#i cant stop thinking about the walk back down the mountain towards the land that suddenly the lord has promised to abraham and to isaac

[100percentdirtball]

maybe it’s because i’m a faggy little writer and not a woman of faith, but i really really thought the point of the story about isaac and abraham was just to make you really live inside a man who spent three days walking with his son knowing that at the end he would die, and waking up every morning for the rest of his life and looking his son in the eyes and knowing that he was willing to kill him. how is this not a horror story.

[thefanficmonster]

Unconditionally. Completely. Infinitely.

Corpse Husband x Pregnant!Reader

Warnings: Swearing

Genre: Fluff

Summary: Five months in and Y/N is not having such a nice time with the tenant that’s living inside her. She loves the company and wouldn’t exchange it for the whole world, but all the disadvantages are getting more annoying with each passing day. No worries, she’s not tackling it alone. Her amazing boyfriend, soon to be fiancé has her back.

Requested by Anon. Thank you so much for you request! As I mentioned in the reply, this is my first time writing a pregnancy fic so if I got anything incorrectly I sincerely apologize. I did some research but I can’t be sure I got everything right. If there’s something you’re not happy with, feel free to let me know. I’d be more than happy to fix the fic to your liking. Hope you enjoy ❤❤❤

“How are you doing, babe?“ This is his third time checking up on me in the last forty minutes and it’s downright hilarious. Since I can’t drink, for obvious reasons, I shoot my group chat a quick text to take a shot every time Corpse drops by to make sure I haven’t chewed off my own arm in frustration.

I’ve been chilling with a bun in the oven for about five and a half months now and it feels like I’m climbing a mountain that never stops getting steeper. I’ve progressively gotten more passive aggressive and cranky as though I myself am a baby. I think I’d be more aggressive and less passive if I could stand on my two legs without the room spinning right round. If I do manage to stand up, my feet won’t let me remain in that position for too long. I’ve heard foot massages help but to me that sounds like hell - I don’t like massages and especially not foot massages. I’d appreciate it if no hands came in contact with them, thank you.

“Yeah, I’m good. Don’t worry about me, I’m not that helpless.“ I give him a reassuring thumbs up. “Go do something fun, babe. Heck, do it twice - one time on my behalf. I don’t want you stuck with me like this.“

I’ve been trying my hardest to be my regular cheery self around Corpse. He’s been nothing but sweet, supportive and loving since day one and he doesn’t deserve to see me during my low points where my frustration is through the roof. Sure, this was kind of an oopsie for the both of us, but I’ll never forget how happy he was when I told him.

“So, you say it’s mine, huh?“ He jokes like this every now and then, never failing to get a giggle out of me.

“I don’t leave the house, silly! Of course it’s yours.“ Is my usual response. And it’s true. I really don’t leave the house. I didn’t leave it before and I can’t leave it even if I wanted to now. The pregnancy is hitting me hard and I spend almost all my days in bed.

It’s not a pleasing sight and I try to spare Corpse as much as I can. I try not to ask for too much from him, or from anyone really. I know I can do most of the things, if not everything, on my own, so why bother my loved ones to have to deal with my messy self.

“I’m not stuck, Y/N. I want to be here.“ He sits down next to me, “Plus, playing video games without you isn’t fun.“

I automatically cuddle up to him when he gets settled on the bed, resting my head on his chest, “Aw I miss play with you. But right now all of my little bit of energy is concentrated on not falling over whenever I stand up.” I start absentmindedly tracing abstract patterns on his chest, “Who knew that in order to develop a human you lose the ability to function as human yourself? I feel like a whale washed up on land. Big, tired and sad.”

He snorts, restraining his laughter just in case it might piss me off. He’s such a sweetheart, but he should know it would take a lot for him to piss me off. Even in this state. “How can I help? I’d do anything, you just tell me what. Maybe a mass-...” I lift my head to give him the well known finish-that-sentence-I-dare-you glare. “Maybe not...”

Suddenly, I feel pressure on both my temples. It’s not yet pain, but I know it will get there soon. I cringe as I force myself to remove my hand from Corpse’s chest, reaching towards the nightstand where there’s always Advil and at least two small bottles of water. I swallow one pill and chase it with a long gulp of water, making a mental note to take another if the pain doesn’t go away in 30-40 minutes.

“You know how you can help me?“ I say, carefully adjusting my position so the both of us are comfortable, “Distract me. Talk to me. Tell me how you see the future with this misfit that’s already giving me headaches.“

He chuckles, the noise vibrating throughout his chest. I can hear the speed on his heartbeat change - it has quickened. I can only write that off as excitement when he speaks: “I don’t think the headaches will go away. I have a frightening feeling they’re just gonna get worse. A lot more sleeplessness, but a lot less vomiting. A lot more standing up and walking around. A lot more smiles and laughter. More of our friends at out house. Who am I kidding? Rae alone will invade the entire house just to spend time with the baby. You and I be damned.”

I find myself visualizing every detail he describes, all the pictures so vivid and so realistic. A smile spreads on my face as I let myself get transported into Corpse’s version of the future. To be honest, his version is almost the exact same as mine, “If she’s so occupied with the baby, maybe we’ll be able to dip out for a date night every now and then. We may be parents, but we’re not even in our mid-twenties yet.” I sigh, closing my eyes for a second, “I now regret not leaving the house more often while I could, you know?”

“Oddly enough, I do too. I feel like I haven’t taken you on enough proper dates. We didn’t seen enough of the world while we had zero responsibilities, it almost feels like it’s too late now.“

I frown, sitting up to be at eye level with him. I gently rest my hand on his cheek, making sure he doesn’t try to avoid eye contact. “Listen here: Fuck the date nights and fuck the responsibilities. I wouldn’t mind being stuck in a single room if you’re there with me.” I think for a second. Deciding not to make the conversation too serious, I add, “That is if we have food and water. Wouldn’t want you to turn into a cannibal on me.”

He smiles, “I’d never and you know it.” I’m aware his response refers to both halves of my statement, putting my mind at ease.

Having sent my message across and having it well received, I sink back down in my previous position. His hand travels to my hair, his fingers combing through it carefully and sweetly, giving me that feeling of being in a bubble of love and safety. His touch has the ability to calm me down, comfort me, encourage me. He is my guiding light through the fog that represents the confusion from all the pain and exhaustion I’ve been suffering through recently. I know those bad sensations will pass, but the power he has over me is forever.

Him and I are forever. Well, Him and I and a new addition in the next four months.

“I love you so much, Y/N.“ He whispers, cutting through the comfortable silence.

“I love you too, Corpse.“ I whisper back.

“I hope our baby is like you. I hope it’ll be smart like you. Talk like you, act like you, look like you.“ He trails of, his voice wavering.

“I hope it’ll sound like you.“ I say mischievously, hiding my smirk in the fabric of his shirt

He laughs, “Sure, unless it’s a girl.”

“Are you kidding me?“ I giggle, “Especially if it’s a girl.“

His laughter rings in my ears, reminding me there’s always gonna be something to hold onto when you’re in pain. Be it his laughter, his touch, the look in his eyes. I’ll always have him there to relieve my pain. To take my mind off all my troubles. To love me.

And for me to love him right back.

Unconditionally. Completely. Infinitely.

@susceptible-but-siriusexual  @simonsbluee  @save-the-sky  @hacker-ghost  @itsminniekat  @bi-andready-tocry  @imtiredaffff  @jazzkaurtheglorious  @hereforbeebo  @fandomgirl17  @chrysanthykios  @maehemscorpyus  @loraleiix  @letsloveimagines  @annshit  @i-cant-choose-a-username-help  @enigmaticmaze  @divine-artemis

[stvrs13]

" I love her but she hates me "

summary: Ellie and y/n have been enemies for 2 years but they secretly have feelings for each other.

warnings: a lil smut maybe nothing to serious ( help-) , swearing

a/n: alright this is my first smut and im new to writing so no judgements! 🙌

You were walking on the snow when you saw a beanie, you picked it, realizing it belongs to the one and only ellie, your ex bestfriend, your enemy, and of course the one you have secretly have feelings for.. you sigh, debating whether or not to give it back to her but it all answers when you walk towards the corner of the street on her direction, you waved awkwardly. " hey ellie, uh i found this on the snow. " you said nervously. she glanced at dina and back to you with a serious look on her face. " what a joke " she said while getting her beanie off of your hands with a super human speed. she then walk away and dina follows her, leaving you standing on your position. mental facepalm! this was a bad idea, you thought to yourself.

You walked towards your best friend who was sitting on a bench playing with her fingers, Nancy, you sat beside her. " what happened? did she said something to you again? " she said. " uh its not biggy just found her beanie that's all. " you said, slightly frowning. Nancy notices it and asked, " hey you good there? " " actually can we talk about something? somewhere private? " you said, making an eye contact with your fav person (oh really? 😉) across you, there stood Ellie so close to Dina. You immediately lost it and walk away with your bestfriend following you.

You went at the back of a coffee shop and you both sat on the snow under a tree, looking at the dark skies, " so what's up? " she said. You started crying, tears fell free on your cheeks. " oh my gosh, are you okay? " she asked, worried. " its just that- " you hid your face on your knees, " i can't deny it, its always been her, its always. " you whisper the last part. " what do you mean? " nancy asked. " i love her nancy, i do and i just dont wanna do it anymore, i tried letting her go but fuck i cant, i cant stop thinking about her! every time i see her, i felt anger and hurt but also butterflies over my stomach, fuck this. why in the world im the only person inlove with my enemy! i hate this, but i just gotta accept the truth that she hates me, i love her but she hates me. " you said with a shaky voice. Nancy just rub your back, making you feel comfortable, she has nothing to say. to surprise to say something.

" holy fuck " ellie whispered under her breath, she was hiding behind the wall. joy filling her heart.

- 2 years ago -

" cat! look at this. " you said while standing outside the balcony. cat went into your direction. " woah " cat said with a wide eyes. you both saw a beautiful view of the mountains. " its pretty " " i know rig- " just before you could finish your sentence

a stalker came out of the other door and push you to the railings. you stabbed it with your pocket knife but its still alive, it keeps pushing you harder on the railing, " cat help me! " you yell. cat tried to stab it with her switchblade but before she could stab it, the stalker push you down, you hold onto cat but you three fall off the balcony. " shit!! " you yell. you land on your back while cat land on her elbow. the stalker was above you, you stab it again and again until you heard a gunshot, the bullet hit on the stalker's head. it falls on your side, leaving you breathless. you looked at cat who's trying hard to stand and you looked at the person who shot the stalker's head, its ellie. you quickly got up and help cat up. as she stands up, she wince. " my elbow broke " she winced again. ellie walks towards the both of you and says, " what the fuck y/n?! " she practically yells at you. you stood there, nothing to say until you felt a fist on your face. Ellie punched you. you were in shocked but you ran away and ride on your horse. " fuck you!! " ellie yells. Ellie and Cat followed you, ellie is mad at you right now even though cat telling her its not your fault. As you arrived at jackson, you wiped away the tears and the blood dripping on your nose. You dismounted your horse and take it back to the stables. You pet your horse awhile and as you turn around, you were slammed on the ground.

" motherfucker! why did you pull her with you?! " ellie yells. " its not her fault ellie. " cat says. " i- im sorry i didn't mean to- " " bullshit " ellie was about to punch you again when maria and joel stop her. tommy helps you up, blood dripping your nose and a black eye. great. tears falling down from your eyes as ellie look at you with anger in her green eyes. maria, cat and ellie went into maria and tommy's office to talk. while joel and tommy helps you clean your face. once you were done, you three went to maria, joel and tommy left the room and now its all four of you confronting. ellie,cat,maria, and you. you felt hurt, and sad. You talked about what happened and of course ellie sometimes yells at you and maria had to stop her. as the talk went cleared. Ellie can't stop staring at you, your nervous. she has a blank face when she stares at you, Ellie wanted to talk to you, apologizing for being a dick but she's stubborn but also afraid of you rejecting her. So she just did nothing and hid on her corner. She also felt a hole in her heart for you make her feel someting more than friends even though she had a girlfriend. And that, you two never talk, hangout and even maria doesn't let you both go on patrol together so you both were hiding on your corners.

- end of flashback -

" are you sure ellie? i dont think she wo- " ellie cuts maria off by saying, " i dont care maria, just tell her we're paired for patrol. " she demands. maria just sighs in defeat as she nods. Ellie then prepares herself for patrol and something 😉

- afternoon -

" hey maria, you need me to go on patrol? " you asked. " yes and actually you'll be paired with ellie. " she hesitantly said that. You looked behind maria to see ellie leaning against the wall staring at you. " but- " " no buts, you both will go to the mountain over there. " she point out the small mountain. you sighed, why us? you thought to yourself. Maria then nods at ellie and said " keep safe " to the both of you. When she disappears, you look at ellie who is staring at you, you brought out a shy smile. she just nods then walk towards shimmer (ellie's horse) as you do the same. You both got up on your horses and went out from jackson. the entire time was quiet, it disturbs you, its so uncomfortable, its weird, you wanna get back to jackson- you were cut off of your thoughts by ellie saying " check in is inside that cabin. " you looked at her with a kind smile. she blushes, she what?! maybe just the cold wind making her face a little red. You both stay in silent until you reach a small cabin. You got off from your horse while ellie ties shimmer in a tree, you did what she did. She opens the small cabin and it reveals a cozy living room, you took both of your jackets into the couch and you look around admiring the living room while ellie was busy going somewhere inside the cabin. She saw 2 bedrooms in the hallway, she open the other one and it reveal a queen size bed, she smirked. " y/n.. come here " she growls. you walk towards the hallway, fear rising in you. what does she have to do now? you thought. you saw ellie standing on the door of a bedroom with her hand gripping the doorknob, you went inside and admire the beautiful bedroom until you heard the door slam shut. before you could even look at the door, ellie push you through the wall. gripping her hands on your waist tightly. she look into your e/c (eye color) and quickly looks at your lips, asking for permission. you slowly nod, at first you thought she was gonna kill you but oh boy your dreams are coming true. she smashed her lips onto yours, slipping her tounge on your lips, you moaned. it only fuel things up when ellie removed her upper buttons on her flannel, revealing her chest. it was a sloppy kiss, she practically throw you in the bed and got on top of you, she then kiss and suck your neck, leaving love bites, you moaned, feeling your clit throbbed under your jeans and ellie sucking your neck, gosh this is ethereal. " ellie.." she looks at you, her lips still on your neck " we cant do this. " you frowned. she stop and sits on her heels while you sat and leaned in the headboard. she looked at you, tears on your eyes, she sighs. " im sorry " you said weakly. " we shouldn't be doing this " your tears falling now on your cheeks. she put her hand on yours, you look at her, you got surprise when her eyes were filled with tears and sadness. " look y/n, i've heard what you said to nancy earlier and i can't deny that i felt the same way on you. " she paused. " but you hate me? " " actually no, this entire fucking years made me felt nothing but regret and guilt. i can't stop thinking about you, it drives me fucking crazy. " she said. you looked into her eyes again, fear and guilt shown in her gorgeous eyes. you can't believe it, ellie feels the same way. you smiled at her and said, " i love you ellie " realizing to what you said, " i love you too y/n, a lot. " she said with a wide smile on her face. " wanna finish what we've started earlier? " she smirked. you laughed and laid back while she got on top of you again, savouring every moment.

a/n: jeez that's idk anyway, sorry for not posting sooner, i've been a little busy on school and sometimes my lazy ass gets me. hope you enjoy this story! dont forget to like and reblogged for motivation 😹

@akami-senpai, @ellieswife, @gayerforelliewilliams 🌈✨

[castiels-majestic-wings]

Sixth Sense - Chapter 4

Paring: Loki x Female!Reader

Word Count: 2,761

Warnings: Character Fake!death, injury and violence.

Posted: 10/01/2021

A/N: This one is based on 'Thor: The dark world'

Thor had taken you to the best healer in the palace. Odin had asked questions but Thor thought it best to let you explain. You had passed out not long after you left Loki’s cell. You had been unconscious for two days before finally waking up. You stirred before sitting up, the nurse making her way to you.

“Are you alright? How are you feeling?” Your nose wasn’t hurting as much, you assumed they used some sort of magic to heal you. Looking down you saw bandages surround your waist. Had you started bleeding? Looking at the nurse you saw how small she was. About 5’5, small face, short blonde hair framing her face, and her dark brown eyes filled with concern.

“I’m fine. I need to speak to Loki.”

“Thor insisted that you rest”

“Well, it’s his fault I’m injured in the first place!” You swung your legs over to dangle on the side of the bed.

“I’m sorry? He didn’t tell us the cause of your injuries. I-I assumed Loki-” You glared at her.

“Loki didn’t do shit to me. Thor threw a punch at him and I took it. That’s all.” You gaze fell as you hopped off the bed. Ignoring the pain on your waist.

“Where’s Thor?”

“Thor has returned to Midgard. He didn’t say where but-”

“Thank you. But I need to check on Loki.” The nurse knew not to interfere Thor had said you were stubborn, so she let you leave. Walking around the palace you decided to go to Heimdall. He could see over the realms, you had to find out what Thor was doing. Making your way to the Bifrost you saw his figure ready to open a Bifrost. Thor must be returning soon.

“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Heimdall didn’t need to look at you to know you were there. A giggle escaped your lips as you walked closer.

“I should, but it doesn’t mean I will.” Stopping next to him, you looked up at his figure. “Where’s Thor? I was told he returned to Earth”

“Yes. He went to find Jane after I lost sight of her.” Heimdall seemed lost. He had never lost sight of anyone before.

“Jane? Wait, you lost sight of her? But you see everything within the 9 realms”

“That is why Thor was concerned for her. I assume the convergence has opened portals to places even I cannot see”

“Can you see her now?” Heimdall ignored me as he opened the Bifrost. Thor and Jane appeared as Heimdall removed his sword.

“Thor! When I’m done with you I swear- Jane?” You stopped noticing the brunette stood next to him. “The- Thor, she has, power within her. It’s the same energy as Loki’s. It’s dark- powerful.”

“You can see it?”

“Yes, but her body can’t handle it for long. Her aura is fluctuating. Her body is fighting it. It will kill her if you don’t remove it.”

“Thor-” Jane sounded timid. You realised your mistake after you spoke but it was too late.

“Jane, humans cant hold powers like that for long, I don’t know what it is, but it’s not meant for humans to wield. How did you get it?” As you were walking to the palace again Jane and Thor explained everything they could. Your tactician senses were kicking in. You knew a power like that would draw in enemies. If it was hidden for so long, you knew it was dangerous. You sensed it. Thor had told you to rest. He said he would take you back to Midgard as soon as he could, but for now he needed to help Jane. That was before the attack. How didn’t Heimdall see it sooner? You didn’t know, but you knew something bad was going to happen. Thor had you with Jane, out of the way. Safe. After the attack, you found out that Frigga had died defending Jane, or at least the illusion of Jane she used to deceive the Dark Elf. The funeral was held later that night. You knew Odin sent a guard to tell Loki of her death. You wanted to check on him, see how he was doing. You knew he loved her, even if she wasn’t his real mother. She raised him as her own. He must be broken.

After her funeral, you had been told to stay put until you can go back to Midgard. You obliged. No one was in their right mind after the loss of their queen. You couldn’t exactly fall asleep until Thor came to you. He needed your help. You followed him until you made it into a room, under the castle, unknown to most of the palace. Heimdall, Sif and the Warriors Three were there. They had a plan to save Jane. Thor walked you through it. When the time came he asked for my company to see Loki and get his help. You were the only one who knew Loki’s true self. He would listen to you. When you entered, you knew it was an illusion, you saw Loki’s aura, but it was against the wall. Not the figure you saw standing there. He didn’t want to show how vulnerable he was.

“Loki enough. No more illusions” Loki removed the illusion and the room was trashed, and there sat Loki, right where you sensed him. He was broken, more broken than you had ever seen him. His hair was tussled. He no longer wore his elegant clothing. The furniture was scattered around him. Things were broken and out of place. Yet the way Thor spoke at him. He didn’t care. He no longer believed him to be the brother he grew up with. He wouldn’t even answer his questions. You got mad. But let him continue either way. Loki then hid his feelings again. Before we left. Getting ready to escape. You walked behind them. Loki was messing with Thor using his illusions. You had to admit it was funny. But you were worried about his wellbeing. Being able to look so, normal. So, mischievous. After seeing how broken he was you didn’t understand how he did it. But you knew you shouldn’t ask. Sif escorted Jane to our meeting point. Jane began speedwalking as Loki went to introduce himself she slapped him. You stood forward but was held back.

“That was for New York” A mischievous grin appeared on his face before he replied.

“I like her.” You huffed but didn’t think anything of it.

“Okay, now that we’re all here- let’s get to that ship” Guards appeared as you spoke.

“On my command” Thor got ready to attack before Sif intervened.

“I’ll hold them off. Take them” She nodded her head to you and Jane. You walked with Thor not before noticing everyone’s threats to Loki. You made it into the ship and Thor had tried to control it, but he was being aggressive with it. He didn’t have the patience. You leaned over him and looked at the console. You pressed what you thought was the engine. The ship started. Thor looked at you confused as to how you guessed it, while Loki looked proud.

Thor had turned the ship hitting every column in the area, but one.

“I think you missed a column.” Sarcasm was dripping from his voice. While you giggled Thor growled.

“Shut up.” Thor had started flying the ship, very unstably. Loki knew he wasn’t capable.

“Look why don’t you let me take over? I’m clearly the better pilot”

“Is that right? Well. Out of the two of us, which one can actually fly?”

