#desperately struggling not to turn it into a buddy cop adventure

[katatonicimpression]

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What is Bennet doing? What is he looking for? Who is this doctor Essex anyway? No - Wait. That's not what's going on, is it?

Of course not. He's here to catch the ripper.

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Rating: Mature

Words: 7,464

Ao3 Link

[niceprophecies]

“Amazon’s Good Omens is an ambitious story about a lot of big concepts: faith, destiny, free will, and forgiveness. It’s also a story about love, of every size and variety, but it focuses primarily on the unlikely and unconventional relationship between a bookish angel named Aziraphale and a caustic demon called Crowley.

While the pair’s relationship is not given any sort of official name on the show—though Queen’s “Somebody to Love” does play rather cheekily at one point when one thinks the other is dead—it’s hard to dispute the fact that the connection between the two is the linchpin around which the entire series turns. Furthermore, the genuine love between Crowley and Aziraphale is not just sweet to watch, but presented as utterly necessary to the story Good Omens is telling.

The idea of interpreting Aziraphale and Crowley’s relationship as something more than just “the most epic bromance of all time” isn’t a new one. Fans have been rooting for this crazy odd couple to become canon pretty much since the day the book was published back in 1990. And by all accounts, they’re even more into the idea than ever before. (The series, and the pair at its center, have consistently ranked as one of the top five most-discussed topics on Tumblr since it premiered back in June.)

Author Neil Gaiman has repeatedly said that any interpretation of the duo’s relationship is best left to readers. (Though, according to internet lore, he also revealed that the two retired to a cottage on the South Downs together following the almost-Apocalypse, so here’s hoping we hear the rest of that story someday.) Star Michael Sheen is possibly the biggest Aziraphale/Crowley shipper on Earth, and can name the precise moment he feels the angel began to care about the demon in a “more than just friends” sense. David Tenannt seems to fall somewhere in the middle, generally defaulting to the language of buddy cop films to describe their repartee.

Of course, Good Omens itself leaves us a lot of room to maneuver in defining the specifics of Aziraphale and Crowley’s relationship. The two are celestial beings, after all, which means it’s highly doubtful that they are governed by the same physical needs and laws as humans are, regardless of what sort of corporation each currently inhabits. The mere concept of things like romance or sexual attraction may not exist for them as we understand it. Therefore, their story automatically lends itself to a sort of choose-your-own-adventure feel. If you want to ship it, there’s certainly enough onscreen evidence to support your feelings. And if you don’t, that’s fine too.

But what does seem apparent, no matter what side of the are they/aren’t they divide you fall on, is that Crowley and Aziraphale absolutely love one another in the deepest, purest sense of the word, and that connection drives not just their relationship with each another but the entire world of Good Omens.

Talk to anyone who’s watched the show, and they’ll inevitably mention that one of their favorite moments is the extended 28-minute sequence that opens Good Omens’ third episode. The segment, which fills in the backstory of Aziraphale and Crowley’s millennia-old relationship, follows the angel and demon through everything from the Biblical flood to the Reign of Terror in France. Along the way, what starts as mere professional courtesy between them grows into something more complicated, and eventually the two find themselves constantly breaking the rules, going out for crepes on the regular, and rescuing one another from Nazis.

All of this plays out like the most sumptuous of rom-coms, complete with Crowley saving Aziraphale’s rare books from bombs in the Blitz, and Aziraphale guilting Crowley into making Hamlet a hit. (That first bit, incidentally, is the most romantic scene on television this year. Fight me.) The two are monstrously co-dependent, and their dynamic together resembles nothing so much as an old married couple who’ve settled into the idea that there’s nothing for either of them but each other. Thus, when the two basically decide to co-parent the Antichrist in an attempt to thwart the coming Apocalypse, well, it barely even feels weird.

And to be honest, it really shouldn’t.

Aziraphale and Crowley may have been initially thrown together by circumstance but their unique situation forces them to become something more. No other being understands their experiences, because no one else has seen the things they’ve seen. No angel or demon has lived among God’s creations for so long, or seen them at their wondrous best and most destructive worst. Crowley and Aziraphale grasp humanity’s triumphs and failings as others don’t, and they love them for it all. And in doing so, they learn to love each other, too.

Perhaps the bureaucracies of Heaven and Hell have both forgotten this fact, in the midst of their cosmic struggle. These creations-angel, demon and human alike—were formed by the greatest love there has ever been, and are all reflection of that fact in their own ways. And perhaps Good Omens is so popular precisely we ourselves need the reminder too: That love has always been the thing that unites us, whatever the differences that divide the creatures above, below, and within this world might be. It’s the Almighty’s greatest gift, and the maybe only thing truly worth fighting for.

(Remember, after all, that it’s not the threat of Crowley’s own death that motivates him in the final battle against Satan. It’s Aziraphale threatening to never speak to him again.)

Perhaps it’s merely the chance of proximity that ultimately leads Aziraphale and Crowley to care about one another so fiercely. Perhaps it’s because they’re both divine beings, initially formed of love themselves, and therefore their default factory setting is merely intense emotional attachment. Or maybe it’s a deliberate narrative choice, and their connection was the point of everything all along.

Good Omens is the sort of story that desperately wants us to choose not to be cynical, and to embrace big, gloppy sentiment with arms wide open. Armageddon is thwarted not through battle or manipulation or even divine intervention, but love. Between an angel and a demon, no less, who choose each other over and over again though they’re not supposed to do so. But also, it’s between a boy and his father. Among friends and neighbors and strangers who just met. And in the ineffable machinations of a Higher Power who has never abandoned Her Creation—though it may not have always seemed that way.

In short: Love is a radical act, and always has been.

From the very beginning of Aziraphale and Crowley’s story, this has been the case. In the Garden of Eden, the Serpent tempted Adam and Eve to disobey, in order to give them the power to choose their own futures. The Angel of the Eastern Gate broke the rules to gift the fleeing humans his sword, and spent the next six millennia lying to the servants of the Almighty about what happened to it. In their simplest forms, these are acts of love.

Perhaps they’re not the sort that we ourselves can often emulate—and if someone has a flaming sword at home, please leave it there—because we’re probably not all equipped to save the world from Armageddon. But we can choose each other, whether that means rescuing priceless books, delivering a thermos of water, or simply learning to care about those who most different or alien from us. We can do small things with great love. And change the world along the way.”

neilhimself

pastemagazine

[lifeinahole27]

CS ff: “Walking the Tightrope” (Chapter 10/10) (au)

Summary: Killian’s daily routines are a matter of habit. When he wakes up late one morning, his routines all change for the better. Emma doesn’t care about routines, but she does care about Killian, no matter how reluctant she is to admit it to herself.

Rating: E (the content warnings matter this time!)

Content Warnings: Everything from the previous chapter applies as far as the Walsh business is concerned. Other than that, a very tame chapter. 

A Special Thank You: My continued gratitude to my lovely friends, @captainstudmuffin and @phiralovesloki. And a heap of love to @captainswanbigbang for putting this together and helping me accomplish this.

A/N: So, this is the last main chapter. There is an epilogue which I will post on Sunday, and then this grand adventure will be wrapped up! Thanks for being with me on this ride and for any comments, reblogs, and likes. I’m thankful beyond words. <3

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | 

Find it on Ao3 & FFN!

-x-

Chapter 10: Snowshine

Walsh still looks exactly the same as the last time she was here. Emma tries her best to keep her stomach calm when all she wants to do is throw up on his face, projecting an outward cool that she doesn’t feel as he enters the room and looks up at her. 

“What the - Emma? What the hell are you doing in my apartment?”

“Taking back what’s rightfully mine,” Emma says, gesturing to the box of pictures sitting on the bed beside her.

“Oh no, sweetheart. I would hardly call all of those yours.”

“Don’t call me sweetheart, asshole.”

Through all of this, James has been watching a progress bar load on the computer screen. With a noise of victory, he looks back to her.

