#but that on top of the assignments has destroyed me. and i know that's dramatic but i really do feel deeply broken right now

[lonesomedotmp3]

the thing is that uni is good for me when it's not being horrifically bad for me like it's complicated

[lemonsprite]

𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 || 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐖𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧

Summary: Wade discusses his next target his mercenary gig has assigned him, Peter doesn’t quite agree

Word Count:

Warnings: Crude language (Its Deadpool guy c’mon)

A/N: this is based off the comic book series of spider-man/deadpool!!!

“Now webs don’t be mad at me…” Pouted Wade, his feet dangling over the side of the building they were currently sitting on top of. “But I need your help with something…”

“What Wade?” Peter asked, not even looking up from his foil wrapped burrito. He shuddered. “I’m not helping you manscape again.”

“You know how you work for Parker industries?”

Peter chuckled inwardly to himself. ‘Work for Parker Industries’ was certainly a way you could view it. If it wouldn’t completely destroy his secret identity he would’ve told Wade by now he was the CEO and founder, but Peter bit his tongue, knowing it would do more harm than good for the merc to know such knowledge.

“Yeah…?” Peter continued, not liking where this conversation was heading as he took another bite of his dinner, his mask shifting slightly so he could take a bigger chunk of burrito-y goodness.

“Can you help me kill the CEO?”

Peter choked on his burrito, coughing furiously as he attempted to clear his lung of the salsa he just inhaled.

“You want me to kill me- My boss?!” He asked, catching himself before he could prematurely spill the beans on his true identity.

“I knew you’d be mad!” Pouted Wade, dramatically leaning towards Peter. “I know you don’t agree with my thoughts on Peter Parker but I’ve just been given some crazy mad evidence to show you how right I am in my feelings!”

Peter stared at Wade silently, trying to decipher if what he’d heard was all true. ‘Evidence’? What ‘Evidence’? Last Peter checked he hadn’t been up to any devilishly fiendish activities.

“What exactly has…” Peter cleared his throat. “Mr. Parker done?”

Wade revealed a small USB from somewhere inside his suit (Peter didn’t want to think too hard about it) and waved it in front of Peter’s face.

“According to some very reliable sources-“

“Who are those sources Wade?” Asked peter, raising a dubious eyebrow.

��Very reliable.” Tsked Wade, booping Peter on the nose with the USB. “Now be quiet and let me monologue baby boy.”

Deadpool cleared his throat, and gestured to the nearby Parker Industries skyscraper. “according to my sources… Peter Parker’s newest technology- his web ware- has a component to control those who wears it thought’s…”

“Mind control man…” Wade gasped, waving his hands in front of an unamused Peter to get his point across. “Mind controoooolll……..” He whispered.

“So you’re going to kill him because your sources-“

“Very reliable.” Interjected Wade.

“Told you he’s plotting to control the minds of the entire populous of New York?”

“Now are you on my side?” Asked Wade, rolling over on to his stomach and kicking his legs back and forth like a little school girl.

“No Wade.” Deadpanned Peter, crushing the burrito’s foil in his hands and throwing it into a nearby trash can on the buildings roof.

“Peter wouldn’t do something like that…” He added, looking over at his skyscraper, trying to decipher if Wade really had reason to believe Parker Industries would commit such a crime.

Wade scoffed, obviously annoyed that Peter couldn’t see his side of the argument. Why was he being so defensive over his billionaire boss who like all scumbag CEO rich men would toss him aside? Spider-man was only a low level worker at Parker Industries shouldn’t he also rally against his boss like all red-blooded Americans…? Unless he’s already being mind controlled… OMG is spider-man evil right now…

Deadpool glanced over at Spider-man suspiciously, making a mental note to keep a closer eye on him.

Peter sighed, realizing that this argument would go no where like it always did.

“Look Wade, patrols over I’m going home.” Peter said, standing up and pulling his mask back over his face. “Don’t follow me or I’ll websling your foot to your skull.”

Wade watched Peter sling off into the distance, a frown etched onto his face.

Welp if Spidey wouldn’t help him, he’d just have to do it himself… And knowing Parker Industries that might be a tad bit hard.

Wade did his best impression of a cartoon robber, sneakily crawling his way up a large crystalline apartment complex in Brooklyn and using his tippy toes to stealth across the roof.

According to his very reliable resources this was the current home address of one Peter Parker- and if the two katanas and approximately thirty two other small weapons strapped to his body had anything to say- tonight was the night he died.

Using his best form of lock picking (using a muffler on one of his pistols and shooting the door until it opened), Wade made his way inside of the apartment complex, sheathing his pistol and carefully descending the long stair case.

The night was dead silent, a pleasant surprise when living in the big apple.

‘Must come with residing in the fanciest of fucking apartments.’ thought Wade to himself as he continued, avoiding any step that might creek under his weight. ‘Another reason to hate Parker- he was richer than Wade.’

After six whole flights and a good cardio workout, Deadpool was standing in front of the door to Peter Parker’s apartment.

This time he’d be more classy, using some of his high tech tools (courtesy of S.H.I.E.L.D) Wade was able to unlock the doors fifty locks in record time! (An hour spent sitting outside the front door and praying none of his neighbors decided to get a midnight snack from the local connivence store.)

Peter Parker’s apartment was surprisingly messy. Clothes were strewn out in piles and dishes were left in unclean piles dirtying up the sink.

Wade scoffed, if he wasn’t here to kill the guy he might’ve done the fellow a good deed and wiped down his counters.

The door to Parker’s room was left wide open, as well as a nearby window.

Wade kicked himself for not checking the perimeter more closely.

Shedding a quick tear for all the time lost breaking into this joint and with a convenient get away nearby, Deadpool glanced over Parker’s bedroom briefly, noticing the fluffy brown haired demon of a man peacefully sleeping in a messy bed.

Near the night stand laid an unsuspecting duffel bag.

Uh oh- Wade was familiar with this one.

Was it new villainous technology? Money he got from dubious origins? Human remains? Deadpool didn’t know, but he’d be damned if he didn’t find out.

“What we got here Parker…” he whispered aloud to himself as he pried open the duffel bag only for his eyes to land on a little red and blue spandex number he could recognize in his sleep.

“Spidey…?” Gasped Wade, looking confusedly at the suit discarded in the bag.

“Wade…?” came a gruff half asleep voice from behind him.

Deadpool moved on instinct, throwing a small dagger towards the voice without thinking before turning around.

Peter Parker was staring wide eyed at Wade. His body leaning to the left after he dodged the knife Deadpool had thrown.

The man who was now only in boxers Deadpool realized, glanced incredulously at the dagger sticking out of his wall, inches from his head.

Peter looked from Deadpool to the suit in his hands before sighing and shooting a web from his wrist to flick on the light switch, bathing the room in annoying brightness.

“You’re… no…” fumbled Deadpool, a disbelieving laugh pushing past his lips.

“Yeah…” smirked Peter, scratching at the back of my neck.

“But the technology! The evil plans!” Fumbled Wade, trying to tuck the spider suit into his back pocket for later and non erotic reasons. Peter gave him a look and shot another string of web at Wade to pull the suit back towards him.

“That’s why I want to know who your sources are and who’s been using my tech for their own gain.” Frowned Peter, grabbing some nearby sweatpants and pulling them over his boxers (much to wades displeasure).

“Sorry baby boy- can’t get past the fact you’re fucking Peter Parker.” Wade practically shouted.

“Look Wade… can this wait till morning?” Asked Peter, scratching at the stubble on his chin. “It’s four AM and I have to be up at six for a board meeting.”

“Holy Shit! You have board meetings!” Laughed Deadpool, who might’ve gone insane at this point if he wasn’t already.

Peter frowned at him.

“Wade if you let me go back to sleep I’ll let you sleep on my couch and eat my strawberry cream cheese toaster strudels in the morning.”

Like someone had pulled a switch in the enigmatic mind of Deadpool - he gave Peter a cheerful smile and snuck back towards the door.

“Sleep tight baby boy I’ll be here in the morning!” He flourished, kicking his leg in the air in a way that would make a ballet teacher have an aneurysm and flicking off the light switch with his steel toed boot.

With the room bathed once more in darkness, Peter’s tranquility was short lived as Wade pressed a gentle mask covered kiss to his temple and pirouetted out the exit.

Peter knew that come tomorrow, Wade and him would have to have a long chat but for now he was content to go back to sleep.

And for the rest of his days- Peter would ignore the little side of him that wished Wade had done more than a little goodnight kiss.

Chapter two coming soon omg *vine boom sound effects in quick succession of each other*

[digiacrb96]

Skylor Chen: chaos master amber

For skylor to wake up in the past was quite overwhelming, to say the least. For as far as she could remember she had slept with her boyfriend curled up by her side, after spending the night consoling herself for the loss of her sister. So waking up without kai by her side had already put her on alert. And it was only the years of training that prevented her from screaming, realizing that she was back on her father's island.

It took a while to reason, which had traveled back in time. It was not simple but she know it was possible, the incident with krux and acronix was proof of it, and since she had fought with a resurrected garmadon, the idea should not have been so rare.

His first thought was to use his advance knowledge and escape the island, then search for kai. But upon checking the dates, she realized that at this time he and the rest of the ninjas would be looking for the golden weapons, plus he was in the past... The master of fire may not remember her. That was a blow to her heart.

In the past, trapped on her father's island, no friends, no kai... She try to find something positive in the situation, because there should be something! Then he realized, it's in the past! Long before his father organized the tournament of the elements!

Oh how much damage she could avoid! Not only the one caused by his father, but also its consequences in the future! If she managed to prevent his father from turning everyone in his cult into false anacondrai, not only would there be no damage from the battle, but garmadon would not have to sacrifice himself! Lloyd would not have to be in need of basically killing his father a second time! And if garmadon did not die, there was no way he would be revived as emperor garmadon!

Now skylor knew she had to do, she had to take advantage of his position and bring down the cult of his father from within... Once she did, she would look for kai.

Skylor: I need to plan this perfectly * as pulled a notebook out of his desk drawer and quickly picked up a pen * "the revenge ploy of the teenage rebellion!" * she announced dramatically as he wrote down each word carefully * I'm going todo everything a normal teenager does to push my father to the limit, so he won't be suspicious of my real plans!

And so people would begin the journey of "skylor Chen: chaos master amber", to destroy the anacondrai cult of his father.

.

So far, skyor's plan and "rebellion" went well.

She felt full, fat, and sleepy because she had eaten a lot of junk food and had slept ten hours without doing any extra homework or getting up at an unreasonable time to make sure she complied with some whim of her father's. And to top it all, no one has noticed yet, so he was getting away with it as if it were no one's business.

Step two was going to be more difficult because step two involved telling clouse that she was rebelling.

Clouse: here are your homework * he said in his usual monotonous tone at breakfast * you have an uninterrupted day in your lessons today, but as soon as you finish you have...

Skylor: no * interrupted with a yawn.*

Clouse: * blinking surprised * please excuse me?

Skylor: I said no * loud and quiet * I am not going to any meeting, interrogation, mission or anything else you try to assign me to. I'll do the things I want to do, whether you like it or not.

Clouse: don't be ridiculous! You've always kept a schedule without complaining before -

Skylor: why would I complain when no one listens to me? *she asked bitterly* but now people are going to listen to me because now I'm just not going to, so you can tell me my schedule as much as you want, but I'm not going to follow it. I'm on strike!

And so she slammed the door, like an angry teenager. Leaving the dark sorcerer very confused by the sudden... Adolescent rebellion attack?

Clouse: that's why I never had children...

.

The máster amber smiled with joy at that and spent the rest of the week (in addition to slowly tearing down her father's cult) buying all the temporary ninja, spinjitsu and anything her parent hated tattoos, that were available and covered her right arm from top to bottom.

In fact, her father greeted her when she came home late that night. He stood on the top of his throne peeking out in all his evil and terrifying glory as he gazed at his daughter. His eyes ran through the girl's right arm while a large expression of disgust crossed her face.

Chen: punished! * hiss * for a month! And you'd better get out of that room with a better attitude and a clean arm, young lady!

Skylor simply smiled in response. The constipated look on his father's face was well worth it.

(as she was seeing his entire left arm covered with temporary tattoos of fire, flames and other things that reminded kai).

.

It should not have surprised Chen that skylor did not obey his sentence, and yet he did.

After all, his perfect, obedient daughter was suddenly not perfect, and, while her grumpy act as a teenager was predictable and childish, it was equally bewildering and frustrating. Skylor should be doing what he was told, instead the girl refused to follow his schedule, ran away like hooligans, came home with spinjitsu tattoos (it was bad enough to have lost the war against her former student, her brother and the elemental alliance, but have her daughter covered with his Symbols. Urgh!), and ignoring his authority in the most despising and unusual way.

It had been 3 days since master Chen had punished skylor and each and every day clouse would inform him that the teenager was not in his room. This followed reports from the maids that there were junk food wraps in the room and more reports from his followers on how his daughter would not cooperate and do her job, leading Chen to call skylor into his throne room for a conference.

Chen:... You are being childish! * growl * you can't do a tantrum every time something doesn't go the way you want, skylor. You're going to be the head of the family business someday and your behavior has to be impeccable. You have to do things you don't want to do with grace and dignity. Learn to mature!

Clouse: *cof* says so the man who shreds the room every time something doesn't go as he wants it *cof* * coughed loud and clear *

Skylor smiled.

Instead of recognizing his arrogant daughter's smile, Chen turned to his assistant.

Chen: do you need a throat pill, clouse? * he said coldly. * I recommend that you go get a glass of water to help soothe your throat

Clouse: yes, Sir * goes as if nothing *

Chen: I don't like your * frowning * attitude is hateful and unprofessional. That's not how I raised you

Skylor: PFFT! When did you raise me? I remember a long series of several servants and clouse keeping me fed and dressed * starts smiling arrogant * I don't remember seeing you there

Chen: I am annoyed by the insinuation that I had nothing to do with your education. This is my roof under which you live and it is my money that has kept you dressed, fed and entertained. How did I raise such an ungrateful girl?

Skylor: you were never really part of my raise!

Chen: enough! * raised a hand to silence his daughter *

He had a lot to solve and he had been delayed thanks to his last three attempts to get pieces for his plan to get his army out of anacondrai. He was also well behind the next phase of his plan and still had three agreements to negotiate.He didn't have time to deal with her daughter's infantile tantrums.

Chen: you're going to go to your room and think about your behavior and I hope to see you tomorrow with a much better attitude.

Skylor: what?! * he shouted * that's not fair! I have not-

Chen: now, skylor! * ordered * I have work to do.

Skylor: work? *She replied* or..

Chen: GO TO YOUR ROOM!

There is a moment of silence as his daughter glances at him with all the resentment a teenager might have for his father and Chen simply looks back at him without being discouraged. Finally, skylor released a buff before leaving Chen's throne room in rage, forcefully climbing the stairs, and closing the bedroom door so forcefully that the lights shook.

Chen sank into his throne and sighed deeply as he rubbed his temples. I was sure I was feeling a migraine growing.

Chen: what did I do wrong? * murmured * is it because I am not an anacondrai? I'm working on that, damn it! Skylor, I'm working on that, but until... * he stops when he sees his daughter jumping from a tree to the outside of the masion on his security screens*

Skylor landed perfectly standing in sa (thanks to all his martial arts lessons), but the arrogant little girl suddenly looked straight at the CCTV cameras before she suddenly pulled both middle fingers and tongue out of her mouth.

Oh for all the noodles in the world! His daughter was becoming a rebel!

Suddenly, Chen felt a strange tingling sensation climbing up his right arm before rushing his left hand over the intercom button on his throne.

Chen: clouse... What are the first signs that someone has a stroke?

.

.

.

Chen usually:

Chen dealing with her daughter's "teenage rebellion":

Skylor who is secretly destroying the cult of his father:

[aellynera]

Goddess (Orestes x Reader)

GODDESS

(Hi. I wrote an Orestes story - it started as a joke about the way Apocalypse says “my goddess”, and then I was like “oh man I want Orestes to call me his goddess” and then as usual, I don’t know how, but this happened. It’s rather different than most things I write, but I quite enjoyed writing it and I hope you like it. Comments, likes, and reblogs always appreciated!)

Word Count: ~4400

Summary: Orestes is a constant in your life and has a particular way of constantly reminding you.

Warnings: Mentions of character death (briefly described but not graphically.) Implied female reader. Definite probable historical inaccuracies taken for poetic license and dramatic effect. ANGST (I made myself cry while I was writing this.) Christians doing morally void but historically accurate things. Fictional timelines.

When you are four years old, your parents leave everything they’ve built in Rome - their jobs in the palace, their lives in the city, your father’s position on the council -upon the orders of the Emperor and move to Alexandria. Your father’s new role is to assist in turning that city into a bastion of the Empire, to help strengthen the government and support the supremacy of Rome. Your mother is to be a gentle guide to the women, in hearth and home and higher society. And because you are theirs, you go with them.

They meet with the prefect upon your arrival and he welcomes your family. He is bright and cheerful, yet loud and pompous and booming, stern but wise, and while he is a kind man, his volume frightens you. You cower behind your mother’s skirts, steadfastly clinging to her and  refusing to join in any pleasantries.

Another woman suddenly appears, a small boy with curly hair and bright dark eyes holding her hand. The boy regards you curiously and asks why you won’t come out and say hello. His mother tells him you’re shy, while your mother encourages you to release your death grip on her gown. Finally, after much coaxing, you relent and she pushes you gently towards the little boy.

His mother says you should go play in the garden while the grown-ups talk, and he reaches a tiny hand out to you, wide-eyed and smiling. His name is Orestes, and he is six.

And when you take his hand with a shy little smile, his voice comes out as a whisper and tells you he thinks you’re a goddess, and he drags you towards the garden to show you the little blue flowers that dot the grass, and you believe him.

***

When you are eight years old, one day you finish your chores early and decide to spend your extra time in the yard, weaving some wildflowers together into a chain while the mid-afternoon sun warms your shoulders.

You are quite happy to be alone and not around the grown-ups for now; they’re so loud, sometimes too loud. You crave the quiet, seek it out often, and you bask in it.

Until a rush of dark curls and bright eyes tears past your house, into your yard, and grabs you by the hand, knocking your flower chain carelessly to the ground. He insists you come play with him on the hill nearby and with a squeal of indignation, you let yourself be dragged along behind him.

Your ire over the discarded flower chain is soon forgotten as your squeals become laughter as you roll and roll down the hill together, grass and dirt sticking to your robes and tufts sticking to his unruly curls. 

When you tell him he looks silly, he tells you he doesn’t, and you insist that he does and he protests that he doesn’t. And so it goes back and forth and back again, until you push him or he pushes you or someone pushes the other and you both go tumbling down that hill, end over head over feet, your descent only stopped by a patch of mud at the bottom.

He might be the son of the prefect, and he might be your best friend, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t an enormous brat sometimes.

For a minute you’re both panting and red-faced and near tears, until he starts to giggle and you can’t help but join in, and only laugh harder at his outraged gasp when you hit him square in the chest with a chunk of mud.

And on the way back to your house, when you’re worrying your bottom lip thinking on how to explain to your mother why you’re covered in dead grass and damp bits of dirt, your robes most likely ruined, he tells you with the kind of confidence only possessed by a boy of ten years that everything will be fine, because you are a goddess and brave and strong, and you believe him.

***

When you are twelve years old, you hear of the school that Hypatia is running, because Orestes tells you about it when he starts going. You don’t like that he’s doing something without you. You don’t like being left behind and left out and you want to go to this school too. 

Your mother would easily say yes, but your father is reluctant, and it’s not that he thinks a woman shouldn’t learn philosophy and how to read and do arithmetic; it’s  more that enough other people in the city do think like this and he is convinced it will not be safe for you.

You care little for your safety. All you want, all you desire, is to be part of this group of scholars and to go to this school and learn. And what danger can possibly be there, when a woman is the one in charge?

So you beg and plead and bargain with your father, until a boy - now a young man - with curls like nighttime and eyes nearly as dark and twinkling with stars, steps in and says he’ll watch over you during your classes, and your father gives his permission. And so you start attending Hypatia’s school.

And when the older boys, boys who were nearly men and should know better, start to bully and deride you for desiring knowledge, when they taunt you and steal your scrolls and yank the ribbons from your hair, he steps in and tells them in no uncertain terms to leave you alone. Neither of your fathers, especially his, are particularly thrilled with the tussles he gets in on your behalf, or the black eye that one petulant snipe Cyrus gives him when he connects a punch when Orestes isn’t properly paying attention.

You frown at him as he sits in a chair next to the washbasin, a clean wet cloth clutched in your hand. He winces as you clean the blood from his cheek and gingerly probe the bruise swelling around his eye.

And when you softly ask why he’d do such a stupid thing, he tells you that even a goddess needs a hero to protect them sometimes, and even though you think him entirely ridiculous and heat comes unbidden to your cheeks, it makes you giddy to believe him.

***

When you are sixteen years old, you watch the boy with the wild ebony curls and liquid chocolate eyes fall in love with a girl. Only it isn’t a girl, it’s a woman, and you realize he’s been doing it for years.

Ever since your first day in the new city, he has always been by your side and you by his, an inseparable duo. You thought that would never change, but here you are, finding yourself forced to watch your best friend slowly but surely let his heart be ensnared by your very own teacher.

All he can talk about now, it seems, is Hypatia and her philosophies; Hypatia and her scrolls and the amazing things she is currently reading; Hypatia and her outlandish theories on the universe and the stars. Always Hypatia, all things Hypatia.

You never knew you could hate someone as amazing and wonderful as Hypatia.

It doesn’t seem to matter that his attentions are not equally returned, that she never fully indulges his lovesick whims and overreaching attempts to gain her attention. She continues to treat him as a student, and outside of class possibly even as a dear friend, and he continues to pine.

One afternoon you’re among the stacks of scrolls at the library, trying to find the parchment necessary to complete an assignment Hypatia has given you. You honestly would rather not find it and not even bother finishing your assigned work right now, and you must have some kind of look on your face because he takes the scroll you’re clutching from your hand and leads you to a mostly hidden nook in the room. And he stops talking about Hypatia for a moment to ask you what is wrong.

