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kindnessisweakness2 · 1 year

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Delusional - Part 19

“I cannot believe you can sing like that lass!” Chibs exclaimed loudly from the bar in the clubhouse. The Friday night party was in full swing and Delaney was sat on Jax’s lap as the rest of the club made comments about how well she did at the fundraiser. “There is alot you guys dont know about me. I have lots of secret talents.” Delaney wiggled her eyebrows and laughed loudly at the expression on the guys faces. “No, Seriously. I love singing covers but i write songs too. I just never sing them. It’s weird, i’ve just never had the confidence. My parents wanted me to be a Lawyer or Doctor and well, you can see how that turned out!” Delaney gestured at herself and giggled. “I think you turned out perfect.” Jax said as he leaned in and kissed her head. “And talking about them secret talents, its time to take my old lady home. Sorry guys!” Jax grinned as the guys groaned loudly at his innuendo. Delaney did not have to be told twice as she quickly said goodbye to Gemma and Clay before following her Fiance to his bike. Jax was reaching for his spare helmet when an unfamiliar Car pulled onto the TM Lot. Jax Pulled Delaney close as he watched a man and woman emerge from the car. The woman was tall and slim with dark hair and dark eyes. She had a pointed look on her face and Jax could already tell she was judging everyone. The male was short and frumpy, with a receeding hairline and bright eyes. “Mom? Dad?” Delaney questioned, shock evident in her voice, as she made her way towards the car with Jax following close behind her. “W-What are you doing here? You never called to tell me you were coming out!” Delaney’s Mom scowled at her daughter. “Well we wanted to suprise you. We were concerned that we couldnt get hold of Alex, so we decided to fly out. Do not be ungrateful.” Delaney sighed at her mother. She has never been nice to her, and always thought the sun shone out of Alex’s backside. This was going to be a difficult convosation. “Well me and Alex, we arent together anymore. I dont know where he is-” It wasnt a lie. She didnt know where he was and she never wanted to know either. Her moms eyes widened. “Don’t tell me, you messed it up like you do everything else. Always been ungrateful, hasnt she James? I’m glad we flew out. You clearly need our help. I’m sure we can fix it. You just need to lose a few pounds, all this american food hasnt helped your waist line dear! You’ve clearly let yourself go. Walking around no make up, hair a mess and when was the last time you had your nails done? What have i told you Delaney Louise? Men do not appreciate it when their woman looks rough! No wonder Alex probably went somewhere else. Have you atleast been doing the housework and cooking him home meals?” Delaney’s Cheeks blushed crimson at her moms critisism and the fact that the rest of the club came out to see the new arrivals, catching the awful toungue lashing her mother dished out. Her Father just stood there an awkward smile on his face. Years of having to listen to her mother go on and on has made him compliant, never wanting to get on her bad side. “Mom, Can you please forget about Alex? He wasnt a good man. He did things to me you never knew about, even before we moved out here. I’ve met someone else. Someone who treats me so much better.” Her moms eyes flickered to where Jax was stood next to her. She watched her mom look him up and down and it honestly made her blood boil to see the judgement on her face. “He’s no Alex.” Delaney couldnt hold it in. “YES. YOUR CORRECT. HE’S NO ALEX. HE DOESNT GRAB ME BY THE HAIR AND DRAG ME TO THE FLOOR WHEN HIS BREAKFAST ISNT DONE ON TIME. HE DOESNT TELL ME IM USELESS AND FAT AND UGLY. HE DOESNT HIT ME EVERYDAY. HE DOESNT SCARE ME. HE DOESNT MAKE MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IM WORTHLESS. HE DOESNT MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I WANT TO DIE AND THAT THE WORLD WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHOUT ME IN IT. HE MAKES ME FEEL SAFE AND LOVED AND HAPPY. SHOULDNT THAT BE WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR DAUGHTER? TO BUILD A LIFE WITH SOMEONE WHO MAKES HER FEEL LIKE SHE’S THE MOST AMAZING THING. RATHER THAN LIVE EVERYDAY IN FEAR THAT THAT WILL BE THE DAY HE FINALLY KILLED ME?” Delaneys chest heaved as she screamed at her mother. “Oh dont be so dramatic, Delaney Louise! So what he slapped you a few times? You’ve always been out of control. You needed raining in! To be showed whats acceptable and whats not! Alex did you a favour even looking at you in the first place. He could have his pick of the women wherever he went and he chose you! He chose to be with someone who behaved and looked like you! I hate to say it as you are my daughter but lets face it, your never the prettiest girl in the room. You ate your feelings through high school and look how its effected your body! Nobody wants you, and its not hard to believe when you look like that. Like i said, now im here we will correct it and you will apologise to Alex in the hope he will take you back.” Delaney shook her head at her mother. The nerve of her. “If you ever think im going to stand in front of that man again you are more delusional than he is.” The smack echoed across the lot loudly. Delaney’s head whipping to the side with the force of the hit. Her hand came up to cover the red mark on her face as she spit the blood that formed in her mouth on the concrete. “Do not ever disrespect me like that. I am your Mother!” The shrill voice of her mum and the shouts of protest of every member of the club sounded like it was far away. Delaney didnt know what was happening. She had been hit harder than that before but for some reason it feels like her brain had been shaken against her skull. Fuck, she could take a hit but this was different. Something was wrong. “Baby?” Jax’s arms wound around her waist trying to steady her. She could see double and her ears felt like they were ringing. “Jax-” was all Delaney could mumble before she went limp in his Arms.

*1 HOUR LATER*

Jax paced up and down the hospital waiting room. “She really werent lying when she said her mom was a bitch.” Juice nodded in agreement at opies comment. “Do you mind? Me and my wife are right here!” Delaneys dad spoke up as her mum scoffed. “Do you think we give a shit? Look at how you’ve treated her. You’ve been here 5 fucking minutes and look at how much you upset her!” Gemma snapped. “You should’ve stayed your asses in England!” Delaneys mum Stood up and made her way to where Gemma Stood in the doorway, but before she could say anything Gemma laughed. “Just try it sweetheart. I am not your daughter. I will fuck you up.” Jax glared at his mother. “Will all of you shut the fuck up? My fiance is currently lying in a hospital bed and you guys fighting is not fucking helping!” Before anyone could say anything else the doctor appeared. “Im guessing your all here for Delaney?” Jax Stepped forward, “Please can i see her? She’s my fiance!” Delaneys mum scoffed loudly, “I am her mother, Linda. I should be the one to see her!” Jax and Gemma rounded on her. “YOUR THE FUCKING REASON SHES IN HERE!” The doctor shook his head at the group. “Look you all need to calm down otherwise i will have to ask you to leave the hospital. She’s been asking for Jax, Gemma and club members. Which im guessing is all you guys with the patches on. She has specifically stated that no one else is to enter her hospital room so if your not a patched member, or your name is not Jax or Gemma you need to leave.” Delaneys parents scowled but left the room without argument. Jax sighed in relief that they were gone. “So now thats dealt with. You can see her but we are just waiting on the result of one more test, as soon as that comes through i will be with you guys shortly.” Jax thanked the doctor then made his way towards Delaney’s Hospital room. Everyone pushed into the room, trying to be the one to get to her first.

Delaney Laughed as she watched Opie, Juice, Halfsack and Happy try to cram themselves through the doorway at the same time. “Get the fuck out of the way!” Juice gunted. “No move your fat ass i was here first.” Opie groaned as his shoulder got rammed hard against the door frame. “Both of you move out the fucking way. I’m her faveorite.” Happy shoulder barged his way through the small gap, sending juice flying forward onto the hospital floor. “Your all fucking idiots.” Jax snapped as he stepped over juice and rushed towards delaneys bed. “Hey babe, you gave me quite the scare.” Jax pressed a kiss to her forehead and smiled at her as he climbed onto the bed next to her. “Im sorry for scaring everyone. I dont know what happened, I think all the stress and worry these last few weeks have just caught up with me. I feel better now.” She tried her best to reassure everyone, but the doctor entering the room made everyone turn. “Do you want to speak in private?” The doctor asked Delaney but she shook her head. “No everyone here is Family.” Nodding his head, the doctor started to run through her test results as everyone listened carefully.

“So we tested you for a number of things, Miss Carter. And thankfully all the serious diagnosis have been ruled out, but i do want to check one last thing that could explain your fainting. How have you felt recently?” Delaney’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I’ve been fine really. Just tired, but i put that down to the stress of the fundraiser. and all the organising. I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night alot feeling sick but that is normal when my anxiety flares up.” The doctor nodded his head as he wrote notes on Delaney’s chart. “It does make sense. The fainting, the tiredness. Miss Carter, Your pregnant.”

#sons of anarchy imagine #sons of anarchy #sons of anarchy fanfiction #Jax Teller #jax teller imagine #jax teller x oc #jax teller x reader #jax teller x female reader

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anniebear-92 · 9 months

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Could u do all might having a daughter which he neglects?

Of course I can! That is an interesting ask!

I honestly see All Might being a parent could go two ways, either the child would feel extremely neglected and in the biggest shadow ever or he would be the most loving father ever based on his interactions with his students. If anyone wants to read one of how I think All Might would be as an actual dad? Let me know :)

Warnings: SFW, talks of depression, sadness and divorce. All Might is a shit dad. Her last name is Yagi because she is All Might's daughter.

She stared at the statue before her, darkness of the shadow surrounded her like the hug she rarely got. The figure envisioned by the artist continuously showed that big smile similar to her own if anyone was privy to see it.

The plaque at the base read a blurb about "The Symbol of Peace." How great this man is and was to this day. What about the people he had to step on to get to this place? To have his status in the middle of a shopping square?

Someone like, you.

His own flesh and blood that rarely got a phone call but on birthdays or Holidays. Even then she could hardly remember the last birthday he HAD called on. It was always a quick "How you doing kiddo?" or "I just called quick to say Happy birthday."

He was always quick to call and just as quick to disconnect the line because "Duty calls," Before you could even tell him about the great gift your mother always got you. Unlike your absent father your mother was always there, quick with a tissue or shoulder for your falling tears. A band-aid for the scrape you had gotten, cake to make you feel better, kind words and exciting stories before bedtime.

Not from him.

The day your doctor told the happy couple their daughter was quirkless was the first of many, those ocean blue eyes you shared with the man gave you that look of pity. That perpetual look that you were something to be protected, fragile, nothing. How can a quirkless person be a hero?

It had been the first day he stopped coming home at night, returning your mother's calls asking when he'd be home for dinner. Justice was always the answer. Cold nights in a bed alone, her seven year old daughter crawling in her lap to wipe the tears from her mother's cheeks.

Finally your mother had enough, the stack of papers from her lawyer were left on the table indicated he was going to be alone. When she received the notification he would not fight she knew the battle was lost, he no longer cared... If he did at all.

Your mother took you away from Tokyo where his agency was based, moving to the new city of Musatafu. He came to see you from time to time but it seemed only when he was already there for a non you reason. There was always seemingly an event in town, a mission he was taking care of to help out another agency.

Regardless of your absent father you never let it get you down. Your father was All might! The coolest hero in the world, right? When you started primary school and made friends of course you would boast about who your father was! Though their sneers and jokes about how you lie started to tear at the fabric of your heart, you slowly began keeping that information to your self. Who cared anyway? Not like the man ever called or stopped in unless it was convenient to him.

In middle school a miracle occurred, you developed your mother's quirk suddenly. A late bloomer the doctor had said. Testing your limits they discovered it was an even stronger version of her own with the next generation. Energy Manipulation, a strong quirk.

The word had gotten to your father and it was as if a switch flipped. He was always calling, always stopping by. "Hey kid, want to come on patrol with me and see how heroes work?" Your hopes had never been higher! Until he didn't show... again. Villain attacked he had blamed.

It was about age fourteen when you finally had enough, he had shown up to drop off a gift. A gift you promptly smashed to the floor.

"Why are you here? You rarely call, you only show up when you FEEL like it! I'm sick of you only having time for me when it's good for you! I developed a quirk late and now suddenly you want to be my dad? Go be the symbol of peace. Why don't you tell everyone how you stepped on your FAMILY to do it?"

Your teeth were bared, nostrils flaring as your chest heaved at finally giving him the piece of mind he deserved. His eyes had widened and not a word was said. He simply turned and left, no phone calls, no surprise visits. He simply disappeared.

Years passed and you decided with great resolve you were going to become a great hero and if you ever had a family, they would be your priority. You were going to become a better hero than that man ever was! You aced your tests, got good grades and trained day in and out. Your mother helped with quirk control and when time was ready, you applied for UA.

The entrance exam was decent, your fingers stretching towards the machine and feeling the crackle of the electricity inside. Lifting the unit you smashed them into another, shorted out, smashed, tore apart until finally the buzzer rang out.

Your acceptance came a week later, so did the buzz about someone becoming a new teacher. The one and only All Might. The first couple weeks were rocky, but you proved to him and everyone you deserved to be where you were.

"Yagi!"

The voice tore you out of your thoughts, head turning to find a messy haired, green eyed boy standing with your fellow classmates of 1A. They all smiled as you stood before that stupid statue.

"Let's go! It's time to be heroes!"

Adjusting your hero gear, you took the hand of the boy who idolized your father more than anyone else. His fingers interlaced with yours as his bright smile earned one of your own in return. He may have your father's quirk, he may have thought your dad is the greatest guy since sliced bread.

He had watched since the day you joined his class in Aldera Middle, the bright girl who rose from the shadow and brought her own light to the world. Whose smile outshined any that the "Symbol of Peace" had to offer.

If someone were to ask him today, "Who was the greatest hero who ever lived?" He'd smile his own thousand watt smile and without any hesitation he would give one name.... Yours.

#all might #bnha imagine #bhna x reader #izuku midoriya #bnha izuku #all might imagine #UA imagine #Absent father #All Might is a butt in this #I can see Bakugo cursing out All Might for hurting his classmate #Izuku is petty after getting OFA and finding out how he was a bad father #Todoroki and her are besties and share father trauma

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multifanlol · 1 year

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Hi! Think you could do a part 3 to the calamity trio x reader story where the reader’s family or Friends come find and fight the trio to save the reader for good. You could do both a good and bad endings for it if you want.

Hi and sure! I think this deserves a proper ending for good there will be a good and bad ending

Tw: Mentions of kidnapping, the yandere usual stuff

Escaping from calamity trio pt 3

I don’t know how to do links again so your gonna have to swipe 😢 it shouldn’t be down far tho!

“Now open up s/o!~ aw come on don’t make that face-“

“I would prefer not you feeding me like a baby…”

“Aw don’t be like that, sorry we can’t trust you after you attempting to leave us and get yourself killed!”

The fact she said that so innocently

You were currently still tied down to the bed as Marcy was attempting to force feed you

You felt embarrassed and humiliated even though nobody was watching you hated this you honestly were close to hating them

You’ve tried escaping believe me you’ve tried you’ve tried using there weaknesses to your advantage, breaking the knots your tied to, etc nothing worked it was like they we’re one step ahead of you

I mean there was three of them and only one of you so are you really to blame for not finding it easy?

So now here you were lying down just giving up i mean, it’s clear nobody is coming for you now everyone thinks your dead and the girls clearly have a “hero reputation” for saving the world so even if they did find out you were alive they’d never think your “best friends” have you held hostage

“S/o!! Oh good your back again-“

Jeez that snapped you out of your thoughts

“I get lost in my thoughts too you know? What were you thinking about?”

