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cecilysass · 2 years

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The Kaleidoscope (2/4)

Read on AO3 | Angst, JealousMulder, MSR | Tagging @today-in-fic

Sorrow.

He’s distracted as he enters the garage, deep in the shadows of his mind, so he is not as alert to his environment as he typically is.

The black Camaro barrels down the ramp, much too fast, only ten feet ahead of him. He doesn’t even process it.

It flies by: a gust of air, a screech of wheels.

Blinking rapidly, mouth agape, he watches it tear out of the garage. If he had come out only a few seconds earlier, he realizes, he would have stepped right into its path. He certainly would have been hit. At that speed, the Camaro could have killed him.

Running his hands down his face and taking a deep steadying breath, he takes that in. Someone would have identified his body from his badge. They would have informed the Bureau, and the Bureau would let his emergency contact know.

Would they have called her this evening? He imagines her taking the call, getting up from her dinner with Ryan, going outside to hear better. He imagines her face as she takes in the news. Even though he longs for Scully’s attention right now, even though he wants evidence she cares, Mulder finds that the idea of her crying for him isn’t pleasant.

He doesn’t like to think of her crying at all.

Yet he’s been the cause of her tears, directly or indirectly, so, so often. More often than he has made her happy, for sure.

Somberly, he crosses the road to his car, parked just a few steps away.

He slides, dazed, into the driver’s seat. Gazing straight out the front windshield of his car, his eyes refocus on the concrete wall in front of him.

The faint ring of his cell phone breaks him out of his trance. He raises his hips to fish it out of his pocket.

He presses it to his ear without thinking. “Mulder.”

“You’re a difficult man to reach, Fox.”

He has to concentrate for a moment on this voice, to put it in context. “Diana.”

“I left you three messages today. Didn’t you get them?”

“Yeah … actually, no. I didn’t. I didn’t read them. ”

“Is everything all right, Fox?”

“Yeah,” he says. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

“I was calling to make sure we were still on for lunch next week. I really want to pick your brain about the Deloitte case. There are some very interesting inconsistencies, and I know you’ll be able to make sense of it.”

“Sure, yeah.”

“We could get together this weekend instead, if that’s more convenient?”

“I don’t know,” he says. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

“Fox, are you sure everything’s all right?”

“Diana…” he says. He stops, thinking hard.

“Yes?”

“Do you remember that time you called me emotionally arrested?” Mulder leans his head back into the headrest and closes his eyes. “You said I was emotionally arrested because of trauma, and that it made me unable to have functioning adult relationships with women.”

There was a pause on the line.

“You’re talking about years ago?”

“Yeah.”

“When I said that, we were having an argument,” she says carefully. “Things were heated. I don’t think I really meant it.”

“I’m not angry about it, Diana,” he says. “I’m just trying to understand.”

“Did something … happen?”

“When you said that,” Mulder asks, closing his eyes tighter, “do you remember what you meant? Did you mean I was unable to have relationships because I didn’t communicate well? Or because I was self-centered? Or did you maybe … sense that I might be someone whose actions could ruin your life? Is that why you ended things?”

Another pause.

“I ended things with you because of my job. Not because I thought there was something wrong with you, Fox.”

“Hmm.” Mulder nods. “Okay.” There is another pause, and then he adds weakly: “Well, it worked out for the best anyway, huh.”

Some might even say she dodged a bullet, he thought.

“Fox, where are you? I don’t like how you sound right now. Let me come find you.”

“I’m okay. I’m fine.”

“Are you alone? Is someone with you?

“Don’t worry about it, Diana. I’m just … thinking. No big deal.”

“Fox—”

“We’ll talk later. About the case. I’ll call you.”

He hangs up. Then he starts the ignition.

***

Before he goes home, he drives past Oiseaux, a bar he knows just a few blocks from work. It’s a glossy, fashionable place that Scully admires but he doesn’t. If he had to, that’s where he would guess she and Ryan probably went for drinks. He wonders if he might see them inside, sitting at a table through a window.

He looks closely as he drives by. He doesn’t see anything. Only the stupid hip exterior of the bar.

Maybe they aren’t even at that particular place. Maybe he doesn’t know Scully as well as he thinks he does.

He wishes he had thought to take her to that bar sometime. He would have bought her whatever dumb overpriced drink she wanted.

***

When he gets home, his melancholy deepens.

He calls Frohike and asks a favor: find out all he can about someone named Ryan, working for Citibank, living on Scully’s street, aged 25-35. Frohike is suspicious but tactful. He’s able to come up with information very promptly, of course.

“You sure you want to know all this?”

“Yes,” Mulder says sullenly.

“What’s it for?”

“I told you, research for a side project.”

“But this guy lives on Scully’s street?”

“I want it, Frohike.”

“All right, all right,” Frohike says. “You’re free to make your own self-destructive choices. The man’s full name is Ryan James Kelly, born 5/6/67, Boston, Mass, making him 32 years old. Asset manager for Citibank. Bachelor's degree in finance from Georgetown.”

Mulder makes a noncommittal noise that sounds like a grunt.

“Kind of a looker, too. If you’re into the Ken doll thing,” Frohike comments. “There‘s a photo on the Citibank website.”

“Yep,” says Mulder glumly.

“Doesn’t look like there’s a ton more to find. Not anything to raise obvious red flags. Article here says he ran in a 5K race a few years back,” Frohike remarks. “And he went to some charity golf competition last year.”

He doesn’t sound very interesting, Mulder thinks childishly. What could she possibly find to talk to him about? Finance? Golf? Suburban Boston?

“Here’s something else,” Frohike continues. “He lost his sister in a car crash, looks like 6-7 years ago. Drunk driver.”

Mulder grimaces. Oh, okay. The lost sister club. They could always talk about that. About grief. About the assholes responsible for taking their sisters away.

He rubs the bridge of his nose, feeling stabs of guilt. He’s acting like a world-class asshole right now, and he knows it. Using Frohike. Digging up information on Scully’s date. Trivializing real tragedy in service of petty jealousy.

“Ooh, looky here. Here he is a couple years ago in Thirty Promising Catholic Leaders Under Thirty. He’s got a big old smile and a sharp tie.”

“Irish Catholic. Of course,” Mulder mutters. “This guy’s perfect. An unbelievable catch.”

There’s a pause on the line.

“You know, Mulder, I’m not loving the energy I’m picking up from you right now.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Frohike. This is just research.”

“Riiiiight,” Frohike replies. “All the same, I think you better stop. I’m gonna cut you off, friend.”

Mulder huffs. “I—well, okay, but you’re…”

“You should stop torturing yourself, man,” Frohike advises. He hesitates. “And you know, I’m pretty sure if you actually offered her the choice, she’d pick you.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Okay, fine, never mind,” Frohike sighs. “I’ll talk to you later, Mulder.”

***

Mulder isn’t someone who has minded living alone. He’s lived alone for the majority of his adult life, except for a series of roommates when he was at Quantico and those ill-fated months with Diana. He has eccentric habits, he appreciates privacy, and his memories of living with his parents are not great. He has always liked having his own place.

Walking around his empty apartment tonight, he reflects that living on your own feels different when it sinks in that this is the way you will live for the rest of your life.

It doesn’t seem as much like a choice. It feels more like something that naturally happens to someone who is “emotionally arrested,” as younger Diana described it. Or “a sorry son of a bitch” as angry Bill Scully said. Or “spineless” or “worthless,” as drunken 1976 Bill Mulder put it.

He stands in front of an empty kitchen cabinet. He is dismally low on groceries. Half-heartedly grabbing a box of expired Ritz crackers, he heads towards his couch, where he flops himself down to eat his dinner.

The crackers are stale, of course, with a mealy texture. He makes a face and tries to swallow them down anyway.

He considers the idea of watching a video. There’s a tape perched in the VCR right now, ready to go, and the fantasy of porn has been one of the most reliable forms of comfort in his life. But he hesitates.

The characters in “Breast Side Story” don’t seem to have deep abiding bonds with their partners, sure — but they do have someone to have sex with, someone to touch them. He normally has no trouble engaging with the visuals and ignoring reality, but right now he’s finding even the world of porn makes him feel lonely.

Is there a scenario where he could be living with someone now? A wife, a girlfriend? It seems unimaginable, given his lifestyle, his impulsive comings and goings, his insomnia, his obsessive middle-of-the-night pacing. His general dark and difficult personality. His tendency to get people close to him hurt or killed.

He tries to think of the last time he went on a date, an actual date with a woman who was aware it was a date.

It’s been at least five years. There was that woman whom he met getting coffee— he can’t even remember her name now. She was a lawyer at the justice department. He can’t remember if this happened when he was already partnered with Scully, early on, or if it was before he knew her. In any case, he recalls having a pleasant dinner with this woman, and he even kissed her, he thinks, at the end of the night. But they only went out once, and he can’t recall why. Did he neglect to call her? Did she turn down a second date? Did she find out about his job or his otherworldly interests?

He suspects it was his fault, whatever happened. It can’t be a good sign that he doesn’t even remember.

The crackers taste funny, sort of the way a hospital room smells, and it’s starting to turn his stomach. Dinner’s over then. He tosses the box across the room.

He crosses his arms, falling backwards to recline on the couch. Is there a scenario where he would be with Scully? He’s imagined it, for sure. In raunchy ways, in emotional ways, in sentimental ways. He has a good imagination.

This… subtext, this subtext that he has always thought was mutually understood, gave him hope it would eventually happen.

But it hasn’t. Despite lots of opportunities.

Maybe he needs to think about why. Maybe he needs to really face what it means that she has decided to start dating now.

It could mean he has just always been wrong, and this so-called mutual subtext has always originated from him alone, from the active imagination, lonely heart, and starved libido of Fox Mulder.

Oh no. He covers his face with his hands. That miserable idea actually makes his eyes prickle. He feels a wave of self-loathing: a man in his late thirties pathetically deluding himself about his co-worker’s feelings like a moody teenage boy. He stands up, disgusted, and walks over to feed his fish.

He watches the glittering flakes fall into the tank, spinning and refracting light like the shards of the kaleidoscope, only to be snapped up by hungry mollies.

No. He’s not deluding himself, he decides. He knows that it’s not only his imagination. Sometimes, he can see that Scully’s eyes examine his body in the same way his eyes examine hers. It’s not all innocent.

And when she was at her sickest, he remembers how she always looked like she had something else she really wanted to tell him. Like there was something always teetering on the edge of her lips, something she never could work up the courage to say. And that terrible day right before Antarctica, when he was going to kiss her in the hall? She wasn’t going to stop him. He really doesn’t think she was. That was all real.

Yet the fact remains: she is on a date. Not with him. With Ryan Kelly, promising young Catholic leader and charity golf tournament player.

There’s no other way to view that but as a rejection.

He sinks slowly back into his couch. Across the room he spots his own ghostly reflection in the TV screen.

He’s startled out of this maudlin thought process by the ringing of his cell phone. Diana again, no doubt, and talking to her again will be a lot of work. Mulder stays where he is, letting it ring.

He knows Diana would probably be amenable to starting their sexual relationship up again, if he gave her the encouragement. He wonders why. Near the end of their relationship, right before she left, she had seemed so … disappointed all the time. It may have been her job that led her to end things, but he knew she wasn’t happy.

He can’t think of a woman who has been happy to be around him for any sustained period of time. Not any girlfriend. Not even his mother. Maybe if you went all the way back to Samantha.

Well, maybe Scully. In some respects she’s happy, isn’t she? She loves their work, when they are able to do it. She cares about him more than anyone. She would sacrifice herself for him, and she has before.

I’m pretty sure if you actually offered her the choice, she’d pick you.

Frohike was so confident.

And it starts to become clear to Mulder as he stares at his unmoving phantom self in the TV screen reflection. Scully chose to start dating because she knows Mulder so well. She knows him better than anyone—better than Diana, better than Frohike. She senses the truth about him that he already knows, deep down.

In the end, for Mulder, relationships are all just like the porn. It’s all pretend, great in theory, but there is nothing there. He can’t really do it.

Mulder can imagine being with Scully, imagine taking her out to restaurants and pulling out her chair, imagine spending long delightful hours in bed with her, imagine idle sunny weekends with her. But this is just a fantasy; it’s not real. It isn’t the kind of relationship he can sustain. He’s flawed and broken in this way. He can only work towards hypotheticals, and in the present he’s only suffering. That’s why he’s here in this apartment by himself.

On some level Scully understands that he’s a box of stale crackers. A night at home alone. A dead sister. A stolen future. A broken heart.

Oh, she would never say that. It’s Scully, and she loves him, and Frohike is right. She very well might choose him if he gave her the choice. She’s definitely sacrificed herself before. He can’t let her.

Whatever happens to him, he doesn’t want to make Scully unhappy. That’s a guiding principle. A star to steer by.

His cell is ringing again. Goddamnit, Diana, Mulder thinks. He puts a couch cushion over his face.

It stops ringing. And immediately starts again.

He groans in defeated frustration, rolls over and reaches across the coffee table to pick it up.

“Hello?” he says roughly, most of his face crushed into the couch.

There’s a slight pause.

“Mulder, it’s me.”

“Oh.” He pulls himself together and sits up. “Oh, Scully. Hey.”

“I’m calling to see if…” She clears her throat a little. “I’m calling to make sure everything is okay.”

Swallow. Breath. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I got a call from Diana Fowley a little while ago,” she says. “She said she had a conversation with you that worried her, and you hadn’t been answering her calls. She was hoping I would know where you were.”

“I went on a run,” Mulder lies. “She just missed me. I’ve talked to her since.”

“Oh.”

There is an uneasy pause.

He senses she doesn’t buy it. He’s going to have to do a more convincing job.

He opts for a lighter, more casual tone of voice. “How’s your date, Scully? You order the surf and turf?”

“It’s fine,” she says.

“You’re keeping the autopsy small talk to a minimum, right?”

“Mulder,” she says. “If there’s something upsetting you, you can tell me.”

“Upset? I’m not upset.” He shut his eyes. “It’s sunshine and roses here.”

“Okay.” He can hear the sound of her swallow. “It’s just that Diana didn’t seem to think so. You know you can tell me … anything.”

“I know that, Scully.”

“I would … want to know.”

“Would you stop worrying?” he says, making his voice playful. “I’m a grown man. I ordered some food. The fish and I are going to play Trivial Pursuit.”

An awkward little pause.

“I’m coming over.”

“What? No. You’re on a date.”

“I’ll be there in twenty.”

“No,” he says. “Don’t do that.”

“You don’t sound right, Mulder.”

“Diana’s coming over,” he says, improvising. “She’s going to come over, and we’re eating together. So I’ll have company. Stay on your date.”

In the background he hears something faintly, the sound of someone talking, a radio reporter, like the NPR news programming Scully listens to all the time in the car by herself. He wonders where she is that they are playing NPR.

“All right,” she says at last. Her voice sounds soft, subdued, far away. “If you’re really going to be okay.”

He has a desperate, selfish urge to say no, to say it was a lie, to ask her to come over after all.

“I will.”

“Then … that’s good.”

“Scully, please just enjoy yourself,” he says, his voice softening. “Order dessert. Take a walk with what’s-his-name after dinner or something. Don’t think about work at all.”

There’s a strange pause. “You’re not work, Mulder.”

“No, I — I know. I know. I just mean…”

“You meant don’t think about you.”

“I guess so.” He tries to laugh, even though he wants to sob.

“I’ll try not to, Mulder,” she says. “Have a good night.”

“You, too,” he says. “Really, Scully.”

When they hang up, he takes a deep breath and wipes his eyes. If she’s happy, maybe he can find a way to be, too. He’s not that fucking selfless, but this is how it has to be.

It’s just… she didn’t sound as happy as he would have thought.

#x files fanfic #xfiles fanfic #the x files #my fic #the kaleidoscope #jealous mulder

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0littlestwolf0 · 4 years

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Clever as a fox

Yandere! Stiles Stilinski

Ship: Stiles Stilinski x Reader

Warnings: Stalking, overlooked obsessive behavior.

Requested by: Anonymous

You had almost wondered why he was following you.

I mean, for someone else it would’ve been extremely unsettling to see that same sky-blue Jeep everywhere you went, or the same brown eyes glancing at the distance, but it was Stiles, and everything that involved him was weird.

At least that’s what you kept telling yourself. He probably had an explanation, you thought, maybe he thinks that the newest threat in town is following you, or maybe he thinks you are the newest threat, that made you shiver.