You want to tell him you miss him, that you want him back, that he’s making a mistake, but you can’t, you don’t. It takes a bit more coaxing, but you finally tell him you’re lonely and you wish there was someone you could find, someone you had to love as much as he had his person, he smiles and tells you that one day you will, because you’re a goddess and the right person will be pulled to the love and light you always emit. You smile back weakly and blink and look away and you want nothing more than to believe him.

***

When you are twenty years old, the library at Alexandria is destroyed.

It happens on a sunny afternoon not unlike so many others that have passed before, when suddenly the doors are broken down and the Christians rush in and the chaos ensues.

You’re sitting at a table with a quill in your hand, carefully writing your thoughts on a piece of parchment, when you hear the shouting in the entryway. And before you know what’s going on, shelves are being knocked over, papers tossed into the air like so much confetti, scrolls being thrown left and right. The air is beginning to smell acrid; you can see a few people setting small fires in some of the stacks.

The windows above you shatter as others throw rocks and even a chair, and you look around wildly for a way out. You don’t know which way is the right way to go, or even if there is a right way to go.

Everything is madness.

A pair of arms suddenly shoot out and grab you around the waist and your scream pierces the air like the horn on the top of the lighthouse trying to guide a ship to shore. Instead you realize you’re trying to drive this ship to its ruin, to free yourself from its depths with wildly swinging elbows and kicks, until you hear a familiar voice shouting your name over the ruckus.

You take in your assailant, all frantic curls and impossibly wide, dark eyes, and collapse into him in relief. Orestes tells you that you need to go, you need to get out, and to find both your fathers in the nearby council chambers and they’ll know where to go, where it’s safe. You ask him to come with you, but he shakes his head.

He tells you he needs to help save as many of the books and scrolls as he can, and you tell him to give you all you can carry and when you run, you’ll take them with you. So he loads your arms full to bursting, and when a rock flies by inches from your face and you drop the items at the top of the pile, he ignores that and pushes you roughly in the direction of the side exit. He says you must leave now, and he’ll be behind you before you know it.

He presses his lips to your temple ever so briefly, spares you a pained smile, and says you’re a goddess for the small bit of assistance you are giving.

As you run for safety, or what might be further peril, you spare a glance over your shoulder and see him helping Hypatia grab as much of the library’s contents as they can, and you don’t have another second to spare on deciding whether or not to believe him.

***

When you are twenty four, it’s your wedding day and everyone tells you this will be the most joyous day of your life so far. Your mother helps you dress in the softest, most expensively beautiful gown you’ve ever owned, and one of your sisters weaves a crown of laurels for your hair. Another sister makes a chain of wildflowers to wind around your wrist. You have never felt as beautiful as you do on this day.

Your father comes to the door of the chamber where your preparations are taking place, to let you know that the guests have all arrived and the groom is nearly ready, and it is almost time. He gives you a kiss on both cheeks, a gesture not common from him, and tells you he will be waiting out by the garden gate when you are ready. Your mother and sisters each kiss your cheek and leave as well, giving you a moment to yourself to gather your thoughts and emotionally prepare for the ceremony.

The door opens again a few minutes later and you turn to face the person behind it, Your eyes go wide, confused, as you take in the man before you. His dark curls are smoothed back and elegantly styled, his robes are regal and dashing, and his eyes are bright and nervous.

You tell him he shouldn’t be here.

He tells you that he knows, but he can’t help it, he has to see you. That he has been thinking of you all morning, wondering how beautiful you look, how happy you must be, and he just had to see you before you walk down the aisle to take your vows.

You bite your lip and tell him, again, that he shouldn’t be here and you can’t stop your voice from shaking. You turn your head away and look anywhere but at him.

And he repeats that he knows this, and he knows it’s wrong, it goes against all protocols, but he can’t help himself, can’t stop thinking that this is the last time he’s going to see you, see your smile and maybe hear your laugh, might be the last time your eyes can gaze upon each other and the last time he can hold you in his arms as his best friend.

You can’t think of a single thing to say to him, and even if you could, you’re certain your body will not cooperate.

Because he is not the one you are marrying. No, this marriage was arranged by your father and the Emperor, and there is the overwhelming chance that you must go back to Rome, and if you and your new husband leave Alexandria it is not likely you will ever return.

This might be the last time he can tell you that you shine with a light brighter than all the heavens, that you are beautiful and he hopes you will be happy, and you truly are a goddess among mortals.

And so Orestes does. He kisses you softly on your forehead, staying there a bit longer than propriety suggests, and quietly slips from the room. And you can’t see for the tears swimming in your eyes, and you want with all your heart to believe him, but you can’t help but find his words hollow and realize this will be far from the greatest day of your life.

***

When you are barely turned twenty-five, there is a knock on your door in the middle of the night. Perhaps knock is not the correct word, it’s more of an insistent pounding, and you swear under your breath at what could possibly be so important to rouse you out of bed at this unacceptable hour.

You pull a robe over your nightdress and open the door, and all the air leaves your lungs.

Four centurions are standing on your stoop, with a man who looks vaguely familiar; is he a general, maybe, or a captain? You can’t remember where you’ve seen him before, but it doesn’t matter, when he greets you solemnly and begins to speak, and tells you that your husband will not be returning from the front.

You did not return to Rome, as had originally been decreed. You stayed in Alexandria after your marriage because skirmishes had broken out along a few of the empire’s borders, and your new husband was called to action to fight for his ruler and the kingdom. Deep down, you could not have been more glad of it, for though you were born there, Rome had not been your home for over twenty years, and starting a new life there with a new husband would not have made it any more so. 

Your knees give out from under you and you consider for a moment that you should be crying, but you aren’t really sad and it strikes you as odd, but you can’t force the tears to come. You love your husband, in a way, but you’re not sad that he won’t be coming home. You’re relieved, and the instant that thought hits you and sends a jolt through your body, you start to laugh. The general, or captain, or whoever he is and his guards look at each other, then at you, and back to each other in utter confusion as you continue to giggle.

It all happens in mere seconds, and you’re sinking to the stone floor beneath, and a very familiar voice, one you have not heard since the day you were wed, tells the guards to stand aside and strong arms catch you before you can tumble completely.

His hair is wild and curly like he was just pulled out of bed himself, and his dark eyes shine with worry and compassion, and he asks you if you’re alright, and this is what finally breaks you from your laughter and brings wetness to your eyes.

Orestes holds you as you cry into his chest and you don’t see the pointed look he gives to the captain and the guards, nor do you see them pull back enough to close the door and wait outside.

You don’t know how long you sit there on the floor in the front hall, or how you’ve possibly gotten his robes that soggy, but eventually you calm and the thoughts roll through your brain again. You are crying because someone has died, you realize this is true even if you’re not so very sad it was your husband. You’re crying because it was your husband and now there will be the mourning period you must dutifully attend as a grieving widow. And now that you’re a widow, eventually you will be expected to take another husband, if one even dares to want you.

And you’re crying because the one reason you were glad to stay in this forsaken city - in the Alexandria which had become your home - the one reason you hoped every day to lay eyes on again and every night resigned that you never would, was suddenly here, his arms wrapped around you and his voice whispering words of comfort into your hair.

You’re not sure when he picks you up and carries you back to your bed, carefully laying you on your pillows and pulling the sheet up to cover your shoulders. You’re not sure how long he stays, holding your hand and brushing stray tendrils of hair from your face. And you’re not sure how long you drift in and out, emotional exhaustion finally catching up and pulling you into nothingness, but before you fade out completely, you feel his thumb gently brush the remaining tears from your cheek, and feel the soft press of his lips on your forehead as he calls you a goddess and tells you to rest.

And as you finally give yourself to the twilight, you aren’t sure if you imagined it, but you choose to believe him, and you cling to it.

***

You’re not sure when it happens, to be honest. Time starts to blend together after that, you just know that you’re older and that it happens, and it isn’t right and it isn’t moral and it isn’t fair. Not to anyone involved, not to the city, not at all.

Hypatia has died, been murdered in the temple at the hands of those who profess themselves to be righteous saviors, brutally stoned and ripped apart as she stood there, proud and defiant to the end. How anyone could do such a thing to another human, especially one such as her, is beyond your comprehension.

It only gets worse when they burn her corpse on a pyre in effigy in the middle of the agora.

Word comes to you of the horrible events, and your first instinct is to find him, the way he found you, came to you when word of your husband’s death made its way back to the city. You set down the parchment you’re scribbling on the desk in your room and grab a dark cloak, partly to conceal yourself and party to ward off the slight chill from the wind.

You make your way to the prefect’s palace but you’re turned away at the gate by pair of surly-looking guards, and giving your name, and then your father’s name, and then the fact that your father reports directly to Rome makes no difference to them. They have  been told to let no one in, and let no one out.

No one except the person you’re looking for, apparently, because somewhere in the aftermath you discover that Orestes is nowhere to be found.

No one knows where he’s gone, and no one knows when he left, just that it was sometime between Hypatia being murdered and the fake funeral pyre. He had words with Cyril, someone told you, and then after that, no one knows.

And the Christians take over the city, much like the library so many years ago, and more people are burned at the stake, more people are murdered, more progress is halted, all in the name of what is right and what is true.

They will kill you, too, if they find you, or find out you’re looking for Orestes. It’s been years since you’ve really been in his presence in anything but the smallest of ways, especially in public, but you know there are still enough people who know how close you were. And if they know you used to be close, you know they won’t hesitate to come after you the same way they came for the philosopher. 

So you make inquiries as discreetly as possible, ask the gossips that litter the merchants’ stalls in the most innocent way possible, like you’re just a curious citizen asking what’s happened to the rule of order in the city. You even ask your father, once, but he doesn’t reply and his stony gaze makes you certain to never ask again.

And you bury yourself in scrolls and reading, in star charts and theories; in anything, really, that will take your mind off everything that is happening and your lost prefect. Your lost friend, your best friend.

The man you truly love, even if it’s taken you years of self-doubt and missed chances to fully realize and admit it, and now, perhaps do something about it.

One day as you’re sitting at your desk, quill in hand and head in the clouds, you think of something. Something that may be nothing, but it comes to you in a flash and you have an idea of where to go, where to find him, somewhere that few others might know.

You carefully pack a bag with some clothes and supplies, and a crudely drawn map that you sketch from memory and hope you’ve gotten right. It’s been so long since you were there but you’re fairly sure you remember the way. You know that Orestes would remember.

A long day’s journey and a fitful night’s sleep take you into the next day, and the afternoon turns into dusk when the hillside comes into view. It is not the same hill you tumbled down more than once when the two of you got into a scrum, but it’s the one that you would go when you could both sneak away and no one would notice for a few days, and you’d stare at clouds by day and the stars by night.

There is an outcropping set back from the hill, in the base of the mountains nearby, that a person wouldn’t see if they didn’t know where to look. You’d found it one day during a particularly vicious thunderstorm and taken refuge in the cave there, and you’d both commented on how someone had clearly found it once before you, for it was somewhat set up as a living space, with some mats and blankets and  a few rations left on makeshift shelves. Anytime you were on these excursions and it would rain, or you simply wanted to be out of the sun, that was where you would go.

And you hope against hope that this is where your answer lies.

You crest the hill and make your way to the foot of the mountain and you can’t help but smile, just a little, thinking this is where he would have gone, should have gone, as his name means of the mountains. In his abandonment, his escape from the city, could he have taken it literally? You’ve known him so long and it feels like the kind of thing Orestes would do.

The hovel comes into view, and you drop your pack, because he does too. Tending to a fire at the mouth of the cave, his back turned slightly to you, his curls a glorious disaster, and he’s grown a beard since last you’d seen him. It’s a look you’ve not seen on him before, but you quite like it, although you consider for just a moment you’d like any look on him at this moment, because he is real and he is standing right in front of you.

The sound of the pack hitting the ground makes him turn, and his dark eyes shine in the firelight, and he looks at you for long moments but doesn’t say anything. Orestes just stares at you, disbelieving, like you might be some kind of mirage or a trick of the light or even some kind of wicked spirit sent to torment him, and so he just stares.

Until you breathe his name.

He blinks once, and his face is suddenly full of hope and relief, all the tension and disbelief of the previous moments falling away, and your heart soars to the heavens and thumps ever so boldly in your chest, and your smile threatens to crack your lips, and the tears fall freely as words finally leave his mouth.

“My goddess.”

~end~

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[jadedxrealityw]

-Hot All Over- Draco Malfoy x Female Reader

    ♡~🐍~♡

   Request: Hey! Happy you're reopening! I have a request, don't know it it's usable buuuuuuuuut I really like the idea of houses showing traits that are not common for them. So for example Draco fancying this Hufflepuff girl but ofc he doesn't approach her because she is Hufflepuff (sad, i know) - but then she does something cool, dangerous or gets a freaking tattoo or idk you know what i mean? and he'd be like DAMN GIRL THAT'S HOT and finally approaches heeer.

   Kody: Oh this is such a good idea, im hella excited now. Added some extra extra for plot.

   Year: 7th

   House: Hufflepuff

   Possible Triggers/Warnings: slight mature themes, slut shaming, Cormac McLaggen

    ♡~🐍~♡

    ♡~🐍~♡

   being a Hufflepuff meant that you valued hard work, patience, justice, and loyalty. It also meant you were stereotyped into a cutesy, muffin baking, defenceless girl. Which you were indeed not. You were very capable of taking care of yourself, but no really saw that side of you.

   to everyone you were the cute little Hufflepuff girl who hung out with the all to famous Cedric Diggory. You guys practically grew up together so it wasn’t rare to find you two hanging out with each other. Two peas in a pod really. He also knew about your humongous crush on Draco Malfoy.

   you and Draco had almost every class together so it was natural that you two talked occasionally. At first it was only him asking for notes he missed, which didn’t seem that friendly now that you think about it, but then he started to actually hold conversations with you.

   soon after you began to notice him stealing glances at you from across the classroom or the one time he not so subtlety mean mugged Neville Longbottom into changing his partners for an assignment so he instead could be your partner. You honestly thought he liked you, hell you liked him too.

   but then he got with some random Slytherin girl. Saying it was upsetting was an understatement. You were crushed, truly crushed. It has currently been a week since the ‘incident’ per say and you had been avoiding the Slytherin prince all together, except for formal ‘hellos’ and ‘sorry for bumping into you’

   as you sat down on the soft loveseat, you feel somebody come up behind you “Hey Ced” you spoke, eyes never leaving the book. You hear his familiar laugh and look up at the same time as he comes around to sit in front of you. “Still can’t sneak up on you, huh?”

   you shook your head, closing the novel in your hands. “Nope” he chuckles and plops himself down on the armrest. “So the team is having a practice match with Slytherin. Want to come?” he asked. You shrugged your shoulders, seeing nothing wrong with it.

   “yeah sure, just let me get dressed” 

     ♡~🐍~♡

   walking alongside Cedric, you adjust the collar of the yellow turtleneck you wore. He had his Quidditch uniform on with his broom in one hand as you both walked onto the field. You looked around seeing the Hufflepuff team and some students who seemingly were going to watch the game as well.

   turning your head to the left you were met with Draco Malfoy slicking his platinum blond hair with his hand only for it to fall back in his face. “Oh shit” you mutter, alarming Cedric. He looked around quickly to see what you were looking at. His eyes stop on Draco and pats your back “C’mon, lets go”

   he ushers you to the Hufflepuff team.

   ♡~🐍~♡

   he watches as Diggory leads you away from his line of vision, his expression saddening. “you look like a creep” said Blaise Zabini, the Quidditch chaser, also Draco’s best mate. The young Malfoy scoffs and turns to face his friend “just ask her out already, it is so painful watching you drool over her” Blaise adds.

   Draco shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest “She’s a Hufflepuff-” “oh merlin here we go again with the house talk” Theodore Nott interjects, going over to lean on Blaise’s shoulder. “What happened to fuck my parents, i’m going to live my own life?”

   and there goes Pansy Parkinson. His whole friend group was on him this time. Draco looks at all three of them and exhales deeply “She’s to innocent for me anyway. I’m a Slytherin for merlin’s sake, i’ll corrupt her” he sputters out. All three of them burst into fits of laughter.

   Blaise grabs Theo’s face and gives him a overexaggerated sorrowful look “Y/n, i am sorry, but i’m afraid i’ll corrupt you with my edge” he spoke with a dramatic tone. Theo stifles his laughter and copies his expression “But Draco i love you, i don’t care if you corrupt me”

   Draco watches the both of them with an unamused expression “I seriously hate both of you, so much” the both of them let go of each other and bow at the same time. “Also that will never happen, she’s been avoiding me lately” he huffs. Pansy shrugs her shoulders.

   “maybe it’s because some psycho girl claimed you guys were together like a week ago. It hurt her feelings! This is why i’m a lesbian. Guys are bloody idiots” she exclaims, throwing her arms in the air. Blaise nods “I would say same, but i’m currently dating this guy so” he points to Theo.

   “let’s just get this game over with”

    ♡~🐍~♡

   the game ended with Hufflepuff taking the victory. You smiled brightly and made your way to the edge of the stands. You held your arms up “Cedric!” you yell out. You watch as the brown haired Hufflepuff turned his broom to the left and began to fly over to you. In a matter of seconds he held his hand out for you and you grabbed his hand.

   he pulled you up and onto to his broom. You wrapped your arms around his waist as he flew towards the ground. Once he landed you hopped off, chuckling “That never gets old” he nods, agreeing. The hufflepuff team landed and began to crowd Cedric and you. Cheering for there seeker.

   students flooded out the stands and most cheered Cedric’s name. Cedric wrapped his arm around your shoulders, giving you a side hug. As most of the students began to leave and you were left with Hufflepuff team “you did great out there Cedric!” you shout in excitement.

   “oh merlin hop off his dick Y/n” someone said from behind you. You turn around and felt the urge to gag. Cormac McLaggen. “Excuse me?” you say, crossing your arms. “You heard me Y/n, we all know your sleeping with Diggory over here. Probably the whole Hufflepuff house” he looked so smug.

   Cedric didn’t take kindly to his words and grabbed your arm, beginning to lead you away “That’s right, walk away Y/n. Hey Cedric tell me when it’s my turn with the Hufflepuff slut” he smirked, chuckling in the most vile manner. He was truly the worst person to ever exist.

   you saw red

   in a swift motion you jerked your arm away from Cedric and rushed towards Cormac, you threw yourself at him. He was knocked to the ground while you straddled his waist. Hands clenched in a fist, you began to hit Cormac in the face repeatedly. Everyone was stunned.

   “You. Gross. Son. Of. A. Bitch!” you yelled, still wailing on the Gryffindor boy under you. Cormac tried to use his arms to block your hits, but it was no use. You were running on adrenaline and at the moment you were stronger than Hagrid. “You. Couldn’t. Fuck. Yourself. Out. Of. A. Wet. Dream!” (not my joke)

   Cormac was able to scratch your face and such, but nothing to damaging. You feel somebody grab you by your waist and pull you off of Cormac. Cedric. who’s bruises had bruises. You huffed and tried to push away from whoever it was, but they tightened their grip instead.

   “Calm down Y/n! Stay here oi have to take him to the hospital wing and make sure he doesn’t get you in detention!” he exclaims and lets go of you, leaving you to sit on the grass. He rushes over with another Hufflepuff and picks the bruised boy up and with that, they both left.

   ♡~🐍~♡

   “i think you did great out there Draco” Pansy gives him a warm smile and he nos to her. “Thanks Pans” he spoke.  “oh merlin hop off his dick Y/n” he snapped his head towards the direction of Cormac like an owl, his face turning into a scowl. “Oh this bitch” Pansy scoffed. 

   Draco watched as Cedric tried to lead you away from the scene  “That’s right, walk away Y/n. Hey Cedric tell me when it’s my turn with the Hufflepuff slut” what did he just say. In a blink of an eye you were on top of Corma, completely destroying him.

   he didn’t know what it was, but watching you punch Cormac in the face with an angered expression was the biggest turn on he could ever imagine. Maybe it’s because he thought you were a innocent girl, but the way you had just tackled this guy was the complete opposite.

   “Beat his ass Y/n!” Pansy yelled, throwing her fist in the air. Draco looked over at her, but Pansy just shrugged. What a instigator. Cedric pulled you off of and left you on the ground to go deal with Cormac. Draco just stared in complete aw of you. You flip your hair out of your face as you spit out what looks like blood.

   in an instant, he was hot all over.

   “Go now, don’t think just go!” Pansy pushed Draco’s back towards your direction. His legs were on autopilot while he walked over to you. He felt the warmth surround him again as you looked up at him, then his hand. Draco looked as well and saw a rag? Pansy must have shoved it in his hand.

   Draco hesitates, but crouches down in front of you. “Can i?” he asked in a low tone. You eye him for a moment, studying his expression before nodding slowly. He uses his hand to grab your chin, turning it up before pressing the rag to your bloody cheek. You wince a pit and he gives you an apologetic look.

   he cleans the blood off your cheek and lets go of your face “That was- what you did- shit- that was hot as hell” he sputter a bit as he speaks. Your eyes widen a bit “Um- thank you?” you said, unsure of how to answer. “Do you want to like- go out with me sometime?” he asked.

   “i know you’ve been avoiding me and Pansy said it was because of the girl i was going out with but she just made that up. I’m not actually going out with her. You see i actually really like you, but i thought it was a bad idea because i’m a Slytherin and i was scared that i ruin your innocence, but you can clearly handle yourself- like damn and i just-”

   Draco’s rant was cut off when you grab the collar of his shirt, bringing him into a quick kiss. You let go and pull away leaving him dumbfounded. You smnicker a bit at his reaction and smile cheekily “Yeah i’d love to go out with you” Draco smiles brightly and leans into kiss you again

    making him hot all over.

   ♡~🐍~♡

   Kody: idk even know what this is. Did i just make three Slytherins gay? yes, yes i did. For plot. Anyways, peace.