She asked so innocently but you knew by now she wanted a straight answer youve sometimes had to attempt to lie over how much times she’s asked you this, first off why would you tell her what your thinking of? And second you knew she wouldn’t like half of “those” thoughts

“Oh you know….that one line in that movie you keep on watching…”

“Ohh….don’t be silly s/o you never even payed attention to that movie, now tell me what were you really thinking about?”

You found it creepy due to the fact that well it’s a girl with a borderline obsession of love for you plus it’s Marcy maybe she’s not as scary as the other two when there mad but she can get scary when acting like this

You were honestly close to them breaking you and honestly……maybe it’d be better that way you find it hard just to fake listening to them it makes you sick to your stomach

“Well-“

“Um Marcy, we kinda have a problem-“

“Huh? Oh, let me just-“

Marcy taped your mouth as she went out with Anne to see what she wanted they’ve been doing this Incase any nearby hunters are around the woods so you’d logically scream for them

And your still tied down you tried your best to overhear luckily you gained a ton of upperbody strength so it was easy to move the bed near for you to lean on the wall and overhear what there saying

You heard a ton of muffled arguing voices then you heard the tv turn on and what you heard shocked you to the core

“New studies have shown that the teenager best known as “y/n l/n” has just been shown the body we found was a fake and that the actual one is still out there somewhere”

“Imagine if they find out we put that there?! I thought the body i made was soo good…”

“I’m not ready to go to jail i mean i did live in a cell in Amphibia, but we gotta get out of here what are we supposed to tell our parents-“

“Relax girls everything’s gonna be fine, they won’t suspect us as we’re s/o’s best friends, we’ll have enough time to come up with a plan what matters now is making sure they don’t find out”

Well crap

You heard more muffling till you heard a knock on the door

Well this should be interesting

“Huh, nobody knew about this place….”

The knocking only got louder till it sounded like someone was trying to break it open? You would scream but to remind you again your mouth has tape over it

You tried to hear what they were saying but all you could hear was the people trying to break the door and the girls that held you hostage arguing you tried to scream but it only sounded muffled till you heard something slam to the floor which was obviously the door till you heard footsteps

You were hoping it was whoever was at the door but it was the girls and they looked terrified

“We have to get out of here Anne, grab s/o!”

“What-“

Anne grabbed you and you noticed Marcy holding weapons

You were hoping they’d fail somehow

“Don’t bother running girls we have you surrounded”

Good Ending

As the girls were panicking and trying to find a window to get out of you noticed the knots was loosening and noticed one of Marcy’s daggers

“Maybe if i can reach it i can just hope she won’t notice?”

Better to atleast try

So while you swiftly took the dagger and used it to break your knots you waited a bit before finishing your grand plan

“Quick Anne, climb out the window carrying s/o with you!”

Oh no

Before Anne could move the bedroom door broke open with two familiar faces there

They were your friends

“Wait i thought you guys were dead!”

“Y/n!”

Marcy and Sasha began holding them off while Anne was seemingly unsure whether there fine fighting or whether she should leave you somewhere and fight

You didn’t want to waste any more opportunities so you kicked Anne and pretty much ran for it

You looked at your friends while they quickly gave you a look that said they’ll meet with you later while you ran out of the house

You felt your friends behind you as they ran out

You noticed a ton of others there specifically your…..family

“Y/n”

“P/ns?!”

You looked at your friends thankfully

“I thought you guys died?”

“They did attempt to murder us but we managed to escape we were severely injured though…”

You noticed a ton of them having clear broken bones/scars on them and stared in guilt

You then stared at your parents

“I guess you told them?”

“Believe it or not we knew you weren’t properly dead we just didn’t have enough evidence to look for you we had a feeling the girls were trouble due to how toxic they were but we never thought they would of done this and we’re sorry for not noticing sooner”

“Well where are the girls?”

“Knocked out the police will be here soon, you have enough evidence to take it to court although I don’t think much will happen since your minors”

You honestly didn’t care everything was back to normal

Bad Ending

As the girls were panicking and trying to find a window they can get out of you noticed the knots loosening and noticed Marcy’s dagger she was holding

“Maybe she won’t notice?”

You successfully grabbed it and some shadow figures which appeared to be your friends came in

While Sasha and Marcy were fighting them off you kicked Anne and instead of making a run for it helped your friends

“Your making a huge mistake s/o!”

“What are you doing y/n, get out of here!!”

“I don’t wanna lose you like how I already lost everyone else!”

“Your making a huge mistake y/-“

You didn’t listen while your friends were distracted over you Marcy stabbed them

“F/n!!”

As your friends now lifeless bodies dropped to the floor you felt something hard hit your head

When you woke up it was blurry everything felt…..different everything around you felt different you felt different

“What….”

“Oh guys she’s awake!”

“Thank god, listen do you remember anything that happened yesterday?”

“What is this…..where am i….who am i-“

“You are f/n f/l/n sweetheart! And we’re your partners you suffered a bad injury but everything’s good now you just can’t leave ever because there’s bad people looking for you!”

“F/n huh….that sounds nice but should i-“

“Just drink this and rest….”

Now the girls were happy sure they had to drug you with intense over medication and hurted your head to cause insomnia but in there defense now your happy! Now there happy! Now everything’s back to normal

Ummm so i hoped you all liked it-i like to consider the good ending more “canon” but it’s completely up to interpretation!

Also I’m aware that the insomnia thing is very common in scenarios like these but i had no other ideas and thought it suited 💀 as some drugs can lead to insomnia i imagined not only them giving you a bad injury but you also drugged relentlessly and still are being drugged is the ice top of the cake

Also f/n and f/l/n stand for fake name and fake last name unless it’s clearly gesturing to your friends

But anyways i hoped you liked it i kinda worked hard on it but not at the same time—

Hope you have a good day/night and bye!!

#character x reader #amphibia #amphibia x reader #anne boonchuy #anne boonchuy x reader #marcy wu #sasha waybright #sasha waybright x reader #Marcy Wu x reader #Yandere Amphibia x reader #Yandere Sasha Waybright x reader #Yandere Marcy Wu x reader #Yandere Anne Boonchuy x reader #Yandere x reader

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mrs-johansson · 2 years

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Strangers in the night - Scarlett Johansson x Fem!Reader

Part 7:

Weeks have been passing by quite quickly. It’s early February already which was so shocking because we just celebrated the New Year. I’ve had the whole month off fortunately and I have no complaints. I’ve been getting ready for shooting Bombshell which we start in March. Just to get into the whole story I’ve done some research.

I’ve also been going out a lot, not gonna lie. Whether it was a business dinner or a club night, I had plans for almost every day. I used my free time while I could and not gonna lie I had fun.

Léa and Chris are finally official and I can’t be happier for them. It��s still between us, Scott and some of our close friends, our parents don’t know this yet so it’s gonna be a big surprise.

Scarlett and I have been texting and calling back and forth a lot lately, getting to know each other better. She’s a very funny person, I expected her to be a very serious person even though Chris had told me about how much fun they always have whenever shooting a movie.

I didn’t expect us to become great friends when we first bumped into each other, but it was a pleasant decoy.

“So, any plans for Valentine’s Day?” Asked Scarlett through the phone. “No, not really. Honestly, I haven't celebrated Valentine’s Day in a couple of years,” I said. “What? Why?” “Well last year I was single, and before that, we were never in the same city somehow so… but I don’t think I missed out on anything big,” I plopped down onto the couch after making some tea. “Well you did, on good dates,” Scarlett responded. “Now that I’m thinking about it, I haven’t been on a date in a while.” “That’s upsetting. I’m sad for you.” “Why thank you, so emphatic.” “We should do something.” She suggested. “What’s on your mind?” “There’s this Jazz Bar at Soho, they have great wings and the music is very good,” that’s probably the most exciting date that I would ever be on. Date? Haha sure. “Ah I love Jazz so much,” I threw my head back. “I know.” “We have to go there.” “It’s next Wednesday, you sure you’re free?” “I’m free all February.” “Rose will be at her dad’s so I should be fine too. I’ll pick you up at… 7?” “That would be great.”

***

*group chat Work Wives; Y/n-Shortie🐜, Jennifer- Jello🍓, Emma- Giggles🪨

Shortie🐜: I think I have a date, not sure 🌝

Giggles🪨: with who ??

Jello🍓: take a guess?🤓

Giggles🪨: Ah right

Shortie🐜: I don’t think it’s that obvious

Jello🍓: it is

Giggles🪨: pretty much, yeah. Why not sure though?

Shortie🐜: well she asked me if I had anything planned for Valentine’s Day, I said no and told her about how I didn’t do anything for the past few years for that so she said we should do something

Jello🍓: and?!

Shortie🐜: she’s picking me up next Wednesday and we’re gonna go to a jazz bar with wings🫠

Giggles🪨: your new fav place probably

Shortie🐜: so true

Jello🍓: definitely a date

Shortie🐜: she also said that her daughter is not with her at the moment so she’s good to go

Giggles🪨: oooooh you’re gonna laiiiid 🐱🐱🐱

Shortie🐜: im not that kind of person

Jello🍓: yeah and im completely normal right?

Great, now I’m overthinking.

***

The next couple of days went by painfully slowly. I tried to take my mind off of the ‘date’ by painting, reading and learning my lines for Bombshell, but my mind just kept going back to this potential date.

I know it’s too early to stress about it since it’s only in a couple of days but I was terrified. Scarlett is a very powerful and influential woman, if she truly means this as a date, there’s no way I will be calm. She is a very attractive person and her mere presence is intimidating for me, despite her lovely personality.

I still haven’t told Chris anything about this, a little scared of what he would think. Probably surprised, and curious but still…

Trying to relax was always a bit of trouble for me. When I was younger, I used to struggle with anxiety and painting was always a big help. So like now, I chose to paint something once again, for the second time this week.

As I was looking at the halfway-done picture of a vintage kitchen, my phone began to ring. Unfolding my legs I got up from the ground, my flannel shirt’s sleeve rolling down as I reached for the phone on the table. It was Chris. “Hey Captain,” I spoke. “Very funny.” “I think it is.” “Yeah yeah… what are you up to?” He asked. “Just painting.” “Again?” Why is it so surprising? “Mhm, why?” I sat back on the floor, letting my legs stretch for a while. “I was gonna get lunch, maybe you want to join,” he suggested. “Alright, I haven’t had anything today so you got me.” “I’ll be there in 30 minutes.” “Yup.”

***

“You’ve been painting a lot lately…” Chris started and I glanced up at him from behind the menu. “Yeah, and?” Shrugged as my eyes scanned the different types of dishes. “Anything on your mind that might be stressful? You seem to disappear these days, although I heard Scarlett is a very frequent part of your days,” he smiled suspiciously while crossing his arms and leaning back in his seat. “You guys talk about me? How cute,” I faked a smile. “Yeah, she said you guys will go out this Wednesday, kinda hurt you didn’t tell me you’re going out with my best friend, but whatever…” He sassily spread his arms then picked back up his menu. “Wait a damn minute. For the record, I’m still not sure if it’s a date. She didn’t make it that obvious, okay? Jen and Emma say it is, but she didn’t say it so…” “Y/n… it’s gonna be on Valentine’s Day, what the hell do you think it is? A friendly outing? Yeah, sure.” He’s Scarlett’s best friend, then it has to be a date. “Fuck…” I sighed. “What? You don’t like her?” “No no… that’s the fucking problem. She is Scarlett Johansson, can you imagine how horrifying it is for me? She is way too nice with me and it scares the fuck out of me. It doesn’t help that she has a flirtatious personality and I don’t know whether I should pay attention to that or not. Chris, I’m terrified of this date.” He just laughed. He literally laughed at my rumbling. “You know what? I’m not gonna tell you anything, ever again,” I placed down my menu as I’ve already chosen my dish.

The man held up his two hands defensively, while the smile remained on his face. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s just so funny to see you all freaked out. Scarlett is such a laid back person and I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Where are you guys going?” He asked. “A jazz bar. She said it’s good.” He nodded. “That sounds fun. I would love to say I’m shocked to see you guys in this situation but I’m not.” The waiter stepped up to our table, breaking our conversation but we gave him our order and I quickly got back to the topic. “You’re not surprised?” I raised an eyebrow. “Not at all. On New Year's Eve you guys seemed to get along very well and she mentioned how much you guys have actually talked since then, so…” Oh so she’s talking about this… Interesting. “Do you think she’s playing though? I don’t want to be a one night stand that gets thrown away after a round,” I glanced down at my glass of iced tea. “No no, she’s not like that. She has Rose. Scarlett is a uhm… how should I say it? A person who settles down very quickly but doesn’t stick around for long but I think she’s different now. You know after Colint and Rose’s dad she wants someone…” “Stable.” “Exactly. So if you two want the same thing, then maybe it’ll become something great.”

***

Wednesday was here in a second after I had lunch with Chris. He made me think twice about the whole situation and all I have is low expectations. I don’t want to overthink it anymore, I just want to enjoy myself, that’s all it’s about, isn’t it?

This year, Valentine's Day was very nice. The weather was gloomy and it looked like it’ll rain any minute, my favorite weather. For my outfit I wanted to be a little bold, not gonna lie. It’s definitely a date, now I’m sure. So I may just use that as an opportunity to look good. I’m meeting with the most gorgeous woman and I will not be shy about it.

I could never go wrong with a black dress. It had a slit on the left side, pairing the whole dress with a longer black coat, I should be fine. A pair of red bottom shoes and some silver rings and a necklace, I will not hold back. I straightened my hair and did some minimal make up just to balance out everything.

At 6:50 the doorbell rang. Tell me she’s not standing in the rain.

Hurried down the stairs, I opened the door to see Scarlett standing in the doorway with an umbrella over her head. Other hand behind her back. Wide smile on her flawless face and green eyes shining in the light of the front door. “Hey, you look lovely,” the woman rasped out, my stomach dropping from the sound of her deep voice. “And you look amazing, shall we go, I wouldn’t want your look to be ruined by the rain.” I grabbed my coat and as I was putting it on she brought her left hand forward. A bouquet of white roses nicely wrapped in brown paper. They looked magical. “These are for you. I haven’t been on a date in a while, I don’t know if people still bring flowe-“ “I love them. White roses are my favorite.” She let out a soft breath and glanced down before the smile appeared on her face again. “Let me put these in water and we can go.”

The black car was patiently waiting in the dawning street, its tinted windows not allowing me to see inside. The rain was pouring down on it. My hands were shaking a little but I was excited. Scarlett’s company is very much enjoyable so it should be fun.

Scarlett held the umbrella just high enough that we both fit under it. Our shoulders brushing against the other’s. We hurried to the car as we reached it, the woman opened the door as the gentlewoman she is. I got in, her following me and the driver took off as soon as Scarlett closed the door.

***

“I know we usually avoid work things but I stepped back from Carol,” I said and her eyebrows rose as her chin was resting in her palm. “Really?” “Yeah, I’ll have four movies for this year and I just couldn’t fit that in.” “I did too actually. They said I was too young for the role, I took that as a compliment,” she smirked, making me chuckle. “It was an exciting project though.” “Truly was. What are you making this year?” She sipped her beer and leaned back in her seat. Fingers intertwined in her lap she was watching me carefully. “Well Bombshell is the first, it should be like two months I think and we’re filming in LA,” I said. “You don’t like LA,” Scarlett cut in and I nodded my head. “Yeah, it’s too much for me.” “Two months are nothing, it’ll be quick,” she touched my elbow softly. “Yeah, I know. Then I’m doing Just Mercy for two months and after that-“ “You’re coming with me to Prague.”