“Boys! Now is not the time! We’re being attacked!” You looked at Jane, she looked bad. At that moment she fainted.

“Oh, dear. Is she dead?”

“Jane!” Thor yelled, hoping she could hear him.

“I’m okay” Her voice was weak as she raised her arm slightly before it fell back to the floor. Loki looked behind us noticing the guards ships approaching.

“Now they’re following us.” The ship shook as you heard weapon fire.

“Now they’re firing at us” Loki wasn’t helping Thor’s patience but he was at least making me laugh in such a dire situation.

“Yes thank you for the commentary Loki it’s not at all distracting” His voice was strained, but rough. He manoeuvred the ship around avoiding whatever buildings he could but he hit a statue at its neck.

“Well done. You just decapitated your grandfather” Thor growled lowly before you made it over the waters. The ship was unstable, you had no idea how you were going to get put in this.

“You know, this is wonderful. This is a tremendous idea! Let’s steal the biggest most obvious ship in the universe and escape in that!” Loki raised his voice showing his frustration. “Flying around the city, smashing everything in sight, so everyone can see us. It’s brilliant Thor! It’s truly brilliant-” Thor then pushed him out. You heard his scream and got angry.

“Why did you do that?!”

“We must jump Y/N”

“Ju- You want me to jump?!” Thor had picked up Jane and stood next to the open door.

“Trust me!” You looked at him questioning everything. But you knew he was your only way out. You and ran towards the door, closing your eyes as you leapt out the door. You fell until someone caught you. You then felt the thud of Thor’s landing before opening your eyes. You looked up and saw Loki facing you. He placed you down, struggling a bit with the cuffs but he tried not to show it.

“You lied to me. I’m impressed” Loki smiled in Thor’s direction. Proud of his brother’s deception. Loki started piloting to his secret passageway for us to escape. You sensed many people coming your way. You turned around and saw another Asgardian ship approaching.

“More ships incoming!” Thor and Loki both turned to confirm your inquiry. Loki began to avoid the ship’s attacks while you ducked. You forgot your weapons back on earth. You didn’t think you would need them. Loki turned the ship suddenly heading toward a mountain.

“Loki?!” Thor seemed like he knew what Loki was doing, but you feared he would kill you all.

“If it were easy, everyone would do it” Loki seemed calm. He wouldn’t risk his life over this, He knew what he was doing.

“Are you mad?”

“Possibly” Thor held on to Jane while you held onto the side of the ship. The ship became unstable as he went through the passage until the ship made it to a different planet. You didn’t know where you were but you knew you would need a weapon of some kind. A gun, a dagger. Anything to protect yourself. The ship was gliding to our destination. You had calmed slightly. Seeing Loki’s aura pulse, however, made you concerned.

“What I could do with the power that flows through those veins”

“No Loki, you’re body is already reacting to just being near it. It would not only consume you, but it might kill you. God or not.” Your eyes narrowed towards him, he knew you were serious.

“How is she?”

“She’s holding up alright. For now”

“She’s strong in ways youd never even know”

“Say goodbye”

“Not this day”

“This day, the next, a hundred years. It's nothing. It's a heartbeat. You’ll never be ready. The only woman whose love you've prized will be snatched from you.”

“And will that satisfy you?”

“Satisfaction is not in my nature”

“Surrender is not in mine” You couldn't hear the rest of the conversation. Your mind was focused on the other entities nearby. You tried to count them. You tried to control the power you had, Jane had sensed them to. The aether within her woke her up as dark elves entered the realm. She whispered the name of their leader. Malekith. You exited the ship following the brothers. Loki was still in chains. He lifted his hands, gesturing to his brother to remove them.

“You still don't trust me brother?”

“Would you?” Thor rolled his eyes as he freed Loki of his shackles. He rubbed his hands together before speaking quietly.

“No I wouldn’t” He conjured a dagger stabbing Thor. Your eyes went wide. This wasn’t Loki. Not the one who opened his heart to you just days prior. Thor was thrown off the hill and rolled down. Loki jumped down, ready to attack again while talking to Thor. As Thor summoned Mjolnir, Loki cut off his hand. Your hands covered your mouth in shock. You couldn't believe he would do that. Loki picked up Jane, and held her tightly making sure she couldnt leave his grip. He was bargaining with them. You ran towards them focusing on Thor’s hand, but it was still there. You could see the aura around his hand. It was an illusion. Making Malekith think that Loki was on their side. Malekith removed the aether from Jane. As she fell to the ground Thor yelled towards his brother.

“Loki! Now!” With a flick of his wrist the illusion faded and Thor’s hand reappeared. Loki shielded you and Jane as Thor tried to destroy the aether. Afterwards there was a giant force that would've injured you greatly if it wasn't for Loki. After the smoke cleared you looked up and saw the shards of the aether. It wasn't destroyed, but crystalised. As you three stood up, Malekith absorbed the aether. Making him more powerful than ever. He left for his ship while the others attacked. One of the aliens activated a grenade and threw it at us. Loki pushed you out of the way as it detonated, becoming a black hole, that was sucking him in until Thor flew past and grabbed him. You knew you needed to help. You might be a tactician but you were also a S.H.I.E.L.D agent. You were trained in combat.

“Loki! I need a weapon!” He considered the possibilities before conjuring another dagger and throwing it in your direction. Loki and Thor had the big guy. You had the grunts that were left. You held the dagger in your dominant hand before charging the grunt. You slashed at it’s chest before it jumped back dodging your attack. It attacked you and stabbed your stomach. You almost fell but you needed to finish this, You knew you had to act like Natasha on this one. You wrapped your legs around its head before flipping it onto the ground head first. Which knocked it out cold. You looked around trying to find the others when you saw a red beam destroying the last enemy. Seeing Loki on the ground made you panic. You tried to run over to them as Thor held Loki to his chest. You started crying, thinking of the worst. You made your way over slowly, jogging as fast as you could with the stab wound. Once you got there, you heard his last words.

“I didn’t do it for him.” Loki shut his eyes, as his breathing stopped. You waited for his aura to disappear. But it didn't. Once someone dies, their aura is no more. But his was still there. With tears streaming down your cheeks you narrowed your eyes. He wasn’t dead? But why was he faking it? You didn't know but you knew you had to find out.

“Thor! He has the aether! The conversion is upon us! We don't have much time!” Thor looked at His brother grieving. But he knew he had to fight for the 9 realms. For earth. He found a way to get to earth but insisted you stayed behind in Asgard until it was safe. You would have insisted on going with him but with your injuries, you would be no help. Using Nat’s move probably wasn't best suited for them, but you had to help. You agreed to return to Asgard with his help you made it there safely on your own. Once you got there your head felt heavy from the blood loss. You almost fainted then and there. But you were stubborn. You wouldn't let your body fail you. Not right now. You began walking the long distance over the bridge, keeping pressure on your wound. Ready to return to the palace you were determined to make it. You made it halfway before you saw soldiers heading toward you. Letting your body fall, you knew you couldn't take much more. You passed out before you were picked up and taken inside.

Taglist: @lovermrjokerr @lord-byron @lucywrites02 @violetica @quirkyreaderwriter @prettysbliss

[mrsbarnes107]

Secret of the Widow

-part seven-

Summary: Post Endgame time period. The team is healing, trying to navigate this new normal they’ve found themselves in when Bucky and Sam bring home a stray with an attitude and a secret. Will the broken team take her in? Or is it too much to bare?

Warnings: language, *eventual* violence and smut, death, fluff, angst

Pairings: Bucky x OC

Disclaimer: this is posted to Wattpad as well and it WILL HAVE PLOT. I’m a Bucky hoe so there will be smut and romancy stuff but this is a series, so plot plot plot and slow burn.

Something was blinding me and I was wrapped in a cocoon of warmth.

I cracked my eyes open, sunlight streaming in and effectively burning my retinas. A big yawn escaped as cat stretched across my bed, popping my joints deliciously.

Of course that's when I noticed that I was in my bed. The bed I was very much NOT IN last night.

I stumbled to the bathroom, throwing on some spandex shorts along the way. The mirror revealed a very distraught woman. Jeez I'm a mess. Puffy eyes, wild hair, pillow creases on my cheek. With a sigh I throw my hair into a bun and wash my face and teeth, staring down my reflection.

Where on earth did this ginormous hoodie come from? This thing is like a dress, I cant even see my shorts and I KNOW it's not mine.

The fact that i cried hard enough to pass out and NOT feel someone carry me to my room AND put a hoodie on me is very concerning. I need to reign in these emotions, no matter how hard it is being back in the tower.

I slip some fuzzy socks on and check the time. 6 am. Of course.

Making my way quietly down the hall I snuggle more into the cozy hoodie. It smells like musk, man, and crisp night air. This is mine now.

No one seems to be awake, so I decide to treat the team to an extravagant breakfast of waffles, bacon, and eggs. But first a very very large cup of coffee.

As the aroma of Heavens most beautiful creation fills the room I have FRIDAY shuffle my music, broadcasting it in the kitchen loud enough to dance around to but not wake the others.

Food is almost done when I'm in the middle of singing into the knife I grabbed to cut up some fruit.

"SHOT THROUGH THE HEART AND  YOURE TO BLAME" chop chop chop "YOU GIVE LOOOVE  A BAD NAME"

I toss the knife behind me and spin around to flip the bacon, catching it with a little twirl. "I play my part and you play your games oooh you give loveee"  I begin setting the food on serving trays "a bad name."

As I'm dancing around the kitchen, enjoying the peace of cooking in an empty space, flicking the knife in the air and twirling it in my hand, I hear the team start to get up and around.

"She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean" what a great way to start the day, bomb music and a dance party. "She was the best damn woman that I ever seen. She had sig-" as the knifes handle lands deftly in my palm, someone interrupts my concert.

"I feel like I should be serenading you right now Doll. Lookin like that, cookin food like this, definitely the best damn woman I've ever seen."

With a squeak I had launched the knife towards the voice, Bucky plucking it out of the air, right in-front of his amused blue eyes. He was leaning against the doorway, legs crossed and sleep rumpled hair. Apparently he's been there a while and apparently he was blessed with beauty no matter his state of dress.

"Barnes what the hell! Warn a girl, jeez." I put my hand over my heart to calm it while pouring a cup of coffee, walking it over to the super soldier. "And damn straight I'm the best. Glad you've noticed."

He follows me into the kitchen, leaning against the counter sipping his drink. "You're pretty skilled with this." I guess that was his warning as he catapulted the knife towards my stomach. Well I deserved that, I thought as I caught it while skipping a few songs.

"You'll come to learn I'm skilled in a few things." I say with a wink. "Although, I don't think anyone works a blade like you do Sarge."

I look up to find him staring at me with a weird expression before he shook his head and smirked. "Well Doll, I could always give you some pointers if you ever wanna train with me."

I'm jamming to Back in Black when the rest of the team walks in. Throwing Bucky a smile over my shoulder and a quick "your on, meet after breakfast?" He gives a nod and sits at the island beside the others.

This could be fun. Or a disaster. Definitely not a good idea. But a fun one for sure.

I'm still bouncing around to AC/DC when Sam scowls at me. Well he looks like a grumpy kitten in the mornings apparently.

"You are definitely Tony's creation." He grumbled, followed by a thank you, as they started scarfing down breakfast.

•••

"Hey Ali, why are you wearing Buckys hoodie?" Peter mumbled around a giant bite of waffle, food flying everywhere.

I paused for a second then continued pouring myself some more coffee, giving Barnes a quick glance that he avoided, deeply interested in his bacon apparently.

"Oh I forgot I was still wearing it, sorry Sarge." I said with a chuckle. "Couldn't sleep last night so I watched a movie and Barnes ended up joining me. I got cold and he was ever the century old gentleman."

That earned a scoff from the old man.

"We're still leaving at lunch right? I'm craving a taco from downtown." Wanda pipped up from across the island.

"Yeah that sounds great, I'm gonna get a quick workout in beforehand."

Peter glanced up from his waffle mountain "Do you think you could stop by the lab and help me out with something? When you're done shopping?"

I see Bucky staring at me in my peripheral, eyeing the smile I force onto my lips. That lab just can't get rid of me huh Tony. "Yeah of course, I'll let you know when I'm headed there."

With that I head back to my room and throw on some shoes and a tank top, leaving Buckys hoodie on my bed. I did say it was mine now anyways.

The gym is a large, two story area with many connected rooms. I went into the sparing room, with mats on the floors and a wall of punching bags. After stretching and putting on some music, I work on the power behind my punches, trying to land harder blows for someone larger than me.

Getting lost in the feel of fist biting leather I let myself drift into thought. I still don't know how to incorporate myself into the team. They were all very kind and grateful this morning, talking about their plans and letting me know they will be interrogating the two bombers from yesterday.

Am I being too open? I'm usually serious and more reserved unless I'm comfortable with someone like Nicky or Tony. It's just that I want them to see more than my serious, throat slashing side. The team is already gloomy enough, but I don't want them too think I'm not taking this seriously. Finding that line is hard when I don't know how receptive three of them even are to me at the moment.

Wanda, Buck, and Peter all seem fine, but the others are more hesitant.

I finish a set with a spinning roundhouse, sending the bag against the wall, just as one of my favorite songs comes on shuffle.

Being on your own for essentially twenty-two years gives you very little option for conversation. Besides the times I stayed with Tony, I was alone. As a kid my teachers were just that and Nicky was there when he could be, but all I really had was myself.

So music is my release. All I ever really had to let loose and feel lighter when on the road or cleaning up after a mission.

So I sing along while launching daggers into a sparring dummy from across the room.

[midnightmoonkiss]

I was told by your wonderful wife, birds-have-teeth that you were in need for some asks/requests. How about Izuku and S/O on their wedding day?

She truly is a wonderful wife 🥺💜

Ahh! I dont usually take requests, but this was just too cute to pass up!

I hope you don’t mind that these are headcanons!

Izuku Midoriya X Reader

Wedding Day.

Category: fluff

——————————

First of all! I think their wedding would be set sometime in spring. The time of year where it’s not too hot and not too cool, just after all the leaves and flowers bloom. I mean think about it, Sakura petals flowing in the wind on your wedding day? What a dream.

It sounds crazy, but I always imagined Izuku as the type of person to want to have their wedding outside.. Kind of like- in a garden? Or a forest? You know that the wedding Bella and Edward had in the forest? Kind of like that! Except surrounded by flowers!

Flowers like.. Magnolia, forget-me-nots, tulips, and of course - sakura! Or, well, Cherry blossoms~ Just! Flowers that really brighten up the secluded space. You’d need seclusion, after all, especially since you are marrying the number one hero.

Wouldnt it be so cute to be married under a willow tree, a brilliant white arch covered in white roses and vines standing above you both? Ackk vines.. So beautiful. Oh! Maybe there’s even a little rock pathway down the aisle?

The air is fresh.. Because you’re in the countryside! Maybe even in the mountains. Somewhere where a little babbling brook is not too far behind the trees, its soft bubbling noises relaxing the party-goers. 

Speaking of! Wouldnt a little plant themed engagement ring be the cutest? Something like this! 

Wedding ring.. Well you both have to pick that out dont you?

The wedding day is obviously going to be the most important day for both of you! But also, nerve-wracking as hell. Im positive Izuku has probably freaked out five times since he woke up at 6AM. Maybe a mental breakdown. Yknow. 

He’s a sensitive guy! And he’s terrified! Nono, he doesnt have cold feet. He wants to marry you! He cannot imagine his life without you in it, but God is he absolutely terrified that you might be the one leaving him at the altar.

Not that he doesnt have faith in you! It’s just.. His insecurities and anxieties taking over him. Even after all these years of unconditional love, he still cant help but feel you deserve someone way better than him. And he fears one day you’ll wake up and realize that as well.

But you’d have to be absolutely crazy to even think about doing that, huh?

So yeah. Wedding day morning is filled with Izuku’s best man - Shoto - trying to calm the sporadic man down, bringing Toshi and his mom in to aid as well. He may have thrown up. Who’s to say.

You, on the otherhand, are having a great morning. You’re bouncing with excitement! Ready and oh-so impatiently waiting to marry the man of your dreams in the most scenic area you could find. It truly was a catch! A relatively cheap place - the majority of your funds were spent on food and flowers. You can get pretty good deals on wedding dresses if you’re marrying the number one hero, apparently. So long as they get to display one of your wedding photos.

Hell, it’d help a local business boom, and who wouldnt want that? You got a discount on your bridesmaids dresses as well~

A dream.

But the start time was quickly approaching. Tick-tock!

Soon enough, the both of you are ready to start a new chapter of your lives together.

The scene is set! Your husband-to-be stand beneath arch drenched in morning dew, light breaking through the trees reflecting on each little droplet and showering the little patch where your wedding was being held in brilliant lights 

It honestly looked magical, straight out of a fairy tale. Hell, you were about to marry your prince, after all

God this wedding is like every outdoorsy kid’s dream

The piano starts up once the player gets the queue that everyone is ready.

Your friends walk down the aisle first in pairs, bridesmaids with bridesmen, silky gowns flowing in the gentle spring breeze

Soon enough the flower girl trots happily down the aisle, throwing Sakura petals every which way with a happy little smile on her face, dress as white as snow and a little pink belt. 

It was truly a miracle no one tripped on the rocks yet.

Once everyone was in their place, a traditional wedding song began to play. 

Showtime.

Izuku swore he saw an angel the moment those vines swayed to reveal you.

A sunbeam hit you from behind, its golden glow cascading down your body.

Tears formed in his eyes as he watched, paralyzed, as you walked down, heels clicking against the floor

The biggest, goofiest smile cracked onto his face, eyes connecting with yours. All was going to be alright. He had nothing to fear.

He’d probably openly sob while stating his vows, hands trembling as they hold onto yours.. It’d probably be something along the lines of.. “Ever since the day I met you, i’ve become a better man. You helped me grow into who I am today. You guided me towards the path that would lead me to happiness with your loving embrace, with every word of endearment you’d whisper to me, and with love as a whole. I always wondered what it’d feel like to be loved like this, and now that I have it, and that I have you, I don’t ever want to let go of it. Because you’re it, princess. You’re the love of my life, my one and only, my soulmate, and so much more. Every day we’re apart I always think of you. You keep me going. Without you, I wouldn’t be me.”

Something cheesy, yknow! Somethin sweeter than candy corn. <3 what a sap. 

He may have had to wipe his tears a few times… cough.

Surprisingly though, his hands are super steady when he slides that ring on.

A shaky yet firm “I do,” green eyes now a shimmering viridescent as he stares at you with the purest form of love swirling in his gaze.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

His hand reaches up, delicately placing itself on your cheek. He cant help but take this moment in, condemning your smiling, angelic face to memory, the flashes of photos being taken completely ignored as he slowly leans in. 

His lips are softer than they had ever been in that moment, the kiss itself so sugary sweet - the embodiment of innocence and passion. Love.

Eyes fluttering closed, he cant help but kiss you over and over again, each one making both your smiles grow larger until giggles erupt between the two of you.

Oh boy. He had lipstick smudged all over his lips. He couldnt care less, though. Pulling you close to his body, he smiled cheekily over at the photographer for a photo.

HE’S YOUR HUSBAND NOW! IZUKU IS YOUR HUSBAND! Praise the lords. (Y/N) Midoriya has a nice ring to it, doesnt it?

Inko welcomes you to the Mrs. Midoriya family with a hug.

The rest of the day was filled with you and Izuku being stuck together like glue, surrounded by friends and family.

The wedding photos would be filled with you two standing in a meadow, sun raining brilliantly down on the two newlyweds.

ackk just.. sakura petals flying in the wind~ how pretty. Maybe one even lands in your hair and he gets to pluck it out. <3

He’s the happiest he’s ever been.

Hell, he’s sure this is what being high felt like. 

He cant stop smiling! He’s just so so cute.

Of course, a few goofy photos have to take place! Maybe Uravity uses her quirk to make it look like the number one hero is floating away whilst you ‘run’ to try and get him.

There was even one where he and his bridesmen wear parts of their hero costumes to show off a bit. Like Deku wears his hood, Shoto wears his.. Bracelets and backback..? Stuff like that! Truly it’s a weird fuckin photo. But so so dorky and so them.

His favorite photo is definitely the one where he has you sitting on his arm as he flexes. Yep. He turned into a bit of a show off. Could you blame him? Haha.

At night is when the real fun begins. Mainly because of the party! Lanterns are set up everywhere, and due to being so far from the city- the stars are shining in the sky! Much more than youre used to.

Izuku took a dance course, unbeknownst to you (Shoto and Bakugou were forced to join him- talk about chaotic!), so that first dance together is honestly breathtaking. He’s so gentle with you, leading the way and twirling you around.

May or may not have bawled when you danced with Toshinori. 

CUTTING THE C AKE. OKAY OKAY.

It’d probably be forest themed. Green and white blending beautifully together, maybe even a little frosting stream cascading down the side. Hand made models of you and Izuku stood proudly at the top. I guess the flavor would be something you both chose together?

He loves touching your soft hands so holding that knife together is awesome for him.

Oh yea. After the perfect photo is taken, he definitely smears frosting on your cheek - just so he has an excuse to lick it off.

Sticky!

You both leave in a black limo, a “Just Married!” sign placed on the back.

Ahh. honeymoon time.

It’s going to be a long night,

Mainly because..

Well. Traveling- and.. Y’know (;

All in all! It starts off as stressful, and ends in the sweetest way possible.

[reevesdriver]

Mountain Man

Summary: John Wick is retired and has moved to live in a cabin in the middle of the woods away from civilisation. One day you stumble through the woods after following the wrong path on a hike and end up in his territory.

Word count: 2285

Character(s): John Wick

Reader: Female reader

Warning(s): None.

