#katya you scared me when you followed me i didn't know what to do

[sneak-a-cat]

following someone on tumblr all happy and silly because “huh i like this blog they are funny” or “woahh art” or “ha silly guy” or “fandom hype!!” has the hidden ability of: that person may just follow you back. unprompted. making you mutuals. without warning. most terrifying thing you can do to someone

[braveclementine]

Getaway

Warnings: 18+readersonly, bondage, blindfold

Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own my OCs, which consist of Penny Fury, Elizabeth Nelson, Elijah Chan, Katya Venice, Violetta Moscow, Lan Le, Josh, Trang Tien, Ahni Jallow, Mai Ito, and Ghaida Kashual as well as other OCs that will come up throughout the story.

Emil clashed with Hulk, wondering if the guards had managed to usher all of the girls- excluding Penny- away from the Villa and into the car with Valerie. He knew that Valerie would hear the roars of himself and his enemy and would come running to help in some possible way. That wouldn't do at all. If she got hurt. . .

He gave a roar of anger, sending the Hulk flying into the other Avengers. They ducked out of the way for the most part and Emil quickly lumbered away, breaking through the tree line, and shrinking back into himself.

He sprinted away from the villa, hoping the Hulk wasn't following, though he could hear the angry roars behind him.

"Drive." He shouted as he approached the car. Valerie threw open the door and he threw himself inside and the car took off speeding.

"Are you alright?" He asked, kissing Valerie and then looking at the other girls. As ordered, it was only the girls that wanted to come with him. And it was nearly all of them.

They nodded, looking scared out of their minds.

"A-are you alright?" Jasmine asked quietly.

"If we get out of here, yes." Blonsky answered and looked at Patton, "Step on it."

"Whose after us?" April asked.

He looked at her and could see how scared they were. He softened a little and said, "The Avengers."

❤️‍🩹🥽 ᑭỖѶ ςⒽα𝐍ⓖє 🏉🤏

Penny knew something huge was going on, despite the fact that she was blindfolded. She heard crashes and shouts. There was also several large roars and she was now remembering who Blonsky was indeed.

Abomination.

She had thought it was a weird safe word, but now it all made sense. It was his name, literally. The monster name from when he was hunting the Hulk, aka Bruce Banner. It had not been in her father's files- except as a side note for Bruce Banners possible enemies. The larger file on Emil Blonsky had been in General Ross' study.

Penny struggled in her bonds. There had to be some way for her to get out of this stuff. Like for emergencies like this. What if a fire started in the trees. Unlikely, but shouldn't he have some way for them to get themselves out.

It was possible, she realized, that they did. But that he would only have told her after he started to trust her.

It was hard, working at the bonds behind her hands, because of how she'd been oiled down. He'd wanted her to glisten when they came to pick her up.

Yes, he'd told her about the men coming to buy her. It had unnerved her, for she would have much rather of stayed with Blonsky, and she had pouted and told him so. He'd chuckled, but said that it was how the world worked.

Now, things were clearly going southward which meant two things: One, her father had come for her and there was a huge fight. Two, the men that had come to buy her was attempting to kill Blonsky to take her for free and were now meeting Abomination.

She wasn't even sure which one it was because both were so likely it was uncanny.

"Penelope?"

She shrieked against her gag, jumping as much as possible when she was hanging upside down and bound. The voice was accented and breathless, though she hadn't heard anyone approach.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." The voice continued. Definitely male, perhaps Ukrainian, Russian, or Sokovian? Even possibly Romanian.

"Let me help you." The voice continued and She felt fingers at the back of her head. The blindfold and gag fell out together and she looked to see who was helping her.

"Pietro Maximoff?" She asked, coughing.

"You know who I am?" He asked, surprised.

"I made it my business to know who all of the Avengers and father's best agents were." Penny said, blushing slightly as Pietro moved behind her to undo the rest of her bonds. Soon, she was on the ground on her feet.

"I'm sorry." He apologized thickly. "I don't have any clothing on me, but we have extra suits on the jet."

"Yeah, sure, that's fine." Penny blushed, taking a step forward and stumbling. Her legs had gone all numb. "Um-"

"It's alright." Pietro said, scooping her up in his arms. She felt the slightest pang of regret that he wasn't her soulmate as she glanced up at his handsome face. She closed her eyes tightly as he took off running at the speed of sound.

"I have her." Pietro announced as he came to a sudden stop at the ramp of the jet. He inhaled sharply, putting her down on one of the seat. "Is she-"

The other man there turned his head and Penny saw now that he was Sergeant James Barnes. Both of the men were standing over an unmoving girl.

"She's still breathing. But Stephen isn't back yet and I don't know. . ." James trailed off and looked over at her. "Pietro you dumbass, get her some clothes."

