#i cannot even describe how feral he makes my brain cells feel

[queenspock]

Wish we got to see more of Major Reed especially in MACO uniform

[recurring-polynya]

Bleach Sword Beasts Arc Recap: Episode 256

I would not go so far as to claim that Bleach 256: Byakuya's Anger, Collapse of the Kuchiki Family is good, but it is dear to my heart, so I’m gonna review it. Also ~I can do screenshots agaaaaaain!~

Spoiler: At no point in this episode would I describe Byakuya as “angry”, and the Kuchiki family definitely does not collapse. Let’s carry on.

We open with a party for Squad 6 at Byakuya’s pad, with Renji and Rukia standing around, talking about what a mensch Byakuya is while Rukia stuffs her face with dango. This is my content. Then Renji’s squadmates haul him off because they are too nervous to talk to Byakuya by themselves. I screamed. I would watch a thousand hours of this.

As you might expect, Squad Six parties suck without Renji, so Rukia wanders off, complaining about how he left her in the lurch, when she hears a scream, and finds that the kitchen (?) is being attacked by some strange monsters.

In my continuing commitment to Squad 6/Kuchiki Manor minutia, we get to see some servants outfits! (attn: @kaickos​ ) Byakuya sure loves purple.

Rukia tries to fight the monsters, and realizes she’s not carrying her sword. Fortunately, Sode no Shirayuki and Senbonzakura show up to help out. Despite addressing each other formally, Sode no Shirayukia and Senbonzakura definitely exude a very strong have-made-out-at-a-boring-Kuchiki-party vibe. They immediately start trolling the hell out of Rukia until Byakuya shows up and narrows his eyes disapprovingly at them.

We skip to Squad 12, where Kurotsutchi explains the plot of the this arc: Apparently, while Muramasa was running around freeing zanpakutou, a lot of shitty Soul Reapers got killed by their own zanpakutou, who are now running around feral. Also, even if their shinigami was low-level, the so-called Sword Beasts have their full power capacity, i.e., as if they had achieved bankai. Sure. Whatever.

All I care about is the Squad 12 couch situation, which is dank. I feel like I’m gonna catch a disease just looking at these things. And jeez, the lighting. It’s important to note that Byakuya lets Rukia do all the talking in this scene. At first, I thought he might be sleeping with his eyes open again, but then my husband pointed out he was probably just holding his breath.

Enough of that! The Kuchiki sibs and their swords are strolling around town, the zanpakutou making big plans to kick names and take ass, while Byakuya searches for any excuse to be removed from this narrative.

If you read my fanfiction, you will know that I have a running gag of sorts where Renji is constantly shouting “Hey, Captain!” which Byakuya views as some sort of microagression (Renji never notices), and I stg, it happens at 9:16 of this episode: Renji jogs up yelling “TaiCHOOOOUUU!” in an extremely Renji way, and my heart literally exploded. Anyway, I’m pretty sure Byakuya secretly texted Renji like “plz show up with some sort of work excuse i cannot even with these two” and Renji delivered. Squad 6 ollies out, leaving Rukia to babysit these two drama queen zanpakutou.

You may think I am exaggerating, but Senbonzakura immediately suggests that they destroy some barracks to get the Sword Beasts’ attention. This plan is so stupid that Sode no Shirayuki’s suggestion that “maybe the Sword Beasts like parties” makes sense in comparison.

Ain’t no party like a Squad 10 party, because a Squad 10 party has comically oversized sake saucers. Are these some sort of real thing, or are they like when goofy TexMex places serve margaritas in hubcaps?

Captain Hitsugaya is McPissed about all of this. Rukia absolutely knows she got duped here, and makes some shame-faced excuses. Hitsugaya notes that he “received orders to let them do this” and I... have so many questions. Did Rukia have to submit a “party request”? Who approved this? Yamamoto??? I mean, if this were post-TYBWA, I can 100% see Kyouraku ordering Hitsugaya to throw a kegger.

Unsurprisingly, the plan does not work, and Senbonzakura gets black-out drunk. Rukia apologizes to Hitsugaya, who is like “it’s fine, my squad is all drunkards anyway.”

Sode no Shirayuki is extremely sorry at this point, because she sincerely thought this plan would work. So, just in case anyone out there thought Sode no Shirayuki has more brain cells than Zabimaru, you were wrong.

Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki have a nice talk about how Sode no Shirayuki feels like without Rukia, she is has no heart, she is just a weapon. She’s still feeling some residual guilt over the whole Muramasa incident. Rukia reassures her, over a moving montage of all their good times together stabbing shit. This idea is really interesting to me, actually-- that the shinigami provide their zanpakutou with purpose and direction, in return for the power they receive. I’ve sort of headcanoned this for a long time-- that zanpakutou are inherently selfish, caring mostly about the well-bearing of their shinigami, and must be driven by the shinigami toward accomplishing things. This was the whole reason Zangetsu didn’t want to give Ichigo the Final Getsuga when he was trying to defeat Aizen.

Anyhoo, Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki the Sword Beast shows up, and of course Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki defeat it with the power of friendship.

At the end of the episode, Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki debrief Kyouraku and Ukitake while Ukitake’s zanpakutou run around screaming in the background and I cannot emphasize enough how married these two fine gentlemen are.

That’s the end of the episode. I wonder if Rukia ever told Byakuya that his zanpakutou got blasted at a Squad 10 kegger.

[sundaynightnovels]

11/11/11

so i’ve been tagged by @kidsarentallwrite​ for this one, and @a-ray-of-moonshine​ , so i’ll be answering both here! thank you so much for thinking of me! <3  What song makes your OC go absolutely, batshit feral? okay i really don’t know the answer to this one, but hmmmm let me think . i think that zhen’s the sort to sing songs loudly and obnoxiously just to be an annoying ass and lu’d join her, and then yu(f) would be really mega pissed because she’s right in the next room trying to do some work when these two tone-deaf idiots are screeching their lungs out in the kitchen so yes, zhen & lu’s singing would make yu(f) go absolutely feral. anything they sing.  i think the OTHER yu(m) would go absolutely feral when jun, being a lil piece of shit who likes to get on his nerves, sings songs about rain. because yknow, yu(m)’s name means rain. right now the song i’m thinking of is jay chou’s 听见下雨的声音 (which means, listen to the sound of rain falling) and jun would sing it whenever yu(m) tries to say something because of, yknow, the title. and then blatantly ignore whatever yu(m)’s trying to say. so yes, the two yu(s) lead very sad lives. please give them more love. (though i’d understand if you don’t, one is an Antisocial Edgelord and one is an Edgy Antisocial Lording Over Others . there’s a difference)  What would your OC go on an hours long rant about given the opportunity? for shou? anything. absolutely anything. off the top of my mind, the sun (i’ve mentioned this so many times, don’t even ask), names (names have meanings to him!! why is zhen called zhen and teng called teng? why is he called shou??? a lot of them don’t share in his sentiments but he has Very Strong Feelings about it) lu is about his sad existence as a little boy who is starving on the streets. he’d say it often in the kitchen, when zhen is preparing some food.  zhen would be about rising costs of living and capitalism and having to work when they’re dead and yu(f) being a loser who only wants to work and teng being a loser who can’t get any girls and about how life is meaningless and the only solace is sleep and jia would rant with her for the fun of it yu(f) would rant about zhen, yu(m) would rant about jun, teng would rant about love and loneliness and ren would run away. (yes that was a pun, if you got it please appreciate)  Do your OCs have tattoos? If not, would they ever get a tattoo? Why or why not? i think i’ve answered this somewhere before??? not very sure . but yea anyway shou thinks it’s blasphemous but he would also consider one, zhen can’t be bothered, lu is a little kid WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FROM HIM teng is deathly afraid of the pain and it’s plainly obvious, jun isn’t scared of the pain but can’t be bothered either but also might already have one, you never know, yu(f) thinks it’s a waste of money, yu(m)... i feel like he might have one, not sure why. jia probably has one, some nice gorgeous insta-worthy one on her collarbone or on her back.  ren probably has one but he keeps it hidden and no one knows about it.  You bump into your OC on the street unexpectedly. How do you react? oh no. which one? if i catch shou in a distracted mood, i probably can get away without him yammering in my ears.  if it’s zhen, i’ll probably get sued for something and she’ll try to extort something from me. probably the bubble tea in my hands, or the money in my wallet. probably.  for lu he’d extort food. even if it’s in my stomach. yu(f) would be the one who bumps into me and continues marching off because she is a busy woman and ain’t got time for this.  ren would probably apologise and yknow, be a normal, nice human being. yu(m) would just stare and maybe walk away, but he looks fierce so it probs looks like he’s glaring and i’ll be scared shitless. or be pissed, depends on my mood. teng would apologise a lot a lot and offer to get my things (even if i hadn’t dropped them) and be a sputtering mess because unfortunately i am Woman and he cannot deal jun would ignore probably. depending on his mood, might make some cryptic comment that’s slightly disturbing. or he’d be really charming . who knows? jia would also probably react like a normal human being. not the nicest, but normal anyway. Which vines best describe your OCs? i am a failure and i don’t really know vines If your WIP is ever adapted into another form of media, what form would you like? Film, television, comic, podcast? Any others? sitcom, probably. also considering the amount of talking they do, maybe podcast. definitely not film. there’s no plot here. maybe theatre, just for fun. What is your favourite part about writing? what are you talking about?? Is you got to have a conversation with your favourite author, what would you talk about? the only author i can think of now is rick riordan and i’d talk about how i appreciate that he’s just doing what he wants and making it fun for him and diversity and lame humour and stupid characters and all that crap Have any writing habits or quirks? don’t write enough to have some. HAHA just kidding i have many many run-on sentences but i need them for RHYTHM and BEAT and FEELING you know???? long sentences are my jam and they help create music structure in writing do NOT TAKE THEM AWAY FROM ME also use oxford commas. sue me. What do you prefer: dialogue or action? stupid banter-ish dialogue. evocative atmospheric-ish contemplation and inner musings no one acts. Who is the first Writeblr you followed? Do you remember why you followed them? i really don’t know! sorry! --