How could you be a threat?

You had been on their side from the beginning, well, your beginning at least, since the first time you discovered you weren’t human it was as if Scott had smelled it immediately, well he literally did, and then came the questions.

What do you want? How long has this been going on? Are you the benefactor?

Soon followed by your newest stalker hitting his best friend on the back of his head “Do you really think she would tell us if she was?” And then you laughed, histerically, it wasn’t even funny, it didn’t even make sense, for fuck’s sake!

But there you were, laughing uncontrollably at the entire weirdness of your actual situation, who would’ve thought that the same girl that had been so worried about failing a class was now equally worried about not getting killed by a werewolf, or the mute, and don’t forget the berserkers!

Stiles, you recognized him from your economy class, was raising a brow at you “I don’t even know who the benefactor is, I’ve been like this-“ you gestured to your newely discovered supernatural self “since last weekend, and no, I can’t control it”

“She’s telling the truth” said the one with a crooked jaw, Scott, you remembered, those two were hard to forget after years getting in trouble with the coach.

And with that Stiles just shook his head, a low, breathed laugh left him “Of course she’d be supernatural” he mumbled ironically, not fully understanding, you tilted your head, and just like that Scott nudged him and with that Stiles’ ears turned pink, he’d said too much, yet too little for you to understand.

After that everything became a rush, you had to be quick to get ready in the mornings for school, make sure to get there on time, be a good student during the day, as soon as the bell rang your priorities shifted and now it was about surviving another day, going with the boys (they usually took you on their little quests before you could ask) or Malia and Lydia to find the big bad and try to keep everyone alive, then you back home and finish your homework.

It was truly tiring.

But also fascinating. You loved this new normal of yours, even if it didn’t leave much time for yourself, but being in the line so constant made you feel alive and you loved it.

Also the friends you’ve made were amazing, each one of them had shown you how ready they were to fight for you and that warmed your heart. Scott always made sure to keep you and everyone else safe, Stiles helped you at all moments, you didn’t even understand how he could be so good to you, somehow he knew your favorite warm drink that he would buy every morning for you before you arrived to the school, then he’d help you with your homework and save you from angry professor glances.

Malia literally had said that she would kill for you, and with that look on her eyes you believed her, Lydia was more quiet about it, but she made sure to keep your social life alive, and if you were in danger she wouldn’t hesitate to help you.

And just like them you were blindly devoted to the pack.

Which brought back the question, why was Stiles following you? Then you decided to make a move, you saw him groan and look everywhere but behind him “Where are you? Where are you?” He’d keep mumbling.

You traced the back of his neck with your index finger trying to scare him and he turned around with a little scream, his eyes widened and you noticed that in all the commotion he had taken a hold of your wrist.

You were at an empty alley, making it even weirder about why would he follow you there. “You scared me!” He whispered/yelled and you giggled, his eyes softened at the sound.

“Care to tell me why you were following me?” You asked and he looked down, his face becoming pink, if you’d known him better you would’ve known that he was always quick with answers, and that didn’t mean they were true “I wanted to give you my notes” it was a quick answer, not a change on his voice.

You tilted your head “But I went to the full day today” you shrugged, believing he might have thought otherwise “Oh! But I tought you could use them for the exam” now he was shrugging, way more confident in his answer than before. You believed the lie, if you’d known him better you would’ve noticed the little details, the way he spoke faster when he was lying than when he said the truth.

It was funny, you realized a bit too late, how he was more confident in his lies than he was in anything true.

But we haven’t reached that point of the story yet.

It became a little better after that, he would still do those little things for you that went a long way plus he would appear in your door every evening to study with you, he’d said you both needed to study because you were all falling behind.

You however didn’t notice the angry looks he’d give everyone other than Scott when they approached you, male or female everyone whose eyes lingered a little too long on you was a rival on his eyes.

For you it was almost like puppy love, you didn’t notice the things he did, and it wasn’t naivety, he is probably the most cunning and cleverest person you knew, clever as a fox you had said once and his whole demeanor changed.

That you didn’t fail to notice, but you tried to shrug it off, he’d tell you when he was ready.

Things would’ve never escalated if everything continued like it had been, him always by your side, you might study different things but he had already planned renting an apartment with you, he’d convince you, and then you’d be with him forever.

But no, Theo Reaken had to come to town and ruin everything he had going on.

The first time he knew he’d hate him was the first day of their senior year, when Theo winked at you, Stiles frowned and thought of a thousand ways to kill that freaking werewolf. But you had held his hand and whispered reassuring things on his ears, that calmed him down, and again it could’ve worked like that.

But the doctors wanted you, so Theo took you while you were asleep, he tied you up and set you on a cell before you woke up, pretending to be another victim there, he was a pathological liar who seemed unwilling to risk his facade, even as the doctors experimented on your blood.

Not seeing you that morning at school started to make his anxiety override, but he breathed and tried to convince himself that maybe you’d gotten a cold, or something, but you weren’t answering his calls either.

He missed first period running to Roscoe and then getting to your house, then the day became a blur on his eyes, your entire house was empty, but your car was still outside, your kitchen clean and the house seemed undisturbed, but as soon as he set foot in your room his stomach dropped.

Your bed was a mess, as if you’d tried sleeping but then woken up in a hurry, your shoes were still on the floor, but it was the window that convinced him that everything was wrong, your window was open.

You heated leaving any door or window open, you were too proud to admit it but you were scared of what could get in or out.

He called Scott and in a matter of minutes he was there, he said that he smelt a second scent in your room but he couldn’t place it, whoever did it was good at hiding their tracks.

They searched for you for a week, when they got a big clue, they knew to go in the sewers, they found the lab but retreated to make a plan (that didn’t include Stiles) and for once he didn’t fight it, because he had his own plan.

He knew it would be dangerous, and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to get you back like he was. The idea scared him, but the thought of losing you killed him. So he stole the wooden box.

It would be different this time, he convinced himself. Because this time he wouldn’t fight it.

With a shaky breath he placed it inside his backpack, he’d try getting you back on his own first, and if it didn’t work...

It had to work.

But he didn’t get too far when he started hearing you screaming in pain, his legs began to shake, and his eyes watered as he ran towards the sound, every scream was a knife settling in his heart, and he doubted he’d ever be free of the sound.

And then he saw you, lying there in a metal bed as three very scary figures loomed over you, injecting things in your arms and legs, whatever it was was hurting you. He didn’t have to consider it twice, those figures would kill him if they saw him.

He tried swallow the lump in his throat as he opened the intricate box, the irony of it being him who seeks that power would overwhelm him in any other situation. But the fly didn’t waste time as it flew directly and entered his ear, Stiles groaned, trying to stay quiet as he felt almost as if his brain was being ripped in pieces.

Let me in. I can save her. He heard in his own voice, but he doubted, the Nogitsune had killed Allison-

Your heartbreaking scream followed by sobs made him choose. He let it in.

#yandere stiles stilinski #void stiles #stiles stilinski x reader #stiles stilinski #yandere #void stiles x reader #teen wolf x reader #teen wolf #roscoe

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tarantula-hawk-wasp · 4 years

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Til Death Do Us Part ch 1

This will end up on Ao3 eventually Based on the @maulusque post (Which You Should Read Before Reading This) where Fox and Palpatine end up in a fake relationship and sham marriage because both thinks the other is sincere and that they are manipulating the other but Fox had one hell of a prenup and ends up cleaning house when he divorces Sheev and saves the galaxy

This is not that story. This is a failed version of that story I thought up because my two braincells were like Rey Palpatine? That makes Fox her step-grandpa??? and i wanted them to meet. It also is turning into a Sequels Fix It (disclaimer- I kind of take sequels canon about the sheev clones and mash it with my fist until juice comes out and make lemonade and do whatever i want bc they dont explain enough)

Summary: Fox wakes up from cryo-stasis to a galaxy recovering from the fall of the Empire as the universe’s Bitterest Ex-Husband because he didn’t get to kill Palpatine himself. He’s not going to let some discount clone of sheev ruin things again either, and ends up with a surprise step-granddaughter along the way. 3k words chapter 1/?

Fox should have known better than to attempt out-manipulating the puppetmaster of a galactic war. What really rankled was how close he had come, his fingers had metaphorically brushed the salvation of the Republic before it had been snatched away.

The divorce had been more than halfway processed, and Palpatine had grown more and more panicked. Under the scrutiny of every lawyer on Coruscant, the prenuptial agreement had been airtight, the political powers Fox tried to give himself in it were unlikely to be enforced, but the monetary and titular aspects were to the letter of the law.

Of course the law only applied to citizens and sentients. Palpatine cracked down hard against Clone Rights in those last months. He himself did not publicly utter a biased word in either direction, only ever praising the effectiveness of the troops, but many of Palpatine’s close associates presented strong cases. People that had been at their engagement party, people who had been roped by tradition into dancing with Fox’s brothers at the wedding, people who had looked him in the eye over an oiled banquet table and praised his wit, became the ones proclaiming that Fox and his brothers had no more inborn rights or legal merit than a droid or womprat.

Palpatine drew the court case out in circular debates, and last minute rescheduling. Fox was kept exhausted and worn to the bone between the ramped up tempo of the war, the grueling hours in court, and the new loathing facing him every second he spent at his job in the Coruscant Guard. Palpatine had dropped any acts around Fox, no longer the doting grandfather of the republic, or enthusiastic geriatric spouse, but bitter and jilted and cruel-tongued. Some days Fox feared for his life.

It was that resignation that he would die that saved Fox’s life. He updated his will -clones were at least allowed those for any non-GAR-issue items they had - and made sure copies were held by numerous offices, and even on other planets. He appointed Cody and the Coruscant Guard as the main benefactors, Cody had the authority to divy resources up among the rest of the vode, and the Coruscant Guard were both his closest brothers and deserving of any boon he could grant them. He left a hefty endowment for the cadets and tubies, to find either adoptive families or to raise them without the military training in the event of the War ending. He left his half of the cultural artifacts that Palpatine had collected to the Jedi for them to distribute as they saw fit.

Even if Palpatine managed to pierce holes through every line of the divorce documents, he could not deny Fox’s last will and testament. Palpatine had to keep Fox alive, or else he would lose many of the assets he was trying to keep in his grasp.

Fox had counted on more time to slip information to the GAR and the Jedi, he had counted on less supervision, and he had counted on Dooku and Grievous lasting for a few more months than they did.

He failed to prevent Order 66, and as his brothers lost their free-will, he was abducted from 500 Republica. A drugged dart jabbing through his blacks and unfamiliar hands hauling him onto a ship. He was put into cryo-cycle stasis. That counted enough as keeping him alive that his will could not be enacted, but kept him and his insider knowledge from challenging Palpatine.

Forty years later, a decade after the fledgling New Republic finally closed the buried account that dripped credits into the facility Fox’s stasis pod was in, the power couplings shorted out - whatever droid or employee was in charge of maintenance long departed for salaried work. The pod had emergency protocols to thaw him out with the last of its energy reserves if the power was cut out.

And so out he had staggered, head aching and bile rising. His genetically wired resilience and discipline had carried him through the worst of the stasis sickness.

The computer terminals were easy enough to slice. Palpatine did not change his cybersecurity strategy over the decades, and Fox knew more than he wanted to of that man’s mind. What he found was disturbing, but not surprising. Weapons capable of destroying entire planets, the genocide of the Jedi, the suicidal brothers made into cyborg Dark Troopers, a Galactic Empire. And cloning, an overwhelming amount of information on cloning. Not just familiar Kaminoan files, but resources from other cloning facilities, Strand-Casts, Splices, Stem-cells- every method explored and combined. Palpatine had been seeking immortality.

Fox did not let himself think about what year it was, he did not think about the decades Palpatine had marred for the Galaxy, the vode all marching far away without him, the history ripped apart by waves of propaganda. What he thought instead about was his own failure to sacrifice himself and put a blaster bolt through Palpatine’s wrinkled forehead so many years ago. It rankled quite a bit that Palpatine died while he was in stasis - the bitterness of unfulfilled hatred. But he could find new purpose. He would not let a false Palpatine return and inflict himself upon the healing Galaxy.

After he left the lunar facility orbiting its dead planet in a nearly-corroded relic of an emergency escape ship, the first goal he achieved was programming a medical droid to excise the control chip from his brain. Then he started slicing again. There were still some accounts he had set up during his sham marriage with credits that had decades of interest. His backup plan to that was selling the material assets he knew either he or Palpatine had stored away in scattered locations.

Fox bought a ship, blasters, and assembled piecemeal a set of armor. He bought bounty hunter credentials, keeping his helmet on always to hide any recognition his face might bring. He stacked crates of rations in the empty bunks in his ship - a Skipray Blastboat - a vessel meant for four was a roomy choice to travel alone in, but still nearly invisible in its ubiquity. And he went hunting.

Palpatine’s clones were hard to find, a challenge Fox embraced for its distraction. He found out some of the pseudonyms running the older facilities, the constructed identities for whatever apprentices, droids, or imperial loyalists were actually doing the work. That was a mystery Fox was still investigating.

Sometimes, to find a clone of Palpatine, Fox anonymously set the bounty himself, and then claimed it as well - getting the resources of the minor guild he worked with, as well as a tracking fob.

Sometimes he killed them. Sometimes it was easy, the compulsions and the personality of Palpatine showing through, and that hated face looking back. Sometimes they were worming their way into government positions to undermine the New Republic. Sometimes it was harder, botched strand-casts that held only a passing resemblance to the man, and were without the force or any malignance. Those, Fox judged on a case-by-case basis. Were they in politics? How connected were they to any neo-imperialists? He judged each of them by their own actions, he knew the way a clone could be blamed for the actions of another.

He was not the only one after these clones, someone else was also hunting them - off of any official Bounty Hunting channels. And with the karked up Sith tradition of usurpers, Fox could not assume it was an ally.

Fox’s unknown rival gradually became more than just a nuisance to compete against. There had been a strand-cast clone of Palpatine’s that bore only a partial resemblance and had been actively undermining some of the networks Fox thought might be connected to the cloning facilities. Fox had been trying to track him down, to talk to someone who might be able to link him to the roots of this operation - he was even ready to offer personal protection - but his opponent had reached him first.

The man was dead now. As was the woman he had been traveling with. It was frustratingly suspicious, and Fox was out of other leads to investigate. He spent a few months slicing and scouring for information about the strand-cast. The man had boarded a ship from a large spaceport with a woman and a child, had transferred numerous times, and then, at the last port before his death, had only embarked with the woman. The child had either died prior the the adults’ deaths, or was still alive. And if the child was alive, they might know where their father had come from.

Shipyard security cameras and life/heat sensors could only tell him so much. He looked into crew manifests, ration orders, and fuel receipts. Between fuel logs and hyperspace maps, he created a list of planets between each refueling stop with more fuel purchased and time between than a direct route would necessitate and worked down that, checking for ships matching their vessel’s description docking with false credentials. Planets with smaller populations were quicker to investigate so he looked there first. It was a slow process over weeks.

Jakku had only a few scattered settlements, and while their ship monitoring was lacking, the local population was likely to have seen anyone who arrived or left. He landed outside of one of the larger trade centers.

He disembarked his ship and walked towards the mass of tents and shabby buildings. He was wearing only a minimum of armor, and had left his helmet on the ship. His blaster was still displayed in its holster, a weight he felt pressed against his thigh with every step. He wasn’t here as a bounty hunter, but something closer to undercover instead, and if the kid was here he didn’t want to scare or threaten the child prematurely. He would blend in more as just another spacer.

He was met by a varied group of sun-beaten and skeptical beings. The welcoming committee seemed torn between distrust and hope for trade.

“I’m here for information.” He began, showing a flash of credit chips when he pulled out his holoprojector. “About a year ago a ship of this type would have arrived and left a passenger behind.”

“Lotta ships come in and out…” A thin Caskadag said unhelpfully. But Fox could see poorly concealed recognition among some of the faces. He mentally debated who to bribe or how else to persuade the crowd.

Out of sight, there was a shriek of conversation and then the frantic scuffle of running feet over sand. A girl emerged from a clump of tents and stopped, almost breathless, staring at him. She was young, between six or eight, Fox struggled like most clones with approximating odd numbered years of natural borns, but she was small.

“Did my parents send you!? Are they gonna come get me?” She asked with bright desperation. She was staring at the holoprojected ship in his hands. Fox knew this was the strand-cast’s child.

