#greengate

[shutuperce]

something something mike wearing will’s colours during these moments and what it all means 

1. there’s a lot to unpack here but THIS ENTIRE montage. first of all, el dumps him when he’s wearing will’s colours and not his own. this is the only occurrence of him wearing just yellow as opposed to yellow and blue. 

he’s wearing it for all of the romantic-coded material girl montage of el and max, including this iconic gay panic where we see fear in his eyes at the sight of women’s lingerie.

and this ridiculously romance-coded shot of him kneeling next to a jewellery case with will in the frame. there’s a post out there somewhere explaining this better but why would will be in the shot? lucas isn’t, despite the fact that he’s also standing right there. and mike didn’t really have to kneel down, my bad posture king could have just hunched over the case for the same, will-less shot. and yet here we are. idk man sort of proposal-coded

honorable mention: el is momentarily wearing blue and yellow in this scene. she’s putting aside mike for the moment and exploring both herself and a new friendship. she’s realised she doesn’t need him to function and be happy, and it feels like she’s also giving him permission to start exploring other relationships, hence the yellow for will. this is good, this is healthy. 

also, every single garment to the left of max is green or yellow hm

2. same outfit as the first point, but the byler rain scene. first of all, look at my guy. mike “heart eyes” wheeler indeed.

he knows he’s crossed a line with his “not my fault you don’t like girls” line. he was there for all of will’s bullying, all of lonnie’s taunts. mike knows how much that hurt will. below is his face just before will leaves. he knows what he’s done.

but, hang on a second. will just suggested it was dumb that mike is throwing everything away for his girlfriend, which makes a lot of sense. it’s unhealthy to do so, as is highlighted multiple times in this season. we all know it’s important to have relationships outside of romantic ones - those of family, friends, mentors, et cetera. will wasn’t suggesting he also didn’t want a girlfriend, or mike was wrong for wanting one, just that mike needs to stop throwing everything else in his life away. he’s trying to cling to childhood as well. but mike’s response is to lash out with the line - why? is he projecting? is he making a desperate attempt to clear the air about his own heterosexuality (or lack thereof)? i believe he is. he wouldn’t intentionally use that insult - an insult that has been crushing will his entire life - against him unless there was some kind of internal struggle surrounding his feelings for will as opposed to el.

and here. aha. michael wheeler. little man. your girlfriend just broke up with you, but what’s on your mind? upsetting will.

mike knows he crossed a line, and he’s back to apologise, donning a green raincoat over his yellow shirt. this is where the importance of it being ONLY yellow and not blue in this outfit comes in. he’s focusing on will. he may not have been during the rest of the day, but here, with the will-and-mike colour over the will colour, he’s not thinking about himself anymore. he’s put all of his confusion and pain aside to focus on making it up to will, biking to his house and knowing exactly where to find him when he isn’t home. season 1/2 mike is back for a moment and in-tune with will. there’s also the green, to emphasise how he’s trying to prop up their relationship once more. it’s the first green he’s worn all season, because it’s the first time he’s really focusing on healing his friendship with will. that is the only thing on his mind at this point, not any of his own concerns or needs.

3. the grocery aisle scene with el. this scene honestly felt so platonic to me, despite mike’s halfhearted attempt at telling el he loves her. plus the wording of “blank makes you crazy.” crazy. crazy together, you mean? 

in this scene the yellow is more subtle, because it’s more about mike being unsure of himself and his emotions than directly referencing byler. but he can’t say it. he can’t say i love you. maybe there’s something - or someone - who’s making him hold back. this might be a bit of a stretch, but the yellow around his neck on his collar could be something about his feelings for will holding him back from telling el he loves her. even though will isn’t directly trying to keep them apart, there’s something constricting mike in this scene, like a collar. that being said, the button is undone, suggesting mike is trying to put his confusion aside and be dedicated to el. 

4. double date time, baby. mike’s got a lot of yellow on for the iconic hand-holding and lip-glancing movie theatre scene. but his gay ass little jean vest in blue is over his yellow t-shirt, possibly depicting mike covering his emotions surrounding will. 

it’s also the ensemble he’s got on when we clearly see the state of el and mike’s romantic relationship in the scene before. el isn’t interested in his goofy singing, clearly saying she “doesn’t like it”. this continues a common thread of them not having much in common. it’s established that they spend all of their time making out and this is scene as ‘unhealthy’ by hopper. 

5. the shed scene. need i say more. the yellow is subtler than some of the season 3 moments, but this scene is an important reminder that at their core, regardless of any romantic implications, will and mike are best friends. that’s something el and mike never got a chance to be, and i hope season 5 will explore platonic elmike because i really do think they are good friends. 

but back to this scene in season 2. we see mike at his best: loyal, kind, soft with will, concerned for his best friend. unlike with his protective moments with el (when she’s getting arrested in season 4, when he tells her she doesn’t have to use her powers to find billy in season 3, etc), there’s no hint of a saviour complex. he reassures will, but he isn’t saying, it’s okay, i’ll make it all okay like he does with el. he just opens up, unafraid to express his feelings and cry in front of will. that’s another thing he’s never been good at with el: opening up. as mentioned before, will and mike are best friends, and this scene as well as the rest of the byler scenes throughout season 2 shows us the level of both devotion and honesty they have with each other.

he’s got the same subtle yellow stripe below, where he shows up at the byers’ and knows something is wrong with will. again, it’s established how well he can read his friend and how much he loves him. he’s always been very in-tune with will’s emotions, although this is clouded with confusion about his own in later seasons.

6. mike what are you wearing scene, aka In The Closet At The Rink-O-Mania. well. he’s wearing yellow, for sure. and there’s already a lot of good content out there surrounding his sunglasses and el, so i’m just gonna go ahead and focus on his (eye-scorching) yellow ensemble (maybe it’s a metaphor for how obvious his love for will is). warning: very unserious analysis below because it’s been said so many times and is also painfully obvious, just like mike wheeler in a crowd. 

mike wheeler is back at it again, stunning in blue and yellow to burn the eyeballs of innocent californians. and he’s seeing will and el again!! and he’s awkwardly half-hugging will for no reason!! which, as many have already said, makes no sense from a platonic pov. why can’t you hug your friend? you’ve done it many times before. y’all are KNOWN for having no personal space around each other. and if mike doesn’t know about will’s feelings, this awkwardness is because of his own feelings for will. 

then there’s the whole “you’ve been moping, your bad mood is making me in a bad mood cus i love you and i can’t see you unhappy, will baby please talk to me 🥺🥺” shit that goes down while his GIRLFRIEND has just been publicly humiliated and bullied and is crying in a closet. so um. mike. anyways. 