1. Is there a trope you never get tired of? characters who share One brain cell. family.  long rambling stories that go nowhere really bad humour yes some of these are not tropes, i am aware.

2. Who is your least favorite character in your WIP? Why? gasps!!!  okay so let’s go down the list, i hate shou because he’s annoying as hell and he talks so much he himself gives 4k worth of dialogue in a single chapter, i hate zhen because she doesn’t do or admit to anything and trying to figure her out is like trying to get a worm to walk on two feet, i hate lu because he only talks about food and be a dirty lil kid, i hate ren because he is too nice and doesn’t think for himself, i hate teng because he gets easily bullied and he also talks too much for no damn reason, i hate jun because he keeps himself too deep and it’s impossible to get him to do anything serious, i hate yu(f) because she only works and literally there’s nothing to describe in her boring one bedroom can she get out of her room already, i hate yu(m) because i still don’t know him well enough after all these months, i hate jia because somehow i keep forgetting her in these tag games even though her presence is Big in the wip  yup there you go. they’re all my least favourite. 

3. Let’s say I’m planning to visit the setting of your WIP for a weekend. What should I take with me? What are the most important things for me to know beforehand? Which of your characters should I ask to be my guide? uh. i’d just say Don’t.  don’t visit. it’s not a good thing, you can’t choose to visit anyway, you can’t take anything with you because yknow, well there’s this little chinese saying i kinda abide by for this wip and i’m lazy to type it out now but it was in my previous chinese mytho au drabble so yea  also. guide????? maybe the safest might be ren, but also not really. hm. if you want an enthusiastic little puppy, choose shou. but he might talk your ears off and annoy you so you know, pick your poison 4.Beginning, middle, or end—which is the hardest for you as a writer?

middle

5. Which is more inspiring for you: music or visual art?

music!

6. Do you have any other creative interests and hobbies besides writing?

lol i have no interests okay really. hm. i used to draw a little bit but i’ve stopped, used to play piano but i’ve stopped, used to play cello but i’ve stopped.  so yea, really, nothing much. 

7. How close is your WIP now to what you were expecting it to be when you just started?

i’ve finished the first draft since the start of the year, which is great and i totally didn’t expect it! .... am barely into the second draft though, so that’s a bummer. you see, this is why sometimes you shouldn’t get achievements. once that one milestone is reached you just lie down there at the rest stop and never get up. 

8. What are your plans for when you finish your WIP? Traditional publishing? Indie publishing? Putting it online for others to read for free?

traditional probs, because i don’t trust myself enough to do it on my own and i have little visual sensibilities so the cover would be hella ugly. also like, not even sure if traditional publishers would want my odd little plotless thing, but yknow, i like it. 

9. Your MC is here. On your doorstep. Planning to spend the day with you. Oh, and they know you’re the author responsible for everything that’s going on in the story right now. Are you expecting it to be a nice conversation, or do you maybe want to run and hide? :D

thank god i consider my MC to be shou instead of zhen. oh yea he’ll have lots of questions and he’ll poke at my brains a lot and he’d be hella noisy and also he’ll be sweating a lot because of his clothes and long hair, but still thank god it’s shou for the rest of them, i’d run and hide in the bottom of the ocean.