(AN: I’m a little rust but please do enjoy. I really loved writing this so much and I am so happy to be getting back into the rhythm of writing regularly.)

“Stupid, stupid, stupid.” You muttered to yourself as you tried to find your way back to the hiking path. It was beginning to get dark and you’d made the awful decision to go hiking alone in an unfamiliar location and now you were lost in the middle of the woods with no phone signal or compass. You had a map but lets face it how would that help when you didn’t know where on the map you stood?

You sighed as you kicked some of the sticks around underneath your feet trying to decide on which direction to start walking in, you spun around and took a deep breath as you began to walk in a random direction that you felt looked familiar. The woods were quiet, far too quiet for your liking but it was better them being quiet than full of growls from wolves or bears that likely dominated the area.

It took about half an hour of walking between the trees that seemed to all look the same before you became aware of heavy footsteps behind you and a heart stopping feeling of uneasiness hit you. You tried your best to steady your breathing as you began to pick up the pace and walk faster not caring if the direction you chose didn’t look right as long as you put enough distance between you and whoever, or whatever, was behind you.

You spent more time trying to listen to the noises behind you and less time concentrating on where you was walking because before you knew it there was a dip in the forest and you ended up twisting your foot and falling flat on your stomach your hands doing nothing to prevent the impact as they sunk into the soggy mud below you. The footsteps behind you got louder as you tried to crawl and kick to get away but the pain from your foot shot up your leg immobilising you, you didn’t know whether it was from the exhaustion or the rush of emotions but your eyelids felt heavy and soon you blacked out.

                                                      ————

When you woke up you expected to see the sky above you but instead you were greeted with high wooden beams that looked both old, damaged but well maintained at the same time. The sound of wood crackling brought your focus to the rest of the room and you turn your head slowly to see a fire burning underneath a large chimney. As you look down you’re thankful that you’re still wearing your shorts and t-shirt but frown when you see the numerous amounts of cuts and bruises that scatter your legs not to mention the bandage that has been wrapped around your ankle.

You decided that despite how nice this home clearly was you didn’t want to overstay your welcome so as you stood with the blanket wrapped around you and attempted to put as little pressure on your foot as possible you limped away from the sofa and out into the hallway. The sound of a knife hitting a cutting board could be heard down the opposite end of the hallway and you contemplated whether to grab your bag and leave through the front door to the right of you or whether to go and thank whoever had helped you.

Going against your better judgement you decided to leave your bag and follow the chopping sound trying your hardest not to fall due to your weak ankle that throbbed from the little weight you put on it. You make it to the doorway of what appears to be the kitchen and see a large man stood next to a sink with his back to you.

“H-Hi.” You stuttered trying your best not to startle the man as he continued to cut whatever was on the kitchen counter.

He placed the kitchen knife down on the counter and turned to face you and that’s when you finally got a good look at him. He was tall and from what you could see of his face beneath the long black hair and messy beard he appeared to be quite handsome.

“Thank you for helping me, I’m sorry for the inconvenience-” You begin to apologise but he holds his hand up motioning for you to stop.

He turns and grabs something from off the counter and you half expected it to be a knife but your gaze softened when you saw that it was a bowl of what appeared to be fruits chopped up. The man moved over to the table that stood between the both of you and pulled one of the chairs out placing the bowl in front of it.

“Eat.” He speaks with a raspy voice and you shamefully pull the blanket tighter around you as your skin prickles with goosebumps.

You move forwards attempting to put as little weight on your bandaged leg as possible as you take a seat on the chair that he pulled out. You pull the blanket over your shoulders and pick out a piece of apple from the bowl biting into it and sighing at how good it tastes. Although it’s just an apple it has been a few hours since you’ve had food so anything tastes delicious.

“What time is it?” You ask holding a slice of apple between your dirty fingers.

“Late.”

“Oh, I really need to be going.” You say moving the blanket off of your shoulders as you try and stand.”

“Stay.” The man says pushing against your shoulders with his large hands causing you to sit back down. “Too dark.”

“Well.. do you have a shower or bath I could use? Maybe a change of clothes as?”

The man nodded and walked out of the room and down the hallway before stopping and turning round when he realised that you were not following him, he looked down at your bandaged ankle and marched back to you scooping you up in his thick arms as he stopped back to the stairs and quickly made his way up them seemingly gliding as you try and comprehend what is going on.

When you reached the landing he guided you to the bathroom and surprisingly it was a lot tidier than you’d expected but you didn’t have time to observe the room before he placed you down onto the tiled floor and placed a hand on your lower back guiding you to the far side of the room where you saw a bath pressed against the window that overlooked part of the forest and a lake that you happily didn’t see or fall into last night.

The man stepped next to you, put the plug into the bath and turned on the taps running both the hot and cold water before hastily moving to get a towel for you. Once the water was at a decent level you quickly stripped and climbed in wincing as the warm water encased your wounds before reducing the feeling to a low throbbing sensation. You leaned backwards attempting to rest against the bath but shot up and yelped when you felt pain hit you. You couldn’t see how bad the wound was or what caused it but it must have been made by a branch from a tree when you were pushing through the woods.

The man mustn’t have been far from the room because he soon stormed into the room with a look of confusion across his face. “My back, I think I've done something to it, can you take a look?” You ask trying to cover your front up as much as you could whilst simultaneously turning in the bath to expose your back to the man.

He moves towards you and you jump slightly when you feel his fingers brush the hairs off your back exposing the painful site to him. “Your back cut, I help?” He says reaching for the cloth that you used to wash your face. You give it to him without further hesitation and he makes quick work of soaking  it in the bath water before rising it up to your back pressing it up against the wound with force causing you to growl in pain.

“Gentle!” You raise your voice to him hoping he reduces the pressure ASAP.

“No move.” He says as you try to wriggle away from him. “I say no move!” He repeats sterner than before as he presses a hand against your chest and pushes you back against him whilst he cleans the blood that began to pour from your back.

His fingers linger dangerously close to your throat and it’s a gesture that makes you obey his order as you sit up straight and try to remain still as he cleans your back. His movements are now gentle and you’re satisfied that he actually listened to your request. You take a moment to to admire his reflection in the window across from you and cant help but smirk when you see the concentration on his face as he cleans your wound.

He places a hand flat against your upper back and pushes you forwards to he can check for any injuries that might be on your lower back before he places a hand on your uninjured shoulder and attempts to turn you round in the bath to face him. “My front is fine.” You reassure him and he gives up trying to check if you’re hurt and hiding it.

You spot a jug on the side of the bath and reach for it deciding to wash any grime out of your hair. You fill the jug with water and try to raise your arms to wash your hair but the pain from your wrists and shoulders is too much so when the man reaches to take the jug from your hands you’re too weak to stop him. He raises the jug above your head and you tilt your head back so he can pour the water over you.

He sighs with content as he brushes his fingers through your hair and across your scalp sending a wave of heat to your face and thighs. He washes the dried mud from your hair being sure not to pull on your hair too much since he doesn’t want to upset you again by putting you in more pain than before.

You turn in the bath using one arm whilst your other arm covers your breasts so that you don’t expose yourself to the mystery man. You do your best to cover up as he stands holding the towel open for you keeping his eyes fixated on your body clearly having no inkling or consideration that he is doing anything wrong as you quickly take the towel from his hands and wrap it around you.

“Thank you.”

“John.” The man speaks and you pause your movements as you look over to him. “My name, John.”

“I’m Y/N.”

“Pretty name.” He speaks with a slight smile before resting the corners of his mouth to a straight line.

John turns and leaves the room and once again you try your best to keep up and follow him as he moves into what you assume is his room. His bed is large and neat and you can’t help but imagine exactly how much room this man must take up in such a big bed like that.

“You are cold?” He asks with concerned eyes.

“I’m fine.”

“For you.” He says holding out a t-shirt and some joggers before leaving the room.

You get dried and dressed as quickly as you can whilst standing with your back to John, you hand him the used towel which he takes and leaves the room before returning empty-handed.

“Come with me.” He speaks moving from the doorway.

You hear him walking down the hallway and quickly try to follow him as best as you can, clearly he forgets that you have an injured leg because he stops at the bottom of the stairs and breaths heavily through his nose with his arms folded as he stares up at you. You make your way down the stairs as quickly as you can and meet up with him again before he takes off into a different part of the house that you haven’t seen yet. As you finally enter the room after what felt like a few minutes you are startled to see the large fireplace that is positioned in the centre of the back wall between two large bookcases that are overflowing with leather back and paper back books.

“Sit.” He says motioning to the spot in front of the fireplace before he quickly leaves the room. You disobey him and instead move over to one of the bookcases and begin reading the spines for anything that peaked your interest, the books ranged from general history to ‘How to’ topics and gardening.

“Have you read all of these?” You ask when he enters the room again, his face clearly indicating he was annoyed that you moved out of your seat.

“Yes.”

“You must really like reading then, there have to be about 100 books here.”

“More than that.” He grunts taking your hand and walking you back to the sofa where he sits you down and hands you a hot cup of tea.

“Thank you.” You say taking a sip from the cup and savouring the taste of the hot drink in your mouth. “This is lovely.”

“I know.”

You can’t help but sink back into the sofa as the heat radiating from the hot tea and the man next to you encases you sending you into a deep sleep before you get a chance to stop it.

[mr-geraskier]

could you write something, like, geralt having a mental breakdown and being comforted by jaskier?

Can I just say I have no idea what the heck happened as I was writing?

---------------Jaskier grabs Geralt’s arm once again, trying to pull him up on his feet. “Geralt get up and let’s move. You’re gonna get sick if you stay in the rain plus your wounds will be infected. You’ve already lost a lot of o blood.”

“I pushed all of you away! Yennefer, Ciri, you! I hurt you once and I can hurt you again. Look at me! I’m a monster!”

Jaskier stops pulling Geralt’s arm and drops onto his knees behind the witcher. “You are not a monster!”

The rain is cold, almost freezing against Geralt’s skin. It soaks his hair making his white hair look grey. His clothes are ripped from the last monster he fought three days ago and he hasn’t found a town to replace them. He feels week, hungry, and lost.

Months ago Yennefer took Ciri and ran away. Geralt chased them for weeks before coming to terms that Yennefer was going to protect Ciri and that he can trust her. Still, he worries about both of them and the last two months have been hell due to him not being able to sleep because of how much he’s thought about Yen and Ciri getting hurt. The past few times he’s been able to nap he gets a glimpse of Jaskier singing to him and once he wakes up guilt floods over his body.  

A month ago he made the decision to search for his missing bard and apologize for his careless words. So far, there’s been no luck finding Jaskier. The hope in Geralt’s head is disappearing rapidly as he walks down the muddy path with Roach by his side. The wind blows in Geralt’s face making him squint his eyes. He walks like this for about thirty minutes before seeing lights and smoke in the distance.

As he continues to walk he notices a small town half a mile away from him. People begin to scream, but not at Geralt, something bigger. Kids cry and run to their mothers who also run for their lives. Finally, Geralt catches a look at the cause of the chaos amongst the town. A monster stands in the middle of the road. Geralt cant makes out what it is, whether it was just because of the rain or because he hasn’t slept for weeks. Either way, he begins to run towards the town, pulling his sword free he lifts it near his side and thrust the sword at the monster, only missing by a hair. ---Word flys a monster has entered into town and has already killed one man. Everyone in the tavern begins to panic, running around the room, watching through windows, running out the doors. Jaskier’s eyes dart around the room at the mess everyone is making. He’s about to join them until he hears mentions of a witcher. Jaskier’s eyes widen and he runs to the doors, pushing through the men and women in his way.

He dashes out the doors and runs to the sound of screams. Why is he doing this? Geralt made it obvious that he doesn’t want anything to do with him anymore. It might not even be the white-haired witcher. It could be any witcher that happened to walk through a town just to fight a monster. Then Jaskier could go back to his rented room. He can go back right now if he really wanted to, but what if it is Geralt. What is he gonna do then? Run up to him and hug him? There is no possibility of that happening. If it did happen he would be pushed away and crushed just like last time. Screw Geralt. But what if it was him? All these thoughts flood through Jaskier’s head as he runs. He makes his way through allies and around panicking townsfolk until his eyes lay upon the creature. He doesn’t recognize the beast from any of his and Geralt’s road trips around the land. Geralt, that’s why he ran all this way into danger. Just to see if the witcher everyone mentioned was, in fact, the White Wolf.

Grabbing a nearby fruit cart, the monster throws it down the road at the man. Jaskier watches the monster before sticking his head out of the ally and gazing his eyes upon Geralt of Rivia.

Hundreds of emotions and thoughts run through his head as he watches both the monster and Geralt fight. The monster goes to grab Geralt but he swiftly uses his sword to chop the monster’s head clean off.

As the rain still falls Geralt stands in the road covered in blood.

Jaskier doesn’t look away from the man only thirty feet away from him. The only words he’s had nightmares about for months now plays through his head. “If life could give me one blessing, it would be to take you off my hands.” These harmful words are on repeat in his head as he watches the witcher sway back and forth in the road. He turns around, not wanting to make another mistake, but before he can walk away he hears a thud behind him. Geralt has fallen to his knees and yells “Fuck”.---Geralt’s whole body is shaking and he can’t tell if it’s from the cold rain or from something more internal. He bends down and screams into his chest.

“WHY IS THIS IT? WHY IS THIS THE WAY MY LIVE IS SUPPOSED TO GO?”

He grabs his sword and begins to stab the creature in front of him over and over again before finally throwing it across the road from him.

“THIS IS MY DESTINY? THIS IS WHAT I MUST DO FOR THE REST OF MY FUCKING LIFE? I DON’T WANT THIS!”

Tears begin to fall from his eyes and he slowly sinks into himself. He falls over on to the muddy grown, shaking even harder now from his sobs. “Why can’t someone just off me already and end my suffering?”

A hand grabs hold of Geralt’s arm and tries to lift him up. He pushes the person away from him, not wanting help up.

“Oh no, we are not gonna be doing this shit again. Get the fuck up and let’s go.” Jaskier demands.Geralt looks up at Jaskier and stops shaking. He shakes his head and averts his gaze from Jaskier’s. “Don’t touch me. All I’ve ever done is hurt you. I can’t do it anymore.”No one has found them yet even though they are in the center of the road. Good thing for the witcher or else his reputation would be ruined.

“You, Geralt of Rivia, are no monster! No, a monster is emotionless. They feel nothing for others as they attack and kill people around them. A monster doesn’t c-care for anything they are doing or anything they have done. You, Geralt, are no monster. Y-you are a man, one that deserves nothing more than a beating and a punch in the face goodbye. A monster has no care in the world. Well, don’t worry because you care! Just not about-- me. You know what it’s like to have a broken heart, yet you broke mine without another thought and you let me walk away! I walked for days, scared, and alone! I should beat you now while you are weak and vulnerable!”

Tears fall down Jaskier’s face making his blue eyes even bluer. Geralt refuses to look away from the young man. The pain in his voice fueling Geralt’s guilt over the past months.

“Now, get the fuck up before I change my mind about helping you.” Jaskier grabs Geralt’s arm once again, ready to fight but Geralt lets him help him up. They walk to the tavern, where Jaskier’s rented room is located.---Jaskier sits on a stool, watching out the window. Geralt is sitting quietly in the bath, being forced to wash the mud and blood off his body. Neither of them has said anything since Jaskier nearly forced him in the tub of water. Geralt feels the need to say something. He is terrible with words though.

“Thank you.” Geralt looks over to Jaskier, some sort of hope in his eyes.

Jaskier says nothing, just watches the rain slide down the glass of the window.“You helped me, even though I didn’t want it. Even when you didn’t want to.” Geralt tries again. Longing for some kind of sign of forgiveness.

Jaskier shifts in his seat but still doesn’t make an attempt to speak to the witcher.

Geralt sighs and sinks down into the water. He thinks about what Jaskier said earlier. About him breaking his heart. “Jaskier.-----I’m sorry.” Geralt watches Jaskier’s eyes flick over to him and then back to the window. “I truly am. You wouldn’t believe the shit I’ve done just to find you and say that.” Jaskier shrugs his shoulders making Geralt smile slightly. “Yes, I probably deserved everything that did happen to me. And you were right, I am just a man. Men are cruel and harmful and I never meant to hurt you like I did that day.” Geralt’s yellow eyes meet Jaskier’s blue ones. “I know I broke your heart. And I’ve thought of that every day since you walked away from me on that mountain. Haven’t been able to sleep lately, because all I ever dream about is your beautiful broken voice singing to me.” Jaskier blushes at the last words and Geralt smiles.

“Why did you say all that stuff out there? I heard you yelling before I came to get you.” Jaskier’s eyes never leave Geralt’s, not wanting to let go again.

“I’m weak. I was giving up on finding you before I walk to your town and fought the beast. Yennefer and Ciri ran away from me and after that, it was just me and Roach. Ciri was my destiny and when Yen took her I felt like all I’ve done these past years have been for nothing. Then I came to the conclusion that even though my destiny was completed, I was satisfied with you by my side. So, I traveled all this way to find you. I don’ just want to kill monsters for coin anymore. I want to travel with you.”

Jaskier reaches out slowly and grabs Geralt’s hand. Geralt, without hesitating grips his hand and pulls Jaskier closer to him. Jaskier land on his knees next to the tub and they sit there, silent. Geralt leans forward and rests his forehead against Jaskier’s and closes his eyes.

“Can we go to the coast now?” Geralt asks in a whisper.

“Only if you never push me away again.”

“Deal.”

[littlebitoffanfic]

Be Safe

Fandom: The Hobbit Characters: Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Bilbo Relationship: Bifur/reader Request: Hiya! I love your writings. By any chance could you write some Bifur (the hobbit) x reader? Honestly I think he doesn’t get enough love. My idea is maybe Bifur has a crush on the reader, who’s in the company, possibly because she listens attentively to him, even though she doesn’t understand kuzdul. (Is that how you spell it?) all the dwarves in the company notice especially Bofur. And can bofur be like a bff of the reader? Thank AN: with this author, everyone lives.

 The company had stopped for the night, settling in a large cave on the front of a mountain. It had been a long day, with a rain that soaked you all right through. but the evening was filled with a warm fire and pleasant conversation. Most of your time was spent with Bifur, Bofur and Bombur. Ever since they rolled into the front door and Bilbo’s, you had been close with them. They didn’t intimidate you like the others did. Well, Bifur had at the start, but Bofur had quickly shown you there was nothing to fear even if the dwarf did have an axe lodged in his head. Bofur had taken you under his wing. Your brother, Bilbo, was useless when it came to anything outdoors, so Bofur had acted like a mentor for you both. Which worked out well considering Bilbos fondness for Bofur and his friendship with Bombur – shared over a love for food. Bifur scared Bilbo slightly, but he couldn’t deny that he felt a little safer knowing that Bifur would protect you if needed. He proved it countless times already on the journey. Bombur and Bilbo was cooking dinner for the company, but they spoke of other meals beside the meat in the pot. Bofur was sitting with Nori, smoking a pipe that had not long dried out. Which left you with Bifur. you sat in a comfortable silence as you mended a shirt of his that had been torn. “Hows this?” You ask, holding up your handiwork for him to inspect. He mumbled words in Khuzdul, nodding and smiling as he took the item from your hand, apparently happy with it. Bofur appeared, dumping himself inelegantly at your feet. “When are you going to fix my gloves. I have more holes than fingers.” He held up his hands with the gloves on, wiggling his fingers at you. “You don’t ask nicely.” You shoot back with a raise eyebrow. “Neither does Bifur!” Bofur acted shocked and hurt by your comment. “And how would you understand him even if he had?” “Well, he seems like he asked nicely.” You reason, smiling a Bifur who shot one back, mumbling something under his breathe. “Hey! We’re family.” Bofur points a finger at him, his face pulled into one of mock shock. Apparently, whatever Bifur said, it was an insult. You giggled, pulling the gloves off Bofurs hands before setting to work. Bofur chatted to Bifur, the conversation seeming to flow despite it being in two languages. You watched them speak, wishing that you could fully join in. You wished you could understand what he was saying. He was very animated when he spoke, and you loved it. His eyes danced as he recanted tales in his native tongue, but you just couldn’t understand. You tried a few times to speak Khuzdul, and butchered it every time, much to the amusement of most of the company. In fairness, they tried to help, and you had started to pick up a little here and there. But Bifur spoke as quick as lightning, and your brain just couldn’t keep up with translating him. In truth, you could spent the whole night listening to him speak, even though you didn’t have the foggiest clue what he was saying. When Bilbo asked why you would sit by Bifur every night, you lied and said ti was because you were fascinated with the language. Well, it wasn’t a complete lie. You were fascinated with the dwarf who spoke it.

