#if she pulls off a scheme to successfully poison someone she’s not going to go 🤭 can’t hold your liquor? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ivyuns · 4 years

Text

landing in my heart: secret

han jisung

genre: angst

word count: 2.6k

warnings: lost in north korea, violence, mentions of chopping a head off, military stuff, mentions of car accidents, weapons, mentions of ending life and disorders (at the end), grammer mistakes, if i missed anything, lmk :)

part two of landing in my heart

landing in my heart information

2001

“y/n, choose your future!”

from that day, you always made the right choices. looking in front of you, you saw items which predicted your future by grabbing an item. instead of an item, you grabbed your fathers hand.

till that day on, you successfully opened your own fashion store. cutting the ribbon for your grand opening.

now that you heard jisung telling you to take the right path, you went to the other way. the night when jisung pulled you and hid you in his chest, you looked up in shock.

“oh my. i cant believe we met again”

“i thought you left”

you start flirting with jisung to get your way with him. smiling while jisung stares at you. ‘should i just kill her’ jisung thinks.

the following morning, you wake up and see yourself in the mirror. face full of marks and cuts. grabbing a cup of water and pour it into the bucket, you clean your face. “its okay, you’ll get through this yoon y/n”

as youre telling yourself to calm down in the bathroom, jisung makes you breakfast. “i-i dont know what you guys do but we usually give the host the first bite” you said, giving jisung a spoonful of the food, he stares at you.

“what wrong?” you asked. jisung sighs and crosses his arms. “are you concerned of whats in the food? because its poisonous?” putting the spoon back onto the food, you gave you. “im sorry if i offended you. but please do understand why im acting like this. wouldnt it be ridiculous for me to be trusting someone at this point?”

“hm, i guess youre right” lifting you head, you smiled. “see! i was correct-” “but you made an emergency landing at the DMZ while flying an unpowered aircraft on a windy day. right as the electric wires were working, you crossed it and came to a military housing area. ill sound crazy to believe someone like you”

“dont tell me youre suspecting me, thinking im a - spy. in fact i believe people are looking for me considered im famous down there” you paused, “one everyone knows im here, the south korean government, military authorites, and the UN wont stay still” jisung nods his head in agreement. “then, nobody should know youre here. i wont tell them”

jisung stands up and gathers your plate. hearing a knock, you look at jisung as he goes and looks who is here.

looking outside the gate, he sees hyunjin outside. “ah, captain han. i didnt know you went home early so i looked everywhere for you. so i knew you were home when i saw smoke from the chimney” hyunjin says and goes inside jisungs house without permission.

“oh and good news. about that south korean girl-” “listen she’s” “shes dead!” hyunjin laughs. “i know youre shocked too because i am too! there was an accident on the mountain and reporters said there was a young woman there” jisung shakes his head, “no thats not it hyung-” “aye, if im wrong then you can chop off my head” jisung nods his head and leads hyunjin back to the gate “wait let me use the bathroom real quick”

as both of the boys went to the entry way of the house, hyunjin takes off his shoes and talks about you. as he takes his shoes off, you went to lean on the door frame. hyunjin turns around and gets scared of seeing to woman he was talking about.

“how do you chop someone’s head off? ive never done it before” you spoke. with hyunjin’s mind going everywhere, he manages to speak to jisung. “c-captain han, whats going on here?” after realization, you realized he was the one who tried to shoot you. “y-you. it was you! you shoot the bullet at me!”

settling down, jisung rubs his temples as you tried to explain hyunjin that youre not a spy. “do you have trouble understanding or something?” “captain, do you have a shovel i can borrow?” you explain everything that had happened when you ran away, hyunjin gets scared and sits next to jisung.

moments later, another knock comes from jisung’s gates. opening the gate, he sees seungmin, felix and jeongin with food and drinks. “captain han! did you hear the news? the one with the young lady-” “thats not true” jisung cuts off felix.

“you must be jeongin” you called out. jeongin turns around and sees you. “yes, and who are you?” crossing your arms and leaning on the door frame, “i heard you might face a dishonored discharge. that means youll lose the job that you really need” you told him with a scared hyunjin next to you. “i-i thought she died!” jeongin screams and turns to the other two men next to him.

“and ah! youre felix! so tell me, which kdramas did you watch before leaving the post?” you pointed your finger at him. “stairway to heaven” felix answers. “ah thats a pretty old one. its the one with jiwoo and sangwoo right? im close to them, they live a few houses away from me” “is that true?!” felix smiles as seungmin tells him to stop.

telling everybody to come inside to talk, you demand them to take you back where you first landed in north korea. “im afraid we cant do that” jisung answers. “captain han, just let her be. let her get fried in the fences and say ‘so this is how the fences feels like’ if she’ll ever learn” hyunjin laughs out. giving a death glare at him, he stops laughing and puts on a straight face.

“basically, we cant go back to the post because we finished our job for two months and cant return there for a few months” jisung continues. “but you have a choice; i take you to the state security department. they may let you go home. or you stay here but heres a few rules. one, dont talk to us. and two, dont leave the house until we get you back home” jisung finishes. “my dad does a boat-to-boat. where a small boat goes to the international oceans and meets up with the bigger boats to another country” felix tells you.

nodding your head and agreeing with the second choice, the boys goes and makes you food since you were begging them to give you meat. after the food is done, you all eat as jisung steps back. “we must return to our post after this” jisung speaks out. “what? so i have to be alone now?” you exclaimed. “yah, do you just expect captain han to just stay here with you?” hyunjin jokes. “if you need anything thats urgent, press 8 on the cell phone and ill answer it in the outerpost”

instead of calling him for emergencies, you only called him, asking silly stuff. asking wheres the body wash, shampoo, and conditioner and wheres the candles, he responds with the bar of soap. you then call him how to take a bath since theres no modern showers inside his house. “you need to fill up the bucket with hot water. then take the tarp and hang it up with the clothes pin above the bucket. make sure to tuck the tarp under the bucket so theres no airflow. youll have your shower after that”

doing what jisung told you, you were surprised on how they lived. finally finishing, you went in the bucket after taking your clothes off. “ah this feels nice”

jisung, who was still in the office, got another phone call. “what is it now- ah master sergeant, whats the matter?” jisung answers to the sergeant. “its about the tomb raiders. they were killed in an accident on the mountain” jisung quickly hangs up and goes to the security state department and tell cheolgang.

he shows his military id to enter the place before the other military men opens the gate for jisung. as he goes to the room that cheolgang is in, he tells him what happened. “yes, i know what happen. but what can we do” cheolgang asks. “i believe there needs to be an investigation. what car did they crash into? was it on accident or on purpose? if it was on purpose, who was behind this? and why accidents like this keeps happening. so im asking if i can look into it” jisung says. cheolgang nods his head “go ahead. you should go to the headquaters in pyongyang tomorrow morning and get more information” he answers. jisung gets up and leaves.

the senior coloniel, who was next to cheolgang the whole time, asks cheolgang whats going to happen now. “dont worry about it, we hired somebody since hes responsible for a billion won scheme”

china.

minseok and his bodyguard enters the hotel where theyre supposed to meet someone. after finding the person, they talk about how minseok should be safe in north korea after passing through the other countries without being caught by sehyeong. minseok signs the contact and goes to his new home in north korea with extra protection.

back in north korea in the village, the kids were playing outside as you were still hidden in jisungs place. the mothers came out and gather their kids since it was dark and late and was now time for dinner. however, upil didnt leave until his dad showed up.

as manbok calls his son’s name, upil goes and hugs him and enters their house with upil’s favorite donut.

meanwhile in jisung’s house, you finished your bath and the lights go out. “whats going on? havent i had enough suprises today?”

the whole village had a blackout and you were scared. making your way to the telephone, you called jisung. only to be declined. you were hearing noises and you felt like you were going to be caught soon. closing the blinds, the noises were getting clearer.

grabbing the nearest item to hit the intruder, you were stopped as you saw jisungs face. tears threatened to spilled as your emotions came down are you. “why are you here” you said, lowering the item. “you said you needed a candle” jisung grabs the candle from the bag and gives it to you. “you said you needed it when you took a bath and when you sleep” “thats just a candle. i need a scented one” more tears spilled and jisung takes the item out of your hand.

“im sorry, you probably feel frustrated right now. but i just cant believe what im going through right now” sobs left your mouth as jisung guilty.

ranting to jisung about your problems back in south korea, you couldnt help but spill more tears. feeling frustrated at yourself back then, you felt bad for jisung since you were just crying in front of him. jisung puts his finger on the flame of the candle that was on. “there, i cant see you anymore” jisung reassures you that everything will be okay soon. he gets up and grabs his hat. “where are you going?” “i need to get on a train in the morning to pyongyang” he answers

“i dont know when ill be back so i might not see you when you leave. but my comrades will help you get on the boat in a few days. heres some things i bought that you needed” jisung says and hands you a bag and leaves the house. you open the door before he could leave.

“excuse me, but what is your name? i want to remember it to return the favor later” “you dont have to, there was no favor in the beginning. so its better to not remember it. and as i said before, dont tell anyone about this when you go back” nodding your head, jisung leaves the place.

going back inside, you open the bag and its full of the stuff you asked for earlier. looking at every product, you realize its from south korea. everything that you needed was in the bag, including undergarments and medicine for your cut.

jisung arrives pyongyang. hes then stopped for an investigation. jisung is led to a torture room to be questioned about the robbers. myeongseok enters the room and sees jisung being yelled at throught the glass window. he barges into the room and kicks the person who was asking jisung questions and aggravating him. “what are you doing? this is the directors son” myeongseok yells at the person, who is shocked.

myeogseok apolgizes to jisung and leads him somewhere to let jisung tell him what he needs to know.

the person who was just yelled at calls cheolgang and tells him that jisung is the directors son of general politics and gets angry.

later the night, jisung and myeongseok are talking about how jisung was to investigate into the car accident recently. “do you perhaps think this accidents was like your brothers?” jisung thinks to what myeongseok ask, and realizes the accident could be like his brothers. the same truck that ran into his brothers car and the others that the trucks ran into.

after company five visited you, they came back to the military zone to get some rest. they happened to see cheolgang leaving the place and quickly straightens up and salutes him. “fifth company, where are you guys coming from?” cheolgang asks. “from fixing the pump in out captains house sir” hyunjin replies. “ hes in pyongyang so good job”

“yes sir. may i ask where youre heading sir” seungmin asks. “lately were have lots of runaways so im going to run random house inspections today” “tonight sir?” hyunjin asks. cheolgang nods and felix starts hiccuping. “whats wrong with him?” “nothing sir. we missed what was in front of us, therefore the runaways must be in the military base. i believe that is a wise plan sir” hyunjin responds quickly. cheolgang nods and tells them to hurry inside and get some sleep.

they quickly go inside and hyunjin calls jisung as seungmin makes sure nobody is coming inside the room theyre in. “captain han, theyre doing random house inspections tonight. but we told the south korean woman not to answer any phone calls. so theyres no way to tell her” hyunjin tells jisung. jisung then hangs up and asks myeongseok for a favor.

jisung quickly drives back to the village as cheolgang arrives in front of jisungs house since is was the next house on the list. seeing the lights on, he doesnt believe that jisung is back from pyongyang.

looking through jisungs stuff, you look into a book that seems familiar. opening the book, you see an application form. “i swear i saw this face before” you were disturbed by your thoughts when you heard knocking. “captain han jisung! were here for house inspecting!” putting everything away, you hid in jisungs kimchi cellar, which was underground. cheolgang unlocks the gate and finds jisung as he sees the cellar’s blanket off of the door.

opening the door, the investigators finds you and clucks their guns. as youre forced to get off of jisungs property, everyones asking you questions as your hands are up in defense and silent. “it doesnt matter. once shes at the state security department, these muted people will talk” cheolgang says.

as a bright light flashes through, everyone stops and looks at the car in front of them. jisung stops the car and gets out to walk towards you and cheolgang. cheolgang suddenly aims his gun at you as tears fell.