10. Name a song that could be your villain’s personal anthem.

eh. there’s no villain. if you consider the author to be the villain though hMMM i have favourite songs but no personal anthems, sorry

11. Is there anything you would never, ever write a story about, even if you were offered a large sum of money to do so?

eh. probs something like a law drama-ish thing. too many long words and complex jargon, not my kinda thing.

>> i’ll be tagging @coffehousecreations @bookenders @aslanwrites @rktho-writes @bahay-kubo @aloonycynic @arte-muse @elliswriting @mvcreates @inkpot-dreamer @dc-writes and here are my questions (which i think are pretty interesting heh feel free to do it and tag me even if i haven’t tagged you for it!) 1) your wip is now set in percy jackson’s world (if you don’t know, it’s just a bunch of monsters from greek mythologies chasing after young kids who have powers. we’re assuming your OCs are all demigods here, so they have powers and are being chased). who would be the one flailing and crying for help? who would be the one standing in front and thinking of a solution? who would be the first one eaten and who would be the one to survive till they reach camp?  2) after barely escaping percy jackson’s world, they’re now thrown into harry potter. the dementors are everywhere. what are the bad memories that these dementors draw from your OCs? how do they react to it? (don’t worry, they’re saved before being given the kiss. somehow.) 3) they’re now plopped into the good place. who is in the good place, and who is in the bad place? (for those who don’t watch the show, well. i think this naming speaks for itself) 4) ah, bummer. some misfiling of paperwork from the higher-ups, sorry. your OCs are once again alive and kicking, but then things happen again and well, they’re in marvel and the Snap has just happened (i.e., people have suddenly disappeared into dust after an event and no one knows what happened to them). assuming individual scenarios for your OCs where each of them are the only one left in the group, how would they react and what are their coping mechanisms? 5) and then the Blip happens and everyone is back, after five years! hurray! once again, assuming individual scenarios for your OCs where each of them are the only one left in the group, and then everyone suddenly returns like nothing’s happened, how would they then react to this change of scenario? how do they adapt? 6) all is well for a while, until The Fire Nation Attacked. who runs away and hides in isolation? who joins the colonising forces? who attempts a rebellion? who concedes defeat and lets the enemies in? 7) alright, now let’s give your OCs a break. they’re back in school and it’s high school musical! which typical high school cliques are each of them in and why? 8) now we’re in deadpool and it’s time to break the 4th wall and change the focus to: the author. what kind of jokes / things do you want to include in your wip but can’t seem to, maybe because of genre restrictions or age restrictions or it just, well, doesn’t fit? (ryan reynolds would say to include it all anyway, but yknow, that’s because he has money) 9) following the ryan reynolds thread, what is the one most indulgent thing you’ve done in your writing / would do in your writing?  10) who is your favourite friends member and why? (this is important okay? to those who haven’t watched friends... i can’t really give you much of an explanation for this one and more importantly -- why??) 11) this is the end! what is the stupidest thing you’ve done in your / with regards to your writing? it can literally be anything -- a stupid spelling mistake, gaping plot hole, printing it out for a friend to read and missing a page, you can really go crazy with your answer here. okay thanks for reading this massive chunk of text and good day everyone!

[babblingblondegenius]

Future Ficlet: All You Need is Love...and Coffee

Wow, tonight’s episode was brutal.  Between the painful Olicity separation in present time and the lack of Olicity in the dark future of the flash-forwards, we aren’t seeing any of the happy right now.  There seems to be no hope. Our heroes’ sacrifices were all in vain.  Basically, everything sucks.

As kismet would have it, a couple of weeks ago, I shared a fun little head canon with @allimariexf and @hope-for-olicity and they both encouraged me to ‘write the thing.’  I’ve had a terrible case of writer’s block for quite some time (meaning I have a gazillion story ideas and a ton of WIPs that are unfinished).  I expected this one to end up dormant in my drafts as well.  But after tonight’s episode, I felt the need to finish it because we (and Olicity, of course) deserve a little hope and happy.  Set two years in the future, the premise of this little fluffy ficlet is that Felicity needs an assistant but she has particular criteria ;)  

This should have been the easy part.  

After months of enticing investors, obtaining the proper licenses and permits, all the legal mumbo jumbo, and locating the perfect office space, hiring an executive assistant is going to be the breaking point where she finally loses her sanity.  

Which completely defeats the purpose of trying to find someone to help her in the first place.