“I’m here because of your parents.” He said evenly. He looked at the group of now unhappy onlookers, denied their chance to weasel credits out of him. “Is there somewhere less busy we can talk?”

“Mmhmm.” She walked him between tents to a clearing edged with waste heaps. Fox opened his mouth and then stopped again, hesitant.

“Why did my parents send you?” There was sensible caginess warring with hope in her voice. She kept glancing back to the crowd they had just left.

“I’m sorry, Rey,” He hoped that what the other workers had muttered at her had been her name, and dropped down to one knee to be on a level with her. “But your parents are dead. I’m sorry, but they can’t come get you.”

There was a watery vulnerability to her eyes. Fox expected a denial, he hated being the one to deliver this news. It was partially his own failure.

“So… So I’m just… I’m just going to stay here? And - and work for Mister Plutt forever?” She looked wetly at the pitiful tents around them, the sand, the beating sun, the scrap-sorting piles. Fox looked at her, at the scabs and callouses on her tiny hands, at the stained clothing, at the bones of her arms, at the ring of faint green skin around her wrist. Force, he had always been weak for the cadets.

“No, if you want… If you want I can take you with me.” It was an impulsive offer, but it felt right.

“You’re not my dad.” She said sulkily. “I’m only supposed to leave if him or mum comes.”

“No, I’m not.” Fox did some quick thinking about his relationship to Palpatine, his own apparent age, and the fact her father was a clone of Sheev. “But I am your father’s ex-husband.”

He knew that she had no reason to trust him, and frankly if she had any sense to not get abducted, she wouldn’t. Fox was ready to pull up a datapad with the copy of his marriage certificate, proof her father was a clone, and a discussion of family trees. Instead of an argument, she looked intensely at him and he felt a warmth swell around him, like a summer breeze. Of course the kriffing kid was force sensitive.

It was pleasant, as far as being probed by the force ever was. She was bright and gentle and washed over him, so unlike the cloying oil-slick that he had not realized choked his mind for years until he was finally free of Palpatine. He waited, keeping his thoughts on what he had just said, but not so intently as to raise her suspicion that he was hiding something.

Eventually she nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I know when people are lying. And-” She hesitated, squirming a little. “And you feel nice.”

Fox smiled. Nice was not the word that Fox would have picked to describe himself currently, considering he had spent a better part of the past year hunting down clones of his ex-husband and killing many of them with extreme prejudice. He wondered unhappily at what relative caliber for niceness she was comparing him to. He stood up and paused.

“So you’ll come with me?” He asked again for clarity’s sake.

“Mmhmm.” She confirmed, and stepped to his side, reaching up to worm her little hand into his.

“Do you have stuff to get? People to say bye to?” He asked uncertainly. He wasn’t sure how this was supposed to go, and right now it felt too easy. She started tugging him towards the array of scrap-sorters.

She went to a spot she had clearly hastily abandoned when he had arrived, and picked up a dingy canvas bag and slung it over her shoulder. She walked back to him and put her hand back in his again.

“Okay. Now we need to tell Mister Plutt.” She nodded towards a permanent structure at the edge of the scrapyard.

“Rey, Rey, Who’s that man?” One of the women who had not been in the group that greeted him, skin toughened by sand and sun, rose up from the heaps of metal and brandished a staff at him. Part of Fox was relieved that at least someone was stopping little girls from getting kidnapped. The other part of him put on his most charming, non-threatening smile.

“I’m her father’s ex-husband. Her parents are dead and I only just found out…”

The woman glared at him but shifted to look at Rey, softening her gaze.

“He tellin’ the truth? Do you know this man?”

“He’s not lying.” Rey said. “And Dad mentioned he had a complix-complexcated past.”

“Her father and I may have split over our differences, but I’m not leaving his kid to grow up a scrapper beholden to quotas when I have the resources to raise her instead.” Fox’s honest determination had the desired effect, the woman lowered her staff and nodded, still suspicious but relenting.

“You’re going to have to pay Unkar for her.”

Fox frowned and gestured towards his blaster on his hip. “Sure, I’ll pay.”

“No. I mean it. You try any funny business and he’ll set the guild on you or worse.” The woman was very serious. “You got enough to pay?”

“If I have to, I will.” Fox said with finality. He did not want to buy another being, but he also wanted Rey off of this planet as smoothly as possible.

The questioning was repeated with Unkar Plutt, who glared with equal distrust to the people outside. He took Rey aside into his office room, and Fox hoped it was to question her about his claims and if she actually wanted to leave with him. Fox was concerned by how easy it was for someone to take a child off of Jakku like this, but also acknowledged that this was incredibly convenient for him.

Plutt and Rey reemerged and Rey walked over and clung to his pant leg. Fox brushed a hand over her hair.

“I’m losing years of good labor.” Unkar said callously. “I expect to be compensated.”

Fox told himself that the credits he handed over were a bribe. Fox swung Rey’s little bag over his shoulder and after a moment of consideration, hoisted Rey up to rest on his hip as well. She was light and clung round his neck, giggling with surprise in his ear.

Fox didn’t need to be force sensitive to know that this decision felt right.

#commander fox #rey #rey skywalker #sheev palpatine #foxpatine #fox/palpatine #my writing #star wars #This turned into a kid fic bc Im Me #foxpatine divorce stasis pod sequels fix it au

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pretend-writer · 4 years

Text

Down Below (Chapter 61)

Summary: After being sent down on Earth with the other prisoners from the Ark, Y/N Reyes faces series of events and learns about survival. With new things happening around her, she is now starting a new chapter in her life.

Pairing: Bellamy Blake x reader, Raven Reyes x sister!reader

Word Count: 1449 words

Warning: swearing, mention of murder and violence

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While Clarke, Niylah and I rushed to look for Madi, I stopped. Clarke turned around, stopped as well and tried to catch her breath. 'We don't have time to sit around, if Gaia inserts the flame were screwed.'

'No, I need to look for Octavia.'

'Okay, go. We'll go stop Bellamy and Gaia.' Niylah said.

Without second guessing, I quickly ran the other way. By guessing where she was at, I was sure Jackson and Indra kept her somewhere comfortable. After all, her brother put her in a coma purposefully.

Reaching the room, I stormed into Octavia lying on a bed. Indra stood next to her, watching over her as she was still unconscious. 'Octavia!'

'Y/N, where were you?' Indra asked.

'Bellamy drugged me and locked me up with Clarke. Indra, are you in on this with him?'

'No, I would never do anything to harm Octavia. I've eventually figured out he did this to her.' Indra's face flushed with guilt, 'Jackson eventually found out and I had to take him out.'

I crossed my arms, 'Hm. I knew it, you were behind killing Cooper as well. Why are you on their side? Don't you want Wonkru to survive?'

'Surrendering is helping Wonkru, why don't you see that? If we declare war on the only survival place on Earth, it's going to be destroyed. All of this for what? Pride?' Indra clenched her fist, stepping closer towards me.

'Glad to know where you stand, Indra.' Octavia sat up on the bed, pulling wires off of herself. 'Siding with a traitor that nearly killed me.'

'Gaia is probably putting the flames into Madi as we speak, we have to hurry. Clarke already went to look for her.'

Octavia hopped off the bed, 'I'm ashamed of you Indra.'

'And I'm afraid of you. I'm afraid of both of you and what you two have become. I blame myself for all of this and I don't want to make the same mistake.'

'You and all the other adults watched while we had to sacrifice everything!' Octavia wheezed as her body was still trying to recover from Monty's algae. 'You're a coward, just like everyone else.'

Octavia took a deep breath, then looked at me. 'Y/N, lets go.'

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There was a herd of guards surrounding the area as Octavia and I finally reached the building. Squeezing through them, I then saw a little girl laying on the table unconscious as Clarke hovered over her. ‘Clarke?’

‘They’ve already put the flame in her. I was too late.’ She said as she caressed Madi’s cheeks. ‘I can’t pull it out of her either. It can damage her brain and she may never wake up. I can't let that happen to her.'

In the corner of my eye, I saw Bellamy starring at me. Being so busy worrying about Octavia and looking for Clarke with her kid, I totally forgot about him.

Our eyes met, he looked at me with hateful eyes. Bellamy never looked at me that way before. It hurt my heart to see him glare at me as if I was his enemy, as someone he didn’t love at all.

Even after he poisoned my friend, drugging me and locking me up, I still can’t hate him. I still couldn’t fall out of love but I guess that wasn’t the case with him. After betraying Wonkru, I now have to see the one person I truly loved possibly die.

‘Arrest the traitors.’ Octavia shouted.

I pulled my hand out, stopping the guards from going near Bellamy. ‘No, I got him.’

The guards nodded and continued to arrest Gaia while I cuffed Bellamy with his hands behind his back. Grabbing onto him, we walked toward the bunker. ‘Why did you do something as stupid as this Blake?’

‘That’s funny coming from you.’

‘I can’t believe you-’ All I can think about was him sitting on top of me, covering the rag on my face as he drugged me. I couldn’t say it didn’t scar me but seeing Bellamy like that had an affect on me. 'You drugged me.'

'You've done worst to your people. Don't act like this is all brand new.' His tone of voice was scary, scarier than the days when he sided with Pike.

'I'm sorry I tried to protect my family!' I didn't know what got over me, the shouting came out of nowhere. Maybe perhaps I knew where it came from; it was all the anger, fear and sadness I buried deep down for six years.

Bellamy eyed me, looking down at me. 'You kill, slaughter your own people. That's not protecting.'

'You have no right to tell me how to protect my people. We're doing everything to keep Wonkru together.'

'Is that what you tell yourself to help you sleep at night, Skafaiya?' He rolled his eyes and chuckled. 'At least I had the decency to only go after our enemy. Pike and I didn't kill our own. Never.'

'You're my boyfriend and you drugged me!' I pushed Bellamy on his chest. 'You didn't attack your people but you hurt me! You poisoned your own sister.'

He raised his eyebrows, 'If Monty didn't limit my Algae I would've have poisoned you too instead of just Octavia.'

'You-you don't mean that.' My heart immediately started thumping really fast. Faster than when I first killed a human, even faster than when I had my first kiss. This feeling was different and I felt like my world was falling apart.

Bellamy took a deep breath and paused for a little bit, watching me as I struggled to hold in my tears. All the years of hell and I've never been this close to shedding a tear.

'I somewhat get why Octavia is doing what she's doing. She went from being the girl under the floor to being a leader to a clan of 1200 people. Maybe all the pressure got her power hungry. I don't agree with what she's doing at all but I see why she's struggling.'

'You Reyes?' He bit his lips, 'You've lead us through tough times, fought a war we'd thought we've never come out of. You sacrificed yourself for us multiple times and damn it you're the strongest person I've ever met. One of a million reasons why I love you.'

'How do you go from that to being this? This demon that's slowly killing every single people you've sacrificed your life for. Not only you, everyone that died along the way too. Imagine Finn, Jasper, Lincoln and all the other people that died seeing you right now. They wouldn't even recognize you. You haven't even seen your sister yet and I don't know if I want Raven to see you like this.'

I starred into the distance, thinking of all the bad I've done while I was down there. I started imagining Finn watching me from behind the fence as I execute the warriors of Wonkru.

What was worst was that after all of this, I've hurt Bellamy. All the community we help built and keeping people alive, I ruined everything instantly. I let him down and while he was in space trying to be good, I was down here doing the worst human could ever do.

It didn't matter how the Dark Year started, I was still a part of it and I thought I didn't have a choice. We could've went the other path but I chose to be weak. I was okay with everything that happened during that time.

As a leader, I could've stepped up and helped Octavia and not drown her with me. Despite all the adults in Wonkru, I should've known better than to trust them. I've been down on Earth and survived without them, we could've survive the bunker easily too.

The sound of broken branches startled me as two guards approached us, asking if we were doing alright. Trying to act normal, I readjusted myself and blinked to make sure tears weren't coming out. 'Yes, we're okay.'

'Let us know if you need anything.'

'Actually-' Bellamy called for the guards, 'Can you take me instead? Reyes and I are done talking.'

One of the guard nodded, gripping onto Bellamy's cuff and walked away. The other trailed from behind, following them down to the cell in the bunker.

I stood there, watching Bellamy as if he was going to turn around and give me a smile.

It pained me to see him walk away because this time it was different. Bellamy turned away as if he was leaving my life for good. Perhaps that would be better for him. He would be better off without me anyways.

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tag list; @jodiereedus22, @coffeebooksandfandom, @bellamyblakemorley, @wisestydia-15, @dbtvluv , @hurricane–amelia , @lexalexy , @olkathefoxi, @lena-davina, @kellbell44, @thehakunamatara, @akelly4477, @morgannope, @littlegirl-fox, @captainam-erika-trash, @greygarbage, @nathaliabakes, @eternallyvenus, @rauwz, @broco8, @eridanuswave

#bellamy blake x reader #bellamy blake fic #bellamy blake series #the 100 series #down below series #raven reyes x sister!reader

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miraculouscataclyyysm · 5 years

Text

Seating plan au part 5

Link to part 4

After Marinette’s birthday she brings the book of poetry Felix made her EVERYWHERE (see part 3 for more info on that) eventually she Doesn't even realise she’s doing it, it becomes a sort of comfort blanket, on one particular occasion Felix notices she’s holding it and asks “Mari....is that the book I made for you?” Mari goes bright red and stutters “what? no! I doNT have a book” “Mari your literally holding it” “I just like holding it okay” Felix smirks and says okay but he’s doing backflips on the inside

Weredad is a mess, sins it’s after Mari's birthday both Marinette and Felix know they have feelings for each other but haven’t acted on it yet, but the rest of the class ship it (except Chloe and Lila but they ain’t important) it starts off like canon, Mari fakes being in love with chat as an excuse, she tried saying “because I live here” but chat says “you were on your balcony during an Akuma fight? Mari what the hell?!?!” So she just yelled I love you and chat was shook, unfortunately, chat wasn’t as opposed to the idea as he was in canon, all those late night talks and Eiffel Tower visits made it so chat and Marinette were close friends, so the episode follows canon, Mari’s dad invites him for dinner etc but felix comes over during the lunch looking for Mari and chat/Adrian sees his face and bolts out the door, chat lets Mari down after realising felix has feelings for her and then Weredad happens, after the Akuma fight felix goes to find Mari, he sore on the news what happened and had to make sure she was okay, he got the the bakery just as chat left, he told Mari he values her friendship too much and she agreed there better as friends * cough* I’m unknowingly in love with your cousin *cough*, Felix hugs Mari and asks why she never told him about chat and she explains it was a BIG misunderstanding, “he’s just a friend”, felix couldn’t hide his relieved face and said “good, you deserve way better than that ally chat” Mari brunches his arm playfully *cue felix hearteyes*

Chloe gets akumatised into antibug again after Lila clames she was Hornet, the bee hero ladybug entrusted wiith the bee miraculous (see part 3 for more info) “well after ladybug heard about my grandmother volpina she new I was the best option to help out in short notice” *lila side eyes Chloe “it’s not like there was anyone else she knew she could trust” Chloe goes off yelling how utterly ridiculous that is, Felix says “I can’t believe I’m going to say this but I actually agree with Chloe...that’s the stupidest thing you said all week lie-la” the class breaks into an argument...basically Chloe, Sabrina, Marinette, Felix, alix, Kim and max against Lila, alya, rose, juleka, mylene, Ivan, felix and Mari mainly only made sarcastic comments while alix and Kim called Bullshit and Chloe called Lila ridiculous, Lila just played the victim and asked why Chloe was being so mean *cue fake crying and Alya jumping to her defence* “Your just bitter Chloe, you had the chance to be a hero and prove yourself to ladybug but decided to crash a train instead of actually saving people, obviously ladybug would choose you after that” “you’ll regret saying that cesaire” and the Chloe stormed out of classed (Nathanial, Adrian and nino just sat and watched during the whole thing) a few minutes after storming out Chloe was transformed into Antibug

While patrolling together on less busy nights ladybug, chat noir, bunnix , carapace, Renard Arctique (Fox Felix) and once he’s made a permanent member viperion play games to pass time (and because it’s fun and there all secretly competitive af...and it’s fun) they race each other, play hide and seek all over Paris and play gladiator (no powers while battling though or carapace would have an edge) Alya captured a few videos of there antics for the lady blog and her followers are dying to see more, it’s a breath of fresh air to see the hero’s having fun instead of fighting to save all of Paris