“what are you doing to my fiancee?”

“what did you just say?”

“i would appreciate if you put the gun away from my fiancee”

additional ending:

location: switzerland

“its invalidation in our institute regulations, im sorry” the woman tells you after your request. “but why? i heard i can end my life here sure i have no physical pain, but i feel extraordinary pain in my mind. depression, panic disorder, eating disorder, insomnia, what all do i have to name? ” you questioned.

“we always recommend the sight seeing of switzerland to our visitors. most of our visitors change their minds after sight seeing. i dont know why you want to end it, but im sure youll be one of them”

after doing what the woman had told you, you went to visit a place where you can paraglide. amazed at how amazing paragliding looked, a guy stopped right next to you, admiring the view with you.

39 notes · View notes

masked-buffoon · 4 years

Text

Chapter 9: Scheming anew (Part 2)

Warnings: none

Author notes: I had so much fun writing the interaction between Ogawa and our one and only Kunikida...! They really are opposite and it felt good writing something lighter...! Hope you like it too!

As he was unconscious, I untied the ropes around my wrists and used them to tie him down, before rushing toward the room I rented without being seen by the policemen. I had escaped, but I was now a fugitive who had raised a hand against an inspector... It could have been better, but I would have been condemned to death for killing someone if things had kept going. Swiftly, I locked the door and pulled out the box of syringes to take one and inject the drug in my vein, hoping its effects would relieve me soon. Then, I removed a wooden plank from the floor and pulled out hidden magazines for my guns. I had hidden them, judging unnecessary to use them, but they could be useful at this very moment. I would not hesitate to shoot to preserve this freedom I had acquired after running from the Port Mafia.

Soon enough, the door to my room trembled and the voice of this annoying man echoed through the wood. He was asking me to surrender, so we could perhaps negotiate my judgement for the trial, but I did not need such a thing. I was innocent, and I would prove it. Gathering my strength, I climbed through the window and reached the neighbouring one. The policemen had taken their break and the room was empty, with only the woman's body left alone in its original position. I examined it immediately, surprised they had not taken it out for an autopsy, but then again, policemen were incompetent. I looked around the room, hoping to find something — anything — which could help me solve this murder case. Through the thin walls between the two rooms, I heard that they successfully entered my place and were more likely looking for me or proof of my guilt. Except the box of syringes which could be mistaken as drugs, I had nothing to hide. They would tire themselves trying to find hints which did not exist. I frowned and took a minute to think. No trace of aggression... The weapon could be either an ability or poison. If an ability user powerful enough could kill someone without raving a single trace, then the government would certainly be after him and there was no way he could be involved with this rather insignificant case. Which left the poisoning option. Except by doing an autopsy, I could not determine which substance had killed this woman nor how it had been administered. Nevertheless, I did recall that the struggling had stopped at once, as if she had been knocked out suddenly. I had not heard any grunts or whimpers from someone being forcefully shoved something into their mouth would emit, meaning the poison had been given externally. I chuckled, running a hand through my messily tied hair. A syringe was the most plausible option, and I was quite knowledgeable about them. The victim was wearing a sleeveless top; she could have been attacked around her arms. Carefully, I kneeled next to her and examined her skin. There it was, the small wound caused by the needle carelessly planted into her skin. The blood had stopped circulating so the haemorrhage was now barely visible, but it was there. With some luck, she would have struggled so much that the murderers could have lost the syringe... I closed the curtains and turned off the light, before pulling out my phone and tapping on the torch application. If the needle was still in the room, the faint light would make it shine. It did. I picked the clue up with a handkerchief not to dirty it with my fingerprints, between two planks of wood, and decided to leave the room. I had everything I needed.

"Anything interesting in there?" I casually leaned onto the door frame of my own room, staring as the blonde man was looking everywhere.

"Y-You...! How...?" His eyes widened and he stomped toward me.

I dodged him as he tried to catch my wrist and placed the handkerchief with the needle in his palm.

"While you were pointlessly trying to accuse me, I was looking for useful clues on the crime scene. The victim was poisoned. The weapon is a syringe." I stated "Do you believe I'm innocent, now?"

"I did find a box full of syringes under your bed. Doesn't that prove you're the culprit?" He narrowed his eyes "Not to mention you got me good there... It'll ache for a week at least..."

I scoffed as he rubbed his neck painfully.

"Consider yourself lucky I did not use a gun." I shrugged it off "Your colleges did not even check if I was carrying firearms. Anyway, I —"

"Do you?"

"Eh?"

"Do you carry any firearm?" He groaned.

"I do." I looked blankly at him "May I keep proving I am not the murderer?"

"... Go on..." He gave up "We're at a loss for clues anyway. If only Ranpo-san was there..."

"Well..." I cleared my throat "What you found in my room is morphine. I am sick and I may or may not use medication excessively... Whatever, the point is, an overdose of morphine would cause respiratory depression, which the victim did not suffer from. I was a witness. She was struggling, then suddenly fell to the floor. Morphine would not do that. I believe there was something else in the needle you're holding, but I'll leave that to the lab. There could be countless possibilities of poisons..."

"You sound well-versed in such shady business..." He became suspicious again.

"I do not belong to your world, after all..." I smirked "I have to admit the method to kill the woman is intelligent and soundless. If it were me, I would have most certainly shot her between her eyes... Ah, but I would have taken my gun silencer, of course. To sum it up, I'm not the one you're looking for, glassy."

"... Glassy...?" He raised an eyebrow "Why, I admit your explanations are logical but... Are you sure you aren't giving me a reason to arrest you? You do carry firearms and you sound like a hitman..."

"A hitman...? That's too glorious a name for me." I chucked "I am a forgotten human of the underworld, you should not meddle too much with me. As long as you don't arrest me, I will let you off. And, you owe me one for helping you with the case, anyway."

"Let's say I owe you one. Would you trust my words if I said I would not arrest you?"

"Obviously not." I grinned "That is, if I could not accurately read your mind. I'm a monster, an ability user who can hear your thoughts as though you were speaking at loud. Will you arrest me?"

"The law says I must. Thus..." He showed me a pair of handcuffs "Surrender, please."

"You're a man of words. You do as you think." I told him "It's rare to see people as honest as you nowadays... However, this honesty of yours will be your very end..."

"I want to do my job with peace of mind." He defended "I arrest you, not because I have something against you but because you did illegal things. Do not think I am being ungrateful."

"Oh, I don't think so." I shook my head "What you do is right. But I haven't grown in righteousness."

As these words escaped my throat, I swiftly ran past him into my room and reached out for the balcony.

"I will not let you arrest me. Now..." I pulled out a gun and aimed at him "Hands up and face toward the wall."

The man reluctantly complied, but I was in a superior position and, unless reinforcements were to come, I was sure to win.

"Farewell, glassy~" I hummed, escaping through the balcony.

I stayed a moment, holding onto the edge, until I heard his footsteps hurrying out of the room. When I was sure he had exited it, I climbed back inside and simply walked toward the staircases, heading toward the roof where he would not find me. This man was too idealistic. He was too honest, too. To easily be fooled by my little trick... I had never hoped he would fall for it, but well... At least, he had stayed true to himself and had respected the law as his ideals ordered him. I leaned onto the fence, looking at the alley beneath me. The man was running around, trying to look at me, but it was to no use since I was just above his head.

"Well, he'll just give up sooner or later." I shrugged it off, putting my gun back into the holster "And I'll be able to rest in peace..."

I smiled at my pun and sat down on the roof, pulling a box of pain relievers out of my pocket. I would simply wait for the police to leave before regaining my room and the dirty bed, where I would lay and go back to my routine of drugs until I could finally die.

"There is no way you can rest in peace in such a substandard room." One noted, sitting next to me "Why do you always choose such shabby places?"

"Um..." I did not realise someone was talking to me "Money issues? If I'm going to die, I won't spend much on my living expenses, anyway. So —"

I stopped myself and stared at the one next to me. It had felt so natural… I had not noticed.

"What are you doing here, Dazai...?" I almost breathed out, strength leaving my limbs suddenly.

"I escaped from Kunikida-kun to slack off freely~" He explained "You tricked him well. Did not expect you to hit him with a chair either~"

"I care about this illusion of freedom too much to go to jail." I answered "What I meant was, what is the reason for your presence here?"

"Well..." He pulled out a cigarette "Do you mind?"

I shook my head. He lit it up and brought it to his mouth. The way he smoked differed from Chūya's, in that his fingers were more slender and his movements more graceful. I had only seen him a couple of times with a cigarette, when, sometimes, the burdens of his heart had been too much to bear. He exhaled, and the little smoke cloud faded in the cool air of the ending afternoon.

"I came for the murder, with my colleague, Kunikida-kun." He explained.

"Are you with the police, now?" I raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"No no...!" He laughed "No way...! Too many rules for me..."

"But you do work for the government now..." I sighed "Did you know I was there, in that one hostel of Yokohama where a young woman died?"

"I did not." My former superior confessed "I had no idea you would be there... Or I would have come earlier."

"Is that so..." I felt moved by his words "I'm glad..."