---------------time skip --------------

Sitting beside Bifur, you felt the dread building in your stomach. This time tomorrow, you might still be fighting. This time tomorrow, you might be dead. There was no joyous meal tonight. There hadn’t been since you got to the mountain. You were all set to work, trying to find this stone. And Thorin never let any of you spend more than a passing moment with any of them. Bofur and Bombur tried their bests. Bombur snuck you extra food, in an attempt to show he was still there for you. And Bofur would smile at you no matter what. Bifur was never far away from you. He was always just around a corner or in the next room from you. You didn’t know that when Bilbo had escaped, he had asked Bifur to keep you safe no matter what. But how safe could Bifur keep you on the battle field? Sitting on a bench in one of the many corridors, you tried to concentrate on mending the small hole in your sleeve. But your hands were shaking too bad. Cursing, you were about to throw down the needed when someone took your hand. Looking up, you saw Bifur. Immediately, you smiled. Despite the tears in your eyes, or your shaking hands, you smiled at him. Bifur returned the smile, but you could see there was worry in his eyes as he sat next to you. He took your arm to see where the needle was connected too, which was a hole in your forearm. It wasn’t too big. He grumbled something before picking up the needle and, much to your surprise, started to sew the hole closed. “I didn’t think you could sow.” You speak aloud, more out of curiosity. Bifur chuckled, shaking his head before looking up at you. He spoke in Khuzdul, which you didn’t understand. But he gestured to you, then to his eyes then the hole. “You learned from me?” You smile, your cheeks burning as he nodded and continued. He must have spent a lot of time watching you considering what a good job he was doing on the stitching. When he finished, you smiled at his word as you inspected it. “Not bad at all. Im very impressed.” You grinned, stretching out your arm and admiring his work. Noise drew both your attentions to the end of the corridor, and you saw Dwalin walk past. In full armour. even after he past, the weight of what that meant stayed on you both. But, for the briefest of moment, you had forgotten about everything. Bifur had a way of doing that with you. He could distract you, making you smile and laugh even when you didn’t think you could. And if something happened to you tomorrow, you wanted him to know that. You wanted him to know everything. Glancing to Bifur, you knew it was now or never. “I love you.” You whispered it as though it were a secret and your cheeks burned. You didn’t dare look at Bifur as his head snapped to you, instead finding interest in the floor. “I just needed you to know that. In case anything happens tomorrow.” you rose to your feet, ready to leave, when a hand grabbed your wrist and you were stopped. Bifur stood in a hurry, words in Khuzdul falling from his lips like he was spitting fire. You smiled, looking at him sadly. “I cant understand you.” You giggled, despite the pain in your chest. You desperately wanted to think he was confessing and undying love for you, but you were a realist. It was far more likely that he was trying to explain how things could never happened, or how he cared for you in other ways. Bifur fell silent, the frustration in his eyes apparent as he seemed to grind his teeth. then, the frustration faded from his face, as if a realization had dawned on him. You were curious and despite the part of you that wanted to run away, you wanted to know what he was thinking. Like you always did. “Bifur?” You asked, drawing his attention back to you. He suddenly leaned down, pressing his lips to your own. You froze, out of sheer panic and surprise. Never, in a thousand years, would you think he would kiss you. You felt him pause, about to pull back when you realised you had been still as a statue. You allowed yourself to dive into the fantasy you had dreamt about for so long, and kissed him back. His bread made your skin itch a little, but you didn’t care as you reached up, your hands finding his chest. A large hand covered your left one while his other hand touched your hip, slipping around to your lower back and pulling you closer. You mewled into the kiss, enjoying the affection and attention, the war that was on the doorstep long forgotten. A voice called through the large hallways. Thorin. It made you jump and step back, panting slightly. Thorin scared you now because he was unpredictable now. The dwarf you had followed seemed long gone, and the stranger who now lead was a far cry from the original. You had hoped that you were wrong and the others who had known him longer would deny your fears. But they didn’t. Thorin called for Bifur to go to the armoury. He didn’t bother coming to search for the dwarf, instead just calling his orders and expecting the echoes to carry them. Bifur looked to you, his eyes silently asking if you were okay. You smiled, giving a small nod. Reaching out, you took his hand for a moment. “Be safe tomorrow.” You said, not posing it as a question but as a statement. He smiled, giving a small nod before mumbling something in his own words. You suspected it was similar to your own statement. and then the two of you parted, and the dread returned to your stomach.

 --------------------- time skip – after battle --------------

  Racing through the battle field, you couldn’t hear anything as you searched for the dwarfs you had grown so close to. The moment you spotted the floppy hat, you barrelled across the land, throwing yourself at the unexpecting dwarf before he laughed and hugged you back. “Good to see you’re alive too, lass.” Bofur chuckled as you pulled back, his eyes twinkling with relief, happiness and a bit of mischief. “You too. And the others?” You held your breathe for a moment, but Bofur smiled. “Yeah, they made it too. This way.” Bofur grabbed your forearm and pulled you towards the mountain. You saw Bombur resting on a large boulder, a little bit away from all the commotion at the entrance to Erebon. Bifur was standing not far, looking around anxiously with his back to you. But you’d recognised that mass of black hair anywhere. Bombur was the first to spot you, pushing himself off the boulder and engulfing you in a hug. “Thorins sending for family soon. You’ll meet my wife soon.” Bombur pulled back with a smile, and you could see the excitement in his eyes at reuniting with his dear wife. “I cant wait.” You grinned. Movement behind Bombur caught your eyes as you saw Bifur. You ducked under Bomburs arm, you raced to Bifur, throwing your arms around him before you could get a good look at him to make sure he wasn’t hurt. Before you could apologies, his arms locked around you, not allowing you even think about pulling away. “Come, brothers. Lets see if Bilbo is around.” Bofurs voice wasn’t enough to pull you away from the embrace but you saw him and Bombur leaving towards the entrance. Something seemed a little odd about it, and you thought back to the twinkle of mischief in Bofurs eyes, but didn’t want to ruin the moment. “I was so worried about you.” You spoke just above a whisper, blinking back tears of relief. “You cant get rid of me that easily, lass.” The words that met your ears were strange when paired with the voice you were so use to hearing speak Khuzdul. You pulled back, wide- eyed, earning a chuckle from Bifur. “You- you…” you trailed off, but something looked off. Dropping your arms, you frown as you stare at him, trying to figure out what was different. Bifur waited, a smirk on his lips as he held back laughter at your reaction. Then you noticed the dent in his head. “The axe!” You raised your hands over your mouth to cover your surprise. Bifur nearly keeled over as he laughed at your reaction. Proper laughter. Infectious laugher. You smiled fondly, then giggled, then started to laugh with him. In dirty clothes, covered in blood and dirt, with small cuts and nicks and a hell of a lot of bruising, you laughed wholeheartedly for the first time in what felt like a long time. The world fell still around you as you lived in the moment. As the laugher died, you found your feet closing the distant to hug him again. He pulled you tightly against himself, tighter than before. “I love you too.” He breathed in your ear, speaking with adoration and fondness. As if he had said them a million times to you. “really?” You smiled hopefully as you pulled back. “Aye. I tried to tell you before, and again last night, but-“ He pulled one hand off your waist to gesture to the indent that use to have the axe. You ducked your head slightly, smiling like an idiot as your cheeks burned red. He had tried to confess before now? You thought of all the times he had mumbled something to you, looked to you expectantly but always seemed disappointed. Bifur leaned forward, drawing your attention back to him before kissing you again. Neither of you noticed his cousins cheering from the distance.

[eremika-forever12]

Basically this one shot is based on time travel or rebirth theme...which is my imagination for the climax of Attack On Titan story. 😋

••|Freedom|••Eremika One Shot

Steam coming out from everywhere on land....it seems everything....every single home has been dstroyed! Lots of people died....along with titan corpses everywhere!

Among the blood stained grasses, lies down the fallen gigantic corpse of a titan....

The titan size is so huge that it would be almost equal to triple size of colossal titan...

Just from its nape....erupts a sudden smoke allowing a body falling over the ground freely...

The body starts to evaporate as soon as the figure came out and fell off from the nape....

With worn out clothes and injured body with no symptoms of chance of any recovery....Eren Yeager rolls over as he lays flat on the ground staring at the sky...blankly!

His Body was completely heat up ,blood was oozing out from his nose....he looks tired and stressed out....

His face was in no form of good health...

Eren could realise he has reached his end....he suddenly started to cough vigorously as blood came out of his mouth...

His long hair was mess...as he tried to catch his breath...

Slowly Eren looks around trying to figure out the situation....

He could see so many blood spilled in every place with so many bodies...

Suddenly he felt in need of search someone....but he had no strength left...he could barely move an inch.....

Still he wondered....Where are they? Are they safe? Has finally the war ended? Did peace finally arrive!

Eren's throat was dry and sore....he wanted water...badly...

Eren murmurs in low tone- This...p...pl...place....where is....everyone?...someone...any....one....ah....h.....

He gulps trying to catch his breath....as he raises his one hand in air and looks at sky....

He smiles as he tries to touch the sky with his hand....a tear trickled down his cheek...

He makes a fist in air as if trying to hold something....

Eren in low tone as he mutters slowly- Is this....Freedom? Are we free? Where is everyone!

His eyes twinkled as he remembers someone...speaks further- I wonder....where are they? They....they....were....in....battle field....fighting for me again! They...sh..ou..ldnt have come here...Why they..

“ Eren We trust you....we trust your decision....we trust your belief....We are with you Eren....”

The tears rolled down his tears as he started to cough again and spoke in between- Mikasa....Armin! I Want To See Them For Last Time!

Eren with whatever strength he had tried to roll over and move by crawling so that he could find Mikasa & Armin....

He was having tough time to drag himself as he was completely weak....he knew for sure....his time is up...this time he wont be recovering....

He has fought till its bitter end....all he wanted was freedom...freedom for his friends so that they could live their lives well free from titan and marliyan fears....

Eren was feeling dizzy....the time is ticking....he cant crawl any further....but he needs to see them badly specially her before he dies...

His voice was dry....words were stuck in his throat...

He cant drag himself any further so he roll over and laid flat again on his back...

Where is she? Mikasa!

Tears rolled down his eyes again as his vision blurred...

Is she safe even? And Armin? He better be alive...

He did all these for them too....to keep them alive and to free them from this cursed life...

Do they still hate him? Or do they finally understand his motive?

Eren whispers- Mikasaaa...Where are you? Just...co...me...back to me...for....o...ne...last time! I need to ask....for...givness from you....for everything I did...to...you! Please just come back....be safe....

Suddenly Eren hears a rattling sound nearby....it was more like a footsteps...

Slowly Eren turns his head in the direction of sound....as his vision was blurry & unclear.....he could only see a limping figure....coming towards him...he could say the person was injured badly...

As the figure came close....he could hear his name which was faint but prominently...

“ Eren....Eren....Er...en”

All of Sudden Eren eyes shone....as he realised who it was....

He blinked his eyes to clear off his tears from his eyes so that he could have a clear view...

Eren whispers with faint smile- Mikasa....

Just then his smile disappeared and horror arrived on his face to what he just saw....

Mikasa was badly injured from head to toe....it was a miracle that she was trying to walk fast to reach him as much as possible...

Her right part of abdomen was possible severely injured....as she was heavily bleeding from that part ....she was keeping her hand on the area to minimize the bleeding but her hand was completely drenched in blood...

Her expressions showed she was in severe pain as tears were flowing down her cheeks....he head was injured too while one of her sleeve was torn....

Eren was in shock....What have he done! Why is she so badly hurt? She isnt supposed to get hurt...she is supposed to be in safe hand....

Wait where is Armin? What....what happened to him?

Wait....

Suddenly Eren had a flash to what happened an hour back or some hours before....

The whole 104 trainees were there along with Reiner & Aniee...

Mikasa was there too along with Armin....they were there to stop him....but why were they there to stop? Didnt they put their trust on him!

But it was too late already....the memories are vague....all he could remember there was a huge blast from all of the colossal titans while probably they were caught in the blast too including him. After that what happened , he couldn't remember anything at all.

Mikasa kept on walking towards him as he kept on staring at her trying to say something....

With a blink of second suddenly he saw Mikasa tripping and falling on ground as she lost her imbalance....

She screamed in agony as Eren finally spoke up in fear....this time his voice audiable- MIKASAAAA....

Mikasa was laying there flat as her head hit the ground....her hand was clutching to something. It was the RED SCARF!

The scarf was completely drenched in blood...

Eren started crying as he suddenly felt a severe pain in his heart....he didnt want this! He didnt want any of it! He just wanted to save his friends....but Mikasa....she is so much injured! She shouldn't be here....she should return back....she can still be saved! Eren regrets for wishing to see her one last time....its him who dies not them!

Mikasa slowly raises her head and stares back at Eren with tears in her eyes....

She was struggling badly to come close to him.

Eren says in heartbreaking voice- Dont! Dont come....near me! Go back Mikasa....its not worth to come here! You are not suppose to come back to a monster! Hurry and go back before your health detorates!

She was just five hands distance from him as she struggles to crawl towards him.

Mikasa whispers in low tone- I dont think it would change anything....I dont think I will be surviving either!

Eren in agony- No...Go away from here! Its not you guys who deserve this....Its me who should die! My freedom is my death! I want you guys to live long....leave me here & go back! Why did you even come here on first place with those wounds?

Mikasa looked deeply into those weak green orbs as she said weakly- Why? Why do you push me away from you always? Just to die like this? What did you get by doing this anyways?

Eren just kept on staring at her unable to say anything as Mikasa slowly starts to crawl towards him....she was weak....she was almost drained out with the amount of blood loss...but still all she was doing is coming towards him.

At last she came close enough to hold fallen hand on ground.

As soon as he hand touches his....a sense of spark ran through his spine.

Mikasa looked at him- Everyone is dead on this battle field....I doubt there is a single soldier alive anymore here except the two of us....

Eren afraid to ask but still he did- Where is Armin?

Mikasa lowers her gaze as she speaks- There is no one alive Eren....Armin breaths his last a while ago a bit far from this place...

Eren's tears were unstoppable as he whimpers in despair- This....Cant...Be True! Our freedom...I did saw Our Freedom! I Did All These For Freedom...To Stop The Curse! Why! Everything.... I did...Every person, family, child I have killed....means nothing....My actions means nothing....just....I only built a mountain of sins for nothing....

Mikasa finally reached him as she laid besides him- No you haven't Eren! Your actions do have some meaning....though the sins you did has no forgiveness! But The People Of Paradis Are Indeed Free....The Eldians Are Free....The Land Will Be Free From Titans Fear! You did achieve your goal! But Why did you push us away Eren? Pushing us away didnt change the fate of ours....We all were destined to die, to sacrifice our lives for the cause of people of Paradis...

Mikasa puts her hand on his chest as he immediately tried to shove it away as he spoke in agony- Go Away Damn It! I Didnt Want You Guys To Die....After What I Did To You! Why would you choose to follow me again? I thought the acker bond would have been broken...and you would be free from this slavery!

That was enough for Mikasa as she yelled at him for whatever strength she had- Stop It Eren! (Winces in pain) What makes you think I always cared for you just for that acker bond & tried to protect you just for a stupid bond! Please Stop It Eren! My care & feelings were more than a bond....maybe such bond might have exist but What I feel is more deeper than any bond! And lastly you are no Monster Eren! I dont know about the people but for me you will always be the boy who saved me out of kindness!

Mikasa slowly came over him as she placed her face on his chest trying to hear his heartbeat....

Eren was feeling weak again but he slowly puts his hand over her head...

Eren weakly- I Just Wanted To Save You Guys But I Failed Clearly....

Mikasa whispers – No Eren You Havent....Our Death Is Our Freedom....We Will meet again in some different world!

Eren staring at the sky....the birds were flying as the clouds started to run....

“ Is There An Outside World? “

Mikasa with raw breath- I believe there is where everyone of Us Will Be Free!

Eren with his feeble breath mutters- Will we remember this life? And identify eachother?

Mikasa whispers as her eyes started to feel drowsy- I Dont Know....But I Will Always Find You Where ever You Go!

Eren softly as tears fell from his cheeks- Mikasa I Am Sorry For Everything! I....I Have Always Loved You....That Day... I Didnt Mean....

Mikasa interrupts – Sssh I Know...

Suddenly she realises that she was still clutching the scarf in her hand....she smiled weakly...

She slowly pulled it up and pushed it near Eren's neck with her hand still laying over his chest...

“ Warm....Isnt it? “

There was no response....she tried to hear closely....his heartbeats slowly faded away....

Mikasa raised her head to look at his face....

His eyes was open staring at the sky but with no emotions at all...

Mikasa with tears in eyes smilled “ See You Later Eren....”

As she slowly closed his eyes with her hand & laid back on his chest...while her eyes slowly drooped down...

“ Eren..... Eren.....Eren....”

The Voice was quite louder now...

“ Eren....Come On...Wake Up...Eren...”

Hearing the huge scream , The green eyes finally shot open as it stared blankly at the person hovering over him....

That black silky hair floating in air as she stared at him with her big grey eyes....

“ Eren....You Are Late! We dont have much time....did you forget...today is our first introduction class in millitary !”

The Sudden Realisation Stuck Upon Him As He Quickly Jumped Off From His Bed Muttering Under His Breath- Shit....Shit....Damn It! How come I am late! Today is 1st day in military training and I am damn late....Hey Mikasa....Just Save My Ass From Mom! She is gonna be really pissed at me for being late!

Mikasa rolled her eyes- That she already is....she sent me here thrice already but you were still in deep sleep...

Suddenly Mikasa noticed something and she held Eren's hand as she freaked out- Heyyy Were You Crying?

Eren stared at her shocked and touched his cheeks- Me? Crying?

He realised there was something wet on his cheeks....most probably tears..

He quickly rubbed off his eyes....

Mikasa worriedly- Whats wrong?

Eren holding his head as he says- I Dont Know....I Actually Had That Same Long Dream Which I Am Having For Last 7- 8 Years! But Every time I Get Up I Dont Remember Anything Properly....Must Be Some Nightmare....

Mikasa hears someone calling her from downstairs to which she replies " Coming Mrs. Yeager"

Mikasa was about to leave for downstairs, just then Eren called her out- Hey Mikasa! Dont tell mom and dad about it! That I was crying or something...

Mikasa shrugged- alright I wont....

*******

The two of them were on board in a ship which will be travelling to the outer district “ Shinganshina”..... A Historical place of thousands of years with full of mysteries....

Eren lives with his parents in the new town across the sea....along with his childhood friend Mikasa who has been living with them since she was 10. Mikasa’s parents basically lives in the hilly areas and had not planned to shift in main town yet. Mikasa always had an interest in doing education in the main city along with her childhood crush Eren.

As her parents werent ready to shift to main city yet, her dad asked Dr. Yeager, a good friend of his & ofcourse Eren's dad....to let Mikasa live with them for a time being.

Mikasa couldnt be more than happy....

They were 15 now....both of them got eligible to be admitted in Millitary School & College To Persue Their Dreams To Become Soilders....

Mikasa never wanted to be a soilder though but Eren had some kind of crazy dream to become a scout and protect people. While she decided to follow him cause where ever Eren goes she goes....she hopes one day she will be able to tell Eren about her true feelings but till then she wonders does he also feel same for her?

Her thoughts were broken when Eren asked Dr. Grisha Yeager “ Hey Dad! Why do we have to travel across and reach Shinganshina? Why cant the Millitary school be here in main city?”

Dr. Grisha....as he adjusted his glasses said widely- This is because....Shinganshina is the place of mysteries....history of ancestors lies in its ground! It is said that the Millitary people want their students to be taught about the history of Great Wars....Stories of the legends! Who sacrificed their lives for the people of Paradis! Millitary not only wants to make strong Soldiers to protect our lands but also they want to set new examples which will resemble the heroes of Shinganshina!

Eren's eyes shone brightly- heroes of Shinganshina? Who are they?

Grisha smiled- You will know soon Son! As soon as you will be taught about their stories of freedom....

Eren's energetically- Yesss! I Cant Simply Wait....Mikasa this is going to be fun!

Mikasa smiled weakly- Ah yes I guess so....

Just then they heard their names from somewhere far....

“ Eren....Mikasa”

Eren with wide eyes as he looked in the direction- Is That Armin? Ah I thought he had already left for Shinganshina....seems like we all are in same ship!

Armin as he came running towards them- Hey guys! What a pleasent surprise! Guess what we all are late on the 1st day!

The three of them started laughing....

Soon they could see some huge walls approaching.....

The shore of Shinganshina was waiting for them....

While Eren spotted a huge sign of lady face on the walls which could be seen from far....

Eren whispers- Wall Maria!

Mikasa looks at him surprised- huh? From where did that come from?

Eren while being confused himself- ah....I....I dont know...I just thought thats Wall Maria...those wall I mean!

Mikasa wondered- How do you know that?

When Armin suddenly chirpped in- Guys....Dont you feel like something....Deja Vu! Like As If We Have Seen This Place Before....

Eren stared at the huge walls approaching and the huge port where lots of ships arrived...

Eren lost in thoughts- Indeed there is something about this place....

While Grisha smiled- Yes....There is something...about this place! After all this is the place where the freedom of people finally arrived....

Grisha knelt infront of his son as he spoke – The Freedom You Were Waiting For....Eren....Its Here Finally...You are Free my Child!

P.S Hope you guys like it....do share your thoughts and comment.

[rcguna-archived]

@snowbelled​ sent: It's strange, isn't it? She has a deep-seated sense of déjà vu as she stood by the fence line, enthralled by the symmetrical rows of produce lined in perfect order. And now that the Saintess thinks about it, no such thing existed in Kjerag. Perhaps due to the harsh and cold climate of her mountain home. But this doesn't stop her from admiring a patch of strawberries, sweet and ripe for the picking. "Those smell fragrant."

Perhaps stranger than feeling familiarity to a place unlike home may be having no memory of one to begin with. Raguna could have walked those snowy peaks of Kjerag in his past and been none the wiser. No, home and normal to him was here by the rural coast of Norad by the crossroads town of Kardia. Deja vu is a concept made foreign to him by amnesia. Fortunately, rather than let this bring him down it made the farmer all the more amiable to meeting new faces and helping who he could.

He may not know why he’s here or who he is- but he can at least do that for others, cant he?

Even if many of the things he does are indirect, growing produce and making his wares so others can have more things feels productive. There’s a sense of accomplishment after the finish of each work day, and a tickle of excitement at the beginnings of them. Ah, of course, he does sometimes feel the wear of toil, but it all works out in the end.

