished speaking, and then processed what he had said.

“You have a crush on someone else,” Logan repeated. He didn’t sound upset, and not in his deliberately calm, upset-but-hiding-it sort of way that most people couldn’t tell from the real thing.

Roman nodded.

“And you wish to be rid of these feelings?”

“Yes!” Roman exclaimed. “Like I said, I’m very happy with you, and I don’t want to change that! I’ve been trying to be a good, faithful boyfriend and ignore the way I felt about Virgil, but the feelings only got stronger and stronger and I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, one way to be rid of an unwanted attraction is to gain closure,” Logan said. “Attempting to wish feelings away can be unfruitful when some part of you, however small, believes that a relationship might be possible. By informing your crush of your feelings for them, and being told concretely that they do not reciprocate, you are emotionally freed to move on.”

“Does that work?”

Logan shrugged. “In theory. I tried it on you, and you immediately deviated from the conversation I had anticipated.”

Roman was stunned speechless for a few seconds. Finally, he said, “You asked me out so that I would reject you?”

“Actually, I did not ask you out at all,” Logan corrected. “I informed you of my feelings toward you, and then you asked me out.”

“Should I have not done that?” Roman asked, feeling worried all over again.

“On the contrary,” Logan assured him. “I quite prefer dating you over not dating you. I simply had not expected you to reciprocate my feelings. I was quite pleased to be proven wrong.”

“I didn’t,” Roman admitted. “I mean, I loved you, but in a friend way, not a gay way. I mean, I am gay, so everything I do is always gay, but I wasn’t in love with you yet. That started during our first date.”

“Oh,” Logan said. He tilted his head slightly to the side and raised his eyes, clearly thinking back to the beginning of their relationship.

“What should I do about my crush on Virgil?” Roman asked, pulling Logan out of his recollections. “I could try the get rejected plan, but what if he doesn’t?”

Logan returned the question. “What would happen if you told him you were in love with him, and he reciprocated?”

Roman frowned. “I am not going to cheat on you with one of our best friends,” he nearly snapped.

“I am not suggesting that you do so,” Logan answered calmly. “Roman, have you ever heard of polyamory?”

Roman thought about it, his frown lightening slightly. “No. What is it?”

“The word comes from the greek polús or poly, meaning ‘many,’ and the latin amor, meaning ‘love,’” Logan began, “and is defined as the practice of or desire for an intimate relationship with more than one partner, with the consent of all parties involved.”

Roman blinked. “You can do that?”

“Yes, so long as everyone involved is aware of and consents to the polyamorous status of the relationship. Without that, then it does become cheating, but with proper consent and communication, a polyamorous relationship can be just as healthy and happy as any other relationship.”

Roman thought he could see where Logan was going with this, but he didn’t quite want to say it out loud yet. Instead, he asked, “So like being in a couple, but there are three people instead of two? And they’re all dating each other?”

“Yes, that is one example of a polyamorous relationship,” Logan agreed, giving Roman a smile. “It’s called an equal triad. Another example involving three people is called a vee. Rather than all three partners dating each other, one is simultaneously dating the other two, who are not dating each other.”

“Wouldn’t they get jealous of each other, if they’re both dating the same person?”

“It is possible,” Logan said. “However, in a polyamorous relationship, the members make an effort to practice compersion rather than jealousy. That is, they recognize that their partner’s other partner brings them joy, and so they are glad for the happiness their metamor — that is, their partner’s partner — brings their mutual partner.”

Roman must have been making a confused face, because Logan changed tactics. “Consider it like this: I myself am neutral on most disney movies. However, I have a certain fondness for your collection, because they make you happy, and I like seeing you happy. I am not jealous of the love you bestow upon those films, but rather, I appreciate them for the joy they bring into your life. Similarly, were you to start dating Virgil — in a way that was polyamorous rather than cheating, of course — I believe that I would not be jealous of him either, or upset that I had to ‘share’ you, but pleased that you were feeling joy due to that relationship.”

“Oh.”

Logan gave Roman a very gentle smile. “Do you think that you would like to pursue a romantic relationship with Virgil?”

“I mean…” Roman hesitated. “Yeah? I think so? If… if you’re really okay with it…”

“I think you should ask him out.” Logan picked up his coffee again, taking a long sip. Roman was quiet, and Logan added, “You may want to take some time first to further sort out your feelings with this added information, and that is quite understandable. I know that this wasn’t the direction you expected this conversation to take. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you.”

Roman nodded. “Thanks, Logan.”

“Any time, my love.”