“There you go, Emma. All done.”

“You brought David with you? Mr. Wouldn’t-hurt-a-fly?”

“Oh, buddy, believe me. You’re gonna wish I was David by the end of this. Good job hosting a whole website with a bunch of non-consensual photos on it. But shame on you for making it so easy to break into.”

“You have another brother?”

“Didn’t I ever tell you that David was an identical twin?”

At the little jingle that plays from the desk, he tries to push James out of the way. “What did you do to my computer?”

“Gave it a little tune up,” James tells him, crossing his arms with pride as a little unicorn marches into the center of the screen. 

All three of them watch with rapt attention as the unicorn stands and waves, before squatting. 

“Oh my god,” Emma says, bursting out in laughter as the unicorn defecates in the shape of an artfully written “fuck you” in rainbow colors. 

After a couple seconds, the whole thing emits a screeching noise and shuts off with a loud pop. 

“All your buddies that subscribed to your email list got something pretty similar. I mean, I don’t know if they’ll all open it but with the heading ‘Check out the brand new section!’ I’m willing to bet a lot of dudes are about to lose their computers.”

Walsh finally makes it around James, desperately trying to turn on his computer but nothing happens when he hits the button. “All of my business files were on there.”

“You kept all your shit on your personal computer? Wow. You’re even dumber than I thought.” James turns towards Emma on the tail of that thought. “You ready?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Emma responds, picking up the box of photographs and handing it over to James. They manage to make it out of the bedroom before Walsh must come to his senses, and he’s after them immediately. 

His hand closes around Emma’s arm, and she spins around. On instinct, Emma swings as she breaks the hold. And while James misses taking a snapshot of that hit, he doesn’t miss the one where Emma knees him in the nuts hard enough to bring him to his knees. 

“I have the perfect new image for the welcome screen on his trash web page,” James says as Emma backs away. He holds the phone out for her to see and she just barely stops herself from cracking up. “Here, take this. I’ll be right behind you.” He hands over the box, gently ushering her towards the door. 

She doesn’t go far, leaving the door cracked just enough to hear what James has to say to Walsh. 

“Here’s the deal, you Wizard of Oz-looking monkey piece of shit. All of the accounts for that website are completely wiped out. All that money you made off of people like my sister? That money is so far offshore that you’ll never be able to trace it ever again. Got it?”

“I’ll call the cops,” Walsh says weakly.

“You won’t. You have no evidence. And if you try to do that, or ever try to do this again, I will screw up your whole life. We’re in a digital age now, Walsh Whitney Covington. I have everything of yours now. Personal records, social media, bank accounts, the password to your pretentious little LinkedIn page that lists you as a connoisseur of wood, which… come on, man.”

“That’s all illegal,” he whines back, and Emma is mostly just enjoying the snivelling tone in his voice. 

“Yeah? And? I’m sure Emma signed a consent form for those pictures you had posted of her, right? You had her sign away her financial freedoms for the profits on it, too? Don’t ever fuck with our family ever again or you’ll regret it.”

After a couple more minutes of silence, James exits the apartment and gives her a bright smile. 

“Now, that was a fun afternoon with my brother. See? We should bond like this more often,” Emma says as they make their way out of the building and back down to where he parked his car. 

“Yeah yeah, don’t get used to it. Jack would kill me if she found out this is how I spent my day.”

“You’re still with Jack?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? I did marry her, after all. She wanted to wait until she made partner to have a baby and so I switched gears and became a stay-at-home dad after she went back from maternity leave. It helps to have a super lawyer as your wife.”

“None of the words that just came out of your mouth are what I was expecting when I called you about all this.”

“Well, it’s not like I send out Christmas cards with updates on the family,” James says, a little resignation in his voice. 

“Did you really take all the profits from the website?”

“And refunded the money you spent on that settee you bought there back before you started dating.”

Just as he says it, Emma’s phone dings with a notification. There’s a message from her bank saying there’s been a deposit into her account. Looking at the numbers, it’s way more than what she paid for the moderately priced item, but James shrugs. 

“Maybe I got the numbers backwards in my head. Added an extra digit. Whatever. So you mentioned earlier that you have a boyfriend? You haven’t changed your status on Facebook.”

“You follow my social media?”

“Just because I don’t let any of you know about what’s going on in my life doesn’t mean I don’t check up on you.”

“Well, I’m supposed to be at a Christmas party for his company down in New York but someone insisted we do this today.”

He rolls his eyes as he opens his door and climbs into the driver’s seat. No sooner is she seat-belting in when another notification chimes on her phone. 

“Did you seriously just buy me a plane ticket to New York City?”

“I’ll hand all of that over to David,” James says, indicating the box she placed in the backseat. “Besides, he and I are severely overdue for a brotherly chat.” Without another word, he starts a route for the airport. 

“When was the last time you had one of those? When you were fifteen?”

“Something like that. Hey, text him and let him know what’s going on. I should be back there in about an hour but I don’t want him to worry.”

She shakes her head, doing as he asked and sending a message to David. 

As they pull up outside the airport, Emma turns to James. “So, what do I still owe you?”

“Nothing. I got the cash he had stashed in his desk, all the money from his subscription side of the website, and free childcare for the evening after Jack gets home from the office today.”

“Did you tell David that yet?”

“No, but I will. And you know he will - he’s David. Go on,” he tells her when they arrive a short time later. “Enjoy the party.”

“Okay then. And hey, thanks for all your help. I couldn’t imagine doing that with anyone else.”

“Yeah, yeah. Hey, Emma?” 

Her door is open and she’s just about to climb out when he says her name. 

“It was nice seeing you,” he admits. 

She leans in quickly and hugs him, noting how familiar yet utterly foreign it feels. “Come visit us sometime,” she tells him as she pulls away. She stands there until his car pulls away and he’s out of view before she walks through the doors. 

Somehow, James managed to get her the perfect flight so she had enough time to get through security, although she looks suspicious as hell going in with nothing but her purse, if you ask her. It’s still considered early when she lands in the city, but with nothing else with her, she has to get party-ready with nothing but the money in her bank account. Thanks to James, there’s a little bit extra to play with in there.

Emma feels like she should be in some cheesy movie montage as she struggles to find everything she’ll need to get ready. Hair and makeup come first, and she’s thankful the salon isn’t far from a decent looking clothing shop or else her charges in cab fares alone would’ve gotten out of hand. 

The dress she finds is perfect - a sleek, black number that doesn’t fit too tight but that doesn’t hide her shape. It’s similar enough to the dress she was planning on wearing to this, the one she borrowed from Ruby as a first-date possibility but put aside in favor of the soft pink she wore instead. She admires the whole look in the mirror as the shop attendant helps her clip tags after Emma pays. She buys two pairs of shoes - a cute pair of cutout ankle boots and a pair of flats - in anticipation of the point in the party where she’ll want to feel her toes again. 

It’s only once she’s fully satisfied with the total picture that she heads out, making sure everything she wore down here is tucked securely into the weekender bag the attendant helped her pick out. 

This time, she opens the rideshare app for a little more comfort, and then it’s off to the Manhattan Penthouse to finally get to where she wants to be.

-x-

Tucking away the knowledge that Robin just gave him, Killian settles into his seat with only a lone glance at the empty chair beside him. He has Henry on his other side, and the rest of the Mills-Hood family in the remaining seats. They’ve not even begun when he receives a sharp, bony elbow to the side. 

“Hey,” Henry whispers as he leans close. “Isn’t that Emma?”

He turns his head, glancing in the direction Henry is pointing, and his breath catches. Sure enough, Emma is standing there in a black dress that surely should be illegal to look so good in. Her hair and makeup are all done, and she’s scanning the room. It takes another elbow to his ribs for Killian to finally stand up, waving over his girlfriend and attempting to wipe the surprise off his face while he does.

“Hi! Sorry I’m late.”