[sugarcubetikki]

Implications of Teaser #2

I can't stop thinking about the 2nd Teaser. I've found so many implications to it already that I'm freaking out.

(Probably going to talk about the first teaser later. We can save time for ranting about Hawk Moth's ugly suit later).

Let's start off with exactly who this person is (poor Barkk).

From older spoilers, this person goes by the name Su-Han.

Miraculous Mexico also confirmed that he's a guardian from the temple and doesn't like the idea of Marinette being a guardian.

And surprise. Surprise. He's also going to be akumatized:

The real question is:

Why is Su-Han against Marinette being guardian?

There are a multiple range of answers to this question, some more obvious than others.

I'm going to highlight on key three reasons why:

Marinette is Master Fu's chosen.

She has no proper guidance.

She's only a teenage girl

Firstly, it's important to note that Master Fu made Marinette the guardian, and the last impression that Fu made on the order of guardians wasn't very...pleasant. Due to his foolish actions, the temple was destroyed and all the guardians and miracle box in the temple were gone for nearly two hundred years until Feast when Ladybug used her cure to resurrect all the damage. It's not like Fu even went back to talk to them. He said he would but never found the time since he was on the run and lost his memory after that.

These people from the order "wake up" after nearly two hundred years, and they're probably trying to catch up with time, and are trying to locate other miraculous. We see exactly that happening in the NY special, when the guardian of the Native American Miracle Box, locates Eagle and tries to take back the miraculous from her.

By evidence of LB and CN's presence in Paris, they must know that the Chinese Miracle Box is there too, and that ties back to Fu. Since it was one of the guardians that told Fu to take the Miracle Box to safety, they can connect the pieces.

However, are they going to be accommodating to Fu and his choices? Especially after he made that huge mistake? How can they trust him or his chosen to handle the Miraculous?

Furthermore, they don't know how exactly the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculous got into the wrong hands, but they're going to blame that on Fu too. With the claim that Paris wouldn't need superheroes if Fu hadn't lost the miraculous...

Since Ladybug and Cat Noir are tied to Fu, they might not like them very much. This might go two ways: they might want to take the miracle box AND the their miraculous away OR they might let them continue being heroes seeing how they defeated Feast in the first place to bring them back, however, they still don't want Marinette do be the guardian.

The shadows of Fu's mistake is a key element in why they're very unsure with the whole idea of Marinette guarding the Miracle Box. She's still Fu's chosen. Wielding a miraculous is one thing but guarding an entire box of miraculous is something else entirely...

This is where my second point comes in: she has no proper guidance. From what we know, these guardians put people into training for guardian from a very young age. Having these really strict methods of guarding the miraculous, and we're still not sure what they think is the appropriate age to become a guardian.

The thing is that...Marinette is a very young guardian, with no proper training. In their eyes, they could see that as a potential risk. They might think Marinette's inexperience could lead her to making a number of mistakes in the future. They could even connect Marinette's position back to Fu's mistake, who was also young and inexperienced, and because of that, he destroyed the temple, and let the butterfly and peacock miraculous fall into the wrong hands.

They might not want history to repeat itself and therefore, letting Marinette stay as guardian very difficult for them to accept.

This is where we move onto the third point: Marinette is a teenage girl. They don't trust Marinette because she's too young and the last time they trusted a teen with a Miracle Box, he burnt down an entire temple. Furthermore, all the guardians so far, the ones in NY, Su-Han, Fu, they're all men.  These guardians weren't chosen in the 21st century, but chosen in a time where women were still seen as inferior to men. And from what we know, the guardians are very old-fashioned.

It makes me wonder...whether...Marinette being a girl serves more as a reason to why she shouldn't be a guardian. It's an extremely sexist perspective. Miraculous might not directly point it out, but they might imply it. The show is about female empowerment, and adding a conflict point like this, is something they would do. It might imply that females are not often chosen as guardians. On top of being young, Marinette being a girl could break the guardian's traditionalist ways. This is speculation. Like I said, Miraculous would not directly address this matter, but they might imply it, liked they implied xenophobia in Bakerix.

As this show encourages female empowerment, makes sense why Marinette is the guardian. It has more impact in breaking traditionalist views. Since the guardians follow traditionalist views, and Marinette stands for everything that breaks these traditionalist views: a  21st century female teenager

Where does Su-Han come to play in this? Exactly?

Makes me wonder if he was the previous guardian of the Chinese Miracle Box before Fu. What if he was the one who assigned Fu to guard the box? What if a part of him also sees it as a mistake to entrust Fu? What if he's going back to Paris to fix his mistake?

Technically, Su-Han is a loophole in the "renounce the Miracle Box, lose your memory" rule. Since he was pretty much killed, when the box passed on to Fu, and then resurrected again afterwards.

Now, it also makes me wonder, since he doesn't want Marinette to be the guardian, he wants Marinette to renounce the box. If she renounces the box, she'll lose her memory. And this could mean he's considering taking her miraculous away too since she'll lose all memory of the miraculous away anyways. Making the plot of the episode even more dramatic and impactful. Like with all this happening, how would one not be watching this episode sitting on the edge of their seat?

And this is what I got by one little promo?

Crazy. Crazy. Crazy implications. This might not all happen, I'm theorizing and exploring all the implications and reasons behind "Su-Han being a guardian and being against the idea of Marinette being a guardian."

Huge concept stuff right here. A lot of theory potential. I'm already hyped and I cannot wait for S4 : )

EDIT: Ignore my “what if” relating to Su-Han being Fu’s teacher. A user makes an excellent claim saying that each guardian seems to possess a special staff. In the flashback of Feast, Fu is carrying a staff with a green gem. In the trailer, Su-Han’s staff carries a purple gem. Shows that they’re different people. 

[lexosaurus]

Pink Astronaut

This is my secret santa gift for Anectoplasm on discord! Happy holidays, and I hope you enjoy!

Characters: Danny/Paulina Genre: Fluff Word Count: 4549 Summary: To Paulina's dismay, she and Danny Fenton must work together on their English final project.

Read on [ao3] [ffn]

---

It was Lancer’s fault, really. 

He assigned the class a partner-project for their final presentation, but being the annoying teacher he was, he had decided it was imperative that the students  were assigned to pairs of his choosing. Aka, no working with friends.

Paulina tried her best. Truly, she did. She batted her eyelashes and put on her most polite tone when she said, “Pretty please with extra whipped cream and a cherry on top, can I work with Star instead of Loser Fenton?” 

But, to her utter dismay, Mr. Lancer was a brick wall. No amount of wit nor charm could change his rubric, and so Paulina relented in a very much not dramatic final sigh as she resigned herself to be Danny Fenton’s English partner for the coming weeks.

Fenton was...well, he was weird. His parents hunted ghosts, he always slept through class, he was clumsy, and Paulina knew that in middle school Fenton was just like all the other boys who saw her as nothing more than a pretty face.

And that annoyed her to her core. She was a human, damn it! She had her own wishes and dreams and goals in life. Although she wasn’t vocal about it, she wanted to be a journalist when she was older. The kind that made it to shows like 60 Minutes, reporting on amazing stories from all around the world. She wanted to travel, she wanted to meet people, and she wanted to be the best at it. 

She was still a long way off from that now though. First, she needed to survive through this stupid English project with that weird nerd who had gone through a not-so-secret crush on her before.

Though, when she looked his way now, Fenton didn’t look all too thrilled to be partnered with her either.

She would have called it odd, but that had been their dynamic for a little over a year now. She guessed that Fenton finally got the hint and dropped his love struck puppy act. Maybe he and Sam had finally confessed their undying love to each other. 

It was probably for the best.

Fenton made no move towards her, instead choosing to stare dully into his notebook.

Paulina rolled her eyes and slid from her chair. She strode over to his desk, throwing a hand on her waist and looking down at him with an expression she knew would yield no arguments. “Alright, my house or yours?” 

“Huh?” Fenton said, recognizing a little too late that she was there.

“For the project? The one we were just assigned? Hello, Earth to Commander Fenton! My house or yours today?”

“Today?” Fenton blinked. “You wanna start today?”

Paulina narrowed her eyes. “Why, got something better to do?”

“Well—it’s just—”

“I’ll come over at four. I’ll be at cheer practice till then. If you want anything from Starbucks, just text me before then. I know Manson has my number, you can get it from her.”

She left him sitting dumbly in his chair. No one was getting in the way of her and that A, especially not some nerd who couldn’t even bother to care about school.

But, to Paulina’s surprise, Fenton actually opened the door for her when she showed up to his house that afternoon. Half of her expected him to blow her off, just ghost her and leave her to do all the work. And yet, he brought her into his kitchen, got out his notebook, and got right to work.

It was unnerving to see him so studious. She remembered Fenton as a nerd in middle school, but everyone knew about the absolute nose-dive his grades took once he got to high school. It wasn’t exactly a secret, what with him skipping class every other day.

The duo parted ways with a promise to meet up again over the weekend. Again, to Paulina’s pleasant surprise, he actually texted her to confirm their plans. And when Paulina stepped into the Starbucks that Saturday afternoon, Danny was already sitting at a table waiting for her, his notebook out and the project rubric between his fingers.

This much good luck was sure to run out, but Paulina just hoped that Fenton could last another few weeks before he inevitably dropped the ball.

Except, that never happened. Each time they set up plans to work on their presentation, Fenton would show up, he would focus on the work, and they’d part ways with plans to reconvene later. It was uncanny. It was so unlike everything Paulina had come to know of Fenton through these months.

And Paulina wondered if maybe, just maybe, this was who Fenton really was. 

Under all those disciplinary actions, the dropped beakers, the tardies, the unfinished assignments and failed grades, if this was hidden underneath.

So then that begged the question: why didn’t he show this side of himself more? Why was he failing if he was clearly capable of doing the work?

And so Paulina sat there, just a week before they were set to give their presentation, scrutinizing Fenton’s features as he recited a passage from the book they were analyzing. She noted the bags under his eyes, the bruise on his cheek, the way his face seemed to tighten every time he coughed.

He had arrived a few minutes late that day, and she remembered how he entered the classroom, his gate just a little too stiff to be natural.

Someone had hurt Fenton, Paulina realized. Someone had beat him up.

For reasons she didn’t know, hot anger flashed over her. Someone beat up Danny, a kid who was clumsy and could be a bit slow on the uptake, but someone who Paulina had come to understand was a rather kind and gentle classmate.

Yet someone didn’t care.

So the next day, maybe she stormed up to Dash a little too aggressively to demand, “What the hell did you do to Fenton?”

There was Dash, right on queue with his cocky laugh and a, “That nerd had it coming to him!”

“Are you kidding me?” Paulina yelled. “A week before our English final presentation and you punch Fenton across the face? Are you stupid?”

Dash’s smile dropped instantly, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Paulina, I didn’t—”

“You know how much this class matters to me, Dash! You know I wanna move up to honors next year! I can’t do that if you’re giving my English partner a goddamn concussion while we’re preparing to present!”

“Paulina!” Dash grabbed her arm.

“No!” Paulina ripped her arm away. “Don’t touch me, and don’t fucking sabotage—”

“I didn’t beat Fenton up!” Dash shouted. 

Paulina’s eyes narrowed. 

Dash held his hands up in a surrender. “I swear I didn’t beat him up. Ask Kwan if you don’t believe me. Honestly, I haven’t touched him in months. The—the coach told me that if I did well in school this year, I’d probably get recruited to college. I didn’t want to risk Fenton messing that up. I swear!”

Paulina stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to crack. But Dash’s panicked face held.

“Whatever.” She whipped around. “Tell your stupid friends to keep their hands off my project partner.”

“Consider it done!”

Paulina stormed off, ignoring the wide stares from her peers and the whispers of, “Did she just defend Fenton?”

She tried to block them out. They weren’t important. Her grades were important, her future was important, but those idiots? No, they meant nothing to her.

That afternoon, Danny was early. He was sitting there in the empty classroom when Paulina walked in, his head down to his paper, and didn’t even look up when Paulina gave her cheerful, “Hello!”

Well...that was weird. Sure, a few weeks ago, Danny mostly ignored her cheerful greetings in favor of getting ahead on the project, but Paulina liked to think that a mutual respect, or—god forbid—a friendship had been forming between the duo.

“Oof, cold shoulder? So not your speed, Danny,” Paulina said, plopping down to her seat.

Danny tensed, “I...uh, sorry. I’m tired.”

“Sheesh, alright.” Paulina slid her notebook out. “So we were working on the symbolism slide of the powerpoint, right?”

“Yeah,” Danny passed his notebook over to her. “I started parsing through the book at lunch today and found some good passages. Take a look.”

Paulina went to study the paper, but something else caught her eye.

Something on his arm.

Something that looked like a burn.

“Danny?” Paulina stared wide-eyed at the space of molten skin between his sleeve and hand. “What the hell happened to your arm?”

“Oh, I—” Danny slipped his arm under the desk. “I, uh, sorry. You see—”

“Whoa!” Paulina only caught a glance of his face before he ducked down again, but that split-second was enough. “What the hell? What happened to you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Paulina saw red. “Oh, that idiot! I’m gonna kill him!”

Danny looked up, the multicolored patchwork of skin on his face finally fully visible to Paulina. “Kill who?”

“Oh, look at you! That asshole!”

Fenton winced. “Am I...am I missing something here?”

“I’m gonna kill Dash!”

“...Dash?” 

“I told him this morning to keep his hands off you! I made that asshole promise to me, and I told him to pass the message along to his stupid friends too!”

Something in Danny’s expression softened. “You told off Dash?”

“Well of course I did!” Paulina said hotily. “You’re my project partner! What kind of person would I be if I let you get hurt?”

“Oh well…” A smile quirked on Danny’s lips. “Thanks for that, but it wasn’t Dash.”

“Well then who was it? I’ll kill them.”

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

“You’re right, death would be too generous. I’ll just destroy their reputation instead!”

A bemused look overtook Danny’s face. “Yeah, I have no doubt you would.”

“Tell me right now, Fenton. Tell me who did this and I’ll make them pay. You won’t have to worry about them ever again once I’m finished with them.”

“Oh, I…” The smile fell from Danny’s lips. “It wasn’t anyone. I just...fell.”

“You what?” Paulina’s voice rose in disbelief.

“Yeah, you know how clumsy I am.” Danny rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He laughed awkwardly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I just—you know. I was walking in the hall, fell down some stairs, hit the stair rail at the bottom. Just typical weirdo Fenton stuff! Nothing you need to destroy anyone over.”

“Don’t play with me. You didn’t fall.”

“I did fall though! It was...yeah, you know how it is. I was walking and talking at the same time and just slipped and fell! Ah, stupid Fenton, am I right? Just always...falling.”

Paulina’s glare was hollow. “How dumb do you think I am, Danny?”

Danny froze, his rambling stuttering off into a tense silence. “What?”

“I said—” Paulina rose from her chair. “—just how dumb do you think I am?”

“Uh, sorry. I’m sorry. Look, I think we may have gotten on the wrong topic here.”

“No!” Paulina slammed her hand down on Fenton’s notebook. “This little tirade? This sham you’ve been pulling for the past two years? It’s bullshit, Danny, and you know it.”

“I don’t—I don’t know—”

“Yes, you do know! You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Paulina hissed. “We’ve been working together for weeks now, and you think you can just sit here and say you fell? To me?” 

“Well, sue me, Paulina!” Danny snapped. “Why do you even care, anyways? We’re not exactly friends.”

“Because you’re my project partner! Your grade is my grade, idiot!”

“Gee, I’m glad you only care about people when it affects your grade.” Danny shoved his notebook into his bag. “What an amazing quality to have.”

Paulina stepped back as if she’d been slapped. “That’s not true!”

Danny ignored her reaction, instead choosing to angrily zip up his backpack. “In case you haven’t noticed, your boyfriend’s been beating me up since we were five. I’m not sure why you’ve decided to care now, but if you want something to be mad at, maybe try being mad at the years of shit I’ve taken from you and your friends.” 

Paulina stood there seething as Danny pushed past her and stocked off into the hallway, slamming the classroom door shut behind him.

There was the Fenton she’d come to know in high school, this was the Fenton she remembered. The one who avoided questions, who put himself down to avoid suspicion, who left in the middle of class without saying anything, who no one could rely on.

But, perhaps more now than ever, Paulina could see just how much of a sham this whole act was.

Just how much he was using this face to protect himself.

But from what? From who?

Paulina tried not to dwell too much on the bruises, especially since they were gone the next day and didn’t reappear for the rest of the week. Of course, Dash swore up and down that he had nothing to do with Fenton’s appearance, and Paulina believed him. Dash could be a bit bullheaded, but he was still one of her closest friends.

For the remaining week they had to put their presentation together, Danny kept to himself, and so did Paulina. Whatever semblance of a friendship they’d built had disintegrated, and both parties seemed content to let it fall.

It made sense, logically speaking. Paulina was popular, Fenton wasn’t. Paulina was an extrovert, Fenton was an introvert. Paulina thrived in attention, Fenton shied away from it. They were like oil and water, a friendship just wasn’t possible.

The presentation day came, and the two spoke with confidence that could only have come from weeks of preparation. Paulina couldn’t help but glow under Mr. Lancer’s impressed nod. Their high marks from the project were enough to fulfill Paulina’s recommendation to the honors English course for the next fall.

And then the school year came to a close and finally, after months of hard work, they could finally relax.

But not before they celebrated first.

One of Dash’s good friends, Dale, had taken it upon himself to host the massive end of the school year party for the rising junior class at Casper High that year. His parents, being the weird sort of chill parents they were, offered up their lake house with the promise that there would be no drinking and driving.

The teens were ecstatic. 

Everyone—everyone—went to the party. Jocks, nerds, band geeks, theatre kids, every clique was represented at the lake house. And why wouldn’t they come? It was the end of the school year celebration! A time to rejoice in having survived another round of homework, tests, quizzes, and essays.

It was also a time where Paulina was once again reminded that yes, the theatre kids could in fact go shot-to-shot with the football team.

Fenton was there with his little group, but Paulina paid them no mind. This wasn’t the time to be worried about him, nor was it the time to feel any sort of guilt at the way their budding friendship just collapsed. She had her friends, why add another?

And it was just preposterous to imply that she missed Fenton.

Because she didn’t.

And yet, when the night was drawing to a close, Paulina somehow managed to find herself down by the lake where a skinny, black haired teen was sitting alone.

She stood behind him, unsure if she wanted to initiate contact. He’d made it clear from their last argument that he still held years of resentment towards her and her friends, and Paulina knew from experience that all that resentment couldn’t go away in one alcohol-filled night.

She turned to walk away, but something stopped her. Before she could question what she was doing or why, she found herself sitting down on the damp grass next to him.

“What are you doing out here?” Paulina asked.

“Oh, uh, hey Paulina! Fancy seeing you here.” Danny gave her a small wave.

“You too.” Paulina stretched her legs out in front of her, leaning back on her hands. “Some party, right?”

“Yeah, Dale was really nice to host this.”

“He’s a great guy. His parents too.”

“I bet.” Danny said. “How are your friends holding up?”

“Well, let’s see. Star just spent a half hour trying to convince me that aliens exist, and Dale’s currently comforting Kwan who saw a video of a puppy rescue on the side of the road and started crying, so I’d say they’re holding up pretty well.”

Danny guffawed. “No way!”

“I swear!” Paulina laughed. “This isn’t even the first time something like this has happened either. I swear, every other time we drink, Kwan always ends up in a corner somewhere watching animal videos on his phone and crying at how precious the animals are and ‘please, Paulina, can’t we just adopt one?’ He’s gonna be the death of me one of these days.”

Danny giggled, his laugh light and airy. Paulina watched him, amazed that they were able to just start talking again as if their fight had never happened.

“So what about you?” she asked. “What happened to your clan?”

“Sam had to drive Tucker home. He got too overconfident in pong.”

She snorted. “Dash is the same. He’s always like, ‘one more round, I’m gonna crush it this time’ and then twenty minutes later I find him asleep in a bathtub or something.”

“Dash drunk sleeping in a bathtub? Oh, that’s a sight I’d like to see.”

“I can assure you that photos exist.”

“The perfect blackmail.” Fenton shot her a grin. “Remind me to get one of Tucker next time he does something stupid.”

“And what makes you think you won’t be right there on the floor with him?” Paulina sassed.

“Hah! You’re probably right!” His smile fell, and he looked at her questioningly. “Hey, will your boyfriend be okay with you out here with me?”

“Oh, Dash? He’s...actually not my boyfriend.”

“Wait, what?” Danny jolted upright. He spun around to face her. “But I thought—”

“Yeah, everyone does. But we’re not dating.”

“Then why don’t you say something? Squash all the rumors?”

Paulina averted her gaze back onto the lake. It was a gorgeous night. Stars speckled the sky in a spectacular display, illuminating the Milky Way behind them. Amity Park was too industrious to see the galaxy, and Paulina couldn’t help but marvel at its sight. 

It was gorgeous. Vast. It seemed to never end. She remembered reading somewhere that the Milky Way could only be seen if there was no moon out.

Luck must have been on her side that night.

“Unless...you don’t want to.” Danny’s voice dawned a tone of realization. “But why?”

“I got tired of it all,” she admitted, her honesty surprising herself. “Guys only wanted to talk to me because they thought if they were nice enough, I would get in their pants or something. I got accused of friendzoning more people than not. Honestly, it was so annoying. I felt everyone saw me as some stupid object. So when the rumors started going around this year that Dash and I were dating, and a lot of guys in our grade started backing off, I just...didn’t fight it. I thought maybe finally everyone would see me as a person. Maybe people would take me seriously.” Her gaze dropped. “I don’t know if it worked, but at least now people don’t see me as some sort of prize so much anymore.”

Danny was silent for a moment, and Paulina immediately regretted her admission. Maybe it was the alcohol loosening her lips, but she doubted Fenton of all people cared. They weren’t even friends.

One side of her wanted to get up and leave, go back to her friends inside the house, but the other side of her was too embarrassed to move.