Pietro yelped, jumping over to the rack and pulling out a suit. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Who. . ."

"Elizabeth Nelson."

"Frozaline?" Penny asked astounded. Had her father sent every single superhero her way? Frozaline was a small city superhero who, from her file, claimed would never join the Avengers because she didn't want to be a big name superhero, but wanted to protect the little people. Like spiderman.

"Yes." James replied as Penny slipped on clothes.

"What happened?" Penny asked, tying up the boots that had come with the outfit, limping over to where the poor girl was flushed and barely breathing.

"No idea. We think they poisoned her but we don't know with what until Stephen gets here."

Penny thought the symptoms looked familiar and she looked over at Pietro, "Go and get a lime From one of the trees."

"A lime?" Pietro asked, looking completely confused.

"Yes, hurry."

Pietro was gone and back in a few seconds.

"Do you have a knife?" Penny asked James, knowing the answer before she'd asked the question.

James handed the knife over and she cut the lime open, before squeezing a few drops down Frozaline's throat.

"Now," She replied softly. "We wait."

🐤🫐 tｉᗰⒺ 𝔰𝐊𝕀𝐩 🛻🐣

Elizabeth was up by the time the other Avengers got back. Penny watched as the Chinese boy she knew to be Elijah Chan kiss Elizabeth deeply. Then the two of them curled up together in a corner of the Quinjet.

Meanwhile, Penny was finding herself under scrutiny by the other Avengers. King T'Challa of Wakanda had taken up residence in the cockpit, with Violetta Moscow- also known as black cat, one of the Italian black Widows- in the co-pilot seat.

Bruce Banner, Hulk, was sitting heavily in one of the seats, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a cup of some hot drink in his hands. Natasha Romanoff, one of the Russian black widows, (THE Black Widow) was sitting next to him.

And just about everyone else was around Penny.

There was Steve Rogers, aka Captain America; James Barnes, Winter Soldier; Sam Wilson, Falcon; Tony Stark, Iron man; Loki Laufeyson, God of Mischief and someone her father didn't trust; Stephen Strange, Dr. Strange, magician and Sorcerer; Clint Barton, Hawkeye; Pietro Maximoff, quicksilver; and Lan Le, the Galactic Magician, also known as an animal and human shapeshifter.

"Thank you." Penny said softly. "For coming and getting me."

"It was no problem." Steve replied.

Penny noticed that they all looked anxious, nervous, and uncertain. There was also an awkwardness in the Quinjet that she couldn't place.

"I hate to grill you so soon," Tony started off brusquely, "But Blonsky got away. I don't suppose there was any chance that you know where he might've gone?"

Penny just shook her head. For some reason, it didn't bother her that Blonsky had gotten away. She'd noticed that he'd left behind the girls that had been like her- taken. The Avengers had already dropped them off with the Sri Lankan authorities and one of the American embassies was taking care of the girls until they figured out where they came from and where to send them back to.

So, despite Emil Blonsky's faults, he'd taken care of his girls to the end.

For some reason, Penny was almost finding that she hoped he made it to safety. Set up somewhere nice for his wife and himself.

But maybe that was the Stockholm syndrome. She would have to see a psychiatrist the minute she got back to the states.

"Do you need anything? Water, food, sleep, medicine?" Clint asked.

"No, I think. . . well maybe sleep." Penny amended. "Is there somewhere. . ."

"Yeah, follow me." Sam said.

Penny got up to follow Sam and he showed her a very small compartment off to the side in the jet. There was a large bed and she noticed that the sheets were extremely clean.

"Thank you." She murmured.

"Yeah, no problem." Sam said, turning to leave, "If you need anything else, just let us know."

"Wait." She said, grabbing his arm. She hadn't meant to, really, but it was instinct. She yelped, letting go as though she had been burned and Sam turned to look at her with wide eyes.

"Y-You're my soulmate." She whispered, dropping her hand.

"And you're mine. . ." Sam murmured. He looked puzzled and something else she didn't recognize.

"Wait." She thought about it, "Is this why the atmosphere out there was weird?"

Sam hesitated and then nodded, "Your father didn't want anyone touching you in case they turned out to be your soulmate. I don't really know why. Shit I really hope he doesn't shoot me."

Penelope was quite furious. She had known her father was extremely overprotective and had always fretted about her meeting her soulmates. But the fact that her father possibly had known her soulmates and had given them orders not to bond with her was more than just protective. It was too much.

"Why? Why wouldn't he want you all to be with me. . . or for me to be with you lot?" Penelope asked, crossing her arms. Any ideas of sleeping were flown out of her brain. She felt wide awake now.

Sam hesitated and then said, "He said something about our 'den of iniquity.' I'm not really supposed to talk about it but. . ."

"Tell me."