“You’re just in time, actually. I’m so… don’t get me wrong, Swan, but I never expected you’d be able to make it.” He leans forward, pressing a kiss to her cheek and taking a moment to soak up her closeness.

“Yeah, well, sometimes when you make a deal with the devil to take down satan, you get what you want faster than you expected,” she says, and while he doesn’t fully understand, he knows he’ll get the full story later. 

He pulls out her chair for her, pushing it in as she sits. “I do believe we all know one another,” he says to the table at large. “I’d told them to cancel your meal, so excuse me while I get that turned around.”

“Emma! I’m so glad you’re here!” Henry who’d been sitting on his right, beams from ear to ear as he slides over to talk to her. 

“Hi Henry. Everyone. Glad I could make it.”

Hearing her voice and the animated conversation that sparks up between her and Henry immediately calms his nerves for the evening, and he hastens to find one of the caterers so he can return to the table. 

By the time their dinner is served, he’s noticed no less than four times Henry has pulled out his iPod to jot down something in his notes. He smiles as he watches it happen, watches the gears turn in the lad’s head and the magic take root. He manages to keep it in his pocket for the entirety of the meal, but he’s pretty sure that was due to a questioning look from Regina right as the salads were placed in front of them.

With the rest of the table occupied with their desserts, Killian takes a moment to lean over, keeping his voice low as he whispers in her ear. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Me too,” she says, a satisfied little smile on her face. There’s been a peace evident on her face since the moment she walked in, and he’s intrigued but enjoying it. She was never too tightly wound to begin with, apart from the times she got stuck in her own head. This, he assumes, is due to the business with her ex being all wrapped up. 

After the dishes have been cleared, Killian rests in his seat for a bit. There’s still a lot more networking he’ll have to do, but for now he takes the time to relax as he and Robin discuss strategy for announcements. He’s in the middle of helping figure out the order when Emma’s hand creeps onto his thigh. His words falter for a moment, and he can see Emma’s smile get just a little wider. 

When her hand travels a little higher, he reaches down, knowing full well that his ears and cheeks are both bright with flush, and takes a moment when Robin is asking Henry a question to fully turn to her.

“Have pity on me,” he whispers, pulling her hand to his lips to place a kiss on the back of it, and she laughs quietly, turning her palm to link her fingers with his. 

“Just this one time,” she concedes, settling in with their hands clasped. 

-x-

Walking into the venue, Emma is momentarily overwhelmed. She forgot that the Storybrooke office isn’t the whole team, and that a lot of the authors would be there, so there’s just a sea of people as far as she can see across the space. But then Killian stands up, her eyes finding his as he waves her over. 

And it’s halfway between where she is and where he’s waiting that it hits her full in the gut: She is in love with Killian. She is so in love with that man that she can hardly stand it. He has never once looked at her differently or placed unrealistic expectations on her - he never set out to hurt her. 

There, with the lights of the chandeliers glittering overhead, and the backdrop of the city getting dusted in snow, Emma realizes that she is looking at the man she wants to spend all of her time with if she can. Her heart squeezes, even as she smiles and accepts the kiss he places on her cheek as they settle in.

It’s the first time she’s ever been to a party like this, and she has to think it’s going pretty well. While Killian is occupied with his duties, Emma offers to watch Roland so Regina can go with Robin as he makes rounds to greet everyone. Emma follows him as he drags her from one end of the penthouse to the other, eager to show her anything and everything he can. 

By the end of the night, her feet hurt and she’s all too happy to get her belongings from the coat check room so she can slip on the flats she bought. She’s leaning against the wall, innocently trying to pry her feet out of the booties when Killian comes up behind her, his hand warm through the material of her dress and his voice hot in her ear. 

“Are you trying to kill me tonight?”

“I’m just trying to change my shoes. It’s not my fault your eyes automatically go to my ass when you approach me.”

He looks affronted when she turns to look at him, a smile hiding behind the expression.

“Besides,” she says, “I just can’t wait for you to get me out of this dress.”

“I’m ordering us a car right now.”

It’s amazing; she knows he prefers the quiet and solitude of their little town, but he performs so well in the city - like he was built to live here - and she loves that he chooses not to. They’re both on their best behavior in the car, but Killian purposely sat on her left so his hand can rest on her knee. Rather than spiking that part in her that’s always game for another round of sex, though, it reignites her thoughts from when she entered the party and she stares at him in the dark as the city lights pass them by.

When he notices, he turns to her with a peaceful look on his face, and they smile at each other. “What?” he asks, his fingers tightening once.

“Nothing,” she replies, taking the moment to rest her head on his shoulder for the rest of the journey. “Tonight was great.”

Back at the hotel, they at least manage to settle a bit before Killian follows through with her request, with both of them sighing as the dress slips from her shoulders and drops lightly to the floor. They take their time, slow and languid, savoring each moment with each other.

“I know I’ve said this plenty of times, but I am so happy you were able to make it,” Killian tells her as their skin is still cooling. She needs to go wash the makeup from her face but she’s not quite sure her legs will function in order to do so.

“Me too.” She stares at him, her eyes roaming his face and sinking into the wonder that has been the last three months of her life, thanks to this man.

“What is it?” he asks, his expression serious as he tries to figure out what she’s thinking.

“I… want to thank you for everything. You went into this without knowing and you still haven’t pushed me to talk about what happened or anything and so I just… wanted to say thanks.”

His smile falters, still there but just a touch disappointed that the words weren’t the ones he was expecting after she set it up to be something else, and she knows how it feels. Her thumb strokes along his cheek, pushing at his smile briefly as she leans in to kiss him. 

Maybe next time, she thinks as she moves to the bathroom to clean up before climbing back into bed. Outside, the city keeps moving on as their world slows for sleep. 

-x- December 21: Saturday

As usual, Killian is the one that wakes up first. He sets about ordering breakfast and jumps in the shower in the interim. Emma is awake and sitting up in bed when he comes back out, and he leans over the bed to kiss her good morning. 

“David texted me that he’s on his way home. He has everything we took from Walsh and he’s going to drop it off at my place.”

“That’s certainly good news. Even better news is I have coffee and breakfast being delivered soon.”

She chuckles at that. “Perfect. I wish I had more clothes with me, but I suppose yesterday’s will be fine.”

“My luggage is yours, love. I always pack extra just in case, so help yourself.”

Which seemed like a good idea, until Emma walks out of the bathroom after her own shower in one of his button up shirts, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows and her supple form filling out the garment better than he ever could. 

They eat breakfast in bed, the curtains flung open wide to let in the weak, winter sunshine. As they graze their food, Emma books her ticket for their return to Storybrooke, crowing in victory when she scores a seat on Killian’s flight.

“I’ll text David and see if he can pick us up,” Emma tells him when they’re getting ready for their outside adventure, pulling her hat securely over her ears and wrapping her scarf around her neck.

They brave the cold to hit some of the popular winter activities in the city, taking in the Christmas markets and strolling Fifth Avenue. In the early evening, they meet up with Robin, Regina, and the two boys again to enjoy dinner together. With the pressure from the night before long gone, they talk instead of the upcoming holidays. 

It’s clear that Henry is willing to keep the magic alive for Roland, asking the younger boy what he’s planning on asking for Christmas when they go to see Santa after the meal is over. When Killian catches Henry’s eye a short bit later, the lad smiles and gives him a thumbs up. 

After dinner, they set out on their own again to see the Rockefeller tree in person. They stand there, watching the lights twinkle and the skaters on the rink until neither of them can feel their toes and their noses are bright red. 

Sinking into their hotel bed that night, Killian makes sure to set his alarm, but Emma grabs for it before he can set it down.

“Just wanted to double check. Wouldn’t want to miss your alarm or anything,” she says, that smile hidden in the corner of her mouth. 

“Cheeky woman,” he says quietly, making sure to kiss her hard and lovely before they each burrow under the covers. 