My mouth fell open and my hands fell in my lap. “Did Taika tell you?” I asked, a bit upset that I couldn't tell her myself. “It slipped. I just told him that we’ve already met and he accidentally told me. Although he made sure to tell me that I should not mention it to you because you wanted to tell me. Then you have a hand in this, how did this happen?” “I guess you can say that…” I smiled shyly, fidgeting with the rings on my fingers. “Taika and I have known each other forever. And we've always shared books with each other, so a couple years ago I came across this particular one called Caging Skies. And he said that he read that already and he loves it so much. Then we started joking around with it and saying how fun of a movie it could be. And in like a month we started putting our ideas together and started writing it.” I explained and her curious eyes were just soaking in every little inch of my face while also listening to what I was saying. “It’s amazing, controversial but fantastic. Do you write other things too?” Scarlett raised one of her eyebrows and leaned forward, letting her arms rest on the edge of the table while also being crossed in front of her chest. “I just finished one a couple weeks ago actually. It’s like a psychological thriller.” “You like this stuff, huh? These artistic things…” Just her talking made my insides buzz, like her voice is just so seductive to me, it’s insane. “I love them. It’s such a great form of therapy to me, sometimes it’s better than talking to a stranger who judges every one of my actions.” “But you have talent. It’s hard to do without that.” Not gonna lie, I blushed just a slightly bit from her words but I controlled myself and kept up the conversation. “Well, thank you but I think you can loosen up your mind without knowing how to paint or draw. My dad and I often do days when we just sit in the garden and just paint what we see, he has no sense of painting but it still helps him relax. You should try it sometimes, I’m sure your daughter would be happy to join you,” I chuckled but I meant it. “Maybe you could help us out, Rose should learn from a professional,” the way she was initiating a whole different conversation with just her eyes was just making me blushful and inquiring. “I’d love to.”

After our food arrived, we still talked about work, although Scarlett was just shooting me down with questions. She wasn’t talking about herself that much and I found that strange. She has a very engaging personality and even though we’ve been talking for a while, she’s still a mystery to me.

“You don’t talk much about yourself,” I mentioned. I started fidgeting with my fingers, because I got a little anxious about making her uncomfortable with this.

Scarlett smiled to herself, her face down, strictly looking at her plate. She rotated the fork in her hand but then placed it down. Took a deep breath in, while she lifted her head. “Didn’t mean to cross the line, sorry,” I cleared my throat but she was quick to place her hand on my knee that was poking out from under the table. “No no, you didn’t. It’s just the last time I shared my life with someone, I drew the shorter straw,” a sad smile crossed her face but as I listened all I could think about is you don’t let this type of woman out of your life.

Since New Year’s, we’ve spoken nonstop. Yes, she was asking a lot about me but she talked about herself willingly. She told me about her daughter, Rose, that they always paint each other’s nails on Wednesday, they bake cookies together or watch cartoons on Saturday mornings while having breakfast. Her worries about work were a topic that came up from time to time, but if I had those she made sure to take my mind off of it. She has the kindest soul and I don’t think you can just give that up.

“What I know…” I straightened up and placed down my fork. All my attention was on her, just so she gets what I want to say. Her eyes were so curious of my words and I was so eager to share. “Is that since we’ve been talking… it just proved to me that you have the biggest heart.” I said, her cheeks rounding as a shade of pink tinted them while she smiled. “You put other people’s problems in front of yours, and not a lot of people can do that. If anyone takes advantage of your trust it’s their problem. They lost you, not the other way,” I took my glass and I slightly raised it. “And I say we toast to that.” Scarlett smiled widely and grabbed her beer. “Thank you.” “No need for that.” “There is. You’re always there to remind me what I'm worth and I appreciate that. To trust.” She clicked her bottle to my glass and blush crept up my neck. “To trust.”

After a couple glasses of alcohol we had very direct conversations. Scarlett shared more and more about her life and I was honored that she trusted me with this.

“So hopefully my next marriage will last for, you know… a good ten years at least,” she said with a shrug. “I don’t blame you though, it’s hard to find a person you can settle down with but understands your work. Even actors, sometimes they don’t accept that you work most of the year,” I grabbed a piece of fries from the small basket that was in the middle of the table. “When was your last relationship? Like a real thing, and with who? I’m dying to know what your type is,” she smirked and I just chuckled. “What do you think my type is?” I raised an eyebrow, challenging her to give me her best answer.

Her wide green eyes squinted as she was looking at me. Chin resting in her palm, her lips pursed. The look just sent shivers down my spine, my hands were sweating and I suddenly felt hot, even though the bar was perfectly heated.

“Alright… I feel like you don’t like needy people,” she pulled on her lips, grimacing a little. Her nose scrunched up, her face looking so adorable in the moment. “I really don’t, we’re adults not toddlers.” “I agree. What about…” she looked up, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. “Non celebrity? Is it in the cards for you?” That’s actually a good point. “I don’t know… If they aren’t familiar with you know… my work ethic I guess, it’s a hard thing to take in. I travel all the time, not everyone can handle that,” I explained and she nodded her head. “Makes sense, I couldn’t do that. It’s just difficult.” “Truly is.” “Okay one more than you need to tell me,” she smiled then drank the last sip of her beer. “Shoot.” She raised her look on me, her pupils wide and a devilish smirk plastered her face. “Older people? How do you go about this?”

Heat crept up my cheek, and a shy smile pulled on my lips from the unwarned question. I chuckled awkwardly and ran a hand through my hair just out of nerves. “I uhm… I haven’t been in a situation when somebody significantly older was interested in me and me in them. But you know… I’m not against it. If it’s the right person, then so be it.”

Looked up into her eyes and all I could see was curiosity. I glanced down at her lips, such an unconscious action that I couldn’t control. Her full lips were spread in a barely noticeable smirk but from how close she was, I could perfectly see it. “Why? Interested?” I asked jokingly, hoping to hear the right answer.

Scarlett hummed and visibly looked down at my lips then back my eyes. The tension was so thick, you could’ve cut it with a knife. Her big green eyes were just staring at me with a look I could not understand. “I just might be.”

#Scarlett Johansson #scarlett johansson x female reader #scarlett johansson x you #scarlett johansson x reader #gxg #chris evans

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erintoknow · 1 year

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almost forgot to post this, thank you swan–

the sole thing i have ready for ockiss week ended up being a 1.2k word scene using characters from my novel project, soul rebel; featuring a poor parent-child relationship, sooooo definitely not romantic but it is angsty?

–––

Don’t panic. Steady breaths. The car jostles as it carries you over uneven road, the thrum of the engine uncharacteristically loud. ICE? Archaic. An assessment buoyed as you look between the front seats. No rear view camera, no phone port or GPS, just an open wound in the dashboard where a radio might have been once. The backseat windows are an opaque black. Looking towards the front only gives a view of a tree-lined highway, a narrow corridor. Capped by a dark, cloudy sky. Dusk? You’re not sure. Your glasses sit on you face, slightly askew. Can feel the tape pressing against the bridge of your nose. The grey-haired woman driving keeps her attention on the road, doesn’t even catch your eyes in the rear-view mirror. Her thoughts pulled close, impenetrable. That’s a technique, you now realize. One of many she never bothered to teach you. Never bothered, or…? “You’re awake.” Her voice is steady, clipped. She doesn’t wait to start into you. “Just what were you thinking?” You don’t answer right away. You’re buckled into the car seat. Body a faint halo of pain, more sore, more stiff than anything. Press of bandages across your chest. Still the same clothes, the skirt, the gloves. What does she make of that? You try the door. It’s locked, of course. “You idiot, do you have any idea how much of a pain in the ass it’s going to be to smooth this over?” Rivka presses. “Let– Let me out.” This is it. This is everything you’ve been worried about. There’s no way she’s letting you go now. It’s over. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” Is her voice cracking? You have to be imagining that. She exhales, breath heavy, hands gripping the steering wheel bone white. “You are in deep trouble, young man.” “Woman. N-n-not a man.” Your own voice surprises you with the protest. It catches Rivka off guard as well. The briefest moment you pick up a ping of…. something you can’t identify and then her wall is back up. You can feel your heart beat quickening in your chest as the silence stretches on. “How long?” She asks. You don’t know how to answer that. How long since you knew something was wrong? How long since you started doing something about it? Rivka must have picked up on your thought process because she doesn’t wait for you to decide on an answer. “Is that why you ran off? Why didn’t you tell me?” The question catches you by surprise, a sharp laugh at the absurdity of it. Willingly tell Rivka anything you didn’t have to? Willingly admit to weakness? To uncertainty? In what world could you honestly believe Rivka would care? “Of course I would care.” She snaps back at you, not waiting for you to voice the thought. Like always. You’ll never do that to someone else if you can help it. “You think I was hard on you because I didn’t care?” Her voice frays. You catch a hint of her teeth grinding. “You’re my s–“ She catches herself, “–my child.” That old cover story again? “I’m– was– was a–a–a test subject.” “And I have been trying to give you the strongest knowledge base I could. All while getting the results to keep things going. I was protecting you. I suppose it’s too much to hope for that you’ve finally learned an appreciation for that.” It’s all bullshit. Even through her protections you can feel it. Something she’s holding back. Lying about. Trying to manipulate you. Like always. She’s either trying to draw you back in with this absurd pretension of being a family (as if you didn’t remember perfectly well what that life had been like!) or she’s actually bought into her own lie. Either way, it’s starting to piss you off. “Let me out.” “I do care about you.” Rivka repeats. If you didn’t know her better, you’d say she sounded hurt. “If– if you care, then let m-m-me out.” Rivka doesn’t respond to that. The silence of the engine hum growing like a gulf between you. Do you make a play for the driver’s wheel? Force a crash? If the car’s gasoline, then Rivka’s going to have to stop for gas at some point on the drive back to DC. Do you wait and make a break for it then? A heavy sigh draws your attention back to the front seat. Rivka hits the turn signal and pulls the car over. Puts it in park. The only thing restraining you is the seat-belt, which you unbuckle before the car even comes to a full stop. Rivka turns to face you, her face a stone mask. The slight off-color shade of green of her left eye the only indication that it’s artificial. You mirror it back, bracing yourself. Whatever she’s about to do, this might be your chance. “If you don’t come back with me, it’ll go to asset recovery eventually. They won’t just let this go. “S-say I’m dead.” A pained expression flashes across Rivka’s face, “and you’ll do what, Morgan? Live off the grid forever? You haven’t thought this through.” “I don’t– I don’t care.” “I won’t be able to protect you. Even my power has its limit.” “You never uh– you never p-p-protected me before.” You have to take a breath, steady your voice to keep the words from getting away from you. “I can– I can… take care of myself.” “Do you…” Rivka hesitates, eyes searching your face with an intensity that forces you to look away, “really hate me that much?” You don’t meet her gaze again with only the blinking chime of the turn signal to mark time passing. Blink. Blink. Blink. Blink. Don’t bother answering. If she really wants to know so bad she can just pull it from your mind like she always does. Rivka shifts position, reaching out a hand towards your face. You stiffen as she twines her fingers through the curls of your hair. Her nails lightly brushing against the skin of your cheek. Careful never to directly touch skin to skin. Always so careful to never touch you. And now what on earth is she–? There’s something unreadable in the expression of her face. “You take better care of that hair than I did, alright?” You stare back at her in mystified stupidity. She shifts on the seat, contorting herself to lean in towards you. The familiar strings of her telepathy weaving together in the back of your mind, pushing you to lean forward in your seat to meet her halfway. There’s a soft pressure on your forehead and for a moment quicker then you can process the totality of, it’s like you can feel Rivka perfectly. The shock of it as sharp as it is brief, the memory pulsing like an afterimage, like catching sight of the sun and seeing the ghost drift across your vision. A spasm of frustration, of grief, of so very un-Rivka-like emotion. She pulls back, dropping her hand away from you. Her face a mask again, but tighter than before. Pained, you realize now. “Be smart.” She says. “Don’t mess up again. And go easier on the eyeliner.” She turns away, facing forward in her seat. There’s a soft chunk as the doors unlock.

#my writing #soul rebel #ockiss23 #sure why not #there is technically a kiss in this #that still qualifies it i think

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inkperch · 2 years

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Ok, SO! I did a roleswap au for RWBY by putting every main character (RWBYJNPR) into two random name spinners: Spinner one picked the character, spinner two picked the character roll (with exactly as much 1-1 preciseness as I felt like for that particular swap, lol, this isn’t very consistent-). A lot of them were really lucky, I swear I didn’t rig any of theses, here’s what I got:

Pyrrha --> Jaune

Straight of the bat, we have Pyrrha Nikos, who, like in canon, was a famous tournament fighter... until one day she doubled back to get a forgotten water bottle and walked in on her manager talking about how he’d been rigging her fights. She revealed this near-instantly, of course, it’s Pyrrha, and her manager was fired and put under investigation. But, from a mix of genuine bad habits from all the rigged matches and sheer nerves at learning her entire success had been a lie, Pyrrha’s next tournament round was an absolute flop, with her finishing close to last. She applied to Beacon hoping to prove to herself that the sport she built her entire life around wasn’t just her getting lucky. She’s. Not doing so great rn-

Ruby --> Ren

Speaking of not doing so great! Patch is gone in this au. Like, straight up, it got nuked, no one knows what happened to Taiyang but the last time anyone saw him he was holding the line against a metric fuckton of Grimm while evacuations went down, so odds are looking not great for him being alive. Uncle Qrow took both girls in, but he couldn’t be around much in person, especially not seeing as he blamed himself for what happened to Tai. So, Ruby’s. A lot quieter. Still the small, honest soul we all know and love, if anything what happened to Patch only strengthened her resolve to be the Fairy Tale hero everyone needs- for better or worse.

Weiss--> Blake

So, in general I have this little headcanon that prior to Nicholas ‘I’m literally Santa Claus’ Schnee, the Schnee family were known and reviled due to their hereditary semblance (’passing your soul down to your kids?? What are they, clones??’) and specifically for the fact that a main ability of that semblance was summoning giant fuck-off Grimm to fight for them. And uh. Here it wasn’t the Schnee’s who founded those dust mines-

(honestly, Blake and Weiss both got of lightest with the changes, their actual motives are basically the same, Weiss just has different angst-)

Ren --> Pyrrha

He wasn’t the best fighter, not even in the small, local village tourney’s were he got his start, but he was the most desperate- the rest of the competitors were their for fun, or bragging rights, he was there because the prize money could buy him and Nora an actual meal. Luckily for him, a talent scout happened to be at one of those small tournaments, there to watch their nephew get their ass kicked- and they saw promise in the young boy who did it.

Nora --> Ruby

Nora has silver eyes. It wasn’t an accident, that their city was targeted.