Sometimes when Felix knows Marinette is at her internship he’ll turn up to take her for lunch claiming “he just happened to be in the neighbourhood” “you just happened to be in the Agreste offices?” “That's what I said” after the 3rd time Marinette stopped questioning him and just enjoyed getting to spend one on one time with him, after her promotion though he doesn’t have to make up a terrible excuse because she spends most of her internship days at the Agreste mansion so he just brings her food to eat in the garden, Gabriel sees them laughing out of the window and even he Gabriel ‘I threw my son across Paris’ Agreste who has a cold dead heart ships them

After the “accidental” fashion show date (see part 4) Felix and Marinette are officially dating, Alix makes a big deal about how it’s all thanks to her when they walk into class holding hands the next day (yes Felix did send her that thank you fruit basket) but not everyone is happy about it, at lunch Lila, Alya, Nino and Adrian are having lunch at the table next to Mari, Alix and Kim (Felix and max are in the library) and Lila making sure she’s talking just loud enough for Mari and co to hear her say says “you know she’s only dating him because of your dad...right Adrian?” Adrian and Alya obviously shocked (Nino just gives her a look as if to say...wtf are you on girl) “it’s true, I overheard her talking to Alix once about it” Nino-“but she already has the agrest internship, she got that before she was even that close to Felix” Adrian-“ninos right, she has no reason to do that Lila, my father already loves her work” Lila-“and this would give her an extra edge, he loves her work now but when she’s family she’d get extra time to work with him, extra opportunity’s and funding into projects” *Mari is in shock at what she’s hearing and Kim is holding Alix back from lunging at Lila* Alya unsure-“it does make a little sense...if she did really like him wouldn’t they have gott3n together weeks ago?” *Lila with a smug face “exactly” Nino-“alya you can’t be serious? You actually believe her” Alix explodes out of her seat missing a tearful Marinette leaving the cafeteria to go to the lockerroom “are you dumb? Are you completely devoid of brain cells? You must be because your talking absolute rubbish, if you actually think Marinette would date Felix just to push her fashion career forward you have to be the biggest idiot in the entire world” Lila stands up and puts on a hurt face “don’t attack me just because your friends with a gold digger” “THAT'S THE STUPIDEST THING IV EVER HEARD YOU MUPPET” Alix then gets akumatised into Miss Candour who makes people be brutally honest

Ladybug and chat defeat Miss Candour, after Lila admits to the whole of Paris’s that she lied about Marinette only dating felix because his uncle is Gabriel Agreste and even got out that she lied about her grandma being volpina and that she was Hornet *all of Paris could suddenly hear Chloe yelling “I knew it”* once everyone was back in school Alix apologised to Marinette for exploding and not letting her fight her own battles but Mari just laughs and says she’s happy to have a friend that cares so much about her*bff hugs all around* felix asks her if she’s okay once there seated in class and says he’d never believe something like that “even if it wasn’t coming from lie-la I’d never believe something like that, you have the truest heart iv ever seen, I trust you completely Marinette, never doubt that” then Adrian ruins the moment by turning round in his seat and saying he’s sorry for not stopping Lila sooner *felix rolls his eyes* “but I know I should have, I knew Nino was right, I’d never believed something like that about you, your too good a person” mari is shocked sins she’s not that close to Adrian *adrian your chat Noirs showing* “what she said made zero sens, I don’t understand how anyone could believe it, I promise to have your back from the very start next time Marinette” lila didn’t show back up to school for a week after that and when she did she acted like nothing happened

Part 6

Tag-

@akana-sama

#miraculous ladybug #seating plan au #ml #adrien agreste #marinette dupain cheng #chat noir #ladybug #bunnix #ml felix #felinette #felix agreste #alya cesaire #nino rota #chloe bourgeois #lila rossi

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angelofthequeers · 5 years

Text

Hold Me By Both Hands: Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don’t own ML.

Chapter 23 | Chapter 25 | AO3 link

“Hey!” Adrien shoves himself against the door, but fake Marinette must have done something to the doorknob, because the door doesn’t budge. “Why did we just stand here like idiots?”

“Because neither of us were expecting him to turn into me?” Marinette’s voice says. Adrien groans.

“I sent the recording to Alya, so at least she should realise that something’s up,” he says. He quickly whips out his phone to shoot her another message that the fake Adrien is now a fake Marinette. “That akuma’s not very smart, though. He – she – they didn’t even take our phones.”

Marinette snorts. The light from Adrien’s phone illuminates her face, displaying the anger written across her features, and for a moment, she looks so much like Ladybug with that righteous fury that Adrien’s heart skips a beat.

“I think the akuma’s Lila,” Marinette says. “The way that person acted as you, and what she said she’d do while looking like me…she must have been akumatised!”

“Great.” Adrien thumps his head against the door. “So, we’ve got a furious, shapeshifting Lila on the loose, and the only two people who know for sure are stuck in here. Even if Alya gets my message, there’s no telling what’ll happen.”

Something shifts against him. For a moment, he wonders if it’s Marinette (pleasenohe’salovesickteenboypleasedon’tletitbeher), but then the thing starts to zip down his chest under his shirt, and he realises that it’s Plagg. Of course! Plagg can get the door open!

“Well, hopefully Ladybug and Chat Noir will be along soon,” Adrien says, praying that Marinette doesn’t somehow notice Plagg as he escapes the bottom of Adrien’s shirt. “Especially if Alya manages to alert them with what I sent her.”

“Yeah. Hopefully.”

With a click, the closet door suddenly swings outward, bathing Adrien and Marinette in the bright hallway light. Success! Adrien so owes Plagg a kilo of Camembert for this. Even if a traitorous part of his brain wouldn’t have minded being locked up with Marinette a little while longer.

“Wow,” Marinette says. “She can’t even lock us up right. I’m gonna see if I can find Ladybug so she knows what’s going on!”

As soon as she’s gone, Adrien ducks back into the closet and pulls the door shut. “Great job, Plagg,” he says.

“Yeah, yeah,” Plagg drawls. “I’ll name my price after you take down that wannabe akuma.”

“Plagg, claws out!”

Thankfully, Ladybug must have also gotten wind of the akuma, because as Chat Noir barrels around the corner, he nearly collides with a flash of red. As it is, he still trips and faceplants in his attempt to avoid crashing into Ladybug.

“Elegant,” Ladybug drawls, helping him to his feet.

“Guess I must have just fallen for you, milady,” Chat Noir says. Ladybug rolls her eyes as usual, but her cheeks also turn pink.

“Do you know if the akuma’s changed forms yet?” she says. “Marinette ran into me and said it took her form.”

“I know as much as you do,” Chat Noir says. “And I think the akuma is –”

“Lila Rossi. Marinette told me.”

“Is…Marinette safe?”

For some reason, Ladybug’s smile is oddly tender. “She is. I told her to hide and not to worry because you and I would make sure that everyone knew it wasn’t her or Adrien doing this stuff. Speaking of, is Adrien –?”

“Yeah, he’s fine. He’s also hiding.”

Ladybug unslings her yo-yo from around her waist. “Then let’s take down this akuma.”

When they burst out into the courtyard, there’s no sign of fake Marinette. But considering that there are a few people in tears and Chloé is cradling her arm to her chest, it’s clear that the akuma’s already wreaked havoc and vanished.

“Ladybug!” Chloé throws herself at Ladybug, who yelps and just fails to move out of the way in time to avoid Chloé’s strangling hug. “You’re here! That awful Dupain-Cheng just attacked me!”

“I told you, it’s not really her!” Alya says. “I’ve got video proof from Adrien that it’s a shapeshifter akuma!”

“It is,” Ladybug says. “And we’re pretty sure the akuma is Lila. She locked the real Marinette and Adrien in a supply closet so they couldn’t out her.”

“She could be anyone,” Chat Noir says dramatically. Ladybug rolls her eyes.

“Chat, is this really a time for jokes?”

“Sorry, milady. Just thought I’d lighten – look out!”

Just as Chloé’s fingers brush over Ladybug’s earrings, Ladybug ducks out of the way and kicks Chloé to the ground. Chloé growls and bolts away into a crowd of people before either Ladybug or Chat Noir can recover their wits and grab her.

“Okay, there really is a shapeshifting akuma,” Alix says loudly. “Ladybug’s the only person Chloé wouldn’t try and backstab.”

“Wow, thanks.” Chloé pushes her way through the people on the opposite side of the courtyard, wincing every time she jostles her arm. Well, great. How didn’t they notice that the fake Chloé wasn’t acting like her arm was sore? “Of course that’s an akuma. As if Dupain-Cheng would push me like that. And where is Sabrina? She told me that Ladybug was looking for me!”

“Um…thanks for the statement of faith?” Ladybug says. “On Marinette’s behalf!”

Chloé shoots her a weird look. “Well, I am trying to be nicer,” she says. “And even if I wasn’t, it’s clear to anyone with a brain cell that that wasn’t Dupain-Cheng. Really, if Lila wants to ruin her reputation, she has to try a lot harder.”

“How do we take her down, milady?” Chat Noir says. “She could be anyone! And if we lose sight of her for a second, she’ll just shapeshift again.”

“It’s too early to use my Charm. But maybe…” Ladybug turns to the courtyard. “All of you! You have to keep track of each other! Come up with questions that only the real person would know the answer to. Chat and I have to go and get help.”

Chat Noir’s got a strong hunch that he knows what this help is. And judging by the way Ladybug winks at Alya as she and Chat Noir sprint away, his hunch is likely correct. Sure enough, after a minute or so of hanging out in the empty corridor, an orange figure skids around the corner and screeches to a halt before them.

“I’m here!” Rena Rouge announces. “And ready to take down this akuma! I’ll teach her to mess with my friends!”

“How did you get your powers?” Ladybug says shortly. Rena Rouge frowns at her for only a moment before her face clears.

“Kwami called Trixx. From my necklace Miraculous. And I offered to have your babies before you made me jump off the Eiffel Tower.”

Ladybug visibly relaxes. “Sorry about that. Just had to make sure.”

“Well, what was my first Mirage?” Rena Rouge says.

“Your friends and family saying how proud they were of you,” Ladybug says.

“Marinette, Nino, m – Adrien, your parents, and your sisters,” Chat Noir adds. Rena Rouge nods.

“I knew it wasn’t Marinette even without Adrien sending me those messages,” she says. “Marinette’s never like that, not even with Chloé. Ugh, of course Lila would get akumatised because someone called her out.”

“That’s on her,” Ladybug says. “Not us. Our job is to take her down. And we’ll need Mirage to draw her out.”

“Well, I’m the girl for the job.” Rena Rouge bounces on the balls of her feet. “Also, I think the akuma’s in her earring. I noticed that Adrien was wearing one when I watched the video, and the fake Marinette was wearing it too. I thought it was weird that the fake Marinette didn’t have her usual earrings.”

“Of course!” Ladybug says. “Good job, Rena Rouge!”

Rena Rouge preens under the praise. “What’s the plan, Ladybug?”

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug catches a ladybug-patterned fire extinguisher. “Uh…okay.”

“You’re gonna put out the fire of my heart?” Chat Noir grins. Just like before, Ladybug’s cheeks pinken and she rolls her eyes.

“Hush, kitty. I’ve got a plan.”

If anyone had told Alya that she would be a superhero and get to fight alongside her idols, she would have wondered if they were having a fever dream or playing a cruel prank on her. But no. She gets to be Rena Rouge and sprint down the school halls with Ladybug and Chat Noir, with a flute strapped to her back and her fox-like senses on high alert!

“You think she’s out there?” Rena Rouge says when the three of them are huddled behind the door leading to the courtyard. There are still students grouped out there, no doubt trying to keep themselves safe by sticking together, and they’d probably have better luck finding Hawkmoth himself than finding someone with one earring. Especially since that person will also be gunning for their Miraculouses.

“I’d be surprised if she wasn’t,” Ladybug says. “Where else could she blend in and ambush us?”

“Do your thing, Rena Rouge,” Chat Noir winks. Rena Rouge rolls her eyes, then unslings her flute and raises it to her lips, picturing her illusion clearly in her mind.

“Mirage!” she whispers after playing a short tune. In a flash of orange, there are Ladybug and Chat Noir doppelgangers standing before them. The illusions are a little fuzzy around the edges, sure, but so long as no one gets too close, these illusions should be enough to draw Lila out of cover. Chat Noir then uses his staff to slam the door open just as illusion Ladybug and illusion Chat Noir burst out into the courtyard.

“We’re back!” Rena Rouge says through illusion Ladybug. Ugh. Hopefully, there comes a point where she can just imagine what she wants her illusions to say, but she can’t exactly maintain her focus on the illusions while also making up a script for them mentally. “What’s new?”

“What’s new?” Ladybug mouths to Rena Rouge, who just shrugs. While everyone’s attention is focused on the illusions, the real Chat Noir takes the Lucky Charm, then slips through the door and sidles around the edge of the courtyard to get into position.

“Ladybug!” Chloé dives at illusion Ladybug, who sidesteps just in time. Trust Chloé to nearly accidentally derail their whole plan.

“No one’s seen her,” Mylène says. “At least, I don’t think we have.”

“What help did you get?” Kim says.

“That’s not important,” illusion Ladybug says. “What’s important is that we find Lila before she can get our Miraculouses.”

“It sucks that we can’t tell who she is,” illusion Chat Noir sighs. “She could sneak right up on us and we’d have no idea.”

“Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you?” Ladybug murmurs teasingly. Rena Rouge sticks her tongue out just as her necklace beeps and loses a tail segment. Shit. Lila had better hurry up and show up or else their plan is a bust.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll find her!” Sabrina says, rushing over to the illusions. “You always win!”

“That’s because we’re the good guys,” illusion Chat Noir preens. Rena Rouge and Ladybug fight back their snorts because the real Chat Noir must be rolling his eyes right about now, even though Rena Rouge is pretty sure she has him spot-on.

“You are!” Sabrina says. “You’ve saved so many of us before. You’re our heroes!”

“Sabrina, what are you doing?” Chloé snaps. But Sabrina ignores her and instead tries to grab illusion Chat Noir’s ring hand…but he vanishes in a burst of orange light and faint flute music.

“What?” Sabrina gasps as illusion Ladybug also ripples out of existence. “What is this?”

Now it’s Chat Noir’s time to shine. Except, rather than spraying ‘Sabrina’ with the fire extinguisher like Ladybug might have done, he simply swings it at her head and downs her with a wet crunch.

“…Good thing my Miraculous Ladybug will fix everything,” Ladybug says slowly.

“That was brutal,” Rena Rouge winces as she wills the Ladybug illusion to also fade.

“Cataclysm!” Chat Noir leans down and brushes ‘Sabrina’s’ hair aside with his free hand, then taps something on her ear with his sparking hand. Sure enough, a black butterfly flutters free and rises above everyone’s heads. Well, that’s Ladybug’s cue to go and purify it.

“This,” Rena Rouge says as Ladybug casts her Miraculous Ladybug to fix everything, “has been the best day ever.” She figures that she’ll just stay where she is, even though her existence has kind of been outed by her illusions, but Ladybug turns and gestures for her to come on out.

“This is Rena Rouge, our newest superhero,” Ladybug says as everyone gasps and starts to whisper at Rena Rouge’s appearance. Okay, it probably was a smart move to secure Ladybug’s vote of confidence in front of everyone, in case they think she’s an akuma or a Hawkmoth ally in the future or something. Especially since her power deals with illusion and deception.

“Sup.” Rena Rouge shoots everyone the finger guns. Ladybug rolls her eyes, but Chat Noir grins at her.

“I – what am I doing here?” In Sabrina’s place is Lila, who’s blinking and staring around at her audience dazedly. The real Sabrina is back by Chloé’s side; she’d probably been knocked out and stashed away somewhere or something like that.

“You were akumatised,” Chloé says, “Duh.”

“Chloé.” Ladybug shoots her a disapproving look.

“What?” Chloé says. “Even an idiot would know that.”

“I – I was?” Lila covers her face. “Oh, no! I’m so sorry! I hope I didn’t hurt anyone!”

Rena Rouge’s necklace beeps in sync with Ladybug’s earrings and Chat Noir’s ring. “Gotta go!” Rena Rouge says quickly and races away. She just manages to burst into the girls’ bathroom before her transformation washes away in orange light and Trixx flies out of the necklace.