"Ogawa... I need you to tell me something..." He asked me.

"What is it...? Is it related to the murder or anything...?"

"Not at all. I heard you found out. No, I need you to tell me... How is the sunset, this evening?"

I looked at the sun falling behind the skyscrapers of Yokohama. I frowned.

"Are you trying to hold onto life?"

"That's not what you think —"

"I don't think it's a bad thing." I cut him "But I... Am no longer able to describe the beauty of the sunset I once could see from the Mafia headquarters... All I see from there is a ball of white light disappearing in a greyish sky. And such a sight isn't beautiful, is it? It isn't what you want me to show you..."

"It is, indeed, not what I wanted you to tell me..." Dazai looked away "I did not think you would come to lose your colours..."

"You had predicted it." I reminded him.

"I did not want it to happen." He said, more curtly "I did not want you, out of everyone, not to be able to see the colours you liked anymore..."

"Without you by my side, they became completely useless... I had no one to paint the sky for anymore..."

"Why don't you just allow me to take you with me again...? You are stubborn Ogawa, but I don't want this stubbornness to kill you." He told me.

"I choose to die." I retorted "Just like you endlessly try to commit suicide, I let myself die."

"I don't want you to die."

"... You're pretty selfish."

"I'll take responsibility for it."

"The thing is..." I sighed "I do not want to live in fear to lose you again if I choose to come back to your side."

"That's logical that you want to avoid suffering... It's a human reaction." He commented.

"Isn't it...? But those are matters I have long discarded now..."

"What keeps you from coming with me, then?" He insisted.

"I..." I lowered my head "I can't say..."

I could not admit I felt too shameful as a person to ever be able to stand by his side again. I had left the Port Mafia to be with him, yet I was too weak. Even if he granted me sleep, even if he said he cared about me, I was aware it was not meant to last forever. If Dazai was determined to strive and hold onto life, there would come a day when he would meet someone who would support him and whom he would open his heart to. When this day would come, he would not want to give me sleep every night anymore, and I would end up discarded another time, and I would die. I would rather leave the world at this very moment than hoping again that I could live a few more years with him. I would have less regrets...

"Ah, so..." He murmured, throwing his cigarette on the ground and crushing it with his heel "I still wish you would be with me, though... I... Feel so empty... Without you around... I feel so lonely as well... Odasaku is gone, so is Ango... You were the only one remaining, yet I was not able to keep you with me... I am aware everything is my fault, yet I still hope I could have you back, somehow..."

"And I am aware that I made a promise..." I glanced at him "But you were the one who broke it... How would you expect me to be with you if you did not allow me near you...? I could not understand, and so, I stopped waiting..."

"I know..." His fingers barely brushed against mine "I am a stupid coward... That, you surely know..."

"You cannot always hide behind cowardice... You must face the consequences of your actions if you made the wrong decision... Dazai, I have to admit that, right now, I don't really want to die..." I confessed "Rather, I want to open my eyes again onto a colourful world, and you are the only one who can return those colours to me... Just tonight... Will you cancel my ability...?"

"You need not ask, Ogawa... I will definitely cancel your ability, tonight, tomorrow and the following day too, if you demand so. I won't let you die..." He assured me.

"I know you won't..." I smiled "You won't, as long as I am there. If I were to leave this cheap hostel, would you try to find me...? That, I cannot be sure... You have not made a single move toward me since last time, what am I supposed to think?"

"I thought you would make the move... I didn't know you would leave the Port Mafia..."

"Are you sure...? You did not know...?" I raised an eyebrow.

"... Perhaps I did suppose you would..."

"That's my point." I shrugged, standing up "But, to be honest, I really, really wish I could come back to your side... But I..."

I stopped, and shook my head.

"Let's go back inside... We may talk again tomorrow, if you do come back..." I told him.

"Tomorrow." He walked toward the door "We'll come back. The murder case isn't over yet."

"The culprits have yet to be caught, after all." I agreed "But I do hope you'll find them soon."

"Heh~ Do you desperately want me to leave you alone~?"

"Not at all... But I was tied up because of them, they must pay for involving me." I stated simply.

"I suppose I owe you this, at least." He chucked "I like seeing this side of you better."

"To be fairly honest, I'm glad to talk to you again." I looked at him with a smile "And in all objectivity, you already know I will choose to come back after a moment. Why are you even worried?"

"Because I genuinely want you to come back... And I am also sincerely afraid that you die before reaching my side again. I fear that I will lose you forever, too..."

I admired him for being able to admit his feelings to me. In a way, it meant he cared about me enough to show his true face, he who had always hidden behind a mask of joviality. I hoped he would drop his mask more often around me, and tell me about his issues, but I was aware I could not ask so much so soon. With time, perhaps... Perhaps we would come to become real friends.

#bsd #bsd oc #bsd fanfic #bsd dazai #bsd imagines #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bungou stray dogs oc #dazai osamu #kunikida doppo #bsd kunikida

11 notes · View notes

amazingflyingdick · 4 years

Text

the toxin.

WHO: Dick @amazingflyingdick, Jason @thatsjasonfkntodd, Tim @redrobin-timdrake, Barbara @the-orxcle, & Slade @terminator-deathstroke WHERE: A random warehouse WHEN: May 17th, 2020 WHAT: Jason, Tim, & Barbara put out a fake hit on Dick to lure Deathstroke into a trap

Jason: Coming up with the details for the fake job hadn’t taken him too long in the grand scheme of things. He had not shared those particular details with Dick ahead of time, though, not wanting to deal with a back and forth when what they needed to do was get moving. He’d passed them along to Tim to get up on the Dark Web, and within a couple of days of the conversation in the Batcave, there was a hit up for Dick Grayson himself, aka Nightwing, and the buyer was offering payment up front rather than upon completion. If Slade was willing to take the contract legitimately, offering the money straight away would get him there. If, somehow, a streak of sentimentality Jason found it difficult to believe he possessed made him act instead to prevent the hit from happening at all, he’d certainly show up to meet the buyer. Either way, it got him where they wanted him to be. Dick, as they’d agreed, would be the ‘buyer’ he ended up meeting, and he even had the cash to play the part.

That was the easy part. The real difficulty had been deciding how the fuck to take Deathstroke down. Dick claimed he knew how he fought, and maybe he did, but that didn’t erase the fact that Slade was not only a prolific assassin and an absolute tank of a man, but was metahuman to boot. He wasn’t banking on Dick knowing him to be enough. Especially when Slade has personally handed Jason enough information while taunting him to make things much easier.

Poison, he’d said. It had to be one hell of a poison, too. Bruce had access to a whole cadre of neurotoxins, and if he had access, so did they. He’d let Tim run with the idea to mix up something that would have killed an elephant but probably not Slade Wilson. Hopefully. And if it did, Jason wouldn’t be losing any sleep over it.

Dick: It wasn't until Dick rendezvoused with Tim and Jason that he realized he was the target. He hadn't been involved with generating the hit or getting it out there in Slade's sphere. The Dark Web was familiar territory, but it might as well be Tim's backyard. There was no reason to check up after them when he trusted they could handle it themselves. Babs’ involvement made things a little weird, even though she’d known about his past with Slade for years.

The covert location was set up in the basement of the warehouse, just in case Slade already had eyes on it. That was one thing Dick was sure to arrange ahead of time. They needed to get inside first, unseen, so Slade wouldn't bail the second he realized it was all a trap. There was no way he could disguise himself well enough to not be recognizable - at least not to Slade - and he didn't even entertain the notion.

"Can't believe you ordered a hit on me," he said for about the fifth time, eyeing the toxin with a faint frown. "You said this is what was used on him last time?"

Tim: This was going to work. He reiterated it to himself yet again as he stood with Jason and Dick. They had planned it out and he had brought up every hole he could find in the plan so they could come up with contingencies. He'd been the one to get into Bruce's records of toxins, find the ones he thought would work together. He'd mixed up the cocktail that was going to slow Slade down. Deathstroke was difficult to take, but Tim had meant it when he had said they were capable of doing it. Deathstroke was just one man. They were a well-oiled machine.

"It had to be you," he said to Dick for the umpteenth time. "Either he gets off on taking you out, and we know he's tried before with Rose and with his fake Titans, or he comes here to see who's trying to take you out." If it was that latter... well that would be awkward but the potential for Deathstroke to do something or hurt someone was enough to justify the pre-emptive action they were taking. And Tim wasn't sure Deathstroke would ever say he came to protect Dick. So they'd never really know. It was an infuriating thought, as Tim deeply hated not knowing things, but it was a thought nonetheless.

He looked over to Jason. "Do you have the dart ready?" He asked. "Best case scenario, he takes his mask off and you can get him from a distance. Worst case, we'll have to jump him first and you'll have to stab him with it." He gave a little smile, teasing lightly, "Think you can handle it?"

Babs: She had cameras not only unseen on the three of them, but control of all the security cameras on the premises. To anyone but her, they were conveniently malfunctioning for the duration of this meeting. She wasn’t sure what to feel with all this, so instead of feeling, she focused on the job ahead of them. Deathstroke needed to be taken in, it was as simple as that. No matter how much she wished she could be physical backup, she’s more than relieved to have Jason and Tim with him. There was backup if, somehow, things went south and the assassin got the upper hand.

“Let’s just not make putting hits out on each other the usual, deal?” The smirk is practically audible through the comm as her eyes are trained on the cameras outside the property on her screen. After Damian’s slip up, she wasn’t looking away for a moment, not when everything was so important, “Tim’s right, for a master assassin, this was pretty predictable of him,” even if they didn’t know how he’d want this to end, getting here was predictable.

Jason: “We couldn’t risk him passing the contract up. It had to be something that had some kind of pull besides just cash.” Because when it came down to it, he had difficulty believing Deathstroke actually needed most of the money he raked in. “Can’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind before though, Babs. No guarantees.”

Jason had his mask on, not to protect his identity anymore, but because it afforded some extra layer of protection if things boiled down to a real fight. Let Tim get his nose broken. Jason didn’t feel like it. In any case, it prevented either of them from seeing him roll his eyes. “Yeah, Tim, I’ll do my best to handle one dart.”

Dick: Now that things were getting down to the wire, Dick was quieter than usual. He kept looking at the time and he couldn't sit still. Instead he paced, his arms crossed over his chest, and tried to appear as calm as possible. He'd already taken a look at Slade's file and told Jason that Gordon might not be able to hold him. There was no evidence against Deathstroke and eyewitness testimony was shaky at best. This was a huge risk for what could possibly be very little payoff. It was one reason why Dick was second guessing the entire thing.