There’s another message from David waiting for Emma when they wake up letting her know they’ll be there to pick them up. Thankfully, with no luggage, their disembarking process is much faster and they’re able to get out of the departure door right as David and Snow pull up.

While they go their separate ways when they get back to town, he and Emma have a standing appointment for later in the afternoon to take everything that was acquired from Walsh’s apartment to send it off properly, as she did with her uniform. 

He sets to work on a mission, unpacking his bag and stripping off his dirty clothes to throw everything in his hamper. There’s still time before he meets with Emma, but since he’s been out of town since Friday, he’s behind on his weekend duties and he knows he’ll feel better if he takes the time to do it now rather than waiting. He throws his clothes in the wash, opting for warmer clothes for their task ahead. Instead of sitting around and waiting for the machine to be done, he takes the time instead to pack a picnic of sorts for the task ahead of them. Those items and a blanket all go into a tote bag he got from the last publishing conference he attended. 

Shortly after his laundry is folded and put away, Emma breezes through the door with a large box in her arms. 

“Ready?”

“Aye, just let me grab my keys.”

He locks the door behind them on their way out, and then they make their way to the beach closest to his flat. There’s a fire pit that was built ages ago, large stones surrounding it and a fresh pile of logs that Killian would place money on betting that David set it up for them. 

As he sets to work lighting the fire, he hands Emma the tote to start unpacking their items. She hums happily as she finds the soup, and again when she opens the second thermos that has the hot chocolate. He’s just finishing with his task when he turns to see her pouring the drink into each mug he brought, and raises an eyebrow as she tips a generous amount of whiskey into each one. 

She shrugs when she sees his look. “Believe me, I’m going to need it,” she says after a sip to taste-test. 

They stay on the beach much longer than most people would in December, with fresh snow occasionally falling around them. But they make sure each individual picture makes it into the fire. As delicately as they can, they remove them from the box, and he hands a stack face-down to Emma for her to fold each picture so he can feed it into the fire. 

She sets the thumb drive on the rocks around the pit, making sure to give it a solid stomp before throwing that in as an afterthought. 

“I’m sure it’s terrible for the environment but I need that thing wiped from existence.”

When each item has met its demise, including the box it was all packed away in, Emma puts out the fire using every precaution he’s sure David taught her.

Back in the comforting warmth of his place, Killian pulls out every blanket he owns and waits for Emma to come out of his bedroom from getting changed into pajamas. He piles them on top of her, going to change his own clothes before joining her on the couch. He holds her while she processes the whole thing - some anger and tears, some relief, until she falls asleep on Killian’s shoulder and he has to shift around until they can both stretch out. 

He doesn’t fall asleep until long after she does, whispering a quiet “I love you” against her hair before he finally falls asleep, as well. 

-x- December 23: Monday

They’re still on the couch when Emma wakes up, if only just barely. She’s facing Killian, her back pressed against the couch, with Killian’s arm looped over her waist. She’s just opening her eyes when she hears his gasp and then he’s teetering off the edge. Now wide awake, she peers down to see Killian wincing on the floor.

“Are you okay?”

“Just peachy, love,” he grumbles, rubbing his head where it smacked on the floor. She’s stifling laughter when he leans up and kisses her softly. “Good morning to you, my sweet couch hog.”

“We could’ve moved at any time. Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Because I love you and wanted you to rest more than I cared about my own comfort,” he responds, only realizing as he finishes speaking that he may have said too much. His eyes, wider and brighter blue than she’s ever seen them, meet her steady gaze.

“I love you, too. But that’s a little dramatic of a reason for why you’re now on the floor.”

“I’d go to the ends of the earth for you. Or time. This time just happens to be on my remarkably uncomfortable area rug.” She can’t help the laugh that slips out this time and she runs her hands through his hair. Hangover be damned, she loves this man so much.

“Thanks again for last night. I was a bit of a mess,” she says, even though it feels like a vast understatement to what she actually was the day before. He waves his hand to dismiss her words.

“Sometimes, we just need to throw a mini-rager and burn a bunch of illegally obtained pornographic materials. You sure we’ll never need any of that as evidence in case there’s some kind of criminal investigation?”

“James was pretty clear with Walsh about what would happen to him if he tried to pursue legal action. Not only that, but every picture on the website has been removed and the only thing that pops up when the site is unlocked now is a picture of Walsh clutching his junk with an expression of pain on his face.” 

“I wish I could’ve been there to see you make that hit,” Killian admits, pushing up off the cushion to stand. “Come, love, let’s sail away to the kitchen where I can recite dirty poetry to you and make you breakfast.”

She laughs as she takes his hand, because while he doesn’t recite dirty poetry, he does make her breakfast and convince her to play hooky with him for the day. And when he takes her to bed a short time later, he infuses her skin with the words of his love over and over again. 

It’s the first time in years he doesn’t stick to any kind of routine at all, and they’re both perfectly okay with that. 

-x-

Epilogue

[ikesenlemonadestandstories]

Level 34

Thanks to everyone who asked how I was doing! I really appreciate it <3

Guess who got some free time today :) This gal! Hope you guys enjoy! Fingers crossed it stays slow for a little bit.

Master List

Tagging: @loudartanimeeclipse, @ihavenotfallenyet

Warnings: None

Level 34

The first thing you had done last night after getting home from your adventure was unblocked Masamune. What were the actual odds of something like that happening, you wondered. Sure, you had known the people from Team Kasugayama, but that was because it was a group of friends who had invited their mutual friends to play. Meeting someone in person that you’d only ever encountered in an online game had to be almost entirely unheard of. With a smile on your face, you headed off to bed, you had to be at work early tomorrow, and you desperately needed to avoid Sasuke and Yukimura for as long as possible. 

Fortunately, your instinct had been correct. The extra fifteen minutes had guaranteed you a spot on the early shuttle from the garage to work in near silence. It was peaceful, especially with the rain, and you were hoping for the day to stay that way.

It wasn’t busy in the lab, which meant you had time to fine-tune some of the more specific gating elements in your new test. With the day slowing down and the sample load dwindling, you put on your headphones and planned to hunker down at your desk until the end of the day. 

Unfortunately, things don’t always go as planned; you were so concentrated on your work that when Yukimura and Sasuke swarmed your desk, you nearly jumped out of your seat. So close, you had been so close. 

“What can I do for you, boys?” You asked, granting them a side-eye as you shifted your headphones. 

“We need bodyguards.” Yukimura let out, exasperated. 

“Oh? Not sure why you’re telling me unless you want me to know in case you disappear?” You teased.

“This isn’t funny. It’s one thing to win a tournament. It’s another to land a hit like that on Kenshin.” Yukimura sighed. “We have to live with your life decisions, you know!”

“Not my fault he couldn’t take a well-placed hit.” You shrugged, enjoying the way Yukimura bristled. 

“It was indeed. Though I might need a place to lay low for a while if you don’t mind.” Sasuke complimented you. 

“You guys are acting like Kenshin is going to off you IRL. Chill out or call the cops, my dudes.” You laughed as they both shared a look. 

“If we disappear, can we count on you to call in detectives?” Yukimura asked.

“All I ask is you remember us fondly,” Sasuke said with a bow.

“You guys are ridiculous. Stop.” You snickered as you continued. “I’m honestly surprised, we’ve been playing around with my luck stat, so I didn’t know if our plan would work. I was sure Edo was going to have to come to bail me out.” 

“I know your speed stat has no rival, but mixing that with high luck is a dangerous combination I’d never even entertained. Well done.” Sasuke congratulated you with a pat on the shoulder. 

“Why are you congratulating her? Kenshin is going to make our lives a living hell online for the next month.” Yukimura pouted.

“You act as though we’re the only ones who will be affected.” Sasuke pointed out. “YN is going to have to watch out as well.”

“Me?” You balked. “Why me? Because I beat him?”

“Precisely.” Sasuke used the dramatic pause to push his glasses up his nose before continuing. “I would be prepared for a flurry of battle requests from him.”