“Not bad for your first mission,” Trixx says as Alya fishes around in her bag for her little pouch of blueberries. His eyes light up when she hands him a few before stashing the rest away.

“Really?” Alya says. “I mean, I would’ve preferred that my illusions weren’t found out, because now Hawkmoth will know about me…”

Trixx shrugs. “Can’t be helped. You just have to roll with the punches. Adaptability is the hallmark of a great Fox, little kit.”

“Stop calling me that,” Alya huffs. Trixx just smirks with gleaming violet eyes. “How can you even know what happened? Can you, like, see what’s going on or something?”

“We can see through your eyes when you’re transformed,” Trixx says. “So, we know as much as you do.”

“Like a melding of person and kwami?” Alya says. Trixx nods. “So cool! Oh, crap, gotta get back!”

Trixx darts into Alya’s bag as she sprints out of the bathroom and back to the courtyard to catch the tail end of Lila’s akumatisation. It’s just a pity that she can’t find a way to record herself for the Ladyblog, although to be fair, she can claim that the Ladyblog is centred on the main duo. But it still sucks. Especially if someone else gets the idea to create a blog for Rena Rouge.

“I’m so, so sorry, Adrien!” Lila’s saying when Alya edges into the courtyard and tries to blend into the crowd as though she’s always been there. She pauses by Marinette’s side, who’s standing next to Adrien with Nino as Lila spins her spiel. Okay, so maybe that’s a little harsh of Alya, but Lila still won’t actually look at any of them. She hasn’t done so since being de-akumatised.

“You couldn’t help what you did when you were akumatised,” Adrien says.

“Not just that,” Lila says. “How I reacted when you turned me down. You were totally within your rights to do that. I guess…well, I just had a really vivid flashback of another boy in Italy, and for a moment, I saw you as him. Then I was scared to admit my mistake because, you know, people would think I’m a liar, and then Marinette and Alya started to scold me and I felt like I was in too deep…”

Oh, she’s good. The tale she’s spinning has visibly captivated the entire courtyard, minus Alya Marinette, Adrien, Nino, Chloé, and Sabrina, and there are even a few glares being shot Alya and Marinette’s way. Even if there had been a boy in Italy, it’s just…so obvious that Lila’s laying everything on thick.

To be fair, you did believe her until Marinette called out her lies to you, says a nasty little voice in her head. Alya pointedly ignores it.

“Really, it’s okay,” Adrien says. “I’m sorry that you were hurt, Lila. But my heart belongs to someone else. It wouldn’t be fair of me to string you along and let you think you had a chance.”

All around the courtyard, people furiously start to whisper, no doubt trying to convince themselves and others that Adrien’s talking about them. Alya thankfully manages to resist the very strong urge to roll her eyes.

“I understand completely,” Lila says, finally looking up. There’s no trace of tears or other form of distress but, to be very fair to her, some people just aren’t outwardly expressive. But Alya still doesn’t trust her. “And thank you for being honest, Adrien. You’re a decent guy. Whoever’s captured your heart is a very lucky person. Friends?” She holds out her hand.

“Friends.” Adrien shakes her hand. As if by divine intervention, the bell for the end of lunch rings at that moment, breaking up the courtyard crowd as everyone starts to head to class. Lila smiles sweetly at Adrien, then at his friends, before turning and walking off.

“I don’t trust her,” Marinette says immediately. “Did you hear how she said that? She totally threw me and Alya under the bus.”

“Thank god you noticed that too,” Alya says.

“You really wanna be friends with her, dude?” Nino says.

“I know there’s something shifty about her,” Adrien says. “All this…the way she just smiled at us…it feels like she was sending me a message. Like she’s showing me that she can mess with me and my friends just like that. What?” he says when Alya, Marinette, and Nino stare at him. “You don’t survive as Gabriel Agreste’s son without picking up a nose for social politics. But it’s not like I could just outright reject her after that public apology.”

“True, true,” Alya says. “You would’ve been skinned alive. Well, pretty boy, good thing you got us to steer you right.”

“Thank god,” Adrien says dryly.

#miraculous ladybug #ml fic #aotq fic #aotq: hold me #marinette dupain-cheng #adrien agreste #alya cesaire #miracuclass #lila rossi #anti-lila #ugh #just wait she gets worse

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alias-b · 5 years

Photo

Without The Lights~ Billy Hargrove x OC Camille Harper

Chapter 11: There Are Worse Things I Could Do

A/N: Valentine’s Day of 1985 after a terrible school prank. Camille gets some horrid news and comfort from a surprising source. TW: Death, talk of abortion, asshole high schoolers, mental break, and brief self h*rm scene.

The comments weren’t bad. Oh, no.

"That's the one... Her."

"Queen Bee. Queen Bitch."

"Slut."

"Wonder who the daddy was."

"Baby killer."

"Hargrove better watch out, she traps boys. He'll lose interest now for sure."

"Camille, the whore, Harper."

Those were all tragically and hilariously to be expected.

It was the staring. Those damn eyes. The way she could walk into a room and have it hush. Teachers and students alike. Thinking those thoughts too loudly. Camille marched in. Knowing they were talking about her. Eyes lifted and moved over her body like she’d never get privacy again. Camille was used to being watched. Desired. But, this... Avoiding her face was one thing. Staring direct at her long scraped out womb was another. The attention burned. Lights scorched. No dark corners to curl up and hide away in. And how Camille tried to. She imagined layers of flesh melting away until she was muscle and bone. They would rub salt into the rawness of her wounds.

Camille turned her nose up to all that shit. Fixed her lipstick. Flicked her hair. Blew bubbles with gum like nothing was around. She spoke up in class. Made herself more visible because she had no choice and she wanted control again. Camille burst with technicolor. Crushed them all. Swayed like a dancer down hallways. Undaunted. By force. But, undaunted nonetheless.

Billy watched her float. Like nothing could touch her. He found himself wishing that he could float too. Camille tried to sit alone at lunch. Tried. Steve smacked a tray down across from her. Sent a message that nothing had changed. Students watched their king sit and eat, sliding an extra carton of milk over. She’d tried to skip the meal too. Nancy and Jonathan came next, adding crackers and a brownie to the lunch. Billy was on her right after, placing his green apple there. Hadn't lost interest of course. Heather ushered Robin over even and they joined. Camille let herself smile.

“So, anyone catch Mr. Creed’s new hairpiece? A surprising color.” Steve leaned forward and Heather laughed. He attempted to make his friend feel normal again.

“I couldn’t even take notes, I was waiting for it to crawl away.”

“Definitely hiding something,” Jonathan piped up. Camille watched her odd group of friends joke, picking up the apple to bite into it first. Billy shot her a wink so she nudged his leg with her own.

“I had him last year. Once he got frustrated and ran his hand into it. Flipped half the thing over and finished class like that.” She chuckled finally when they did, encouraged.

“He’s gotta put that whole collection out of their misery.” Robin added. Camille enjoyed feeling like a teen again. For once. Steve kicked her foot under the table, flashing a smile that set her at ease. It was like this over the next week. Gluing little shards of glass back together. Trying not to slice tired fingers. Rosemary acted as if nothing happened prior. Cooped up in her studio with new designs. Work was better. Better than a daughter who refused to be a daughter. Camille stayed afloat until the ship cracked again. The perfect hive threatened to crumble in.

Her stupid locker. Still broken. This day, she jerked it open for her chemistry book with Robin next to her, ready to walk to class. Red splashed all down her front. Covered the floor and Robin’s shoes. A bucket of blood red paint clattered, dribbling all over. Camille went into shock, hands lifting while it pooled out. Like most shitty things in her life now. Pooling out. She longed briefly to let it cover all else. Clothing ruined. The crack deepened when Carol pointed to laugh across the way. Ex-popular friends joined in around her. Tommy was cackling, racing away to catch more attention. Billy's foot came out by his locker and the boy tripped hard, smacking the floor. Students ceased their laughter.

"Eat shit, you little bitch." Billy bared his teeth. Looking utterly feral because that was his default setting.

"Mad someone got your slut before you did, Hargrove? You'll have to fight every quarterback in Indiana." Tommy dragged backwards but was ripped up, shoved into the lockers. Camille paid no mind.

"Get the fuck out of here." Billy struggled with his rage and tossed Tommy the other way, arms swiping out to frighten him off. Tommy was Steve's added beefcake muscle once upon a time but he'd be a fool to challenge a fire-breathing hyena like Billy Hargrove.

“What the hell, Carol?” Robin spoke first back down the hallway. Heather ran along to see her friends. Odd bunch they made. Camille the freak. Robin the weirdo. Baby faced Heather. Billy shoved his locker closed and pushed students to see his friend too.

“Are you okay? Camille?” Heather was ignored. Baby killer, came some more utters and Camille stalked forth. Carol shut her mouth and cried out when a fist charged right next to her head. Its force dented the locker in. The brass knuckle punch style she'd easily picked up from Billy. Something detached inside Camille. Instead of hitting Carol and crying, she just laughed. Eyes wide. Unstable. It echoed into their school. Demanded respect and attention because this was stone fox Camille Harper here. She laughed louder. How could she not? Her entire life was fucked. It was a lie. Why hide when the cards were all on the table today? More of her friends rounded the hallway in awe.

“Carol. I should be upset. What a clever, clever prank. How many brain cells did it take between you all? I wonder. But, you know…I’m not mad one little bit. Because I grew out of being a nasty bitch and I know you won’t for a while.” Camille was grinning. Carol looked shocked, tipping back to avoid the paint. “You don’t have to date a shitty ass guy who tries to fuck your friends when you take breaks and hate yourself, you know? Good luck with that. Been there, crawled out.” Camille jerked forward to hug Carol as tight as she could. “We’ll get through it together.” One hand took Carol's jaw. Red swatched her skin before she pushed her backwards after planting a hard, sweet kiss on her cheek. Paint swiped Camille's fingers so she reached up where there wasn’t paint on her shirt and traced an A.

A scarlet letter.

“Bitch! Camille, what the fuck? You lost it.” Carol looked down at herself, clothes ruined now too.

“Bold to assume that I even had it to begin with, babe.” Camille left her, head still high. Hips swaying. Paint splattering. "Well, any of you wet dream drones have anything else to say to me? Now's the fucking time!" Arms swiped, sending spatters of red into nearby students and lockers. Instead the entire crowd parted for her in sync. Moses standing at the damn Red Sea separating it. "I thought so." She puffed, lips lifting to smile because she owned them still. "Robin, sorry about the shoes."

"You know, I think this could be a great look actually." Robin joked instead, rolling with it because her friend was clinically insane and she adored her now.

"Right. Now, where is Billy Hargrove? Hm? Don't be shy, sweet face." Camille commanded her drones to part further and reveal him there at the center. Billy had stopped to watch halfway toward her, eyes fixated and huge when he got a better look. "Ah, there you are." She sucked her teeth, clicking her tongue once before she came forth. "Should have smelt the smoky hairspray and warm cologne, it's still to die for." The teen dream stopped in front of him. Everyone was dead silent. Awed. Impressed. Aroused.

Queen Bee Camille.

“Pick me up tonight." Hands on her hips, head cocked. Flirty and unashamed. Splashed bright red. A firework bursting in his life. "Seven o'clock sharp. We are going to the god damn movies. It's a date, just so we're clear. Be prepared to hold the door for me.”

“You’re the boss, Hester. Wear something red. Color's good on you.” Billy winked, shrugging before he too stepped aside to let her go. Unworried. Happy. Camille left a trail of footprints all down the hallway. She entered the girl’s gym showers in her clothing. Earning shocked looks when she started laughing aloud again and got under cold spray. Cleansed her skin. Red sloshed all down into the drain like the flood of a period. Her clothing was still ruined. They called her mother again to get her. Took an entire load of towels to get her out of the showers without making another mess. Camille was still laughing the whole way.

It never ended.

** ** **

“Camille, I’m not sure this is a good idea. You should rest. You've had a rough week.” Rosemary had frowned. Her own palms shook when she clasped them. Camille didn't notice her shaking

“I’m peachy.” She imagined teeth peeling fuzzy peach skin away to suck the juicy fruit within. That sweetness dripping from soft, plush lips.

“You’re different.” Rosemary couldn't get her daughter to turn around and just look at her. Not like she used to.

“I’m different?” The teen huffed and yanked up into the tree in front of their house. Another awful prank. Hung baby dolls from branches. “You going to help me here, mother?”

“They need me in New York again.” Rosemary resigned herself. Guilt swirled and she pressed her lips. Stared for a long moment, desperate. “Ask me to stay with you, I will.”

“You're right. I am different.” Camille admitted, head turning. “My eyes are open.” Her mother looked truly unsettled. “Go, they need you. I can handle myself.”

"I'm so sorry, Camille." Rosemary never said what for. First mistake. Her mother turned to go. "I left you something in the kitchen. Cheer you up. It used to." Camille never went to see what it was. Second mistake. She dumped the toys into their trash bin and prettied herself up. Wore a casual pink dress that slipped from her shoulders with cherries all over it. Small splashes of red. The Camaro howled while she applied the same red to her lips. Billy felt his heart charge when he pulled into the driveway. Finally.

“Millionth time is the charm, huh?” Camille approached when he got out. "Devil's pride nice still?"

"Yeah, I'd say so." Billy prettied himself as well, fitted shirt opened halfway and tucked into tight jeans. His preferred style. She smiled at him like nothing was wrong.

"Shall we?"

“Chariot awaits,” he cocked his head and offered a single peony from behind his back. Pink. Billy got the door for her and went around to drive them off. Let her pick the flick and he bought the tickets. The Breakfast Club. He only whined a little about it. Camille bought the snacks and they found seats up in back. More teens filled the room before the lights hushed. They took turns snagging popcorn and sips of soda. As much as he rolled his eyes prior, Billy grew invested. Every teen in sight felt it. Damn movie was too relevant. Camille leaned into him, allowing his arm behind her. Idle fingers traced the bare skin of her shoulder. The world let them be blissful teens tonight. For a little while. Third mistake. Credits rolled and he held her hand just like they discussed. Kids filtered out so Camille leaned in to kiss him, inches away before she gasped instead.

“Hey. Robin and Heather are here. Check it out,” she noticed them down closer to the front. Giggling. Tossing pieces of popcorn while they joked and stood. Heather looped her arm into Robin’s. Grins followed.

“Didn’t know they were actually close friends now. Lab partners or whatever.” Billy shrugged and Camille had to cover her lips. “What?”

“Boys are so oblivious, come on. To the diner.” She tugged at his hand to go down the steps.

"As you wish." Billy pulled her into him, earning a slight giggle. Chilly air swept and his leather jacket was already around her.

“Camille!” Heather caught them exiting the doors, hand leaving Robin’s quicker than intended. Camille peered at the space between them, eyes lifting.

“Heather…hi. Nice to see you both. Fine night compared to earlier, yeah?”

“Yes. Sorry, we didn’t know you guys were up there. I would have said hi. Great movie, right?” Heather continued.

“I loved it and so did Billy, despite the whining.” Camille joked, patting his chest. “Hey, Robin.”

“Hey…” Cold wind passed them so Camille brought Billy’s jacket closer.

“You got Billy to sit through that, impressive.” Heather was entertained.

“Just wait till you see my other tricks,” Billy lit up a cigarette behind his date.

“Okay, on that note, you guys…have a good time.” Camille kissed her friend's cheek, winking. Heather gave an honest smile, relaxing again.

“Thanks, Camille.”

“We’ll see you two in class, yeah.” Robin crossed her arms. “Now do the trick where you disappear, if you could.”

“Love that one,” Billy pressed Camille’s back when she gave Heather a knowing look of encouragement. He drove her to the diner and they found a corner booth. “Large milkshake. Chocolate. Side of fries.” He told the waiter. “Well, Harpy, we covered it, didn’t we?”

“What?”

“We angrily laid this out in detail months ago. Hit all the important points.”

“Hm, I think there is always room to improvise.” She purred, chin resting in her hand as she leaned over.

“Oh, say improvise again.”

“No,” Camille laughed when he gave that world melting smile. Food was set down. Billy snagged some fries and shifted the plate between them. She sipped and hummed blissfully. “I’m going to have that song from the movie trapped in my head for weeks.” Camille plucked up a hot fry to eat.

“Thought it was funny us going to see that? Criminal and princess.”