He did know that he didn't want either of them in a physical confrontation with Slade. "Don't move in unless you absolutely have to," he said sternly. "I'll get him to take his mask off."

Tim: Tim was about to speak when a piece of equipment he had rigged up to the security systems he'd placed around the warehouse pinged and he looked up. "He's here," he said simply. "Positions." Honestly, he was praying that the tranquilizer he mixed was as fast acting as it was supposed to be. If not... Jason was going to get the fight that Tim could see he was ready for by the way he was standing. "Right in the neck, Jay," he reminded, letting his calm settle over him as his eyes scanned the room for the umpteenth time for any contingencies they could use if this went awry.

Babs: Barbara sees movement on her cameras the exact moment she sees Tim perk up. “Alright, my mic’s off. Good luck.” she reminds everyone, and mutes herself. She knew they couldn’t be too careful with someone with the senses of Slade Wilson. She wasn’t convinced the other two would go unnoticed in the same vicinity, but this was the best bet they had, so she’d kept silent on that front. Not every plan was faultless, this one was no exception. As she watches Deathstroke enter, she folds her hands in front of her mouth and looks on.

Slade: Slade had taken the job not to kill Dick Grayson. That would be counterintuitive to every move he had made ten years ago. He had wanted a message sent so that he could quash the sentiments Nightwing had expressed to him that last night together. He had needed to do that so that Dick didn't end up scrubbed into the concrete by Deathstroke's boot or that of one of his enemies. He wasn't showing up to kill him if he wanted him to live.

Still, someone had had the audacity to take out this hit and someone had had the audacity to ask for Deathstroke specifically. Billy had told him what the job entailed, and the payout had been almost absurd. Dick was good, but he wasn't sure what he had done to land this kind of hit with this kind of payout on him. Not recently, at least. Regardless, Slade was going to find out. Because, in spite of himself, he had managed to shake off Dick having any kind of warm feeling beyond caring enough not to compromise his moral code so he could blow Slade's brains out when he was vulnerable. But that didn't mean that Slade had successfully shaken his own bullshit off. He had just known how to bury it. He wasn't going to turn down the job and let some other asshole get lucky. He could picture some blowhard like Floyd Lawton as the second choice. Not a chance Slade would take.

He should have known something was off when he stepped into the warehouse and it was quiet... removed, almost. He didn't trust it and he reached up to draw his katana even as he moved deeper into the facility. His heightened senses were on full alert and Slade's danger sense could tell that this was not some run of the mill business man. Who the fuck had called for him?

He figured it out mere moments before he pushed open the door to the next room. It was a steady thumping that he had all but memorized that tipped him off. Slade had heard Dick Grayson's heartbeat close to his own every day for a year. And before that he had known it in a less intimate sense as well. He was nearly certain he'd be able to pick it out of a group.

His eye confirmed what his mind already knew as he took in Dick Grayson not in his Nightwing suit, but in plainclothes. Two other heartbeats confirmed that they were not alone but he didn't belie he knew that yet. What was this about? Suddenly, it was not about protecting Dick. Now he was just curious. "What happened to call or text if you needed to tell me something, little bird?" He asked as he approached, eye on Dick even as he tried to pinpoint where the other bodies were.

Jason: He and Tim were to stay out of sight unless it became clear that Dick couldn’t handle himself. The toxin that Tim had mixed up was supposed to knock him out, but there was always a chance that Deathstroke wouldn’t go down as fast as they were anticipating or that somehow it wouldn’t work as intended. Still, Jason was up high in the ceiling until then, just close enough to where Dick was standing to have both a clear visual and the right distance for the dart to really stick.

Dick: The warehouse had a table and chair, but Dick knew he wouldn't be able to stay sitting. He was leaning against the table instead, the suitcase behind him, and when Slade walked in he tried not to show any outer signs of the tension he was carrying. He didn't want him to know Jason and Tim were also here. The fact that he was meeting up with him alone was only suspicious if he acted terse and professional, as if he were trying to hide something.

So he remained relaxed, not even reacting to the nickname he was sure would come up later. Jason and Tim might not be able to hear from their vantage points, but Babs heard everything. "I couldn't do this over the phone," he said simply. "And I wasn't sure if you would meet me. Besides, I guess it's always nice to know how much my life is worth." Dick had checked his phone plenty of times that day. Slade never bothered to warn him that someone had a contract on his head. It should come as no surprise, but it was a thought he couldn't shake even as he unzipped the suitcase to show the money inside. "Count it, if you want."

Slade: Slade didn’t take that bait. There was something going on here. “What’s this about, Dick? Did you miss me?” Was that why he was trying to get Slade to take a kill contract out on him? He might be the only one in the world who understood that, given that he had done the same thing to Rose not too long ago. Only he had taken out the hit.

“I haven’t agreed to the job yet,” he said simply. “Call me even showing up here curiosity.” It wasn’t that, but he wasn’t telling Dick that he had come here to possibly dispatch the moron trying to hire him. The moron was Dick. Go figure.

Dick: Something flickered across Dick's expression, but it was brief and he pushed past it. Instead of forcing apathy, he used the moment to turn away from the suitcase so he was facing Slade instead. He didn't answer the question. "I'm offering you a different job. Take the money. If you need more, I'll get more. Let me buy out whatever contract you have in Star City." As he spoke he moved closer, but was sure to keep his hands down by his sides. The way he was dressed made it nearly impossible to be hiding any weapons, unless he had a gun strapped to his calf. "I know you're lying about why you're here. I don't want to fight you, Slade. Just... take the out. For old time's sake."

Slade: Old time’s sake. Slade narrowed his eyes under his mask. Honestly... if Dick had the money, it was a valid way to get out. No hit to his reputation because Slade had never indicated that he couldn’t be bought out. Money was the point of the business. He had nothing against Kara. Why should he? He had wanted the 60 million. It was the only reason he had bothered to take on a Kryptonian. That and the desperation for any kind of challenge. Otherwise... there was nothing.

And... Dick had that annoying way about him. He still remembered how Dick had looked into his eye ten years ago and with every speck of earnestness asked Deathstroke to change... just because Dick wanted him to. It had struck him so deeply then. It still struck him now.

He could refuse it. After all, he hadn’t confirmed that he had a job at all, even if Dick was right. But there was no reason. Not beyond the consideration that there were two other people waiting here. Was Dick making a play?

Moving into Dick’s space, he cocked his head. “The buyout’s 60 million, little bird. And if I take it, I have your word that I’ll walk out of here? No questions asked?”

Dick: Even after finding out he'd been lied to and the fallout that happened afterward, Dick never felt afraid in Slade's presence. He wasn't in costume and he had no real defense against him, not physically, but he knew Slade wasn't going to kill him. What he believed years ago might not be true, but there was some reason Slade chose to let him live. Perhaps it was because he assumed Dick would be malleable enough to believe the lie he'd given him on the rooftop. Maybe he thought there was still something he could get from him.

"Take it, leave Star City for good, and I won't lift a finger to stop you." His voice was quiet and direct, even though having Slade all up in his space was disarming in ways Dick hadn't experienced in many years. He took a slow breath before saying even more softly, empathetically, "Please."

Babs: She’s silent to everyone on the comm line, and even in her apartment, but she bristles at the nickname and her eyes widen when she hears the offer. Still, she says nothing. She knows Slade would hear. But she also knows exactly how Dick was an idiot when it came to impulse and the heart, and it couldn’t exactly be described as soundly logical. She wants to speak up, tell Dick to focus, but she knew it was too dangerous. She knows she had to let this play out until things really escalated, and she still prayed they didn’t. Jason was there. Tim was there. He wasn’t alone. She continues to listen, suddenly quite relieved she was the only one that could hear all this.

Slade: "I'll take the money," he said. "But I won't leave Star City. Not with Rose here." He really would cancel the job, but he was tired. He had been doing this for so long now that he wanted the opportunity to stop for a while. Perhaps actually buying property in the city, going straight for a while until the money began to run out... maybe he might have a chance with his kid. Billy had berated him for weeks after the hit he had taken out on Rose. She was angry. And he had made her that way. However, his increasingly more common thoughts about his legacy had been dredged up even further when he'd been vulnerable. If someone had tried to pop him then, that would have been it. He would have left behind a whole lot of money and little else to show for it.

"But if I take it, I will drop any business in Star City." When he started to work again eventually, he could have the decency to not work in Dick's city. He had done it in Bludhaven. There were plenty of other places in the world where he could make money. "I'll give you my word." If Dick knew him at all, he would know that those five words were about as strong as a legally binding contract. Stronger even. "60 million dollars and you letting me leave here to try to set up something with my kid, and I will never do business here."

He only wondered if Dick would take it.

Dick: Dick wasn't sure if Slade would agree or not and he was both shocked and relieved when he did. He stared at him for a few seconds, thinking back to the conversation they had on the roof, and even though Slade didn't specify having a contract it was clear what business he referred to. It was still a strange choice that he would want to stay in Star City, but that wasn't something he would question right now. It didn't matter. He couldn't focus on anything beyond the situation at hand.

"Okay," he finally agreed, even though he half-expected Tim or Jason to take a flying leap from the shadows. He was relieved when they didn't. This could still be handled with minimal confrontation and conflict. No one was going to get hurt. There were too many thoughts in his head as he took a step to the side so Slade could get to the suitcase. "It should all be there."

Slade: Slade didn't move toward the money, watching Dick for a long moment before reaching up to pull off his mask. He had Dick's word that he was walking out. In spite of Slade's paranoia, he trusted Dick Grayson, so he set the helmet aside and reached up to catch a hand in the other's hair. Old times' sake. Did Dick still think of old times? He had hoped the answer was no, but Slade needed to confirm it. Was the lack of distance between them right now as palpable to Dick as it was to Slade.

"I'm doing this for old times, little bird," he told him quietly, the fingers in his hair tightening. "But I hadn't realized that you thought much of those at all." Was Dick showing some kind of hand? Slade might be, but he'd deny it if pushed.

Jason: Jason had the dart gun up and ready the second he saw Slade’s hand move up to his mask. They’d spoken a lot, longer than Jason had expected to need to wait, words he couldn’t hear, but he finally had his shot. Watching Slade actually reach out and touch Dick was like a signal on top of a signal.

With all the practice he’d had, Jason was an impeccable marksman, and he had a clear shot of Slade’s neck. He took it, and the dart cleared all the open air in a matter of a couple of seconds. As soon as the tip made contact with flesh, the neurotoxin would start working its way through him.