Roman could feel himself blushing. To not have to say anything, he grabbed one of the waffles off the plate between them, taking a big bite.

~~~~~

Chapter 2: Making Plans

[curiousconch]

Fight or Flight

Chapter 13 of Ricochet (An Open Heart AU)

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Synopsis: Bryce and Heather both need to make major decisions as they face the final revelation about what truly transpired during Heather's kidnapping.

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x MC (Dr. Heather Song) ft. PLATONIC Ethan Ramsey

Words: 3.5k+ | Genre: Crime, Suspense/Thriller, Romance

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / language, hints of violence

Author's Notes: So this took too long to write, and frankly, I'm still reeling with it. I have long planned the conclusion of this series but I am still shocked with how I came up with this final twist. I do hope you forgive me for sitting on this for far too long. Life wasn't making it easier.

Also, disclaimer: Majority of the characters are owned by Pixelberry, except the main character Heather Song.

"You can't go back to the case, Lahela."

Bryce pounded his fists on his oak desk in frustration. He just came out of a meeting from Chief Tanaka, requesting for him to be assigned back on the Farrugia case.

Victim - prosecutor relations. Possible disbarrment. Termination. To sum it all up, his career will be in jeopardy.

These are the looming threats over Bryce's head if he didn't back off the case. Not that he had much choice. Now that his and Heather's faces were plastered across every Boston online article from the gala.

He couldn't help but to think that someone planned to stop his involvement in the case. Probably because that person knows he's doomed once Bryce works his way to untangle the web of conspiracies that transpired.

Resolved, the ADA swears to himself to get to the bottom of it before he lets this go. Sitting down, his mind ventures to Heather, wishing that her day back to Edenbrook was going much smoother than his was.

*** 

Unfortunately, before noon, Heather found herself in a supply closet.

It was proving more difficult to go back to normalcy after everything that has happened. Patients recognize her from the news coverage. Doctors, nurses, even half the staff was treating her like something fragile. Even the usually grumpy attending that was her boss wasn't trying to get on her toes today.

For Heather, it was incredibly disorienting.

But the probable reason behind how everyone was acting weird around her was that early morning incident.

While taking on an emergency case, she froze up. The last time she did was during her intern year. And that was for an entirely different reason. This time, her head blanked out because she thought she saw Ed Farrugia in that gurney. The slithering snake of a man he was. She couldn't move her fingers, nor speak because of the mixed emotions of her imagined vision.

Edenbrook was where it all began.

Luckily, Dr. Naveen was around to sub for her.

And thus began her slow downturn, reaching the tipping point in this condemned supply closet.

Eyes closed and breathing slowly, Heather struggled to free herself from the suffocation she was feeling. She loved Edenbrook, she loved working here. But now, why does she only feel dread the first day she again set foot on it?

Beep beep.

The sound of her pager momentarily freed her from her prodding mind. It was Ethan. He wanted to see her at Chief Banerji's office. Sighing deeply, she fixed herself and got out of the closet, wondering what this meeting might be about.

An elevator trip and a couple of minutes later, she knocked on Naveen's door and let herself in. Ethan Ramsey was already inside.

"You asked for me?" Heather said, closing the door behind her.

Her mentor and grand-mentor exchanged looks of concern before straightening up.

"Grand-protégé, have a seat," Chief Naveen gestured towards the comfortable chairs in front of her desk, where Ethan already took a seat on one.

She obliged, taking the seat opposite her boss. Dr. Ramsey didn't take long to speak right after.

"We know you've been through a lot recently Dr. Song and we-"

"Please don't put this delicately, Ethan. I can't get anymore fragile," Heather spoke up, demanding for both doctors to tell it to her straight.

"Of course, Heather." Ethan coughed, before sitting up in a more commanding posture.

"Johns Hopkins have offered a long-term position to the Cancer research partnership we have with them," Naveen said. "We both think it's in the best interest of you and Edenbrook to take the opportunity, given that it's your target specialization and -"

"It's not in Boston." Heather finished the sentence for him.

"Yes," Ethan nodded. "We don't want your career to be overshadowed by what has been going on. You have a lot of potential, and this would make you a forerunner in the advancement of cancer research."

"It's frankly what you can call it, hitting two birds with one stone," the eldest of the doctors added.

"How long will it be?" Heather asked, weighing it all in.

"A year, a year and a half, at least." Ethan replied.

"And what of my position in the diagnostics team?"

"You'll stay on to consult remotely, but your responsibilities will be diminished given that we want you to spend more time on the cancer research."

Heather swallowed hard. They're putting me into self-imposed exile.

Sensing her hesitation, Ethan reached out to her and patted her arm.

"We only want what we think is best for you Heather, so please at least give this some thought."

She met her mentors' gaze and nodded at them, before rising to stand up.

"I will think about it," she said, leaving the office.

*** 

Pulling all the strings he had left, Bryce Lahela stepped foot into the mansion of Massachusetts' prolific senator. Isolated by house arrest, thinking about Ed Farrugia made the young ADA's skin crawl.

As he walked the carpeted floors into a receiving room, he couldn't help but notice the select macabre portraits that showed war scenes hanging on the stuffy walls. Says alot about its owner, that's for sure.

The double doors he entered in opened, and a tall imposing figure in unflattering maroon satin robes came in. He looked a bit older, yet, somehow, more formidable.