7. honorable mention to his warm sort of yellowy shirt with blue during the whole byers leaving scene where el kisses him and he doesn’t kiss her back, where he makes heart eyes at will, et cetera. i’ve run out of analysis juice and y’all know what i mean anyways. 

8. finally, just going to go ahead and point out that mike is wearing all green when he’s leafing through will’s art. so yeah, byler endgame. thanks for reading <3

love from, the homophobic dog

[doorvisual]

This stunning green metal gate features a captivating Islamic design, meticulously crafted using laser-cutting technology. The intricate geometric patterns add a touch of elegance, cultural flair, and a pop of color to any home entrance or garden.

[perplexedkitchen]

[alicewirk]

Green Gate Auto Care

Green Gate Auto Care is your trusted partner for all your automotive needs. We are a leading auto care service provider dedicated to ensuring that your vehicle performs at its best and stays in top condition. With a commitment to excellence, Green Gate Auto Care offers a wide range of services to keep your car running smoothly and safely.

[ambiguitydream]

Espresso, GreenGate quilt & Yume Harry Potter mug.

[zkretchy]

Look, you gotta appreciate the timing I got for these kinda quests

[wine-porn]

Green Gate

Beautiful, bright, clean Chardonnay, and I say this with a bit of surprise, as rarely I see a brand new winery–especially hanging out its shingle in Paso–hit the street with clean, un-touristy wines. Sure there’s a bit of sumptuous decadence to it (all chard should have this), but nowhere is nutter-butter extravagance. Headed into slight green in the glass, a nose calm and straight-forward: tiny…

[davidwalker1615]

If you are searching for the Best 24 Hour Plumber in Greengate then contact Kwarts Engineering Services

[manchestergalore]

View towards what is now Greengate Square

May 1997

North Tower can be seen behind the trees on the left 

Part of the cathedral tower can be seen on the right 

[random-brushstrokes]

Dorothy Johnstone (1892–1980) - Greengate Close, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway

[themancorialist]

Greengate Footbridge, Manchester.

[crystalninjaphoenix]

Information Retrieval

A JSE Fanfic

SepticHeroes AU: Part 29

First Part | Previous Part | Read on AO3 at CrystalNinjaPhoenix

Time for more of this AU! Yay! This chapter is all about the guys finding stuff out. Trying to figure out more about Anti-Virus. He's clearly still around, after all, and he's probably planning something. That's what villains tend to do. Jackie visits a hospital, trying to see if he can track down Timekeeper from the records there. And meanwhile, Schneep dons his Specter disguise again and sneaks into SepTech to have a look around. Just in case Marvin is right about McLoughlin being connected. Hope you guys enjoy :)

===============

It felt very strange to casually walk into a hospital wearing his supersuit. Jackie was certainly attracting a lot of stares from people in the waiting room. But he remained calm, walking up to the reception desk like this was the most normal thing in the world. He glanced around the waiting room as he did. St. Ellen’s Hospital was an older one than Greengate General Hospital. That was the one he was used to, the one Schneep worked at. That one had sleek modern furniture and lots of glass decorations, this one was more closed-in, with boxy furniture from the 70s or earlier.

“Ah... can I help you, Windstorm?” Asked the nurse behind the reception desk. He looked nervous—young, too, probably still doing his studies or whatever people did to become nurses and doctors.

“I need to look up the records for some patients who were admitted about two and a half years ago,” Jackie said, silently impressed at how calm he was. 

“Of... course.” The nurse nodded. “Um... one second. Let me... page someone more qualified for this.” He reached down to his belt and fumbled with something.

“Right right.” Jackie nodded. “Take all the time you need.” He shifted on his feet awkwardly, looking around the waiting room again. Yep. Everyone was staring. Literally everyone. They all glanced away once he noticed, of course. Except for a couple kids waiting, sitting next to their parents on plastic chairs and holding coloring books and small toys. He smiled at them. Their eyes lit up and they waved back.

Another nurse hurried over from a hallway to the side, joining the first one behind the desk. “Hello, Windstorm,” she said cheerfully. “We’re happy to help. What did you need?”

“I need to look up some records for patients,” Jackie said.

“Which ones?”

“The ones who were admitted after that fight with Timekeeper and Earth Shaker.” Jackie had decided last night to ask for all the patients. It would seem less like he was looking for Dahlia specifically. “The one that knocked down the East SepTech building.”

“Of course.” The nurse smiled. “Ryan here will be happy to pull up the records for them.”

“Um, can I see the physical copies as well?” Jackie asked.

“Of course. Ryan can take you to our records room.”

The young nurse—Ryan, apparently—raised his eyebrows slightly, clearly not expecting to be told to do that. But he nodded. Jackie smiled at him sympathetically. “I’ll be as quick as possible so you can get back to work.”

“No, uh, it’s no problem, sir,” Ryan said. “Follow me this way.” He walked around the desk, down another hallway of the hospital. Jackie followed him silently.

They walked a short way to an elevator at the end of the hallway. Ryan pressed the button to call it, then they both stepped inside when it arrived. Ryan tapped a keycard against a scanner in the elevator then pressed a button for the basement.

The ride was more than a bit awkward.

“So... I guess you don’t get many Heroes visiting,” Jackie said, trying to make conversation.

“Um... not at all while I’ve been here, actually.” Ryan laughed a little. “But uh... June—that’s the lady who showed, uh, showed up at the desk—she said that they used to get Heroes here. Like, uh, Moonstone? Have you heard of her?”

Jackie nodded. “Yeah. She’s cool.”

“Y-yeah, seems like it.”

The elevator arrived, and Ryan led Jackie out into a hallway leading to a +-shaped intersection. This was clearly a more administrative part of the building, with short dark carpet and walls painted pale blue. The lights were a bit dimmer than upstairs. Or maybe they were normal and the clinical lights upstairs were especially bright. “So, uh... the records are archived in, like, alphabetical order,” Ryan said as they walked down the hall and turned a corner. “So it’ll probably be hard to find the people related to this incident just using that. But, uh, I can pull up the records on the digital database and you can look them up with that.”