She has been doing fine on her own, thriving actually, since she decided it was time to recommence building a tech company from the ground up, sans Curtis this time.   This venture, for better or worse, will be all hers.  Her vision.  Her name. Her legacy.

Despite her initial apprehension at that thought, she has a clarity and confidence in her mission and goals that has propelled her forward at a pace she couldn’t have imagined.  So far, choosing which of her many prototypes she wanted to launch first has been her biggest challenge.

Until now.  

She had narrowed down the stack of over 100 applications to the eight most qualified for the position, and began the interview process at 7:00 this morning.  

The first one had been punctual, neat, and lacking any sort of personality whatsoever.  

The second one arrived twenty minutes late and then interrupted Felicity mid-interview to take a non-emergency personal call on her cell phone.

The third one tapped her super long artificial nails on the edge of Felicity’s desk the entire time and included ‘loud typer’ when asked how her current co-workers would describe her.

The fourth one was a chaotic whirlwind who overshared details of his personal life on every single question.

Maybe he just had too much caffeine in his system. Or maybe she doesn’t have enough.

Coffee.  She needs coffee.  Her next interviewee isn’t scheduled to come in for another hour, so she takes the reprieve to just lay her head down on her desk for a moment in order to gather up the energy she needs to make the trek down the block for her caffeine fix.

“One vanilla soy latte, extra sugar, extra cinnamon, extra whip cream.”  

Oh yes.  That’s exactly what she wants.  Why she is thinking it in Oliver’s voice, she doesn’t know.  Her coffee daydream is so vivid, she can even smell the soothing notes of vanilla with hints of sweet cinnamon spice wafting through the air. Mmmmmmmm.

“Felicity….honey, are you okay?”  Oliver’s voice again.  She slowly lifts her head and sees her husband standing on the other side of her desk, holding a large cup emblazoned with the logo of her favorite java joint and her name scrawled across it in black marker.

“I am now,” she practically purrs as he hands over her treasured treat.  After taking a deep inhale and a long swallow, she blissfully smiles at him.  “It’s perfect.  You’re perfect.”  Suddenly jumping up out of her chair, she shares the revelation brought on by the jolt of caffeine in her system. “Oh!  I have a great idea!  You should apply to be my EA.”  

Oliver chuffs out a laugh.  “Because I brought you coffee?  Your standards must be pretty low.”  

“Worried you couldn’t cut it, Mr. Queen?” she asks, arching an eyebrow in challenge.

“I think my time served as Mayor proves otherwise,” he retorts with an air of gravitas but mimics her gesture, silently letting her know that he enjoys her teasing him and is willing to play along.  

She shakes her head.  “Nope, not helpful.  You couldn’t even get me a break on my taxes when you were the mayor.  What are your current qualifications?”

He ponders the inquiry for a moment before responding proudly, “I’m the head chef at Chez Queen.”

She rolls her eyes at Oliver’s corny moniker for their kitchen but gives him an encouraging smile.  “Oh yeah, I’ve eaten there a few times.  The food is magnificent.  But do you have any business experience?”

His expression goes from proud to smug.  “As a matter of fact, I do.  I was formerly the CEO of Queen Consolidated.”

She takes another swig of coffee and checks an incoming text on her cell phone before reminding him, “I happen to have first-hand knowledge you wouldn’t have made it a week without your super smart and highly efficient EA.”   

“That’s true,” he concedes with a grin, “though on the downside, she only brought me coffee one time.  One”, he repeats, taking her coffee and phone and setting them off to the side. Placing his palms flat on the edge of her desk, he leans in closer, a visible twinkle in his vivid blue eyes.   “I think she actually broke our coffeemaker.  Violently,” he teases in a conspiratorial whisper.

Mirroring her husband, she leans in over the desk until their noses are almost touching.  “A little violence doesn’t scare you, does it, Mr. Queen?”  She allows her gaze to run down the length of his torso, visibly appreciating the definition of his biceps that his jacket cannot conceal. “You look like you could handle yourself just fine.”

“I like to stay in shape.”  He feigns modesty but she knows her husband and can recognize that look in his eyes. “Some cardio, free weights, martial arts, salmon ladder…”

“That’s so hot” she blurts out, temporarily slipping out of character as her brain produces an amazing visual of sweaty and shirtless Oliver making his way up the salmon ladder.  Will there ever be a day when that doesn’t turn her on?  Probably not, and judging from the self-satisfied smirk on his face, he mentioned it on purpose just to get that very reaction out of her.   Determined to get back on track, she rephrases, “I mean, that sounds interesting.”  She decides a change of topic would be helpful to give her an advantage in their little game.  “Computer skills?”