“Oh, is that it?” You wondered aloud. “He’s been blocked for months, remember? Just like the rest of you? He couldn’t send me requests if he wanted to.”

“AUGH!” Yukimura burst out as he slumped forward. “This just got so much worse for us.”

“I’m sure you’ll be okay; you’re both resourceful.” You consoled, swiveling in your chair to try and hide your amusement. 

“She acts like she’s never played with him before!” Yukimura whined.

“I did; he liked me.” You teased, “What have you been doing the past few months that you still haven’t managed to win him over?”

“Shut it!” Yukimura’s agitation grew the more prolonged the encounter drew on, and it was showing. 

“Yanno, I was down here minding my own business, not talking to anyone until you two showed up.” You pointed out, turning your attention back towards your computer. 

“What do you have there?” Sasuke asked, leaning in to take a look at your computer screen. 

“Validation data.” You scooted your chair over to make more room for your now curious friends. 

“Ah, is this your project with Dr. Tokugawa then?” Sasuke asked as Yukimura looked on, confused.  

“Sort of? It’s been my project for a while. He’s thinking about running a study that needs specific testing.” You shuffled around your plots and pulled up some data on the computer. “It just sort of happened that I was already cooking something up.”

“Interesting. What a lucky twist of fate.” Sasuke pondered.

“How so?” You mused.

“It’s not every day that you get to work with a partner in real life and a video game like that.” Sasuke continued.

“I’m not following you at all there, buddy.” You grimaced, trying to put your finger on what Sasuke was trying to say.

“Dr. Tokugawa is Edo is he not?” Sasuke tilted his head as he asked you his question. 

“I don’t know who Edo is.” The confusion was evident on your face. “What makes you say it’s Ieyasu?”

“Yoshimoto told us.” Yukimura chimed in. “Didn’t he tell you?”

“No. How does he even know that?” You could feel the grimace starting.

“They have, history, yes - history.” Sasuke struggled to explain it well.

“I’m surprised he didn’t tell you.” Yukimura pointed out nonchalantly. 

“Maybe he doesn’t know it’s me?” You tried to offer, knowing full well you’ve potentially told your crush some super deep things.

“While that is possible, you will never have an answer unless you ask.” Sasuke offered. 

“Why would I ask? What if he doesn’t know? That’ll just make things awkward.” You could feel the anxiety rising in your chest. 

“Knowing you, it’s already going to be awkward now that you know.” Yukimura chuckled as he patted your shoulder. “You’re better off just asking before you explode.”

“Why, why did you have to go and make this more complicated?” You begrudged. 

“I’m sure you would have found out eventually.” Sasuke offered.

“Is that your way of trying to make me feel better?” You sighed.

“No, I’m being realistic.” he fixed his glasses. “You’ve been working with him both here and online for a long time. You have feelings for the man in real life. It would have eventually come up.”

“I mean, yes, you’re right.” You glared at Sasuke, knowing he had a point. “At least that is more organic than whatever I’m about to go do now.”

“Oh, can I come to watch?” Yukimura asked, not even trying to hide the amusement in his voice.

“No.” You deadpanned. 

“What if I say I’m there as emotional support?” Yukimura offered.

“Accept, we both now know you’re not?” You snickered, despite the turmoil in your brain.

“Fine, good luck and have fun, I guess?” Yukimura tossed his hand in the air. “C’mon, Sasuke, we need to get back to the floor.”

“Do we?” Sasuke wondered before checking his watch. 

There wasn’t anything said after he raised his eyebrows above his frames, and both of them took off. Alone with your thoughts now, the panic started to kick into overdrive. What were you going to do? If Ieyasu was Edo, you had quite literally told the man you had a crush on him! Should you even approach this? What happened if he did find out somehow that you knew? Would he think you were using him, that it was a lie? Gods, you didn’t want that either. A string of curses flew out of your mouth, and you picked up your desk phone before you had a chance to change your mind. 

“Hi, Dr. Tokugawa? Do you have a minute?”

[notwhelmedyet]

An alphabetical guide to MTMTE season 1 characters

All the characters that are prominently featured/mentioned in MTMTE issues 1-22 who you might want a quick reference on, descriptions contain no spoilers past that point! Primary cast in italics

‘the Necrobot’ : A mysterious mythological figure that visits the bodies of every fallen soldier. Or does he?

‘the Senator’ : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, Orion Pax’s benefactor who altered him to be able to carry the matrix, alt mode is a small spacecraft

Ambulon : A medic stationed at Delphi under Pharma, a former Decepticon

Blaster : LL crew member and director of communications

Brainstorm : LL crew member, a scientist and weapons designer, alt mode is a blue jet

Bumblebee : Autobot commander on Cybertron, uses a cane to walk, a close friend of Ratchet’s, was left with the other half of the Matrix, alt mode is a small yellow car

Chromedome aka Tumbler : LL crew member, a former mnemosurgeon, very close to Rewind, alt mode is a weird red and orange car

Crankcase : One of the Scavengers. Missing a chunk of his head. Fairly surly.

Cyclonus : LL crew member, neither an Autobot nor a Decepticon, was stuck in a dead universe as a zombie for millions of years, deeply cynical, led the attack on Kimia before the end of the war (that’s where Chromedome, Rewind and Brainstorm worked!) and killed a lot of people. Also helped save Cybertron. Alt mode is a purple jet

Dai Atlas : Leader of the Circle of Light, the religious group that converted Drift when he left the Decepticons

Dominus Ambus : Former husband of Rewind’s, a scientist, philosopher and activist, missing since the start of the war

Drift, formerly Deadlock : LL crew member, 3rd in command, formerly the Decepticon Deadlock, defected and joined the Autobots after finding The Circle of Light and being mentored by Wing, stabbed himself in the spark and had a religious awakening at the end of the war

First Aid : A nurse stationed at Delphi under Pharma, obsessed with Autobot badges, a big fan of the Wreckers

Flywheels : One of the Scavengers, a deeply religious neoprimalist who can’t lie without transforming, has very large feet.

Fortress Maximus aka Fort Max : An Autobot, was stationed as warden of the prison Garrus 9 when it was attacked by Overlord, he was brutally tortured for three years before the Wreckers mounted a rescue. He’s been unconscious ever since.

Fulcrum : One of the Scavengers, a K-class Decepticon who miraculously survived battle and was subsequently adopted by the Scavengers.

Froid : A colleague/nemesis of Rung’s, a fellow psychologist. Missing, presumed dead

Galvatron : Ancient warrior and Cyclonus’s former lord. Nearly destroyed Cybertron fairly recently.

Getaway : An Autobot escapologist who’s been missing for some time

Glitch : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, an outlier and victim of empurata, Glitch has the ability to disable non-sentient mechanical objects by touching them

Grimlock : Autobot whos alt mode is a T. Rex. Last seen at the prison Garrus 9

Helex : Member of the DJD, a very large mech with two sets of arms, kills people by stuffing them into his chest compartment smelting pool

Hoist : LL crewmember, Trailbreaker’s roommate, he’s got a spotlight you could read. He turns into a green...hoist thingie. Useful for rescuing crewmembers who are underwater.

Impactor : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, a miner who was once friends with Megatron who later became the leader of the Wreckers.

Ironfist aka Fistiron : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, a total nerd who was obsessed with the Primal Vanguard. During the war he was a weapons designer who ran the Wreckers: Declassified datalogs. He was eventually assigned to accompany the Wreckers on a mission, where he died.

Kaon : Member of the DJD, has no eyes, has a pet turbofox that he claims is a Sparkeater, alt mode is an electric chair

Krok : Leader of the Scavengers, looking for his old squad.

Misfire : One of the Scavengers, a Decepticon who’s a notoriously bad shot.

Nightbeat : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, a detective who first finds the dead body with his partner Quark

Optimus Prime / Orion Pax : ...do I really have to? Leader of the Autobots, the most recognizable transformer, alt mode is a truck.