“That’d be great, Ryan, thanks,” Jackie said.

“No problem.” They arrived at a door with ‘Records’ written on a plaque nailed to the front of it, right under a tinted window. Ryan pressed his keycard to a scanner next to it, then opened up the door. The room was dark. Even turning the lights on, it was still a bit dim. Aside from a desk to the side with an older-looking computer—though not old enough to require a boxy monitor—there were rows and rows of shelves filled with boxes. Ryan hurried over to the desk and sat down at the computer. “The East SepTech incident... wh-what was that, June? May?”

“Late May,” Jackie said. “The date was somewhere in the twenties.”

“Right.” Ryan typed for a while, then nodded. “Here’s a list of everyone admitted because of that super fight.”

Jackie walked to his side and peered at the monitor. He gave a brief scan of the list, but then his eyes landed on a singular name. Jackson, Dahlia. So she was admitted here. As herself, not as Timekeeper. There were a ton of names besides hers. The numbered list ended in the thirties. “I had no idea there were so many people.”

“W-well, do you have any other information you want to know?” Ryan asked.

“Can you narrow it down to the more serious injuries? Like... the really bad ones?”

Ryan nodded. He clicked a little box on the side and most of the names disappeared, leaving only six, Dahlia’s name among them.

“Perfect,” Jackie said. He could pretend to be interested in five other people. “Let’s go in alphabetical order.” He stood up straight. “You stay here, I can do everything myself.”

“Are you sure, uh... sir?” Ryan asked.

Jackie laughed. “Just Windstorm is fine. And I’m sure. I’m a superhero, after all. If I can’t handle looking through some boxes, what can I handle?”

Ryan laughed nervously. “Just... let me know if you need help.”

“Of course.”

Jackie hurried through the first three files. He felt a bit bad just skimming them, but he didn’t really have to know about these guys. And he didn’t want to look at random people’s medical files without their permission, even if it did help disguise what he was really looking into. He occasionally asked Ryan if there was any additional information on the digital database, and Ryan pulled it up in turn. There were no differences for these first three files. The digital database was just as accurate as the paper copies. 

Then it was time to look at Dahlia’s. Jackie found it in the J’s—right next to another file with a familiar name. Jameson Jackson. Jackie started slightly, and then noticed two other names nearby. Philip Jackson and Elsbeth Schneeplestein Jackson. So... this was the Jackson family’s preferred hospital. Made sense, then, why JJ would take Dahlia here. Jackie hesitated, then decided to leave the rest of the Jackson family untouched, only taking Dahlia’s—and promising to only look at the information related to the incident.

According to the file, Dahlia had been admitted to the hospital by her brother, Jameson. Just as Jackie suspected. Rubble had landed on her, causing severe injuries, including to the head. That’s what put her in a coma. She also had some broken bones, but given how this was two and a half years ago, those had healed by now. She had been stable besides that, no show of recovering or getting worse. And... nothing more. No records of transfers or anything. “Hey, Ryan?” Jackie called. “Any more information on Dahlia Jackson? Like... this seems pretty serious.”

Ryan already had the file pulled up. “Um... well, it seems she’s not in the hospital anymore.”

“Oh?” Jackie asked.

“Yeah, this says she was transferred to Overridge Hospital in Evoritch. It’s a specialty place for long-term care.”

That was not in the paper copies. “When?”

“Back in July of this year.”

That was also not in the paper copies. But it seems like the paper copies had also been updated in July—probably right before Dahlia disappeared. It was possible that someone forgot to file a notice about the transfer... but Jackie doubted it. He looked back down at the paper copy. The doctor in charge of this was one Dr. Eric Simmons. A neurologist, of course. “Hey, actually. Do you know if I can contact any of these doctors? If I want to follow up on their injuries.”

“Um... I-I’m sure you can find them on our website,” Ryan said slowly. 

Website, huh? Not good. Jackie wanted to keep this as offline and away from technology as possible. Who knew what Anti-Virus would do if he knew Jackie was looking into the hero he was holding hostage? “Can I talk to them in person, you think? Since I’m already here?”

Ryan froze, looking very confused for a moment. “Um... you’ll have to talk to June about that, I think?”

“Right.” Jackie nodded. “I’ll do that once we get back up. For now, let’s keep going. Who’s next?”

He quickly passed over the other two files. He pretended to take notes on them, the same as he’d done for the others—and actually done for Dahlia’s—then put everything back and told Ryan he was ready to go. The two of them headed out.

Honestly, the whole thing had slightly disturbed him. The fact that he could just say he was a Hero and walk in and get access to all this private information. It did make things easier, but... there had to be a few other safeguards. They didn’t even ask him to show his League badge, and he’d at least expected that.

He shook his head, pushing the thoughts away. He had to focus on Anti-Virus and Timekeeper. If he could find her, if he could defeat him, then Anti-Virus wouldn’t have any power over Jameson. He wouldn’t have to stay in prison, and could come home... or at least get transferred to a prison with less security, one where Schneep and the others could visit.

Jackie spent the rest of the morning getting information about the various doctors from that nurse, June. She was even kind enough to write down their office hours for him. Apparently the doctor who treated Dahlia, Dr. Simmons, wasn’t in today. This was his day off, he wouldn’t be called in unless it was an emergency. Jackie made a note of that, and said he’d be back tomorrow to talk to this Simmons guy (and, supposedly, the other doctors) in person. Then he turned and left, heading home.

===============

Jackie returned home through his bedroom window. Chase was at work, so he had some time to himself. He didn’t do much, though. Changed out of his supersuit, took a nap, then called the police again to ask about the evidence he’d turned in. The operator directed him to Ace, who said that they would finish examining the tape later that day. “Call back again in the evening, I’ll have an update for you then,” Ace said. “And uh, remember to use the non-emergency line.”

“Right. Sorry.” Jackie had been so worried about the evidence and possibly getting JJ a real trial that he dialed 999 right away. The poor operator probably thought something was really wrong.

Not long after that, Jackie heard the front door open. He stood up from where he was lying in bed and opened his bedroom door, just in time to see Chase and Frosty walking down the hall towards him. “Hey, bro,” Chase said, giving him a tired smile. “You had that hospital thing today, right? How’d it go?”

“Well, turns out I’ll have to go back tomorrow,” Jackie said, sighing.