Dick: When he realized Slade was removing the helmet, Dick turned back to him suddenly, surprised, and his eyes widened when he touched his hair. He didn't say anything, but he wouldn't have warned him even if there were time to do it. That would have meant betraying Jason and Tim. He was so shocked by the barrage of thoughts and emotions that he didn't even know how to react, or what he would have said if he had the chance to give Slade an answer.

Jason was fast. Accurate. Dick winced when the dart hit its mark, his hand flying up to the side of Slade's arm as if he expected him to topple over right there. He shook his head, even though it was much too late. "Wait!"

Tim: Tim watched Jason fire from his own vantage point, zooming in on his mask to watch the hit land. Bullseye. Perfect. Now they just had to see if the toxin he had mixed worked. He moved to lithely get himself down, landing on his feet on the floor as he waited.

Babs: She turns her mic back on as soon as the dart was released, smirking only a second later, “Contact.” she confirms to the group as a whole. She’s careful to keep her voice even, because at this moment only her and Dick knew what was said to Slade. Considering she was already working from a new monitor, she wanted to keep it that way for a while, at least. After all, she’d had years to accept this, and she couldn’t blame Tim and Jason in this case. As soon as Dick speaks, she’s quick to respond, “He’s going down… damn, Tim,” She can see even the early stages through the camera, and she can’t help but be impressed. It sure took something to knock a man like Slade out cold.

Slade: Slade felt the bite of something in his neck and reached up to close his hand around the dart. He didn't have time to really figure it out, but he wasn't a moron so when his vision went double and then triple, he met Dick's eyes. "Didn't think... you had it in you, little bird," he slurred out before he felt a heaviness in all of his limbs that had his knees buckling. Shit.

Clumsily, Slade pushed back from Dick, trying to reach for his katana. What the hell had been in that dart? He didn't have time to ask before his knees struck the floor and then he landed in a rather ungainly sprawl on the floor of the warehouse, the sword skidding as it fell from his hand. He managed a final groan before he was out.

Tim: Tim watched the toxin take effect with no small measure of pride. "Awesome shot, Jason," he said as he came out of the shadows and pulled out a set of specially crafted manacles so he could cuff the unconscious Slade. "What did he say to you, Dick?"

Jason: Jason let himself down with a cable to make up for the distance and retracted it around the same time Deathstroke went down. “That was some potent stuff, Timbers. You could make a killing with that if it can take down Deathstroke.”

As far as he was concerned, the plan had gone off without a hitch, but he’d not entirely missed Dick reached for Slade’s arm in that last second. “One assassin, as agreed.” For his part, he walked over to the katana that Slade had no doubt meant for one of them and picked it up. With his free hand, he unclipped his mask and whistled. “And a bonus for me.”

Dick: Dick turned away without saying anything, zipping up the suitcase just to have something to do with his hands. "Good job." He couldn't make himself sound as enthusiastic as Tim even though he meant it. They listened to what he'd asked and didn't rush in before they had to. It could have been a lot worse. "I told him I wanted to buy him out of the contract," he finally said quietly. "And he agreed not to do business in Star City."

Frowning, he watched Jason with the katana and then looked over at Tim. "Remember what I said about his file? He's only wanted for questioning. He could walk out of jail today and we're back where we started, only he'll have it out for us. Maybe it would be the best option, under these circumstances..."

Babs: She watches them work, though continues to check the perimeter. When Tim asks what was said, she listens carefully and simply closes her eyes a moment. They’d talk later, she knew that much. They had more work to do, now. They had Deathstroke to get to the police department,which was a huge task in and of itself. She’s quick to chime in, “Well, you know, I know a guy. He’ll keep Deathstroke in there for as long as he can.” Though her voice holds a bit of humor in it, she scowls silently in her apartment. She wished privately that this one time they could just lock him up for good, technicalities aside. Still, that wasn’t reality, and the image of Jason ogling the swords makes her snort and brings her back to the present.

“Jason, are you really going to--” she pauses, sighs, and rolls her eyes, “...nevermind. Just hurry up. I don’t like an advanced metabolism and toxins combined.” Babs thrived on predictability, and though Tim had already more than proved he was fine, she was obviously antsy to get the job done.

Tim: Tim rolled his eyes as his middle brother. "Too bad I don't supply mercenaries. That was a one and done." He had the recipe and all of the ratios figured out, though. He could absolutely recreate it.

"All you have to do is give him money?" Tim asked Dick as he spoke. That... was that ethical? Would Slade actually keep his word? He looked down at the man before shaking his head. "I don't want him to just walk... But... How much would we need?" Bruce would kill them for this, though, wouldn't he?

As he watched Jason lift the sword, he shook his head. "You can't just steal from the guy, Jay. He's already probably going to try to kill us now."

Jason: Jason seemed undeterred. “So what, you buy him out, he leaves the city, keeps taking contracts somewhere else? Don’t tell me you’re getting Batman levels of narrow and only giving a shit about one city. How’s it better if we let him walk and he goes and kills...I don’t know, the daughter of a King somewhere. Is that cool because she’s not in Star City?” Was Dick’s problem that he didn’t want to have to look at it? That was cheap.

Jason tipped the blade back to rest it across his shoulder. “Yes, I’m really going to. Finders keepers. He’s going to jail.” And...he’d been thinking about that since Dick brought it up, but not in a way he wanted any input on. He’d come to some conclusions on his own.

Dick: Even though he wanted to say no, Dick knew he hadn't gone after Slade in all the years he was out in the world, taking contracts and doing hits, and that was something he tried not to dwell on. He knew Jason was right, so he just shook his head slightly at Tim's question since it wasn't an option they would be entertaining. He knew Babs was right in that Gordon would keep him for as long as possible, but it wouldn’t take long for Slade’s lawyers to show up and unravel everything.

"Okay, let's go," he said, handing Tim the suitcase before kneeling next to Slade. "Help me with him, Jay." His mood was still strangely subdued as he replaced the scene over and over in his head, but there was nothing uncertain in his demeanor.

Tim: "I have a car outside ready to transport us to the station," Tim said as he moved to grab a leg. "This went... so much easier than I expected." He was still trying to figure out what to do about the fact that Slade would probably walk the moment his lawyers showed up.

"What are you going to tell Jim?" He asked Dick. This was bound to look like something if they hauled Deathstroke in.

Babs: “Knock on wood with that comment,” Babs says wryly, but she can’t help but agree. This went… amazingly smooth, even if she had moments to talk about. At the end of the day, Deathstroke was in custody, and no one was bleeding. That was a resounding success.

“Somehow, I think the commissioner is going to accept the fact that he gets to question him and figure it out,” once again, the amusement is clear from her tone, though it doesn’t lose any seriousness, “Don’t count on too long, but it’s something.”

Jason: Not that Tim or Dick weren’t strong, but since neither of them put quite the same emphasis on brute strength that he did, Jason shouldered the bulk of Slade’s body after he’d secured the katana (which he was keeping) and headed out.

“How long do you think he’ll be held?” he asked Dick on the way out. He wasn’t counting on having more than 24 hours, but he needed at least a few.

Dick: Once they had Slade situated in the car, Dick sighed and rubbed his head. "I'll tell Gordon I came across him while patrolling the warehouse district, remembered he was wanted for questioning, and decided to take him in. I'll tell him a vigilante helped me get him subdued. No names." He wasn't bringing Tim, Jason, or Babs into this in any capacity. “As high profile as Deathstroke is, it makes more sense for Gordon to handle the interrogation.” There was no way he was going to do it.

Hesitating, he shook his head slowly at Jason’s question. "I don’t know. Not long. Gordon might hold him on some bogus charge, but I'll say a couple hours at least. He needs to sleep this off first. How long before he wakes up, Tim?"

Tim: "Couple of hours at least. At least... by my calculations." It seemed to be functioning as planned so far. So he assumed that it would keep doing so. "What are we going to do to make sure he stays in jail? I figure that's the goal?" He shrugged. "We have a little time to figure out what to do."

Jason: Jason said nothing else until they had Slade in the waiting car and he could stand up straight. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Gordon will get enough to hold him.” And even Slade’s lawyers weren’t going to be anticipating it. “I’ve got something else to take care of if you’ve got it from here. Won’t be long.” He needed to speak with Roy and dump his gear. All told, he could get to the station within the two-ish hour window.

Babs: She was quiet as they got Slade into the car. She listened, but she mainly thought quite a bit. Her mind was already preoccupied, and add on the things she heard in the conversation, she was worried. Still, more talk of her dad snaps her back to the present moment. She appreciates Jason’s vote of confidence, though doesn’t know where it’s coming from exactly. Still, she respected his privacy, and figured that getting him to go into detail wasn’t going to happen. “Call if you need anything,” she reminds him, “I have the cameras ready to go back on as soon as you all leave the area. The car being seen will be enough to back up your story. Nice work, everyone.”

Dick: “Thanks, Oracle.” Dick blinked when Jason said that and just stared at him. "Do you have something you think might incriminate him?" Or maybe Jason was going to get an eyewitness? That was possible, but he'd been right there with Slade that night. Maybe not at his side, but still. The thought made him wary. "We got it from here. Don't come to the station, Jay. They're looking for you, too, you know."

Tim: Tim looked down at Slade before nodding. "We can handle it, Jason," he agreed. "We don't want you in a jail cell too." He didn't know what Jason was planning, but he seemed to be acting shifty. What was going on? "What are you planning?"

Jason: “Don’t worry about it. See you guys later. Red Hood out.” With that, he cut his mic and silenced the three of them in his ear. He’d get Alfred to feed his dog. It’d be alright. Jason threw up one hand in a dismissive kind of goodbye and headed the opposite way, taking his phone out of his pocket as he did.

Dick: Frowning, Dick started to call after Jason to push for a concrete answer, but he already knew they weren't going to get anywhere. He slipped into the driver's seat and held his hand out for the keys. "Let's go. I don't want to take any chances of him waking up."

#dick grayson #jason todd #tim drake #slade wilson #barbara gordon #c: discord

6 notes · View notes

crossbows-and-moonshine · 5 years

Text

Let The Flames Begin (Chapter 28)

Angst, flashbacks and determination.