“I didn’t plan that,” she grew amused. “Didn’t know the movie would be like that. Frankly though, I’m starting to think I’m more of a basket case now.”

“Can’t argue there,” Billy dodged a fry at that, laughing before he stole her milkshake. "Queenie is buzzing along a very fine line."

"Suppose I feel like I have wings today." Camille gave a shrug. "Guess that I also wanted to bring up more of the wildly unhinged me who told her ex to eat shit."

“Hey, look, I know you’re all smiles now and great. But…”

“Disgraced bee flew too close to the sun.” Camille rolled her eyes and sat back. “I’m not faking it for you. I don't do that with or for boys, rest assured. These last two weeks have been…fucking awful. But, I’m on a date with a guy I care about and I think it’s going well.”

“We talking B minus work?” He gaze at her closely.

“Oh no, I think you’re on your way to a solid A plus with extra credit. Gold star work.” She joked. It was intoxicating even still. The way he smiled at her. Charming as hell. Lighter. Easy. Slow and steady, her hand came to touch his. Fingers curling. Eyes met and they stayed to enjoy the lingering beat between them. “I want to try something.”

“You do?” Billy’s brow furrowed and she wasn’t hesitant.

“I want to try it back at my place.” They scrambled to pay and go. Rain splattered lightly so he pulled her by the hand. Hair and clothing damp. Unable to resist, Billy yanked her into his chest. Hands on her wet face to kiss her there under rain and stars. Camille responded, pulling at him until they both laughed and continued to his car. Giggling teens on a date. Nothing to lose. So they thought. Billy sped while she slid over and placed playful, teasing kisses on his neck.

“Harpy, I’m supposed to be setting a better example when I drive.” He’d joked, stilling to kiss her again at a red light. Hands smoothed along his thigh and they couldn’t park fast enough in her driveway. “Hey.”

“Hm?” Camille was still in Billy's neck, palms sliding up his chest.

“Look.” He pointed. Jim Hopper’s Blazer sat parked in front. The Chief was waiting, snuffing out a cigarette before Camille hurried out on unsteady feet.

“Jim.” She felt a gust of cold crackle up her spine when he lifted his eyes. Rain stilled. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long." He stared at them, clearly on a date and worked up. Camille came down fast.

"What are you doing here, Jim?" She'd asked it quieter.

“Camille, I think we should talk inside.” His palm was on her back to guide her forth. Camille's hand slipped from Billy's and they mourned that.

“What happened?” She pressed, struggling to open the door.

“Hargrove, give us a moment.”

“No, Billy, come inside. You can say it to both of us.” Camille marched up to him while he took his hat off. A motion that appeared grave. Billy shut the door, his own flesh chilled when rain dripped from his curls. “Say it.”

“Camille.”

“Say it!” She barked at him, echoing in that empty house. Jim’s eyes drew to her own.

“It’s Judith.” He crumbled her world. “I’ve been checking on her and-”

“No, don’t you fucking…lie. Don't you lie to my face. It's fine. She's fine.” Tears welled. She got smaller. “You were supposed to protect her.”

"I'm so sorry, I only heard a few hours ago. We've had people on her I trust. There... Something happened."

"It's a mistake. No...No! You don't know shit. You're nothing but...a fuck up. You're just a fuck up!" She spat and he remained tender while her rage filtering out at him. "You are a liar."

“She’s gone, Camille.” He was pushed hard at that.

“Shut the fuck up…she didn’t… I knew they’d come for her! Another loose end to torment me with.” Camille couldn’t catch a breath, stumbling back before he took her arms. The dark secrets she kept. The life she had. The mother she never got to know. Gone. Gone. Gone. It all just fluttered. “Ngh, no!”

“She passed, Camille. They confirmed it. I saw the certificate. Photos. Everything.”

“How?”

“Camille.”

“How did she die?!” She screamed it. Echoing again. Billy pressed back into the door. His face felt impossibly hot.

“They say she did it herself.”

“They say…? A gentle, manic woman who never spoke and just spent her days rocking.” Camille broke. “So they killed her. They fucking killed my mother. Just to ruin me further. They know I can't mourn it. They know I saw her and they know I have to hide. Fucking, they killed us both. Again and again. Finally finished her off. It's because I found her. It's my fault.”

“You didn't do this. There was something. Small. Carved into her arm. Three numbers.” Jim reached again to stop Camille from falling. “Hey, you have to breathe. Easy.”

“No, she’s not… She can’t…” Camille was beating on his broad chest. “Lies! Lies! You’re a liar! A shitty, awful liar. I hate you! You fuck up! You were supposed to watch her. You...”

“Camille,” Billy found his own voice, hands up to pull her off Chief Hopper’s towering frame. She slipped out of his jacket.

“No, no, it isn’t true.” Camille rushed beyond them, tearing up the stairs. She saw her room empty. Kicked bedroom doors open. They pursued to stop her, forces jerked them aside. Her nose bled. “Can’t… It can’t be right.” Camille rushed down the stairs again. Nothing in the living room. She stopped in the kitchen when she saw them. The gift. To cheer her up. Confirming her worst fears. A vase of bright, freshly cut sunflowers left by her mother. An apology and a confession. She’d known. “No, no…no.” A wail tore. Shook the whole house before she lifted the entire thing to smash them. Yellow petals exploded around her feet. The doors slammed to the room when she fell to her knees. A sharp shard cut into her palm before she lost herself and dug it into skin. Eyes wide and unfocused. Three tiny numbers bled out.

“Hey!” Jim pounded at the door, kicking it open when she relented before he tore her up from the floor. “Knock it off!” Camille dragged and wished to bring the entire house down. He held her arms tight so she bucked around and wailed again. Everything took too much of a toll on Camille. This was the last straw. Rosemary stared at her eyes earlier and knew. Knew what would come. And Camille would have to smile upon seeing her when she came home.

Billy’s hands were on her face. He was talking too fast for her to process. He slipped away when she fell back into Jim, sobs barely subsiding because she was exhausted. Fingers gripped her forearm and Billy was tying a towel around it.

“Go pack her a bag. She’s not well, I’m taking her home. Hurry.” Jim pulled her to her feet, half carrying her into the living room to put her on the couch. They cleaned the mess without words and got her into Jim’s car. Her cries silenced when the door shut. Billy found the silent wails of agony more horrific from outside the car.

“Kid, I’ll handle it from here. Get yourself home.“

“Fuck that, I’m sticking with her.” Billy edged forward. "You don't know her."

“Billy, you helped. You did.” Jim eased. Billy didn’t jerk when a hand touched his shoulder. “What Camille needs is to process this. She needs rest.”

“After she found her mother the first time, she stuffed herself with pills. I made her throw them up, she took so damn many. I am not…” Billy felt himself tremble. Jim understood, nodding. Watch her. “We were happy.”

“Yeah, you’re good kids. You are. Just trying to make it better and you will. Camille needs to rest and she isn't safe to be alone in this house. Give it some time. Give her some time. Things still bad at school?”

“Hung babies and red paint aren’t exactly welcoming.”

“I’ll handle it. Go home. Let me take care of her, I know enough and if she's like El: her abilities could lash out. I’ll call if anything happens. All right? I'll call you first,” Jim pressed him to leave and he finally did. Billy didn’t drive home, instead he was stumbling up to another door. Bell rang and Steve Harrington looked confused.

“Hey, man…you lost?” Steve didn’t see anyone behind him. Billy looked like utter shit. “You do know this is my house, right?”

"Yes, asshole, I fucking know which-"

"Okay, good talk," Steve moved to shut the door and Billy dropped the anger.

"Wait..." Billy's foot stopped him. Steve sighed and pulled it back open.

"Try again, pal." He waited so Billy changed his tone.

“You got alcohol in there?”

“Parents are gone to the weekend, uh…yeah.” Steve relented then stepped aside. “What’s going on?”

“Start pouring first.”

** ** **

“Camille.” El was excited until she saw her expression.

“El, give her a moment.” Hopper guided the mute teen into their little cabin. His puffy police coat over her frame. “Pull out the couch for her.”

“What happened?” El asked instead when Hopper got Camille into the bathroom. The door shut so he helped fix the couch into a bed. Eleven brought extra pillows and saw him locking up knives and pills. “Why?”

“Camille is incredibly upset.” Jim explained it carefully. “Her mother. Real mother…she passed away.”

“Gone.”

“Yeah,” Jim swept the young girl under his arm. “We have to be careful with her. She’s hurting. Sometimes when people hurt…they take it out on themselves. She’s going to stay here a few nights while Rosemary is out.”

“I can watch her.” El promised and Jim pressed a smile, rubbing her shoulders. Camille looked numb when she appeared. El hurried to take her hand and get her to lie down. “I’m sorry…about your mama.” Camille hated herself for the tiniest thought that maybe it was for the best. The older teen peered at her and nodded while El turned on the TV for her. Noise to fill the voids in the room. Jim pulled a chair up to unwrap her wrist. It took a moment for the little girl to realize Camille did it to herself.

“Give us a moment,” Jim nodded so El went into her room. He cleaned the cuts and applied ointment while she reclined there. “Wanted the scar.”

“They erased me.”

“Six isn’t who you are, Camille.”

“Guess I’m not really sure what I am any longer. Queen bee. Freak. Slut. Six. Baby killer. Always the fucking brands.” She paused. “Sorry, you lost your daughter.”

“Two completely different scenarios, Camille, you’re not a bad person and I wrote the book on fucking up. No room to judge a teenage girl for making a terrifying and informed choice about her body.” Jim got up and pulled something from his coat pocket. “They sent me this with the certificate.” The tiny Star of David necklace. She let him clasp it so it could hang down low with Billy’s pendant.

“Thank you.” She welled up and closed her eyes to still it.

“She loved you. She did.” Jim touched her hair. "I'll let you have some space."

"Wait," she sniffled, cracking. "Can you just hold me for a little bit?" Jim stilled, air leaving his nose before he sat back down. Awkwardly, she came up to scoot into his arms when he sat on the edge of the mattress. Jim floundered a little too, uncertain. She adjusted half in his lap. Camille pressed into him when he held her tighter, arms up against his chest. Inhaling the scent of him. Nothing like her own adopted father. Long rotting in the ground. She still closed her eyes to pretend. She wondered what her real father smelled like. Maybe something like this. Crisp. Safe. Jim rocked her when she began to shake in his arms. They melted more together. He cupped the back of her head so she lifted it to look at him. Small. Fingers smoothing idly into the fabric of his shirt as his thumb caught a single tear. "You're not a fuck up." She rasped then. Lips pressed at that.

“Get some rest, Camille.” He offered, tucking long hair aside. She eased herself back into the mattress. El came out in her pajamas to crawl in next to Camille.

“I can watch her,” El stated again when Camille was lulled to sleep. Jim stayed there petting her head until El took over. The little girl kissed her hair like Jim had done to her many times before to comfort her too. Hopper went to his room and left El curled into her sister. They looked peaceful.

** ** **

“Hello?” Nancy was groggy when she received a call.

“Hey, uh, Nancy, it’s Steven,” Steve snorted into the phone and Nancy was alert.

“Steve? It’s late. Are you drunk?”

“I’m the moral support, Nance.” Steve was trying to quiet someone behind him. “I have every single thing in my life...super under control.”

“Oh, my god. Where are you?”

“Home, near the pool. Um, Nancy, I did…something bad.” Steve slurred. “Remember how we dated for like a year? Wild. I was a shitty boyfriend.”

“No, Steve, you really weren’t. Not at all.” Nancy was up, Jonathan lifted his eyes in question across from her.

“Couldn’t even beat the keg king, a little girl had to step in. She’s like…way cooler than me. I think Max is the real keg king at heart.” Steve was laughing and Billy snorted, seated in a lawn chair near him. “I…am just calling…wait, why am I calling again?”

“Camille…needs her fucking band of annoying nerds. The party. That thing…she doesn’t,” Billy hiccuped, plastered, “I’m not enough, ah, and I never will be.”

“Billy wants to have a party.” Steve was laughing.

“Billy? You’re drunk with Billy Hargrove?” Nancy smacked Jonathan’s shoulder to get him moving.

"Ow!"

“We’re coming over. Now.”

“You’re with Jonathan, that’s hilarious.” He cackled. “Byers! He kicked my ass too!”

“He told me!” Billy fell back, grinning.

“Don’t go anywhere,” Nancy smacked the phone down. “Come on.” Back at Steve’s, he fell into a pool side chair.

“She could def...definitely not even tell I’d been drinking. I’m…sneaky like a ninja.” Steve reclined back.

“Shit is fucking wild, man. How did I get here? Look at them.” Billy watched the hundreds of stars dance in his state, lulling about.

“You…are a fucking asshole.” Steve was swatting for him, hitting only air.

“Yeah, I am.” They tried to high five and missed that too. “Pissed off a junior demolished you at everything you love?”

“Beside the point. You’re like…like a real…huge asshole. But, you’re also not so bad. You know? I just…can’t fight for shit. And you somehow became friends with Camille Harper. My friend. My queen friend.” Steve was laughing again.

“She tricked me into her intr...intricate friendship rituals.”

“Oh, she does that shit. We all fall for it. You especially. And…you…you beat the shit out of me and then your kid sister stole your car. What the fuck was all that?”

“What the fuck was that?” Billy agreed, head tipping. Nancy and Jonathan sped there, coming around back to see the two wasted boys.

“Ayy! It’s Nancy! Nancy…!” Steve clapped. Billy was trying and failing to light a cigarette. They hollered in sync so she shushed them.

“Hey, zip it! Both of you.” Nancy ordered. “What is this?”

“If Camille were here it would be exactly…like…The Breakfast Club.” Billy started cackling and Steve joined him. “New party name, you fucking nerds.”

“This guy is hilarious, he’s so right. So…right…”

“Hey, hey focus.” Nancy picked up a spray bottle for the window flowers and hit them both with water. They hissed and whipped around to avoid the cold like a pair of cats. Billy’s cigarette sizzled out so he flicked it, giving up. Jonathan covered his lips and tried not to laugh at this all. “What happened? Where is Camille?”

“Police Chief kidnapped her mid date.” Billy had his hands up when she threatened them again with the spray bottle.

“Why?” Jonathan stepped forward. Billy blinked as some awareness came back.

“Bad thing… Her, fuck shit… Her mother. They got her.”

“Her mom? Rosemary?”

“No. One in the hospital.” Steve played with his shirt. “She didn’t make it.” Nancy lowered the bottle, realizing.

“Oh, no… Where is Camille now?”

“Hopper just…whiskered her away. Adopting another one probably.” Steve tried to sit up and Jonathan hurried to assist him.

"You need a bed, come on."

"Hey pal, I may have let you kick my ass but, you are not qualified to tuck me in." Steve dragged with him. Billy stared at the pool with a harder expression, lights fluttered on his face. Made him look almost ethereal.

“We gotta get them inside.” Jonathan was helping poor Steve along still. Billy managed to sit up more and Nancy saw a flower in his hand. Camille had left it in the car. He stared at the petals and leaned to drop it into the pool. Water shifted with ripples. Billy watched them carefully so Nancy crossed over.

“Billy, you’re not looking well. You need to get inside.” She and Jonathan heaved Billy to his feet next. "There we go." He stumbled and made an odd sound. Nancy realized that he was sniffling. She saw nausea sweep his expression and they hurried him into the bathroom so he could throw up. “Jonathan, water.” He rushed to find a glass. “Here…” Nancy was wiping Billy’s slack lips with a wet rag. He pressed his cheek to the seat and tried to overcome the sensation, moaning. Teeth clenched when another feeling flooded him. Nancy gave his back an awkward pat. “It’s okay.” She took the water from Jonathan and helped him drink. “Check on Steve.”

“Got it.” Jonathan left again. Billy slipped against the wall, room spinning. Nancy squatted down barely a few feet away, arms crossed over her knees.

“Don’t have to stay here with me, Wheeler.”

“I know.” Nancy shrugged. Not the night she imagined. Not the person she imagined comforting. “Don’t mind it if you don’t though.”

He blinked and didn’t say anything, eyes glazed.

“So, Hopper’s watching her?” She saw Billy nod. “And you guys had a date tonight.”

“I think I was decent.” His voice was quiet. Raw.

“I bet that you were.” Nancy pressed her lips and he flickered his eyes over her face, opening up.