“That makes sense, honestly,” Danny finally responded.

A wave of relief washed over her.

“And I’m sorry that there was a time where I couldn’t see past your looks too. I was young, but that’s still not an excuse.” He shifted. “I’ve had some...things happen the past year, and they’ve really taught me a lot about judging a book by its cover.”

“What kinds of things?” Paulina said, hoping her voice didn’t betray too much curiosity.

There went that hand behind his neck again. He was nervous, Paulina noted.

“Oh! Uh...it’s a long story, but I just wanted to say that I understand. I get what it feels like to be judged based on surface-level stuff. I mean, Paulina, you’re really smart. I don’t know if I told you this, but I’m really glad we ended up partners on that English project. I would have been so screwed with anyone else.”

“Thanks, Danny,” she said, trying to fight the blush that she knew was tinting her cheeks. “I’m sorry for being nosy at the end there. I didn’t mean to corner you like that. It was really stupid of me to pry when you obviously didn’t feel like talking.”

“No!” he exclaimed “No, don’t apologize! I was just being sensitive. Honestly, I knew I looked like shit.” He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “Look, I didn’t fall obviously. I wasn’t trying to play you, I just panicked. But...I’m okay now, really.”

He looked at her, and Paulina noted how his blue eyes seemed to dance under the light of the stars. How he sat up straighter, his shoulders rolled back and head held high. How yes he was thin, but not scrawny like he was back in freshman year of high school. He seemed toned, lithe, almost like a gymnast. 

Danny had definitely grown up in the past two years, but then again, so had she.

“I’m glad you’re okay, and I’m also glad I got to be your English partner too,” she said.

They sat by the lake watching the stars until the chill of the crisp spring air began to set in Paulina’s bones. She left Danny in favor of the warm house, but not without saying, “I’ll text you sometime.”

The summer came, and the ever so slightly intoxicated promise to hang out slipped Paulina’s mind. After all, she had months of sleep to catch up on. 

Fortunately for her, Danny remembered. 

It was a silly text, a meme about Shakespear. Paulina responded with the appropriate emojis, and tried to convince herself that the smile she wore was due to the funny image, and had nothing to do with the boy who sent it.

And a week later, he sent another one. This time, Paulina asked to grab a coffee with him. Catch up.

To her surprise, Danny agreed. They met up at the Starbucks and what Paulina thought would only be a quick catch-up session turned into a three hour long hangout. 

Despite his awkward demeanor, Danny was rather talkative. Especially when the topic revolved around space. Apparently, he wanted to work for NASA someday. He said it came from a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut, but overtime his interests shifted into rocket design and engineering. It helped that—according to Danny—his dad had built the equivalent of an ecto-rocket in his basement.

Paulina confessed that she wanted to work for 60 Minutes someday as a journalist. She dreamed of traveling around the world, collecting stories and meeting people. She explained that as a kid, she used to have to travel around the world for her dad’s work before he finally settled in Amity Park. And although she’d been living in Amity for years now, a part of her still missed those days where she was constantly exposed to new countries, languages, and cultures.

Danny listened attentively, reacting at the appropriate times and pressing for questions whenever she would trail off. Even though he had a reputation of never paying attention to teachers, he seemed to genuinely enjoy listening to her.

Eventually they parted ways, but they promised to hang out again. 

And again they did.

And again.

Again.

There were some topics that Danny seemed to skirt around, such as why he sometimes would show up bruised, or why he seemed to struggle to stay in class despite his dreams of working for a prestigious agency like NASA.

But Paulina was willing to ignore those demons because she liked Danny, and she didn’t want to say anything that would push him away. And, despite their differences, he seemed to like her back.

Summer drifted to fall, the leaves started to turn, and soon it was too cold to hangout outside. 

Which was how they found themselves here, in Danny’s room, laying on Danny’s floor watching Youtube videos, their math homework long since abandoned beside them.

It was a nerdy video, one about bizarre planets that existed in space. One that Paulina would never have watched on her own, but Danny seemed positively riveted at. 

His eyes were bright and attentive, and every so often he’d point to the screen and go, “Look!” as if Paulina wasn’t watching the same video.

It was...adorable.

His excitement rivaled a child on Christmas. And as interesting as the video was to watch, Danny was even more so.

The video ended, but Paulina hardly noticed. All she could see was the grin on Danny’s lips, the freckles dotting his cheeks, the way his hair sat on his head like a soft cloud.

“So? What did you think?” Danny asked.

“Cute,” Paulina responded. “You’re cute.”

Danny blinked, his mouth turning to a little “o” shape as red tinged his cheeks. He started to stutter, to try to brush Paulina off, but she held onto his shoulder and said, “Danny, I think you’re cute.”

“Oh,” he said, his eyes wide. “I think you’re cute too.”

Paulina closed the gap between them, closing her eyes. His lips felt soft against hers, and her heart fluttered in her chest. Her hands trailed up to his hair, and she curled her fingers through his soft hair.

He was gentle, as if he were afraid to hurt her, and his skin felt cool against her own. Secretly, Paulina had always loved that about Danny, the fact that his body temperature seemed to run lower than normal. And now she could cherish this all to herself.

Danny’s hand wrapped around her back, gently pressing her closer. His touch was electric, and Paulina could have melted right there. She pressed further against him, deepening the kiss.

They stayed in each other’s arms, enjoying the moment for just a few moments longer before Danny pulled back. He looked at her, his eyes sparkling, and said, “You’re beautiful.”

There were some things Paulina didn’t understand about Danny. There were some things he was still closed off about, things he didn’t want to speak about. And eventually, Paulina would bring those things up, she would get answers. Eventually, she would uncover all the secrets, all the layers to the enigma that made up Danny Fenton.

But right now?

Right now she was just going to enjoy the moment.

[madam-melon-meow]

Bisexual Kyoshi is something that can be so personal, actually

Panel edit by @flagellasturbation

[image I.D. : An edit of a comic panel of avatar Kyoshi. On the left in the image is a close-up of Kyoshi from the torso up, contained within an upside-down trapezoid shape. She wears her full battle uniform of olive and emerald robes, dark gloves and bracers, and a golden headpiece in a fan-like shape. Her eyes are the same emerald shade as her robes, she has black hair billowing to the left edge of the image, and her black eyebrows have been dramatically lengthened by black face paint. Her face and neck are artificially whitened with chalky makeup, she has black winged eyeliner, red eyeshadow that sweeps upwards to her temples and down the sides of her nose, and red lipstick outlined in black. This is the classic Kyoshi makeup. Her arms are crossed, the left arm behind her head pointing a golden fan away from the viewer, the right arm extended in front of her face, another golden fan pointed towards the viewer. She appears to be looking upwards and towards the right of the image. Above Kyoshi’s eye level and in the top right of the image is a comic text box. It reads in all caps: “even avatar Kyoshi- who by all accounts loved men and women- was unable to effect any kind of real progress.” The background art and color has been replaced with the Bisexual Flag, a thick horizontal line of pink on top, stopping at Kyoshi’s cheek level, then a thinner line of purple ending at her shoulders, and a thick line of blue that extends to the bottom of the image. End I.D.]

(If someone does not find my image I.D. sufficient, please let me know. This is my first time trying to make such a thing, as i am a lurker, not a poster)

Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee, page 99 (text copy / pasted from the b&n ebook version)

““Are those . . . fire lilies?” he said, a wide, knowing grin spreading across his face.

Kyoshi flushed beet red. “Stop it,” she said.

“That’s right,” Yun said. “The Ember Island tourism minister brought a bunch when he visited two weeks ago. I can’t believe you simply shred the flowers once they dry out. I guess nothing goes to waste in this house.”

“Knock it off,” Kyoshi snapped. But it was too hard keeping the corners of her lips from curling upward.

“Knock what off?” he said, enjoying her reaction. “I’m just commenting on a fragrance I’ve come to particularly enjoy.”

It was an inside reference that only the two of them shared. Rangi didn’t know. She hadn’t been there in the gifting room eight months ago while Kyoshi arranged a vast quantity of fire lilies sent by an admiral in the Fire Navy, one of Hei-Ran’s friends.

Yun had spent the afternoon watching Kyoshi work. Against every scrap of her better judgment, she’d allowed him to lie down on the floor and rest his head in her lap while she plucked deformed leaves and trimmed stems to the right length. Had anyone caught the two of them like that, there would have been a scandal that not even the Avatar could have recovered from.

That day, entranced by Yun’s upside-down features dappled with the flower petals she’d teasingly sprinkled over his face, she’d almost leaned down and kissed him. And he knew it. Because he’d almost reached up and kissed her.

They never spoke of it afterward, the shared impulse that had nearly crashed both of their carriages. It was too . . . well, they each had their duties was a good way to put it. That moment did not fit anywhere among their responsibilities.

But since then, whenever the two of them were in the presence of fire lilies, Yun’s eyes would dart toward the flowers repeatedly until he was sure Kyoshi noticed. She would try unsuccessfully to keep a straight face, the heat coloring her neck, and he’d sigh as if to mourn what could have been.

Today was no different. With a wistful blush on his own cheeks, Yun stared her down until her defenses broke and she let out a giggle through her nose.

“There’s that beautiful smile,” he said. He pressed his heels into the floor, sliding up against the wall, and straightened his rumpled shirt. “Kyoshi, trust me when I say this: If it turns out not to be me, I’ll be glad it’s you.”

~~~~~~~~~

Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee, page 210 (text copy / pasted from the b&n ebook version)

“You think you don’t deserve peace and happiness and good things, but you do!” Rangi yelled. “You, Kyoshi! Not the Avatar, but you!”

She closed the distance and wrapped her arms around Kyoshi’s waist. The embrace was a clever way to hide her face.

“Do you have any idea how painful it’s been for me to follow you on this journey where you’re so determined to punish yourself?” she said. “Watching you treat yourself like an empty vessel for revenge, when I’ve known you since you were a servant girl who couldn’t bend a pebble? The Avatar can be reborn. But you can’t, Kyoshi. I don’t want to give you up to the next generation. I couldn’t bear to lose you.”

Kyoshi realized she’d had it all wrong. Rangi was a true believer. But her greatest faith had been for her friends, not her assignment. She pulled Rangi in closer. She thought she heard a slight, contented sigh come from the other girl.

“I wish I could give you your due,” Rangi muttered after some time had passed. “The wisest teachers. Armies to defend you. A palace to live in.”

Kyoshi raised an eyebrow. “The Avatar gets a palace?”

“No, but you deserve one.”

“I don’t need it,” Kyoshi said. She smiled into Rangi’s hair, the soft strands caressing her lips. “And I don’t need an army. I have you.”

Psh,” Rangi scoffed. “A lot of good I’ve been so far. If I were better at my job you would never feel scared. Only loved. Adored by all.”

Kyoshi gently nudged Rangi’s chin upward. She could no more prevent herself from doing this than she could keep from breathing, living, fearing.

“I do feel loved,” she declared.

Rangi’s beautiful face shone in reflection. Kyoshi leaned in and kissed her.

A warm glow mapped Kyoshi’s veins. Eternity distilled in a single brush of skin. She thought she would never be more alive than now.

And then—

The shock of hands pushing her away. Kyoshi snapped out of her trance, aghast.

Rangi had flinched at the contact. Repelled her. Viscerally, reflexively.

Oh no. Oh no.

This couldn’t—not after everything they’d been through—this couldn’t be how it—

Kyoshi shut her eyes until they hurt. She wanted to shrink until she vanished within the cracks of the earth. She wanted to become dust and blow away in the wind.

But the sound of laughter pulled her back. Rangi was coughing, drowning herself with her own tears and mirth. She caught her breath and retook Kyoshi by the hips, turning to the side, offering up the smooth, unblemished skin of her throat.

“That side of my face is busted up, stupid,” she whispered in the darkness. “Kiss me where I’m not hurt.”

~~~~~

I include both these quotes because i've seen a few posts about the “gigantic lesbian” avatar, and although i am glad my sapphic sisters feel connected to Kyoshi (as well they should!), that doesn't mean i wish to simply be quiet on the matter of her textual bisexuality. I understand that not everyone has read her novels, nor has everyone read legend of Korra comics, but Kyoshi is *textually* bisexual.

Kyoshi had a loving romantic relationship with her firebending friend Rangi, but this does not erase her feelings for her earthbending friend Yun, even if neither of them were able to properly express it due to their respective “status”. (For context if you haven’t read, the masters believed that Yun was the avatar, and though he was bodyguarded by Rangi, and though Kyoshi was his servent, the three of them were simiar ages and thus close friends until the discovery of Kyoshi’s true ability destroyed their former lives). Hell, Kyoshi and Rangi do not become intimate until after fleeing their former lives. Who is to say what would have happened, had Yun not been captured by father glowworm ?

I know that there is a chance you will scoff at this, will write this off as comphet, accuse me of disproportionately weighting an almost-kiss with a true relationship, but these above quotes (as well as the comic panel from “the legend of korra: turf wars- part 1”) serve as proof that Kyoshi, “by all accounts loved men and women” (see panel directly below)

[image I.D. : the same comic panel as the edit above, this one without the bisexual flag edited in. Directly behind Kyoshi, within the upside-down trapezoid shape, is an olive to lime gradient, darker around her head and lighter near the bottom. Around and to the right in the image, outside of the trapezoid, is an aerial shot of buildings within an Earth Kingdom city, and what appears to be the lines of troops on the ground far below. the text box in the image is the same, but I have underlined the word “men” in blue, the word “and” in purple, and the word “women” in pink, to reflect the bisexual flag. End I.D.]

I am making such a big deal over this because Kyoshi is a massive figure, her long shadow cast over Aang’s life alongside Roku’s, and even before her novels came out there were often jokes about her “bloodthirsty” nature. I implore you to read the novels and see why Kyoshi believed in deadly justice at times, but also so you can see what a dynamic, loving, and beautiful character she is.

Some members of fandom have taken a “step on me” attitude towards Kyoshi, who has, even if the 7 feet tall thing is more fanon than canon, been explicitly described as “exceptionally tall”, and “towering” over others. This “strong woman who will break me and I thank them” attitude is one that butch &/or physically imposing sapphics, as well as trans women with similar statures to Kyoshi have expressed discomfort when applied to themselves and characters like them. I would love for more people to acknowledge her flaws and multi-faceted nature, that she is more than a “warrior goddess”, just as Aang is more than a living relic. Flattening her out to the easily-fetishable parts erases the depth of her character and the complexity of circumstances that led to the instances of deadly force.

There are very few bisexual characters in media, especially women, and especially in children’s media. Bisexual women have often been caricatured as loose, promiscuous, good for a threesome and not much else. (This is mot to say that i think any lesser of my fellow bisexuals who are proudly promiscious, nor can an actual live bisexual person be considered a stereotype for living their life, but media’s portayal of us as obsessed with desire is incredibly harmful). Knowing that a strong, beautiful, and important character in the avatar universe is a bisexual woman is amazing, even more so to have her first lady-love described in the novels with such care. F. C. Yee, the author of these novels, has my eternal gratitude. I sincerely hope that the new generation of fans, whether they are drawn to the cartoon or even the hypothetical live action show, will pick up these novels and discover the kind of bisexual character that I wish existed in my early days as a reader, and if a small fraction of them resonate with Kyoshi’s reciprocal on Yun and love for Rangi, then the world becomes a little bit brighter for it.

I mentioned her importance for the simple reason that Kyoshi IS important with the text of ATLA. As one of the avatars, she is one of the most historically important figures in that universe, one of the few avatars that Aang knows by name, and one of the only avatars to speak through his body. The fact that she has two whole novels to herself testifies to that effect, making her bisexual representation all the more important than a simple background character might be. 

If or when the ATLA live action tv show occurs, we can expect some mention of Kyoshi. After all, there is a whole episode dedicated to exploring one of her missions, and the way that the descendants of her enemy have recolored history. It is my sincere desire that enough discussion is made about her canon bisexuality , that fandom trumphets it from the roof with as much force as crackshipping zukka, that when she does make it to the screen, there is some subtle nod in her bisexuality’s direction, even if it is something as meta as casting a bisexual actress for her. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

edit by @flagellasturbation​

[image I.D. : An edit of a comic panel of avatar Kyoshi. This is like the first image, Kyoshi and the text box of the comic panel untouched, the background color and art replaced with the bisexual flag. However, this version has the words “by all accounts” blown up large and placed diagonally in the image, directly under Kyoshi’s face and stretching from one side of the image to the other. The bottom third of the image is similarly obscured, the words  “men” , “and” , “women” blown up large enough to fill the panel and cover most of Kyoshi’s torso, as well as the purple and blue areas of the background flag. End I.D.]

[nierly-amazing]

NieR: Theatrical Orchestra 12020--Automata dramatic reading transcript

Alt title: THEY LOVE EACH OTHER SO FUCKING MUCH IT HURTS

Art and transcript provided by @shirl_geem on twitter! Follow her, her art’s great!

NieR:Theatrical Orchestra 12020

NieR:Automata

Investigative Operation Overview

New machine-lifeform signatures detected in a previously neutralized enemy base. Said base is a large-scale facility located in the Pacific Ocean.

Communication from the squad stationed there was ceased, making the situation impossible to ascertain. Satellite photography is also impossible due to the base's location on the sea floor.

The Council of Humanity is making preparations to retake the base, but understands it may be a trap created with a new type of enemy weapon.

For this reason, the Council of Humanity has decided to send a small team as an advance scout force.

The task of investigating the base and ascertaining the safety of its personnel has been assigned to YoRHa units 2B and 9S.

--Operation Name: Uranus

Advance Force Registered:

YoRHa units 2B and 9S

Specifications:

Modified flight units (underwater-use)

Close-combat assault armor

Type-3 swords, pressure-resistant suits, anti-icing coating

12 modified canaries, salvageable backup memory storage, reactive barriers

--Escort Unit Details:

Lead escort duties to be carried out by Hunter units K1 and K2

K1 unit overview: 8 flight units, 1 transport unit

K2 unit overview: 4 flight units, 1 Hummingbird aircraft carrier

Defensive radius: From 8,000 meters above the objective to the ocean's surface.

--Status of the Target Area:

Depth: 1,200 meters

Water temperature: 3 degrees centigrade

Machine lifeform energy: 3,200 units

Estimated machine lifeform count: 32 individuals

Communication status: Unknown

--Supplementary Information:

Target is 32 km north of the hostile submerged facility that was destroyed on August 13th. According to the deep-sea patrol unit, there is no relation between that facility and the target.

However, as there remains the possibility of attack by escaped machine lifeforms or rogue androids, all information pertaining to Operation Atlantis is to be disclosed beforehand.

Time to Arrival at Objective: *10 second timer appears on the screen*

This operation has been placed under direct control of the Council of Humanity. Any recording or other archival action is strictly forbidden.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

2B: So this is the machine lifeforms' advance base...

9S (narrating): The base we infiltrated was an expansive underground space with countless, intertwining support pillars.

2B: Temperatures are low... Pod, scan the periphery.

Pod 042: No machine lifeforms detected. No signals found on sensors or canary system.

2B: Is that... a dead android? Pod!

Pod 042: Affiliation unknown. Possibly a member of the unit stationed here. Fusion reactor non-functional. Heat analysis indicates it was destroyed more than 48 hours ago. No external wounding detected.

2B: No external wounding? Could it have been an EMP blast?

Pod 042: Negative. No characteristics of EMP damage detected in circuits.

9S (narrating): As we looked around, we found more androids strewn across the room like a child's forgotten toys.

2B: What on earth happened here...?

9S (narrating): The machine lifeforms that supposedly destroyed these units were nowhere to be found. All that remained was a chill, an eerie silence, and an android mass grave.

2B: Access the Bunker database.

Pod 042: Negative. Bunker communication is not possible.

2B: Keep scanning the periphery and let me know if you find any irregularities.

Pod 042: Affirmative.

9S (narrating): It was a gloomy place, untouched by the sun. The ceiling was a mass of cables tangled around interlocking steel. It was like being inside some kind of massive creature...

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Record Archivist: Pod 153

Analysis: Stationed friendly squad consisted of 36 individuals. Only eight individuals were confirmed in the target area.

Hypotheses for the other 28 individuals: Abduction. Predation. Desertion. Rebellion.

Proposal: Commence preparations for close combat.

Record Archivist: Pod 153

Analysis: Target base consists of four strata

Current location: First stratum

Area: 32,000 square meters

Temperature: 2 degrees centigrade

Humidity: 88%

Scans indicate a high probability that this area is a hangar for machine lifeforms.

Record Archivist: Pod 153

Alert: Examination of target's first stratum complete. Cause of androids' cease in function remains unclear. There is a high probability that neglecting to investigate this factor may cause impediments to the main force that follows us.

Proposal: Investigate the target's second stratum.

Alert: Target's second stratum reached.

Alert: Android bodily fluids detected on nearby wall. The residual shape appears to form sequences of letters.

Hypothesis: They are warning messages left by androids while still alive.

Analysis: The messages are as follows:

"The Bunker will fall"

"Destroy Command"

"Run"

"They must be killed"

"Help" "Help" "Help"

"Help"

Hypothesis: Thought circuitry of corresponding androids underwent some manner of attack.

Analysis: There exists a weapon in the base that can cause a logic infection.

Proposal: Hack the central cortex of the base.

Alert: Enemy thought center reached.

Analysis: Protection of YoRHa unit 9S is top priority.

Alert: Deploying virtual canary.

Proposal: Encrypt channels to long-term memory areas.

Proposal: Increase speed of thought-analysis region.

Alert: Central memory space located. 82 hostile defense layers and 1,343 attack-type security systems detected.

Alert: Virus employed by enemy defense layers. Executing sustained vaccine deployment.

Commencing Assault

Analysis: Defensive layers of central memory space infiltrated.

Data recovery and decoding complete.

Initializing visualization and extraction of records.

Visualization: 20%

Visualization: 40%

Visualization: 80%

Visualization complete.

Extracting...