The sun has eclipsed the eastern horizon by the time he sees a stranger near the fence. Their garb was foreign, but their expression and features conveyed a kindness that alleviated any suspicions he may have felt at the stranger. Presuming they notice the owner of the farmland in the distance, he would offer a wave after setting down the hoe by the well along with the watering can. He’d come back for those later. 

“Good morning! Oh, the strawberries?” Her gaze is followed to the patch, bright red fruit peeking out from the vines of green. They were big and looked about as delicious as they came. “Ahaha, if you think they smell good you should see how they taste.” The farmer smiles and looks back to the woman, waving her towards a gate to let her in. It’s hard not to notice that many features of her person were less than human. He’d read of those who shared the blood of monsters, or had the power to shapeshift... could this be related? Not to mention the unique attire. Perhaps this was normal in the land she hailed from. Is that the right way to think of it? Hm. Anyhow...

Kneeling down by the patch he fishes out a few of the larger strawberries, soft yet fully and plump in his hand and ready to be enjoyed after a quick wipe against his handkerchief. Once he’s back on his feet (and hopefully with the woman in the fields with him) they’re offered together with the rag.

“Here you are, miss! Feel free to enjoy as many as you’d like. I had a much bigger than expected yield this year and I’m happy to share. My name’s Raguna, I’m the owner here at Split Creek. What’s yours?”

[godoftorture]

After the terrifying experience in my father’s study me and Evenki headed to my personal chambers to plan our next steps. Luckily, I remembered to take the secret rout to my room so that none of the servants spotted Evenki.

Théoden: Closing my bedroom door I sighed in relief, “Don’t worry about being found here, my presence is potent enough to mask your signature.”

Evenki: "My question is more of what ill find down there.." I see an visible smirk form on her lips.

Theodin: "Under my bed..?" I ask, i still dont know what she meant by that to this day.

Evenki: "Ah... no.."

I sat on the edge of my bed and rested my head in my hands. We weren’t able to find anything. Not with the short amount of time we were in there. I let out a loud groan,

Théoden: “I hate to say it but there is only one way that I can think of that will get us information on how to get you home.”

Evenki: “How’s that?”

Théoden: “I going to have to summon The Fates. They’re the only ones who would be willing to tell me anything and are the only ones even remotely reliable enough not to tell my Father about it.” I let out another deep sigh,

Théoden: “There are few small issues with this, though. The Fates are fickle beings, they might not even answer my summons, or if they do, they may or may not ask for your soul in return.”

Evenki: "You say that in assumption that i even have a soul." she snickers softly.

I roll my eyes in response.

Théoden: “Then there’s the fact that your mortal and any being in the Underworld would smell your soul for miles away. And on top of that the biggest challenge we face is getting pass the Furies’. They reside in the Fields of Punishment, which is where we need to go and if they get one look at you, your dead. They won’t ask any questions, as soon as they recognize you as mortal; as my mother would say ‘Your ass is grass’.”

Evenki: "That's such a dad thing to say." she mumbles under his breath, "So how exactly do you plan to keep my.. scent or whatever from existing."

I walk over to my desk and pull out one of my spare necklaces.

Théoden: “Here, take this. It’s one of my death charms, it should have enough power in it to make you look like a lesser deity.”

Théoden: “It will be enough to let you walk around the realm without being recognized. I should also get you a change of clothes.”

Evenki: "Well if im changing you cant be in here."

After Evenki got changed, I beckoned him to follow me through the palace. Unfortunately, we don’t have time for a tour, and I rush us to the stables.

Théoden: “The way to The Fields of Punishment is too far for any mortal to walk. So, we will take some steeds.”

And by steeds, I mean 12 large, black, flaming horses that pull the chariots of my father, mother and myself. They are truly magnificent creature even by godly standards. I glance over to Evenki to get her reaction, and I’m not disappointed. Her mouth is agape and she seemed to be in awe.

Théoden: “All right, let’s get moving.” I say in what Evenki described as 'Terminator esque'.

The ride to the Fields of Punishment went by uneventful, thank the gods. We did get stopped by a few patrolmen and deities who wanted to offer me their best wishes. Thankfully, my necklace did what I intended it to do and Evenki was not recognized.

Théoden: “Alright, are you ready? We must make it to the upper section of Punishment. The Fates like it in there because of the humidity, they say it's good for their arthritis. Unfortunately for us its where some of the worst people to have lived reside.

Evenki: She bites her lip softly, "Thats rough buddy"

Théoden: “It’s also about and hours walk. I have to warn you now that what you might see could potentially mentally scar you forever and temperatures are hotter than the surface of Apollos ass.”

Evenki: "I dunno my uncle seems to have done that job quite nicely.

Théoden: “Don’t worry I’m sure my necklace will make it feel like a cool night’s breeze.”

Evenki: "Well lets just hope the girls don't get perkyyy" she says as she exaggerates the t's and stretches out the word perky.

Théoden: “Alright let us get going. We will have to take it slow because I’m not sure where the Furies like to patrol.”

To say I’m nervous is an understatement. In fact, I am terrified, the Fates already give me the chills, but the Furies are downright terrifying. While they have always been... pleasant if you can call it that to me, I have witnessed their wrath and it is not fun. If they get one good look at Evenki, they will kill him and drag me back to my father. And while the premised of getting a beating from my father is scary enough, the thought of Evenki’s pretty face being covered in blood and watching the life drain from her eye is something that causes a pain in my chest and unknown feelings to surface.

I try to navigate us through the tamer sections of the Fields of Punishment, but the cries and screams of agony are still load in my ears. While I am used to this, I’m sure Evenki isn’t doing to well.

Théoden: “Hey, how are you holding up?”

[ER]

Théoden: I motion for Evenki to move closer, “Here stay close to me, if you see something that’s to much just close your eyes and lean into me”. I tug her closer and grip her hand.

Not even 30 minutes go by before I hear the familiar cry of a Fury.

Théoden: “Quickly, behind that stone!”

I pull Evenki towards a large piece of molten rock and crouch behind it.

Théoden: “Stay quiet”, I whisper.

A few tense minutes go by. I can hear the flapping of wings and the shrieking cries of the Furies. After another few minutes of silence, I take a step out from behind the rock.

Théoden: “Okay, I think they’re gone”. At that moment I felt a crashing weight hit me with enough force to send me flying into the side of a mountain. Pain exploded from my back and legs.

The thing I dreaded most rings out over the moaning of tortured souls.

Furies: “MORTAL!!!”

That has me pulling my body out of the rubble quicker then I have never moved before. I get to Evenki just in time of block a blow heading straight for her head.

Fury: The Fury growls at me, “Mortals are not supposed to be here, why are you protect one?”

Théoden: “I have my reasons, let us go!” I manage to block another sword attack heading aimed at Evenki’s side.

No other words are spoken as I try and block each blow aimed to kill Evenki. After a few minutes I can feel my body slow down, more and more hits land on me. I’m starting to lose blood. I have to use my last resort, dodging the next swipe of the Furies swords I manage to get in close and grab a hold of the furies face. Forcing her to look me in the eyes I activate one of my powers I hate.

The Fury screams and screams and screams. Like nothing I’ve ever heard before. After another moment she collapse to the ground.

I can barely look at her.

Théoden: “Quickly, we don’t have much time before she wakes up”. I grab Evenki and lift her into my arms.

Théoden: “It will be quicker this way.” I start to sprint the last few miles to the Fates favorite resting spot.

Wordlessly I set Evenki down and start writing ancient Greek symbols into the ground, I use my own blood for added dramatics.

Théoden: “Hear my call O wise ones, for I have need of your wisdom. Please, head my summons and answer my call!”

Silence follows my chant. And not so long after that the ground begins to shake. Three old women stood before us.

The Fates: “Well look at what we have here. Two young boys on their knees for us.” They crown in unison.

Evenki decides right now is the perfect time to crack jokes,

Evenki: "Actually if i wanted to be on my knees for anybody it wouldn't be for you."

Boys? Plural? I look at Evenki, if I wasn’t so tired, I would be shocked but instead I turn back to the Fates.

Théoden: “Please Wises ones, I need to get this mortal back to the human realm, would you please tell me how I can send her… I mean him, back home.” I closed my eyes.

The Fates: “Hmm, yes we knew this time would come. They only way for you to get the human boy back to the mortal realm is to escort him through Olympus and send him down the cage of metal.”

The Fates: “As you are not old enough to command Chiron sending him back through the Underworld would be impossible.” As they spoke each passed back an eye from one sister to the next.

Théoden: “What is it that you require of me? What do you want in return for this information?” I asked, hoping they weren’t feeling frisky today.

With that question the earth began to tremble, and a load roar could be heard from miles away.

Théoden: “Shit, that’s my father!” I yelled in alarm.

The Furies must have informed him of the fight I had with one of them

Fates: The Fates cackled, “We require nothing dearie, all we want is to annoy your father”. The laughed again and with a snap of their fingers me and Evenki disappeared with a pop.

Evenki: "Jeeze, old bags of shit--" I hear Evenki mutter under his breath.

[cinamons-fucking-art]

Chapter 7: Calm Before the Storm

096 had found it unimaginable they would escape from the Foundations hands, let alone with a partner in tow, and yet here they were...

Countless nights sent running in the forest, Lawrence in tow on their back, the breeze and scenery keeping them going. Daytime was spent in the Pocket Dimension, hiding from the ever watchful eyes of the Foundation and allowing them to rest before continuing. The pleasant warmth of the dimension compared to the cool night air of the over world just wanted to make 096 keep running, but they know Lawrence would not want that, and for that they opted to rest when he wanted to rest.

They lost track of time as the days passed. It may have been weeks, maybe months, since their escape, but after all that time of running, the two of them had made it to their destination.

The Himalayas, home of 096.

When they set foot in the mountains, a sense of relief came over 096, finally returning to the place they called home, the blistering cold feeling refreshing on their skin and the feeling of snow on their limbs bringing back memories of their time in the mountains before being taken away by the Foundation. The mountain scenery and the happy feelings rushing over them had stopped them from realizing that Lawrence had gotten off their back and began speaking.

"Oi, Lanky, yah mind... lookin here for a sec?"

096 looked over about ready to complain about the nickname before realizing why Lawrence had gotten their attention.

The man was freezing; He was freezing quite literally. The black substance that coated his skin had began to freeze in the areas where it was lightest, and areas where it was dripping had frozen, forming small icicles made from the secretion across his body. Inspecting their own body, the areas where the liquid had been pooling had frozen over and came off with ease, taking some flesh with it.

"Oh... Larry, I’m... you're freezing." 096 then wrapped their body around 106, trying to warm them.

"Guess this man cant ta-ake the cold as well as he he was once able to." He chuckled slightly before leaning into 096, relishing what little warmth the being could offer. They sat like this for a few minutes, the only reason they didn't enter the pocket dimension simply being 106 didn’t have the energy to open it. The two of them sat with their thoughts, enjoying the company of one another, until a realization dawned upon 096.

Without warning, 096 scooped up their companion in their arms and began running. 106 didn't even have time to react before the wind hit their body as 096 began their run. All he could do was sit in their arms and let them take them where he wanted.

096 quickly approached one of the many mountains in the range, and began to speed up. They could hear 106s protests but only sped up, until...

The snow broke away as 096 ran through the large mass of snow, the only thing bothering them being how much it had built up over time. It took only a couple of seconds before the snow gave way to the inside of the mountain. 096 stopped, and marveled that perhaps their favorite spot in the entirety of the Himalayas remained theirs until now.

The area was illuminated by white and blue crystals, which pulsed to life with the movement of the two entities. Large crater-like structures made was for water, warmed by the Earth, while smaller, hotter pools of water made way for warm steam to fill the room. Some of 106s frozen parts already began to thaw with the steam as he eyes the array of warm water pools that lay before him.

096 set him down and began walking to the largest pool, situated in the center of the room. "This place... has been my own little secret for many years. Just a small spot to warm up and soak if I wanted. Nothing special... just a small natural sauna only I've know about until now!" With that 096 stepped into the pool and sat, the water going up to their chest.

"Come on in, Lawrence, this should warm you." 096 looked at him as he stood awe struck by the sight.

"I... don’t need to be ruining your place with my..." He gestured towards the corrosive substance that had recently dripped off of him and began eating away at a small rock it has landed on.

"Don’t worry... there are dozens of other pools in here I can use it I don’t want to sit in your rot. We can just... make this your pool.

"Its the biggest one here though... are you sure?"

"Its fine... I don’t really come here often anyways, and plus the water should dilute your secretions for quite a while."

106 hesitated before he finally stepped into the pool. The water around him turned dark as he submerged himself, the water goin’ up to his shoulders before he sat next to 096. A sigh of relief escaped 106 as the warmth of the pool seeped into his skin and to his cold bones. 096 smiled at this, seeing the relief wash over 106s face.

"I don’t remember the last time I had a warm soak this fucken’ nice. Probably before the Foundation got their nasty hands on me in the, what was it, 80s maybe?"

096 chuckled before wrapping his arm along 106s shoulder. "That just means I've had to wait longer for this moment than you have."

"Wait... how long have you been contained?"

"Its... been a long time. I remember one of the officers who was there during my capture mentioning it being a Thursday... and the 1960s was brought up in there somewhere, but I cant remember if I was contained during or after the 60s... and I don’t know if I ever will unless I can get my hands on those original documents."

106 gave a small nod. "I have one other question about you..."

"Go ahead, Lawrence." 096 leaned in closer to 106.

"What would’ve happened to you if... died?"

096s ears went down, and they looked away from 106. "I’m not sure, I don’t remember much about my past beyond maybe a couple of years from the before the Foundation got me. My best guess is that I’d just be reborn in some way, or maybe I would truly be dead... I cant say for sure.”

“Mmmhh...” 106 looked down at the water for a second, before looking up at 096. “Just know that... whatever form you take next when you ‘die’ just know Ill still love you. Unless you take the form of the person who ‘kills’ you next and act like an asshole, in which case Ill probably just cry in a corner or somethin’... not sure... might beat the shit outta yah with a baseball bat if the persons bad enough.”

096 blushed, pulling 106 closer. “I appreciate the gestures... though I wouldn't be surprised if 035 beat you to the bat before dancing a little before beating me to death and making out with 049.” 096 let out a slight chuckle at their joke, while 106 burst out in laughter.

“Jesus Christ I never knew you where so fucken’ funny dude.”

“Maybe its because I haven't been able to talk for, what, sixty years maybe? So many thoughts I’ve had can finally express... I know there’s one thing I've never needed a voice to express though.” With that a kiss landed on the top of 106s head, causing him to submerge himself a little further in the pool, blushing. 096 also lowered himself, allowing himself to continue comfortably cuddling in the warm pool of now dark grey water.

“You’re sure this is where they where last seen, Commander?”

“For the last time, Harley, yes, I am sure. Now shut up before one of them hears us.”

Commander Sam had found it beyond their realms of belief why two beings with such an unpleasant past had been out of containment for nearly six months, always spotted together before running off or slipping into the Pocket Dimension. Months of tracking, footprint following, and eye-witness reports had let her and Harley to the Himalayas. It didn't surprise the Commander at all, really, 096 probably considered the place home, and not being able to be home for so long could hurt anything, even the most heartless of beings.

They began lumbering on again, their foundation-made extreme-cold gear keeping them warm while hauling large bags on their backs carrying the essentials like food, water, and spare changes of clothing. The only personal belongings Sam brought were a scarf she was using to cover her face, Harley had herself a pair of hand-knitted gloves and a beanie.

The mountains were clear of snowfall, and it didn't take long for the two to find some footprints and frozen chunks of black liquid littering the area they were in. Harley tried picking some of it up, but quickly dropped it as its acidity burned away some of her glove, leaving her fingers exposed.

"Lets hope you have spares, hon, because you aren’t getting mine."

Harley sighed before she began digging through the large bag she had set in the snow, looking for her spares. Sam began tracking the footprints, following them. If they were gonna find the two entities, now would be the perfect time.

"Commander, I-"

"Will you be quiet, Cadet?! I don’t need one of the subjects knowing we're here."

"No its just... your following the wrong tracks, and I think I know where they are!"

The Commander looked down and, sure enough, the corrosive substance 106 produced was gone, and the tracks were simply of a barefooted man far too small to be 096s tracks.

"Welp, since I’m a dumb ass, show me where you think they lead too."

Harley began leading her Commander to the location, and it only took a few minutes of walking before they reached a large pile of snow, evidently tampered with. While the hole that was evidently there had since been collapsed, a singe footprint matching 096s had been buried halfway, showing the massive heel of the creature.

"Huh... good job, Cadet. You happen to have a shovel?"

"You know it!"

And with that they began to dig, Sam with her hands and Harley with a decent sized shovel. It took them two hours of straight dogging before the collapsed into a rather large opening, unilluminated. Harley flashed a flashlight into the area, revealing pools of water and crystal structures littering the area.

"You wanna us to go in ourselves or do you want to call backup first, commander?"

"Call backup, we might finally have 'em"

"Okay... nearest facility is is Kathmandu, correct?"

"Yes ma'am. When they get back to you get them give us an ETA."

With that Harley began speaking into her radio, giving their coordinates before signalling they believed the found the two missing subjects, requesting the necessary items needed for recontainment. Minutes passed before Harley gave a response.

"ETA is about 15 minutes, Commander."

"What will they be bringing, Cadet?"

"Two D-Class subjects, one to bag 096 and the other for the Femur Breaker. Backup will be about ten MTF units coming in with helicopters, being piloted by two of those ten men. The helicopters will have hanging containment units, 1.5 meters squared, with one of them containing the Femur Breaker. In case things get out of hand with them, they're also gonna be bringing the experimental Micro H.I.D for 106 and the strongest non-lethal tranquilizers they have at the base for 096. Anything else you need, Commander?"

"Patience... that’s all I need, Harley. Thank you, Harley.”

The two began readying their own firearms outside the freshly dug tunnel. All they had were small pistols and rifles low on ammo, and it wasn't long before they were standing in the snow, waiting for the sound of helicopters to approach. Sam watched the shy while Harley kept toying with her pistol, trying her best to make sure everything worked. The only thing that brought her out of it was the sound of her commanders voice.

“Hey, Harley?”

“Yes, Commander?”

“Promise me you wont end up Osprey, Rodger, and Woodrow. I need to lose you, too.”

Harley stared at Sam for a second before the names clicked in her mind. “I can’t keep that promise, but Ill try my best, Commander. Can you promise the same to me?”

“Can’t guaranteed that either, Harley, and in case I do end up not making out of this... thank you for finding that camera. It’s somewhat nice to know those three went out for a good cause.”

Harley could only give a small sound of approval before the helicopters began descending on them, the sound washing out any potential for further conversation. Out of the copters came eight men, the other two staying to keep the copters airborne.

It wasn't long before Sam was giving out orders, telling the men where to line up and giving the free D-Class the proper materials he needed to find the targets, if they where there.

“D-9606, listen to me carefully. Keep the radio on at all times, find the target, and when you do, put the bag over their head and get out of there. Depending on what we hear, we will give further instruction. Got it?”

“Fine... what does this thing look like?”

“Tall, white, skinny, long arms. If you see something in there that looks human, don’t bag that, we’ll focus on that one. Remember, tall, white, skinny, and long arms. Do you copy?”

“I understand...”

“Good, get in there.”

With that the D-Class descended into the tunnel, their breathing being heard through their radio. Snow was heard being knocked down, and the flashlight was clicked on.

“Its... warm, in here an- YO, WHAT THE FU-”

“What do you see, D-9606?”

“Nothin, there’s crystals... they’ve lit up the whole room. Hot pools of water. All of them appear normal... but... eugh. One of thems pitch black ewwOH GOD.”

Sams eyes widened at this. “What do you see?” She didn’t need the confirmation to know what he saw, the screams already rising from the cave.

“Remain calm, and remember, bag it and leave. Do it!”

“I-I cant, its got its hand on its face and-and I don’t wanna be touchin’ it!”

“Just fucking throw the bag on it, its too stupid to yank it off, just throw the bag on it and RUN!”

Shuffling was hear on the radio before the sound of them running was apparent, and soon after they were out of the tunnel, visibly shaking and crying. They took a second to catch their breath and control their emotions before they spoke.

“What... now?”

“Stay here. My squad and I are gonna keep watch on the copters.”

Suddenly, the figure she had been waiting to see came barreling out of the tunnel, with the bag still on its head, thank god. Sam covered her face as the warm blood of the D-Class shot onto her, with the sounds of tearing flesh and breaking bone accompanying it. It took everything she had to not vomit by the sounds. When it was done, she wearily uncovered her eyes to the pale figure sitting by her, with various extremities and gore strew around it.

It perked up, and then it began tearing at its mask, with what sounded like whimpering accompanying it. The sight horrified her; It had never done this before, why now?!

“Tranq it, boys!”

With that, several shots were heard, followed by the creature having ten or so darts in it. It only took a couple of seconds before it fell, unconscious, into the snow. The bag had been torn enough were, had it not landed face first, everyone there would most likely be dead.

“Someone get another bag and get this thing into containment. Someone else, get the Breaker and mic goin’!”

It took three men to haul away 096 into the vacant chamber, and another one to position the mic and prepare the Breaker. Harley was on standby, with the Micro H.I.D ready to fire. The men on the Breaker gave the okay, and Sam gave the okay back.

The sounds the D-Class made as the machinery crushed their leg echoed through the mountains, the sound sending chills up her spine as she had her firearm ready. It was only the soft laughter that she heard behind her that got her out of this trance of having to listen to two men die in less than ten minutes.