-----------------------

The slight chatter of conversation outside of the tent roused Daryl from his peaceful slumber. He went to roll onto his side but a weight was pinning him in place. He opened his eyes confused, only to see Charlene snoring softly with her head on his chest. The memories of the night before flooded him and his stomach flipped around on him. Remembering how her lips felt, her body felt pressed against his. He blinked as he stared at the roof of the tent. This couldn't be happening, it wasn't possible. Charlene was perfect, there wasn't a chance in hell she would be interested in someone like him. Did she hit her damn head or something? What if it was worse that than? What if this was all some trick to get him back for being such an asshole? What if she had figured out he liked her and she was using it to hurt him, since he hurt her all the time when he lashed out? His mind was once again poisoning and tainting everything that happened the night before. Good things didn't happen to a Dixon, and this was no exception. It had to be a fucking trick. The panic started clawing at him and he felt like he couldn't breathe the more he thought about it.

He scooted out from under her, successfully not waking her as he stuffed his booted on hurriedly and grabbed his bow. He all but dived from the tent, stalking off to the woods without giving anyone a glance. His chest was heaving as he tried to make his fucking head shut up. He felt angry and he felt fucking depressed. Why had he let it happen? He should have known from the get-go it was all a bunch of bullshit. She wouldn’t ever willingly kiss him because she wanted to. She was just trying to get him back for all the shit he’d ever done to her. And now he’d finally had a taste of her and he was itching for more, but he knew it wouldn't happen. He heard footsteps behind him but he made no move to turn around as he continued to stomp off.

“The fuck ya want Merle?” he snapped, still not turning to look as he walked into the trees.

“I’m wonderin’ why the hell ya just flew outta ya tent like a bat out of hell,” Merle frowned, jogging a little to catch up with him. Daryl stopped walking, glaring at the floor. He looked off to the side, chewing his lower lip before he heaved a sigh and shrugged his broad shoulders.

“Me and Charlene kissed last night,” he muttered, his cheeks heating up at admitting it.

“Shit now brother! Ya finally got a set of balls and made a move? I’m proud of ya!” Merle laughed gleefully, earning a glare from Daryl.

“She told me she liked me first. And I couldn't say it back. Just fuckin’ kissed her instead,” he glowered.

“Ya wanna tell me why ya got a face like a smacked ass then? Ain't it a good thing?” Merle asked confused as Daryl continued to scowl at him.

“‘Cause it's all a bunch of bullshit, that's why,” he sneered, stalking off once more.

He was halted when Merle grabbed the scruff of his shirt and tugged him back and he growled. He fucking hated it when his brother manhandled him like that. He turned to glare at Merle and Merle gave him that look. The one that made him lower his eyes instantly and relax his posture a little. When Merle was satisfied he wasn't about to bolt again, he let go of his shirt.

“C’mon, spit it out. ‘Cause I sure as fuck don’t know what's goin’ on in that fucked up head of yers little brother,” Merle frowned. It was all over the boys face; anger, sadness. Merle wasn't quite sure how a fucking kiss had reduced him to this. Not when he knew his little brother had liked her for the longest time.

“She ain't like me that way Merle. I’m a Dixon, ya know how it is. What the fuck she want with a piece of shit like me? It's just a plan to get me back for all the bullshit I pulled on her,” Daryl scowled, not able to look at him. Merle shook his head, reaching out and thwacking his brother harshly around the head.

“The hell Merle?!” Daryl yelled, rubbing his head that was now fucking aching.

“Ya dumb piece a shit, ya gotta fuck up anythin’ good that comes along ya way? Tiny ain’t no schemin’ bitch, and trust me when I say I know one when I fuckin’ see one. Ya know this, she’s as sweet as fuckin’ sugar that girl. So what the fuck are ya yappin’ on about?” he asked harshly. The look he gave Daryl made him swallow thickly, his cheeks flaming. He felt like a scolded child.

He knew on some level his brother was right. Charlene wasn’t the type to scheme or do something shady like this. But it was the only logical reason in his mind as to why she had kissed him or said that she liked him. It wasn't possible for it to be true.

“What else is it then huh? She don't fuckin’ like me that way,” he scoffed, shaking his head.

“Boy, I’m about a second away from whoopin’ yer ass into the mud. She kissed ya back, told ya she likes ya, and ya gonna stand here and spout this bullshit? At least she had the fuckin’ balls to make a damn move,” Merle sneered. Daryl squinted at him a little, clenching his fist by his side.

“She made a move to fuck with my head! Ain’t no other explanation for it unless she lost her damn mind when she got lost,” he spat, taking a step back. Merle let him this time and watched as he stalked off once more. He knew his brother was a little fucked up in the head but this shit was ridiculous. He finally got what he wanted and he couldn't even be happy about it. He had to make it into something twisted and evil.

When Charlene woke up, she was alone. She sat up confused and frowning as she glanced around. Like she expected Daryl to just appear. Of course he didn't though. She got her boots on and climbed out of the tent, her eyes scanning the area. Once again, no Daryl. She walked over to Merle who was sat there carving something out of wood.

“Where’s Daryl?” she asked, her cheeks flushing when she remembered the night before. It made her feel like a giddy schoolgirl with a crush and she had to fight the smile that wanted to break through.

“He went out to hunt,” Merle said with a sigh, glancing up at her. She tilted her head, reading his expression and she rolled her eyes as she shook her head.

“He freaked out again didn’t he?” she scoffed. Merle's eyes widened a little at how well she clearly knew his brother. He stood up, stretching out his back a little.

“Of course he did, he's fuckin’ Daryl,” he snorted, making her heave a large sigh, her heart sinking.

“Look, it ain’t you alright? He's convinced last night was you tryin’ to get ya own back on him for bein’ an asshole. I told him it ain’t the way it is. I mean shit girl, I’ve known ya liked him for fuckin’ ages. But he ain’t wanna listen to me. Ya know how stubborn he is. He’s convinced ya don’t like him, that ya too good for him,” Merle said quietly. There wasn't any point in beating around the bush here. He knew she would be hurt if he didn't tell her the real reason why Daryl was acting like a little bitch again.

Charlene looked at him with a nod, digesting his words. It didn't surprise her that Daryl would think something like that. The boy had issues and his issues had fucking issues. She hated that he had been through so much in his life that it made him this way. She couldn't bring herself to be mad at him for freaking out, she knew this was a lot for him. She was glad Merle told her. It made her think back to the very first time she had met Merle. She was sure he had no memory of it. He had been wasted at the time but that was the first time she met him, and that day she felt like she saw the real Merle Dixon.

Charlene sat by the lake, sniffling as she wiped her eyes. She would come here sometimes with her friends. Having fun and swimming. But she was here alone today, she was here to escape the pain she was feeling. The black dress she wore felt like it was mocking her and the 18-year-olds hair was pinned up all fancy. Her aunt had done it for her that morning. Her mother's funeral had been a nice service, but she couldn't appreciate any of it. Not when she felt so bitter at the loss of her. She had been so convinced her mother would get better again, she felt like she had been blindsided by this. She couldn't stay there a minute longer. She had no desire to attend the wake or be around her father any longer. Not when he had been drinking from the second he woke up.

He wasn't a nice drunk. But that wasn't the only issue. She hated seeing him like this. She had lost her mother but he had lost his soul mate. And now the man that was once so devout in his faith had turned his back on God altogether, and she wasn't surprised. She heard someone walking down the dirt path and she looked over. Her teary eyes blinked a little at the man that stood there. It was Merle Dixon. She hadn't ever spoken to him. She had a crush on Daryl, had done since the few months before when she saw him for the first time outside of Anna’s house. Daryl intimidated her a little. But it wasn't anything to do with the bullshit people said about him. He was just so gruff and manly, and when she would see him it made her insides feel all wobbly. Merle though, she knew a lot of the shit people said was true about him. And she knew he was in and out of prison for all sorts of shit.

“The fucks this?” he slurred slightly. She noticed then the bottle of whiskey in his hands as he sauntered over to her. She sat up straighter not really knowing what to expect. He stood there, blinking down at her for a moment as she watched him warily.

“Yer that young'un that hangs around with Billy's sister,” he stated, recognising her it seemed. She wiped her eyes and nodded, glancing at the floor.

“Charlene,” she muttered. A weird silence descended over them and she was about to get up and leave.

“Why ya out here alone cryin’? Dangerous out here by yaself,” he huffed. She shrugged, she didn’t really care what happened to her anymore.

”I just needed to get away. It was my mom's funeral today,” she admitted. Saying the words out loud brought a fresh batch of tears to her eyes as a wave of pain hurt her. She heard him heave a sigh before he moved to sit opposite her, plonking the bottle of alcohol next to him.

“Heard about ya Ma, she was a good woman,” Merle mused, shocking her a little. He was nothing like how she expected from everything she heard about him. She just nodded, the lump in her throat getting worse by the second. Her mother was a good woman and she hated God for this, for taking her away from her. She glanced at him, watching as he took a sip of the whiskey and put it back down.

“It's a hard thing, losin’ ya momma. Were ya close?” he asked curiously. She wasn't sure why the fuck he was sat there with her talking about this but she sniffled and nodded.

“She was my best friend. I really thought she’d get better, like she did last time. But she just…” she shook her head, tears streaming down her face once more. She was startled when she felt Merle pat her hand somewhat awkwardly. She snorted bitterly, wiping her eyes out of anger.

“I know it's hard. I remember how bad it was when our Ma died. She wouldn't want ya to sit here mopin’ though girl. Ya gotta be strong,” he insisted firmly. She squinted at him a little with a huff.

“What's the point?” she lamented. She was getting angry that her tears wouldn't fucking stop as she swiped at her eyes again.

“The point is the fact that yer still here. Ya momma might be gone, but yer not. Ya wanna sit here cryin’ about it forever, then fine. But I’ll tell ya somethin’, she’s gonna be up there watchin’ ya and be fuckin’ disappointed. Don't ya wanna make her proud, be the strong woman she always wanted ya to be?” he asked pointedly. He was strangely coherent for a drunk person and she blinked at him dumbly for a second. His words were weirdly comforting and it was ironic it was Merle that was saying these things. The man who everyone in town thought was the vilest person on the planet. She had cried at the funeral. Bawled her damn eyes out and the only person to comfort her was her best friend Anna. Even her own family didn't bother. And here Merle Dixon was giving her a pep talk, talking time out of his day to sit with her.

“Does it ever get easier?” she asked weakly, blinking her sad eyes at him. He licked his lower lip and looked down.

“Ain't gonna lie. It never goes away. I still think about my Ma all the damn time. Hell, all I have to do is mention her and Daryl flies into a rage. But it does ease up. Ya can’t let it break ya girlie, I know ya stronger than that,” he insisted. She straightened up a little, taking a deep breath. He was right. She could do this, she could push past the pain, she had no choice. Who else was going to pick up the pieces now? Her father was in no frame of mind anymore.