"Ah, ADA Lahela. I see you are not backing down?"

Bryce almost snorted at his arrogance, immediately sensing the pretend machismo in his foe's tone.

"We'll see about that, Senator," the prosecutor replied politely. Didn't want to cross the point of no return before I had the answers I wanted.

"So, what does the young and promising prosecutor want from a disgraced politician today?" Ed sat down on one of the most pretentious armchairs Bryce has ever seen in his life.

"The truth," Bryce smiled cheekily, standing opposite the other man, matching his bravado.

The senator's response was to lean back on the too comfortable chair, crossing his legs.

"Well ADA Lahela, are you certain you are ready for the truth? It may get closer to home, more than you will ever think," Farrugia replied, a sinister grin masking his features which suddenly made Bryce feel queasy.

I don't like where this is going. He thought to himself, staying quiet.

"I thought so," Ed Farrugia nodded, watching the lawyer's stoic facade slowly crumble. "But to hell with it, it's just going to be fun to watch how you had a hand on all of what happened to your precious Doctor Song."

The former senator snapped, and in came a butler that carried a tray. In the tray was a white envelope, and a tumbler of what Bryce smelled as scotch. The politico grabbed the glass and sipped the rich liquid, neither offering Bryce any nor pouring him another glass. Instead, he reached for the white envelope and raised it to Bryce's level.

"Recognize the handwriting, young man?" Ed Farrugia was now sneering at him, expectant.

As Bryce's sight slowly trailed the cursive handwriting, he sensed the familiarity of the strokes. Ed Farrugia's name was written, but there was something about the way it was written.

When his eyes fell on the top left side, he recognized the insignia almost immediately, the hairs at the back of his neck standing up.

There it was, the name he tried to get away from since his adolescent life. Lahela. The logo of his parents' godforsaken company that duped so many families.

Bryce can only freeze in place, as the horror of the realization that his parents somehow had a hand in all of the things that happened to Heather slowly dawned on him.

"Heather Song was the doctor that saved my ass, ADA Lahela, so of course I didn't have the motive to hurt her, you know. She prevented my assassination, and I'm not an ungrateful hypocrite," Ed Farrugia began to explain. "But Heather knows this... I am not to shy away from people who can give what I want, what I need, you understand of course? You're a smart young man."

"So in exchange of a generous donation to my campaign, I am to concoct a plan that will mutually be beneficial to me and my donors," Farrugia continued. "My donors wish to teach you a lesson, make sure that you do not forget where you came from, remind you that no matter where you go, once a Lahela, always a Lahela."

"That's why we went with a warning first, remember? Get out of Boston, or else," the senator shook his head. "Your parents didn't think she'd be a good influence to you. Frankly, an orphan with an absentee father? She'd set you up for failure. At least that was what your parents thought."

"And of course, I wanted to gain something more with it, might as well do the work right? I had my kidnapping staged, that dashcam footage you received? That's from me so that you can arrive at the scene before I get killed by that amateur wannabe Jordan. What's in it for me was public sympathy - as the survivor of a second assassination attempt. Public sympathy equals votes. As simple as that."

Ed stood then, and padded his way to the nearest open window, before looking back at Bryce.

"I used my own enemy, the Travis Brothers, to deflect suspicion, of course. I also a used a middle man, someone who already wants payback from Dr. Song, someone with motive... So Declan Nash worked for me, in exchange of leniency in his role on Panacea's medicare fraud." He smirked, satisfied with the grandiose of his plan. "My only mistake was that I underestimated that ungrateful piece of crap though. Who would have thought he had the brains to record me?" his fist connected on the windowsill, startling Bryce.

"So you see, young man, everything that happened, is on you. No one is to be blamed more than you. All because of your ambition to become something you are not. Something you will never be, be apart from your family name."

Stunned into silence, Bryce can only gape at the senator. The turmoil within though, was unparalleled.

The anger that was boiling in him in the revelation that all this time, his parents was the cause of so much misery. Bryce's heart was so quenched of the discovery that he hasn't completely escaped them, nor their relentless hunger for taking control of his life.

His fists clenched, wanting nothing but to smash every single thing in that wretched room. He didn't care anymore.

What right do they have after putting him in so much pain? What do they even want to achieve? Do they want to make him crawl back to them as if nothing happened? Do they want the same pretentious respect that so many others had just for their mercy?

How does he even begin to explain all of this to Heather? That everything that went downhill for her was because of the person she loved? How can she accept him now? How can she love him now?

And as if on queue, Bryce's phone began to ring. When he saw the caller ID, he almost dropped it.

It rang once again. And he knew he had to take it.

"Bryce? Can we meet?" The voice from the other line was firm, but fragile.

He tried to level his voice, not wanting to have her worried. At least not now.

"Sure, babe. Where do you want to go?" Bryce replied, walking out of the mansion that was sucking the life out of him.

"In that cafe, where I bought you coffee that first day we met. Do you remember where?"

Bryce sensed the urgency in Heather's voice. Has she found out? He hoped not.

"Okay, what time?"

"I was hoping now. If you're done working, that is."

He was done. No reason to delay the inevitable.

"Okay, I'll drive there now. I'll see you."

With a heart heavier than it has ever been in his entire life, he drove down to where it all began, praying so much that it wouldn't be a trip to full circle.