(I swear, I didn’t just do this whole thing as an excuse to make everything angsty-er-)

Jaune --> Weiss

It was the Arc family that founded the dust mines! This has not made conditions better. At least in the Arc family mines, it’s a genuine lack of care that sends you to your easily-preventable death as the Arc family dotes on each other happily in their ivory tower, not an attempt to squeeze every last drop of profit from you that they can! But yeah, Jaune is spoiled sweet, he genuinely believes his parents are just unlucky, what with so many people they trusted with important positions in the company turning around and betraying them like that! Why, Stabby McBackson was so nice when Jaune met him- he’s sure Stabby put up just as good a front around his parents, so he’s going to go out, really see the world, and then he can help his parents deal with all of these jerks who keep slipping between the cracks! (Jaune baby the entire company is just one big crack at this point-)

Yang --> Nora

I swear I didn’t rig this-

Which. Yeah, not much changes here? Nora and Yang are weirdly similar characters, if I’ve already burned Yang’s home to the ground and killed her father for Ruby’s part of the roleswap-

her Raven Issues:tm: are. A lot worse than in canon though, cause y’know, her dad died and her uncle constantly worked himself to death leaving her to basically raise her little sister even more than she did when Summer died and Raven still didn’t even say hi-

Blake --> Yang

Remember how I mentioned Blake and Weiss got the least changed? Yeah-

Blake basically just steals Yang’s personality and nothing else, with the personality change being just as much of one in-universe as it is out- it’s largely an act, because she knows her disguise is flimsy if Adam tries to track her down, but he knows her well enough that he’ll hear ‘goes to parties’ and call the guy who found her an idiot who obviously had the wrong person-

As for the teams, I randomised them too- NBLR (Nobler, or as the characters realise when they pick up on the colour name ‘no blur’ aka a pun-), Nora Valkyrie, Blake Belladonna, Lie Ren and Ruby Rose, led by Nora Valkyrie. And ASXN (Ashen), Jaune Arc, Weiss Schnee, Yang Xiao-Long and Pyrrha Nikos. Led by Jaune Arc

(I did randomise the leaders, but honestly the choices make sense- Jaune really needs the kinda growing up leadership’ll force him to do in this au, and Nora’s got those Silver Eyes.)

#rwby #roleswap au #ruby rose #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #jaune arc #nora valkyrie #lie ren #pyrrha nikos #randomiser roleswap #NBLR and ASXN

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lizisshortforlizard · 1 year

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Living Dangerously - Chapter 23

Jurassic Park’s animal handlers: none of them ever mentioned by name in Michael Crichton’s original novel. Who were they? What were their lives like on Isla Nublar? Did any of them survive the disaster?

A year in the life of those responsible for the care of the dinosaurs. Many people would kill to have their jobs.

But would they die for it?

Jurassic Park novel/Jurassic Park film (1993)

Viewpoint: 3rd person female oc

Wordcount: 70.7k (23 Chapters) [incomplete]

Warnings: dinosaur attack/car crash, brief mention of parental abuse, alcoholism, f-bombs and other bad language

Tagging: @heresthefanfiction @ocappreciation @arrthurpendragon @howlingmadlady @wordspin-shares @starryeyes2000 ( @themaradaniels are you interested? Totally fine if not!)

Read on Ao3

Chapter 22 | Chapter 24

Owner of a Lonely Heart - Yes

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes." A blatant lie. How could she be? Her heart was broken. Lizzy blinked wearily, her eyes were puffy and sore from crying most of the night. She was running on empty. "Are you? When was the last time you had a day off?"

"I honestly don't remember." Muldoon answered after thinking for a moment. "Every time I have a day off something bad happens. Usually involving you. Now, Sorna."

He explained the situation to her, in full. Site B was experiencing behavioural problems with a new species, someone had gotten an involuntary dactylectomy, could the resident ethologist arrange a visit to work it out?

”Did they take?” Lizzy asked.

”Take what?”

”Dr Ruso’s fingers, did they take? Is she alright?”

“The raptor ate them.”

”Oh, bugger.” Lizzy went faintly green, not helped by her excessive caffeine intake that morning. “Down in one or did she chew them first? Never mind, I don’t want to know.”

“The wording in the report is ‘consumed’, I believe.”

“Outstanding. This wee troublemaker does sound interesting." Lizzy admitted. "Even though I much prefer herbivores. Why can't the baby come here? You know I hate flying?”

"Like I told Baker, the paddock isn't ready."

"So she doesn't go in the paddock, right?"

“I draw the line at you keeping a dinosaur in your room, Armstrong.”

”Not my room!” She scoffed. “…Kathy’s room.”

”They won’t send the damn thing here without an action plan. And I want you prepared if and when you fly over. So, any ideas?”

"I'm a bit stumped." Lizzy admitted. She was so tired and scrambled she just couldn't think. "But I know someone who might be helpful. Someone who thinks outside the box. You won't like it.”

”Why not?”

”Because you already know her too.”

***

“You ring h-“

“No, you ring her.” Muldoon frowned at Lizzy. They were both sitting on couches in front of the phone in Hammond's bungalow. John-dear-call-me-John was back on the mainland, so they’d commandeered somewhere more private for the top-secret matter, where they wouldn’t be interrupted.

Lizzy wrinkled her nose. “She doesn’t like me.”

“And she likes me even less. The feeling’s mutual. Do it.”

“Gerry could-“

“This isn’t a family reunion. Go on, pretend she’s your best mate."

"Oh, no bother! While I'm at it I'll see if I can fake a Scottish accent too!” Lizzy pulled a face at him but sighed in resignation and dialled the number of Dr Sarah Harding’s last known whereabouts.

“Put her on speaker.” Muldoon insisted.

“Why?”

“I want to know if she's being uncooperative.”

Lizzy rolled her eyes. Bullshit, you just want to know if she calls you names.

It took so long for Sarah's team member in Kenya to track her down that they started to wonder if she was keeping Lizzy waiting on purpose as a power move.

“Well, well, well. Lizzy Armstrong.” Dr Harding the Younger did not sound at all pleased, when she eventually deigned to answer the phone. “What has it been, three years we’ve managed to avoid each other?”

Lizzy laughed, trying to sound brave and not at all like she was going through a break-up. “Hey, Sarah-“

“What’s Costa Rica like? Loud, I imagine.”

“Oh-“ The insult wasn’t lost on her. “It’s great. Just great.”

“How’s Dad?” Sarah asked in her West Coast drawl.

“A flirtatious nightmare.”

“Sounds about right.” She replied dryly. "Hey, don’t fall for it, okay? I’ve already had one stepmom. Though I should let you know, he prefers blondes."

Get to the point Muldoon mouthed at Lizzy.

"Listen, I need a favour."

“You need a favour?” Sarah mimicked her voice. “You want my advice? Why is that?”

“Got a Carnivore problem. I’m Herbivores. Always have been."

“Not everyone on that island is." She said accusingly. "Are you telling me that Robert Muldoon is clueless too?”

“I will go back to Kenya-“ Muldoon said quietly. “And I will throttle her.”

“I heard that.” Sarah crowed triumphantly. “He’s there, isn’t he? Hi, Robert!"

"Just answer her questions, Harding."

"Aw, you're getting mad at me already, this is like old times!”

“What happened between you two?” Lizzy whispered, how had she ended up in the middle of an international argument?

“Hurry up, this is costing money.” Muldoon dodged the question. “Get it out of her somehow, threats, blackmail, talk her to death-"

"Right. Sarah, someone had their fingers bitten off."

"Then just euthanise the damn thing and be done. You're working with zoo animals now, Lizzy, get used to it. At least if you’re chomped, you already have a lawyer.”

The sharp ache in her chest took her by surprise. Not anymore she didn’t.

"No, listen-” Lizzy felt she was about to snap any moment, which her fellow ethologist would simply revel in.

“Sarah…” Muldoon warned.

“First name? Shit! You are annoyed.” She chortled. “Okay, fine, I’ll cut the bull. Shoot.”

“The woman who lost her fingers, she maintains the animal tricked her. It's showing unprecedented intelligence. More than they anticipated. They-“ Lizzy hummed, then decided to trust Sarah with more information, even if it made InGen look bad. She had to give if she wanted to get. “They can’t manage it. And we can’t euthanise either. Not an option-“

“Right, I’m going to stop you there.” Sarah interrupted. “I don’t even want to know what kind of science experiment Dad’s fallen into over there, God knows John Hammond's a tricky devil, but you gotta nip that in the bud.”

“Why, what is it?”

“It’s dominance hierarchy.” Sarah Harding announced, as if it were obvious. “Dominance gone way too far.”

“But that doesn’t make sense, this is a female.” Lizzy countered. Females normally didn't have the hormone levels which led to aggression of this scale.

“Female raptors-“ Sarah started.

“Raptors?!” Lizzy squeaked. How did she know?!

“-as in a bird of prey; what did you think I meant, doofus?” She could hear the disapproval positively dripping from her tone, all the way from Kenya. "Female raptors are the most dominant sex. And usually bigger than the males. Ha, lucky for some.”

”But it can’t be, she hasn’t anyone to be dominant over!”

”Except her handlers. And there aren’t any males at all, so…” Muldoon shrugged. “I suppose Harding might be correct.”

“Do you think-“ Lizzy started, then stopped, shaking her head. It seemed pretty far-fetched.

It was known that reptile embryos could change sex while still in the egg, depending on the temperature of the outside environment on the other side of the shell. The difference between male and female was less than a few degrees Celsius. Furthermore, Lizzy had a fact niggling at the edge of her thoughts, just out of grasp. Something about adult females of certain species being able to change sex in the absence of males. Was it fish? Or maybe amphibians?

Could dinosaurs change their sex in response to either temperature or an uneven breeding ratio?

Increased testosterone would explain some of the baby raptor’s aggression.

Were the embryologists, was Dr Wu really positive beyond doubt that the infant was female? Had anyone actually checked? But these animals were custom-designed in a lab, with all their genes carefully selected, so realistically, what were the chances?

Sarah spoke again, distracting Lizzy, and the thought was simply gone from her foggy brain, messed up from lack of sleep and heartache.

“Uhhh, still here, losers. But your reaction when I said raptor made me guess this is a bird species you’re talking about. Maybe a super-rare one. I’ll get it out of Dad somehow, even if you won’t tell me.”

Close, but no cigar, Sarah.

”Let me guess, captive-bred? Single infant to survive past hatching? Spoiled only child syndrome?” Sarah kept questioning.

”Correct on all counts.” Lizzy confirmed.

“Hmm. Has it imprinted?”

"Huh?"

"Im-print-ed." Sarah spelled it out. "It’s a bird. Don’t make me spell it out here, Lizzy."

"Hang up." Muldoon told Lizzy. "No more details."

"No, no, no, c'mon-"

Lizzy panicked and slammed the phone down with a quick bye Sarah, thanks!

"Interesting input. Even for her.”

“Oh, she is very good. It’s infuriating.” Lizzy wondered if her fourth cup of coffee in two hours was overkill. So tired.

"Your first idea paid off, so what's the next one?"

“I need to talk to Isaac.” Lizzy decided. “About this raptor behaviour, and imprinting. He's our resident bird guy.”

”Too many people know about this already. We probably should have gotten Harding to agree to an NDA.”

”Take too long. I’ll tell Isaac as little as possible. Casually drop it into the conversation. Oh-“ Lizzy snapped her fingers. “Larry worked with herps. Back in Oz. I could speak to him, too.”

He was such a fountain of knowledge on reptiles, Lizzy hadn’t been able to resist calling him Crocodile O’Reilly.

“Harris first. One at a time. I’ll leave it with you.” Armstrong looked better now, he thought. She'd started in Hammond's bungalow paler than usual and subdued, but arguing with Harding about behaviour had brought a bit of colour back into her cheeks.

Good.

Their radios crackled, echoing through the empty rooms.

“Robert, are you around, over?” Richardson sounded anxious. "That depends." Was the answer.

“Got a slight issue in the Triceratops paddock that requires your…considerable expertise.”

“What now?”

“Trikes charged Harding’s Jeep. He and Julian are stranded in the paddock, no radios. Could you, eh- could you go in there and rescue them?”

"Oh, right enough, look." Lizzy stared and pointed at one of the video monitors in Hammond's living room, displaying an overturned Jeep in the middle distance.

“Do it yourself, bloody prat.” Muldoon muttered under his breath, before replying to Richardson with something much less insulting, then to Lizzy. "Why is it my job to fix everything?"

"Maybe stop being so good at it?" Lizzy shrugged as she grabbed her water bottle, assuming she'd be tagging along to lend a hand.

"Well, congratulations, Armstrong. For once, it’s not you causing mayhem.”

Lizzy groaned as she followed him out of the bungalow. “They better be okay. I really, really don’t want to phone Sarah twice in one day, 'specially not to tell her that Gerry’s been gored by a Triceratops!”

***

Tom cornered them as they were quickly loading the tranquiliser guns into the Jeep before heading out on the rescue mission.

“Where have you two been?” He looked them up and down suspiciously. "Kathy put me with Liz again today, but I haven't been able to find her for ages."

“Obviously weren't trying hard enough.” Muldoon looked less than thrilled. "You're coming too, then?"

“We’re the only others that can fire these dang things, since your Team Leader refuses to learn how to use one.”

“Not for lack of trying.” Lizzy muttered. She’d done her best to persuade Kathy to take a few practice shots as a bare minimum, but she wouldn’t hear of it. Guns were dangerous. And that was that, as far as the pacifist from Minnesota was concerned. "Oi, get in the back, you."

Tom narrowed his eyes but didn't argue. Time was wasting.

"Got any guesses why the Triceratops have taken such an intense dislike to our park transport?" Muldoon asked as they gunned it down the maintenance road to the paddock. “They’ve been fine until now.”

Tom yelled up front to them. ”Travis said they mixed in two juveniles a few days ago. There’s eight in the group now. Told me they got protective of the kids. Made a ring around them pointing outwards.”

”Like-" Lizzy started.

"Elephants." Muldoon finished for her. "Fan-bloody-tastic."

"How fast do these go?" Lizzy asked, tapping the Jeep door beside her.

"Probably not fast enough. Fast costs extra around here." Muldoon reminded her of Hammond's rather ironic go-to phrase.

"Oh." She replied with little humour. "Oh, wonderful."

***

"This way seems really stupid." Lizzy protested.

"Oh, I agree. But this is the way I've been told to go about it, since I'm not in charge of this species, he is. You two can still leave if you want to." Muldoon said dully as Richardson opened the paddock gates for them.

Lizzy and Tom looked at each other, but neither of them moved a muscle. They knew the risk but neither of them were willing to let Muldoon go it alone. It was madness but they had no other choice if they wanted Gerry and Julian out of the paddock any time soon. Help was a long way away.

"Seatbelts off, then."

"Why?" Tom asked.

"Just have a feeling. If they attempt to flip us..."

Better if you're able to get out of the way sharpish. Lizzy knew the end of that sentence. There was a reason you never bothered with a seatbelt in safari vehicles.

Kathy's quiet voice addressed them over the radio as they proceeded through the gates.

"Muldoon, I don't suppose-"

"Yes, she's with me."

"Oh, balls. Of course she is!" Kathy very nearly swore. "Bring her back in one piece, or don't bother coming home, over."

"What about me?" Tom grumbled.

Some distance downhill, the trikes had gathered around their watering hole towards the rear of their enclosure. Destroying InGen property was apparently thirsty work. Lizzy grabbed the binoculars out of the glovebox and counted. Sure enough, six adults, one significantly larger than the others, and two little ones in the middle. All accounted for.

"We still haven't had any radio contact from Yamada and Harding, either their handsets are smashed, thrown on the ground, or still in the Jeep I suppose, but I'm fairly optimistic-"

"Ha!" Lizzy's laugh escaped before she could stop it.

Muldoon gave her a sharp look. "-fairly hopeful, they've made for those trees over to the right. Bit cramped for the adults to get in amongst them. Kennedy-"

"Way ahead of you, boss." Tom was loading up, checking the sights, ready to discourage any dinosaurs from approaching them.

"How's your aim?" Lizzy asked. She'd heard 'pretty darn good' but not seen for herself so far.

“Listen here. I can hit a playing card side-on from fifty feet."

"Fortunately, trikes are quite a lot bigger than playing cards." She couldn't help teasing him.