“Thanks Merle,” she smiled, making him snort and look away like he looked awkward.

“Right, c’mon,” he said gruffly as he stood, swaying on his feet just a little.

“What?” she asked confused, making him chuckle.

“I’mma walk ya home. Ain't gonna let ya walk home in the dark now am I?” he snorted, like it was obvious.

That was the day Charlene saw the real Merle Dixon, not the one everyone always made him out to be. Was he perfect? Not in the least and she found that out herself years later when he would come to her work and say all kinds of shit to her. But she knew underneath it all was someone else, a person not many got to see. It was the reason she would grit her teeth and smile politely when he started with his usual bullshit at the store or diner.

“You know what? No, I’m not letting him do this,” Charlene huffed, making Merle quirk a brow at her curiously.

“He always wants to run away, or to lash out so I run away. I’m done with this bullshit. We finally found out we like each other and he wants to do this again? I’m not letting him. I’ll tell him everything he thinks is a bunch of shit. Let him try to tell me I’m lying,” she said defiantly. Merle grinned at her, he knew his brother was about to get a fucking ear full when he got back and he was glad. Maybe having the girl outright tell him this would help. Like she said, how could he tell her she was lying to her face?

“Alright, but wait ‘til he gets back. Ain’t have ya runnin’ off in the woods after him alone,” Merle said sternly, making her snort.

“Okay dad,” she grinned, laughing as he squinted at her, his jaw slack. If she confronted Daryl and he still wanted to act this way, then it was fine. Then at least she knew it was doomed and there wasn’t point in even trying. But she really hoped she could break through to him and make him see sense.

Taglist; @risingphoenix761 @daryldixonandfrogs @arlaina28 @divadinag @keeperofwonderlandus @jodiereedus22 @easnuppa @fand0m-fiend @txladyj-blog @walkingdead-dixon

#daryl dixon #daryl dixon fanfic #daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl dixon imagine #twd #twd fanfiction #twd fanfic #The Walking Dead #the walking dead fanfic #Merle Dixon

38 notes · View notes

stevecoleridge-posts · 4 years

Text

Day 6 ..Friday Struggling .. which is why i did nt see the news or spend time on Social Media yesterday.. I thought it would be a breeze and after a little concentration id have it down .. but no , even the first part…known as lumpedy lump was proving tough , because of the triplet walk up from the V to the 1.. and i think thats the part Jimmy Reed himself is playing… If you ve read previous episodes you will know i refer to Honest I Do….the song. Im learning it on a You Tube lesson , now a lot of people who think of themselves as pros , seem to think there s some sort of stigma ro learning stuff on You Tube, but i know a French guy , of Spanish descent , who is a really hot Flamenco guitarist who has mastered nearly all the Palos , and all on You Tube They are right, if you dedicate yourself to different songs at the same time, but it s like working form home…you need time and discipline ..and take the lessons very slowly and don’t move on till you can play it 20 times with your eyes shut..preferably standing up .. then move on up. Yesterday was the first time i managed to do this. There is a different tone on Social media today .. angrier , more prone to blame others, more censorious…and on one group forum i saw they were going to ban Humour..well , i don’t personally know the Group leader.. but it does nt take much imagination to know she s not someone you d want to be quarantined with. The only thing to fear is fear itself.. well i certainly don’t think that applies in this situation, quite the reverse, the more frightened we are the less we will venture forth on errands that are not strictly necessary..i was on my way out the door , literally, when my mobile rang…it was the charming woman from the bank.. she d got my message .. id gone way over my limit.. which was why i could nt withdraw funds…She , and i won’t name her, is working from Home and sorted it all out on her laptop..no need for me to go to town.. Is nt that great?..well , I thought it was..and a good thing too,as she has not been provided with any masks..and we are talking about a Bank..if they cant get basic stuff like that no wonder the Government are nt testing people .. they don’t have the wherewithal…it is nt as though this has nt been on the News everyday since December the something. .I remember listening to Radio Four as i was driving through Slough, in December,… don’t ask … the M4 was closed..and i was listening to a woman in Wuhan describing how her parents were dying in the Street.. that really got my attention. It did nt seem to get the attention of the people in charge here however, as when the inevitable arrived nearly three months later , they had done nothing to prepare for it. The Spanish Disease is politics, it creeps into every corner of life and spreads its poison , a bit like you know what,..and in the past when people got fed up with their venal politicians there was a Military Coup , and then they realised maybe life was better before with democracy … and the cycle starts again. This model has been exported successfully to Latin America.. with the possible exception of Mexico. and Costa Rica Its all very well for us stodgy Northerners with our bad weather , to criticise, but Sun affects people,and when things are good they seem so much better in the Sunshine..but something about Sunny weather produces Volatility, and an @ i won’t fix the roof as its not raining @ World View… and Italys colossal death rate is the price to be paid .. not that it is nt sunny in China..or South Korea..but they do a lot more than just fix the roof..and to put it down to Confucianism .. well maybe best not to start on that. Australia will be interesting, they have lots of sun , but its a pretty organised place ..and i don’t see them making this sort of Balls up.. also they have the experience of natural disasters,,and pulling together, and will not let Politics interfere…any country that had leaders with names like Abbott and Costello doesn’t waste too energy on petty politics. The Current Classic example of petty minded, spiteful, pointless, negative ,oppurtunism , is the attempt on social media and what sup groups to denigrate the Royal Family organising people to rattle saucepans at a given time, because apparently the current King s father had a rather large amount of money in a Swiss Account..well, it was Saudi Money , not money stolen from the Spanish taxpayer, unlike the billions stolen by the previous administration , the PP .The idea for this stupidity was inspired by the Custom of applauding the Medical profession every night at eight o clock.. an excellent morale boosting , bringing everyone together kind of gesture..well everything has its opposite and this is an excellent way to breed more discontent and fracture an all ready pretty fractured society.. it beggars belief and you really have to have lived here to see these Barca Madrid idiocies at first hand. Barca Madrid is a term used to describe the divide and conquer ,us and them , attitudes that have stopped Spains progress since the collapse of their Empire, culminating in the most vicious Civil War in recent European History, and one would have hoped that after 40 plus years of Democracy it would have disappeared , but sadly, like in the USA and a lot of other democracies , it seems to be on the increase.The anger on Social Media which results from the claustrophobic frustration of a lockdown will hopefully not boil over into something with unpleasant political consequences, which would be very sad , as after Francos death and the adoption of constitution that is the envy of many countries, Spain was a beacon of hope in the last quarter of the 20 th century… how the mighty are fallen .. one hopes not.. SPANISH LOCKDOWN DAY 7 Slept really well , but then I remember reading that people on Death row sleep 16 hours a day so possibly not a good sign. Last Night i watched the Spanish news ,on the main channel and things are looking up , relatively speaking, in the sense that testing has arrived ..someone, or some country, has sent several thousand, or may be half a million test kits.. which is obviously excellent news , and testing in Galicia is going full steam ahead. There was the obligatory item about a vaccine..which I think one can take with a pinch of salt. .Military erecting field hospitals next to various main hospitals…the eight o clock applause of medical staff…all in all well put together not too desperately pessimistic, and generally not as disheartening as Facebook.. afterwards i felt like some light relief so we watched eleven episodes of 2 and half men, in Spanish ,to cheer ourselves up before going to bed. .. Today i decided to live a normal day .. if such a thing were possible , so , after taking Tina for a walk i got the Old TV and DVD working and put on Marty Schwarz s Intermediate Blues Guitar Course part one…and it started raining .. so that was encouraging as it took away any temptation to venture outside.. except for firewood that is. I worked through the course without rushing , but also without too much pausing , as i d done those lessons before, and all that repetition of Honest I do is paying off.. On going outside for firewood i could not ignore the noise of the generator that kicked in yesterday evening, as we ve had not Sun for several days, so i decided to fill it up with diesel, and see how much 15 hours constant running had used,only half the 20 litre can to fill up the tank…but was it full to begin with?..anyway it s very rare to have 4 days without sun , so even if it did use 13 euros of diesel Im not going to freak out as that was expensive diesel.. and I’m entitled to use the cheaper stuff .Of cause i spilled Diesel over my hands , and shoes , and when i spent a good 5 minutes trying to wash the smell out i realised this was the ultimate anti virus test.. so i will leave a bowl of Diesel outside every time i go to town and use that as first part of the disinfection process , yet another excuse not to go to town. My neighbour M. rang and suggested i look at his scheme on Facebook to institute Food Deliveries , so one does nt have to go to the Supermarket in person and infect and be infected… a good idea of course , but like so many , i don’t see it happening…I pointed out several objections , lack of drivers, expense, one would need a sort of Uber program which will probably not be ready for a year .. etc..and the Supermarkets are making so much money i doubt they need this sort of input.I promised to look at it later , which I will , as Lunch was ready. We ve run out of Bread ,Oranges and Chocolate, Aurora has broken a nail and the nail bars are closed till further notice…but otherwise we can probably get through till Monday without suffering too much ..on the other hand Monday is probably the worst day to go shopping..Im toying with the idea of going to the small Supermarket, at 8 am Sunday morning, and hopefully having it to myself , as i cant face the idea of a queue. I know English people are supposed to love queueing but i must be an exception, and queuing nowadays is a High Risk Activity. The Sun is out and i did one of the jobs from a month old to do list… pumping the water out the flooded pump room , it all went very well , and i felt very worthy , and now , with the Sunshine it s time for a walk , with Tina , of course. I return , feeling optimistic .. and the phone rings, i assume it s my neighbour asking if I’ve read his article.it isn’t , it s C another near neighbour, with some very bad news . The police are in Quarantine…and the Army will soon be here. No Tobacco..as they will close the Tobacconist. A completely different ball game I rang M, and gave him the news…I f he d had a kalashnikov he d have been checking the magazine I rang another neighbour F, whose office is next to the Police Station , to warn him. .When the Rumour , comes to your Town , It Grows and Grows, Where it Started No-one Knows…*Robbie Robertson I rang my source in the Town Hall G…no , it s only one cop , and he has nt got the results yet.. I rang M again…he had spoken to his friend who is a Guardia Civil .no , it was nt a Cop it was a Guardia Civil..he also told me the Cuban woman who cleans houses had been stopped, by the Police and they checked the receipt for her shopping I rang the first neighbour and corrected the original story I opened Facebook .. and there was the original story , which had started a firestorm of comments along the likes of whats your source? etc as though we were in the Watergate hearings, not only that, the people reading the story imagined it referred to Mojacar , not Carboneras , and were all frantically ringing the Police Staion , The Town Hall and each other to see if it were true. The tones of the respective comments went from shrill outrage that anyone should suggest such a story without due documentation , to fear , to I knew this would happen, all these irresponsible idiots .. blah blah It began to increasingly resemble an episode of Dads Army with a false alarm about a German Landing.., which Facebook does anyway There is the Captain Mainwaring..@While i was out today making sure everyone was behaving themselves i saw these irresponsible panic shoppers, and these people walking around without a good reason @ The Fraser .. We Re Doomed The Air raid Warden…Its all the fault of the Ruling Class, and rules are rules etc Jones ..Dont Panic... in a tone of complete hysteria Pikes mother…Be sure to wear your gloves , motorcycle helmet , hazchem suit, mask..galoshes, .Do you have your hand sanitiser , all clothes must be burnt on reentry etc By this time Auroras original alarm had been replaced by hilarity, as she was sitting by the fire hearing one side of these conversations.. I went out for some more wood and we relaxed by watching a Documentary about the Boeing 737 MAX..complete with simulation in the Pilots cockpit The best part was the CEO of Boeing trying to justify his 30 million Dollar salary at a Congressional hearing..…i wondered what the Shareholders thought about that , i know what the victims families thought , as they were being interviewed and did nt sound too impressed