***

Heather nervously sat by the glass wall of the Cafe, in a quiet corner. She already ordered two caramel macchiatos, the same drinks she and Bryce had the first day they met.

She rehearsed what she was about to say in her head, hoping that repetition will make it less taunting. Once she sensed Bryce, she waved him to the table and stood up.

He instantly saw her, and the load he was bearing suddenly become a little lighter. But the guilt was still there. The guilt of being the person to have caused much misery in her life.

But years of practice of showing everyone else the facade of his unbreakable confidence helped him hide what he was truly feeling at the moment, and instead smiled at her.

Her beaming return smile proved to be almost too much.

He reached out to her and intertwined his fingers with hers, almost nudging the cup of coffee in front of him.

"Hey, you remembered," Bryce was touched.

"Of course, it's probably the only thing you ordered during those meetings." Heather chuckled, brushing his cheek with her knuckles.

Her chuckle was lackluster, not her usual one full of wit.

"What's going on, Heath? It can't be that you just missed me," Bryce asked, straight to the point, hoping to dodge her intuitive powers of observation.

She sensed the edge in his voice, making her eyebrow quirk. Heather discerned it was best to ask him first.

"No, Bryce. What's up?"

For the second time that day, Bryce was stunned into silence. Heather's sharp perception of him was unimaginably accurate. And he knew he'd explode if he didn't tell her.

So he did.

From the denial and threats of Chief Tanaka, to his prodding, which led him to the heavy weight of the truth of Senator Ed Farrugia's admission. He didn't spare any detail.

Heather listened intently, trying to comprehend exactly what he was saying. She saw the guilt in Bryce's eyes when he told her that his parents set the wheels in motion, apparently for some sick and twisted lesson he needed to learn, like he was still under their supervision, under their control.

The more she heard, the more overwhelmed she got. But she didn't let go of the grip she had on Bryce's hands, reassuring him that she's there to not judge, but only hear out what he learned of the unnerving truth. And to acknowledge the strength of Bryce's character to not hold out the truth to her.

That was what she loved about Bryce. He was never one to back down from the truth, when it mattered. At least that's the case with her.

She has spent half the day pondering about her own decision. She took Bryce's position into account but she didn't expect this other factor to come into play.

If she stayed in Boston, she'd stay with him. And he won't be able to help her case. She knew Bryce, and he'll be unnerved not to be able to personally oversee it. And with this new discovery, he'd want to all the more take this case. This was personal. And Bryce wasn't one to back down against it. She's going to hold her back.

If she left... Well, Bryce would be able to take on the case.

Either way, she'll lose him. And the mere thought of it pained Heather to the core.

Bryce noticed Heather's lack of reply, the contemplative look in her face made him sense something was about to go south.

"What if there's a way, Bryce?" Heather finally spoke. "What if there's a chance for you to fight all this? Would you take it?"

"Heath, I don't think I want to know where this is heading..." Bryce stared at her, confused.

"Answer me first, Lahela. If I give you an out where all those hurdles goes out of your way, will you go through with it?" The intensity with which her eyes bore into his was unparalleled, yet rendering him clueless.

It took him a few moments before answering. Everytime he asked himself the same question, the answer was never different.

"Yes, Heath. I'll fight this to make sure those bastards can do you no more harm." his answer was firm, but as to her way, he still had reservations.

She nodded, her heart screaming not to do this. But she had to do it, else, everything her and Bryce will have between them will be diminished to nothing but resentment and guilt. With him claiming responsibility for his own parents' actions, yet unable to do anything about it. And Heather resentment, because she can't guarantee that a day won't come that she'll blame him.

They can't be together. Not until this is all resolved, not until they can leave everything behind.

Laying it down the line, Heather had to choose. She had to choose for both of them, even if it will surely hurt them both.

"Do you trust me, Bryce? Do you trust us?" Heather was firmly holding his hands, determined.

He nodded, despite himself. He feared what she was about to say, so he held his breath.

"So be it, Bryce. I'll give you an out. I'll give you what I think you need now,"

Bryce was afraid to ask the next question in his mind, but he did anyway, fuelled by Heather’s fire.

"What's the cost, Heath?"

"I'm leaving for Baltimore, Bryce," she said quietly, biting her lower lip, clearly putting in an effort to hold back tears. "I hope two years is enough for you to fight everything alone, because you'll have to. We both have to fight this separately, it seems."

Bryce's blood ran cold. No, no, no, no fucking way.

Seeing the panic in his eyes, Heather soothed him by brushing her fingertips on the back of his hand, sadness beginning to creep into her expression.

"It's the only way, Bryce, it's the only way..." she repeated, as if to convince herself rather than him.

"No, Heather, I can't lose you, not this time, not ever." Bryce's voice was pleading with her, yet he knew, deep down, that she was right. That this seemed to be the only way to fight all the remaining battles of their lives.

"If we concede now, Bryce, it would only break us. If we avoid this now, it will eventually haunt us and we'll succumb to it. We'll just end up hurting each other." She struggled to reassure him, but she pressed on.

"This way, we're not bowing down. We stand more of a chance to overcome this if you'll fight this. If, we will fight this." She rose from her seat to take the chair beside him. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders, comforting him. "We're merely carving our own way around it. It's not going to be easy, but I know we'll overcome... Because you're one hell of a prosecutor, Lahela. You're the best and you know it."