"Shut up."

"Quiet, you two." Muldoon drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "Let's get closer to the trees, it's our best bet. Harding and Yamada can run to join us, before the herd gets suspicious.”

”And then we make our way out slow and steady so as not to piss them off again?”

”That’s the idea.”

They trundled closer, but their destination was still a good half kilometer away. As she got a better look into the dip of the land where the water was situated, Lizzy spotted the wreck of the other Jeep.

"Oh, shit." She whispered. "They've really gone to town on that."

"See anything else?" Muldoon asked. Any bodies? was what he meant.

"Nope. No sign. I'll keep an eye on the herd until we reach the trees." Lizzy confirmed.

They were halfway there when through the lens she noticed the larger trike raise her head at the sound of the Jeep rumbling closer. The dinosaur’s frame visibly stiffened, and Lizzy swore she saw the nostrils flare as the frilled head sway slightly back and forth. They were upwind from the herd, the dinosaur could smell them and her body language meant only one outcome. Lizzy had spent enough time in Africa to know what was about to happen.

"She's going to charge." She warned.

Muldoon instantly hit the brakes and cut the engine in one movement. "Are you sure?"

The next few seconds were critical.

Lizzy didn't dare blink, holding her breath. Nothing else happened, and for a moment, she thought they might have gotten away with it.

Then the big trike tossed her head and snorted angrily, moving forwards in their direction. First at a slow amble, then quickly switching to the deliberate trot of a bull elephant who was going to teach you a lesson for daring to trespass on his land.

"Definitely charging!" Lizzy threw the binoculars on the floor and looked for something to hold on to. "Move!"

She was thrown back against her seat by how quickly Muldoon got the Jeep going again, bouncing over the uneven ground.

Have to get the trees between us and her. Circling back to the gate will take too long.

"I can take her down." Tom matter-of-factly said and got ready to stand up in the back of the moving Jeep.

"Too late for that." Lizzy yelled back at him. "She's mad. It'll make things worse."

If Triceratops were anything like their modern-day counterpart, the rhinoceros, attempting to tranquillise could just fuel them with more rage before they finally collapsed. And it was unlikely the dose Tom was using would be big enough to drop her. The trike was simply too angry. But she could do a lot of damage with a few extra seconds of berserker-mode. Shooting at her now could cost lives.

God, she moves quick. Lizzy felt her stomach rising into her throat when she realised they might not make it to the trees in time. It occurred to her that nobody on the island had seen the trikes at full speed before. It was just assumed they weren't fast enough to be that dangerous. Then again, hippos didn't look like they were built for speed either, they were soft wobbly herbivores. But they were one of the most deadly animals on the African continent.

"Uh, you might want to step on it, boss." Tom was rapidly losing his cool.

"Good, because I've been watching my speed until you said something!"

The trike disappeared from view as she pursued them up the hill, and in a way that was worse, not knowing where she had gone. Wondering if she had given up or would suddenly appear ahead of them, cutting them off.

Then the head frill, followed by the rest of the dinosaur appeared, now at an angle, side-on to the Jeep instead of behind them. The hill hadn’t slowed her down at all.

Muldoon knew it was far too late to change direction, he'd end up wrapping the Jeep around a tree trunk. But she was headed straight for intercepting the passenger side, where Lizzy was sitting.

"Guys, guys, guys, watch out-" Arnold's voice reached them over the radio, for once sounding alarmed, along with him was Kathy's desperate cry of do something, Ray!

The Jeep was trapped between the dinosaur and the trees, but the trunks were too close together, too sharp an angle for the vehicle to fit through to safety. And slowing down was not an option.

They could only hope to outrun her, but she was close now, alarmingly close.

Time ground to a standstill in the few moments before the crash. Lizzy saw the lumbering shoulder of the Triceratops in slow-motion headed straight for a collision course with the flimsy metal door beside her. She could see every detail of the dinosaur's skin, dusted with red river-mud, before-

“Liz, move!” Tom yelled at her.

“Oh, shi-“ She leaned away, scrabbling at her seat, but it was too late. The Triceratops tossed it’s head and-

BANG

A hellish screech of dinosaur horn on metal and the whole Jeep rocked, the horizon skewed sickeningly and vertigo rushed in as their ears popped from the impact.

…

Lizzy blinked and shook her head, registering there was broken glass everywhere, all over the Jeep floor and the dashboard, in her hair. The windscreen was completely gone. She wasn’t on the passenger seat anymore, and the space where her thigh had been, moments ago, was now occupied by the crumpled-in door. She hadn't hit her head and blacked out, but she appeared to have teleported two feet to the right.

Her legs were still hanging over the central console, miraculously unharmed. And the rest of her body was wedged between the steering wheel and Muldoon. They'd been spun around by the impact and were facing into the trees, low branches poking through the non-existent windshield.

“Come in guys, come in, aw jeez, aw shit-“ Arnold’s voice jolted them back to reality. Still alive. Still on Nublar.

"Are you two alright?"

Tom managed a shaky Jesus H. Christ from behind them. He’d scooted to the driver’s side in the nick of time, grabbing hold of a seatbelt and pulling himself.

Good thing we didn’t have our seatbelts on.

Lizzy quickly took stock, she could thankfully move all her limbs. Everything important was where it was meant to be. "Think so." She pointed at the branches in front of them. " Hey look, we made it.”

“Get back with Kennedy, can’t bloody move.”

Tom reached over, grabbing Lizzy around her waist and yanking her into the back seat. They huddled together, the rear passenger side had also taken a thrashing and was practically concave, half as long as it was before.

“Just a scrape, I think. As long as the wheel arch isn't knackered…” Muldoon was muttering.

“Just a scrape?” Lizzy was incredulous. “You call that a scrape?!”

"Sshh, quit yelling." Tom elbowed her. Her ears hadn't popped back yet. "Goddamn, where'd she go, anyway"

All three of them searched, looking around the paddock frantically for the dinosaur.

But the big trike seemed satisfied by their lack of movement, deeming the Jeep no longer posed a threat. She was trotting off jauntily back to her herd, grunting as she went.

"So how do we get out of here now, hm?" Lizzy asked. "Two Jeeps and five people down. Think Richardson will give it a try next?”

”Not bloody likely.”

“You folks okay down there?” Came a faint yell from somewhere above them. The West Coast drawl of Gerry Harding, thankfully alive.

"Armstrong?" Muldoon turned around. "Do me a favour and put that ridiculously loud voice of yours to good use."

Lizzy yelled for Gerry and Julian to come and join them. Now.

After a moment there was rustling and thumping from a short distance away and both men dropped to the ground from where they’d been perching in the trees waiting for rescue.

“Hold on, make sure I can turn the damn thing first, or it might be a sprint back to the gate after all.”

Lizzy recalled the mistake she’d made of walking through a field of cows on a school trip. Most of them had calves, she and her friends had feared for their lives and ended up throwing themselves over the gate at the other side. But getting out of the trike paddock could be so much worse.

The Jeep reversed and then limped around in a large circle, making an ominous crunching noise every few seconds.

Lizzy leaned over. “Are you sure we shouldn’t walk? They clearly don’t like the Jeeps anymore.”

”Oh, undoubtedly. But it’s not you that gets a bollocking for losing two Jeeps in one day. Richardson will find a way to blame me for the other one, somehow."

"But - he's the one that told you..." Lizzy pointed out.

"Yes, I know. Everybody in."

“In where?” Harding complained. “You’re missing half your seats, Muldoon.” “Hang off the back.” Tom said, helping Julian up and keeping hold of his arm. “Hitch a ride, boys."

"For Christ's sake..." Harding muttered.

"C'mon Gerry, hurry up!" Lizzy tried to move things along.

"She's heard us." Tom stared into the distance. "Incoming."

"Guys, you gotta make a move-" Arnold warned at the same time.

Sure enough, there was the faint sound of thundering feet, and it was all systems go.

Muldoon started to move off while Gerry was still reaching for Lizzy’s hand, trying to climb her side of the Jeep.

She grabbed for him before he was left behind and attempted to haul him onto the vehicle, but he weighed significantly more than she did, and missed his footing on the way up. Lizzy was pulled clean out of her seat.

“Fuck!” Lizzy shrieked as her feet were suddenly waving in the air. She tried to hook her knee on something, anything for traction but she was slipping anyway while Gerry continued to overbalance, the material of the seats leaving scorch marks on her legs.

“I got you-“ Tom fumbled and grabbed at her belt with his free hand before she slid out of reach, roaring at the effort of having to keep three bodies from flying to the ground.

Lizzy’s bad shoulder was screaming as they raced along. She could hear the trike bellowing from dangerously close by, feeling rather than hearing her feet pounding the Earth beneath them through the Jeep tyres.

She couldn't bear it, the pain was so bad that she just closed her eyes and hoped. Prayed she and Gerry would make it out alive.

Can’t let go, can’t let go. Can't let him fall.

Gerry mistook her pain for fear and started telling her over and over: it's okay, it's fine honey, we're almost there- while wondering himself if he was about to feel a trike horn in his undercarriage.

And then, safety. The reassuring rattle of one set of paddock gates closing behind them, and then the second. Kathy and Ray cheering over the radio. Richardson yelling something about them all being stupid bloody idiots, and Muldoon replying with a few choice words that silenced him quickly.

They had made it. Somehow.

Lizzy just hung limply over the back of the seat even after Gerry had let go of her hands, willing some life back into her frozen arms.

"Oh, boy-" He dismounted the Jeep bed with an effort and doubled over once he was back on solid ground, hands on his knees. "Ol’ pacemaker’s getting a workout today. I haven’t climbed a tree in years.”

"Everything alright? Still four of you back there?" Muldoon asked, sounding thoroughly annoyed.

"Oh Christ!" Lizzy finally got out of the Jeep herself, thinking she might topple over, her knees were shaking so much. "Let's never do that again."

”Agreed.”

“Still in one piece, Liz?” Tom patted her shoulder, and she nearly threw up. Lizzy winced before she could hide it, hoping nobody had seen.

“Just about.” She fibbed through clenched teeth, trying not to think about how she would be in agony the next morning if she didn’t get hold of some ice soon. Her joint was complaining mightily after the effort of stopping fifty-something Gerry from stumbling to his doom.

She leaned on the un-wrecked side of the Jeep, trying to make the world stop spinning.

“What’s wrong with that shoulder?” Muldoon had noticed and confronted her.

Tears pricked in the corners of her vision and she hastily blinked them away. “It’s fine. Just playing up again.”

He wasn’t convinced. ”You aren’t living up to your family name.”

“Ha-ha! Have you tried to lift Gerry recently?”

“Hey!” Came a yell from nearby. “Have you tried María's ice cream?"

They squared up to each other, but Lizzy was the first to look down.

“Leave it.” She warned in a low voice, tired of keeping up the fight today, of all days. “Please. It doesn’t matter. Leave it.”

"I'm serious, Armstrong. You're not alright, are you?"

She yielded. "I need a bit of ice. Maybe a lot of ice."

"Let’s get you back then. Won’t find any out here.”

***

They’d abandoned everyone, still arguing over who was going in which Jeep back to base and whether to bother retrieving the smashed vehicle or leave it in the paddock as a sort of Triceratops stress toy, 'enrichment' they would call it.

Muldoon had given up on trying to find ice cubes in the kitchen, since they would melt too quickly anyway, and was trying to chip a small glacier out of the upright freezer with a knife while Lizzy waited perched on the countertop, cradling her arm.

“That’s the shoulder you injured when you were in school, and you wouldn’t tell me how.” “Uh-huh.”

“Do you want Harding to check it? I’d dare say he owes you.”

“No. I’m fine. What’s next, inside leg measurement?” She grumbled.

“I have the same problem. Mine is from years and years of shooting. Go on, why does yours ache when it rains?”

Lizzy was exhausted. She wanted to take her ice, and go find a nice bit of floor to lie down on for a while. It didn't even have to be clean. Talking to Sarah and the trike incident had distracted her temporarily, but now she had time to think, her heart was hurting again.

But maybe this was as good a time as any to tell someone other than S-...her now-ex, as much as she hated reliving it. How much more traumatised could she possibly become in one day?

“My mother did it. Dislocated it.”

“Your own mother?”

“Yep. Popped it right out of the joint. Made a horrible noise.” Lizzy was terse, clipping her syllables. “She was drunk at the time. I’d like to say it was an accident, but...-“

Well, that complicates things. Muldoon realised.

Lizzy kept talking. “-I didn’t look after it properly once it was popped back in, cue me shooting from the wrong side for the rest of my life.”

“Bloody Hell, Armstrong…”

”Happy? That you finally got it out of me?”

”Not sure.” That was true enough. Maybe he preferred the not-knowing.

”Don’t worry, now we can both pretend it didn’t happen.” She smiled tersely as she held out a clean tea towel for her own personal iceberg.

“Will that last you?”

”Maybe half an hour.” Lizzy nodded.

“Anything else I can do?” To him at least, the sentiment fell a bit flat. Muldoon wasn’t sure he’d be up for telling anyone about an experience like hers either.

“Forget I ever told you that. Thanks for the ice.” Lizzy hopped down from the counter and hurriedly made her escape, in search of a flat surface to collapse on.

***

Thanks for reading!

Remember that seatbelt safety is very important if you *aren’t* on a dinosaur island. Please buckle up

#jurassic park oc #living dangerously #welcome to jurassic park #oc: dr lizzy armstrong #jurassic park female oc #jurassic park #jurassic park fanfiction #my writing #my fanfiction #gerry harding #ray arnold #robert muldoon x female oc #robert muldoon #sarah harding

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oh-mother-of-darkness · 2 years

Note

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💖

Oh sure lemme think about it for a second-- my favorites switch around every day or so. I guess today's picks are, in no particular order:

This one where Bruce apologizes to Damian for the way he treated him early in their relationship

Excerpt:

He really was. When Bruce thought of all the things he’d done wrong in his life, Damian was at the top of the list. Every time he saw Damian’s scars, he wondered how many of them he could have prevented. How much was two years of damage? How long did it take to undo? How could he have ever looked at Damian without seeing the complexity of him— the ferocity, the kindness, the constant battle for his own soul?

“I was wrong,” he repeated. “The biggest mistake I ever made was thinking that I didn’t want to know you. I regret that more than you can imagine.”

In a similar vein, this fic takes place earlier in Bruce and Damian's relationship, but it's also about Bruce growing as a parent.

The premise is basically Bruce and Damian fight, Dick intervenes by giving Bruce two files-- the first one is the file Bruce made about Dick, way at the beginning, and the second is the file Bruce made on Damian when Damian first showed up (+ element I won't spoil).

Reading through them forces Bruce to compare how he treats two of his children, and the charm of the whole piece is supposed to be that Dick learned to 'parent' Damian by reading what Bruce wrote about Dick himself, many years before-- and then Bruce learns to parent Damian from Dick. I'm pleased with the parallelism of the whole thing, and I like that it portrays Bruce as the kind of parent I'd like him to be: an honestly not great one who realizes that he's not great and then like, apologizes and works to become better.

This fic is a collab with @doc-anders, and it does actually have a title (rare for me)-- The Aesthetic of Self-Destruction

Excerpt:

In that moment, watching Dick glare, Jason felt very tired— not in a way that sleep could solve, and not in a way that anyone could fix. No matter what Jason did, no matter what he tried, he could always feel himself sinking. He was empty and heavy at the same time, somehow trapped in place, unable to do anything except lie in his own blood.

A rotting corpse indeed.