“Aw, really? That sucks.” Chase shook his head. “I know all about frequent hospital visits, trust me. Never gets more convenient.”

Jackie laughed. “Yeah. How was your day?”

“Dude, I’m exhausted. I’m gonna change out of work clothes and take a nap.”

“Your work clothes aren’t that different from your regular clothes,” Jackie pointed out. “Just another T-shirt and jacket. You could totally nap in that.”

“Shhh, it’s the idea of it. It’ll help me get more comfortable. Gotta change into some sweatpants, too.” Chase headed into his room... then hesitated. “Uh... actually, first, maybe I want to get a snack or something.” He took his phone out of his pocket and set it on the desk. Then looked at Jackie significantly. “Want anything?”

Jackie nodded slowly. He’d left his phone charging on his dresser, so no need to leave it behind. He understood what Chase was getting at.

The two of them went into the kitchen. “D’you think he can affect our TV?” Chase whispered.

Jackie glanced at it. “Maybe if we had a smart TV,” he muttered back. “I’m actually glad we have an old model like that. The game consoles can connect to the internet... but I don’t think they can do that while they’re not on.”

“Let’s keep quiet anyway, just in case,” Chase said, still in that low tone. “Um... so... did you find out anything about Dahlia?”

“Nothing all that new, just that what JJ said on his video about her being supposedly transferred is true,” Jackie confirmed. “The transfer only exists on the digital records, not the paper ones.”

“What if someone just, like, forgot to print that out?”

“It’s possible. But knowing what we do about you-know-who, I’m willing to bet he got into the hospital system and made a fake note about a transfer.”

Chase shivered. “It’s... really fucked that he can do that.”

“Tell me about it. I’m going to talk to the doctor who supervised her tomorrow. Try to see if there’s anything he can tell me.”

“Um...” Chase paused, looking uncertain. “Do you know if... if there were... other people, uh... recovered from the... building? Like... with Dahlia?”

“Yeah, a whole lot,” Jackie confirmed. “And I’m sure there were more in other hospitals, too.”

“Y-Yeah...” Chase trailed off.

Jackie narrowed his eyes. “What is it?”

“I, uh... You know, I was... in that same incident,” Chase said quietly. “That’s how I... lost my memory. And uh... why I need Frosty.” Frosty wagged his tail at the sound of his name, ready to spring into action. “I keep thinking about this... the fact that... I was there. I wonder... if I... saw her.”

Jackie blinked. “Timekeeper?”

Chase nodded. “The outfit... wh-when I saw it, and when I smelled the, uh, concrete dust, I... for a moment, it was like... I was somewhere else.”

“Well... smell is linked to memory, apparently,” Jackie said.

“Maybe... maybe she saved me?” Chase wondered. “Or... something like that?” He shook his head. “I... I want to find her to... know if... we met. Or if... she would know something about me. I-I doubt it, but... I don’t know. It’s worth a shot. But... I know that’s really selfish. So, if you don’t want me to help anymore because of that, I understand.”

“...wait. Are you telling me this because you think I’ll like... kick you out of the search if I find out?” Jackie asked.

“I just... thought you should know about my secret reasons,” Chase said. “My ulterior motives.”

“I don’t think that counts as ‘ulterior motives,’ really,” Jackie said. He put a hand on Chase’s shoulder. “It makes sense that you’d want to learn more about yourself. It’s not a bad thing that you want to find Dahlia so you can talk to her about that.”

Chase hesitated. “I... But like, it’s not... it’s not like I’m just doing it to help—”

“But you’d still want to help even if she didn’t know anything about you, right?” Jackie asked.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Then it’s not ‘ulterior motives.’ That implies that you wouldn’t be doing this if you didn’t think she could help you find out about yourself. But you still would. So it’s like... additional motives.”

Chase looked down at the ground, shifting slightly on his feet. “I just... feel bad about it.”

“Why?”

“Cause it’s like... it’s selfish, like I said. And I don’t want... to bother you... with my shit. You know?”

“I don’t think it’s selfish at all,” Jackie whispered. “And I’d never be bothered by that. I want to help you find out more about your past. I mean, unless you wouldn’t want me to. It’s up to you.”

“I... if you want to help me, I’d like that,” Chase said slowly. “But like... I don’t... I’m not too concerned about actively seeking out my past. I mean, if no one came looking for me after I got fucking... horribly injured, then... it’s probably not much of a past in the first place. But... now that there’s a chance right in front of me... I-I think i have to take it. Does that make sense?”

Jackie nodded. “Yeah, of course. And there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s not like you’d leave her if she didn’t have anything for you.”

“God no.” Chase shook his head, looking aghast at the very thought of it.

“Exactly. So it’s not selfish.”

“Not even a little?”

“I guess technically, but everyone deserves to be a little technically-selfish every so often. The trouble begins when you stop caring about people other than yourself. And I know you care a lot about people, Chase.” Jackie smiled, and put a hand on Chase’s shoulder. “So head up, okay?”

“Head up.” Chase nodded. “Uh... do you think I’ll be able to help much? I mean, I dunno what I can do... compared to you and everyone else. Like, you’re all... super at what you do, you know?”

Jackie laughed. “Yeah. I guess so. But you’re super in our hearts, Chase. And hey, who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to find something that the rest of us can’t.”

“Maybe.” Chase smiled weakly.

“...hey.” Jackie lowered his voice. “Don’t... don’t compare yourself to others. Especially not the rest of us. It’s not... i-it’s not fair.”

“I know, I know, it’s not fair to compare myself to, uh... guys with your abilities,” Chase muttered.

“I-it’s not just...” Jackie hesitated. “One of the reasons I put off telling you about... my secret for so long... was because I... I didn’t want you to feel bad about yourself.”

“Oh.” Chase blinked. “That’s... nice.”

“I had a feeling you might do this comparison thing if I told you,” Jackie continued. “And I really didn’t want you to do that. You don’t—there’s nothing you—Y-you’re really great. A-and you shouldn’t beat yourself up for not being an exact copy of the rest of us.”

A bit of a smile flickered across Chase’s face. “Thanks, Jackie.”