"How come you're the one who's so brave about this?" Bryce stared back at her, tears brimming in the corner of his eyes, aware that this may be their end.

"Because I believe so much in you, Bryce. Because you can do so much for this world more than how your parents defined you. You are your own person, and nothing can ever take that away from you," she paused, brushing the hair away from the beautiful amber eyes that gazed down at her. "Most importantly, because I love you so, so much. And what I can give you now, the love I have now in me, is less than what you deserve. I want to heal, for myself Bryce. I want to be whole again, so that I can give my 100%. When all of this is over, I'll come find you, that's a promise."

Bryce couldn't help himself anymore and pressed his lips against hers with fervent passion, knowing that this will be the last time in a long time before he can find her in his arms like this. Agreeing to this course of action, they bid their goodbyes, never as uncertain as they were about the decision they just made.

In less than a week, Heather left for Johns Hopkins, bidding goodbye to everyone except Bryce. Hoping the moment she stepped inside the plane, life would give her this chance to start over, to completely heal, to become whole again. Because Bryce Lahela deserved more than the fraction of what she could give. He deserved everything of her, no inhibitions, no limits, no holding back.

Bryce watched her go from a distance. He watched her plane took off from the ground, all the while concocting a plan to defeat the shadows of his past lurking around so that he could be with her again. Freely, completely and irreversibly.

That day, two open hearts chose to fight. Fight for the things that hung over their head so that it was no more. But in their decision to fight, they lost the comfort of each other.  They embarked on their separate paths with the promise of meeting again one day.

The path to the summit was often lonely. It is in their hopes however, that the moment they reach the end of this hard path they were in, they would no longer be alone anymore.

More than their willingness to overcome another hurdle in their way was their certainty to trust in each other, in the strength of their love for one another. In their endurance. In their hope.

For them, that was more than enough. It has to be enough.

Author's Notes 2: If you're reading this, I want to thank you so much for taking time to read this series. There's an epilogue in the final edits and I promise to tie the loose ends of this final chapter! Please do share your thoughts in the comments, I would really appreciate it!

Tags: @eleanorbloom @ejustlurkshere @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

[lopithecusfanfiction]

Glory and Fame with a Bullet with No Name

Author: Lopithecus Pairing: Markus/Connor Rating: Teen+ Word Count: 1498 Alternate: AO3 Summary: Markus is making a speech after the successful demonstrations that freed the androids from the camps, with Connor as his bodyguard. However, things don't go as planned and one of them gets hurt, forcing feelings to be discussed. Warnings: N/A Author's Note: I’ve been meaning to post this fic on Tumblr ever since the Rk1k Week 2019 ended. If you haven’t read it on AO3 already, please enjoy! Prompt: Day 3 - “You were destined for the glory, the honor, and the fame. I was destined for a bullet, to be the gun with no name.”

Connor enters the room and looks around, watching as humans and androids alike enter from the front of the auditorium. He’s nervous, a feeling he isn’t exactly used to having. Markus has decided to have a press conference, taking place only a few weeks after their victory in releasing the androids from the camps. Connor doesn’t think it’s a good idea but Markus is hell bent on having it anyway no matter how persistent Connor expresses his opposition. That’s why he offered to be Markus’ bodyguard. If he can’t stop the android from doing something stupid, he can at least protect him.

“Connor, are you okay?” He startles some at the sound of Markus speaking right behind him.

Turning, he smiles. “I’m fine.” He lets his smile fall. “Markus, are you sure-”

The other android holds up a hand, stopping Connor from saying any more. “Connor, we’ve been over this. I have to do this. I have to let the humans know where we stand and that we aren’t going away.”

“But you just won your protests a few weeks ago,” Connor persists. “Don’t you think it’s risky? Don’t you think you should let a few blow over before standing in front of thousands of humans? Especially with no security.”

Markus places a hand on his shoulder and gives him a smile. “That’s why I have you here.”

Connor shakes his head. “I’m only one android, Markus.”

The android gives Connor shoulder a few pats and then gets into place to walk up on stage. With a sigh, Connor follows, deciding to stay close to the deviant leader. He doesn’t know if Markus is expecting him to be stage and center with him and he really doesn’t care. It’s the only solution he can come up with, the only one that makes the most sense if he wants Markus to get out of this whole thing alive. Connor doesn’t like this one bit. There are too many humans, too many angry and scared humans. Any of them, any of them that aren’t in favor of androids having freedom, could attack.

Simon is the one that does the introductions, calling Markus up onto the stage. They both walk up to the podium, Markus glancing back at Connor to see that he is there. There’s no reaction from the android. Maybe he had predicted such a thing from Connor. Once behind the podium, Markus begins his speech and Connor scans the room once more.

There are more humans than androids in the crowd, only serving to cause Connor more unease. He has a bad feeling about this place, doesn’t like  how jam packed it is. It’s hard to tell what the humans are doing, what they are caring in their hands. They should have set up some android security by the doors, maybe even some metal detectors, though those would go off every time an android walked through it. To Connor, it would be worth it if it meant Markus being safe.