2 notes · View notes

theplattexperiment-blog · 8 years

Text

Pray for the world. Reading: Proverbs 21-25 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water  that he channels toward all who please him. 2 A person may think their own ways are right,  but the Lord weighs the heart. 3 To do what is right and just  is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice. 4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart—  the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin. 5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit  as surely as haste leads to poverty. 6 A fortune made by a lying tongue  is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.[a] 7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,  for they refuse to do what is right. 8 The way of the guilty is devious,  but the conduct of the innocent is upright. 9 Better to live on a corner of the roof  than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. 10 The wicked crave evil;  their neighbors get no mercy from them. 11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;  by paying attention to the wise they get knowledge. 12 The Righteous One[b] takes note of the house of the wicked  and brings the wicked to ruin. 13 Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor  will also cry out and not be answered. 14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,  and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath. 15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous  but terror to evildoers. 16 Whoever strays from the path of prudence  comes to rest in the company of the dead. 17 Whoever loves pleasure will become poor;  whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich. 18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,  and the unfaithful for the upright. 19 Better to live in a desert  than with a quarrelsome and nagging wife. 20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil,  but fools gulp theirs down. 21 Whoever pursues righteousness and love  finds life, prosperity[c] and honor. 22 One who is wise can go up against the city of the mighty  and pull down the stronghold in which they trust. 23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues  keep themselves from calamity. 24 The proud and arrogant person—“Mocker” is his name—  behaves with insolent fury. 25 The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,  because his hands refuse to work. 26 All day long he craves for more,  but the righteous give without sparing. 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—  how much more so when brought with evil intent! 28 A false witness will perish,  but a careful listener will testify successfully. 29 The wicked put up a bold front,  but the upright give thought to their ways. 30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan  that can succeed against the Lord. 31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,  but victory rests with the Lord. 22 A good name is more desirable than great riches;  to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. 2 Rich and poor have this in common:  The Lord is the Maker of them all. 3 The prudent see danger and take refuge,  but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. 4 Humility is the fear of the Lord;  its wages are riches and honor and life. 5 In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls,  but those who would preserve their life stay far from them. 6 Start children off on the way they should go,  and even when they are old they will not turn from it. 7 The rich rule over the poor,  and the borrower is slave to the lender. 8 Whoever sows injustice reaps calamity,  and the rod they wield in fury will be broken. 9 The generous will themselves be blessed,  for they share their food with the poor. 10 Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife;  quarrels and insults are ended. 11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace  will have the king for a friend. 12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge,  but he frustrates the words of the unfaithful. 13 The sluggard says, “There’s a lion outside!  I’ll be killed in the public square!” 14 The mouth of an adulterous woman is a deep pit;  a man who is under the Lord’s wrath falls into it. 15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,  but the rod of discipline will drive it far away. 16 One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth  and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty. Thirty Sayings of the Wise Saying 1 17 Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise;  apply your heart to what I teach, 18 for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart  and have all of them ready on your lips. 19 So that your trust may be in the Lord,  I teach you today, even you. 20 Have I not written thirty sayings for you,  sayings of counsel and knowledge, 21 teaching you to be honest and to speak the truth,  so that you bring back truthful reports  to those you serve? Saying 2 22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor  and do not crush the needy in court, 23 for the Lord will take up their case  and will exact life for life. Saying 3 24 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person,  do not associate with one easily angered, 25 or you may learn their ways  and get yourself ensnared. Saying 4 26 Do not be one who shakes hands in pledge  or puts up security for debts; 27 if you lack the means to pay,  your very bed will be snatched from under you. Saying 5 28 Do not move an ancient boundary stone  set up by your ancestors. Saying 6 29 Do you see someone skilled in their work?  They will serve before kings;  they will not serve before officials of low rank. Saying 7 23 When you sit to dine with a ruler,  note well what[d] is before you, 2 and put a knife to your throat  if you are given to gluttony. 3 Do not crave his delicacies,  for that food is deceptive. Saying 8 4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;  do not trust your own cleverness. 5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,  for they will surely sprout wings  and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Saying 9 6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,  do not crave his delicacies; 7 for he is the kind of person  who is always thinking about the cost.[e] “Eat and drink,” he says to you,  but his heart is not with you. 8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten  and will have wasted your compliments. Saying 10 9 Do not speak to fools,  for they will scorn your prudent words. Saying 11 10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone  or encroach on the fields of the fatherless, 11 for their Defender is strong;  he will take up their case against you. Saying 12 12 Apply your heart to instruction  and your ears to words of knowledge. Saying 13 13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;  if you punish them with the rod, they will not die. 14 Punish them with the rod  and save them from death. Saying 14 15 My son, if your heart is wise,  then my heart will be glad indeed; 16 my inmost being will rejoice  when your lips speak what is right. Saying 15 17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,  but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. 18 There is surely a future hope for you,  and your hope will not be cut off. Saying 16 19 Listen, my son, and be wise,  and set your heart on the right path: 20 Do not join those who drink too much wine  or gorge themselves on meat, 21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,  and drowsiness clothes them in rags. Saying 17 22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,  and do not despise your mother when she is old. 23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—  wisdom, instruction and insight as well. 24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;  a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him. 25 May your father and mother rejoice;  may she who gave you birth be joyful! Saying 18 26 My son, give me your heart  and let your eyes delight in my ways, 27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,  and a wayward wife is a narrow well. 28 Like a bandit she lies in wait  and multiplies the unfaithful among men. Saying 19 29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?  Who has strife? Who has complaints?  Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 Those who linger over wine,  who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. 31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,  when it sparkles in the cup,  when it goes down smoothly! 32 In the end it bites like a snake  and poisons like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange sights,  and your mind will imagine confusing things. 34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,  lying on top of the rigging. 35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!  They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up  so I can find another drink?” Saying 20 24 Do not envy the wicked,  do not desire their company; 2 for their hearts plot violence,  and their lips talk about making trouble. Saying 21 3 By wisdom a house is built,  and through understanding it is established; 4 through knowledge its rooms are filled  with rare and beautiful treasures. Saying 22 5 The wise prevail through great power,  and those who have knowledge muster their strength. 6 Surely you need guidance to wage war,  and victory is won through many advisers. Saying 23 7 Wisdom is too high for fools;  in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths. Saying 24 8 Whoever plots evil  will be known as a schemer. 9 The schemes of folly are sin,  and people detest a mocker. Saying 25 10 If you falter in a time of trouble,  how small is your strength! 11 Rescue those being led away to death;  hold back those staggering toward slaughter. 12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”  does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it?  Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done? Saying 26 13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;  honey from the comb is sweet to your taste. 14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:  If you find it, there is a future hope for you,  and your hope will not be cut off. Saying 27 15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,  do not plunder their dwelling place; 16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,  but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. Saying 28 17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls;  when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, 18 or the Lord will see and disapprove  and turn his wrath away from them. Saying 29 19 Do not fret because of evildoers  or be envious of the wicked, 20 for the evildoer has no future hope,  and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. Saying 30 21 Fear the Lord and the king, my son,  and do not join with rebellious officials, 22 for those two will send sudden destruction on them,  and who knows what calamities they can bring? Further Sayings of the Wise 23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good: 24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”  will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. 25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,  and rich blessing will come on them. 26 An honest answer  is like a kiss on the lips. 27 Put your outdoor work in order  and get your fields ready;  after that, build your house. 28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause—  would you use your lips to mislead? 29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;  I’ll pay them back for what they did.” 30 I went past the field of a sluggard,  past the vineyard of someone who has no sense; 31 thorns had come up everywhere,  the ground was covered with weeds,  and the stone wall was in ruins. 32 I applied my heart to what I observed  and learned a lesson from what I saw: 33 A little sleep, a little slumber,  a little folding of the hands to rest— 34 and poverty will come on you like a thief  and scarcity like an armed man. More Proverbs of Solomon 25 These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah: 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;  to search out a matter is the glory of kings. 3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,  so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. 4 Remove the dross from the silver,  and a silversmith can produce a vessel; 5 remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,  and his throne will be establishedthrough righteousness. 6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,  and do not claim a place among his great men; 7 it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”  than for him to humiliate you before his nobles. What you have seen with your eyes 8 do not bring[f] hastily to court, for what will you do in the end  if your neighbor puts you to shame? 9 If you take your neighbor to court,  do not betray another’s confidence, 10 or the one who hears it may shame you  and the charge against you will stand. 11 Like apples[g] of gold in settings of silver  is a ruling rightly given. 12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold  is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear. 13 Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time  is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;  he refreshes the spirit of his master. 14 Like clouds and wind without rain  is one who boasts of gifts never given. 15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,  and a gentle tongue can break a bone. 16 If you find honey, eat just enough—  too much of it, and you will vomit. 17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—  too much of you, and they will hate you. 18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow  is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor. 19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot  is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble. 20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,  or like vinegar poured on a wound,  is one who sings songs to a heavy heart. 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;  if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22 In doing this, you will heap burning coalson his head,  and the Lord will reward you. 23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain  is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look. 24 Better to live on a corner of the roof  than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. 25 Like cold water to a weary soul  is good news from a distant land. 26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well  are the righteous who give way to the wicked. 27 It is not good to eat too much honey,  nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep. 28 Like a city whose walls are broken through  is a person who lacks self-control.

0 notes