“Not supposed to see her. Whole tutoring lie is only going to go so far. My dad doesn’t like it. But, I like it.” He slurred, eyes closing. “Another round with the belt when he finds out. Story of my fucking life. Maybe I deserve it, I was a shithead. I still am.” Nancy’s eyes changed.

“He hits you. I mean…we all had some idea about it. Ah...you don’t deserve it, all right? And you don’t have to go back there, you know.”

“All that wishful thinking. If I don’t, he’ll want someone else to hit. He’ll hunt me down. I tried to run before. Long time ago. Learned quick. I can't. Dad wins.” Billy numbed. “Didn’t want to care.”

“You’re different. We all see it. Good different.” Nancy offered. Familiar words touched the world. “My friend changed too. Before and after your family got here. I did also and so did Jonathan and Steve. We all did stupid teenage things.”

“Some of us did worse than others.”

"We all hurt people." Nancy admitted, eyes flickering. "My friend died because of me and I can't take that back. I can only do better. Never let it happen to someone else."

"She died because a monster grabbed her." Billy swallowed bile, chest heaving. "I used to be a monster too. Grabbing people. Squeezing. Laughing about it after."

“What Camille sees in you now…it makes her happy. What Max sees in you makes her happier as well.” Nancy offered, careful. Billy lulled with an amused scoff to hide the way his tone thickened.

“My mom didn’t see it. Why won’t my dad see it either?” Billy cringed this time, lips trembling and eyes filling to the brim.

“It’s…going to be okay. It’s going to get better. I know how that sounds. But, not just for you alone. But, for you and Max. Camille. All of us. Because we have this…amazing group and we’re trying so hard despite everything. Even when we want to stop.”

“I’m not…I’m not crying over my dad. He’s never…going to love me. Just, fuck him. Fuck him for me and Max and Susan…and…my mom. Fuck him! Fuck. Can’t touch anything. Can’t be touched. Fuck him. I’m crying…because…because, I…”

“Billy, it’s okay. Just breathe.” Nancy offered him some tissue.

“I can’t. Can’t stand to. I’m finally awake.” Billy wept, the airy syllables barely connected. “I love her.” He’d squeaked it like a mouse, fists rose to touch his head while he crumbled. Nancy stayed there with him to share the space. Let him weep. When he was calmer, she nodded to affirm that he was perfectly sane through the hurt.

“I know you do.”

#billy hargrove #Billy hargrove x oc #billy hargrove fanfiction #billy hargrove fanfic #Camille Harper #writing #mine #without the lights

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surveys-at-your-service · 4 years

Text

Survey #259

"i went straight to heaven, but i kept on knockin’.”

What's something that makes you feel more creative? Music. What are the last three nail polish colors you wore? Wow, idk the last time I wore nail polish, but probably black or maroon. What's the last thing you binge watched? Avatar: The Last Airbender w/ Sara. Do you watch youtube videos or tv shows more? YouTube is essentially my TV. Quite literally - I don't have a television in my room because I never watch it. What's a DIY project that you don't think actually works? Oh dude, plenty. I have DIY-obsessed friends online as well as a Pinterest, I know this shit, lmao. I can name one though with total certainty because I was with a friend when she tried that disgusting "YOU CAN MAKE cuPCAkES IN A C uP!!!!!" crap. It's the most eggy shit you'll ever try. Do you collect Mason jars to use for crafts? No, but I think those crafts are generally super cute. Have you ever gotten rid of something and then regretted it? If so, what? (or what's one thing?) Oh yeah, one of my biggest being my senior prom pictures, but not for the reason you'd expect (save for two pictures of us that're just REALLY fuckin cute): I want them back because goddamn I was pretty ok and I miss that now that I hate my body every waking moment of every day. :^) What color is the zip-up hoodie you wear the most? Don't have one w/ a zipper, they're ugly. Do you live in an apartment that has inspections? No. Do you hate taking naps during the day? Nooo I love naps and usually take one a day. I tend to feel really tired all over again a few hours or so after I wake up. Who in your immediate family has the best natural hair? MEEEEEEEEEEEE. Would you ever audition for American Idol? Hell no. Do you know anyone who thinks they're more talented than they are? Lol wow, this is mean. I don't think so. Do you buy gum? Rarely, even though I like it. What's your favorite dollar store? I don’t have a favorite, I'd say? But I think we normally go to Dollar General. How many cell phones have you had in your lifetime? Maybe like, six? Have you ever been inside a Victorian mansion? BITCH I WISH!!!!!!!!!!!! I would kill to get married in one, omfGGGGGGGGGGG. What was the most boring field trip you ever want on? I don't remember a bad one. I loved going on field trips. The last time you went, what were your favorite rides at Cedar Point? I’ve never been. Which country would you most like to visit? Eeeeek idk, but probably South Africa. What are your favorite types of videos to watch on YouTube? What I watch on YouTube has become pretty diverse, but I know my favorites are easily Mark's actual big projects w/ egos 'n shit alksjdflk;w gOOD SHIT MY FRIENDS. I still love let's plays, of course! Are you a hoarder? No. Is there a guy (or girl) that you wish things had worked out with? Yes. If you were to start a collection, what would it be? I'd loooove Shadow of the Colossus stuff, particularly the amazing figures they used to have only in Japan. And World of Warcraft stuff; all I have rn is an Illidan poster and a fae dragon plushy hanging from my ceiling that Jason got me. If you were rich, what things would you get done cosmetically? Mother of god, a lot. #1, make me skinny again for the love of fuck. Which would result in loose skin being taken off and probably a breast lift because being overweight ruined my comfort with them laskdjfw. Whiten my teeth and give me laser hair removal surgery on my legs, please. Are your parents too controlling? Not at all. Who is your favorite fictitious redhead? VOL'JIN Blizzard what the FUCK give him BACK What shows have you seen on Broadway? None. Who is the prettiest Asian YouTuber that you can think of? Bitch Mark is Korean and he's gorgeous as fuck goddamn it ain't fair. But this is a weird question. What is the best news you've heard lately? When my mom got a follow-up blood test, things looked good!! She especially needed to level out her sugar, which she did well on. She also didn't lose or gain any weight, so that's wonderful. Have you ever flown first class? Hunny I am v poor. Have you ever had food SO bad in a restaurant that you sent it back? I don't believe so, anyway. Do you talk in your sleep? Very regularly now. Have you ever locked yourself out of your house? OOF, yes. Are you the type of person who can shake insults off easily, or do they tend to stick around in your brain & bother you? They stick with me for a long, long time. At least two I remember from years upon years ago. Who was the last person you cut out of your life intentionally? My old therapist that I trusted and loved when I fucking shouldn't have. Where were you raised? By who? Eastern NC, by my parents. What were your first words? "Dada." What were some of your favorite things when you were young? DINOSAURS, Webkinz, Pokemon, and Spyro, to name a few. What did you grow up listening to? Mostly country and pop music. What games did you play in the past? Spyro was my obsession, and I also loved hunting games (ironic, as irl I would never even consider it???) as well as fishing ones, plus Crash Bandicoot. What was the best birthday party you ever had? I'm not sure. How about the best vacation? I'm unsure; I haven't really been on a lot. Do you have any secrets you never intend to tell? Yup. What memory would you like to disappear from your mind forever? A nightmare I had about my dad. If you were someone else, would you be friends with the person you are now? Yeah. Do you consider yourself a smart person? No. What friend in your life has been the greatest influence to you? I don't know. Where is the scariest place you’ve ever been? What made it so terrifying? I shared a bedroom with an EXTREMELY volatile, violent woman once in the mental hospital. As in she had to go in solitary when she had a violent episode, during which she became very destructive to her surroundings, so as you could guess, I was worried about my own wellbeing. She was eventually moved because I was that uncomfortable. Did you celebrate Easter? Are there any holidays you are more inclined to celebrate than others? If so, which? Well, Easter hasn't come yet, but we'll probably go to my sister's house for the kids. We'll celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving without fail. We don't pay much attention to others. I'd LOVE to do something for Halloween, we just never have anywhere to go/anything to do. What was the last thing you deleted? Pictures. What colors make up the majority of your wardrobe? Is there any color you like, but don’t wear often? There's black there. Oh, there's s'more black. What's that???? More bLACK????? MAN, I wish I could pull off pink. When was the last time you were in any amount of pain? I had a pretty intense headache yesterday. Who was the last person to hug you? Do you hug this person often? My niece, and yeah, every time I visit. What are you most likely to argue or debate about? The fact I almost never leave my pajamas lmao. What was the last show you watched? Have you seen it before, or is it something you’re watching for the first time? A few days back, I was reeeaaally bored and actually watched TV deliberately, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?????? It was The Witcher; wasn't bad. I'd be willing to watch more. How would you describe your taste in clothing? What would a dream outfit look like to you? uuuuuggggGHHHHHHHH let me be GOTH. Give me a corsette if they weren't notoriously uncomf with plenty of chains 'n stuff. BIG, SPIKY BOOTS. SKINNY LEATHER PANTS. UUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHH. Have you ever tried snowboarding? No. What’s your favorite planet besides Earth? Saturn is dope. Would you ever be a coach for any sport? Nope. What color of eyes do you have? Blue. Do you like tacos? NOOOOOOOOO. White or red wine? Wine is gross. Do you prefer foxes or wolves? Foxes. What’s the youngest you would consider dating? No younger than 21. Do you think suits are sexy? mmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Did you go to high school with your current best friend? No. What is your boss’ (or school prinicpal’s) name? N/A Were you a fan of Michael Jackson before he died? I was never really a fan. Respected him immensely as a musician, I just didn't care much about his music. Turkey or ham for Thanksgiving? Ham. Turkey is always too dry and stringy. Do you look good in hats? I wouldn't know, I haven't worn one in forever. Never with short hair. Colons or equal signs for your smiley face's eyes? Colons. Do you like architecture? If so, do you have a favourite style or structure that you’d like to make note? Yes, and I should really have an answer for this, as architecture was a big part in Art History... Ummm Etruscan stands out, and of course Roman/Greek (even after the class I don't remember their differences well...). I love Middle Eastern architecture, too. What is one of your favorite words, in any language, and why? I just love the sound of "serendipity," as well as uhhhh "sakura" in Japanese and "kanji" in Chinese. I'm trying to think of a German one, as there certainly are some, but they're evading me right now. Where is the farthest you’ve travelled on foot? JESUS FUCK probably going to get Sara's brother from school, mother of all that is holy. But it might just feel like it because it was during the peak of my muscle atrophy in my legs. Are there any songs that you perhaps like but avoid because it makes you sad when heard? A good number. Do you like the area that you live in? What do you like or dislike about the area? NO. There's not shit to do and it's not aesthetically pleasing at all. Do you have a memory of when you really thought that you have lucked out on something? If so, what was it? Uhhhhh. A handful, I guess? Oh, uh, the suicide attempt to name one and probably the biggest. I took way too many of those pills to experience almost zero symptoms of an overdose; I did look up what "too many" was, because I wanted that. I'd say I was pretty fuckin lucky. If you have apps on your mobile phone, which one do you use the most? Facebook. Which do you like better: fantasy or science fiction novels? Why? FANTASY!!! I think it allows more creativity and possibilities of something magically "making sense" because yeah, it's fantasy. Science fiction has more "realness" to it, more, obviously, scientific elements versus make-believe. Do you like opossums? Do you think it is ethically right for others to keep opossums as pets? OPOSSUMS!!!!!!!!! ARE!!!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They're my second-favorite animals kdsja;lkdjaw. BUT ANYWAY, no, unless it's for rescue reasons. When was the last time someone asked you a huge favor or advice? Do you get asked often by this person? Oh I have no idea. Probably my mom? And no, definitely not. She hates asking for help. What are your thoughts on nihilism? I definitely get it, but it's not my personal outlook. Do you like the snow? More like love. What are your thoughts and feelings towards work/jobs in general? I don't know? I've never even had a real, steady job, so it's hard to really answer... I've only had bad experiences. It's kinda weird to me how you have to work your ass off (usually) to get a job you enjoy, as well as slave for some stupid green paper until the day you die just to stay alive and healthy. But at the same time, it offers a sense of fulfilment and is as well something productive and beneficial to the masses to do. Civilization would be very, very different and unadvanced if we were without them, so I guess it is a necessary thing. Humans gotta work together to keep where we're at. Do you believe in astrology? I've never actually elaborated why I don't believe in it so there ya go: not in the slightest. All it does is offer extremely broad characteristics that, in some light, almost anyone can relate to so they feel included in something. We naturally want to "belong" within something as social creatures, and astrology is an easy one with it being so vast. It gives equally indirect advice that can be applied to a multitude of situations, so people just mold what they read to fit their world. Don't base your goddamn life choices on the random positioning of shit in space. What is something that you’ve made/created? Do you take pride in your creations? Well, way way way too many OCs that I do indeed love a hell of a lot. If you have a Tumblr account, do you have any followers that you wish would not follow you? Well I'm sure there are bots. What kind of books do you generally enjoy to read? Fantasy stuff, mostly. But I also love novels with deep meaning, particularly about life in general. A good plot is mandatory. Does the quality of a video, on YouTube or a television, matter to you? I mean of course in some situations, like if I'm watching something educational/something to gain visual knowledge from. What is one situation that may cause you to become shy (if there is any)? Don't don't don't don't don't point out that my serious interests/things I massively love are "weird" like it's been years and I can still barely explain why my biggest tattoo is a tribute to some fuckface on the Internet lmao. When one is depressed, what can a friend do about it? Do you find that there is a good method to approach people in helping them combat depression? It is SO important to, first, ask them what they want. Do they want advice, an ear to just listen, just your presence, to be alone? As for combating depression, that greatly depends on the origin (if any) of theirs. There are so many factors in answering this question, but what I mentioned should, imo, always be the start. Do you tend to listen to music that embraces your mood or does music dictate your mood? Is it a little bit of both? Definitely both. When I'm sad though, I'm almost definitely listening to somber music too. Do you find yourself to be generally a forgiving person? I'm too goddamn forgiving. Do you have an embarrassing memory that you now look back at and can laugh? If so and if you’re comfortable, could you share one here? Omg I have a Bible-length collection of those suckers. I'd prefer not to. What is one skill that you have worked hard to develop? Is there still room for improvement on that skill? Damn, anxiety-coping mechanisms and actually trusting them to help me through attacks. I used to be convinced that they were useless because it just wouldn't work and weren't immediately effective, but you've gooooooot to trust the process, friends. What do you consider to be your main passion(s) and how did they come about? Spreading awareness of the seriousness of mental health and the comfort of knowing there's hope. You can never stop pushing. My own experience with mental health struggles is definitely the deeeep roots of that. Who do you think influenced you the most in your life so far? Why? Jason changed my life in many ways. Trauma does that. He taught me a lot about the necessity of having faith in yourself to survive on your own, a shitload about love and how it's not some fairy tale, and that people change, even those you least expect to. What is something that you have overheard people talk about that really bothered you? I could name more than a few things about race stuff, living where I do. What do you normally say or how do you normally act in response to a compliment? I usually do this shy laugh and say "thank you" with too much enthusiasm. How many books do you own? Do you have more physical books than electronic books? I've no clue where a lot of my old ones are. I have no electronic ones; I strongly prefer to read a physical book. What are your thoughts on higher education? Is it really necessary? In your opinion, what changes can be made? Depending on your aspiring career, it can be necessary, but just as easily, it can be unnecessary. I know for a fucking fact it should not be NEARLY as expensive as it is. Maybe even free, but I have no idea what monetary concerns that could cause with whoever runs the place. Have you ever received a heartfelt compliment from a stranger? Probably at some point. How many people would you consider to be extremely close to you? "Extremely"... like three lmao. Maybe one more or so. When was the last time you had to speak to a crowd? How well did that go? When I was taking pictures at a wedding last. It went okay. How would you describe your general outlook towards humanity? We by no means deserve to be the apex predator and Earth would be a shitload better without us. How long do you think you could last without any contact with your significant other, best friend, or a person whom you consider would be the closest to you? I'll use my mom here, in which case idk. I don't particularly want to find out. I talk to her at LEAST by text daily. Every day now that she can't work/is always home with me. Have you ever realised that someone was lying, but it was too late to confront them? Nope. Eventually speaking up is how I lost her, but.

#survey #quiz #questions

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saywhatjessie · 5 years

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SPNMBB 2019: “Bold Defiance” by JessJessthebest, art by deli (deliciousirony)

You, Bold Defiance?” Dean rolled his eyes. “You are so predictable.”