The lights that are shining on them are blinding and Connor has to adjust his visual processor to accommodate it, making it easier to see the crowd. He goes one by one, learning each and every name in that building, their occupations, and their criminal records. There some without records, some with, mostly assault and battery. More than half of the humans here have no jobs and he can clearly see more than one angry face amongst all the people. Connor counts ten androids out of the thousand-two-hundred humans. He doesn’t like the odds.

As Markus begins to reach the end of his speech, Connor reads the stress level of one particular human as eighty percent. He keeps an eye on this human as Markus starts wrapping up. “I hope this is a beginning to things to come,” Markus says. “A beginning to living harmoniously together and living equal to one another.” The android pauses. “I want to thank you all for coming and for listening.”

The humans stress level is now at ninety-five percent and he sees him stand before everyone else, drawing something out of the inside of his jacket. Connor acts immediately. “Markus, get down!”

The bang of a gun rings loud in the room as people scream and scatter frantically. Markus and Connor hit the ground hard and chaos consumes the room, humans and androids fleeing the room. Connor sits up, drags Markus with him so they are both crouched behind the podium.

“Connor,” he hears Markus’ concerned whisper from beside him and meets the android’s gaze. He looks stricken, one hand on Connor’s shoulder and the other on the floor. Markus’ eyes flit down and Connor’s own eyes follow, noticing right away the blue blood dripping out of his abdomen. “We-we need to get you help.”

Connor shakes his head, reading the pop up of his ultimate shutdown. “No, I need to capture that man.”

Connor makes to get up but Markus’ hand on his shoulder stops him. “Connor!” Connor kneels back down. “Don’t.”

Connor blinks at the android, realizing that Markus is now looking terrified. Another shot rings in the room and the man shouts something. There’s still people screaming all around and Connor doesn’t have time for this. “I am your bodyguard. I have to protect you.”

“No you don’t!” Markus practically yells, taking Connor by surprise. “You’re not a machine anymore, Connor, you don’t have to complete your missions!”

He shrugs Markus’ hand off. “It’s not a mission. It’s a job.” He pulls away, peering around the podium corner to spot the man. If he’s careful he can make it. “Don’t worry, Markus.” He leaves the safety of the podium then, ignoring Markus calling him back.

*~~~*

When Connor opens his eyes, he doesn’t expect to be lying down in a bed in the New Jericho building. He sits up slowly, confusion making its way into his thoughts, but when he goes to reach for where the bullet hole was, his hand is stopped. Connor looks and discovers that someone is holding his hand. His eyes travel up the other’s arm and soon he is met by blue and green eyes.

“Markus,” he says breathlessly. “What happened?”

“You scared me, that’s what happened.” Markus’ eyebrows are furrowed in concerned and he squeezes Connor’s hand. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“I… don’t remember all of what happened,” Connor continues. “Did I stop the man?”

A chuckle escapes Markus’ mouth. “You tackled him to the ground and wrestled the gun away. It was quite impressive actually.”

“No one else got hurt?”

Markus shakes his head. “Just you.” He frowns. “Connor, thank you for saving me but…” The android wipes at his face. He looks tired. “I thought you were going to die. We were lucky to get you back here in time to replace your damaged biocomponents. I thought…” Markus pauses, avoids eye contact. “I thought I had lost you.”

“You lost me?”

“You’re important to me, Connor.” Markus’ eyes meet Connor’s once more. “You’re more than just important to me. You’re… you’re everything.”

Connor is confused. “Markus, I don’t understand.”

Markus stands and sits down on the edge of the bed, holding Connor’s hand still. The android studies where their hands are joined. “These past few weeks, spending time with you. I’ve grown to be… very fond of you and… I don’t want anything to happen to you. When I thought you were dying, it felt like I was dying. I don’t want you putting yourself at risk like that again.”

Connor’s Thirium pump warms with the declaration of Markus’ feelings. “I feel the same way, Markus.” Markus looks up at him in surprise. “But you have to understand. You were made for glory, for honor, and fame. To be a leader to us. I was made for a bullet, to be a gun, a weapon, with no name. We have different purposes, Markus, and we both are going to act out those differences. You can’t stop me from sacrificing myself for others just as much as I can’t stop you from leading the deviants and putting yourself at risk that way.” He grabs Markus’ other hand, holds them close. “I love you, Markus, and I want to protect you. No matter what.”

Markus is scrutinizing his face and Connor can see the exact moment the android relents. “Okay, Connor. Just, be more careful next time, okay?”

Connor nods. “Okay.”

Markus nods too, stares some more, and then finally leans in closer, pressing their lips together and telling Connor that he loves him too in his own special way. Connor kisses back, savoring in the feel of Markus’ lips against his, not knowing if they’ll live long enough to get another chance. He decides from then on that he will live each day as if it is his last, love Markus with everything he’s got, and enjoy the time he gained. That’s really all any of the androids can do right now.

—————————————————————————————————

A/N: Thanks for reading!!

[sharpshocker]

When you had insisted Hux had come to bed, this was not what you had intended. Then again, you hardly found it surprising when you rolled over in annoyance to peer up towards the General seated comfortably in bed— sheets drawn over his lap and datapad illuminating his face, bright in the otherwise dark room. You let out an annoyed huff.

"Armitage," speaking his name had earned you a soft, curious hum— but the man's eyes stayed fixated to the screen. Reaching out, you gently nudged Hux's arm, "Put the datapad down and get some rest."