She immediately regrets that question when Oliver gives her a feral smile that makes her weak in the knees.  Lowering his voice to the same octave he uses when he is dressed in green leather, he divulges, “I’ve hacked a federal prison network.”

Guh, game over.  In all her years with Oliver, that is the sexiest thing he has ever said. She quickly makes her way around the desk and invades his personal space. “Seems like you’re a man of many talents,” she coos appreciatively, latching onto his arm and nuzzling her face into the sleeve of his jacket to breathe in the scent that is uniquely Oliver.

“My wife taught me a thing or two,” he boasts, turning so they are face-to-face and he can wrap his arms around her.  

Her hands instinctively move from his arm to his chest, resting over his heart.  “She must be an amazing woman.”

Oliver nods in agreement, his nose nuzzling hers. “She is.  She’s the best.”

“I know you’re just saying that to get husband points and its working,” she acknowledges affectionately, her hand caressing the stubble on his jaw.   He tilts his head into her palm like a contented cat and she takes the opportunity to kiss him like she wanted to since she saw him in front of her desk, whether it was five minutes ago with coffee or nine years ago with a bullet-ridden laptop.  

Oliver moans and deepens the kiss, the fervent strokes of his tongue making her long for more.  “Okay, you’re hired,” she pants, breaking the kiss when her need for air temporarily overcomes her need for Oliver.  “Smoak Tech is a start-up so your health care package consists of me patching you up if you are injured and I’m sure we can work out some type of compensation for your time and skills,” provocatively shifting her body against his and feeling his obvious interest through his jeans and her skirt.  Two soft kisses and one firm rotation of his hips later, she is internally debating the sturdiness of her desk and whether they have time for her to show him exactly what she means by ‘compensation’ before her next appointment shows up.

“That’s a very tempting offer, Ms. Smoak” he murmurs into her hair as his hand travels down her back and immediately finds its usual place on the curve of her shapely ass, pulling her impossibly closer, “but I’m afraid my current employer really needs me right now and I just can’t bear to leave her,” his free hand gesturing to the stroller where their daughter slumbers peacefully.

Felicity sighs, pure happiness filling her heart and clearing her mind as she rests her head on her husband’s chest to gaze lovingly at the chubby-cheeked, perfect amalgamation of her and Oliver they brought into the world just four short months ago.   “Sounds like she has you wrapped around her little finger.”  

Oliver rests his chin on the top of her head and she can hear the love and contentment in his voice when he whispers in her hair, “From the very first moment I met her.  She takes after her mother that way.”

A/N:  Thank you for reading!  I hope this helped to soothe the sting of all the angst.  Queen family feels FTW.  William was not in this fic because at that time of day, he should be in school and also I didn’t want to traumatize him any further with Olicity’s blatant flirty flirt.  The poor kid has seen enough already lol.  

Huge thanks and virtual hugs to @allimariexf and @hope-for-olicity for all the fun conversations and being all around wonderful :)

Oliver’s ‘current employer’ ;)

[kaitymccoy123]

Wherever We Are (part 5)

Intro: Welcome to another installment of this series! Sorry it took so long!

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Pairing: Leonard McCoy x reader

Word Count: 1,900

Warnings:   Swearing, capture, pain, torture (don’t know if I’m going to describe it yet), small injury treatment, being hung upside down for an extended period of time, mention of schizophrenia in a family member (THIS ONE).

Summary:  Getting lost in the forest with the grumpy CMO is not the most ideal situation, but things soon take a turn for the worst when you are captured and taken hostage.  The alien species interrogates you for information you don’t have, and there are harsh consequences.  How will you ever find your way back home if you don’t even know where you are?

-Enjoy!-

“Y/N. Get up.” It was Leonard leaning over you again, shaking your shoulder.

“Hmmm?” You stirred awake, barely able to fight the heaviness of your eyelids.

“We should get dressed before they come.  I have a feeling they’d take us into that arena in our underwear, and I don’t think I’m up for that sort of humiliation today.”

You turned over in your little blanket cocoon and stretched, looking up at Leonard who had the blanket still wrapped around him.

“I don’t know, maybe showing them our hot bods will instill some sort of pity in them and they’ll take it easy on us.” You joked as you sat up.

Leonard huffed a laugh and shook his head.

“Or maybe they’ll be so disgusted by our weak, fragile, human bodies that they’ll decide we’re not even worth keeping around.” You continued, rising to your feet.