(I promise it's a lil more uplifting at the end than the excerpt makes it sound)

This one doesn't usually make my top favorites list tbh but it does today because I re-read it recently and there's a line that stuck out to me

It's a piece from early in Dick's Robin days, about his recovery and Bruce's attempts to raise a child. I am sensing a theme to this list.

The excerpt:

“I didn’t disappear the night they died. Something horrible happened, and I suffered, and it hurt, and it wasn’t fair. It also wasn’t the end. It’s allowed to be a turning point, but it can’t be the end. Understand?”

And lastly I'm still really proud of how this one turned out-- it's the Jason and Tim mindscape one

I spent a really really long time planning and writing the bastard and I think it communicates what I wanted to say, both about the characters and to myself, and that's the measure of success I think I'm gonna use today.

If I could add one more, it would probably be that one where Tim and Damian have a heart to heart and then immediately pretend they've just been fighting the whole time instead. Emotions who? We don't know them

#thank you darlin that was v kind of you #asks #organizational #ao3 says i've written 101 batman fics since 2015 #lord help us all #alright let's.... see what else is in the inbox i abandoned #you'd think i'd learn to keep up but alas

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that-thing-that-feeling · 2 years

Note

I just found out about the change in the script for season 1 where Lonnie joins Nancy and Jonathan to fight the Demogorgon and honestly, I think it is a more interesting character arc than Steve's, am I crazy? Imagine, Lonnie fights and saves his son and then learns about the Upside Down and where Will has been all this time. He changed for the better and stays with the Byers with no ulterior motives this time. Second season and Lonnie would take the place of Bob and I know it sounds delusional, but it was a death or life experience so he MIGHT have changed, and anyways what I actually like about this plot is ALL THE CONTENT THEY COULD HAVE MADE FOR JONATHAN AND THE BYERS !! Imagine if Lonnie get into their lives again, Jonathan would NOT TRUST HIM even if he sees Lonnie trying, he would not give him a second chance because of his trust issues BUT he probably would keep that to himself because I highly believe Will would want to give his father a chance, in the flashback with Jonathan it seems that Will stills want the approval of Lonnie. This leads to a lot more interesting conversations between Jonathan and Will, instead of talking about Bob in the car, it would be about Lonnie, about how they feel or treat him now that he is back. Lonnie and Jonathan could have a confrontation before he leaves with Nancy to see Murray, something on the line of how he is trying to be for the family now and Jonathan not wanting to forgive or forget about all the things Lonnie has done to them, he can try and be the father Will deserves but for Jonathan is too late, BUT THIS IS ALL A LIE because Jonathan wants to believe in his father again but wouldn't let himself because Lonnie has failed them before !!

AND YES, ALL THIS SOUNDS CRAZY because Lonnie is an asshole and would change his kids for a glass of beer, but so is Billy and people love him, so let me finish this!! Finally, IMAGINE if Lonnie actually tries to help Will with the Mindflayer's plot Jonathan goes with Nancy and bla bla bla, he comes back and finds out Lonnie is dead. He found out about Lonnie's sacrifice for his family, about him changing for real, and how he missed the opportunity to heal their relationship, opening a whole new arc to explore for him. ANYWAYS, I just thought it was a more original arc than Steve's but I understand why they didn't go with it, I mean an abusive parent is what it is and there is not really anything that would change them. Even though the point of view of Jonathan and Will about it is what inspired me to write all this rambling, sorry about that I just wanted to get this out of my chest. Love your blog btw <3

Nooo I think Steve coming back there is def the right choice and I love the monster hunting trio in that whole scene. I would not have liked Lonnie to help with anything—he’s an abusive piece of garbage and it makes no sense with his character If he would have helped anyone. He doesn’t deserve any redemption arc and Bob is so sweet; it makes sense he was in s2. I just wish they had followed through more on how much trouble Bob was having getting through to Jonathan.

No imo the only thing that’s weird with Lonnie is that I feel like he would still be harassing the family looking for an angle and money, always popping up in their lives when they don’t need him. Plus, having him pop up would have made sense for Jonathan, Will, and Joyce to have to confront their issues with him. Rather, it’s weird to have him be such a crucial person and backstory in s1 and then not have him back once since then. It would make sense to have him come back in s5 with Jopper together or via flashbacks when Will is Vecna’d and if Jonathan is. But only to stay as awful as he is—he’s continued to have a huge impact on Jonathan’s life and Will’s as well and it’s weird the show doesn’t care about it. It’s like they’ve forgotten his abuse and the audience has too.

And thank you, anon; that’s v sweet <3

#jonathan byers #will byers #joyce byers #lonnie byers #ugh I don’t even want to call him a byers

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coffee-or-murder · 1 year

Note

For the OC IC asks,

Lemon: 6, 9, 22?

Mantis: 12, 15, 32?

Zimri: 3, 18, 27?

Putting under a read more, and a mild warning for Zimri loosely describing her work as an escort.

Lemon: 6, 9, 22?

6. If you tell the truth, an evil person gets to walk away free. If you lie, you may be able to send them away like they deserve. Is honesty worth more than justice?

She scrunches her face up in thought, starting and stopping a couple of sentences before huffing lightly. “Okay so honestly? Depends. Like what kind of evil are we talking? Because if a whole region of people would benefit from that person being put away, and they’ve done awful things in the past that they got away with, I would. The law let’s people do all sorts of things they shouldn’t, so why not take advantage of it if there’s an opportunity?” she says before sighing. “Still it would depend on the person, and what they’ve done. But yeah. I’d lie.”

9. Can people be held accountable for things people close or related to them did or are they innocent?

Lemon’s dark green eyes blink in surprise, frowning as she tilts her head in confusion. “No? Not unless they were involved? What’s the saying? Uh-father’s name and responsibility umm-,” she says, looking up in thought before perking up. “Oh! “We are born with our father's names. We are not responsible for their failures. We are responsible for what they made us believe in. That is our only obligation. And it is even then a choice which we may sometimes be wise to ignore.” That one. It’s a tidy little quote I think…even if I can’t quite recall where I read it. Still, the thought that even if your parents failed you or tried to teach you awful things you can still unlearn them. It feels right. You shouldn’t be held responsible for the actions of someone who has power over you.”

22. How do you feel about having an intimate relationship with someone you don’t love? What if they love you in return? Does that make you feel guilty?

Lemon blushes deeply, dark enough that some of her lighter freckles disappear under the red staining her face, and she pulls her hair forward to hide behind her braid as she looks at the floor. “Sweet butter biscuits y’all don’t hold back with anything huh?” she practically squeaks, mumbling something under her breath as she attempts to reorient herself, failing miserably as the blush spreads to the tip of her ears and down her neck. “Okay wow um-so-geez okay. It’s uh…been considered before, for curiosity's sake if nothing else. I could um-yes I could have a…an um…intimate relationship with someone I didn’t love love, but we’d have to be friends at least? I wouldn’t ah-wouldn’t want to be like that with someone I didn’t at least get along with,” Lemon stumbles through an attempt at an explanation, sinking deeper into the chair as she does. “If it was platonic I could, but um-if feelings got involved it might be better to stop? Right? I wouldn’t want to hurt anyone like that. That would be awful. Really awful.”

Mantis: 12, 15, 32?

12. If someone else stole something and you stole it back is that a good deed, a bad deed or one of equal worth? Are you better than the original thief?

Mantis’ arms cross in front of her, unintentionally accentuating the lines of musculature of her arms. She grins wide, tilting her head jauntily. “Makes me a better thief don’t it? Doesn’t seem bad to me. Least as long as I return the thing to the owner….who I’m assuming hired me to bring it back?” she says, scratching the back of her head as she thinks. “Is it supposed to be a “stealing is bad” thing? Cause that’s kinda dumb.”

15. Is lying to others to gain their approval more important than being genuine and hated?

She laughs, head tilted back as she grins lopsided at the interviewer. “Nah I’d rather be liked for who I am. Not much of an actor. I can’t lie worth a damn anyway,” Mantis says before her grin gets softer, though no less bright and pleased. “I’ve got friends who like me plenty, and Cricket. Don’t have room for people who need me to pretend to like me.”

32. If you could choose to remove certain feelings such as anger, confusion, sadness, would you remove them?

Mantis’ entire face scrunches up, stuck between a wince and looking like she bit into something that was definitely not tasty. “....no? Seems silly. No payoff that way.”

Zimri: 3, 18, 27?

3. If you could jump back through time to save a loved one’s life, would you? Despite what it might do to the timeline? To everyone else? Do you believe it is their fate to die regardless?

Zimri leans back, arms resting across the back of the chaise as she reclines comfortably. One thick well groomed brow arches up at the question, and she hums softly. “No. The only person who I would have tried to save was already ancient. Zidler knew what she was doing when she covered for me,” she says, lightly hooking her finger through one of her large gold hoop earrings to fiddle with it. “She made that choice herself. Besides, I wouldn’t have met Ra’d if I’d stayed. Most likely be dead myself. Of course I miss the old woman but….no. I wouldn’t.”

18. Have you ever done something morally wrong? If it’s morally wrong do you regret it?

“Morals can almost always be bought, and they vary so widely between different places it’s impossible to keep up with what is Wrong and what Isn’t,” she laughs, leveling amber eyes at the interviewer as she smiles. “It depends entirely on what you consider morally wrong. Let’s say a man paid me to fuck him, and all I know is the name he’s given me and how much coin he brought. I do have quite a few clients like that after all. Turns out he’s married. Does that make it immoral? What if the wife knew and didn’t care? What if she did care but didn’t know? What if he didn’t put his dick in me and I just watched him jack it and told him he’s a dirty old man?” Zimri says, holding her hands out to shrug lightly before placing them across the back of the chaise lounge. “Someone will find fault with it somewhere. Maybe they'll blame the husband for paying for my services. Maybe they’ll blame the lusty greed driven tiefling who seduced him. Either way, it's not my problem. The client paid for a service, we’re consenting adults, and whatever nonsense they bring in is their own to deal with.”

27. How far would you go to achieve a dream or ideal? Does it matter who suffers? Does it matter if you suffer?

Zimri’s eyes wrinkle in disgust as she frowns, scoffing and rolling her eyes. “I’m not a noble. Of course I care….sort of,” she says, pronged tail flicking lightly as she puts her thoughts in order. “It may not seem it but I do have some morals. Of course I care when people are suffering, but I’m realistic about what I can actually do. I can rope some street kids into dancing with me so I have an excuse to split the profits between them, make sure they have at least one good meal, but I can’t adopt every poor urchin I see. I don’t have the means,” she says, still scowling as her tail continues to twitch in annoyance. “I know I look like a delicate flower but I am capable. I can handle myself well enough. My own suffering can be dealt with.”

#dnd lemon #lemon dnd #dnd mantis #mantis dnd #dnd zimri #zimri dnd

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donaidk · 1 year

Note

Another Night Agent question and I’m going to say spoilers now so as not to make the same mistake twice. :)

What did you think of the revelation in the video Maddie Redfield took of her father?

I remember feeling honestly let down a bit as I was expecting it to be a lot more explosive. Admitting to murder or sexual assault, talking about how he doesn’t actually care for his dead daughter at all, something bigger than admitting that it wasn’t Maddie’s fault that her sister died. I figured that no one in their right mind would actually believe that a six year old would be at fault for killing their sister when a parent should have been present but maybe I’m overthinking it? Do you think it’s more about the optics of it than anything else? I’d love to know your thoughts!

I hope I didn't make you feel bad by saying your ask was a spoiler! Thank you for putting it into there but it's totally fine if you don't I'm just not sure how many people from my very non the night agent fandom watched the show/wants to watch it in the future so I wanted to somehow let them know 🥹

I can clearly remember watching that part, turning my laptop off and laying down to try make it make sense in my head 😂 For me it was never a question if her father was lying about it or not and I was so disappointed in this fictional society if they believed it for any second. I'm not gonna lie, I didn't ever really clock him being a villain as well until it was literally fucking spelled out for us (I was literally blind about it somehow) but I knew he was a horrible human being and a literal coward for making her daughter life the life she had.

I partially feel like there could have been a better thing for the writers to use (not sure how much they followed the book as I am planning on reading it but couldn't yet get my hands on it), a bigger revelation, something that didn't leave me thinking "well damn, that's it? is that literally it? only that?" but I guess it will be a part we have to just close our eyes, get through and hope we don't get too many of them. It did not make sense and tells a horrible tale about the fictional society in the film if they believed him imo :/

Throwing a question back at you if we're already at Maddie, did you start thinking at any point before the reveal that the art teacher was in on the whole thing? He seemed so creepy to me but I couldn't place it at all until we got to know he was part of the bad guys 😂 At some very early point I even thought they would just throw us a perverted prof story line with no real need for it 😂

#anon 🧡#donask #the night agent spoiler #the night agent

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crazedlunatic · 1 year

Text

Breathing Treatments & Promises

Matt rushed into Massachusetts General Hospital, taking several deep breaths. There were two people at the front desk in line ahead of him. He could see Adrian’s asshole father in the corner of the waiting room and he felt a rush of anger jolt through his body.

He thought he’d hated the guy before but there was no going back from this.

Not if what Officer Morgan said over the phone was true—and he knew it was. That officer would have no reason to lie or exaggerate. It wasn’t how they worked. Facts, full facts, or no information.

One person in front of Matt now.

Part of him wanted to pull the police card and move in front of them but, honestly, he wasn’t in Cambridge and he at least knew Adrian was okay. Well, kind of okay. The person in front of him, though… who knew what they were here for.

It was taking too long but honestly it could have taken longer.

“Officer Caldwell?”

Matt saw another officer, a Boston one, off to the side. Same uniform, just a different city patch on the sleeve and the name in a slightly different font.

He also saw Adrian’s dad standing up, looking shocked. He clearly had recognized Matt by his face or by hearing his last name. Matt assumed he remembered the last name, though, since they’d barely spent fifteen minutes together.

“Yeah. Matt.” Matt said to the officer who had approached him. “What’s… Where…”

“Let me go find out. I think they just moved him to an actual room.” The officer said, facial expression very serious. Then again, someone close to another officer knew was in the hospital. The officer was serious—and probably thankful it wasn’t someone he loved.

It was always more personal when it was another officer’s family member or friend.

Matt fell into a seat by the desk and took several deep breaths.

Adrian was okay.

He was at a hospital.

He was okay.

He would be okay.

But Matt would never, ever let Adrian go see either of his parents alone.

Never, ever again.

Matt would be there… or Adrian wouldn’t be there.

He and Adrian had worked hard to get where they were, for Adrian to have opened up enough to fully trust him, and Matt was not letting anyone take back Adrian’s progress.

Especially his asshole dad.

“Matt?”

Matt, who had been looking at his work boots through his angry musing, glanced up and saw Adrian’s father standing in front of him.

“Don’t talk to me. This is your fault.” Matt said, his voice soft as he looked into his eyes. “All of it is your fault. Who lets a sixteen year old teenager move out with someone five years older? Did you even care? How could you not know?”

“Can you just let me know how Adrian is?”

“I don’t have time for you just like you didn’t have time for me. I hope you are sorry because he’s been terrified for years and it’s all your fault. You are horrible. You are a horrible father. Adrian lives in fear and part of it is because you let it go that far.” Matt’s voice was still just as soft.

“What he says happened didn’t happen. You don’t understand. Chad would never—”

Matt wanted—really wanted— to stand but didn’t trust himself not to push Adrian’s father, so he remained seated. “What did you just say?”