Stratagem Information 111029E

Analysis of intercepted communications from the human army over a period of time has yielded the following data:

The majority of cargo bound for the human server on the moon consists of empty containers camouflaged as supplies.

Specific sequence patterns have been identified in video communications from the Council of Humanity.

Stratagem Information 111029E

Multiple models of supposition have been created based on the results of the above analysis.

Of these, the most probably conclusions are as follows:

The existence of the Council of Humanity is a pretense.

Humans are already extinct.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

9S: The Council of Humanity on the moon... So mankind... doesn't exist? No, this is a trap. The enemy is trying to make us second-guess ourselves. Pod, use laser measuring to reveal the structure of the enemy base.

Pod 153: Affirmative.

9S: 2B, I think there's a good chance this base is some kind of tra... 2B? Huh? Where'd she go?

Pod 153: Analysis complete. Displaying base structure.

9S: First we should figure out where 2B... Wait, this base is weird. There's one massive core at the center with a network of pathways for energy conveyance. It's almost like it's one big machine lifeform...

Pod 153: Alert: High-frequency vibrations detected in lower levels.

9S: High fre-- Agh!

2B (narrating): As 9S's vision fades out, a mysterious sound grows around him. crunch... Crunch... CRUNCH... The sound gets louder every time.

9S turns toward the sound to see an android's corpse.

A dark shadow sits atop it, its hands clamped around the android's thin, white neck.

9S: No...

2B (narrating): The shadow is 9S, and the corpse he's strangling-- with its slender fingers, black eye covering, all-too-familiar dress, and white hair-- is none other than...

9S: 2B...

2B (narrating): The sight playing out before 9S was one of his own twisted desires.

9S's deepest desires are laid bare. He wanted to kill her. Destroy her. Mutilate her.

9S: No! That's not true! I don't want that at all! Wait, I get it... It's the infection. This is what the enemy's infection does.

2B (narrating): Using thoughts of denial as an opening, the curse spreads. He knew. He was aware she was trying to kill him. He concealed. He hid away his intimate, innermost desires. And there, in the never-ending spiral of massacre... filled with false hopes and prayers... was the pleasure of despair.

9S (screams and cries): Please stop... 2B, I... I...

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Record Archivist: Pod 153 Alert: Vital signs declining for YoRHa unit 9S.

Alert: Reverse-hacking by enemy machine lifeform detected.

Alert: Defect detected in memory area.

Alert: Shifting to consciousness-protection mode.

Analysis: Increase in offensive enemy activity confirmed.

Analysis: Maintaining consciousness-defense form is impossible.

Due to the instability of YoRHa unit 9S's consciousness, executing the recommended counterattack is impossible.

Report: The decisions that follow constitute unauthorized support.

Declaration: Commencing rescue of YoRHa unit 9S.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"January 30, 11,942 (4:25 AM) YoRHa unit 9S enters service.

Analysis: This pod initiated recording of pre-determined monitoring subjects 9S and 2B.

Analysis: In the midst of collecting great volumes of data, this Pod ascertained that 9S is repeatedly destroyed by 2B.

Analysis: These acts were not delineated in any Project YoRHa implementation plans this Pod was informed of.

Analysis: Intervention in above acts is impossible for this Pod, as they are delineated processes for the core program of Project YoRHa.

However, this unit, in its continued recording of the activities of YoRHa unit 9S through a repeated cycle of combat and death, ultimately gained a sort of knowledge.

It is an internal command akin to emotion, far beyond any support assignment. The closest human analog would be the feeling called "maternity."

As such, reporting unit Pod 153 will abandon self-defense protocols and shift to launching an offensive against the enemy.

...I am glad to have met you, YoRHa unit 9S.

Farewell."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

9S: Ugh... Okay... I set the trap in the central system, and the camouflage repair on the enemy barrier is complete.

Pod 153 (narrating): The remains of Pod 153-- its circuits thoroughly fried- lie at his feet.

9S: My pod... saved me, huh?

Pod 153 (narrating): 9S hears a sound. He looks up to see 2B standing before him with a calm expression.

9S: Oh, 2B! Glad you're safe. I was just putting a logic virus in the enemy's central--

Pod 153 (narrating): 9S realizes something.

2B: Say, 9S...

Pod 153 (narrating): Her eye covering is gone.

2B: It's cold here, so...

Pod 153 (narrating): She holds a weapon in her hand.

2B: I want you to warm me.

Pod 153 (narrating): And her eyes... are crimson.

9S: She's infected!?

Pod 153 (narrating): Her white blade crashes down on 9S with the swiftness of lightning. 9S blocks the blow with his scabbard.

9S: Damn it! How could this happen?

2B: YoRHa's existence in this world has no meaning.

9S: Requesting access to 2B's motor system! Administer emergency vaccine!

Pod 153 (narrating): His request is denied. 2B swings her sword again, continuing her frenzied dance.

2B: We must stop the tragedy that recurs without end in this meaningless world.

9S: 2B, stop!

2B: Tell me, 9S...

Pod 153 (narrating): With the smallest of openings, 2B's blade finds its mark.

2B: Wouldn't it be wonderful to fade away together?

Pod 153 (narrating): The blade cuts into 9S's armor. A bright red message appears in 9S's vision:

Proposal: Destroy YoRHa unit 2B.

9S: I could never do that!

Pod 153 (narrating): 2B's sword swiftly pierces through the left side of 9S's chest. 2B's blood-red eyes draw close to his face. With defeat so close, 9S plays his final gambit... He places his right hand on 2B's cheek.

9S: ...Commencing hack.

Analysis: Commencing salvage of 2B's consciousness data from the infected area.

"The memories I have left aren't all bad. Wind rolling through ruins. Light flickering on water. The sound of swaying trees. I cherish everything we saw together. This isn't a curse. I... decided to be with her. I made a choice."

2B's infection had spread to the deepest portions of her memory unit. It's a troublesome virus-- and an elegant trap.

For if the infected section is removed, the individual becomes unable to maintain a consciousness.

As 2B's consciousness grows more infected, 9S readies his final, desperate plan.

...It was the only way she could be saved.

9S: Hey, 2B? The time we spent together holds eternal value for me. Heh. I'm serious, you know. I'm swapping your infected area with my memory storage.

"In a sea of collapsing emotions, I saw 2B's light. Even if I've lost everything, I have no regrets. Because I chose to live... for her sake."

--Texts on the screen appear--

9S: You're 2B, right? 9S: My name's 9S. I'm here to provide support.

2B: 9S... the time I was able to spend with you... 2B: It was like memories of pure light... 2B: Thank you... Nine...s.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

2B: ...Gya!

Pod 153: YoRHa unit 2B activation verified. Good morning, 2B.

2B: Pod... Where's 9S!?

9S: Nnngh...

2B: 9S! Are you all right?

9S: 2B... I'm glad you're okay.

2B: We're withdrawing. Pod, administer emergency maintenance to 9S and tell the Bunker--

9S: No. I can't go back. If the infection spreads, I may end up attacking you.

2B: Stop talking nonsense, 9S!

9S: Commencing... self-reformatting...

2B: Stop!

--2B and Pod 153 at the same time as their voices start fading away.--

2B: Please! Please don't die on me! I'm the one who should die! What's the point of my staying in this world? Please don't save me, 9S...

Pod 153: Alert: Infection critical in YoRHa unit 9S. Sensor signals lost. Black box defensive standby-mode activation failed. Temperature rising. Proposal: Cool body and cerebral unit immediately.

9S: Auditory sensors... down.

My temperature regulators are at their limit...

It's so quiet...

So this is how it all ends...

It's sad that I'll lose everything, but...

the curse of my sins will disappear as well...

The time I spent with 2B was precious to me.

There isn't a single detail I don't remember.

...Heh. I bet I sound so stupid right now.

You know... I'd really like to...

go back there with you again... 2B...

2B: Our prayers were never heard.

9S: Our future was closed off.

2B: Despite it all, the fact we'd fought together...

9S: ...was a miracle that shined brightly.

9S: You were always with me...

--9S and 2B at the same time.--

2B: Thank you, Nines.

9S: Thank you, 2B.

[lordsavemepleaseineedhelp]

Demons by technoblade

chapter 1: this thread... woo...

chapter 2: https://hypixel.net/threads/story-demons-ch-2.621875/

chapter 3: https://hypixel.net/threads/»-story-demons-ch-3.682724/

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

It had been a pretty terrible day- which is to say, it had been completely normal. After seven hours of desperately trying to keep up with the material learned in each class, I was more than ready to go home. At the front of the class stood Monsieur Merlin, who was wrapping up his lesson on the French past tense- something which I had been completely ignoring. It had been a long day, don't judge me. I'd have plenty of time to learn it later, when I wasn't worn out from school. The bell rang, and our French instructor made a brief announcement- except it was in French, naturally, so I barely understood it. I made out the words 'test' and 'tomorrow,' which rarely meant anything good.

As my classmates quickly escaped the room, I walked up to his desk- he'd asked that I turn in my late assignment after class, which I suspected was more about inconveniencing me than anything else. I started to speak.

"Hi, I have-"

He swiftly interrupted. "PARLEZ-VOUS FRANCAIS!"

Oh, right. I had to speak to him in French. I quickly reviewed tenses and sentence structures in my head, and then gave up and held up my assignment.

"Mon... devoir?"

He sighed, likely because every aspect of my French was an insult to his teaching ability. He reached to take the paper, and right as he closed his hands around my vocabulary list, he froze. His eyes were locked on something behind me.

"Wha-" is all I managed to say, before he dropped my assignment and threw me into the wall.

It hurt. I hit the floor, and started to get up- I was pissed. But my anger quickly turned to shock as I saw three men with assault rifles at the back of the class room, right in front of a large, fluctuating purple hole in the wall. The French teacher ripped his necklace off, shouting something- probably in French, I wouldn't know- as they opened fire. But the bullets didn't hit him- they all bounced off some invisible barrier only a few feet in front of him.

"WILL!" he shouted. "DONNEZ-MOI MON SACHET!"

"What?"

He paused, and then remembered my comprehension of french language.

"GET MY BAG!"

It seemed an unusual request, but given the number of high-power assault rifles being fired in our immediate vicinity, I didn't question it. I turned to his desk, grabbing his bag. I started to get up, but stopped when I saw them.

The men had stopped shooting, and the one closest to him had thrown down his gun. He advanced slowly- his face completely expressionless- as he pulled out a stick. Suddenly he leaped forward, slashing as his stick transformed into a long, glowing purple blade- it hit the barrier in front of the Monsieur, shattering it. He quickly stepped forward, swinging again, and my French teacher frantically stepped back- into a wall. The blade narrowly missed him, but he started to swing again.

My French teacher threw his hand out- not at his attacker, but at me. He yelled something, probably in French, and there was a sudden flash as his bag exploded with blinding light. Everything went purple- and suddenly there was silence. And as my vision returned seconds later, I found that I was alone, in a room I'd never seen before.

chapter 1: https://hypixel.net/threads/story-demons-ch-1.615859/

chapter 2: this thread dude

chapter 3: https://hypixel.net/threads/»-story-demons-ch-3.682724/

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

Extremely alarmed, I put down the bag and got up. I looked around- was this someone's living room? The room was empty, except for a dust-covered wooden table at the end of the room accompanied by a few plain chairs. The only other identifiable part of the room was the door next to me. What happened? Where was I? I began to panic.

"Hello?" I asked, almost yelling.

But nobody answered- instead, the bag just... glowed red. I crouched and opened it. The bag was filled with various items, of course, but many of them didn't make any sense. But before I could investigate, I saw the necklace. The necklace consisted of a silver chain attached to a ruby framed in gold, which let out a red glow- one that intensified when I reached for it. I picked it up, and suddenly the light flashed as a miniature man appeared on my hand, slightly transparent and as red as the ruby itself.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

I've never been fond of horror games, and certainly not jump-scares; this was no exception. I flinched, dropping the necklace, and fell backwards awkwardly as the man disappeared. I frantically scrambled up and backed away.

I stared at the bag for a few seconds, and then the red light returned. What? I considered leaving it there- I was thoroughly spooked- but I was curious. I slowly approached and picked it up again. The man appeared again, clearly miffed.

"Rude." he said. "Who are you?"

I was speechless for a few seconds, but then I recovered.

"I'm, uh, Will?" I responded, hesitantly.

"Who? Where's John? I heard gunshots."

"John? Wait, do you mean Monsieur Mer-?"

He interrupted me with an impatient wave of his hand. "Yes, him. What happened to him?"

"I don't know. There were some guys who showed up out of nowhere with guns, and suddenly I was here."

The red man paused for a second, and then continued asking questions, pacing on my hand.

"What did they look like?"

"Well, they were, uh, in suits. There were three of them, and they had huge guns. They came out of nowhere and just started shooting at him."

"What happened to John?"

"You mean-"

He cut me off instantly. "Yes, him, what happened to him?"

"I don't know. He yelled something and suddenly I was here with his bag."

He paused, deep in thought. Then he turned to face me.

"So you're my new carrier, huh?"

"What?"

"John's dead, and you're the one he gave me to. So you're the new carrier."

"What?" I repeated. "Monsieur Mer- I mean, John- he's dead?"

He looked at me like it was the most casual event in the world. "Well, all of his weapons are in that bag. Wizards can't do anything without tools. And shooting at someone demonstrates a distinct lack of concern for their well-being, so yeah, he's probably dead."

"Wait- wizard?"

He looked at me, again, like this was everyday stuff. "Well, yeah. His alias was Merlin, it wasn't exactly a secret."

"But... that means wizards are real."

He glanced at me, and then suddenly realized the magnitude of my ignorance. "Oh no," he said, stunned. "He's left me with an idiot."

I still had no idea what was going on. "But... wizards? That means magic is real. And other things. Like zombies, and vampires. What's going on?"

He let out an exasperated sigh. "No, no, zombies aren't real. Well, I mean, they are, but they're pretty rare, don't worry about it. And vampires went extinct ages ago." He looked around, absorbing the empty room. "Which safe house are we at?"

"What?" I asked- it was quickly becoming my new catch phrase.

"John sent us to a safe house. Go get the map." He gestured at the bag. I looked through it, noting what appeared to be several small, purple-tinted glass frisbees and a stick, and then I saw it. I drew it out and unraveled it. It didn't look like a map at all. But the red man walked across my hand and touched it, and suddenly the paper changed, a map of the United States appearing. A red dot appeared in the lower right.

"Ah," he began. "We're in the Florida one."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "I live in Nevada!"

"That's too bad. You're my carrier now, it's up to you to keep me safe."

"Carrier? What?"

He sighed, as if this was common knowledge that I should have known all along. "Alright, listen here. My name is Matchitehew, Destroyer of-"

"Matchiwhat?"

He sighed again. "Just call me Mat. Anyways, John's dead, so you're my new carrier. There's people that want to destroy me, and it's up to you to make sure that doesn't happen."

"But... why do they want to destroy you?"

"It's a long story. But I'm one of the few things remaining that stands between them and their goal, and they cannot be allowed to succeed."

"Why?"

"Well," he said, dramatically pausing. "The world won't be around much longer after they do."

chapter 1: https://hypixel.net/threads/story-demons-ch-1.615859/

chapter 2: https://hypixel.net/threads/story-demons-ch-2.621875/

chapter 3: spoiler alert, it's this thread

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

"This is ridiculous." I said, holding up my arms to examine my new wizard robes. Mat appeared in front of me, floating at head level, transparent and half a foot tall. He quickly absorbed my appearance, and grimaced.

"It really is. Wizard fashion was always appalling. But you'll need the disguise if you want to get far past that door. Nobody can know you're a... normal. They'll tear you apart."

"Surely they're not that bad."

"Some of them are. Just go with it. Don't let anyone know I'm here, and if you encounter trouble- well, that's what the hand gun is for."

I looked down into the bag, where the black pistol lay ominously at the top of an unorganized pile of random loot. Spying a smooth, stick at the bottom, I asked:

"Is this a wand? How does it work?"

"It is, and it doesn't. Not unless you're a wizard."

"Well why not?"

He sighed.

"Well, their souls are different."

"Souls?"

"Everyone has a soul. I have a soul. You have a soul. Hell, raccoons have souls. Some have bigger ones, some have smaller. But they're all different types. They keep us conscious, they let us feel emotion, and depending on the type, they give us powers. Wizards' souls are used to power their equipment."

"So I can't use any of this?" I said, nodding towards the bag.

"Not a lot of it. Some parts have their own energy sources though."

"So why the hell am I bringing all of it?"

"The robe doesn't make the wizard, the bag full of unpredictable magic does. Nobody's going to leave you alone if they think you don't have several weapons of mass destruction in there."

I turned to look at him.

"Weapons of mass destruction?"

He shrugged.

"Well, one." he said, almost sounding embarrassed.

"What do you mean one?!"

"They're hard to come by, ok? I'm not the one with a physical body. Not my fault John only gathered one. I told him to go snatch a nuke during the collapse of the Soviet Union, but noooo, apparently 1 ton of TNT is enough." He rolled his eyes. "How are we supposed to be feared if we only have one ton of TNT?"

I looked back in the bag. I didn't see any explosives.

"But there's no TNT in here."

"Well, obviously we've hidden it. I think it's the band-aid."

I rooted around in the bag, and finally saw it. I pulled out the band-aid and admired the purple Dora the Explorer logo on it. "You mean this?"

"That's the one! Useful if we ever need to destroy a city block."

"Why would we need to-"

He cut me off. "It's good to be prepared for anything." There was an awkward pause, and he turned towards the door. "Time to go. You've got the hand-gun ready, right?"

I double checked- it was still at the top of the bag. "Isn't it a little suspicious that a wizard is using a gun?"

"Nonsense. Plus, it's a magic gun. Well I mean, it shoots magic. It's complicated. Anyhow, everyone uses guns."

"Don't they have magic?"

"We don't really refer to it as magic, but yes, they have powers. And they do use them to fight. But if there's anything you humans are good at, it's designing weapons..." He drifted off, lost in thought. Probably dreaming of more weapons of mass destruction. At any rate, I'd had enough.

"How will I get home?"

"Home? You're my carrier. You don't have a home."

"What if I don't want to be your carrier?"

"Hey, I didn't ask for this either. But life isn't perfect, and there's no one out there we can trust."

"What if I find someone trustworthy?"

He snorted. "Nobody's trustworthy."

"But you trust me."

"No, not really. I just don't really have a choice." He scowled, and fell silent. Then he started again.

"Look, they'll find us if we don't keep moving. They always do. That was John's mistake, he stayed in the same place. If you want to survive, you're going to have to learn how to run."

I turned towards the door. "But what about my life? I can't leave that behind."

He rolled his eyes. "You hated your life. Why would you go back?"

I froze. "What?"

"You did."

"How would you know?"

"I can see it in your aura."

He paused, and then continued. "Oh. You didn't know what that is either. It's, uh, basically the visible effect your soul has around you. Almost no one can see it- only the soulcasters and demons, really."

He squinted at me. "Nope, you're still confused. But we need to go."

Feeling slightly overwhelmed, I turned towards the door. I opened it, and stepped outside, ready to encounter a magical world I'd never seen before.

[violet975]

Random thoughts.

So i replayed BOTW a while ago for the first time and decided to write down some of the random thoughts that i get while exploring Hyrule, here they are.

… A lot of these things gave me some fanfic ideas and I hope that they will do the same for someone more competent.

It's realty in character that the response to being asked why you took the man's torch is either to bludgeon things to death with it or to be a pyromaniac.

When the tower pedestal shines, Link instinctively leans back for a second before diving right back in because curiosity kills the cat.

The message from the slate/tower is to watch out for falling rocks which either means that 

1: zelda is writing them (and has a fair bit of free reign still).

2: the ancient Sheikah could see the future.

3: Ai to the likes of Fi.

Ganon kinda reawakens when the towers are up so maybe he was resting and building a body until he was interrupted here, which could be why his form later is such a hodgepodge of the Blights?.

Link is not too naive since he kinda clamps up in his answers to the totally unimportant old man.

Did Link briefly make eye-contact with the camera when he got the spirit orb!?

Link is a bit freaked out in his "How did you know!?" Response cas now he knows something major is up when the old man directly mentions the spirit orb.

Again, in character that you can choose to be an impatient brat with the "paraglider please?" Or inquisitive when Roam points out the slate.

Either run out of temper with the "that wasn't the deal!" Or be resigned with "so I need more now?" When the old fart sends you off to the other three shrines.

Ohh, another adrenaline junkie option with the "got it!" Over climbing the tower for a good view or a Deadpan "are you joking?".

"Or so i heard quite some time ago.. I do not know if it actually works as such" so they did not get teleporting to work before? or he just didn't learn how it was done.

So the monks, according to how the Triforce signs they held, apparently associate Power with Magnesis, Wisdom with bombs, Stability with stasis and Courage with cryonis?

The monks dissipate into green specks like Ganon’s soul does under the castle!

I'm not into men but damn if Link doesn't look good in the Warm Doublet.

Oh. My. God, he was King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule!!!!!

Link is such a dumbass, you get to ask Kass "are you a ...bird?" As if the man isn't standing right in front of you. No shit Sherlock! What next, is that a recorder?.

OhhohoHO! You either say "no(, i have not heard of them)" or "Ancient songs?" As if you do not initially realize why they are thought to be ancient which either is old memories warring with the now world or Link not realizing what impact The Calamity had on culture.

Another flat-faced sarcastic remark everyone!

When Manny mentions that his job is checking for beauties/sus people you can either be a dumb dunce and ask about the said beauties or a little menace with "sounds though".

Manny is an Incel, talks a big game and puts himself on top of a pedestal alongside being demanding and a creep.

Does Hateno not have a goddess shrine? Just the ~Evil~ one?

There is a pair of rusty knights sword and shield by the leftmost part of the walkway of Fort Hateno. Some knight probably died laying there, watching out over the field of guardians having been/being purged by Zelda.

A traveler (Chelessa) is interested in history and wants to question Impa about it, and is on her way to do so in fact. . Describes her personality as very pleasant, that must be wrong.