“Do you always wake up spewing so much sass?” Leonard asked, reaching for the wet clothes you had set out.

“Only when our lives are in mortal peril.”

You took your clothes from him, groaning internally at the thought of putting them on as they were still wet and freezing cold.  The damp, cold environment in the cell was not conducive to drying clothes.

You just finished sliding into your frigid shorts when you hear the aliens start to come down the stairs.

Your heart skipped a worried beat and you looked over at Leonard, surprised to find his eyes on you, and his gaze warmed you on the inside for a moment. 

“I’m sorry.” You mouthed, feeling your brows pull together.

He dropped your gaze for a moment before looking back at you solemnly through his brows.  The look on his face was a thinly veiled mask over an expression of worry, and you were so focused on it that you jumped a little when he took your hand, giving it a quick squeeze between his thumb and fingers.

He dropped your hand as the aliens emerged from the stairs, and you felt yourself longing for more of his reassuring touch. 

You were taken into the arena again, this time the room already filled with the dark aliens, and the cacophony of sounds was deafening.  Your eyes fell instantly to the platform in the center, however, this time noting a large wooden chair on top of it, rather than the glass box. 

Your heart clenched as Leonard was dragged and pushed onto it, his arms and legs being strapped down to it. 

SNAP! The sound of Ch’al’s cane hitting the ground made you spin around and silenced the entire room.

“Welcome back, Sweet.” Ch’al’s taunting voice echoed across the arena.

Your mouth went dry and mind went blank at what to say.

“Are you going to cooperate today?  Hmmm?” He hummed. “Shall I ask you again?  I suppose I shall.  Tell me everything you know about your father.  Tell me where the Artifact is.”

You exhaled and set your jaw.  You had thought about what to say this time, wracking your brain for anything regarding your father. 

“He was an explorer.  Or at least that’s what my grandmother said when she was still alive.  She was the only one that would talk about him to me.  She said he explored the galaxies, searching for new things and new life.  I vaguely remember seeing a picture of him once in a Starfleet uniform. But that’s all I can remember.  I swear to you that’s all I know.”

Ch’al regarded you with an even gaze, and you could hear your heart pounding in your ears. 

“Where did he go?” Ch’al asked.

“Pardon?”

“When you were a child.  Where did he disappear to?”

You blinked. “I-I don’t know.  My mom picked me up from school one day and just said that he wasn’t coming home.  She wouldn’t tell me where he went.”

“So you don’t know.”

Panic started building in your chest, and your hands started trembling. “No, she never told me where he went.”

Ch’al snapped his talons.

You spun to Leonard, gasping when you saw a dark figure approach him from behind.  It was in the same shape as the aliens, but cloaked in long, dark robes from head to toe. Leonard was craning his neck to see it, but as soon as it centered behind him, his eyes squeezed closed, and he dropped his head, as if he was in pain.

“What are you doing to him?” You asked, your voice shaky.

“Maliika here is trained in the art of entering minds.” Ch’al responded. “And she may be able to add a few things or two if she feels like it.

Leonard shook his head side-to-side, as if he was trying to get water out of his ears, before he looked up to you.

“So, Sweet, you were saying your mother knows where your father went?” Ch’al sung, and you turned slowly back to him.

“I don’t know.” You said slowly, carefully. “I think she did, at one point.”

Ch’al gripped the arms of his chair tightly and snapped, “You are wasting my time.  Explain, human.”

“She-she was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was 18.  It’s a… a human disease of the mind… that-that makes you see and hear things that aren’t there.  It can make you have delusions, or symptoms of depression.  Before I went to the Academy I got her placed in a psychiatric home, to have full time care.  She still recognizes me, but her attention and memory are… spotty at best.”

Ch’al seemed to consider this for a moment, though his posture stayed rigid and tense.

“I do not understand this ‘disease of the mind’.” He said flatly. “I believe you are lying.”

Then he snapped.

It was not as dramatic as before, with the water rushing into the glass chamber, but still you spun to face Leonard, who was not looking around, not with a pained expression, but with one of confusion.

“Joanna?” The name left his lips as his eyes tracked something near the large doors. “Joanna, what are you doing here?”

You frowned deeply and rubbed your hands over your face in dread.  You had no idea who Joanna was, but you knew this couldn’t be good.

“Let her go!” Leonard shouted, looking pained, his eyes fixed on a point behind you.

“Your mother must have told you where your father went.  You cannot keep that secret from a child forever.” It was Ch’al’s voice now.