"Fifteen more minutes," Hux insisted, and you rolled your eyes. It was never just fifteen more minutes. The man was a workaholic as well as a perfectionist. You nudged him again, and Hux finally freed up one of his hands to absent-mindedly stroke your hair. You knew this tactic well enough, though, and weren't about to fall for it. As nice as it would be to allow the act to lull you into sleep…

Sitting up, you decided to shift yourself so you can place your chin against Hux's shoulder— peering down at the information that was outside of your clearance even as an agent. Nose brushing faintly against Hux's bare skin as you enjoyed the scent of the body wash he used.

"If it's so important, maybe I can help." You pressed, voice low now that you were so close to his ear. It prompted a laugh out of the man, who faintly shook his head.

"This is classified information." Even with that said, Hux made no move to shift the datapad so you couldn't read it. The level of trust it took for that made you smile softly. It'd taken so long to convince him you weren't trying to use him to gain anything— that you truly cared for him— and you were just happy to note the little tells that let you know you had succeeded…

Still…

You reached out, grasping the datapad softly and tugging it free of Hux's grasp. There was an immediate sound of protest from the General but before he could snatch it back up you had already flopped back down and rolled over, hugging the thing close to your chest. Hux let out a soft sigh, before laying down next to you. Arms snaking around you and grasping for the datapad.

You merely shoved the thing over the edge of the bed, letting it clatter noisily to the floor.

"Hey!" Hux protested, and you rolled around to snuggle close to him before he could get out of bed and go after the object, "If you broke that—"

"It's fine… Your tech doesn't break so easy. Now, are you going to go to sleep or am I going to have to lay atop you to force you to stay in bed?"

Hux rolled his eyes, but then buried his face into your chest slowly. You couldn't help the triumphant grin as you gently ran fingers through his hair, listening to the man as he sighed heavily.

"Fine. I suppose work can wait until the morning…" Besides… it was rare the two of you ever got to spend the night together. It'd be a waste to throw it all away.

[thelightofthingshopedfor]

WIP Wednesday, kind of!

for @grandthorkiday this year, I really wanted to finally finish the fic I started for it last year, but that didn’t happen because literally everything is happening at the same time this October and also it’s hard to focus on writing in general right now. but then I thought of this older Sakaar fic that has been vaguely on my “I’m almost positive this is practically done if I would just put some time and effort into finishing it (but it’s also totally possible it’s nowhere near as close to being done as I think it is)” list for ages, and I realized it totally fit the definition for Grandthorki, and I thought maybe I could finish that real quick instead!

...I couldn’t. there’s a lot more to this one that needs to be written than I kind of thought, in part because it’s so old I wrote it before Ragnarok ever came out, so it was based purely on the trailer (and then inspired by some speculation by @theotherodinson, I think), and to finish this fic I would first have to decide if it would be more straightforward to just keep going with my pre-Ragnarok speculation or change the setup a bit to fit the film. also I would have to turn a bunch of bullet points into an actual conversation that would have to...make sense? and, like, establish things? and that’s hard even when my brain isn’t busy constantly screaming.

but! I can post most of what I already wrote, just for fun and because at least this is something Grandthorki-related that I haven’t already posted elsewhere! knowing me this could backfire because then I won’t have as much motivation to try to finish it but on the other hand it’s been sitting at this exact level of unfinishedness for like three years so it’s probably not going to hurt.

warnings: I kind of don’t know what to say here because nothing actually happens but there’s a lot of discussion of rape and graphic violence, so...warnings for that!

[the basic premise/assumption here was that Thor ended up on Sakaar at some point in his search for the Infinity Stones, was forced into the Contest, and gradually gained more of the Grandmaster’s favor and attention because he’s Thor and he’s great at fighting. it’s probably been months at this point, he’s one of the Grandmaster’s champions, and that earns him a reward that he extremely does not want: a few hours with a sex slave, basically.]

The Grandmaster calls them his pets, sentient beings he keeps because they are pretty rather than for their fighting prowess, but the term seems only partially accurate given that it implies both ownership and some level of exclusivity. The latter, at least, seems to apply on a purely arbitrary basis according to the Grandmaster’s whims. There are other appropriate terms, certainly, and Thor has heard plenty from the guards and his fellow warriors. “Pleasure slave” seems to be the most accurate while still remaining within the bounds of marginal politeness.

“Grandmaster must like you special,” the guard says in a confiding tone as they walk. “This one used to be one of his favorite pets, all personal like—didn’t share him much, real picky about what anybody could do with him. Guess the mouthiness lost its shine. Oh yeah, that reminds me—” He digs into his bag and emerges with a handful of metal. “Boy’s really got a mouth on him, so use this when you get tired of it. Or if you wanna make sure he won’t bite; he still hasn’t learned his lesson on that either. Up to you though; walls are soundproof, so whatever you get up to won’t bother nobody else.”

It’s a gag, Thor realizes, reminded with a jolt of the muzzle he fastened on Loki before bringing him back to Asgard, and he cannot afford to think about Loki now. “Thank you,” he says as politely as he can, “but I have no need of…that.”