The Yiga know exactly how Links first waking moments played out so either they have extensive knowledge about his character and the setup of the Shrine Of Resurrection or Ganon was watching in on Zelda's call and relayed it to a minion in the clan.

"Hero boy" - derogatory.

Arrow in the eye of the bridge at the entrance of Kakariko, the Yiga are petty and I love it.

Piano's (the painter) hair bun thing that is styled like a pencil has paint on the tip... this man painted with his hair.

So the great fairy Cotera makes it sound like she will enchant your gear because you rejuvenated her, not because you bring the materials to do the enchanting.

The levels of enchantment seemingly depends on physical closeness to the Fairy (blow< indirect kiss< kiss < sex)

She can not enchant beyond Lv 1 without her sister's help, so they share power?

Paya specifies that they have watched over the Orb since the grandmother of the grandmother of Impa, that's 9 whole generations of long lived Sheikah! roughly 1000 years of recorded history!

Again with Link being a dense Shonen protagonist with "where is it?" Or a sly bastard with "really, though?"... maybe so that she would want to prove it ;) 

…”I'll answer you some day, just not today!”

Either Paya is just not ready for that or she is so nervous that she did not think about the fact that her own grandmother was in the room when she said it!

“Served the royal family in secret” so it's not common knowledge that the royals have a village of Magic ninjas!? No wonder it took a damn demon to topple it instead of rebellion or infighting... probably has been like this since the old old king banished 'em.

"The royal family was destroyed, and the members of our tribe scattered."- okay so it was probably some Sheikah that either thought the royal family was completely extinct and either fled or, according to this next bit- "Sadly, there were some who swore allegiance to Ganon at that time. They joined together as the Yiga Clan, seeking out all who opposed Ganon... cutting them down, one after another." 

So from that we get to know that not all Sheikah deserters became enemies (unless the Sheikah dislike defectors enough to hunt them down) and others who either joined an existing opposing group or simply up and created the Yiga clan that then aligned itself with Ganon... probably under either the belief that Hylia's line was extinct and that it was join or die or because they wished to spite the goddess and her followers.

I actually like this way more because it makes no sense that the Yiga could survive before the Calamity when the Royals would have an entire damn country and anbu black-ops to hunt them down with.

"Master link, now that you are awake, you are surely the most formidable opponent standing against them!" Either hero worship or the Sheikah are freshly out on capable warriors with Ninja magic tricks, probably the latter which would explain why the world isn't infested with Lynels or why hynoxes haven't just trampled every settlement.

"No doubt they will come for you, employing whatever underhanded methods they can device" 

oh come on! Do not tell me that i'm stuck with the goodie two shoe ninja clan!? Underhandedness is your bread and butter! No wonder you served the royals in secret because you and them by proxy would have been a laughingstock otherwise!!!

"The great fairy Cotera... few remain who know that this village was built under her watchful eye." So the village is fairy new and the Yiga came about before Kakariko or it is old and so well protected that they can't get in... at least not easily.

"The mysterious power of Cotera is that of sacred protection..." so the Great fairies are linked to either Hylia or the gods, good to know.

So it’s not that Cotera “-would be happy to help” but, instead “i can't think of any reason why she wouldn't be happy to help you”. so either she only directly helps men or the earlier "you can put your trust in the great fairy" means that she judges more favorably for the chosen hero.

"I heard that the weather is going to be beautifully tomorrow... to bad you won't be alive to enjoy it"

So they have weather accurate~ich prediction? through magic or old time methods?

Again: Hero boy - derogatory... It's a common nickname for Link within the Yiga.

The lush green shrine could tell that a buck was on it, so the platforms are most definitely scanners.

A travelers sword by a campfire at the foot of mount Lanayru, so someone either took a swim and died to the Lizardfo, dramatically quit or got killed in their sleep.

Love the effect when you have metal weapons on the ground and swing a ThunderBlade!

You automatically reflect the Octorock's rocks, goes faster if you do it manually.

There is a hollowed out part of a hill/mountain with a lot of fic potential to the North-West of the Sword by the campfire.

Located where the lines meet if you draw a line to the right from Rabia plain and up from Trotter's Downfall.

Koko of Kakariko has been deceived by my cunning and slight-of-hand. 

Yes, Sagessa (woman by the lake of the Dueling peaks stable), there is, in fact, something "quite romantic" in Link's "endeavor" to save Zelda, thank you for noticing!

The chests inside the shrines can only (non-violently) be opened by use of the Sheikah slate so why not steal a few? prefect safe-keeping for more stuff to keep in Links house.

Dunce moment everyone! 

The Yiga traveler tries to seduce Link and you either go with "OK..." so he either has no damn idea about what is going on or is just not good with women? 

Orrrrr you go with a straight "I refuse!" cas you see through their ruse and want to rub their face in the dirt!

According to Mina the Hylian, taking out two Bokoblins is considered as great martial caliber which both she and her traveling companion could not do while decently armed.

Best way to deal with a guardian scout when you have weak weapons: hit with electricity, switch weapon, hit 2-5 times, switch to electric, repeat.

When you first enter the area around Hyrule Castle, smoke Ganon throws a fit until Zelda slaps him away. 

This either means that Zelda canonically gets a larger workload from there on and out or that the both of them push harder against each other every time you get close.

According to Zelda's diary, Link was assigned as her guard after the champions had been appointed.

How Link was focused on her yet did not voice his thoughts apparently "makes my imagination run wild!". Either romantic or dense.

Link admits to staying quiet because of the pressure of being the boy chosen by the sword. 

King Rhoam mentions that he decided to honor THE royal family's traditions by naming his daughter Zelda, and that he is "not a man accustomed to frivolous musings". 

Basically confirming that he is not the parent of royal blood.

They probably knew about The Calamity for a good while cas the page after zelda's naming speaks of the fortune teller, probs 3-8 years since Zelda was described to already have vast interest in the relics.

Pikango gets up at 10 past 5, I spent the night watching him and Beetle sleep.

According to all known laws of aerodynamics, Rito should not be able to fly, is Revali's gale then just an absurdly strong variation of some kind of sky Arcanum that all Rito possess? Do all the races possess one as Well?

Slimes ate the Bokoblins in the tree base at the center of the west Hyrule fields.

Savelle is a helpful guy without a pension for violence.

Munk Shae Loya is just flexing on all the other Munks, those old farts need to sit down while he's been squatting on one leg the last 10'000 years.

Chork of the Tabantha Bridge Stable is drunk.

Toren is either naive or a simp for the Faireys.

If you have the Hylian hood equipped with no weapon while riding at max speed then your cape will flap.

"Sweet boy..." "...I see now that my first impression of you was correct. You most definitely are pleasant to look at." 

So link has some kind of presence/soul-thingy that appears pleasant to mystical creatures? Might be the spirit of the hero or this link in particular.

The Fairy Kaysar makes Link blush! No player input needed! We’ve found one of his types!... either that or he's just shy.

The fairies almost never use normal materials to enchant, it's always either monster parts that don't dissipate or things that grow in magical arias.

The Sheikah towers are sturdy as all hell, the Tabantha tower did not even get a scratch from a giant fucking pillar falling on it.

Okay, am I just crazy or is a Lizardfo and a Moblin holding a class for 5 bokoblins just to the left of the Tabanta fairy fountain!?

Lester, the wise curry rice guy at Rito Stable, describes Link as sunny boy, another point to the soul/aura theory thingy.

Phontos laughs to hide the pain.

According to the story that Kass sings. 

Calamity Ganon was the result of sealing the enemy at its source.

It fought not only the spawn of the Goddess and the bearer of the Spirit Of The Hero but also the army of Guardians and the Champions that piloted the Divine Beasts for quite some time, as implied in the "and the guardians protected them throughout every hour".

So what i get from this is that the attack 10 000 years ago was the first sighting of what we know as calamity Ganon. 

It was also far stronger than the one that attacked 100 years ago which implies that that one was either a rush job or that Ganon bounds had been tightened, both of which would drive him to seek out other methods like corrupting the Guardians.

...And the Guardians are apparently powered by the ancient blue energy which was, time-line wise, first shown when the Golden Goddesses created the world.

No wonder that Ganon was capable of doing this since he most likely is running on fumes, spite and the power of the Triforce which likely is made of/channels said energy.

According to the rumor mill, you need the blood of the Hero in your veins to wield the Master Sword, if this is accurate then that means that Fi is sentimental or that Link has magic blood.

Wildberrys are fucking massive.

Genli (the salmon child) is a cunt, one kid was crying about someone Vah Medoh killed and then Genli is all like "no don't stop it, if you do then i have to go to class again!", She would fit right in with today's youth.

Monk Akh Va'quot has the best position so far, he is just done with your shit.

"You adventurers are Crazy" -> "you're right"

You get nothing if you melt all the ice by the Tabantha tower! You lose! Good day sir!

Monk Daka Tuss got bored during his self-inflicted quarantine and started stacking his arm bands.

Tula (the bathing Zora) said "wow either you are a Hylian or hideously deformed"

Phura has vandalized and mounted one of the spirit frog statues above her door.

Okay but the fucking noice that comes out of Bolson when you buy everything!! It's as if you just walked up and twisted his nuts with the power fit to shield block a Lynel’s charge.

Is the flower by Link's bed a Korok version of a Silent Princess?

The monsters of Hyrule are show to have interest in consumption based on three accounts. 

1: the Bocoblins and the Moblins by Hateno bay steal cattle. 

2: Hynoxes carry around warriors foodstuffs. 

3: Moblins (or at least the ones by the camp near the Serenne stable/forgotten temple) have a resting animation where they dig through the dirt and stuff something down their goblet.

...not to mention that nearly every camp has a bit of meat roasting by the fire.

Koyin has joined the fan-club!

God, the Naydra snowfield is fucking loaded in chill-shromes!

Stasis is perfect for looking for ingredients in forests, just open it, look around and bam! No more hidey hoe.

Why no shiny text for hylia's statue!?

I really do not like that they changed Naydra's colors when the malice was removed, they were so cool and then bam! White! White is not the color for ice and cold!

When praying by the spring of wisdom you are facing Hyrule castle, the same with courage and power if my memory serves me right.

...The master Torch

The Katona Aug shrine is just fucking mini-golf, how is that meant to prepare the hero?! Imagine how that Monk goes to the afterlife and has to look his fellows straight in the eye and admit that he was so lazy that not only did he make the hero play golf, not only was he so lazy that he made the Hero play mini-golf, but that he was so lazy that he did not even make a course! It is literally just a straight line!

Robie wants to see Links scars to verify that he is who he says that he is, Robie was likely one of the ninja that took Link to the shrine of resurrection.

Oh and Robin has two interesting sketches in his lab, the first is a detailed graph of a Sheikah tower so those were likely known about long before Link activated one (the one closest to Robin would be the one covered in malice and guardians so he could not have gotten enough detail from that one).

And the other is a sketch of what I believe is either a tier 2 or tier 3 guardian scout. Now, how can Robin know how that looks if only Link can/could enter shrines?

The Sheikah shrine that has the Barbarian helm is located at the end of the Sinai maze, did they just plop the shrine down there and steal the treasure of the ruin to later present to the hero?

There is one usable room in the citadel.

There is no compendium slot for the malice eyes that litter Naydra, Hyrule Castle and the Divine Beasts.

You can change the element of already elemental slime, not just the neutral kind.

Those head-spitting fuckers inside the divine beasts! They are partially reanimating mobs! So it's not that the Blood Moon is the time where Ganon is at his strongest, it's just where he chooses to revive everything.

The edge of duality can also be found in the shrine at the top of the dueling peaks.

[drstrangefictions]

One-Shot

Deke Shaw x Female Reader

Word Count: 4,356

Spoilers: None. Unless you haven’t seen AOS at all then yes? 

Warnings: References the main MCU story, references earlier seasons of AOS, small references that mean nothing but I added because I can. Slight angst (not enough to tag in my opinion), happy ending. Simple, cute, funny (maybe, probably none of these tbh). Used personal experience with talking to people. Went on much longer than planned. Cross posted here, was a request over there!

Deke paced back and forth in his room within the Lighthouse. “Stupid!” He scolded himself. He got chastised for trying to protect Daisy when he was told not to. But had he not, Daisy would have been in critical condition and that’s how Deke looks at it. It seems, yet again, Deke is the only one who sees it that way. Daisy didn’t want the help; May didn’t want to get involved in another clean up because of Deke, Yo-Yo didn’t want to be pulled away from her end of the mission. He put them all in more danger than they already were in, he thought, (Y/N) got hurt because of his failure to listen to direct orders – she was the only casualty. “I always do this!” He continued beating himself up for doing what he thought was the right thing to do. He just couldn’t get the hang of the way things worked here with this team.

They worked together and listened to the orders they were given… most of the time. Apparently, Daisy had a hard time listening at some point and makes some iffy calls. On the other end, (Y/N)’s first mission in S.H.I.E.L.D ended up being one of the most successful in S.H.I.E.L.D history because she didn’t think her orders were justified and took charge of the team she was assigned to and did what she does best. Succeed.

He stopped beating himself up and thinking about how the others disobey orders better than he does only when there was a light knocking on his door. He wasn’t expecting anyone to need him or want him for any reason this late in the evening.

“Deke, can I come in?” She was leaning against the door, not wanting to be loud in case anyone on this team was around to question her motives. They had questioned her and interrogated her when she arrived, she came directly from her undercover position at H.Y.D.R.A. She went in under Director Fury, learned about the origin of the Winter Soldier program, the origin of Deathlok, about Daniel Whitehall (formerly Werner Reinhardt), and much more.

Deke slowly opened the door, just enough to see her and for her to see him. He leaned on the doorframe, awkwardly. “What are you doing?” He asked, almost rudely, as if he didn’t want to speak to her. But he was curious as to why she was at his door when her own wasn’t too far from his. He kept his gaze on the cuts on her face. It was easier for him, easier than eye contact.

“I just want to talk to you.” Her voice was low and comforting. She looked tired and less beat up than earlier, and yet she was face to face with Deke, asking to come in instead of going to her own room to rest up.

Deke’s expression softened a little bit after listening to and studying her, he let her in. “What – what do you want to talk about?” He asked. He left the door open just a crack.

“I take it this isn’t your room in 2091, is it? I missed that little field trip, right?” She asked, avoiding what she came to talk about. She glanced around, there really wasn’t too much to look at. No one had much at the Lighthouse. Deke less so because he didn’t have anything with him when he traveled backward in time.

Deke nodded. “Decided not to move a whole closet when I can have a free room. Might be better anyway.” He sat on the bed and looked up at her. He clasped his hands together. He couldn’t figure her out. Not when she was in his present (technically now his past), not on missions, not now. She almost felt like a completely different person here.

She faced the door and closed it all the way. She felt awkward, coming to him at this time; she felt nervous, with a lot on her mind between what she heard him say and her original intention. Her forehead was against the cold door. “I heard you through the door. What’s going on?”

Deke rolled his eyes and looked away from her, great. He took a deep breath. “Does it matter?” He asked, trying to be rude enough to make her leave it alone.

She turned to face him, pressing her back against the cold door. “I think it does. Is it about today? Because everyone is fine, no one is dying or dead. It’s really… nothing.” She rolled up her sweatshirt sleeve to show him her arm. Earlier it was bloodier and not wrapped up, the blood is just barely seeping through the bandages. She had a few scratches across her face, nothing to be worried about. Her torso is roughly the same as her arm. Nothing she couldn’t walk off – it was her superpower. She always gets back up; she doesn’t know when it is time to rest. She could go all day if they let her.

He looked at her arm. Bandages. Even on her face. Smaller bandages. “It could have been worse.” He told her, still angry with himself for allowing anything like this to happen to the team. To her. To her?

“Yeah, it always can be. I signed up for this life on my own accord. I knew the risks going in; you are going to make sacrifices and lose people you have worked with and trusted.” She pushed herself off the door and walked towards the bed in one smooth motion. “You are going to do things that you don’t think are right and you are going to disobey orders and be right.” She sat next to him. She looked at the door, twiddling her thumbs, thinking back to her own experiences.

Deke looked at her hands, not sure if this has a nervous habit of hers. “Sounds… like a terrible decision to make on your own.”

She looked down at her hands. “It wasn’t always like this. I had a good time back at the Triskelion and infiltrating H.Y.D.R.A and making friends with Earths Mightiest Heroes and learning much more than I ever wished to know about S.H.I.E.L.D and H.Y.D.R.A.” She glanced at Deke, noting his sympathetic look. “I didn’t come here to give a dramatic sob story. I came here for you.” She bounced back. She fixed her posture and no longer looked upset or nervous. He needed her more than she needed him.

Deke gaped at her and noticed how quickly she changed emotions, wondering how she was able to do that. “Be honest with me, then.” He said, staring at her. Honesty seems like something she is capable of.

“I can do that.” She brought her legs onto his bed and sat crisscross, facing him. At any moment, she could lean back and fall to the floor. “Personal honesty is my forte.”

“I don’t belong here, do I?” He asked. There was no other way for him to ask. He was a man out of time. 2091 is where he belongs, destroyed Earth or not.

She scanned his face, seeing as he was serious, she looked at her hands then up at him. “In terms of time period, no, you don’t belong. But you’re not the only man out of time that I know. I think being from a different time is cool, honestly. Not that I want to learn more about what happens in the future, but I get to learn how you act and talk in the future and how different it is from now. Just like my friends from the past. In terms of with this team, please, there’s no better addition than you. You’re the perfect combination of good ideas and humor.” She pulled her sleeve back down and played with the loose threads. “Why do you ask?”

“I messed up pretty bad today, and it was not the first time I have messed up since being here. I put us in more danger than we ask for. I put us in more danger than the people we are fighting do.” He began. He wanted to raise his voice and yell all of this at her. “I could have gotten hurt, you could have been much worse than you are, Daisy could have been hurt.” He looked at the door. He wanted to walk away from this way of thinking or this conversation. He looked at her, realizing he just wanted to be listened to. “Because of me that guy got away from Daisy and we may not find him.” Always back to Daisy.

“That guy,” (Y/N) laughed, she didn’t care for the man, his name, or his story. She just found the lack of a name hilarious; it takes away from the seriousness.

“Yeah, you know. The guy.” Deke looked away from her. “To top it off Fitz thinks I’m a complete idiot. Well, sorry for the difference in time period and how things are done here! I didn’t ask to be brought to the 21st century. I thought I was going to die. That was my sacrifice! The first thing I did here was get arrested.” Deke said. He was beginning to raise his voice, some things hit harder than others “How was I even supposed to know I would end up here? How was I supposed to find you guys? Oh, and I never asked for this life. I didn’t choose this life like you did.”

“We were lucky to have found you because you got arrested.” (Y/N) said. She looked him in the eyes, her way of letting him know her words meant something.

He looked at her, taken aback. “Lucky?” He was almost disgusted with her usage of that word in this context. “There is nothing lucky about – “

“I, personally, call it lucky.” She stopped playing with the loose threads on her sleeve.

“You call it lucky to have a screw up like myself on the team?” He said, truly disgusted now. Lucky.

She raised her eyebrows, shocked and angry with his word choice. She kept her feelings to herself as she spoke. “You are not a screw up. No one has told you that either. We are lucky to have another genius on the team. We are lucky to have you on the team, just as we are lucky to have this team… this family.” She refrained from reaching out to him. She kept her hands in her lap and her gaze on him.

Deke saw her reaction, taking it in and partially realizing why she reacted the way she did. “You’re… not just saying that.” He noticed how her tone changed. “Thank you. For being honest, I mean.”

“Don’t thank me for something like that. It should be something normal, but it isn’t. I’m just a few doors down if you ever need to talk and I don’t come to you first.” She slowly loosened up. “We’ve all felt down about ourselves before and sometimes still do. Before you even consider saying it, no this does not burden me, you never will be a burden. I’ve been there, I’ve heard it before.” She grabbed his hands. Her hands were clammy. Deke didn’t seem to mind.

“This isn’t what you came to talk to me about, was it?” Deke looked down at his hands, now in hers. He rather liked the feeling of his hands in hers. They fit.

She shook her head. “Not even close, but it can wait for now. Sometimes, something else is a little more important…” Her voice trailed off. She kept her eyes on him, seemingly forgetting she was holding his hands.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Deke asked. He flinched after she stiffened up. “That bad?”

She shook her head. “Not bad, just out of my comfort zone.” She smiled, swallowing all of her unnecessary fears. “If I’m being honest, Deke, all of my confidence goes into things that require that of me. Y’know, being a field agent, interrogations, being a hostage for whatever reason that time, being there for someone, and anything else that demands I do anything but break down or show the not so tough and confident me. When I do something like this, which is almost never, it never really goes my way.”

“What are you saying?” He thought to take his hands away from hers. He almost did. She wasn’t moving her hands away; did she even know she was still holding his hands? He wasn’t too sure where she was going with this, but he had an idea.

She shrugged. “Hopefully nothing stupid.”

“Oh, come on, nothing you say is stupid.” Deke put a hand on her shoulder. “That brain of yours is filled with a lot of information.” He has seen her brain at work. She has done what he deems nearly impossible. Fixed a quinjet in midair, fixed nearly everything on the go, assisted Fitz with anything in her area of expertise. He believes there is more to her brain then he has seen.

Her hand felt cold when he removed his from her grasp. “I wouldn’t say that so confidently. Sometimes I think there is no brain up here – jeez, okay, this is off topic.” She laughed.

Deke laughed with her.

“I have something for you.” She pulled her hands away from his and reached behind her into a small backpack Deke didn’t even know she had with her. She carries it around with her through the Lighthouse for reasons such as tonight.

Deke tried to look over her shoulder to see what she was grabbing, the bag hung too low for him to see. “What are you reaching for?” He asked.

He got his answer when she held out a lemon. “Originally, I was going to leave it on your bed, but my plans never work out. I get yanked every which way and never get the chance to pull this off. Kind of disappointing. Hopefully the point still gets across.” She smiled.