“I already told you, she never did.  All I know is that he was an explorer and…”

“ENOUGH!” He yelled, snapping his fingers again.

“Jo?  You monsters! Let her go!” Leonard was the one yelling now, and you turned to see him fighting against the restraints.

“Leonard, it’s not real,” you said, stepping towards him.

His eyes tracked an invisible object and seemed to land on you.

“Y/N?” He asked, and you thought for a second maybe you had gotten through. “Answer him. Tell him the truth.  Please,” he begged. “That’s my daughter!”

Your heart dropped. “I am telling the truth. It’s not real, Leonard.”

“I don’t understand,” he said, and you could see the sweat dripping off his brow.  “Why are you doing this?” He was fighting against the restraints even harder, pure panic filling his features. “NO!” He shouted, “LET HER GO!  THAT’S MY DAUGHTER!”

“Tell me the truth and this all stops.” Ch’al’s voice cut through Leonard’s yelling. “Tell me where your father is.  Tell me where the Artifact is.”

You turned slowly to face Ch’al, keeping your voice as steady and even as you could, “I’ve told you all I know.”

“PLEASE!” Leonard yelled from behind you.

A tear inadvertently snuck down your cheek. “I would tell you if I did, because it sounds really important to you, your species, and your planet, but I don’t know where my father or the Artifact is.”

Ch’al’s dark eyes bored into yours, and you swore he smiled as snapped his fingers.

“Oh, god.” Leonard’s voice was strained.

You pinched your eyes shut for a moment as you turned around, squeezing a few more tears down your cheeks.  Leonard was staring at a spot a few feet away from you, his expression more desperate than you had seen on anyone, ever. 

“Y/N.  Please.  Stop them!”  He yelled, straining so hard against the restraints that he shook the chair. “They have a knife, oh god!  Joanna!  Let her go!  Take me instead!”

That damn near broke your heart, and had to close your eyes and look away from him.  You couldn’t watch him face whatever he was facing. 

“NOOOOOO!” A scream tore from his throat so feral and so raw that you knew he believed every second of whatever he was hallucinating. 

Leonard went quiet now, and you peeked your eyes open to see him, limp on the chair.  Head drooped down, everything about his posture defeated. 

“Take them back.” Ch’al commanded.

You heard the restraints unlatch from Leonard’s chair, and he was marched off the platform, trudging past you, escorted by guards, without glancing in your direction.

You followed, escorted by your own guards, and soon returned to the cell, void of your empty food trays and blankets, you noticed, as the guards left. 

Leonard was facing the back wall, completely rigid, not moving except for his shoulder heaving with each breath.

“Why didn’t you tell him the truth?” Leonard’s voice was low and gravely.

“I did. I told him everything I know.”

“Your lies killed my daughter.”

Oh.

“Leonard, that wasn’t real. Your daughter’s not dead.” You said carefully, staring at the spot between his shoulder blades.

“But-“ he faltered for a second, “but I saw her die.  You gave them the knife.”

“It was an illusion.  A hallucination.  Someone was in your head.”

“YOU’RE LYING!” He roared, but stayed immobile, breaths quickening.

“Please, Leonard.  You have to believe me.  If your daughter was there, I would have done everything to save her.  I would have sacrificed myself to save her.”

He didn’t move.  Stayed silent.

“Please.” You breathed, stepping up close behind him and reaching out to rest a hand on his shoulder.

Without warning he spun, knocking your hand away and shoving you to the ground, hard.  The suddenness of the landing knocked the wind out of you, but nothing hurt more than knowing that he was still in pain, still believed the hallucination.

He had stalked to the far end of the cell now, grabbing shakily onto the bars before it looked like his knees gave out and he sank to the floor.  It sounded like he was sobbing, or having a panic attack, his breath ragged, his body trembling.  He stuffed the heel of his hands into his eyes and folded over in defeat.

You wanted to comfort him, you really did, but something about him shoving you to the ground scared you.  You knew that when the mind lies it can really affect someone.  You knew it better than anyone, especially, with your mom having schizophrenia.

Leonard stayed like that for some time, folded over, defeated, but you didn’t approach him.  You tucked yourself into the opposite corner and stayed quiet.  To give him his time to process everything.

Wishing you still had that blanket, you curled into the bars, shivering at the cool contact of the metal against your skin. At some point you dozed off, in a fitful, cool sleep, filled with dark, evil creatures and little girls with Leonard’s eyes.

-Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it!- 

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