Ore : LL crewmember, one of the Duobots with Shock, dies early on

Overlord : A ‘Phase 6′ Decepticon who is known for being bloodthirsty, having creepy lips and being nigh unstoppable. Alt mode is a tank.

Perceptor: LL crewmember, most respected scientist on board, during the war he was a member of the Wreckers and nearly died but was saved by Drift. This led to him becoming a sniper/getting a radical sniper makeover, alt mode is a microscope

Pharma : Lead medic at Delphi, knows Ratchet from way back, alt mode is a jet

Pipes : LL crewmember, very small and optimistic and a bit awkward, alt mode is a small blue car

Proteus : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, the senator that offered Decepticons political recognition if enough would officially register as Decepticons

Prowl : Autobot left on Cybertron, Chromedome’s partner from his police detective days, a schemer and strategist, flips tables over when he’s angry as a running gag, alt mode is a police car

Quark : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, a detective who first finds the dead body with his partner Nightbeat

Ratchet : LL crewmember, chief medical officer of the ship and formerly of the Autobots, grumpy surly and a belligerent athiest, has ‘form fatigue’ in his hands which threatens to ruin his medical career, alt mode is an ambulance

Red Alert : LL crewmember, chief of security, struggles with paranoia and intrusive thoughts, has exceptional hearing, spies on everyone all the time (because he’s worried about them)

Rewind : LL crewmember, has a camera mounted on his head and uses it constantly, archivist, making a travelogue of the Lost Light’s adventures, very close to Chromedome, very small, alt mode is a memory stick

Rodimus, formerly Hot Rod : LL captain, has flames painted on his chest, very showy and impulsive, once carried the Matrix during the war, came up from nothing on the streets of Nyon, alt mode is a sports car

Roller : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, a cop who’s a buddy of Orion Pax

Rung : LL crewmember, the only therapist on board, mysterious past, wears glasses, alt mode is a mystery

Scourge : Dead. Cyclonus’s closest friend, was also trapped in the Dead Universe and was also a zombie. By throwing his body into some magical well Galvatron created an army of Scourge clones at the end of the war...they all died too.

Shock : LL crewmember, one of the Duobots (with Ore), dies early on

Skids : joins the LL crew, Autobot who’d gone missing, can’t remember his recent past, very affable and kind, alt mode is a blue car

Spinister : One of the Scavengers, a Decepticon who’s very good at surgery and struggles with paranoia

Star Saber : A rogue member of the circle of light, a religious zealot who led ‘holy wars’ against ‘heretics’

Swerve : LL crewmember, a very chatty metallurgist who has always dreamed of being a bartender, makes a lot of jokes, desperate for real friends

Tailgate : LL crewmember, a minibot who spent several million years asleep at the bottom of a hole and missed the entire war, Cyclonus’s roommate, alt mode is a tiny blue and white car

Tarn : Leader of the DJD (Decepticon Justice Devision), the ultimate Megatron fanboy, kills people by talking to them, alt mode is a purple tank

Tesarus : Member of the DJD, very large with an X over his face, large blender in his chest that he uses to blend/torture people

Thunderclash : The best Autobot, well known war hero off on his own space adventure, on life support due to a spark injury, huge and heroic and with clashing colors

Trailbreaker/Trailcutter : LL crewmember, an outlier who can summon forcefields, has a serious drinking problem,

Trepan : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, mnemosurgeon, missing in action and presumed dead, alt mode is a drill

Tyrest : Chief Justice Tyrest, a Neutral/Autobot (sometimes one, sometimes the other) who presided over peace talks, helped organize the Exodus of unafilliated Cybertronians etc. etc. Holds the Law to be the most important thing.

Ultra Magnus : LL crewmember, second in command, Duly Appointed Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord, very very tall and very very serious, obsessed with rules and order, alt mode is a truck

Vos : Member of the DJD, can only speak the Primal Vernacular, tortures people by forcing them to wear a mask of spikes, alt mode is a sniper rifle

Whirl : LL crewmember, first seen trying to light some mutilated corpses on fire, bombastic and aggressive, claws and a single optic, former member of the Wreckers, alt mode is a helicopter

Windcharger : Appears in the Shadowplay flashbacks, an outlier with the ability to levitate using magnetism

Wing : Former member of the Circle of Light, Drift’s friend and mentor, died during the Drift miniseries

(If you need to ID a very minor character, try TFWiki. The ‘Featured Characters’ listing for each issue will tell you who appeared in that issue. Be warned that all the character pages are full of spoilers.)

If I’ve made any mistakes please send corrections! I’d hate to mislead any new fans.

[impartofthesolution]