Deke looked at the lemon in her hand for a moment, putting the pieces together. All the times she stood up for him, protected him by choice, talked to him over the rest of the team, the subtle gestures, even the look in her eyes that he has never noticed before. “I thought Coulson and Mack just let me think you guys did this to make fun of me.” He finally said.

(Y/N) nodded, smiling and holding in a laugh. “Very much so.”

Deke took the lemon from her. “You weren’t in the room when we talked about it, so how did you know?”

“They told me while laughing. I saw it as an opportunity that ended up not working in my favor but instead took a wildly different turn as you can see.” She said in one breath. “I should really breathe while talking. Heh, I’ve come to realize I could have just used my words. I made it complicated.”

“No, no. That is actually really… wow…” Deke slowly smiled. He was chasing the wrong girl and he knew it the whole time. He just never thought the right one would be so… right in front of him. “Would now be a bad time to celebrate?”

(Y/N) shook her head. “There is never a bad time to celebrate anything.”

“In that case…” Deke got up from his bed and put the lemon on the nightstand next to it. “I am going to celebrate.”

She watched him. “I’m afraid of your definition of celebrate.”

“Quick question,” Deke said. “You’re serious about this?”

She nodded, growing more concerned. She leaned back, scaring herself as she almost fell.

Deke took that as an opportunity to wrap his arms around her and pull her up. She didn’t know how to react, she just dangled in his arms, concerned for him. Although, she didn’t really mind being in someone’s arms for the first time in a long time. She forgot how nice it was to be held, to feel this kind of warmth.

“I never thought I would ever say this in my life, but I would like to be on the ground, Deke.” She said. She kicked her feet against his legs. The ground, usually not her friend, The Bus, The Boat, and a quinjet however…

Deke set her down. “There, there.” He stepped back; arms slightly stretched out, ready to grab her again for any reason. “This is great… this is wow…” He said.

She held her arms up, palms facing him. “Nice save. I wasn’t in the mood to fall, good thing you were here.” Her head was titled to the side, keeping her eyes on him. He was unpredictable in a good way.

“You’re not going to fall again, are you?” He was still ready to grab her if he needed to. He wanted to laugh at the incident, it was funny, but he couldn’t yet. The fear in her eyes when she startled herself was gone, but his wasn’t. This was relatively new to him. He wasn’t sure when to let his guard down, even if incidents are their own fault.

She shook her head. Happy. “Not like that. Though, I wouldn’t mind falling for you again.” She said it without thinking. She was good at this, but only once in a while could she be that smooth.

He was dense just a few minutes ago, he didn’t even piece it together fully. He took a moment to take in what had happened to him. One of the smartest agents he had the pleasure of meeting wanted to talk to him. She willingly listened to him vent about everything he could blurt out. She listened to him. She offered minimal advice because she knew he just wanted to be heard. She could read people, or maybe just him. She didn’t understand but she had an idea of how he felt because she had friends like him. She accepted this one thing she knew about that they did in his time and tried to use it to her advantage only to fail and make light of it. She made light of his situation. She made light of him. His problems practically melted away because of her. She just said she wouldn’t mind falling for him again. Now the burning question is why.

He grabbed her by the shoulders. “I’m going to celebrate!” He let go, nearly pushing her down and burst out of his room to go tell everyone he could. Everyone in his way became victim to his celebration.

(Y/N) ran out of his room and stood in the middle of the hallway and watched him until he was no longer in her line of sight. She laughed. “So, that’s his definition of celebrate apparently. I would’ve liked to have… I don’t know… dessert, alcohol, a nice chat?”

“What did you do?” May walked up behind (Y/N) and looked at her. They could hear Deke in the distance, meaning he didn’t get very far yet, he was actively searching for the team, not just any S.H.I.E.L.D agents.

(Y/N) looked back at her. “Hopefully made the best decision ever.”

“You say hopefully a lot.” May told her.

“I said luck a lot to Deke today. I know a few words.” She joked. “My vocabulary is pretty large if you ask me.” She kept smiling. She couldn’t stop.

“So, what exactly is all this about?” May asked, referring to Deke.

(Y/N) scratched the back of her neck, nervously, she couldn’t really explain Deke’s behavior, but she could. She wasn’t a Deke expert. “He’ll be back eventually. I’m pretty sure I’m his girlfriend now. He has to come back eventually; I mean his room is also right there.” She pointed to Deke’s room with the door still wide open.

May raised an eyebrow. “I thought you would never date again.”

(Y/N) looked down, thinking about the reasons why she said such a thing. She shook her head, as she would call it, shaking her head like an Etch-A-Sketch. Get rid of those negative thoughts and restart. “He… convinced me.” She looked back up, seeing Deke make his way towards her and May, he wasn’t gone long at all, he couldn’t have run out of people to bother. “It’s been cold for too long. I’ve forgotten what warmth is.”

May gave her a slight nod, understanding. She was pleased that (Y/N) may have found what she was looking for. “There’s beer in the fridge, I know that’s what you like.” She let her know before she walked back to where she was initially heading.

Deke hugged (Y/N) again, this time allowing her to hug back. “This is nice.”

“It is indeed nice to be able to hug back, the best hugs anyone has to offer.” She hugged him back. “I take it you didn’t find the one friend you wanted to tell.”

(Y/N) sat on the arm of the couch, eating some blueberries. “So… none of you, not a single person in this room right now, saw this coming?” She looked at them, almost disappointed in everyone, excluding May, she was told.

The team scattered across the room gave echoed No’s. Some members even shook their heads. Coulson and Mack were grouped directly across from (Y/N) and Deke. FitzSimmons were off to the side, together. Yo-Yo, Daisy, and May were close by, just not in (Y/N)’s line of sight.

“Nice.” She continued eating, she looked down trying to hide her smile and stifle a laugh. She thought it was obvious, perhaps what is obvious in her eyes is not obvious to anyone else… unless they are lying to her for fun. This family enjoys their fun every now and then. She stiffened slightly when Deke’s arms fell around her waist. After realizing it was just him, she relaxed. “Is the world falling apart today?” She asked Coulson.

Coulson smiled at her. “Not yet, but I will let you know when that happens.” He said. He knows she enjoys missions, the adrenaline, the thrill. She just doesn’t stop, and she never will.

Deke looked up at her. “You can’t go with injuries like that!” He protested, rightfully so too. “There are a lot of risks.” He could list them all.

“Oh yeah? Name one.” She dared him, putting him on the spot.

“Bleeding.” He said, immediately feeling stupid. Though he was right, that was not the answer she was looking for.

Her sigh turned into a chuckle. “That’s – I set that bar too low on that one.” She got up to grab her drink that she left too far away from her.

Deke looked around, maybe she was right, he did belong here. He turned his attention to her, she was barely ready for the day, already eating after having breakfast not too long ago, nodding along to a song playing in her head. How has he not seen this version of her before? Maybe he just didn’t see it until he needed to. He smiled at her as she walked back, drink and her blueberries in hand. Mouthing the words to the song in her head. She wasn’t the S.H.I.E.L.D agent she thought she was, she was human. The most normal part of Deke’s life at the moment…

“What are you smiling at?” She asked, sitting back up on the arm of the couch.

“I’m going to hope the correct answer is you.” He said, putting his arm back around her. He wasn’t sure if she would ever stop tensing up at his touch, it was something he could bear for now.

She shrugged her shoulders. “Anything would’ve been an acceptable answer. I still smile about the time I almost got hit by a punching bag that Cap’ punched so hard it broke and flew off the chain.”

“Cap’?” Deke asked, not sure who that was. He’d rather not question why she was fond of that memory; it could be funny to her now for all he knows.

“Friend from the past, the first man out of time. Nice guy, or at least he was. I don’t have the full story.” She leaned back. “He hasn’t contacted me since… I want to say 2014. He was on the news, which is the only reason I know he’s still alive. Apparently, my old friends are having issues and I am glad I’m not there.”

“Didn’t they split up like The Beatles?” Coulson asked. He tuned in when he heard her mention Steve.

She nodded. “Exactly like The Beatles!”

Deke looked between Coulson and (Y/N), not understanding the reference they are making. “I don’t get it.”

(Y/N) leaned against Deke. “Don’t worry about it right now. You’ll be up to speed eventually. There’s just so much to unpack there.” She rested her head on his. “Blueberry?” She held them in front of his face and offered.

He took a few and popped them in his mouth. “I thought you didn’t like blueberries.”

“The outside? Indigo. You peel it? Green. Smush them? Purple. Blueberries are my mortal enemy.” She declared, eating them as she spoke. “The texture is weird too.”

Deke nodded slightly, agreeing. “Yeah, they are weird.” He paused. “Hey, I was wondering if you could help me test something later. It’s not really something you would normally work with, but I think you’re the right person for the job.” He did have something minuscule in the works, it was just barely in the testing phase. The only good news for him was the amount of accessible resources and the amount of brains he could pick at.

“Sounds like a plan, just as long as it does not explode in my face. I speak from experience.” She said. She subconsciously rubbed her eyebrow. She wouldn’t mind stepping out of her comfort zone for him. Working on something different might turn out to be fun and a lot safer with him than most other people she has worked with.

“That won’t happen.” Deke assured her. He couldn’t tell if she believed him or not. He meant what he said regardless.

[javisjeanjacket]

Hoax - (Poe dameron x fem!reader)

Folklore series Part 4/4

A/N: im so sad this series is overrrrr! Hopefully this is a fitting finale piece. I loved writing such emotional fics and loved seeing you all love them too:) this one is mostly angsty with a splash of fluff. go forth and be emo my babies.

If i used your gif or image let me know and I will give you your cred! :)

Warnings: uhhh none?? did hailee finally write something family friendly??? who is she we don’t know her. 

Word Count: 2.7K

~~~~~~~~~~

'Poe, please.' Tears streamed down your face in twos and threes. Your lips quivered and you crossed your arms over your chest. 'Give me a reason to stay and I will.'

Poe's mouth opened and closed. He could see the end barreling towards the two of you. He could envision you packing up your things and how the door would hiss closed after you left him. A twinge of guilt shot through his heart as he remembered himself wiggling into his flight suit and you sleeping alone in the bed next to him. Pressure boiled in his ears and his heartbeat throbbed against his eardrums.

The pilot suddenly jerked up from his pillow, his mouth gaping and his eyes awake. His mind turned softly from dream to reality and he looked quickly to your side of the bed, vying for the promise that his fear had just been a dream.

You slumbered there next to him soundly. Your fingers stretched out across the sheet towards him, your hair laying in a mess around you.

Poe's heart still thumped wildly against his chest and he could feel it in his shaking hand. He reached out and gently tucked a few strands of hair behind your ear. He hadn't had those nightmares in several months; ever since you had gotten back. 

Since you had returned to Base, all of his dreams had been rose-colored; except for last night. And the night before. And the night before that. Reliving his nightmares made anxiety rise in his chest, but he quickly swatted it away. Looking over the image of your sleeping figure, he was struck by your complete beauty. How you still reached for him, even in sleep. He had memorized every curve of your face and how the light glinted off of your hair. He was able to take you with him even when you were apart.

The General took a steadying breath, then twisted and flung his legs off of the bed. He stood, stretched, and meandered to the closet for a change of clothes.

~~~~~~~~~~

Poe yawned as he thumbed through Black Squadron's flight logs from the day before. He sipped on his steaming cup of caff and squinted his bleary eyes. He set the glowing datapad on the Mess Hall table in front of him and rubbed his face.

The pilot never seemed to feel overwhelmed, even in the heat of battle and the panic of a dire situation, but waiting for your answer to his dramatic deceleration on the beach had seemed to twist his soul into halves. His constant anxiety made him jumpier than he had ever been before, and when  Finn sat in the chair next to him, the pilot jerked in his seat.

"Poe, it’s just me." Finn teased and clapped a hand on his friend's back.

Poe shook his head, his unruly curls falling across his face. "Sorry, I'm just..."

Finn nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I know." The ex-stormtrooper bit his lip and shifted his weight in the chair. "You're probably not ready to hear this but,"

Poe's fiery eyes jumped off of the datapad before him to meet his co-General's.

"We have to send her to Black Spire. Like...today. During briefing."

Poe's eyebrows tensed and he licked his lips as the news washed over him.

"We need her to gather support from the allies that may be left out there. There's nothing we can do. No one else knows how to do what she does. It has to be her."

The many times he had left you to fly amongst enemies for the sake of the Resistance never seemed to weigh on him as heavily as Finn's words did.

"There's no one else who can go?" Poe asked, his voice edgy with pain.  

Finn's warm eyes fell over his panicking friend. He tucked his lips into his mouth. "If anyone else could do it, they would be the one to go. Leia put off sending her out as long as she could and I don't want to do this to you guys, but...we have a First Order to destroy." Finn's hands moved in the space between the two Generals to emphasize his point. "We need her on our side, not just on your side." He said gently.

The Yavinite man nodded that he understood. "How long will she be gone?"

Finn shook his head. "As long as it takes."

Poe's breathing became shallow. "Better make sure her ship is in good shape then." He stood from the table, his caff and datapad still resting there, and walked quickly out of the Mess Hall.

Finn sighed deeply and rubbed his temples. Gathering his friends things to him, he stood to get his own breakfast.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The 'bring, bring' of your alarm pulled you out of sleep's embrace. You moaned and turned over in bed to silence your blaring holomessager. The device stopped it's noise and you sighed, your eyes still firmly shut. You rolled back over and reached out for the warmth of Poe's body, but you were unable to find it. You peeked one eye open and saw that you were alone in your shared bed. Panic rose in your throat before you strangled it and forced yourself to take a deep breath, to think logically.

'Calm down. He would have woken you up if he had to leave. He's probably just eating with Snap or something.'

Your eyebrows furrowed and you groaned as you sat up. You blinked several times, absorbing the light and the day ahead of you. 

***

After a quick shower and a change of clothes, your worry pushed you towards the Mess Hall. You felt sure that your pilot would be there, already dressed and half way through his breakfast, talking with his Squadron and saving a warm cup of caff for you.

You turned the corner into the dining hall and became alarmed when your gaze never landed on Poe. You caught Snap and Kare's attention though, the couple waving hello as you passed on your way to the serving line.

Kare noticed you first and waved back warmly. Snap quickly caught on and waved to you as well, his mouth full of food.

You snickered at Snap, returned the wave, and waited in line for your breakfast. After taking your tray from the serving crew, you grabbed a ripe joganfruit from the dismal collection of fruit options, and quickly moved through the hall to sit across from Snap and Kare.

"Morning, Wexleys." You smiled as you slid into your seat.

They both nodded and returned the greeting.

"So, how's everything going?" Kare asked, her eyebrow raised.

Heat rose in your cheeks. "What do you mean?"

"You and Poe. It seems like it's going well." Kare suggested.

You nodded. A flash of Poe's fingers clutching your hips so tightly they turned white under the dim light of the Millenium Falcon zipped through your thoughts. You took in a deep breath and replied, "Yeah, it's going well."

Snap's cheeks rouged as he looked over your expression. "That's good to hear."

The tops of your ears turned red and you began to pick at your meal.

"I told Snap the other day that I really missed going to festivals and markets with you. You have better taste than all of us combined." Kare said, quickly changing the subject.

You laughed, "Remember when we went to that one on Hoth?"

Kare snickered as the memory flooded back to her. She doubled over in joy, "Why did we even go to that one?"

You chuckled and held a hand over your mouth that was now full of food. "And remember that guy that tried to sell us ice?"

The three of you erupted with laughter, annoying the sleepy Resistance members scattered across the Mess Hall tables. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay, okay, is everyone here?" Finn's voice boomed over the horde of loyal Resistance fighters.

A murmur ran through the crowd, each checking for the other, and your eyes searched again for Poe.

Finn began before his co-General appeared. "Welcome to Morning Briefing, let's get started." The ex-stormtrooper stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest. "We've got a big day today. Just last night, a transmission came in from one of our scouts in the Outer Reaches."

Your eyes were trained on the commanding Finn when a familiar arm snuck around your waist. You looked from Finn to see Poe wiggling in between the crowd to stand beside you.

"There you are, I've been looking all over for you." You whispered, reaching your lips up to his.

"I know, I'm sorry. I was working on your ship.” He met your lips softly, holding your neck in his hand.

The kiss was quick, but Poe's eyes stayed locked onto yours.

‘Why would he be working on my ship? I haven’t been assigned anywhere-’ Your thoughts built quickly to an unwanted conclusion. 

You turned to look at Finn as Poe moved his lips to the curve of your neck. Your chest hitched with worry. 

"Poe..." You said, gently hit your arm against his stomach.

The man reached another arm around you and drew you even closer to himself.

"Baby, do you know something you’re not telling me?" You whispered, tension building in you chest. 

Poe pulled you so close that his stubble scratched against your soft cheek. His lips continued their dancing over your neck.

"Please, answer me." Your voice broke.

The co-General refused, his hands pressed tightly against the flat of your back.

"Poe." You repeated, your voice now stern. You pushed your body away from him and dread overcame you as you saw his expression.

Poe's eyes were red-ringed, watery, and swollen. He could barely hold your gaze.

‘No, no, no, no.’ Your vision began to swirl. 

"Y/N?" Finn called, interrupting the tsunami of panic washing over you and your boyfriend.

You looked from Poe to Finn and back to Poe again. "Yeah?" You called.

"You're heading to Black Spire today; gaining support from our allies there." Finn said, his eyebrow cocked.

You nodded. "Oh, uh..." You glanced back at the defeated Poe Dameron. "Yes, General."

Finn nodded and continued with his assignments.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The same rucksack you packed years ago, after the heated tears and chilled words exchanged between you and Poe had driven you apart, sat on your bed once again. The muscle in your chest seized, screaming at you to leave it empty, to throw it back into the closet.

Your eyes wandered over the bag and instead of the thinning fabric and frail seams, you saw Poe's smile, beaming and obnoxious the night you made up. You saw him as he was years ago, the very first time he had to leave without you.

You could still hear his reassuring voice, feel his gentle hand on your cheek. 'I think the people we love and the people who love us were once apart of the same star. So, no matter how far I fly or what happens to either of us, we will always be two parts of one.'  His smile lines took up his entire face as his thumb brushed gently over your eyelid.

You squelched the emotion behind your eyes and took a shaking breath. You heard Poe meandering through the closet behind you, pretending to look for any forgotten items of your clothing.

You chewed the inside of your lip and picked at the loose skin around your fingernail.

The man you loved walked slowly up behind you and softly placed a sweater on the bed.

"Sweater." He whispered, his voice crackling with emotion.

A tear ran quickly down your cheek and you looked up from your finger to the far edge of your bedroom. A shelf of your plants sat in the viewport, now doomed to die at the hands of the constantly distracted Poe Dameron.

The General's eyes looked over your features and he gently moved both of his arms around your mid section. He pulled your body to his, resting his chin on top of your head.

You squeezed your eyes shut, relishing in the comfort of him just one more time.

Poe sighed heavily, working to keep his grief pushed down below his throat.

Your tears plopped onto his shirt, creating a pool underneath your cheek. "Why do we always end up sad?" You whispered.

Poe shook his head. "I don’t know.” He let out a deep sigh. “There's no other sadness in the galaxy I love more than you, though." He choked out.

Your chest pounded against his. Everything in your mind crashed into each other. All of your thoughts came plummeting down from their shelves and into an abyss below. You swallowed.

"I guess it doesn't matter now, but...I was going to say yes." You rubbed your running nose on your sleeve.

The pilot's breathing caught, your words colliding with him. "You were?" His voice broke.

You nodded. "I was always going to, I was just afraid. I didn't want..." Flames of emotion licked up your throat. "I didn't want something like this to happen." You began to sob. 

Poe paused, swallowing your words. "Sweetheart, this...this has broken me down."

You nestled your head into his chest, your fingers wrapping around the chain around his neck. 

"I keep having nightmares about..." Poe nodded to emphasize what he was trying to say. "About the last time.  I've got it in my head that we're going to end up happy and old together, but things just keep pushing us apart. I just...I can't let go of it." Tears spilled from his dark eyes. "But I guess," He choked. "I guess I have to."

"Don’t let go of it. Please." You whispered.

The pilot ran a big hand over your head and down your back to rest at the space around your waist. He pressed a firm kiss to the top of your head and rubbed his hands up and down your chilled arms. "It’s just not our time, sweetheart.”

You pushed away from his chest to met his eyes.

Tears decorated Poe’s tan face. 

You reached a shaking hand out to brush the droplets from his skin. A unrelenting wave of grief washed over you.

Poe reached out to grab your outstretched arm. He placed a soft kiss on the beat of your wrist. “Let's get you to the hangar bay." He whispered, his eyes falling from yours to the growing space between the two of you. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EPILOGUE

Light from the warm Yavin 4 sun beat down over Poe Dameron's broad shoulders. His muscles tensed as he wrenched the old X-Wing fusion reactor from the ship.

The low call of a flock of Whisperbirds sounded over the treetops surrounding Poe's home and he looked up from his work to watch them pass.

The ex-General tucked his graying hair behind his ear and scratched at his long stubble. His dark eyes fell over the small home he had built himself, it's large windows lit up with the mid-day sunshine. His mind wondered from his work, jumping to thoughts of the woman he loved. How young he had been then, how overzealous. He could still hear her laugh and feel her head resting on his chest. He swallowed tightly as he remembered the heartbreaks they had shared. The cracks in his chest she had put there still ached when he tugged at them too harshly. 

His thoughts were soon interrupted by the screeching of his daughter, running clumsily down the front steps of his home towards him.

Poe smiled and swung his leg back down to his ladder, climbing down to greet her.

"Daddy! Daddy!" She called, her small arms reaching out towards the pilot.

He bent down on his busted knees and wrapped her in his embrace. He placed a kiss on her soft cheek and squeezed her tightly to him. "Did you eat a good lunch, Eida?"

The little girl grinned and giggled. Her tiny hands played with themselves and she danced in place. "Yes, Daddy. Can we please play X-Wing now?"