A warm, gooey hand grabbed her by the ankle and yanked her down. She shot at it twice, with neither of her bullets hitting. Fuck, 106 had gotten brighter too?

“Fire the HID NOW, Cadet!” One of the backup crew grabbed her and began pulling her away from the grasp of 106, him also shooting a few shots. One hit its wrist, only grazing Sam as she was pulled free for its hands.

It began to emerge fully from its hole, looking over at the containment cell the Breaker was in before looking at the helicopter taking off, 096 in tow. It stared at it, ignoring the whir of the Micro H.I.D. behind it. It let the intense light of the machine hit it as they watched the helicopter fly off. It too fell unconscious, the MTF going quickly to work wrapping 106 in spare blankets to prevent its corrosion from reaching their skin.

Sam and her savior began wrapping her wound, but she could already tell that the foot would need to be amputated, the sheer amount of corrosive substance that had gotten into it having already made her untouched foot go numb. Harley was quick to her side, helping her savior carry her onto the helicopter.

The remainder of her crew looked at the landscape as the helicopter flew off, relishing the view. As Sam sat, she pulled out her radio, tuning it to the Kathmandu Foundation signal.

“Mission Update: We’ve got the bastards. Only two causalities, both being D-Class used to bring out the subjects. Oh... and a foot, it that counts as one too.”

[hedgewolf-hunters]

Diamond hunt

Bane: This is one of my recent ventures only about a year old. Here we go.

Deep in the ancient Castle Blackstone on the fourth floor in the old library a small figure flies around quickly. A baby chao with dragon like wings, horns and two small fangs is holding a scroll in its nub like hands as it searches the aisles of each book case. Lined with more knowledge of this world and others, magic of both light and dark, and countless tellings of history, plays, stories, legends and more. The Chao spots its target and flies full force at them. He raises the scroll in a sword stroke type manner and swings downward. The target in question is a five foot tall crimson furred wolf with two abnormally long hedgehog spines on his back, two quills curled like rams horns, two like dragon horns, and the two center quills being normal. They have a white stripe down their top center quill and a black stripe down each of their ram quills. They are wearing open legged jeans and steel hiking boots with fingerless steel plated leather gloves. A large double helix claymore sword stands next to them leaning on the table the Hedgewolf is resting their legs on. He is holding a book in one hand and blocks the incoming scroll with one of his own.

"Heh sorry little Toth but you need to be quicker than that if you want to land a hit on me." The Hedgewolf says. He closes the book and turns to the baby chao, grinning as he looks at the chao with his sky blue eyes, a dark blue stripe under each eye. Toth the baby chao says two quick chao's and than pulls the scroll away to swing again. The Hedgewolf chuckles blocking the swings at the last possible second playing with Toth. They both are smiling as they play fight through the library aisles.

A ringing from the Hedgewolf pocket gets his attention long enough for Toth to land a hit.

"Ow! Heh ok ok you win little one." The Hedgewolf chuckles putting up a hand to strop the swatting. Toth chao's happily and successfully before tucking the scroll into a cubby hole in the book case next to them and flying to sit on top of the Hedgewolf head. The headgewolf smiles as he reaches up and pets Toth as he fishes a crystal from out of his pocket. He taps it with his thumb twice and it hovers over his palm prodcing a hologram as it spins.

"Hey you reached Bane Darkos, what can i do for you?" Bane asks as the hologram reveals a mole with glasses on.

"Ah yes, hello my name is Oswald i have contacted you through your bounty hunter contacts here in Gradius." The mole Oswald says.

"Whats the job then?" Bane asks picking up the yawning Torh from his head and walking out of the aisle into the main floor of the library. He carries Toth out of the library and down to the kitchen.

"Their has been a recent string of robberies in many of my jewlery shops. I have contacted the police but they have yet to even fully begin an investigation. I heard you do odd jobs as a bounty hunter and was wondering if you would be so kind as to come and capture the theif." Oswald explains as Bane walks down eight flights of stairs.

Setting Toth down on a cushion bed that Bane placed all over the castle for him, he goes and begins rummaging through the fridge for a drink.

"Well considering Gradius is known to have to odd robbery every now and then thanks to your cities main professions. No offense of course." Bane says grabbing a non alcoholic malt liquor and pops the top off with his thumb.

"Well that is the issue, this past two weeks it has only been my shop and my diamond mine that have been targeted." Oswald says as Bane takes a drink.

"Well, that is rather interesting. But why not hire a local hunter than, you do know my prices for being hired personally is steeper than any local you could find." Bane says taking another drink.

"You come more recommended. Not to mention no one will take the job because the theif has a tendency to avoid almost all security measures they put into place. Almost as if they were a ghost. Please Mr Bane, im losing buisness, ive been robbed six times and cant afford to many more." Oswald says. Bane thinks for a second than sighs putting down the empty bottle.

"Wire the pre determined amount of money to my account on the hunters list. Ill be there in a few hours." Bane says tapping the stone to cut the connection. He pockets the stone and picks up Toth. Walking out the door of the castle he whistles and the doors shut and a lock appears over the door. He leans forward and his spines extend and grow out. Wings begin to sprout as the spine unfold from the bottom out.

"Time for a little flight Toth. Hold on tight." He whsipers to the dozing chao. Toth snuggles into the warm chest fur and Banes hand. He smiles and lifts off before turning east to the town and his family grill.

Two hours later after Bane has dropped Toth off with his family he finally sees the mountains of Gradius. He sighs in relief rolling his shoulders.

"You know if you cant fly for this long without aches you won't make it past your prime." A feminine voice says to Bane. He grunts as he passes over the highest peak.

"If you'd just ask for lessons I would gladly show you how to keep loose while flying." She says. He grumbles as he angles down towards the city coming into view.

"Are you still mad about me hitting on that minx back in Primous?" The voice asks.

"Well no shit Drain. You know that anything you do while in control i count as me doing as well. Jeez i know your hornier than a horned toad but keep your robe on when we switch." Bane growls out before landing with a loud crash.

"Fine lover boy. I'll keep your pants on next time. Alright keep me posted if you need any powerups." Drain says before the noise in Bane's head goes silent. He stands up and dusts himself off from the impact debris. While the cloud still covers him he extends his hand downward and grips at the air. Slowly a light grows from his palm and the helix blade he had left at the library appeared in his hand along with a holster across his back. His wings fold in as he climbs from the crater with the blade in its holster.

"Ah Mr. Bane! So glad you could join us on such short notice." Oswald says from the back of a crowd of echidnas, porcupines, moles, groundhogs and insectoids. The short greying mole slowly forces his way through the crowd to stand in front of bane. He moves his glasses to dissolve any glare from the sun as he looks up at the three foot taller hedgewolf.

"Point me to the scene and I'll set up." Bane says rotating his shoulders and neck. Oswald nods and walks back through the crowd that quickly seperates for Bane.

Three hours later the sun has set the moon was full and Bane sits atop a building over looking the jewelry shop. The shop has been robbed everyday after the mine. The mine was robbed the day before so Bane decided to watch the shop.

"Hyleia you sensing anything?" He asks. The blade shimmers slightly and a pulsating rainbow orb appears.

"Not yet my young king. But the night has only just begun." A new feminie voice says from the orb.

"Ugh stop with the King stuff. I told you when i became your wielder i had no intention of ever taking the throne. Not as a monarch or figure head." Bane says through gritted teeth.

"Can you blame me Bane? You remind me so much of King Sickle. He had no machinations of becoming a ruler with his mate. But look how that turned out eh." She says with a slight giggle to her voice. A second giggle breaks in to the conversation.

"Oh thats one story you will have to tell me in detail Hyleia." Drain says

"Hey have your girl talk some other time please. We got company." Bane says looking down at the shop. Four cloaked figures walk up to the shop window. Bane watches as they look around and pull out a gemstone each. He grins and sits up placing his feet on the ledge and holding it with one hand to balance himself. He watches as the four of them walk through the wall.

"Ahh so high grade spells like that is how the manged to get through the others traps." Bane says taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

"Drain we need to change my sight. Chaos energy tracking would be prefered." Bane says. He feels the inside of his skull burn some as his sight is changed.

"Ok kiddo give it a try now." Drain says as she stops the burning sensation in his head. Opening his eyes Bane looks back down at the shop. He sees the four trails of the figures entering the shop and that they are still rummaging around inside. Grinning Bane jumps up and lands on a closer building. Waiting for twenty minutes Bane watches as they finally leave the shop with what seems to be quite a haul.

"Finally i was getting impatient." Bane grumbles to himself cocking his head to size the four of them up. The four of them tuck the stones away in their cloaks as they keep the bags out in the open. They quickly start running off to the outskirts of the city where abandoned buildings line every other street. Bane keeps at least three buildings between them so they dont spot him as he follows their trail.

They stop at the farthest edge of town and head into what looks like a condemned house. Signs of demolition and to stand clear litter the lawn and fence surrounding it. The four theives check to make sure they werent followed and head inside the same why they broke into the shop.

"Drain reset vision. I got our targets inside an abandoned building with walls of spells leaking energy." Bane says closing his eyes once more. He feels a quick burning sensation and when he opens his eyes the world is back to as it should be. Bane leaps from the roof he was mounted on and lands on the street across from the supposedly abandoned house leaving a sizable crack in the concrete. He walks towards the house gripping Hyleia's pommel, he sniffs and smells the gunpowder of the bombs lining the inside of the fence. He chuckles as he hops over the fence to avoid triggering the bombs.

"These guys where smat enough to set of early warning systems in case they were ever followed. Hyleia could you be a dear and scout the inside? I doubt that its only four in their now." Bane whispers before pulling the sword from his back and pressing it gently flat against the door. A quick shimmer from the sword and the outside of the house pulses. Bane closes his eyes one more time to see what Hyleia sees.

Inside the house the house the second story is barren and in no way livable. The first floor on the other hand is in fairly well condition. A functional living room and dining room along with chairs a brand new eighty five inch screen and a small trail from a hole in one of the fours bags. Following it to the basement Bane finds where they are hiding most of the time. Eight creatures in total three wolves, a fox, two cats and two hawks.

"Well this is quite a haul tonight Trigger. You guys spot anyone at the scene this time?" The female Hawk asks. A grey timberwolf shakes his head.

"Its odd really. The old fart has been hiring bounty hunters for security for the last six days. But tonight, not a soul. The security measures were in place as usual but no one to try and fight or capture us inside this time." The grey wolf says.

"That is odd but not unwelcome." The male hawk says. The female nods and points to an empty corner.

"Stack todays loot there and ill start counting it once i get some food in me." The female hawk says. Bane smirks as he opens his eyes and takes Hyleia off the door. He knocks as hard as possible to make sure they can hear him down in the basment.

"Well their goes the element of surprise." Drain says.

"Oh dont act like you wanted to do this like an assassin. You'd have burst through every trap they set here to make your presence known." Bane whispers.

"You...have a fair point actually. Glad to see you do like listening to my stories when you nap." Drain says. Bane snorts as he holds Hyleia's gemstone as he waits for an answer.

"You know they're probably chewing each other out and gathering guns right?" Drain says

"Probably. But then again what good would they do if i have control of the gun powder." Bane says. Both girls in his head chuckle as he listens and hears them trying to tiptoe up the stairs and silently load their weapons. Bane whistles and the blue marks under his eyes glow quickly.

"You guys are making me wait way to long for this. Ive got a baby to get back to by day break. So you have two options here guys. Turn yourselves into me and you'll be asleep peacefully for the next ten hours. Or fight and have me put you all into a week long coma. Your choice." Bane says out loud once he hears all eight of them arguing on the other side.

"You forgot the third choice." The grey wolf says. Bane sighs and lifts Hyleia forehand position and slices through the door. As oon as the door falls Bane steps through as all eight take aim and pull the triggers. Bane gives them a minute as they all try to fire on him.

"You kids done playing with your toys?" Bane asks. The wolves growl and jump at Bane in frustration. He looks un impressed as he side steps them at the last second sending one out into the yard to roll in the grss and stop centimeters from the bomb trap. The other two crash into the door frame and whine holding their bleeding muzzles. Bane moves Hyleia in single motion around his body blocking a stab with a knife to his back. Two more try to get him with the butts of their unusable guns. He uses his arm to block the butts and pushes the attackers back. With his reflexes he reaches for the fox that tried getting him in the back again aiming for a sweet spot. And a green aura quickly flows from the fox into Bane. He slams the foxes head into a wall before tossing the unconscious fox into the living room. Bane jumps back some as a cross bow bolt flies past his stomach. He glances at the male hawk holding the cross bow.

"Smart little birdie." Bane whsipers as he blocks another with Hyleia and pushes off towards the hawk. He catches a thrid bolt an inch from his eye as he goes over and behind the hawk and uses the flat of the blade to knock the wind from him and into a wall. Bane rushes again at the downed hawk and holds his head in his palm. Again the green energy flows from the hawk to Bane before he tosses him onto the fox in the living room. The two wolves with bleeding noses rush Bane and onslaught him with punches and kicks. He sheaths Hyleia with one hand and blocks some of their blows with his other. Once sheathed he closes his fists and pushes the wolves off of him. He growls as he pushes towards them both. Getting down on all fours Bane shifts his forward momentum to his legs and does an improvised axe kick. The wolves seperate as Bane leaves two large holes where the wolves were. They both manage to block a fist from Bane but are unable to stop him from pushing them into each other. Their skulls meet and Bane palms both of their heads quickly draining them of energy. He tosses them onto the pile.

"Four down and four to go!" Bane exclaims into the house. A throwing star flies past Banes eye just missing it. He glances in the direction to finally see one of the cats getting in on the fight. Bane growls and sidesteps as the third wolf tries again to sneak attack Bane. This time though Bane doesnt let him just fly off again. Bane knees the wolf in the gut to halt the forward momentum and than in almost the same motion round house kicks the wolf at the cat who cant jump away in time and gets knocked to the floor. Before they can react Bane pounces on them and slams their heads into the floor as he drains their energy. He adds them to the pile as well.

"Alright ladies this is your last chance. Give up peacefully and youll only be out for a couple of hours." Bane says down into the basement. He hears them talk it over for a couple of minutes. Than nothing as they start coming up the stairs.

Bane waits patiently as he keeps his eyes to the basement opening. Slowly but surely the two females come out of the basment. Ones wearing an over coat as well as the other. They have their hands up in surrender as they approach Bane. Then the cat begins to run for the door. Bane flings Hyleia at the door completly blocking the exit as the hawk tries to grab Bane around the throat and activate something under her coat.

"You know I was raised to give ladies the right to choose and to be chivalrous. But i was also taught that if they do not accept these traits than I should just not try to push it or in this case." Bane says reaching over his shoulder and grabbing the hawks head.

"Do what needs to be done. Being honest here, i really, REALLY, hate to harm women, even if they are trying to kill me so someone can escape." Bane says as the hawk passes out in his hand and he adds her to the pile. He cracks his neck and walks towards the cat who is on the floor cowering. Bane touches her head with a finger and soon she is passed out on the floor. Reaching in his pocket Bane sighs and leans against the wall. He pulls out a crystal amd double taps it to start it up. A dog in a police officer uniform appears on the hologram.

"Hey, i got eight unconscious here that need a pick up. Bring cuffs and contact Mr Oswald, tell him i found his stolen goods." Bane says to the officer who salutes before hanging up. Bane pulls Hyleia from the doorway and puts her back in the sheath.

Bane: Suffice it to say that job was actually pretty easy. Than again I am not so well known to be outside the forest so its understandable why that bunch had no idea who i was. But i got paid a little bonus. Something i plain to hold on to till the moments right. For anyone curious what it is ask in DM. Im not such an idiot to reveal what it is to the public in the open. But i hope you enjoyed the adventure. Now im off to help build a book fort.

[ship-ambrosia]

Heavens Bringer, part 5

Can you believe this idea started out as a one-shot? Yeah, me neither! Here it is, the final chapter of Heavens Bringer! I’m so proud, and relieved it’s done, but thanks to everyone who read this! Not only is it my first big multi chapter fic, but it’s also been a blatant showcase for the type of writing I’ve really been practicing - action and fights. This is the shippy chapter though, fair warning. I wanna dedicate the nalu to @a-fairy-tail44, the gale to @mountain-c (even though you cant read it yet boo), the jerza of course to @sweetmemories2606, little taste of albis to @allie-and-her-fandoms, the gruvia to both of them, and the kinabra to myself~ I’ve gotten a lot of new followers recently however, especially since posting the last chapter, so I’m leaving the link to Heavens Bringer on AO3 both this chapter and chapter 1. Chapter 1 Chapter 5