“No, I really, really mean it,” Jackie insisted. “You’re really great. You’re like—the first roommate I’ve ever lived with who I’ve a-actually been able to make friends with. Y-you’re so supportive and fun and—and—I-I can’t stress how much you’ve done for me, like, letting me stay in here, a-and being so chill about my secret—You were so genuinely concerned that I was getting into something bad, and so caring in how you approached it—and—and—” He took a breath, and shook his head. “I just... really care about you, and I don’t want you to think that you’re less than the rest of us, not after everything you’ve done.”

“...oh,” Chase breathed.

Jackie nodded. “You’re great, man. I love how chill you are, and how you’re so dedicated to your channel, but how you still have time to have fun with me and Schneep and everyone... even though you have work, too, like, that’s gotta tire you out, but you just don’t give up, you know? I mean, you should rest, of course. I don’t want you to get too tired. And you’re real funny, too, you know?”

Chase laughed. “Alright, alright, I-I get it. You don’t have to pile it on, you know?” He rubbed his eyes. “But... really, thanks. You, uh... really went off there.”

“I’ll gladly go off on this,” Jackie said firmly. “You’re great, Chase. And I don’t want anyone to tell you otherwise. Even yourself.”

“Thanks.” Chase gave him a crooked smile. “Now, uh... I’m actually a little hungry now that I think about it. So I’m gonna heat up some leftover pizza before my nap.”

Jackie laughed. “Oh hey, that doesn’t sound half bad. Maybe I’ll heat up a slice, too.”

“Great, we can put two slices in.”

About ten minutes later, Chase had returned to his room for that nap, and Jackie sat down on the sofa to play some games until dinner. He probably should have been working on finding Anti-Virus, but honestly, he wasn’t even sure where to start. Maybe if he had some time to relax, he’d figure something out.

The problem was that they had absolutely no leads on Anti-Virus. Other than him being a technopath. And that didn’t tell him much. Normally he’d be doing research on weird stuff that might be because of a technopath, but... all that information would be online. And Anti-Virus would probably know that Jackie was doing research on him. It was a bit of a Catch-22, really, he had to look online for information, but he had to avoid being online to keep Anti-Virus in the dark.

He would have to look around the city in person. He highly doubted that Anti-Virus lived outside of Daindover. Otherwise, why would he be so interested in attacking it? SepTech had businesses all over the country. Even if this was SepTech’s home turf, Jackie knew they had big locations elsewhere. And even if Anti-Virus was originally from out of town, Jackie had no doubt he would want to be close to his target.

Jackie’s mind began to wander. Yes, he should look around town for anything suspicious. Maybe this guy had a base of operations somewhere. He’d have to be pretty thorough. Maybe he could get help from Schneep and Marvin on that. The two of them were certainly experienced in sneaking around.

===============

After a couple days of scouting, Schneep felt confident enough to actually venture into the North SepTech location. Only at night, though, when almost everyone had gone home. Apparently the building was never totally empty. There was always a security team guarding the area, even after all other employees had gone home. And the security system seemed pretty high-tech. Schneep recognized a couple camera brands during his scouting—though many of the cameras were nondescript, no doubt made by SepTech themself.

Donning his Specter outfit again felt strange. The last time he’d worn this, he’d tried to break JJ out of jail, tried to convince him that living on the run would be better than living in prison. He couldn’t help but think about that last conversation while he pulled on the coat and boots. But also, he’d done many things he was proud of while wearing this outfit. Maybe it was unusual for him to think of his heists as things to be proud of, but he was. The suit felt like an old friend every time he put it on... even if he couldn’t help but be reminded of Jameson this time.

But that was why he was doing this, wasn’t it? If he could figure out if McLoughlin and SepTech really were connected to Anti-Virus, then he could rescue his cousins. Protect them from him.

Schneep took the train most of the way to the North SepTech building. It was very easy; he just had to hop on when it stopped at the station. He didn’t have to worry about the fare. After all, you could only check people’s tickets if you could see them. Schneep just had to be quiet as he sat there, completely invisible, and waited for his stop. 

Some of the SepTech buildings were fancy. The North location was not one of them. It looked like an ordinary office building with a yellowish facade and big windows, the SepTech logo plastered to the top. Schneep circled around to the side. Even while invisible, he preferred to avoid cameras, just in case one of them had infrared vision he didn’t know about. And something he’d learned from years doing this: businesses tended to put their cameras around doors and windows. Which made sense, because most people would need a door or window to get into a building. But Schneep was not “most people.” He could walk right through a wall, where a camera blind spot was.

After walking through his chosen wall, Schneep ended up in a small unisex bathroom—just big enough for two stalls. He headed through another wall and into a ground floor hallway. This was just going to be a short excursion to get the lay of the building. Figure out where they were keeping things, and how much time McLoughlin spent here.

Jackie let it slip to the rest of the group that McLoughlin had a lab here. Schneep was very curious as to where that was, and what was in it. He figured that was a good place to start. Now... where was it? Would it be high in the building? Or below ground? Was there a directory in here somewhere?

There was—Schneep found it in the front entrance hall—but it didn’t say anything about a laboratory. Even so, he looked it over. Nothing much of note. A couple floors of call centers, a couple floors dedicated to SepTech’s marketing, some offices for company bigwigs—oh, there was a floor in the middle completely devoted to file storage. That was worth noting. But no laboratory anywhere, even though every single floor was covered. Meaning either the directory was lying about the contents of its floors, or the lab was underground, in an unlisted basement.

Schneep started looking around for the stairwells and elevators. He’d managed to find an old copy of the SepTech blueprints from a contact of his, but they were, as said, old. The building could’ve been renovated since then. Best to get a lay of the land.

A couple security people were patrolling the area. Every time one approached, Schneep made sure to stop walking and remain intangible so they wouldn’t run into him. He eventually found an elevator at the end of a hallway that wasn’t on the blueprints. And as he looked it over, he saw that the call button was undecorated, unlike all the others that had an arrow pointing upwards. Hmm... suspicious.

Schneep leaned forward, sticking his intangible head through the closed doors and into the elevator shaft. He looked up, then down. The elevator was currently on the next floor down. And the shaft didn’t extend upwards at all. So this must just lead to a basement, not the rest of the building. Jackpot. This must be the lab.

He considered his options. He could just call the elevator and hope nobody noticed, or that they waved it off as a glitch in the system. But he didn’t want to risk that. This was too important. So instead, he took a deep breath, and walked through the closed elevator doors.