Sleepover

           Not wanting to be alone tonight, I invited my friends over. Ostensibly, it was just a movie night, but here they were, each with a sleeping bag, pillow, and snacks.  In the past, we would watch horror movies on Halloween night, but I don’t think any of us were in the mood for that tonight.  We settled on the harmless comedy Sisters with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.  All of the lights were on.  Tonight was a night to chase off the darkness as best possible.  It might not be the Purge, but after the evening we had, it felt like we were as paranoid as any non-participant in that movie.            “I’ve got some blankets.  There’s room for all of us on the couch.  Everyone ready?” I asked.  The smiles from my friends seemed forced, but I accepted them as the best they could do.  We sat on the couch and got comfortable.  It was snug, and it’d likely grow warm under the blanket, but it was secure.  Denise and I had been friends forever.  I met Austin and Ali in college and learned they were from my town.  The adventures the four of us went on were epic.  Hopefully, one day, we’d be able to laugh about this like we laughed about April Fools Day pranks, ziplining misadventures, and quarry explorations.            Right at the part where John Cena was talking about safe words, Denise started squirming next to me.  “Don’t mind me, I’ll be right back.”  She got up, dragging half of our blankets onto the floor.  Ali and I groaned playfully and made a show of having to pick them back up.  Even though I was comfy cozy again, my leg still felt cold with Denise’s absence. The sense of security was slightly lower.            She came back a few minutes later, and it was an entire ordeal to re-assimilate her back into our nest of blankets and legs.  Still, she found a way to wiggle between Ali and me while only kicking me twice in the arm.  I elbowed her back.  She growled at me and then started giggled.  It was nice to have things feel normal.  That’s what we desperately needed tonight.  Uproarious comedy and friendship have a way to settle the most disquiet soul.            We thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the movie. I know I’d seen it before, but I’m not sure about the others.  A movie that good, no one can help but to laugh, no matter how familiar the jokes.  Austin got up as the credits started and took his turn in the bathroom.  Ali, Denise, and I were giggling about our favorite scenes and making jokes about musical ballerinas getting stuck in our butts when all of the lights went out and the television went dark.  My friends yelped in surprise.            A few seconds later, the blue light of our cell phone screens illuminated our faces.  I spoke up, “I’m going to go down to the basement and check the power panel. Stay here, and tell Austin when he comes back.”            “You don’t think it could be that creepy pumpkin man, do you?” asked Ali, fearful.            “No, no, it can’t be.  We saw him being taken into the police car,” Denise was being brave, but it was clear she was also worried.            “Austin probably just flipped too many switches in the bathroom and tripped a circuit.  It’s fine.”            “All of them?” Ali was skeptical.            “I don’t know,” dim light danced around the room from my cell phone screen as I threw my hands in the air.  “It’s an old house.  We all have cell phones.  I’ll be back in two minutes.”  I switched on the flashlight of my phone and made my way across the living room to the basement door.  I sighed, annoyance edging out the fear.  Putting on my flipflops, I went downstairs, finding my way by cell phone light.  The basement was cluttered, a combination of my parents’ junk they left behind when they went downsized to a smaller house and my childhood memories.  In other words, it was all my parents’ junk.  There were a few tools, too.  Somewhere, buried under some pile dusty with disuse.            The path to the power panel was direct and clean of debris, owing to the fact I’ve had to come down her more often than I’d like.  I opened the panel and shone my light on the circuits.  Sure enough, every single one of them had been tripped.  I made a mental note to call my buddy Patrick to come look at the wiring in the house.  He’d done some electrical work before.  I started flipping all of the switches to off and back on.  A few of the annoying one, and I knew which ones to expect, took a few tries before they stayed on.  I hadn’t tried to turn on the basement light when I came down here, so it was still dark when I finished.            “HELP!” a shout came from upstairs.  Thinking maybe Austin fell or tripped, I raced across the basement and bounded up the steps.            “Ooof!” I exclaimed, stumbling backwards and almost tripping back down the wooden steps.  I had run right into somebody.            “Are you okay?” Austin asked me.  “We heard you cry for help.”            Confused, I looked at my friends’ concerned faced. “I’m fine.  But I didn’t cry for help.  I thought you did, Austin.”  He shook his head worriedly.  “I flipped the switches and then heard someone say ‘HELP!’”            “Yeah, the lights turned back on, and that’s when we heard ‘HELP!’ come from the basement,” explained Ali.            “But, that means…” is all Denise got to say.  The door to the basement slammed shut, causing all of us to jump.  Ali ran back up the stairs and tried the door.  The doorknob turned, but she couldn’t get it to budge.  Denise and Austin ran up to help, but they realized quickly it was futile.            “Ugh, it’s so dark down here,” complained Ali. “Where’s your light switch?”            “On the wall, by the doorknob,” I instructed.  I hear the sound of a light switch click. Then, it clicked more, really fast.            “I thought you restored the power to the house,” her rising hysteria came across as an accusation.            “I did.  That light switch is finicky.  Here,” I stepped down the stairs, reached up, and pulled a chain.  The single bare bulb seemed to cast more shadows than actual light. One of those shadows was moving. A man stepped out, wearing a pumpkin on his head.  The dead eyes and wicked grin awoke nightmares too recently put to rest.            “Remember me?” a gravelly voice emanated from that imposing figure.  He’d replaced his gun with an old school hatchet.  My dad had bought me that hatchet when we went camping one day when I was sixteen.  Denise and Ali screamed.            We stepped off the stairs and moved to the opposite side of the basement, trying to put as much junk between us and the killer as possible.  The lightbulb’s light barely reached our corner, and it felt like we were hiding in pure shadows.  Maybe the pumpkin helmet had night vision goggles, because he tracked us perfectly and lumbered lazily in our direction, evidently in no rush.            He stopped eight feet from us, both hands on the hatchet, looking threatening.  “You made my night way harder than it needed to be.  For that, you’ll pay.  No point in calling the cops.  By now, you should be experiencing headaches.  If I were to guess, I’d say it throbs just behind your eyes.”  I had been so worried about things, I hadn’t noticed, but my head did hurt.  We looked at each other.  The fear I could see in my friends’ shadowed eyes told me it was the same for them. “You’re experiencing acute carbon monoxide poisoning.  You’ll be dead before the cops show up.”  That was why he wasn’t making any move to kill us.            Austin charged at the pumpkin man with a metal shovel. The man swung the hatchet, hooked the shovel’s shaft, and knocked it to the side.  He swung the hatchet again, and Austin had to hop back to avoid it. He wobbled and almost lost his balance before I pulled him back to us.            Though our time was running out due to the carbon monoxide, our first problem was still the psycho killer in my basement.  We continued to circle around the basement, keeping those piles of junk between us.  I tossed an old middle school trophy at the man, and he batted it aside like it was made out of plastic (it was).  We finally made our way over to where I keep my hammer.  It was an awful matchup against a hatchet, but it made me feel somewhere better.            “I bet I could get my door open with this hammer, if we can get over there,” I whispered.  If the pumpkin man heard, he didn’t show it.  I threw a screwdriver at him.  It spun through the air like a throwing knife and managed to connect with his shoulder.  Unfortunately, it was the back end.  The only thing it did was make him angrier.  Still, it gave us enough time to get to the stairs.  At some point, Austin had picked up the rake I couldn’t find for weeks.  Denise found a saw that seemed useful in principle but couldn’t actually help us.            The headache was getting worse, and it was a struggle to get up the stairs.  Austin kept jabbing the back of the rake at the intruder, but he couldn’t keep this up. I heard a commotion upstairs. Uncertain what it was, I just knew I couldn’t stay downstairs anymore.  I swung my hammer at the door.  It made a solid THUNK but otherwise, nothing happened.  I needed to hit it harder.            Then, the door opened and real light shone into the basement.  In front of me stood two police officers.  “FREEZE” they called.            “How’d you get here so quick?” I asked, my head dizzy.            “I called them as soon as the power went out,” responded Austin.  He gave a final shove with the rake and backed up the steps.  We retreated behind the cops.  There were another two in my living room.            “Are you kids alright?” one asked us.            “It’s that pumpkin man we saw earlier tonight!  He’s in the basement.  And he said something about carbon monoxide.            “Get the EMTs in here and get these kids some oxygen,” a police officer told his partner.  Two gunshots echoed into the basement.  I hoped the nightmare had finally ended. Back to Table of Contents (x)

[trickertreater]

quite frankly nothing feels right. so here have to Atsutodo (even though i’m not sure if the fandom still exists on tumblr now...)

Ever since he knew how to talk, Atsushi was prepared for a cruel world full of backstabbing millionaires and filthy liars to survive in the major business world.

What he was never prepared for was actually stabbing someone and cutting off their head to survive in the real world.

Well, does a zombie count as a “someone” at this point? They’re already inhuman, right?

Atsushi dodges just in time to avoid a rotten arm grabbing at him. These things aren’t forgiving enough for him to muse about their state in the world. He raises his machete and slices down another zombie—god, how the hell did his life come to this?

It was supposed to be a regular Saturday, staying home all day doing nothing. Instead he’s outside, fighting for his life as he makes his way through the hoard with only a single goal in mind.

Thank god the house isn’t far from his place by foot. He abandoned his car a long time ago when the streets became infested. But it thinned as he got closer to the neighborhoods, and Atsushi could handle the zombies one at a time.

Now if he just turns this corner—

He stops in his tracks.

The Matsuno household. It’s a mess. Broken windows, doors, roof. Like the house became animated and got into a fight.

A low groan.

Atsushi snaps back into reality, jumps back as a hand swipes at his face. He swings the machete, the force throwing the zombie into the wall. He swings again, lodges the blade into its throat, then pulls it out and swings again.

Head rolling on the ground, Atsushi catches his breath before running to the house. He curses. Every second is precious.

The door hangs on its hinges at a crooked angle. Atsushi pushes against it, but it doesn’t budge. A barricade?

“Oi, Todomatsu? Todomatsu, you there?” He bangs his shoulder against the door. It shifts slightly, then nothing.

“Todo—” He hears a guttural sound, and swings his machete. It sticks into a zombie’s chest. He yanks it out, and aims higher. Right in the throat. It goes down, taking the machete with it. Atsushi raises his foot, and stomps down, a human guillotine. He snatches up the machete.  

“Todomatsu?!” He shouts into the house again.

“Who’s there?” Atsushi hears a voice call out in the wreck.

“It’s Atsushi!” He yells, feeling desperate. “Let me in!”

“Atsushi? You’re that rich boyfriend.”

They know who he is. Thank god. “Yeah just—just let me in, please!”

He hears shuffling, someone moving objects, before the door is lifted ever so slightly, enough for Atsushi to crawl under. Atsushi gets up as the person quickly puts the door back, and he helps them move the barricade back into place. He turns to thank them when he freezes.

“Todomatsu…?” He looks just like… But no he’s not. He’s wearing a red hoodie, similar to the one Todomatsu usually wears. Then he remembers Todomatsu mentioning he has brothers.

“Ha, you wish, wouldn’t you,” he says, rubbing a finger under his nose. Something seems stiff. With that, he reveals himself as Osomatsu, Todomatsu’s eldest twin brother.