Castiel had been operating as ‘Bold Defiance,’ evil super-villain, for most of his life. It was the same thing, day after day: scheming, magicking, and getting inevitably foiled by The Guardian: the city’s acting superhero and Castiel’s childhood rival, Anna. It was a comfortable if not altogether productive routine. The periodic kidnapping of journalist, Dean Winchester, didn’t hurt. But what happens when one side actually wins? What does a person do when the person who opposed them, the person who defined them, is gone?

Castiel’s prison cell wasn’t very interesting.

He guessed it was more interesting than the usual cement cell. His, at least, had children’s paintings on the wall and a large comfortable chair.

But when you spent most of your life in a small room with very little enrichment, it didn’t matter how pretty the pictures on the wall were. It was boring. So boring it became exhausting just to be there.

Castiel wasn’t going to be there much longer. His latest escape plan was already underway. But still, sitting in that chair, looking at the television with the news of The Guardian’s latest victory was sucking the life right out of him. He sat on the floor against the wall, just for a change of pace.

He wasn’t expecting his cell door to bang open, the warden bolting in, but he wasn’t altogether surprised either.

“Where’s the fire, Warden?” he asked her, mouth quirked in amusement.

Her eyes landed on him, her face souring even while her shoulders slumped in relief. “You shouldn’t be out of the eyes of the guards, inmate.”

Castiel scoffed. “You’re no fun.”

The warden sighed, coming into the room to stand in front of him, her arms crossed.

Castiel remembered when she’d first been appointed warden. He’d been here longer than almost everyone else in the prison, landing here when he was only a toddler. One might question why anyone would allow a child to live at a prison, even if that’s where his escape pod happened to land. Castiel had never questioned this, as he’d never known anything else, but he’d met some other inmates who seemed horrified at this information.

Castiel guessed they might have kept him here because they had no idea what else to do with him. Where the hell do you put a toddler who landed on earth with a pair of huge black wings?

“I’ve got a present for you from The Guardian,” the warden said, shaking the small box in her hand. She opened it in front of him, pulling out a watch that had been nestled inside. She read the tag that hung off the end. “‘To count every second of your 85 Iife sentences.’ Hmm.” The warden’s face creased in disapproval. “Didn’t think she was much for gloating.”

“How rude that Guardian is,” Castiel commented, idly. His wings traced circles in the dust on the floor. “I don’t even want that gift. You should keep it, Warden.”

The warden went from examining the watch to eying him suspiciously.

Castiel shrugged, his wings slumping in his evident boredom. “I don’t need a watch to keep track of how long I’m in here. It takes away from my constant dissociation.” He leaned his head against the wall, looking pitifully at the tv screen mounted at the top of his cell. “It’s only the thought of this Guardian Day ceremony that’s even getting me through.”

The warden hummed, still suspicious, but she put on the watch. “I can’t help but feel like you’re taking everything about this far too well. You’re up to something.”

Castiel slumped farther against the wall, making himself into the absolute picture of pathetic boredom. “Come on, Jody. You know me! Would I ever be up to something?”

The warden snorted before schooling her expression. “That’s Warden to you, inmate.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah yeah, and I’m ‘Bold Defiance’.” Castiel actually did the air quotes to express to the warden the depth of his contempt. When he looked up at her, only half of the imploring innocence in his eyes was feigned. “But remember when we weren’t?”

Jody shook her head, her eyes sad. “You can’t be both Bold Defiance and Castiel at the same time. You have to choose which one you want to be.” She held up her wrist. “Thanks for the watch.”

He watched her leave his cell, the door slamming behind her, feeling more than a little bit guilty over her part in his escape plan.

She had more faith in him to be a good guy than anyone else ever had.

He hated disappointing her.

But a villain’s gotta villain.

It all started when Castiel was born.

Well, not really. He had a good couple solar cycles with his parents on his home planet. He’d learned to walk and talk and fly from the comfort of Garrison 401. The details of that time for Castiel were hazy: the only kind of memory coming through a warm fuzziness that hit him square between his wings.

Of course, then the collapse happened. Castiel was far too young to understand at the time, but his planet and, in fact, every planet in their solar system was being sucked into a black hole. Nothing was explained to him. He was just wrapped in his wings, given an egg, and dropped into an escape pod that went careening through the cosmos only to land on his new home planet of earth.

Of course, he wasn’t alone. Other children from other planets were saved and sent away. Why, the planet right next door to Garrison 401 had a representative on earth, same as Castiel. In the very same country. In the very same city .

It was difficult for Castiel not to resent Anna: prodigy of IKWYDLS 49. They were refugees of the same disaster. They were a similar age, size, allienness. Sure, Anna didn’t have wings, but she could still fly. And yet, everyone loved her. They loved her and they hated Castiel.

Part of that could be due to the fact that Castiel had grown up in a prison and, by chance or fate or whatever machinations worked to make Castiel’s life the way it was, Anna had landed on the property of one of the richest families in the country. She was well cared for – adored. Castiel was tolerated.

Castiel did have some things Anna did not, however. For one: he had his intellect. Anna had super strength and laser vision and speed and accelerated healing but she didn’t have the strategic mind of a Garrisonian.

Nor did she have Jack, the former egg that Castiel had been given upon his evacuation. Everyone on Castiel’s planet was given a fledgeling companion to help take care of them as they developed. A “minion” in villain terms. Castiel disliked referring to Jack as his minion – regardless that he performed all of the duties of a minion, it seemed kinder to call him a companion. He was a Garrisonian, same as Castiel, but without wings and with the power to heal. They were the nursemaids of the planet. Castiel was forever grateful for him.

Although, having a smaller person follow him around everywhere – even when, as a gesture of good will, he was released from the prison and sent to school – wasn’t a super great way to make friends. It just helped to further isolate him.

Not that he could ever begrudge Jack for that. Even if Jack hadn’t been able to heal him, he would treasure him for his companionship.

Castiel was bullied, to say the least. But Castiel had massive and powerful wings. And Castiel had magic, as undeveloped as it was. And Castiel had a small companion that would literally die for him.

So Castiel defended himself. And that made him the bad guy.

And Anna fought back. Which made her the good guy.

She was The Guardian.

So, Castiel, sick of being judged and scorned and pushed around became Bold Defiance.

And so the city had their narrative.

“You can scream all you want, Winchester,” Castiel said, stroking one of his many crows. “I'm afraid no one can hear you.”

“Not screaming.”

“You might be thinking: Defiance! How did you escape from your inescapable prison cell?”

“I’m really not.”

“Well, it just took some brain power. Some deception. Some cunning.”

“Five bucks says you just used one of your magic watches.”

Castiel’s wings flicked in irritation – enough to startle his crow and make her fly away.

He had used a magic watch. The watch he’d given Jody had a cloaking spell on it, making her temporarily look like him. When all the guards had tried to capture her and put her back in Castiel’s cell, he took the watch and cloaked himself as her. Then he’d simply walked out.

But he couldn’t let Dean know that.

“How do you do that, anyway? Doesn’t magic not work in contact with metal?”

“They’re plastic watches,” Castiel answered automatically. Dean smirked. Castiel scowled. “And anyway, it wasn’t a watch. I mean the magic was– it was very impressive and–”

“You can’t lie to me, man, your wings give you away.”

Castiel scowled harder, concentrating on keeping his wings still. Dean’s eyes danced. “You only think you know me.”

Dean snorted, absolutely no stress in his posture. He was tied to a chair, hands behind his back and legs strapped to the floor. He was surrounded by sigils and creepy things floating in jars and unnaturally attentive wildlife all focused on him. Cats and dogs and crows and foxes and squirrels and ravens and several species of insect all watching him like, at one word from Castiel, they’d ruin Dean’s day. And there was absolutely no fear in the green of Dean’s eyes.

“You, Bold Defiance?” Dean rolled his eyes. “You are so predictable.”

Castiel didn’t like the way Dean said his name. It wasn’t quite like Dean was mocking him – knowing he went by an invented name and speaking as if just saying the name was humoring him. He kind of said it like how Jody said it. Like he wanted to call Castiel something else.

Castiel folded his arms, narrowing his eyes at Dean. “I’m not sure how you can claim to find me predictable when I’ve managed to ambush you dozens of times. If I’m so predictable, couldn’t you avoid getting abducted?”

Dean shrugged, his shirt pulling tight across his chest as he pulled on his restraints behind his back. “I probably could. I never really tried.”

“You never–”

“Boss!”

Castiel whipped toward Jack where he was standing in the corner, worrying at the string on his scrubs pants. He gestured to the giant countdown clock.

The ceremony was about to begin. It was time to call The Guardian.

Read the rest on Ao3

#Bold Defiance #SPNMBB #Oops I wrote a thing #Jessie writes Destiel fic

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avengers-nextgen · 6 years

Text

The Rise Of The Lost Part I

See this first: Prologue

Message me your thoughts! Your predictions! Your opinions on characters and development!

— — —

Fury was watching the two girls in containment as he had been over the past week. Wanda stood next to him. Bucky was sitting outside of Bianca’s cell trying to coax answers from her while Alex, once again, was handling Sage.

Fury had tried to get others to share the burden of the sorceress but the damn witch wouldn’t let anyone else near her. Poor Alex was too naive and innocent to see that the trickster’s daughter was using her. The idea made his stomach twist in disgust.

“We can’t keep them here forever.” Wanda noted.

“If Bucky can connect with Bianca there may be a chance for her.” Fury replied.

“And Sage?”

Fury remained silent. He would keep her here with force if needed. The girl wasn’t stable, she was unpredictable, and too many people would be endangered by her freedom.

— — —

“Taking longer fixes nothing.” Alex sighed. She was anxious to return to her training with Thalia and Siyanda.

“But it does.” Sage replied coyly. “The longer I take the more time I’m out of those cuffs.”

“I can always make you put them back on if you waste my time.” Alex frowned.

“We both know that won’t happen,” Sage sighed, “How is my friend?”

“Bianca?”

“No, your ever charming director.” Sage replied sweetly.

“Bianca isn’t much of a talker.” Alex noted. “She’s doing alright-if you were really wondering.”

Sage’s gaze flicked to where Bucky was sitting beside Bianca. “Poor thing.”

Alex thought she heard a genuine hint of empathy in the witch’s tone.

“Muzzles really make one anti social.” The girl’s eyes returned to look coldly at the restraints in Alex’s hands.

“So do bullies.”

“Are you calling me a bully?” Sage inquired with a darker look to her eyes.

“No. I’m merely stating a fact. The people who conditioned her. They’re bullies.” Alex explained. “You may not be a bully but you are a manipulator.”

“Oh.” Sage relaxed into the wall behind where she was sitting. “You’ve been talking to your bother.”

“No.” Alex shook her head. “I’ve only been thinking.”

“That’s a bit dangerous isn’t it?” Sage picked at the mud colored offering of food upon her tray. “People think and then they get ideas.”

Alex opened her mouth to respond when an alarm echoed over head. She looked to Bucky for an answer but the other soldier was already running for the exit. Alex panicked for a moment before doing the same.

— — —

Sage couldn’t help but laugh. It genuinely was funny. She couldn’t believe it, after all this time that door was standing wide open at last. With tears of humor in her eyes the sorceress stumbled to her feet.

With a stretch, her spine cracked in relief, and after a few hesitant steps to loosen stiff muscles a smile of pleasure spread on her face.

The witch sauntered over to the cell containing a surprised and confused Bianca. “It’s our lucky day.”

Sage waved her hand and the bars of the cell disappeared. “Why don’t we have a little prison break?”

Bianca clasped Sage’s hand and allowed the sorceress to pull her to her feet. “What will we do?”

“I think we have a show to watch.” Sage maintained her hold on Bianca and the two dispersed in a cloud of green mist.

— — —

A ship had crashed into the center of town. It’s frame was mangled and steaming from its heated descent. Upon the rubble of the road rested an unconscious boy.

“He’s green.” Piper noted, landing carefully in her suit. The kid looked like a small amount of chlorophyll had been mixed into his blood.

“The material is not from here.” Vision determined making his descent as Piper had.

“Piper, scan his vitals.” James insisted.

“On it.”

Bucky and Alex arrived a moment later skidding to a halt on Steve’s borrowed bike. “What the hell is that?”

“Language,” Alex breathed climbing off.

“He’s alive, maybe a few bruises. He’ll need to be taken back stat though, a scan isn’t as accurate as an actual medical analysis.” James nodded and contemplated her words for a moment.

“Vision-“

“I will take care of it.” Vision collected the mystery boy from the ground and began his flight back to the tower.

“We need to search this thing for some form of identification.” James decided. “We need to try and figure out where this is from and how exactly it was brought down.”

— — —

“I know that type of engineering.” Sage frowned. Bianca stood beside her. The two girls were watching from a rooftop as a breeze tugged at their hair and clothes. “It‘s sturdier than earth metals. It shouldn’t be felled so easily.”

“Perhaps...” Bianca’s brain was trying to piece together something from her memory.

“Sorry to ruin the fun ladies.” A sound of feet landing barely louder than a whisper upon the roof brought Bianca and Sage into action.

Twisted silver blades formed in Sage’s palms and Bianca took up a menacing fighting stance. The duo was met with a girl no older than them. Her hair was black and sloppy with orange streaks hidden throughout. Black metallic cuffs-like that of medieval wrist guards- had dark blades protruding from them.

“Who are you?” Bianca snarled.

“In another life...perhaps a friend.” Smiled the new comer. “But I have a job to finish.”

“What job constitutes you threatening a god?” Sneered Sage.

A dark chuckle that rivaled the witch’s escaped the other, “Please, darling, you are no god.”

— — —

An explosion drew the attention of the young heroes. Piper made a straight shot to the building with Bucky close behind.

“Alex don’t you da-“ James didn’t bother finishing. His sister was already gone.

Piper flew in a frantic manner trying to pull people away from falling rubble. Bucky charged inside with Alex hot on his heels. The two yelled at the citizens inside to get out of the building as fast as possible.

Down below James had abandoned the ship and stood ready with guns in hand to confront any additional threat. He spotted a dark vehicle tear away from the second alley beside the attacked building.

Alex kicked down the door leading to the roof, raising her shield to protect Bucky, but upon no confrontation it was hesitantly lowered.

The roof was scattered with debris and a shiny device was catching sun light. Bucky jogged over and collected it but his face paled. “No.”

“What is it?” Alex questioned. Upon further inspection she realized it was the section of a metal arm from the elbow down.

“How did they get out?” Bucky demanded.

“I do-“ And then it hit Alex and a wave of guilt followed. “The door.”

“What do you mean?”

“I-I forgot to shut the door.” Alex stammered but the conversation was cut short by the sound of rubble scraping against rubble.

Both soldiers turned to spot pale skin and green clothes in a heap along with blood. Alex was the first to respond. Running over she dropped to her knees and jerked the form onto their back.

Sage’s eyes were have lidded as her consciousness slowly faded. Alex noted the blood pooling from the girl’s gut. “Bucky! We need a medic!”

Abandoning her shield Alex clamped her hands over the wound to slow the bleeding. “What happened? Where’s Bianca?”

Sage didn’t say anything. The girl simply held up her bloodied fist. Alex stared at it in confusion until the pale blood stained palm revealed a chip. Alex recognized it immediately.

“How did you-“

“Took it two days ago. You aren’t very observant of thieves...” Sage’s mouth was red with blood from the wound working its course, “are you dear?”

The witch fell unconscious soon after but Alex knew what had happened. The chip she’d stolen from Fox was tracked, the people they were looking for, M.A.D., were responsible for Bianca’s creation. They knew Alex and the others had her and this chip was a way to track her down. The only problem was that it didn’t work within the HQ.

Once Sage had taken it and stepped outside she and Bianca became fair game. In the end, without any conscious effort, they’d managed to deliver Bianca back into the hands of her creators.

Alex felt her stomach gnaw with worry even as Sage received medical treatment back at base.

“We’ll figure this out.” James assured her. The boy was still a complete mystery to all of them and he too was somehow connected to what happened. “We’ll learn who did it.”

“No need.” Alex replied coldly. “I know exactly who’s responsible.”

James watched an unnerving expression settle upon his sister’s face. The girl turned and stalked off down the hall. “Alex, where are you going?”

“To find Piper.” She called back. “I have an old friend to meet.”

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