Halfway through the short fall, he became solid again, and landed on the roof of the elevator. “Oof!” The elevator jolted a little. He felt the jolt travel through his legs, knees and ankles aching for a moment. But he soon recovered. He became intangible again, dropping through the roof of the elevator and into it. As expected, there was only one button on the inside. There was only one destination. Schneep then stepped through the doors, into this basement floor.

Well, wasn’t this a change of pace? Instead of the office decorations he’d seen on the floor above, this area was more industrial, with white walls and perforated metal for a ceiling and floor. There was only one destination, at the end of a short hallway. Schneep walked down it to a set of double-doors, poking his head inside...

Well. This was definitely a laboratory. Schneep looked around at the wide space, decorated with conveyor belts and monitors and robotic arms. He started wandering around, getting a lay of the land. Looking for anything suspicious. 

There were doors lining the sides of the room. Schneep poked his head into them one by one. There were too many to investigate thoroughly, but he could at least figure out what their contents were, if there were any that might have helpful information. The first few he checked had nothing interesting, just a bunch of robotic and metallic parts. One had a bunch of SAMs inside, all turned off. Many of them had compartments open on their side, with half-completed attachments sticking out. SAMs were well-known for their variety of functions, but... something about these attachments... bothered him.

Schneep stepped farther into the room, examining the nearest one. A SAM with blue casing, two compartments open on either side. The lights were off in the room, but Schneep reached up and pressed a button on his goggles, activating night vision. He leaned closer to examine the attachments coming from the compartments—

And jolted back in surprise. “Heilige Scheiße,” he muttered, the words slipping out despite his need for stealth. He recognized these attachments. These were weapons. Specifically, these attachments looked pretty similar to some weapons he’d seen for sale in the underworld. The design was first made by the villain Riot Queen, and it fired beams instead of bullets, but it could still pack a punch.

Schneep quickly turned and examined the other SAMs. He recognized a couple more weapons that were often sold in the black market. And the ones that he didn’t still looked like guns or cannons of some kind. What the hell? Weapons were definitely not part of the SAMs shared with the public!

He quickly left the room, returning to the main lab. The weaponized SAMs weren’t concrete proof that McLoughlin was working with Anti-Virus, but it certainly wasn’t a good sign! Especially since they were tucked away in a side room off his own lab. That probably indicated they were a secret.

Taking a deep breath, Schneep decided to continue checking the rooms. But quickly. He ran into the next side room, and from there continued passing through the rooms through the walls, not even bothering with the main lab. He ran through them quickly, finding not much else of note—

Until he ran into a room with something slightly different. It was still full of mechanical parts, including a big monitor on the wall, but there were a couple more things. A small side room with a toilet and sink, a desk piled high with paper dishes and cups stained with old food, and a bed shoved in the corner of the room. And sleeping on it... was a man.

Schneep stopped in his tracks, staring. Was that... Dr. McLoughlin? He’d done some brief research in preparation of it, and the man’s face resembled the pictures he’d seen. Why was he sleeping here? Didn’t he have his own place? Maybe... this was a spare bedroom? In case he worked late in the lab?

He couldn’t help but step forward, leaning close to McLoughlin. Yep, he was fast asleep, tangled up in the gray blankets on the bed. It felt wrong to just... stare at a guy while he slept. He should get out of here. He could come back some other time, when the guy wasn’t here. With that in mind, he started to turn away—

The monitor on the wall suddenly turned on, its screen pure red. BRAP. BRAP. BRAP. “Intruder alert,” said a robotic voice. “Intruder alert.”

Schneep stiffened. How?! Was there an infrared camera in this room?! Why?! Who would put that in the room they were sleeping in?!

McLoughlin jerked awake with a strangled scream. Over on the desk, something flew up from the surface—a smaller SAM, green and blue, which had been sitting on a small pillow partially hidden by the dirty dishes. “What?! How?!” McLoughlin’s eyes darted around, and Schneep froze. Would he hear his footsteps? McLoughlin pressed a hand to the side of his head. “God...damn it. I told you to change the sound of my alarm! I-I don’t want to hear that sound ever again!”

“Intruder alert,” continued the robotic voice.

“...oh fuck it’s not my alarm,” McLoughlin whispered. He scrambled to his feet—yep, he was probably just crashing here, given how he was still wearing his day clothes. “Intruder alert?! Where?!”

“Motion detection set off in Storage 18,” said the robotic voice.

McLoughlin blinked. “My room? That was probably just me rolling over.”

“Unlikely. The motion was outside the field of the deliberate blind spot.”

McLoughlin looked around the room, not seeing an intruder. “Is it still being set off?”

“No.”

“Display main lab cameras on the monitor in Storage 18.”

The monitor changed from red to a series of boxes—views from security cameras. Schneep’s eyes flicked over to it, quickly taking in the information. Maybe he’d be able to figure out where the cameras are from their view.

McLoughlin leaned close to the monitor, squinting. “Turn down the brightness, fucking hell.” The brightness lowered on command. He scanned it. “Turn on infrared view.” The cameras all switched to the distinctive blues and greens of infrared view. There wasn't much giving off heat in the laboratory. Some comes from machines, some comes from the overhead lights, and that’s just about it. “I don’t... see anything. Can you point out any differences? SAM, you help, too.” The small SAM flew over to his side.

A moment passed. Schneep tried not to move, tried to breathe as evenly as possible. Then the robotic voice returned. “No movement or anomalies detected.” The SAM also shook side to side, a bit like it was shaking its head.

McLoughlin sighed. “Where in Storage 18 was the motion detected? Show me on the camera.”

One of the views filled the whole screen—thankfully, this one didn’t seem to have infrared vision, otherwise Schneep would have been in plain sight. It was a view of this very same room. The footage rewinded the past couple minutes, and a red circle appeared on the screen next to the bed—right where Schneep had been standing. “Here.”

“Yeah, that’s probably just me passing out of the blind spot for a moment,” McLoughlin said. He glanced around the room uneasily. “...I hope.” A moment passed in tense silence. “It’s... 2 o’clock, right? Uh... I’m gonna... go home for the night. Deactivate all security protocols so I can leave. And remember to reactivate them after I leave.”

“Security deactivated,” the robotic voice said.

Schneep immediately turned and left the room, carefully stepping quietly until he passed through a wall back into the main lab. Then he bolted. He ran all the way to the elevator in the hall, where he pressed into the corner. McLoughlin walked into the elevator a while later, activating it, going back to the ground floor. Luckily, the ride was short. Schneep let McLoughlin walk out first, then quickly followed, walking straight through the nearest exterior wall and back out into the night.