“Where—where is everyone?” Where is Todomatsu? 

“… You’re part of that company, right?” Osomatsu dodges the question. “The one with all the doctors and scientists?”

A vague description, but Atsushi knows what he’s talking about. He nods, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach.

Osomatsu gives him a grin, but it’s broken. His eyes, in fact, are screaming.

“Thank god. I think—can you help me?”

“With what?”

Osomatsu opens his mouth to answer, but he’s cut off by a groan. Whipping around, Osomatsu tackles the shadowy form that turned up from behind. Atsushi moves to help him, but stops when Osomatsu shouts.

“Stay there! I’ve got this!”

He manages to subdue the zombie and presses it to the ground, but makes no move to kill it.

“Osomatsu…?”

Panting heavily, Osomatsu looks up. “Sorry, he got loose. I’m trying to keep them away from everyone, see.” He smiles again, weakly. He looks like he’s going to cry any second.

The body beneath him writhes and snaps, struggling to break free and take a bite out of the two humans present.

“Why? Why won’t you kill it?”

“Ah, you can’t see from there, can you?”

“See what?”

“Why don’t—why don’t you come closer and see for yourself? I—I’d say he doesn’t bite but”—he laughs, almost maniacally—“you and I both know that’s a big ass lie.”

Atsushi doesn’t reply, just does as he’s requested.

His breath hitches when his eyes adjust to the darkness and allows him to see just who Osomatsu is holding down.

“He—he’s the first one to turn. He got some others too. They’re all in the back. I don’t know how or why this is happening but please—please can you help?”

Atsushi wants to answer, wants to say he can.

“Please?” Osomatsu’s voice is filled with tears.

Atsushi doesn’t know what to feel.

“…Please, please just tell me you can help—” He’s cut off as the writhing body beneath him snaps wildly, straining his neck to reach Osomatsu’s face. “Just tell me you can help me.”  

Atsushi just stares. Stares at who Osomatsu’s trying to subdue.

Todomatsu.

it’s ok to tag this as atsutodo right? i mean if i were to flesh this out they would be a focus, as well as atsushi and osomatsu’s buddy cop adventures as they save the day (people: I don’t think you really understand the “buddy cop” genre....)

it’s a long post but i don’t know if i wanna post this on ao3 yet. 

[entergamingxp]

Five of the Best: Friends • Eurogamer.net

Five of the Best is a weekly series about the bits of games we overlook. I’m talking about potions, hubs, bags, mountains, anything really – but things we ignore at the time. Then, years later, we find they’re cemented in our memory, inseparable from our experience of the game. Turns out they were important after all. So now we’re celebrating them.

Five of the Best works like this. Various Eurogamer writers will share their memories in the article and then you – probably outraged we didn’t include the thing you’re thinking of – can share the thing you’re thinking of in the comments below. We’ve had some great discussions in our other Five of the Best pieces. Some of you have memories like elephants!

Today’s Five of the Best…

Friends: it’s at times like these we need them, phoning up, checking in, sending us silly pictures to make us smile. Friends are a very good thing. And the characters we play in games have friends too, unless they’re monsters – do monsters have friends? – always there to help them out and encourage them along. In our adventures, as in our lives, it’s friends who make the journey worthwhile, so let’s give them the cheer they deserve.

Midna

Midna makes it very clear when you first meet her she doesn’t want to be Link’s friend. Unlike Navi who just wanted you to listen, Midna belittles Link, takes on the form of his kidnapped friends to mock him, and is open with the fact she’s only helping him because she gets something out of it.

Yet as much as the narrative in Twilight Princess follows the typical Zelda structure of good overthrowing evil, it’s also about the developing friendship between two very different people from very different worlds. Experiencing this relationship through Link’s eyes, you witness the subtle beginning, where Midna’s true feelings manage to slip through her persona, to the defining moments like when you save her life. Gradually the image of Midna as a potentially backstabbing imp erodes away and you see her for who she truly is: an overthrown leader desperately trying to find a way to save her people.

By the end of the game, you know that Midna is your friend, which is why her final decision to permanently break the connection between the worlds of Light and Twilight is so heartbreaking.

-Lottie Lynn

Garrus

People spend a lot of time thinking about who they want to bone in Mass Effect, but not a lot of time thinking about Garrus. Which is a real shame, I think, because he clearly spends a lot of time thinking about you.

I could write a whole character study on why Garrus is clearly your best buddy throughout the trilogy. He idolises Shepard, wants to be them someday himself. He even tries, off-screen, during his moody Archangel phase. And he fails – gets his whole squad killed in the process. And it hurts him. But that’s fine. Because he’s still your number one. He is the Riker to Shepard’s Picard. The Judy to your Richard.

From his beginnings in Mass Effect 1 as a moody cast-out cop, his race only recently done being at war with humanity after we barged onto the galactic stage, to the fan-favourite scene in Mass Effect 3 where you go shooting bottles together on the roof of the Citadel, Garrus’ arc is defined by his relationship with Shepard. When things get really dark in Mass Effect 3, it is Garrus – and only Garrus – that Shepard will tell if he is forced to kill Mordin. And when it comes to the trilogy’s set of final goodbyes, amidst the rubble of London, Garrus is one of the last you can counsel. He knows you probably won’t make it out of this alive. And he’s right. But he’s already planning to meet you, should there be some kind of afterlife, for a drink at the bar.

-Tom Phillips

The Dog

Man’s best friend. It could be Colin the Call of Duty dog or whatever you want to call the Fallout dog, but the one which really sticks in my mind is Fido the Fable dog. This was Peter Molyneux’s big play in Fable 2, his foolproof way of getting you to care about something he could leverage later on – I can’t bring myself to spoil the surprise even all these years later.

His thinking was clear: no one can resist a dog. You may be able to deny the charms of a humanoid companion, find them a bit annoying, but you can never turn down a four-legged friend. And I think it worked.

It reminds me of the wonderful Mabari Warhound from Dragon Age: Origins. What a beast! Even when ordered to kill my companions, it didn’t turn me down. Now there’s a real friend for you.

-Bertie

Your Pokmon

I know I’ve made a lot of friends in video games, but for a while I couldn’t actually think of any. I’ve always struggled to really bond with NPCs in the way I know a lot of people have – and I’ve always slightly envied those people for it – but I find most NPCs and companions to be something different to friends. Something more like exposition delivery mannikins or walking storage bags. And yet, I have made friends in games.

It probably shouldn’t have taken me so long to think of because, duh, it’s Pokmon, a series about friendship and growing bonds, about foregoing strength and stats for a trusted companion that can muddle through. Of course it’s that. I want to say there’s one Pokmon that always stood out above the rest, maybe your chosen starter, but I don’t think there is. Game Freak’s success comes from an enduring ability to give incredible, disarming humanity to its little creatures. There are no exceptions. Whichever ones you choose or bump into, or get stuck with and grow to sort of begrudgingly love, are the ones that matter. A lesson that friendship isn’t always what we think it is, if that isn’t a little trite. It’s about the bond itself, regardless of the person – or Pokmon.

-Chris Tapsell

This is… bizarre.

Roach

So I have a propensity towards liking animals which don’t talk back – sue me! But how can you deny the stalwart charm of Roach in The Witcher 3? She is Geralt’s forever companion, lugging him around the countryside into beasts’ lairs without so much as a whinny.

“C’mon Roach”: the most iconic saying in the game. It’s what I say whenever I’m pretending to be Geralt, which I do quite a lot and I bet you do too. “C’mon Roach.” Speak it and there she’ll be (in the game, that is, she’s never shown up in real life). Maybe inexplicably up on a roof somewhere, or caught on a fence or a bush, but there she’ll be, forever, dependably, by your side.

-Bertie

Well, I didn’t know this!

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2020/03/five-of-the-best-friends-%e2%80%a2-eurogamer-net/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=five-of-the-best-friends-%25e2%2580%25a2-eurogamer-net