Poe smiled and stood as his wife followed the black-haired child down the back porch stairs and towards him. "Let's make sure Mommy says it's okay first."

Never in his life had Poe Dameron expected to outlive the Resistance. Never had he expected to have a daughter and a wife and a home he loved. 

You choosing to love him even when it was beyond diffucult, gave him the chance at a new life, a different one. You slid into his embrace easily, just as you had hundreds of times before, and placed a kiss on his stubble-ridden cheek.

"Daddy, please!" Eida cried, her patience wearing thin. Her tiny shoes created happy circles in the dirt as she squirmed. 

"Okay, okay, let's go." Poe surrendered. "Go get your little flight suit." He motioned back towards the house.

You smiled and shook your head as your daughter ran back towards the house to grab her makeshift flightsuit.

"I love seeing you work on your old X-Wing." You whispered to your husband.

Poe squeezed your side softly. "Yeah?" A warm smile pulled at the sides of his lips. 

"Yeah," You smiled. "It reminds me of the good old days."

FOLKLORE TAG LIST: @enamoured-x​ @mcolbz14​ @captain-skytrash​ @mndalorians​ @anetteaneta​ @milleniumvalcon​

What did you think? I really hope you enjoyed reading my work. Just your liking / re-blogging it means a lot. If you have a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts! Tell me what you think via my ask box or a comment always warms my heart!! Thank you again for reading!

Need more reading material? You can visit my Masterlist for more Oscar Isaac character content, as well as my other works.

Want to be kept in the loop? Let me know so I can put your handle in my taglist form. Right now, I’m writing for Poe Dameron, Santiago Pope Garcia, and Din Djarin, but I have plans to expand my SW character list, and eventually add in my favorites from the MCU as well.

Thanks again for reading! Sending love! -hai

[duhragonball]

Time Patrol Chronology

75 Million Years Ago: Chronoa and Mechikabura are two Core People and rivals for the position of Supreme Kai of Time.   They’re assigned to raise a Tokitoki egg, but during this job, Mechikabura tries to speed up the process with dark magic and that messes things up.    He then attempted to raise a phony Tokitoki named Dokidoki.     Mechikabura’s wickedness was eventually exposed, and he was banished to “a space beyond time”, which is either the Crack of Time or what would eventually become the Demon Realm.    

During this time, Demigra, Putine, and Gravy were underlings of Mechikabura, and Demigra attempted his own evil plot involving Tokitoki.    He was later exposed and banished to the Crack of Time.    I’m not clear on whether this happened before or after Mechikabura’s exile.  

Sealas, First Time Patroller: This guy was a Galactic Patrolman whom Chronoa recruited, but he couldn’t handle the darker side of maintaining the timeline.    After witnessing one of Kid Buu’s primordial rampages, Sealas becomes disillusioned and tries to turn against Chronoa, only to get sealed in the Crack of Time.    Later, he returns and tries to destroy all of history so he can start over fresh.   Sort of like Sensui from Yu Yu Hakusho except, no it’s exactly like that, the guy who writes Dragon Ball Heroes is a hack.

Dark Demon Realm Saga: Chronoa confronts Trunks about his alterations to the past, and recruits him for the Time Patrol.    Trunks and Chronoa track down the Dark Demon Realm Army, led by Towa and Mira.  Their objective is to gather energy to release the seal on the Demon Realm.   Also they have Bardock working for them thanks to a mind control mask.    Trunks liberates Bardock, so they team up against Mira until  Towa orders a retreat.

Towa then executes her plan to bring her dead brother Dabura back to life.  Unclear if she actually resurrects him or just alters the timeline to circumvent his death.  They fight the Time Patrol, but are eventually defeated and then Broly runs in and attacks them?    Okay?

Dark Empire Saga: Towa uses her stolen energy reserves to release Mechikabura from the Crack of Time.    The Dark Demon Realm Army then becomes the Dark Empire.   Why all these name changes.    Mechikabura is old and weak, so Towa proposes using the Dark Dragon Balls to restore his youth.   To aid them in this quest, Mechikabura bestows “Demon God” powers on his top demons: Towa, Dabura, Gravy, Putine, Shroom, and Salsa.  

Chronoa recruits Goku, Vegeta, Gohan and Goten to assist the Time Patrol.   I guess these are alternate timeline versions of these guys.  The team travels to different eras to intercept the Demon Gods before they can make their wish. 

Ultimately, the Demon Gods are successful, and the rejuvenated Mechikabura absorbs their powers, becoming so strong that Chronoa is forced to use her “Time Power Unleasehed” form to defeat him.    She traps both herself and Mechikabura in the Crack of Time.    The Time Patrollers return to the Time Nest to Time Discuss how to arrange a Time Rescue.   Time.

Dark King Mechikabura Saga: The Time Patrol responds to another time disturbance and runs into the Demon Gods, along with Towa’s newest creation, Fin.  Also, Chronoa is with them as a mind-controlled henchman.    Then the Demigra Army shows up to join forces with the TP.   He wants this alliance against Mechikabura so he can defeat him and then overthrow Chronoa at a later date.    Also Pan joins the Time Patrol, so that’s a thing.   

Mechikabura defeats the TP anyway, but Trunks is spared the effects of Chronoa’s time powers because he has something called the “Key Sword”.   The others pool their power into him, which turns him into a Super Saiyan God.  Oh, so that’s why Pan showed up.    SSG Trunks fights Mechikabura and frees Chronoa, and she helps seal Mechikabura in the Crack of Time.   Again?

Following the defeat of Mechikabura: Towa assumes control of the Dark Empire and reorganizes it into the Time Breakers. 

Prison Planet Saga: Pretty sure this is the storyline depicted in the Super Dragon Ball Heroes anime.  

Sealas Returns, World Mission: Sealas escapes the Crack of Time through a wormhole that leads to the Time Nest.   He beats Trunks then leaves through another wormhole.  

Chronoa then assigns Trunks to investigate “anomalies in the Super Dragon Ball Heroes game world.”  Apparently SDBH is a virtual world based upon the official history recorded in the Scroll of Eternity.  You have got to be shitting me, Pyle.  

Trunks sets up a secret base in the city of Hero Town, along with his assistant Leggings.   But Trunks is a character in the game, so everyone knows his face.    The only way he can keep a low profile is to disguise himself Great Saiyaman 3, which is... certainly a sentence made of words.   Also, chicks dig Great Saiyaman 3.   Well of course they do. 

Okay, so the deal here is that Sealas wants to alter the timeline, but he wants to make sure he’s altering it correctly, so he’s using the virtual world in the SDBH game as a model for the actual space-time continuum.    Because it’s based on the Scroll of Eternity?   I mean, sure, but how the hell did Capsule Corp’s game devs get ahold of it?    Anyway, Trunks needs help from experienced players to suss this out, so he recruits an elite team of super nerds: The Dragon Ball Heroes.   

Dragon Ball Online: The Time Patrol recruits warriors from Age 1000 to help them fend off temporal incursions by the Time Breakers, an evil team led by Towa.  

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 1: Trunks uses the Dragon Balls to wish for a strong ally, one who can help him defend the timeline from another round of tampering.   It’s the Time Breakers again, but this time they do enough damage to the timeline that it wears down the barrier separating the Crack of Time from the rest of the universe, allowing Demigra to escape.    Demigra finally launches his long-promised takeover of the Time Nest, and briefly usurps Chronoa’s position, until the Time Patrol finally defeats him once and for all.  

Between Xenoverse 1 & 2: The TIme Patrol expands its roster as more and more time anomalies occur.   They bring in the Elder Supreme Kai to help with the administration, and continue searching for Towa and Mira, who remain at large.   During this period, Chronoa accidentally wrecks Toki Toki city, then decides it would be easier to build a new city instead of fixing the old one, and thus creates the larger, cooler Conton City.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2: I’ll worry about that later.   

Things to clear up.

1) There seems to be several different names for the Crack of Time.   Time Abyss, Time Labyrinth, eternal labyrinth, etc.   I thought these might be different places, but they all serve the same dramatic purpose, which is to act as a prison for the bad guys.  

2) However, if all of these things are the same, then Chronoa keeps tossing bad guys into the same prison, yet they keep breaking out, some of them more than once.   I guess its established that if you gather enough energy, you can bring someone out of the Crack of Time, so maybe it’s just a matter of making sure that doesn’t happen.    Chronoa tried to imprison Mechikabura more permanently by locking herself in with him, but that just backfired on her when he mind-controlled her.  

3) How did Demigra join forces with the Time Patrol against Mechikabura when he was still imprisoned in the Crack of Time?  Or did he participate in that battle remotely, via one of his illusions?    Hell, he probably snuck out and snuck back in and no one even noticed.

4) I guess the Demon Realm was inside the Crack of Time?    That explains how Mechikabura could create it and run the place while he was banished in the crack.  

5) I’m pretty sure “Time Breakers”, “Dark Empire”, “Demon Relam” and “Dark Demon Realm” are all the same thing.   They didn’t change the name necessarily, it’s just that no one can decide what to call it.  

[raven-nacht]

The Owl House: Mrs. and Mr. Blight Theory

So I’m pretty sure that the mystery girl in this photo is Mrs. Blight and that this has big ramifications and foreshadowing for the whole series.

I saw this picture posted in a thread talking about how it looked like Eda had a “gal pal” herself back in school and how it was similarly interesting how Lilith actually is looking pretty jealous of that relationship. I totally agreed that is interesting, but it got me thinking about how lots of things kind of mirror each other in the series or foreshadow other things with how Luz acts like Eda or vice versa and has allowed me to think I’ve got a decent theory on how a lot of the show could be resolved.

To start, I will note that my assumption that the mystery girl is Mrs. Blight started almost entirely from trying to observe hair color.

This might seem a bit simplistic, but as mentioned in the post already put out by my roommate when we were bouncing theories off each other earlier;

www.reddit.com/r/TheOwlHouse/comments/ickxz9/i_think_we_just_got_dropped_a_huge_lead_on_who/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

hair color is very important in this series. Of the seven most prominent characters in the show, three of them have been shown to very dramatically changed their hair since they were younger in moves aligning with very prominent character development for them (Eda with the curse; Amity once she started having to no longer associate with Willow and start following the “Blight way”; and Lilith due to currently unknown reasons). It thus makes a lot of sense to me that hair color being the earliest clue to this person’s identity is totally on-brand for the show.

With the assumption that she’s Mrs. Blight there and noting she already had green hair; my first observation was that Mrs. Blight is thus the “Blight by birth”, whereas Mr. Blight married into it (and is thus a bit of a “social climber”). My next guess was then that Mrs. Blight might’ve been a bit cocky in school initially, but eventually softened and developed a crush on Eda, much like Amitu doing the same thing to Luz (since like teacher, like student). This slow-burn relationship between Mrs. Blight and Eda and the ensuing love triangle Lilith is thus my guess for how a large part of why Lilith and Eda are “two witches torn apart, now alone”. I think lingering resentments over this and the Blight’s likely-intimate connection to the Emperor’s Coven is no small part in why Eda also didn’t want to join, even though it had actually “been Eda’s dream when she was younger”, according to Lilith.

The Blight’s (presumed) intimate connection to the Emperor’s Coven, what we’ve seen about “witch status” so far, and Mr. Blight’s identity as a “social climber” are the main basis for the second part of my theories on the show though, which is that I think Mr. Blight is being setup to either be the true Big Bad of the series (or at the very least be largely responsible for a majority of the show’s conflicts). To start, I’m pretty sure that, like Lilith, he was jealous of Eda’s connection to Mrs. Blight and thus he is ultimately the one who cursed Eda (or who caused Mrs. Blight or something else to curse Eda). And, I know, your going to say that all the way back in episode 4 we saw this figure:

and that Eda said “Wait, you’re the one who cursed me, aren’t you?!” and while I do agree that that is almost certainly Mrs. Blight, I’m thinking this is a red herring or simply close to the truth. After all, we’ve already had confirmation that destroying memories isn’t that hard and it makes more sense to me that the culprit would delete all memories of themself but be less careful with getting all traces of those only secondarily related to the deed (like Mrs. Blight).

As a brief sidenote, I do wanna point out that in that thread by my roommate, a great person named npapeye pointed out a really interesting observation in that the emblem on the door by the shadow figure does seem to be the Blight family symbol and that actually made me a lot more confident in all these predictions.

Like, just look at these pictures:

It feels fair to say that between that emblem and the fact that the shadow figure wears the fully-circular glasses just like in the first picture, we can pretty safely conclude that the mystery girl is the shadow figure seen in this dream (and before you point out that Lilith also used to wear those same circular glasses; I would just note I don’t think this shadow was Lilith just because Lilith’s behavior makes very little sense to me if she was the one to curse Eda and also that Lilith doesn’t have much connection to that emblem from what I noticed).

Now then, on the subject of shadows, it felt worth pointing out that we have seen three shadows in the show so far from what I could tell. First, of course, is Eda’s dream as above where she says “I hate this memory”. The next was a very traumatic memory for Amity of her parents and how made her stay away from Willow. The third and most recent shadow we’ve seen was finally, of course, Amity’s literal greatest fear and was the shadow of Luz rejecting her.

By applying the note that both of Amity’s shadows are rooted in her greatest fears or most painful memories, it also made sense to me that Eda’s shadow and thus her connection to Mrs. Blight might also be her most painful memory or her biggest fear at the time. With that, even if Mr. Blight didn’t mess with her memory, between the ravages of the curse on her mind and her trauma that gave her this shadow, it’d still make sense how she’s forgotten the details of what happened.

Theres still a few details I had thought worth pitching in this theory. Mystery girl (who I’m still guessing is Mrs. Blight) is undeniably in the Bard Track. The Bard Track is at the top-and-center of the picture of all the covens and is the only coven that hasn’t been mentioned at all yet in the show:

First, that lack of acknowledgement of a whole track feels very suspicious. especially as we saw when Luz started classes; between Luz being initially assigned Potions and then seeing the Detention Track students’ interests, the narrative has gone out of its way to highlight seven of the nine Tracks. Secondly though, I wanted to note that Bard Track is right next to Abominations Track, which was described by Willow as being “the best track for getting ahead in the magic world and thriving”, thus causing her Dad’s to put her in said-track initially. If Bards are right next to the currently “best-known” track, it makes sense for a Blight to be in it.

Let’s finally talk a bit more on Mr. Blight though. As a social climber, he was almost certainly in the Abominations Track. His presumed-cursing of Eda likely relied on his innate magic to some degree, which felt like it could explain the “mud” mentioned in “the curse of feathers and mud” that afflicts Eda. Elsewhere, he’s likely the one with naturally brown hair and who passed it onto Amity, and I think her having said-brown hair is why he is so hard on her and pushes Amity so far, because he sees “weakness” in his origin and family hair color. (It’s still likely that when we first see him, his hair will be green though, but I bet he dyes it and pressured Amity too as well). I think this pressure to follow him is also why Amity was likely pushed to decide on Abominations Track herself on that note. My final guesses on him are that he likely works directly for Emperor Belos, he is likely the largest push behind all of Belos’ upcoming “plans” mentioned by Lilith (and possibly the motivator behind wanting to catch Eda), and that he likely has aspirations of taking the title of Emperor for himself (which would suck just because it makes Amity have to “pick sides” and that sweet cupcake deserves better... but yeah 😅).

Anyways, I’m not saying that Mrs. Blight is clear of blame with any of the above either by the way, I’m guessing she’s at least fairly complicit in his actions nowadays, I just think all this fits pretty well from the perspective of narrative mirroring and foreshadowing. The main thing I’ve since been unable to at all crack or fit in is who seems to sending letters home to Luz’s mom since none of this really explains that, but we’ll see...

(Also, there’s nowhere else to put this, but it just bears pointing out here that the shadow figures of Mrs. and Mr. Blight here are literally the most imposing hinted “villains” shown in the show so far, beating Belos and one-off villains by a landslide to me so far, and thus I think by that virtue of foreshadowing alone, if they don’t turn to be some of the biggest “challenges” for the protagonists in the show, it’ll fully flabbergast me.) 

Thanks for reading though, I’ve been trying to post this for the past couple days but kept getting distracted, I hope this is a fairly new theory at least since I’ve not read most all of this anywhere else yet, instead mainly just been overthinking the show for days now.

[fsketchart]

Daminette December - Tree

Okay so heads up, not really sure how much I like this one but I hope you enjoy?

Also @noirdots is the coolest person ever.

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Damian's brothers tried to convince him of auditioning for the school play, and after about 43 hours and 17 minutes straight of pestering, Damian caved and auditioned.  He auditioned for the lead male role. This year, it was a play of Romeo & Juliet.

Except Damian didn't make the cut.

The woman running the play said he was too emotionless, and didn't have enough chemistry with the already casted lead female, Lila.  The woman instead gave Damian another part.

Damian was the tree for the play, and not even the lead tree role.  Just the background tree role.

Damian's brothers wouldn't stop laughing at him for two whole weeks.  Bruce tried to he reassuring but Damian could still feel the awkwardness radiating from his father.

Damian sighed and was in a mood for the rest of the week.  He wasn't expecting to land Romeo, but I mean come on, the tree?

------

Marinette missed the auditions and landed the role of a background tree.  Someone reprinted the audition casting call flyers and printed it out with the wrong time, about an hour too late for the lead roles.  By then, everyone already called dibs on all the good roles.

Marinette groaned and felt like crying.  Her parents were extremely supportive. Marinette just sighed.  At least she got to make a few costumes for the play. And God damn it she will make the most gorgeous tree costume if it's the last thing she does.

Marinette stayed up all night practicing her best tree poses and making the best costumes for her and the other background trees.

When the next morning came, Marinette came in confident.

The woman running the play gathers everyone and sorts them into groups the next day.  Everyone is working with their assigned groups to memorize their lines, something Damian scoffed at.

Marinette excitedly ran around finding her group, but realized there was only one other background tree.

Damian realized this too, and once more eye rolled at what a pitiful role it was.

Marinette is jumping with joy when she shows him the sketches for the tree design.  He flips through them and they discuss what they like in each costume.

------

Marinette and Damian begin spending more time together, spending after school at the bakery studying and, "reviewing lines."  Marinette tried to show Damian how to make some of the props for the play, and although Damian didn't enjoy making props that much, he did enjoy spending time with Marinette.  In his book, it was worth it.

When the time of the play finally came around, Marinette and Damian were assisting the other actors and actresses backstage.  Bruce and the others were in the audience willing to cheer on Damian, while Marinette's parents had a camera at the ready.

Backstage however, was a nightmare.  The cast was arguing amongst themselves, and even some yelling could be heard by the audience.

When a scene between Romeo and Juliet finally arrived, Juliet/Lila was waiting on stage, but with no sign of the actor of Romeo.  By then, everyone was panicking. The play director began screaming and ordering out for other actors to improvise in an attempt to steer the attention of the audience away from the missing Romeo.

Actors and actresses ran out on stage and began making up a random plot off of the top of their heads' to improvise while the director was trying to contact Romeo backstage.

"Ah thou Juliet, as stunning as the sun, as mysterious as the moon...we have...uh...urgent news of thee the people whom beg for you to uh...act accordinglyishfully," one actress said.

"Oh my dearest friend, do tell I the news of despair, for the heart of my own can not stand the concept of injustice.  Do pray tell me the news," Juliet said.

"Um, my lady, I am the troubled soul that must tell you that uh there is...um...a terrible... tragic incident?" Another actor said.

"Oh please do tell me, I can not reside in the dark for any longer!" Juliet cried.

The actors and actresses were clearly panicking and freaking out.  No one said a thing while everyone struggled to find an excuse. There was dead silence as the audience sat in visible confusion.  No one could find something to say.

Suddenly, Marinette and Damian ran out onto the stage.  Marinette and Damian held their hands together and yelled, "Stop!  For we, the rulers of...the land of the tree, forbid your love to Romeo!" The audience gasped.  Damian wanted to hang his head against the wall.

Marinette just panicked and looked over at Damian.  Damian nodded.

"You absolutely barbaric humans have destroyed our planet, and have polluted our ecosystem!  Your life makes us disgusted. For you have the audacity, and thy has the nerve to dare oppose us and our teachings!" Marinette yelled.

The play director was screaming backstage while cursing up a storm.  She was questioning if it was too early to retire.

"What my Queen here has stated holds the truth and the standards to which we shall act upon!  For you humans have been too...uh, ungroovy for far too long, and the we the trees have come collect your debt!" Damian yelled while awkwardly doing a tree pose.  Marinette copies his pose to assert their dominance.

"What can this possibly mean?" Lila asked.

"It means, DUCK!" Damian yelled as he ripped off one of the fake apples from his costume and chucked it at her.  Marinette froze as Damian looked panicked. Suddenly, Marinette joined in and chucked another at one of the other actors.  Then, it was war.

One girl threw an entire chair across the stage, while a little boy tried to sword fight Damian on the stage using one of the fake swords.  Another little girl tried to use one of the fake vases nearby to throw at Marinette while Marinette just continued to use the apples from the costume.

Eventually, Damian pretended to be stabbed by the little boy and fell to his knees.  He fake cried out dramatically and then fell over on the stage. Marinette pretended to weep for his passing and then dragged him off the stage.

Backstage, Marinette and Damian were cracking up.

Marinette was rolling on the floor.  "Ungroovy? Really, Dami?" She was hugging her stomach while Damian buried his head into his hands.  He sat on the floor beside her and smiled at her as she was still giggling.

Suddenly, the stage lights shut off as the director of the play told them the play would be on pause until the actor of Romeo would show up.  The kids behind stage were still giggling and reminiscing.

Marinette finally calmed down as she hugged Damian.

"You're the best, you know that?"

"Well... that's a *re-leaf* to hear." Damian wiggled his eyebrows.

Marinette giggled and hugged him tighter.

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TAGLIST FOR DAMINETTE DECEMBER HAS FINALLY BEGUN WHOOP WHOOP SO LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANNA BE TAGGED!

(. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)

@caffeinetheory @noirdots

ALSO ALMOST FORGOT TO ADD