God, he hoped McLoughlin hadn’t figured out he was there. He didn’t want a man involved with weaponizing flying robots to know he was in his lab.

===============

“There were guns on the SAMs?!”

“Don’t shout so loud,” Schneep muttered. He’d been unceremoniously awoken that morning—on his day off, mind you—by a knock at the door. Marvin said he was in the area and wanted to stop by to talk about “that stuff I mentioned in your office.” But he’d probably just gotten anxious for results or something. Schneep knew his apartment was pretty out of the way, there was no way Marvin would just be in the area.

“Sorry.” Marvin glanced around. “You don’t... have a computer in here, though. And I left my phone in my bag in the hall. Do you have your phone with you?”

“I do not, I left it in my bedroom, but I want to go back to sleep after this.” Schneep rubbed his eyes. He was leaning back against his sofa while Marvin stood nearby. “I do not have work today, and I had a late night, as you just heard.”

Marvin winced. “Sorry,” he said again. “I didn’t... think about that.”

“Is fine.”

“...but seriously. Guns on the SAMs?” Marvin asked.

“I do not think they were the type to fire bullets, but yes,” Schneep said. “There would probably be no room to store them in a SAM and have them still function. But a couple may have been functional for darts.”

“That’s... very fucking concerning,” Marvin said. “D’you think Anti-Virus asked McLoughlin to do that? Or—do you think he did that on his own as Anti-Virus?”

“I have no idea.” Schneep shook his head. “I found no direct link to Anti-Virus before I had to leave.”

“What would serve as a direct link?”

“Hmm... that is a good question,” Schneep said slowly. “Anti-Virus never directly appeared, so it is not like we will be able to find a supersuit stored somewhere. He may not have one in the first place.” He frowned. “And all of Anti-Virus’s actions have been digital so far... So there may not be physical proof at all. The SAMs may be the best we are getting.”

Marvin shook his head. “Still. Guess we’ll have to look some more. Um, I can probably get into the SepTech buildings and look through files and shit. But... I think you really need to keep an eye on McLoughlin.”

“I will do all I can, but I cannot spend every waking moment spying on him,” Schneep said.

“I wouldn’t make you,” Marvin said. “I just... Jackie really trusts this guy. A-and I don’t... I don’t want to see him make a mistake.”

Schneep looked at Marvin thoughtfully. “You do not want to see him make a mistake you would have.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Marvin said, his face expressionless. But Schneep picked up on that slight tremor in his voice. “Um, I’m sorry for waking you up. You can... go back to bed. Let me know if you find anything.”

“Of course.” Schneep nodded. “See you later, then.”

“See you.” And with that, Marvin turned and headed towards the door. But then he hesitated, turning back. “Should we tell Jackie about this? It’s concerning, even if it’s not Anti-Virus related.”

“I will think about it,” Schneep said. “I think it would sound better coming from me, so do not approach him, yes? If I want to share, I will. For now... I need rest.”

“Right.” Marvin nodded. “Bye, then.”

“Goodbye.”

And Marvin left.

Schneep got up, stretching, and headed back to his bedroom. Should he tell Jackie about the weaponized SAMs in McLoughlin’s lab? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t want Jackie to trust the wrong person. But he knew that Jackie would want solid proof. This seemed pretty fucking solid to him, but he didn’t know if it would pass Jackie’s standards.

He’ll think about it some more once he woke up again. For now, sleep. And later, more planning. McLoughlin was doing something. And they had to figure out what. If he truly was in league with Anti-Virus... or if he was the face behind the mask.

[doorvisual]

This stunning black metal gate features a captivating Islamic design, meticulously crafted using laser-cutting technology. The intricate geometric patterns add a touch of elegance and cultural flair to any home entrance or garden.

[dujour13]

Owlcatober 2. Favorite food

the 4th and final part of The Prodigal Tiefling - also on AO3

(CW food & fluff)

---

It was a pretty sweet plan.

Siavash settled his back against the cool wall of the Citadel balcony and smiled to himself as he played, while a gap in the Worldwound vapors above the west guard tower twinkled with evening stars, winking back at him like they were in on it.

His fingers had found their music again since he’d recovered Woljif alive in the Worldwound. He’d only been half aware what a weight he’d been dragging since the tiefling disappeared, but now that it was lifted song rose out of him as easily as breath again.

Not that all the weight was lifted. The night of the gargoyles he’d lost a lot of people, the flames of hope he’d kindled as Knight-Commander extinguished far too soon, and by his own negligence. Every death was like a punch to the gut, but it was the mental image of the young tiefling’s body shattered against cold Worldwound rocks that ached the most.

They’d started to be friends. Or so he’d hoped.

Of course Woljif ran that night. How could anyone blame him? He ran because he was smart enough to catch the scent of shit on the wind, and to know this new Knight-Commander was in it over his head.

But also smart enough to stay alive out there. Siavash smiled again, shifting to a more cheerful chord.

Since they got back to Drezen the tiefling seemed uncharacteristically subdued, and Siavash hoped a little welcome-back gesture might lift his spirits and let him know he really was forgiven, at least as far as the Knight-Commander was concerned.

At the same time, he had to be careful it wouldn’t be mistaken for flirting, which he definitely wasn’t. Siavash vowed to stick to his self-imposed penance—which he’d already cheated on twice in the two years since Kristov, but that didn’t really count, because neither of those guys was anyone he’d ever really fall for—

Oh.

His fingers faltered on the strings.

Right. That was why he needed to keep this strictly friendly, and yet special; hence the plan.

* * *

“Wait. Are you telling me you lugged those all the way out here into the Worldwound for the last day and a half’s march?” Lann looked at Siavash like he’d sprouted a horn.

“Yeah,” Siavash grinned.

“If you’re complainin’ I’ll eat yours,” Woljif volunteered, snatching a cherry roll from the boxful in the chief’s arms and threatening to swipe another.

“Wouldn’t want the Knight-Commander’s efforts to go to waste.” Lann swatted his hand and helped himself.

“What’sh the occasion?” Seelah asked through a mouthful.

“Our merry band of Kenabres city defenders is back together at last,” Siavash beamed. “Setting out to defeat the forces of the Abyss side-by-side once again. I thought that was worth a little celebration.”