  Demons were powerful beings, that was undeniable. But this was at the loss of a sense of caring, honor, or will. The instant that Keyes recognized those mortals he had so amusedly looked down upon had backed him into a corner, he began to crumble.   “You foolish, weak humans!” He growled, though he stepped back as Jellal narrowed his gaze at him. “When will you learn to quit when faced with overwhelming, superior strength?”   “There is no such thing to Fairy Tail!” Erza yelled, having re-equipped into her Adaraxia Blade Wing armor. The impressive swords that made up her wings fanned out around her as she stepped up next to Jellal. “When we stand together, we overcome anyone who calls themselves our enemy! Haven’t you learned that by now?”   “We beat your ass once back in the war between us and Tartaros, so really this shouldn’t have come as a surprise,” It was Gray who was the first to step forward. Though his chest rose and fell at an elevated pace expressing his exhaustion, he still looked willing to fight some more. “Even if you’ve gotten stronger, you’re still alone. Natsu and the other dragon slayers proved the will of your heart combined with those around you can overcome any amount of power when they beat Acnologia.”   Keyes followed Jellal’s gaze, where the resurrected body of Hades was finally fading away into nothing. With Levy’s enchantment negating his demonic powers, his seemingly-permanent Necromancy curse had also finally been canceled out.  “We’re gonna end this now! For real this time!” Natsu slammed his fist into the ground, a burst of flame erupting once again from the impact. “I’m sending you straight back to the Book of Zeref!”  From around him, a blazing dance of flames rushed at the demon, congregating into a single pillar that consumed Keyes in a brilliant display of magical power. Wordlessly, Gray created a bow of ice just as he had when they fought Mard Geer, and the excellent marksman that he was, saw his demon-slaying arrow fly true. Erza spread her arms, and her wing blades all at once converged on him.  “We still need more magic? Damn!” Gray grunted in dissatisfaction.  “That’s fine, leave it to me,” he turned back just in time to see Jellal take off into the sky once again using Meteor, darting across the sky in a familiar pattern as he drew magic circles at his breakneck speed.  “May you be judged by the seven stars of the heavens!” Jellal’s voice echoed through the courtyard with iron-clad conviction while casting the spell he was most recognized for. “Grand Chariot!”  The intensity, the measure of Fairy Tail’s combined hearts beating as one, finally was too much for Keyes to take and Jellal’s Heavenly Body magic, as the one to start the fight, was also the one to end it. The Demon Gate let out a roar of agony, but instead of dissipating into smoke this time, melted into the ground as shadows before they too, scattered and disappeared under the light.   Each wizard could feel it in their chest as the bane particles ceased to exist with the demon who had created them. Despite this, a silence hung over the courtyard as the walls of Levy’s enchantment came down, as if they still couldn’t believe everything that had just occurred.  “Oh my gosh! You guys! Natsu! Gray! Erza!” A young voice suddenly called from the sky, breaking the silence. “Gajeel! Are you all okay? Jellal! Erik!”  Jellal rose his head at his name and spotted three silhouettes with wings descending from the sky. Wendy was the first to land, having been the one who yelled for them. Carla appeared beside her as the other two wizards landed. To everyone’s surprise, it was Lyon and Chelia of Lamia Scale who joined her, carried by Pantherlily and Happy respectively.  “Natsuuuuuuuu!” Happy wailed, rocketing himself like a missile into Natsu’s chest, sobbing.  “Hey little buddy. You’re okay!” He exclaimed. “I was starting to get worried about where you were!”  “What do you mean ‘starting’? Natsu, you’re so mean!”  “Lyon!” Meredy exclaimed, a comically exaggerated blush had appeared on her face when she realized he was standing in front of her. “Wh-what are you and Chelia doing here?” She shot Erik a glare and elbowed him hard when the dragon slayer began chuckling beside her.  “Carla, Happy, Lily and I got away when Hades first started attacking the guild,” Wendy explained to the confused, battered wizards as she and Chelia dispersed to heal the injured members of Fairy Tail. “We flew to Lamia Scale because I knew Chelia could help me heal everyone, and I thought Lyon might be able to help fight him off.”  “I’m quite relieved to see you no longer need my assistance,” Lamia Scale’s ace wizard replied while still looking at Meredy, before his attention was diverted to his rival ice mage and brother. “You too, Gray. I can’t help but get worried about you, my little brother. Especially when Juvia is unable to help you.”  “Shut up,” Gray grunted, but the smile on his face gave away his true feelings. He turned back to the glacier holding her, Laxus, and the Thunder Legion, pushing both of his palms against the ice as he worked to take it down.  “Gray, what is this?” Lyon asked, studying the ice as he walked up beside him. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” it was then he noticed the wizards suspended within it, noticeably the water mage who was carrying Gray’s child and whom he previously also had feelings for, and his expression hardened. “Why is Juvia in there? Did Hades do this?”  “No, I did,” Gray huffed. “It’s some sort of healing ice. It protected them from bane particles and caused them to regain consciousness. I still have no idea how I did it. Keyes tried to attack Juvia... and I just remember feeling furious, that I couldn’t let him touch her.”  “Keyes?” He echoed in confusion.  “That’s right,” Jellal grunted, from where Wendy was working on healing his injuries. Levy was also casting another ‘PURIFY’ solid script over the group for good measure. “It was Keyes who attacked Fairy Tail. The Hades we fought was just a reanimated version of the true Grimoire Heart master. Hades is still dead.”  “I thought all of Tartaros was gone! Especially Keyes. Juvia killed him,” Wendy was shocked to hear the news as well.  “Yes, but he said it was because of Zeref’s death that he was able to use Necromancy to revive himself,” Erza answered. “Hopefully now he stays that way.”  With a sound somewhere between crumbling rock and shattering glass, the icy cocoon protecting the wizards within it opened. The onlooking group watched in awe as Laxus and his Thunder Legion appeared, unscathed, as Laxus reached up to help the three of them down off the ice.  And all the gathered fairies watched as Juvia slumped forward into Gray’s chest, who had already been rushing to meet her the moment he opened the glacier he’d put her in. She looked up to him, smiling as Gray shifted his arms to slip one under her knees and lift her off the ground.  “Wendy, will you check her out for me?” He called down to the dragon slayer with some desperation. “Can you make sure Juvia and the baby are okay?”  “Of course!” She waved back at him. In response, Gray slid back down the ice with her before letting her down back on her feet at the bottom.  Juvia reaches up and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, whispering something in Gray’s ear that caused both him and Wendy - who had been standing nearby, along with her enhanced dragon slaying hearing and perpetual bad luck in always overhearing the wrong things - to blush across the entire width of their faces. She smiled innocently at him as Wendy nervously got to work.  Jellal let out a bit of a chuckle, watching as the rest of his guildmates gained their wits again, reuniting with relief for one another. Gajeel and Levy had joined back up with Lily, and all three were gathered around Jet and Droy as they came to. The Strauss siblings had joined Laxus and the Thunder Legion not long after they all woke up, with both Mira and Lisanna beginning to examine the group’s injuries.  He saw as Erza made her way toward the doors of the guild hall where Alzack and Bisca had appeared, the former cradling their daughter in his arms. Asuka was still unconscious from having what little magic was in her drained from her body, but because neither parent looked extremely worried he figured she must be okay, perhaps even just sleeping after waking from the whole ordeal. It was a moment of relief for all who had experienced the pure terror Keyes had subjected them to, as life had been breathed back into Fairy Tail.  “Damn it’s loud again,” Jellal turned when he heard Erik speaking, and he saw the dragon slayer and Meredy nearing him.  “Oh stop pretending like you aren’t happy everyone is all right,” the petite wizard scolded him.  Erik yawned, indicating he was purposefully ignoring her statement. “Even though it’s loud again, I can still hear what you‘re thinking, pinky. Why don’t you go talk to Lyon instead of bothering me with both your lovesick voice and thoughts? It’s too bad he didn’t get to play hero for you, huh? Although, I must say you’ve got quite the imagination.”  She blushed again. “H-hey, that’s...! You’re horrible! Agh, get out of my head you ass!”  He rolled his eyes and looked to Jellal, a look of bored annoyance on his face. “Look, if we’re done here Jellal, I’m just gonna-“  “Erik!” His composure, however, was caught off by the sharp cry of his name that also echoed from the guild hall entrance. And there stood Kinana, the very sight of her which immediately stripped his indifferent facade away.  “Kinana...” he gasped, and Jellal couldn’t help but chuckle at him too, as his mind seemed to instantly stop, relief flooding his face so quickly that the Poison Dragon Slayer looked as though he were about to cry. The next instant she had crossed the courtyard and flung herself into his arms, nearly knocking Erik over in the process. He held her tightly though, wrapping a hand around to cradle the back of her head like he couldn’t believe she was all right.  “You’re okay... you’re safe...” he was mumbling. “Kinana...”  Meredy rolled her eyes and continued over to Jellal’s side. “Can you believe him? Such a softie when it comes to her.”  Jellal smirked and turned his gaze to her. He was about to ask her if she was all right when a sudden ignition of flames erupted from where Natsu stood. Surrounded by so many reuniting couples, it was blatantly obvious what had him so upset when Jellal realized there were still two members of Fairy Tail who were not amongst the joyful crowd.  “Lucy!” Natsu’s despairing exclamation immediately darkened the mood of the celebrating guild members. “Where’s Lucy? And Cana?!”  When no answer came, only stunned realization from his friends, Natsu whipped around to glare at all of them. “We defeated Keyes, right? His curses should be broken too! Whatever he did to them, shouldn’t they be safe now?!”  “Calm down man-“ Gray started, but was cut off by another furious eruption of flames from the dragon slayer. Instinctively, he pushed Juvia back.  “How can I calm down when I still don’t know where Lucy is?!” He roared, causing the air around him to heat up and expand, his guildmates groaning in protest. “I promised to always protect her, and I did it, didn’t I? No... I fought Keyes with everything I had to bring her back, and it still wasn’t enough.”  When no one responded again, his shoulder slumped forward and the heat suddenly disappeared. “I-I promised,” This time when he spoke, his voice had dropped and he had never sounded more defeated. “I promised... I would tell her today.”  Upon realizing what he meant, Erza’s eyes widened. “Natsu...”  Despite being forced by Gray to stand behind him, Juvia pushed past her boyfriend and was the first to approach Natsu. She placed a cool hand on his shoulder, the effect instantaneous as all the tension began to disappear from his body, leaving him trembling. He rested his forehead on the water mage’s shoulder, pushing his nose into her. Happy, who had started to cry, flew over and landed on Natsu, clutching tightly as he sobbed for their missing partner.  “I- I’ve never seen him like this before,” Gray mumbled in somewhat of a state of shock. He knew the extent of Natsu’s feelings for Lucy, but he had never expected to see him so distraught.  “Could Keyes have done something to them that wasn’t a curse?” Erza wondered aloud. “But even then, wouldn’t anything he have done been canceled out when he was slain?”  “Yes,” Jellal drew their attention upwards with his face to the sky. “It just took some time to be undone. Look.”  A crack ran across the clouds itself, much like it had when the dragon slayers fell from the ethernano dimension just outside theirs after defeating Acnologia. The very fabric of time and space, opening up as Keyes’s power completely and finitely faded from the world.  And from that crack came the screams of two girls as they plummeted from their inter-dimensional prison. One brunette and one blonde, the members of Fairy Tail who had been missing when Jellal and his team had arrived. While most of the group on the ground were stunned by their sudden arrival, two of the wizards leapt into action.  “Lucy!” Cana shrieked, reaching for her friend, but the two of them separated quite quickly in free fall.  “Happy!” Natsu exclaimed desperately, and his partner gave an intensely gleeful ‘Aye, sir!’ as he spread his wings and pulled Natsu from the ground. The combination of Exceed and dragon slayer, familiar in its own right, rocketed through the sky toward Lucy faster than anyone had seen either of her boys move. Natsu plucked his partner out of her free fall effortlessly, and Happy was already a mess of emotions when he set them both on the ground gently.  Lucy screamed and gasped all at once, in shock that it was all over so suddenly. She stared up at her partner for a moment in silence before speaking, her voice trembling.  “Natsu...?” She sounded as though she didn’t believe it was really him.  At the sound of her voice, the tears that had been so close to falling, that had threatened him before spilled forth silently. But there was a smile on Natsu’s face, a smile of so many emotions all at once. Relief. Guilt. Anger. Frustration. Protectiveness. Love.  He placed a hand on the top of her head, reminiscent of the gesture he had once offered the Lucy of the future during the events before the dragons descended upon Crocus. And he pressed his forehead against hers as he closed his eyes and revelled in having her so close to him once again.  “Lucy,” was all he whispered, before she too, crumbled into tears.  It was Jellal who rushed to catch Cana before she struck the ground. With no Exceed to take him into the sky, Jellal positioned himself beneath her; he crouched, leaning his hand down in preparation as he gathered the little magical power that had returned to him.  And then instantly Jellal sprang up, surrounded by the blinding light of his magic. Like a celestial body, he swiftly met Cana in the sky and landed with the Cards Mage safe in his arms. As quickly as the moment had occurred, it was over and relief flooded his face with both Lucy and Cana finally safe.  “Thanks, big guy,” Cana planted a kiss on his cheek, which left Jellal stunned. “But ya might wanna put me down, wouldn’t want to make Erza jealous would we?”  With his face turning the shade of the aforementioned wizard’s hair, Jellal gently set Cana down on her feet.  As the guild took that cue to surround both girls and tears were shed, Jellal couldn’t help but realize he would’ve never felt like he did now if he hadn’t joined Fairy Tail. It was pride, but a pride that burst forward as magical power over the family that was their guild. His eyes settled on the flash of scarlet that wrapped around Lucy and shoved Natsu out of the way. He had protected this family.  It was a guild - a family - that he now belonged to.

~  “We do have something very serious to discuss, however,” Erza spoke authoritatively to the guildmates before her. Once the tearful reunions with Lucy and Cana and the rest of the guild had been calmed down, the wizards had all moved back inside Fairy Tail and several of them had left to fetch Porlyusica. “And that would be the information Keyes told us about why he had attacked our guild in such a manner.”  Erza had then gathered a group of the wizards who had been involved in the incident, including those present at the guild who had learned the secret of the Fairy Tail previously.  “Right, that there is a new Fairy Heart amongst our members, which someone could potentially use to create another Lumen Histoire,” Levy agreed.  “It troubles me as to how Keyes would have come across such information,” Jellal muttered darkly, his face concerned. “And how he even knew what the Lumen Histoire was. He believed that Lucy or Cana have the same abilities as the first master, because they’ve both learned one of the sacred Fairy spells of the guild.”  “But didn’t that happen because Master Mavis had the Ankhseram curse cast on her?” Gray crossed his arms. “She was immortal, but was left somewhere between alive and dead because Zeref’s curse had been around far longer, and was stronger than hers, and also because he loved her but she hadn’t returned that same love for him. That’s what we learned from Master Mavis and Zeref during the fight against Alvarez. The curse of Contradiction worked on another immortal because she was the one he felt for most in the world.”  “Realistically, he couldn’t make another Lumen Histoire with Cana or Lucy even if they were the next Fairy Heart either, because neither of them had the curse set upon them,” Mira expressed softly. “And I don’t think that curse is something you could force upon someone. It seems to me the person themselves has to wish to defy death or the cycle of life. Brainwashing, or mind control, that wouldn’t change the fact that the target wouldn't truly feel the way that makes Ankhseram punish people.”  “I think we’re giving Keyes too much credit,” Erza answered. “I can’t imagine he had the entirety of his attack planned out. If I had to guess, this is what he knew:  One, that Fairy Tail was hiding the secret of the Lumen Histoire. The only explanation for this would be Zeref telling him at some point, or he heard it from one of the Spriggan 12. Two, that the Lumen Histoire is created from a member of our a guild. Three, Mavis could perform all three of the Fairy Spells, and only passed down Fairy Law. No one besides her has ever used Fairy Glitter or Fairy Sphere, until Cana and Lucy,” She gritted her teeth. “I think he was going on a whim with what he was going to do to Cana and Lucy. He had no idea how to make them into the Lumen Histoire, only believing that one of them has the potential for it.”  “But we have no way of knowing which one it could be,” Gajeel pointed out grimly.  “Is there any proof that one of them is it at all?” Erik suggested with a cynical sigh. “Or are people just gonna keep coming after them for no reason?”  Jellal was especially disturbed by this thought as he glanced at Erza.  There was the soft sound of whimpering, which drew everyone’s attention. It was Lucy, trying desperately to hide the tears that were coming down her face. Every member gathered there understood why. Both she and Cana had described the dimension that Keyes had locked them in. The unending darkness had made time stretch on forever. If they hadn’t had he each other - grasping hands the entire time so as not to float apart - they could’ve easily been driven insane. Undoubtedly, she was upset over the thought of having to go through something even remotely like that again. That the lust for power was so great in some people, some dark wizards or corrupted masters or something of the like, that there was a very real possibility of having to endure worse. Though she was already tucked against him, Natsu pulled his partner in closer to comfort her. Jellal sighed. “Unfortunately, I don’t really think there’s a way of determining which of them it is, or if either Cana or Lucy are truly the Fairy Heart.”  “You’re kidding right? It’s obviously Lucy,” Cana got on her feet, leaning over the table. Everyone’s attention immediately went to her. “And I’d bet she really is the new Fairy Heart! There’s no one else who’s ever been in Fairy Tail more similar to Mavis Vermilion than her. Not only did Lucy use Fairy Sphere against Acnologia, which is what made her the target, but she loves Fairy Tail more than anyone else I could ever know. She believes in Fairy Tail more than anyone else. Remember during the end of the Battle of Fairy Tail, when everyone was arguing, yelling at each other even while Gray made it apparent that we were running out of time?” She threw her thumb in the direction of Lucy. “She was the only one who rallied everybody, because even though she hadn’t been in our guild all that long, she loved it more than all of us back then. She showed us all up, I even remember Macao congratulating her on getting all our heads out of our asses. During our war against Tartaros, she saved all of us by herself! And after the guild broke up... she kept track of everyone, was the only one willing to reach out and ask everyone to return to our home. She barely knew me as more than a guildmate, no where near the level at which she knew Natsu and Gray, and yet she partnered up with me against them for the S-class trials on Tenrou Island. We might’ve ended up fighting Freed and Bickslow, but we could’ve very well been put up against Natsu and Happy, her damn partners! Lucy went against them for me, because I asked her! Because I needed her help!”  When no one said a word, Cana sneered and crossed her arms, continuing her point. “This isn’t about just the damn spells... what makes Lucy the Fairy Heart, what makes the Lumen Histoire such a powerful weapon... is the love she has for the guild. No one alive loves Fairy Tail like Lucy Heartfilia.”  The aforementioned female stared in shock at her friend, listening to her long speech. After a while, she drew in a shaky breath. “You’re right... I love Fairy Tail more than anything. But that makes everything so much more painful,” her voice was soft, but when she spoke again it got even quieter. Jellal had to strain his ears to hear her. “If I’m the new Fairy Heart, then I’m putting everyone in danger by being with the guild.”   Immediately, everyone around the table began to protest. Even Jellal himself; Lucy had been part of the light that saved him, too. He’d just as quickly put himself between her and danger as he would Erik or Meredy. The protests seemed to only hurt Lucy more, however, as he saw her bite her lip, holding back something whether that be tears or anger. He understood her frustration. She didn’t ask for this. When Lucy joined Fairy Tail, she wanted a family that she could live with, laugh with, love so wholeheartedly and where she could be herself; none of them could anticipate it would only lead to making her a target for those who might learn of the Lumen Histoire.   Natsu got to his feet, instantly silencing everyone. Lucy looked up to him, and in that moment Jellal wasn’t sure what they communicated to one another but he saw Lucy’s eyes widen. Her partner clenched his fists, and Jellal was almost worried he would burst into flames just as quickly as he had while fighting Keyes - he looked so furious.  “After everything, we would never give you up Lucy,” Natsu answered through gritted teeth. “We wouldn’t do it back against Phantom Lord, and we sure as hell wouldn’t do it now. If anyone other than you even suggested it, I’d torch them on the spot!”  Lucy looked down to her lap, smiling gently to herself. “You’re right, Natsu... I shouldn’t have even thought of it. I would never want to leave, I... will always fight to protect Fairy Tail.”  The group of wizards were silent for a moment, until Erza cleared her throat.  “We’ll have to be extra vigilant in who knows this information,” she concluded. “The secret of the Lumen Histoire was exposed by Zeref, but that doesn’t mean people have to know it can be created again. And, if at all possible, I’d like to keep the people who know Lucy is the new Fairy Heart to those present in this room.”  “I’m the new secret of Fairy Tail,” Lucy said softly. “But I can’t promise that I won’t give myself up if something like this happens again. This guild means everything to me. My family means everything, and you all got hurt because of my love for Fairy Tail.”  “And we love you too, Lucy,” Mira answered in her melodically sweet voice, reaching over and putting her hand on top of Lucy’s on the table. “That’s why we won’t let you do anything like that.”   “You really are just like Master Mavis, Lu,” Levy shook her head. “Willing to do anything to protect the guild. You’re more important than the secret. You’re our family.”   “I suppose we’ll just have to protect Lucy from anyone who might come looking for the Fairy Heart,” Jellal smirked, looking at the dragon slayer beside her. “Think you can handle that?”  Natsu clenched his fists at his side. “I’d already do that. No one’s ever getting through me.”  Lucy got to her feet, grabbing his arm. Natsu looked down at her for a moment, and for the first time his expression softened. When he spoke again, the same determination was there, but his voice was gentle.  “No one’s ever gonna hurt Lucy again.”

~

 “You should be celebrating with everyone else, Jellal.”  Jellal broke his gaze from watching the other members of the guild. He was particularly unable to keep his eyes away from the dragon slayer and his celestial wizard, who couldn’t have separated for more than a few minutes since being reunited. He looked up to see the source of his strength, the brightest beacon of hope in his life, join his side. Erza gave him a sly smile.  He groaned and leaned back against his hands. “Nah, think I’ll leave the celebrating for the people who weren’t at the real party. Wendy’s magic is getting better and better all the time, but I’m still almost too exhausted to stay awake.”  “Hm, you could lean on me then. I don’t mind,” he heard her laugh.  Jellal made a slight guffaw in protest. “Are you making fun of me?”  “Hardly. I don’t think anyone fought more than you did. Natsu and Gray might have fueled their magic with their fury, but there was one point at the beginning where you were the only thing standing between Keyes and our guild.”  “They were driven like that because Keyes had hurt the girls they love,” Jellal glanced up at her. “I was furious like that too, at first. When I saw you had been hurt.”  There it was, that sweet blush she did that he found so endearing. Erza was always so confident, but he found she shied away a bit when he was as open with his feelings as he wanted to be. His smile widened a bit more when he felt her take his hand.  Jellal looked back toward the guild again, toward the wizards he had been watching before.  “I’m sorta disappointed. I thought Natsu would’ve taken the opportunity I gave him to confess how he feels to Lucy like he said he was going to. So he chickened out in the end, did he?”  “I knew he wouldn’t be able to after that,” Erza spoke fondly of her guildmate. “It seemed like the perfect moment of course, especially after what Lucy said about leaving Fairy Tail to make sure no one gets hurt again. But Natsu has never been one to do things the same way other people do. I think it’ll happen either in the middle of a guild brawl or while he’s on a job with her, just the two of them.”  He chuckled. “Still, it would’ve been something rather nice for the guild to celebrate after the day we’ve had.”  “We are celebrating; that everyone is safe now. Besides, I can’t imagine Lucy is completely unaware of how he feels,” she continued. “When Natsu first confided in Gray and I that he had feelings for her, he actually wasn’t that bad at hiding it. However, as time went on he became more obvious and once Mira knew pretty much the entire guild did. So I think that Lucy has at least some idea.”  He turned his attention toward the two of them again, where Natsu sat next to Lucy with his arm around her shoulders as he argued with Gray. His rival was sitting with an arm drawn around Juvia’s waist. Honestly the only difference Jellal could see between the two pairs was that one was dating and expecting a baby.  “Lucy isn’t exactly subtle with how she feels either, but Natsu isn’t well versed in social cues like that,” Erza noted with a smirk.  “Unbelievable,” he shook his head. “They both told you, and you aren’t going to do a thing about it?  “I intend to let it happen naturally.”  Once again shaking his head at Erza’s answer, he waited a moment before speaking again.  “She’s his strength... just like you are mine.”  Erza stumbled over her words in response, but Jellal didn’t even notice as he sat up, brushing his hand over her cheek. But he kept going, leaning over and  stealing a kiss from her.  When he pulled back, her face matched her hair and there was a dreamy look in her eyes. It never mattered whether she was in the middle of a fight, scolding Natsu and Gray for their antics, or simply caught flustered in a moment like this; she was always the most beautiful woman in the world to him. It was almost embarrassing how much he was enamored with her, if Jellal wasn’t completely sure of himself and their relationship. All was well - perfect, even - until Erza gathered her bearings again.  “Shouldn’t you not be kissing other woman, lest your fiancée finds out?”  Jellal choked on the very air. “Are you ever going let me forget about that?”  “Not for a little longer,” she teased, before boldly returning the gesture.

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

chapter 11.5 -- okay, 12, it’s chapter 12, fine, fine. I should stop trying to predict how long my chapters will be. I’m always wrong. the Fae AU keeps escaping all my predictions. it’s fine. it’s cool. 

[Beginning] [Chapter Masterlist] [ao3]

It is not, as Apollo expects, the worst road trip he has ever been a part of. Trucy likes to sing along to the radio – she has a surprisingly good voice – which stops Clay from starting up his usual road trip tradition of bellowing out “Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall” and seeing how much he can get through before someone slaps him. Trucy claimed shotgun, as “the woman with the magic map”, meaning Apollo is shunted to the back with Ema, who upends her bag on the floor to pull from it a jumbo-sized pack of Snackoos and offer a handful to him.

“None for us?” Clay asks, pouting in the rearview mirror.

“Backseat privileges,” Ema replies.

Trucy cranks the radio up as a familiar guitar riff begins.

If it’s extortion, it works; she and Clay have not finished the first verse, Trucy’s almost-operatic interpretation running up against Clay’s off-key warbling, before Ema is shoving the Snackoos up between their seats, offering a trade of chocolates for an end to the car-vibrating force of Guilty Love.

“Not a fan?” Clay asks.

Ema groans. So does Trucy. “Don’t get me started,” Ema says.

“Yeah, please don’t,” Trucy adds.

“He’s a pretentious fuckin’ diva who—”

Trucy begins yelling out the chorus to the song over the second verse emitting from the radio.