“Chad is a good guy. He loves Adrian. Something else—Someone else must have drugged him or something. Adrian is my son. I love him and I know that Chad would never hurt him.” Adrian’s father made eye contact.

The other officer, Officer Morgan, was back and standing off to the side, quiet and waiting.

“You didn’t care about him being your son before so don’t pretend to care now.” Matt stood—his tone was different. It was his officer tone—and the one he used when he was disgusted with someone and did not grant them personal conversation. “Go back to Colorado. You’re not getting in that hospital room. I promise you that.”

“Matt.”

“You love him?” Matt repeated. “If I refused to come home for that many years, you better be damn sure my dad would be coming to find out why. You abandoned him when he needed you most and you didn’t even question why he would go away, why he would only go home for a funeral. But, yeah, you love him. Okay.”

“This is not my fault. Today is not my fault.”

“No.” Matt held up a hand. “Wrong. This is your fault. Adrian deserves better than you. Everything he’s suffered through for—what?— seven years is your fault. You either knew and didn’t do anything or, even worse, you had no fucking clue and didn’t care enough to find out why he was depressed, withdrawn, terrified to come home. I don’t have time for you and I will never make it because you didn’t have the time for Adrian. Have a horrible fucking night, you piece of shit.”

Officer Morgan finally came closer, taking Matt’s words as a cue. “Come on. I’ll take you back.”

Matt followed him down through huge double doors and a long, bright hallway. “Were you the one with him?”

“Yes. I actually rode in the ambulance and my partner followed in the car.” He nodded. “I don’t think Adrian felt safe alone without an officer… He was very insistent one of us stay with him… I didn’t realize why he was so insistent on an officer staying with him until I looked in his wallet once we got here.”

Tears filled Matt’s eyes and he nodded.

“I guess the doctor will tell you more but he had a really, really bad asthma attack when he saw that guy. Adrian said he didn’t have an inhaler on him. My partner and I had been called to the airport, but we saw some people around him when we were leaving. A little bit before the ambulance got there someone with an inhaler walked by but it was already so serious that it didn’t… really help.”

Matt nodded.

“My partner arrested the guy but there isn’t enough to hold him very long. Probably not through the night. He will have to come back—”

“To see the judge.” Matt finished, sniffling. “But it’ll probably just be added to the file.”

Officer Morgan nodded.

“Thank you for riding with him.” Matt said after taking a deep breath.

“You don’t have to thank me. I’m just sorry there wasn’t more we could do. We’re going to see about having patrol cars carry inhalers or something because it probably wouldn’t have gotten as bad so maybe… some good can come out of it?”

“Yeah.” Matt nodded. “You’ve got my number. Can you just… let me know when you all release him? So I can…”

“Of course. And you’ve got mine if you need anything.” Officer Morgan came to a halt outside of a room.

“Thank you again. So much.”

“You’re welcome. I hope your partner feels better, Matt.”

“Thanks.” Matt sniffled and walked into the room.

Adrian was sitting up in the bed and doing a breathing treatment but he looked terrible. Pale, hair wet from sweat, his clothes looked dirty—Matt tried to not think about the fact that Adrian had probably been laying on the ground trying to catch his breath, mostly alone unless you counted strangers, his horrible father, and the person who raped him—tired, and sad. Adrian noticed Matt and lowered the mask.

“Hey.” Matt came over, his voice shaky. “Finish that.”

Adrian held the mask over his face again, looking into Matt’s eyes.

Honestly, Adrian didn’t even have to say anything.

Matt knew it all just by looking at him.

“He’s doing a breathing treatment and we’ve got him on this IV to lower lung inflammation. We’re hoping he can go home tonight but we’re not quite sure yet.” A young female nurse smiled at Matt. “You can sit with him on the bed if you’d like.”

Matt nodded, sitting on the side of the bed. He put his hand over Adrian’s left hand and squeezed.

“He’s pretty weak and sleepy. If he doesn’t do better in the next two hours he’ll have to stay overnight but he’s already doing a little better than when he came in so I’m confident.” The nurse said. “When he goes home, we’ll send him a prescription for bronchodilator drugs and a slip for a nebulizer. It’s honestly worth the money to buy it than rent it so you all have it on hand.”

“Okay.” Matt nodded again, not sure what was going on but not even knowing the questions to ask. What the hell was a nebulizer? A bronchodilator? “Can I stay with him?”

“Of course.” She nodded. “If security gets weird, just show them your badge. I have a feeling Officer Morgan will hang around a while longer too. The police are extra cautious when it’s their own, you know?”

Matt couldn’t find words so he nodded and reached up, running his fingers through Adrian’s wet hair.

He would have hung around if it were another officer’s husband, wife, partner, or child too.

Kind of an unspoken code—be there as long as you could to help a brother out.

The machine connected to the mask Adrian was breathing from began to sputter and he took the mask off, sagging against Matt.

“I’ll be back to check on you soon, honey.” The nurse patted Adrian’s leg and then headed out.

“I want to go home.” Adrian whimpered, voice soft.

“Soon.” Matt forced a smile, feeling like his stomach was in his throat.

“M’sorry.”

“Shh. You did nothing wrong, babe.” Matt touched his face. “Nothing. I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”

“You’re here now.” Adrian looked him in the eyes.

“Adrian, I’m scared.” Matt said, biting his lip to keep it from trembling even though his eyes had teared up again.

Which was ridiculous.

Adrian was feeling this bad and Matt was trying not to cry?

This wasn’t about Matt.

“Can you help me lay down?” Adrian asked.

Matt nodded, sliding his arms underneath Adrian with ease and moving him into a laying position.

Adrian watched him with heavy eyes.

“You need rest.” Matt whispered, leaning over and kissing his forehead. “I’m not going anywhere, okay? You’re safe.”

Adrian nodded and his eyes closed.

Matt stared at him, hating how his chest was literally jumping around. Breathing treatment or not, he wasn’t breathing right.

And Adrian’s dad was responsible.

And that guy.

That guy who would probably be released before Adrian even made it out of the hospital. Matt, who was sitting half on the edge of the bed, looked up when Adrian’s dad opened the door.

“You need to go.” Matt said, voice soft.

Adrian’s eyes opened and he struggled to push himself up into a sitting position.

“No. Stay down. You need to rest.” Matt whispered, touching Adrian’s too-warm cheek.

“Help me up.” Adrian coughed.

Matt did so, but only because he didn’t want Adrian to get more worked up.

“Hey, Dad.” Adrian looked at his father—what else was he supposed to do?

“How do you feel?”

“Not great.” Adrian coughed.

“Listen, Adrian. I think you’re remembering wrong.” His dad said, coming forward. “Chad loves you and would never do that.”

Matt stood up, digging his fingernails into his palm so he wouldn’t say anything.

“No, Dad. He really did it all.” Adrian said weakly. “This is why I didn’t tell you. I knew you wouldn’t believe—”

“Son, there is no way—” Adrian’s father cut him off.

Adrian began to cough hard.

“Go. You need to go.” Matt said sharply.

“You don’t have jurisdiction here.” Adrian’s father said. “This is Boston.”

“Yeah but those two officers at the nurse’s station do and the only reason they’re here still is because the hospital is waiting for you to leave. They’re here to avoid confrontation since you’re the one who brought the asshole to see Adrian. They don’t trust you.” Matt’s voice was very even. “Trust me. Been there, done that at least once a week for five years. You need to leave.”

“You can’t tell me what to do.”

“Actually,” Matt’s voice got louder. “I can.”

“Matt.” Adrian grabbed his wrist as Officer Morgan came into the room.

“You aren’t going to talk to him like he doesn’t remember right. He did that stuff to Adrian.” Matt did not lower his voice, his eyes teary. “He is sick because of you and he is not wasting time or breath on you right now. This is your fault and your fault alone. You need to go.”

“Adrian, call me tomorrow and we’ll talk.” His father said.

“I’m sorry, Dad.” Adrian said before coughing again.

“Don’t you apologize for anything!” Matt exclaimed, looking at Adrian. “He should be apologizing to you!”

“Come on.” Officer Morgan said to Adrian’s father who was clearly about to respond to Matt. “This isn’t the time or place.”

Matt glared as Adrian’s dad walked out.

“You good?” Officer Morgan asked, looking at Matt and Adrian.

“Yes.” Matt nodded as the nurse came in, willing his tears away.

He needed to pull himself together.

“Let’s do another breathing treatment, sweetie.” She said, pouring liquid from a pouch and into a cup on some tiny machine.

Matt helped Adrian back into a sitting position, feeling even angrier because of how shaky Adrian was now.

“He isn’t allowed in here again.” Officer Morgan told the nurse.

“Okay, James.” The nurse smiled before leaving.

“I’ll be right out there. I’m going to try to stay until you two leave. It’s pretty slow.” The officer told Matt, nodding.

“Thanks.” Matt nodded.

When the officer left, he watched the nurse putting some liquid from a pouch into a small cup that was hooked up to a machine.

Matt probably should have watched, asked questions so he could help Adrian from home, but he wasn’t exactly coherent enough to think that far ahead at the moment.

As soon as the medicine had started and she was convinced Adrian had it, she excused herself with the promise of returning soon.

“I’m so sorry.” Adrian rasped, looking at Matt once the door closed. He was so pale and his eyes stood out more than usual as he breathed in the medicine.

“No. You didn’t do anything.”

“You had to leave w-work and—” Tears filled Adrian’s eyes. “And you’re so upset and—”

“No.” Matt shook his head, making eye contact with his own teary eyes—he needed to quit crying and be there for Adrian, but he couldn’t help it. They just kept coming. Plus, any time Adrian cried, Matt cried. It had always been that way—and Matt was by no means a crier, either. He hadn’t been before Adrian, at least.

“Yes.” Adrian sniffled.

“You are more important than work or… or anything, Adrian. The most important thing. So, we’re going to stay here until you can go home and I’ll take you home and I’ll use sick time and we’ll just lay, cuddle, sleep, and watch the trashy reality shows you like to watch and I won’t even complain. And I’ll get you all the Panera you want for breakfast and lunch and I’ll get you Mediterranean for dinner every day from all the places you like, okay?”

Adrian nodded.

“You don’t need your dad. You’ve got my parents and my three older brothers and we’re all pretty good at kicking people’s asses so you’re really doing pretty well.” Matt sniffled and wiped his own eyes. “I just want—I just need you to get better, okay? So we can get engaged and married and live together and have so much fucking sex.”

Adrian let out a half laugh.

“But I’m going to quit talking until you’re done with that so I can get you home. Okay?” Matt touched Adrian’s cheek.

Adrian nodded, learning against Matt and relaxing as he continued his breathing treatment.

“I’m here.” Matt kissed the top of his head, his eyes set on the door. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

“I love you so much.” Adrian said after lowering the machine again.

“I love you too but if you don’t finish your medicine, I’m going to arrest you.” Matt joked, brushing his hair back.

Adrian leaned against him once more, finishing his medicine and then falling asleep.

By the time he woke up, he was already home and in his bed with Matt and AJ on either side.

#adrian & matt

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r3inventedd · 2 years

Text

How to Master a Champion Ch. 4

Lewis Hamilton x Original Female Character

Summary: Coming out of the 2021 season Lewis Hamilton has lost all faith in Formula 1 and its rules. He needs a reset, something or someone to make him trust again. Andy Masters has something to prove. She moved halfway around the world for a man only for it to fall apart within months. When an opportunity presents itself to get her life back on track, she takes it without question. But the job is nothing like imagined.

Warnings: No warnings for this chapter but if you find anything, please let me know.

Author Note: This is also on AO3 but I figured I would put it here too. Thank you to all of you who read, you make my day x

Ch. 1 Ch. 2 Ch. 3

“Mom, I swear to god I’m not being dramatic. When he walked past me, he literally hit my shoulder and then got in my face about me only using him for clout,” Andy was pacing around her hotel room with her mother on the phone. Luckily, the only person who would worry about where she was during the work day, would rather not see her face ever again so she was able to grab her laptop and work from home for the rest of the day. If you could call a room with sealed windows a home. “I have never been spoken to like that in a professional setting.”

“Well you are rather young, honey,” Andy’s mother Martha commented, “There is plenty of time in your life to be yelled at like that again or worse.”

Andy rolled her eyes, “Thanks for that, Mom.”

“I just can’t understand how he would react like that without any provocation,” the doubt was clear in her mother’s voice. “Did you say anything to him before that? Tell me exactly what happened.”

A large sigh exited Andy’s body before she recounted the events in as much detail as she could, starting from the conversation with Angela. After she finished, there was silence from the other end, “Mom? Are you still there?”

“Yes, honey. I’m here,” Andy had known her mother long enough that she had something to say that Andy was not going to like. “It’s just that,” Her mother stopped.

“Please just say it mom, I feel like I’m in the twilight zone.”

On the other end of the line, Martha Master’s heart was breaking for her daughter. No one knew better than her how much Andy has suffered the past year. All she wanted was for her first born to find some happiness, but she was not about to lie to protect her feelings. “I don’t want you to think I’m condoning the way this man is behaving. He’s being childish and using the fact that he is larger than you to intimidate you is honestly enough for me to want you to get on a plane back home so I can make your favorite meal and protect you from everyone,” Andy relaxed immediately at the mere thought of being home with her parents and two siblings, sitting on the back porch swapping jokes and stories while having a barbecue. Her heart began to ache. “But I know you, Andrea,” her mother continued, “and you will fight tooth and nail, exhausting all other resources ‘til there isn’t anything left. So I’m going to tell it to you straight. You need to swallow your pride and start thinking about this man’s feelings.”

Andy could have fit an entire apple in her mouth, the way her jaw was hanging down to the floor. That was not what she had expected from her mother. “Did you just tell me to think about his feelings? A man who has done nothing but disregard human decency since I met him?” Flabbergasted only began to describe how she was feeling.

“Well you don’t fight fire with fire, Andrea May,” Martha only used that name when she wanted to make a point to Andrea. “May” was not even her middle name, but Martha liked the way it sounded when she was trying to make a point, “Clearly, trying to ignore the fact that he is in a bad spot is not going to work for you. Creating relationships has always come easily to you. You’re good at anticipating what people need and doing just that, but when you can’t read someone you tend to write them off as a lost cause and move on.”

“Ouch,” said Andy, plopping down on the end of her bed.

“I’m not trying to hurt your feelings, baby, but you’ve still got learning to do,” Martha paused, trying to come up with the best way to speak to her daughter, “You said that Lewis really flipped a switch when you made the comment about the way he is handling his career, right?”

Andy nodded to no one, “Yeah.”

“Okay. Then what was his response?” Martha was suddenly taken back to when Andy was in grade school and she had a recurring problem with a little girl who kept pushing her on the playground. Oh how some things never change , she thought.

“He said,” Andy pinched the bridge of her nose trying to remember his wording, “that I don’t care about him or his goals or his privacy and that I’m just like everyone else, only looking out for myself. Asshole.”

“Name calling will get you nowhere, Andrea May,” Martha chided. The dinner she was making was long abandoned in place of a bottle of red wine. “Now I know that you feel hurt by this man, but try to empathize with him. What can you learn from his response to you?”

Andy laid back onto the bed, suddenly very exhausted, “Mom I really don’t want to do this.”

“Then suffer for the next 3 weeks and move home. I’ve turned your room into a craft room, closet, and yoga studio but I’m sure we can squeeze you in.” Martha took a big sip of her wine, knowing full well her daughter was not going to accept the offer.