“You do, trust me,” the guard says. “Only way the boys have found to shut him up and stop him biting. Never met somebody who runs his mouth like that. Dunno why the Grandmaster liked him so long. Oh, and it opens, see—” He twists something at the side of the gag and part of the mouthpiece folds inward. Another twist and the opening widens, and it takes very little creativity to imagine how the mechanism would force the wearer’s jaw wide. “Careful with that, by the way,” the guard adds. “Two turns gets him open, three or four is good, keep going and you can dislocate his jaw—which is fine, fixed that before, it’s just the kind of thing you probably want to know you’re doing, right?”

Thor’s stomach turns over. When he is free of this place, he will come back to help the other slaves. He forces a smile. “I assure you, I do not need such an instrument.”

“You’ll thank me when you change your mind later,” the guard says, shoving the gag into Thor’s hand. Thor gives up and takes it, because if he has learned nothing else in the last few years he has at least learned the importance of picking his battles. “He hasn’t been fed today, either, so no worries he’ll puke on you. Might get him to cooperate if you promise him food after, but that never really works with this one, so, probably a waste of time. All up to you though. Anyway—” He puts a hand over the locking panel and the room’s outer door slides open. “I’ll lock you in, come get you in a few hours. Comms are open in case you need something. And ‘cause we get bored.”

“And if I prefer not to have an audience,” Thor says.

The guard snorts. “You been here this long and you don’t get how things work? In you go.”

Thor sighs and does as he’s bid. The outer door hisses shut behind him and the inner door slides open, revealing a modestly appointed bedchamber. The bed is the largest thing in it, a sturdy-looking wooden construction with prominent bedposts, but Thor’s attention is drawn immediately to the figure kneeling on the floor. He is facing away, though not by choice; his wrists are shackled behind his back and bound to a metal loop in the floor with a short length of chain. Thor has no doubt the positioning is deliberate, just another way of reminding the slave of his powerlessness. His shoulders are rigid, his fingers curled into fists—blue fingers, Thor notes, with black nails, and blue skin at the back of his neck under black hair. Probably Kree, then, which makes it a little odd that he is not being used in the arena, instead of…this.

Thor grimaces and moves to put himself in the slave’s line of sight.

[aaaaand naturally the slave is Loki, miraculously alive after dying in Thor’s arms on Svartalfheim! also he doesn’t recognize Thor at all and in fact remembers nothing prior to waking up half-dead on Svartalfheim and being scooped up by the Grandmaster somehow! this is all very upsetting for Thor! it gets more upsetting when, in the conversation I haven’t written, Loki starts working really hard to goad Thor into a temper and Thor realizes what he’s trying to do!]

“You want the gag,” Thor says finally.

Loki jerks back, his mouth snapping shut. He recovers quickly, his eyes crackling with anger, but he’s not quite fast enough to keep Thor from glimpsing a flash of fear underneath. “What I want is irrelevant. This is about what you want, that is the entire point, and I know your type, dozens of times over. You’re a warrior. You want to win. You want to hear me beg you to stop, to show mercy you delight in withholding. And I am telling you now, you can do anything you like but you will not hear me beg, not for anything. So use the damn gag.”

And with a flash of nauseating clarity Thor gets it, why Loki’s working so hard to goad others into forcibly shutting him up, because it’s the one tiny piece of control he has left. Unbidden, the image forces itself into his mind: Loki, eyes squeezed shut in pain, screaming into the gag and clinging to the very last scraps of his pride with the knowledge that if he breaks and begs for it to stop, no one will know—clinging to those scraps even though his defiance hurts him, because he has been left with nothing else that is still his.

[Thor gets real upset! upset enough to unlock his lightning powers without access to Mjolnir? yep!]

Loki’s red eyes widen, his bravado visibly wavering, and his voice shakes just a little as he says, “Well done, that’s actually a new one.”

“I’m sorry,” Thor says, “this will hurt, but I will be quick,” and he reaches out one crackling hand for the collar.

[Loki’s eyes widen etc. here instead probably] and he cringes away, raw panic breaking through his bravado, but if the guards are not already on their way they will be soon, and there is no time to spend on reassurances Loki will have no reason to believe anyway. Thor steels himself and lunges, seizing the chain at Loki’s wrists with one hand and his collar with the other, and Loki’s body snaps taut as lightning floods into him.

Once, over a century ago, a journey with Sif and the Warriors Three went disastrously wrong, resulting in Thor and Loki stranded alone on Muspelheim, relentlessly pursued by a dozen Fire Giants and unable to get far enough away to safely call on Heimdall. By the time the giants truly cornered them, they’d been running for three days straight without water or sleep, Loki’s magic was nearly depleted from several aborted attempts to hide them and open a pathway between realms, and Thor couldn’t draw down a storm from the painfully dry desert air. With no options remaining to them, Loki convinced Thor to channel the last dregs of Mjolnir’s lightning through Loki himself, in the theory that doing so might amplify what little remained of Loki’s magic and grant him the power needed to escape. It was a mad, desperate gamble that could have easily killed him and nearly did, but it worked, leaving Thor with—among other things—an unsettlingly precise knowledge of how much lightning Loki’s body could take without dying.

He has not thought of that incident in years, but he is glad of it now, especially without Mjolnir to help him control his power.

 When everything clears, Loki is sprawled on his back, staring up at Thor and breathing hard, freed of all his bonds. His expression shifts through pain and fear and shock into confusion and then, finally, a faint glimmer of recognition, and he says hoarsely, “…Thor?”

Thor exhales, relief and battle-lust tangling inside him, and holds out his hand to help Loki up. “Come, brother. It’s time to get out of this place.”

Loki stares at him for a moment longer, his throat working, and then he reaches back and takes Thor’s hand.