They are all still arguing – Ema berating Clay’s taste in music while Trucy moves into an attempt to sing My Boyfriend is the Prosecution’s Witness to the tune of Guilty Love and Apollo tries to turn the volatile atmosphere anywhere else – when the song ends. Trucy shushes everyone, violently, smacking Clay on the arm and then flailing back at Ema, and turns up the radio. A DJ is in the middle of saying something.

“—announced today on their social media. While fans are disappointed, no one can say that the break-up comes as a surprise, after the sentencing of guitarist Daryan Crescend for murder in July, and the three months of, ahem, radio silence that’s followed. And earlier this week, leader singer Klavier Gavin’s brother was indicted on a second count of murder – I can’t say I blame him for maybe wanting to duck out of the spotlight. Gavin’s brother was previously charged in April, for—”

Trucy changes the channel. A commercial for a local furniture outlet doesn’t help break the awkward spell fallen over them. “Yeah,” she says, after a full minute, during which time they discover their new channel is a country music channel. “No real surprise.”

“Brother and bandmate,” Clay says quietly. “Hell of a year.”

“Hell of a six months,” Apollo says. And he was there for all of it – he was there for more of it than Klavier ever was. Klavier wasn’t there in April, not when Kristoph fell, not when any of them could have had any idea what was ahead. How much magic would surround them.

“If my older sister had been convicted of murder, I was gonna crawl into the dirt and die,” Ema says, “so I’m with the fop on that one, actually.”

There is a worrying lack of hypotheticals in the second half of Ema’s scenario. No “would have”s. Like she was where Klavier is, but the trial had a different outcome, and the frozen expression on her face, her eyes gone blank, she looks like she has caught up with her own words. Said too much. Apollo doesn’t know much about her as a person, her life before failing the forensics exam, how it was that she knew Mr Wright, but he can sympathize with that fear of having given away too much, turned the conversation down a path that should stay blocked off.

“You have a sister?” Trucy asks, turning around in her seat. “You seemed kinda ‘only-child’ to me.’ “Yeah,” Ema says quietly. “Older sister. Her name’s Lana. We don’t… talk much.”

Apollo doesn’t know why the name feels like it strikes something in his brain, the way Ema’s did when she first introduced herself.

“Oh.” Trucy visibly wilts. “Sorry.”

Ema shrugs, slumping back against her seat, her arms folded. “It happens,” she says. Her eyes are glazed over, settled in Clay’s direction. Her mouth quirks in the beginnings of a smile. “She took me to the Space Museum once, not long after it first opened.” The wistful smile has grown a little larger. “Back when I didn’t know what kind of scientist I wanted to be, so I wanted to go everywhere, and she was like ‘Ema I’m not taking you to the fucking tar pits again, how about space?’, and—” She shakes her head. “Sorry. Your jacket got me thinking. Do you work there or something?”

And that is the question that Clay most likes to be asked, that or literally anything else ever about space, and that is the end of any of them getting a word in edgewise – but while Apollo’s heard it all before, Trucy has questions galore, and Ema sits forward, slowly losing the pretense of not being enraptured.

-

They have driven for over two hours by the time Trucy directs them to pull of the highway at an exit that tells them there is nothing for them that way but another 38 miles until Kurain Village. “Is that where the Fair Folk live?” Ema asks dryly, in her voice none of the nervousness that people tend to have. Apollo hasn’t spoken much with her about magic, doesn’t know what she thinks – but, well, she knows Phoenix. That’s clue enough that caution comes secondary.

“Not really,” Trucy says. “They just named it that. It’s part of our world. Sometimes some of the fae do show up and hang around, I think – Maya tried to convince Daddy to move out here, once, apparently, but he wouldn’t leave the office.”

“Who’s Maya?” Apollo asks. Sometimes he realizes how little he knows about Phoenix’s personal life, too.

“Daddy’s friend. She’s – wait, stop! Here! Turn down this road here!”

“This is not a road,” Clay says, hunching over the steering wheel. “This is some dirt, off the road, not even in the shape of a dirt road.”

The car groans as Clay turns it off of the asphalt into the dirt. Trucy pops open the door and stands, holding herself between the door and the car roof and turning her face to the sky and the no-longer-distant mountains looming above them. She says something, muffled, and points into the trees. “We’re close,” she says, ducking back inside the car. “Let’s park and go – we’re close.”

“Park right here?” Clay asks, raising a doubtful eyebrow.

“Barely anyone comes this way,” Trucy says. “Like, one bus, except I’m not even sure if this is on its route. It’s fine.”

“I’m more worried that this is some sort of sacred ground that we’re stomping on,” Clay says, but he turns the key and then smacks his head against the top of the wheel. “How much are we going to regret just walking out there?”

“Probably we won’t,” Trucy says. She flings the door open and jumps out, stretching her arms up into the air. “C’mon already!”

“So what are we doing now?” Ema asks, crumpling the Snackoos bag back into her bag and tumbling forth from the car like a liquid spilled. “Just walking into the woods until we find treasure or a bear?”

“We do have a map.” Trucy waves it at her. “But yes. That’s what we’re doing.” She lowers the page halfway to her side and then stops, tilting her head back. “I’ve been here before,” she says. “Grandpappy and I – sometime – sometime after my mom died.” She takes a few slow steps toward the treeline, her movements uneven, as in a daze. “It was just the two of us. And we came here, and we buried—” She spins around, eyes wide, looking at all and none of them. “We buried his grimoire.”

Without another word of warning, she dashes into the woods, sending them scrambling to catch up to her. It’s colder here than in the city, though Apollo didn’t think they went up too far in elevation. Leaves thickly coat the ground; do they hide rings of flowers beneath them or do those in their magic break through? They finally reach Trucy when she, focused on her map, walks straight into a tree and takes some time to properly reorient herself.

“Do you know why here, of all places?” Apollo asks. “Is it because of the mountains, and he was…?”

He stops. Does Trucy know what her grandfather was? Phoenix didn’t say. Of course he didn’t.

“He said this is where he landed,” Trucy replies, crunching a leaf beneath her foot. “He said he fell, and this is where he landed.”

“Was he—” Clay’s sense, that question that they all know they shouldn’t ask, that question that Apollo has asked again and again anyway, wars against curiosity, against more than wanting to know – needing to know, to understand what is Trucy’s family. “Was he, erm, one of – Them?”

He can’t even bring himself to offer up one of the epithets. This close to the mountains, Apollo isn’t sure that he could bring himself to speak of them plainly like he has learned to.

“Yeah,” Trucy says. “But I’m human. Don’t worry.” She flashes a grin, one of her usual grins, but it is tempered by the speed with which is vanishes from her face again, replaced by a frown of concentration. “I think we must be close, but not quite yet.”

“Hey, Trucy?” Ema asks. She pushes a branch out of the way and it snaps back to nearly strike Clay in the face. “Not to pry, but – if your grandfather was one of the Fair Folk, are you the changeling, or was it your mother?”

Trucy stops.

“Wait,” Ema says. “Not a changeling – that’s the fae child. The human kid, the one swapped out. Is there a word for that?”

“I don’t think so,” Trucy says. She hops over a log. “I don’t think there’s a name for people like that.”

She doesn’t answer the first question. Maybe she doesn’t know, either.

“When you say you buried it,” Apollo says, aware that there is nothing subtle about this lifeline he is throwing to pull her away from questions best left avoided (am I a child stolen away, raised by the fae? Did they take me from the life I should have had?), “have we come all this way to be foiled for want of a shovel?”

“Oh fuck,” Trucy says.

“Hey!” Ema barks, her sharp rebuke the manifestation of that urge Apollo feels to scold her for that. “Language, young missy!” She folds her arms across her chest, her glare a fond one. “Where did you learn that?”

“My daddy’s a card shark,” Trucy says, countering Ema with a smug grin of her own.

“I thought he was a piano player,” Clay says.

“Only because you’ve never heard him play,” Trucy replies. “Easy mistake to make.”

“Considering it was all magic that hid the map,” Ema says, with nary a pause to acclimate everyone to the idea of throwing the conversation back past that latest sharp turn, “wouldn’t it be magic to hide it again, logically speaking?”

“Where’s the logic here?” Clay asks. Ema snaps a twig off a bush and flicks it at him. “And I mean, if it’s just covered up with some illusion, couldn’t anyone stumble into it?”

“Maybe it takes the map, too,” Apollo says. “Or maybe only a Gramarye can unveil it.”

He steps up onto a tree stump, like the extra five inches can grant him some kind of special insight or a better view in the forest of brown. Then he is falling, the wood rot giving way beneath his foot, a sharp jolt running up his leg from the twist of his foot. “Shit!”

Trucy winces. “Ouch. Poor Polly. I—”

“Apollo,” Ema says, very seriously, but somewhat muffled by her hand over her mouth. “Move. Move right now.”

“What?” He sits up, dislodging his foot from the stump, and looks about himself. The forest floor of dead leaves has cleared, as though by a strong, concentrated wind, revealing browned dead grass encased by a perfect circle of blue flowers. “Oh. Oh shit.”

Without an ounce of grace, still on his hands and knees, he scrambles and rolls his way out of the faery ring. “So according to the map,” Trucy says, and above his head Apollo hears the flutter of the paper, “I think we found it.”

“Only a Gramarye, huh,” Clay says dryly.

“That was only supposition!”

“So who’s gonna stick their hand in a rotten tree stump?” Ema asks, producing a flashlight from her bag and shining the beam down into it. “I volunteer Trucy, because she’s wearing gloves, and is our Gramarye.”

Trucy kicks up the leaves on her approach, searching for hints of another ring around the stump, more than just Apollo’s that sits adjacent to it. “If I get bit by a squirrel and get rabies and die, it’s your fault,” she says, kneeling down next to the stump and brushing her hair back to peer down into it.

“Statistically, your chance of getting rabies from a squirrel is negligible,” Ema says. “That shouldn’t be your worry.”

“What should I worry about, then?” Trucy asks. “Can you bring the light a little closer?”

“Bats, racoons, foxes, feral cats and dogs, and right now, probably non-rabies Fair Folk curses, since we’re fucking around by a ring.”

“I’m still concerned about bears,” Clay says.

“I’m not,” Ema says. “I’ve already got my plan, which is to trip you into its path.”

“General ‘you’, or me, specifically?”

“You specifically. Nothing personal, though. I just know Trucy and Apollo better than you.”

“This is way heavier than I thought,” Trucy says, falling off-balance and dropping something dark and rectangular. “Oof! Okay. Okay. We got it!” She lifts it up onto her knees, a thick book with a black cover and a character emblazoned in flowing purple script on it. “I knew I remembered this.” Her voice is quieter as she opens the book and flips through the rough-edged pages. “Grandpappy’s grimoire.” She closes the cover again, reverently, and keeps it balanced on her legs as she turns back to the stump. “Light again, please. I thought I saw something else.” Trucy has her head nearly in the hole, which can’t help her with her light situation, and she sits back and plunges her hand in again. “Yep! This is a – a funny-looking magatama?”

She holds it up, the blue stone sparkling in the flashlight beam, but also seemingly with its own interior glow, and Apollo gasps.

Three sets of eyes turn to him.

“That’s a mitamah,” he says, and to his own ears he sounds like he’s choking, but he feels like he’s choking too, and maybe the others don’t notice but he doubts it. “That’s someone’s soul.”

Trucy drops it into the leaves.

“What?” Clay looks suspicious – Trucy looks horrified. “How do you know?”

(“There’s no reason to give away your soul,” Dhurke told them, sternly, the sternest he ever got. “Never.” And then they tried to argue, to come up with reasons, because of course they did, and he hugged them both close. “You’ll make great lawyers someday, always looking for reasons and other ways, but this one – promise me. Nahyuta. Apollo.” He prodded each of them in the chest. “Don’t let someone else get their hands on your soul.”)

“The tail of it is different.” Apollo picks it up, brushing off the dirt and leaf particles that cling to it, and points to the longer, squiggling protrusion that extends from the loop. It doesn’t fully connect like a magatama, either, more like a hook than a circle.

It feels warm in his hand, humming through his fingers and up into his ears. It reminds him of the office – familiar, but disturbing, because there is no reason that it should feel so familiar and comforting.

“Could it be your grandfather’s?” Ema asks.

“Wouldn’t that mean he’s still alive?” Clay asks. “Is that possible?”

“It couldn’t be,” Apollo says. If he stares at the mitamah he thinks he can see flecks of gold within the blue, like stars on a constellation chart. “The Fair Folk don’t have souls like we do. They can’t sell them or manifest them like this.”

“Is that why they want human souls?” Ema asks.

“How do you know?” Clay repeats.

Apollo’s heart has stoppered up his throat.

“It makes them stronger,” Trucy says softly. “When they buy names, or souls, it makes their magic stronger. But this – this can’t be that.” She hugs the grimoire up to her chest. “It can’t just be that.”

“Should we just… put it back?” Ema asks. “Someone’s probably looking for it, right?”

“It’s been seven years and no one has come before us,” Apollo says. The humming isn’t as steady now, seems more like a song, and familiar, damned familiar. “No, we can’t just leave her here.”

In the silence, even the song seems to stop. “What?” Apollo asks. Their three sets of eyes are on him again, even more piercing, Trucy’s wide and Clay’s narrowed and Ema’s narrowing too.

“‘Her’?” Ema repeats. “Why ‘her’?”

“I…” Apollo swallows his heart. “I don’t know, but I… I know?”

“I don’t think you should be holding that in your bare hands,” Clay says.

But the alternative seems to be dropping her in the dirt again, and Apollo’s fingers curl tighter around the stone. He can’t do that, either. Trucy unties her scarf from around her neck and silently passes it to him, letting him wrap the stone up in the red fabric and then cradle it close again. The song thrumming in his ears ceases. “I guess we should take it to Mr Wright and ask him if he knows what to do,” Ema says. “He’ll know what to do with it. Her?”

Trucy’s gaze is unfocused, her head slowly drifting away from the horizon back toward the stump. “Trucy?” Apollo asks. “Are you okay?”

“He wouldn’t do that,” she says. “Just buy up someone’s soul all for himself. He wouldn’t. There had to be some other reason. It wasn’t just power, there had to be a good reason.”

(“There’s no reason,” Dhurke said. “Never.”)

“He gave me magic, as a gift,” Trucy says. “He was a good man.” She looks up at Apollo, blinking her blue eyes furiously. “Wasn’t he?”

-

It takes them another forty-five minutes to stumble out of the woods and find Clay’s car again. Ema makes everyone nervous talking about the odds of them stumbling across a body decomposing in the undergrowth – “I have zero desire to ever get caught up in one of your murder investigations,” Clay says, picking up a branch from the bushes and brandishing it like a baseball bat – and bears. The two of them are at least doing a good job of filling the silence left by Trucy, uncomfortably quiet, walking in a trace. Apollo tugs her by the arm out of the way of trees. He could put the mitamah in his pocket but hasn’t, has kept it held close to his chest.

The story that Phoenix spun of the Gramaryes is gnawing at him. A woman, on the bad end of a deal with Magnifi – Apollo doesn’t want to think about the possibility.

(Trucy must be thinking about the possibility, mustn’t she?)

She crawls into the back seat of the car, depositing the grimoire in the middle, and Ema makes a mad dash for the front seat, leaving Apollo to sit on the other side of the grimoire, separated by it from Trucy. The only time she speaks is to call Phoenix and ask him if he is at the office – he is, because she directs Clay to go back to the office.

It is a long, quiet ride home, some subdued conversation between Ema and Clay about their fields of science rising over the country music still on the radio. Trucy taps Apollo’s hand and beckons him to hand her the mitamah. She takes off one of her gloves and weighs it in her hand with an ever-deepening frown until she wraps it back up and passes it back to Apollo.

Ema shouts “Yellow car!” and hits Clay on the shoulder. He hits her back and tells her that she needs to specify no punch-backs next time.

-

Phoenix is sitting on the floor leaning against the couch with two notebooks and a stack of papers spread out in front of him, the coffee table shoved to the side, a pencil in his mouth and another tucked behind his ear, when they stagger into the office. Apollo is mediating an argument about the merits of Eldoon’s for a late lunch – Ema does not want to brave it, while Clay wants nothing more than to do so. Phoenix does not look up.

“Hey, Daddy,” Trucy says wearily.

His head snaps up, dislodging the pencil behind his ear. “What’s wrong?”

“You always complain about your back hurting, and now look what you’re doing.” Trucy’s words sound forced through a smile. Phoenix’s frown deepens. He watches Trucy walk past him to deposit the grimoire on his desk.

“We went looking into the envelope you gave her the other day,” Apollo says. “The real last page.”

Phoenix doesn’t look back from Trucy right away. “A full expedition team, huh?” he asks, raising one eyebrow as he looks over Ema and Clay. “Who’s this?”

“Er, oh, yeah. I’m Clay Terran. Apollo’s roommate.” Clay points with his thumb at Apollo, even though they all know there is only one Apollo that they know. “You’re Mr Wright, yeah?” He doesn’t do a good job of feigning enthusiasm.

“I know that look,” Phoenix says, standing with a wince and an audible crack of some of his joints. “That’s the ‘I’ve heard about you and it’s nothing good’ look.” He lets Clay splutter for a full two seconds before he grins crookedly and adds, “That’s fair.” Almost immediately, his expression flattens out to something stern and almost entirely foreign. “Trucy,” he calls. “What’s wrong?”

“We found my grandfather’s grimoire,” she says, sitting on the desk and holding it up, only for it to slip from her hands and crash to the floor. “And Polly has the other thing that was with it.”

Apollo unwraps the mitamah.

Has he ever seen Phoenix surprised? The man spent seven years an unbeaten poker player, and this past half-year absolutely inscrutable to Apollo’s eyes. There is nothing controlled in his reaction; his mouth falls open and his eyes go wide, turning blue immediately and staying blue, horror apparent in how they linger on the mitamah. “Oh,” he breathes. “That is – yeah.”

He reaches forward with trembling hands and scoops up the scarf spread across Apollo’s hands. He holds it cradled close, too, his free hand cupped beneath the one holding it, prepared to catch the stone should it slip, but still not having touched it with bare skin. “So,” he says. “The ‘source’ of Magnifi’s magic – that grimoire, and this soul.”

“But,” Trucy says, “that…” She stops. She chews on the inside of her cheek. Mr Hat, the wisp, is visible, bobbing frenetically around her shoulders. “It’s…” Her shoulders slump. “Do you know what to do with that, Daddy? Is there a way to know what person a soul belongs to?”

“Not from looking only at the mitamah,” Phoenix answers. His eyes still hollow blue when he turns them back to Trucy. “I am not particularly familiar with mitamahs, honestly, but I’ll look into it and see what I can do to get it back to her.” He takes the stone in one hand and offers Trucy her scarf back. “If the fae who has possession of a soul is still alive, they can just give it back – not that many are willing to, mind – but since he’s dead – well.” He shakes his head. “Thank you, though. For helping Trucy, and bringing this back.”

It’s a firm end to the conversation, not that Apollo knows what more to ask about a soul. Ema, though, is frowning, her arms crossed, her mouth twisting like she is puzzling out something. “We were gonna go get noodles at Eldoon’s,” Apollo says. “If – if you wanted to come, Trucy.”

“Oh!” She looks surprised, like she hadn’t expected to be addressed. “Um.” Her heels bounce against the desk. “Thanks, but I’m okay.”

Her hands, curled around the edge of the desk, shine red. Apollo doesn’t even need that to know she’s lying.

-

“We all agree she’s not okay, right?” Clay asks.

They were silent for a block down from the office, Ema not even complaining about losing the Eldoon’s battle. (Apollo was prepared to tell her that she didn’t have to come, but she had attached herself to them without a cursory protest.)

“Definitely not,” Ema says. “I guess she doesn’t want to believe that her grandfather was the double-dealing type of Folk – which, I’ve read the case file on his death, I’d believe that about him in a hot second. There’s nothing worse than a blackmailer like that. Also.” She plants herself firmly in the sidewalk. Apollo and Clay both bump into her. “None of us referred to the mitamah as ‘she’ or ‘her’, right? Like you were, Apollo.”

“None of us but Trucy even talked about it,” Apollo says. Clay nods. “Why?”

“Because Mr Wright did.” Ema’s forehead creases. “He said he would ‘get it back to her’. He wasn’t even touching it, was he?” Apollo shrugs. Ema shrugs too. “He knows something. More than he said.”

“He always does,” Apollo says.

They reach Eldoon’s, and Ema says that it’s weird to see the stand without a corpse attached. The look that Clay gives her makes her and Apollo both laugh. Once they have their noodles, they walk another few blocks to People Park and find a bench not far from where the noodle-stand crime scene once stood. Apollo has learned to be grateful for the mouthfuls of broth that taste of so much salt to sting. It feels a little more like safety, like salt across a doorway.

He starts to say what he’s thinking, that Trucy might be worried that the mitamah is her mother’s, or at least he is, but the words die on his tongue, shriveled by the salt. He doesn’t feel right to tell Clay and Ema about Trucy’s mother’s death, when he has no idea if Trucy knows or not. Phoenix has made him the guardian of family secrets that aren’t his and something about that feels wrong. Maybe necessary in some way, to understand the case, to understand what happened with Kristoph, but still wrong.

Instead, he helps Ema explain to Clay her earlier comments about Magnifi and blackmail. You can’t refuse, and we both know the reason why – Trucy can’t know he did that. She seemed to idolize him. What a hard way to fall.

He’ll text her tomorrow, Apollo decides. Check in, see how she’s doing.

(There’s probably someone else he should check in with, too, the events of this week all considered.)