For a moment everyone gaped at him, standing there in the Worldwound wastes in his green striped trousers, purple tunic and aqua scarf, guitar strapped across his back, smiling broadly over a box full of slightly stale cherry rolls, luminous Elysian butterflies fluttering around his head.

“Party time!” yelled Aivu, bounding excitedly across the rocks. “Pass!”

“Ready?”

As she caught the lobbed pastry it exploded into crumbs and sticky cherry filling that she licked from her grinning dragon-lips as she trotted back.

“Very promising,” Daeran mused, nibbling at the cherry roll poised on a lace handkerchief thrown over his hand like a doily. “Am I to understand that if I run off in the middle of a dire battle and then come slinking back with my tail between my legs you’ll throw us another pastry party? Next time with mimosas, I might hope?”

Woljif’s mouth was too full for a retort.

Meanwhile the succubus, on whose request they were currently headed for Greengates, stood off alone keeping an eye on the perilous terrain that lay ahead. Siavash called her over.

“Arueshalae, have one.”

“I shouldn’t,” she said meekly, dark liquid eyes lowered.

“Don’t tell me you’re watching your carbs,” said Seelah. “Sister, you can afford a cherry roll.”

“I’ll eat hers,” Woljif volunteered through stuffed cheeks.

“No, I—I just don’t think it’s right. I wasn’t in Kenabres.”

“You were there in dreams. That counts.”

At Siavash’s apparent sincerity Daeran burst into a peal of mocking laughter. “In that case I shall catch up on my beauty sleep, perchance to dream of striking down a dozen demons. For the cause.” And he settled into a languorous pose with his pack as a pillow.

Seeing Lann’s look of despair Seelah elbowed him. “Don’t be such a sourpuss. It’s not the kind of Crusade I expected when I came here either, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Still, Arueshalae shook her head. “Someone like me doesn’t deserve—”

“Nonsense!” Siavash cut her off. “Arueshalae, if you’d like to join our Merry Band, with all the privileges and responsibilities that entails, you must partake of the sacred cherry roll.”

Bashfully she gave in, taking up the dripping red roll in both hands and, just as she had once done with still-beating human hearts, brought it reverently to her lips.

“Haha! You’re one of us now, like it or not!” Seelah slapped her on the shoulder, rousing a swirl of butterflies.

Later when the others had wandered off to their camp occupations, Siavash found himself alone by the fire with Woljif.

“Thanks, chief,” the tiefling said, patting his stomach with a satisfied grin. “My lucky day. Cherry rolls are my favorite.”

“I know. That’s why I chose them.”

“I—huh—?”

“You mentioned it once.”

“Guess I musta,” Woljif mumbled. His tail twisted.

“I like to take note of little things like that with people,” Siavash explained, just to make sure it was crystal clear he was not flirting.

“Ah, I get it. Part a’ the diplomattin’.”

“Sometimes. And sometimes just part of being a friend.”

Woljif’s tail froze in mid-twist. He began to fidget with the cuffs of his jacket. “You really are an original, chief, you know that?”

“I could say the same of you.” Siavash pinched himself mentally. Stop.

But Woljif chattered on unawares. “I mean, if it was anybody else I’d say you’d get eaten alive out there, tryina make friends with people like me, but I dunno, somehow you pull it off. In fact I’m startin’ to think that’s what landed you the job, and what’s keepin’ this crusade goin’. I don’t bet ol’ Galfrey ever hauled snacks halfway across the Worldwound for her chums. You know how to play the game your way, chief.”

Siavash chuckled. “Nothing gets past you.”

“Ha. Looks like not much gets past you either.” Woljif glanced up and there was a conspiratorial flash in his clever yellow eyes, bordering on affectionate. Suspecting he was being played, and playing along? Suddenly he flushed and pretended to interest himself in the blank horizon of the Worldwound in the opposite direction.

And while his eyes were averted, Siavash stole another look, admiring the way his curls framed his profile in the firelight, and already planning another trip to the Drezen bakery just to see those eyes light up again, and that clever, dimpled, slightly greedy but also sincere smile that made his heart glow warm as the southern Andoren sun.

Stop. Leave the poor guy alone. “I’m glad you liked them,” he said softly as he rose. He couldn’t help placing a hand on Woljif’s shoulder on the way. “And I’m glad you’re back with us.”

Woljif’s cheeks had gone glaringly ruddy. “Yeah, me too, trust me. I mean where else can a guy get cherry rolls out here except with you—guys. Sure as hells not with Baphomet cultists.”

“So you’ll stick around?”

It took a moment for him to answer, like he was working up his courage or struggling with something. Probably, Siavash reflected with regret, all too aware he was being reeled in, and Siavash could do nothing to express his sincerity without crossing the forbidden flirting line, so he just stood there wearing his most reassuring smile and hoping that would do. Let me give you more than snacks. Please trust me.

Woljif shrugged. “Sure.”

A pause.

Woljif sighed. “I mean yeah. I’ll stick around.” Sheepishly returning the smile, the glow of firelight in his eyes was softer than he probably would have liked. “I promise.”

[rollofleaf]

I missed Azata path Hilde... And I can just imagine Arueshalae getting all starry-eyed when she sees this.

Anyways, Greengates is done. I'm not sure if core was rebalanced or if all my difficulty was coming from hard mode, but it went without a hitch!

[queen-scribbles]

For the alternate pairings, Vikkari and Sosiel?

What's really funny: half the reason I made a male Commander is I couldn't decide if I wanted to romance Sosiel or Arueshalae, and since she's open to both but he's not, dude it was. XD I even took a couple of flirts with him before

a) Arue critted on that one derakni in Greengates and Vikkari's heart and

b) Vikkari straight up(pun intended) told me he was only into girls.😂

I really like Sosiel, he and Vikkari get along great, and I think in a world where they got together it would go very, very well. Vikkri's a romantic, and he has his own form of art (whittling) like Sosiel's paintings. He's a softie but willing to face and share hard truths when called for. He and Sosiel would love each other very much, and I think in that world state I'd actually succeed at rescuing Trever, but if not, they would grieve together.

Post-campaign they would get a long and happy life together while Sosiel grows grapes for wine and paints and Vikkari perfects his cookie recipe (for Aivu, of course. The fact he has a sweet tooth of his own is completed unrelated, what are you insinuating, love? >.>)