“Okay, okay fine.” Andy put the phone on speaker and turned over on her side, “Well everyone has said that he’s lost trust in Formula One-”

“Don’t think about what other people have said,” Martha interrupted, “Think about what he’s said and how he’s acted.”

Andy looked up to the ceiling in silent yearning for whoever was up there to end her suffering. She wanted to respond that what he’s said and how he’s acted has only proved that he’s a dick, but that would not appease her mother. “Well he’s clearly feeling hurt by the system. I imagine that after being the poster boy of F1 for almost a decade and then having it seemingly crumble in an instant would be pretty difficult to deal with.”

It made Andy uncomfortable to try to put herself in his shoes. He was a millionaire, seven-time world champion, how bad could his life be? “He kept saying that I don’t care about anything he considers important, maybe he’s feeling more like an asset than a person. He’s been at Mercedes for nearly ten years. I imagine that he’s formed a pretty close relationship with the people around him but he’s acting like he’s going through everything alone.”

“It can be pretty lonely at the top,” Martha added.

Andy hummed in agreement, “When you’re that talented, I bet it can feel like everyone is trying to take down because they are. Even his teammate is waiting for him to slip up so they can take some glory. Although the office has seemed pretty supportive, they all treat him like he’s a bit of a mythical creature, except for Angela, his trainer. Even Toto, though I know he cares quite a bit, needs him to perform at the top of his game at all times to make money for the company.”

“And those brand partners you were talking to,” Martha said, steering the conversation to the conclusion she hoped for, “they really just want him for his influence.”

“That is so true,” Andy agreed, “They were all very polite but there was an unmistakable undercurrent that if he doesn’t get his shit together, they are going to pull their sponsorships. I tried to explain it to him in a way that didn’t put the blame solely on him, but he shut me down right away.”

Martha leaned forward in her chair slightly, “why do you think that was his first reaction?”

“Because he hates me,” Andy could practically hear her mother rolling her eyes, “Joking. I mean, he’s not an idiot. He must know that his sponsorships are in jeopardy. But I wonder if they would be so harsh if he was still the reigning world champion.”

Martha almost leapt out of her seat, her daughter was getting so close, “So when you told him that they were getting a little shift…”

“His fears were confirmed. As they always say, you’re only as good as your last race. Which is honestly such a toxic way to live your life. So here I come, a new person who no matter how you slice it, is looking to make moves in her career, and start telling him he needs to adhere to a system that has burned him. And now I’ve put Mercedes and his sponsor’s priorities over his and I’m just another person who will leave if he doesn’t perform the way they want him to.” Andy inhaled deeply, needing air after saying everything in one breath.

“Elementary Watson,” Mrs. Mathers replied in her worst English accent. All joking aside, she was immensely proud of her daughter for putting herself in Lewis’s shoes. In spite of the fact she had to use the same tactics from when Andy was ten.

Andy’s mind refused to calm so that she could finish her conversation with her mom. “I owe you way more of a thank you than this, but I’ve got a lot of work to do. I love and miss you so much. I think you may have just saved my life.”

“That’s what moms are for. Love you too, Honey, so very much.” After one last goodbye, the line went dead and Martha was left in the kitchen alone, half a bottle of wine deep and no dinner in sight. “Hey honey!” Martha called up to her husband, “How about we order in?”

…

All Lewis wanted to do after work was lay on the couch with his English Bulldog Roscoe and put something mindless on the tv. He did precisely that. The moment he walked through the door, Roscoe bounded up to him as if he thought Lewis would never return. “Hey buddy,” he crouched down to the dog’s level, “I missed you too.”

Rather than continue on to the rest of the house, he sank all the way to a sitting position, pulling his best friend onto his lap.

“I wish I could have stayed with you today,” he told Roscoe as he rubbed his ears, “I feel like there are less and less people I can trust. That new PA I told you about? She practically confirmed everything I thought about her. All she cares about is pushing her career forward. If Toto really wanted to make sure I was ‘getting everything I need’, he should let me have an office just for you.”

Roscoe looked up at his owner with bright eyes and mouth open to where it almost looked as if he was smiling. For the first time that day, Lewis genuinely smiled back. “You’re not going to leave me even if I lose, will you Roscoe Taco?” Lewis gently turned the canine’s head back and forth as if he was shaking his head ‘no.’ “That’s a good boy.”

…

Into the second week of her time at Mercedes, Andy had done her best to give Lewis the space he clearly wanted. Admittedly, it was difficult to do her job with little communication, but it was better than getting into a fight. She was starting to learn his routine and how to speak to the people he dealt with on a regular basis, like his dog walker and chef.

Neither one of them brought up the subject of sponsorships. Lewis felt it was a moot point and Andy had been working on something she hoped would give him some peace of mind. Any dream of them being the best of friends was pretty much dashed after the confrontation outside the simulation room, but she still wanted to make his life a little bit easier.

Her time at Mercedes had not been all bad. She normally ate lunch with Marilynn where they were able to catch up about their days - it was mostly Marilynn doing the talking. She had also formed a habit of getting to work at the same time as George everyday. Rather than bringing Lewis coffee, she started bringing one to George. If either one got there first, they would wait in the lobby for the other.

It was nice to talk with someone close to her age. Of all the people she had gotten farther than a quick hello in the hallway, George was the closest to her followed only by Lewis and well… they barely even said hello at all. They did not spend much time together, normally the first fifteen to twenty minutes of their workday but they liked comparing their childhoods and countries, discussing what it was like to know what you wanted to do so early versus jumping from opportunities to see where you land.

“So you moved to the UK with zero prospects of a job after landing an amazing position right out of Uni working for a millionaire,” George made no attempt to hide his surprise as the two rode in the elevator.

“Well if you put it like that I sound like an idiot,” Andy said with a laugh, pushing her auburn hair out of her face, already regretting wearing it down.

“But,” she said elongating the vowel, “if I were to tell you that I took a leap of faith moving to England for a shot at love and ended up at an even better performing company working for a seven-time F1 World Champion, it sounds like a triumph Or a bad romantic comedy.”

The both took a sip of their coffees while they stepped out of the elevator. George shook his head, much more of a realist, “But you would be leaving out the cheating boyfriend and boss from hell.”

“Your words, not mine,” Andy stated, distancing herself from any listeners that might try to use ‘boss from hell’ against her.

They rounded the corner, coming to a stop at her desk. Many people were still working from home so they were the only ones around. “How are things going with Sir Lewis Hamilton, anyways?” He tried to make it sound as casual as possible, but everyone knew that the driver was more than unhappy with her employment.

“Obviously they’re a work in progress,” she began to unpack her briefcase, given to her by Mr. Raison as a graduation gift, “But if the meeting I have today with the reps from his sponsors, I think it could really jumpstart our relationship or at least I’m hoping it will take it in a positive direction.” “Already shopping for rings, are we?” George raised his eyebrow and took a cheeky sip of his drink.

Andy choked on the hot liquid of her own beverage, the thought literally almost causing her death.

“There is not a world or universe where that would ever happen, nor would I want it to,” She did a quick scan of her clothing to make sure they remained unsullied.

“I hope you’re not talking about Mercedes bringing home the Constructors Championship,” Andy was grateful to have set her coffee down before Toto Wolff’s entrance made her jump.

George saved her from having to come up with a witty comment so early in the morning, “Actually sir, she was just confiding in me that she is a spy sent from Redbull to bring down our entire operation. I don’t think there is much to be worried about, considering her confession proves she’s terrible at corporate espionage.” While Toto was turned away, she stuck out her tongue at her new friend.

“Well, Christian will be quite discouraged to learn this, but the thought of foiling any plan or his, fictional or otherwise, brings me immense joy,” Toto grinned with schadenfreude.

“All in a day's work, sir,” Andy quipped.

“Well don’t let me distract you from your work,” their boss threw a pointed look George’s way, “we have an important meeting with the engineers today I expect you to be prepared for.”

George’s entire demeanor changed from teasing to professional, “Of course sir.” Everyday once one of them had an obligation to attend to, George would go into a mode that Andy has already aptly dubbed ‘Work George.” Suddenly he would no longer be a young twenty-something having a chat with a mate, but rather an experienced professional athlete ready to report for duty. Andy admired his ability to compartmentalize.

Both men quickly excused themselves and went off to begin their days, leaving Andy to mentally prepare for a meeting with every representative from the companies sponsoring Lewis. Her pace quickened with nervous doubts about what she was about to do, but she knew that if she was going to actually make a difference in Lewis’s life, she had to be bold. She found herself wishing for ‘Fun George’ the twin brother of ‘Work George’ to come back and distract her turbulent mind, but there was nothing to be done. Before she knew it, she was in a video meeting with seven far more experienced individuals defending the independence and value of a man that wanted nothing to do with her.

“What do you mean he will not be doing the social media posts? It is clearly defined in his contract that they are non-negotiable,” Adolfo from Puma protested. There were murmurs of agreement from the rest of the virtual room, to which she ignored.

“Actually, per the fine print of each contract, ceasing of social media posts are allowed if deemed necessary for reasons defined as insurmountable. Right now, for Mr. Hamilton’s mental wellbeing, he is taking a break from all media. For years, he has done everything he can to make sure that each one of your companies is happy. Now, we would like to ask for the same courtesy. And before anyone would like to bring up the subject of the World Championship controversy, Mr. Hamilton’s social media counts actually spiked in followers since his hiatus,” Andy shared the evidence with the group in presentation form.

“The longer that he stays off of social media, the more people want a glimpse at what is happening behind the curtain. I am proposing that rather than take a picture or video and post it right away, he begins to document his use of your products whether it is on a run with Bose headphones or a dinner wearing head to toe Tommy, when he is ready to let the world in again, he will have a digital journal of his time away from the limelight. A story of his comeback to Formula One that everyone will be dying to see.”

Andy held her breath, hoping that she had not just completely made a fool of herself in front of people she may be working with for months, even years to come. There was silence for only a few seconds, but it felt like hours, waiting for someone to reply. It was the executive from Monster Energy that spoke first, “We love our partners to use us in a story telling manner, making our drinks seem like a vehicle to memorable moments. If your team can create a compelling narrative within his hiatus, we would be willing to forgo the social media requirements until he is ready.”

One by one, the reps gave their consent to Andy’s pitch, promising to have a new clause written into each contract. After thanking the participants for their time, Andy signed off from the meeting and collapsed further into her chair. Somehow her hair-brained scheme had worked and Lewis was free to keep his life private for the time being. She was even able to avoid a specific end-date being proposed by any of the companies, meaning that he could truly take the time he needed to heal away from any unnecessary opinions and scrutiny. Andy checked her phone for the time, noting that it was just past 10:30am which meant the he was finished with his first round of training and had another half an hour before a meeting with the other board members of The Hamilton Commission, a foundation he helped create to promote better representation of Black people in UK motorsport.

Maybe he would be in a better mood before this meeting, Andy thought. She quickly logged off of her devices and almost jogged to his favorite room to hide in. However, right before she got to the door, a cold feeling crawled up the back of her neck when it occurred to her that she did not consult him on any of this.

Andy wanted it to be a surprise to show that she could anticipate his needs before he had to say anything, but now she had a horrible feeling that she never should have contacted every single company that sponsored him for a change of contract without his consent. Then again, if she had to ask his explicit permission for everything she did, she would not get anything done.

But is that enough of an excuse to have not even asked him for his thoughts? Andy decided to make a quick detour to the bathroom before delivering the news.

…

“You seem to be in a better mood today,” Angela told Lewis as he pulled on a Mercedes polo over his newly showered upper body after finishing a particularly hellish cardio circuit. She thought he would at least have the decency to look like it was an effort for him, but Angela was right, Lewis was in a better mood.

“Angela, love, today is a beautiful day,” He took a small towel and patted the braid on his head to rid himself of any excess moisture.

“Dare I ask why, darling?” she replied mocking his British accent. She was ecstatic to see him without a dark cloud looming over his head, but the sudden change set her nerves on edge.

“Because I have come up with a solution to my problem,” He beamed with self-satisfaction.

“Oh? And pray-tell what is that?”

“Unfortunately I’m not at liberty to discuss it just yet, but trust me when I say it will take care of that little issue for good,” his smile slowly morphed into something much more sinister.

Angela was beginning to truly worry about the man that had become her best friend. If he was not acting as if the world was going to end, he was brooding like a sullen teenager, and now he looked like a villain whose plan was set into motion.

“Lewis,” She started carefully, “I know that this time has been incredibly difficult for you, but please just think about whatever you are going to do. I don’t want you to do something that you’ll later regret.”

“I don’t have to think about doing anything, it’s already done,” he loaded the last of his things into his bag before zipping it and hoisting it over one shoulder.

“I just hope whatever it is you’ve done, you’ve thought it through,” Angela watched him with wary eyes as he crossed the room to the exit.

“Don’t worry, Angie,” He stopped and turned just before the doorway, “this is the start of me taking my life back into my own hands.”

Lewis gave her one last reassuring smile before leaving her to relax before his meeting with The Hamilton Commission. Angela was far from reassured and the pit in her stomach was not going away any time soon.

…

Andy set her folder and iPad on the bathroom counter before turning on the sink and splashing her face with water. She knew that he could not actually do anything terrible to her, but after the confrontation in the hallway, she was more than apprehensive to have a conversation of any kind with him. The only thing that she’d seem to do right was making coffee and Lewis was completely unaware that she was the one sneaking into the break room to brew a new pot in the middle of the day when he liked to have a second cup.

Andy felt the need to keep it a secret, afraid that if he knew that she was the one with magic coffee skills he would no longer drink it. It was her one daily win that she was not about to jeopardize.

She looked at herself in the mirror, hands braced on the skin. Her green eyes looked almost manic and her skin was paler than normal. It frustrated her how much she cared about what Lewis thought of her. She was unable to detach herself from the day after she left. He’d even chased her around a race track in his Formula One vehicle in her dreams, getting closer and closer to her with each lap.

Her mother’s words rang through her mind. He is just a man who puts his pants on one leg at a time. She inhaled an unsteady breath. Lewis Hamilton will not break you.

With a new sense of shaky confidence, Andy pushed herself off the counter and scooped up her things. She was ready for whatever he had to throw at her. Regardless of what he thought, she was proud of herself.

She pulled the door open and started to walk down the hall when the iPad lit up with a notification that she’d received an email. She would have ignored it had the subject not read “URGENT READ THIS NOW.”

Andy stopped in her tracks and opened the message sent to her by Marilynn. She was about to begin reading when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She reached into her pocket to find that Marilynn was now calling. Oh shit.

“Hello? Lynn?” her voice was clearly nervous.

“Andy, where are you?” her voice was at a lower volume than usual and she sounded worried.

“I’m about to go talk to Lewis-”

“No!” Andy jumped at Marilynn’s outburst, “Meet me at the balcony on the top floor.”

Andy’s eyes jerked to the window lined walls, “But it’s pouring.”

“Exactly, we’ll be alone. Come right now,” Andy had never heard her friend so worried, “And read that email.”

Her phone beeped to signally Marilynn had ended the call. Andy’s hand shook as she slid the phone back into her pocket. She headed straight for the elevator, almost jogging. The email was still open on the tablet but she was too afraid to look down. Whatever was in the contents of that email scared Marilynn to her core.

Andy entered the elevator and punched the button to the top floor. She could hear her heart beat in her ears as she forced her eyes to scan the document. What she read made her heart stop. Masters, Andrea arrested on an assault charge.

#lh44 #how to master a champion #lewis hamilton fic #toto wolff #original character #original chracter #F1 #Formula 1 #George Russell

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