Sam blew air out of his mouth, going over to sit on the edge of the bed. "We. . . we've never cared about soulmates before. Most of us are soulmated to each other, whether by design or maybe luck, we're not sure. But we've always been okay with going outside of soulmate bonds. Just about every Avenger is in this den of inequity as your father puts it."

"You all sleep together." Penny realized. "Even if you're not soulmates with each other."

Sam nodded. "Even some of the newer Avengers, like Elijah, Elizabeth, Vi, Lan, and the others. We usually have an orgy at least twice a month. But we just like to sleep around. Sure, some have their own preferences. Elizabeth will only sleep with guys. Ahni will only sleep with other girls. But most of us are Bi. There are some that don't join in, they're to young. Like Kamala and Peter and MJ. But for the most part we're all together."

It explained the atmosphere. They weren't sure where she would stand. She wasn't even sure herself.

"I see." Penny murmured.

"Look, I can give it up if you want me to." Sam said thickly. "You're my soulmate after all. And I think the others would too. But until you lay down the boundaries there's going to be a weird tension. And then, of course, there's whether or not your father would even allow us to see you."

Penny sighed, slumping on the bed. The wave of tiredness had hit her again.

"Hey, you don't have to worry about it right now." Sam said gently, helping her towards the pillows. "It's not like we're going to have an orgy while you're sleeping in here."

Penny laughed a little. The pillows were so soft, like clouds around her head.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Can. . . can you stay just for a little bit? I don't think I can fall asleep without someone around." Penny asked, feeling completely vulnerable.

Sam didn't answer, but she felt the bed dip and then a warm presence next to her. She curled into his body, feeling his arms surround her. He pulled one of the blankets over her shoulders. "Sleep."

She slept.

🧭💔 𝓹𝐨𝓿 𝕔нΔŇ𝔤ｅ 🥼🐥

Blonsky sat down next to Valerie on the bed. "You were right. I'm sorry sweetheart."

Valerie shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I was scared and. . ."

"You had every right to be scared." Emil sighed. "I guess I should've known the moment Vibranium was in play. I knew how rare it was. I just thought it was black market vibranium. Never thought it would be the actual King of Wakanda showing up. And I'm sorry because I've taken you from your home. I don't know when we can go back to the villa. It'll be watched for a long time. But I will provide for you-"

"Emil." Valerie interrupted him, smiling, putting a hand on his cheek. "I love you for you. I love you for how you treat me. Even when you're rough, you're loving. I don't need fancy clothes and jewelry. I just need you. And more importantly, I just need you to stay safe. For me?"

"Anything for you Val."

"Then let's just slip away. Leave Sri Lanka. We can head to Australia, set up a small place in the outback. It'll take time, but we have it. We can stay off the radar. We never bother the Avengers again, they never bother us again."

"Okay." Emil said immediately. He pulled Valerie into his arms, pulling her close to him in the hotel bed. "Okay, that's exactly what we're going to do. I love you."

"I love you more." Valerie giggled, kissing him deeply. "Now let's sleep."

Emil curled his body protectively around her. Never again. He'd sell, but he'd never buy again. There was no one, there was nothing more important than Val. And he'd never put her in danger again.

[another-heroine]

9 Ship Songs 2.0

Some time ago I was tagged on this one, and by that time I have had no enough songs for any of my beloved ships.

Now that my brain is spinning Lann and Katya like a rotisserie chicken, I am finally able to list nine songs for them at least lol

(And I just followed the shuffling order of Spotify. Check on their playlist here)

Be There (Seafret)

You've got me surrounded

It feels like I'm drowning

And I don't want to come up for air

I lost everything

I threw myself in and you took me when no one was there

Well you can take what you need, take the air that I breathe

And I'll give away all that I own

Whatever I lose, is put back by you in a way that you'll never know...

Sunlight (Hozier)

I would shun the light, share in evening's cool and quiet

Who would trade that hum of night?

For sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

But whose heart would not take flight?

Betray the moon as acolyte

On first and fierce affirming sight

Of sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

I had been lost to you, sunlight

And flew like a moth to you, sunlight, oh, sunlight

Oh, your love is sunlight

Oh, your love is sunlight

But it is sunlight...

Honeylight (Amber Run)

There's nothing to it

You just exist

Then you die

I'm under no illusion

That things get better

But I'II try

'Cause you know it goes down like honey (honey)

So open wide, open wide

You don't have to say you're sorry (sorry)

You only tried, you only tried

It comes in waves, it's red like rust

And in the stream you see the dust

I would like to bathe in honey (honey)

In honey light, in honey light...

Creep (Radiohead)

When you were here before

Couldn't look you in the eye

You're just like an angel

Your skin makes me cry

You float like a feather

In a beautiful world

I wish I was special

You're so fuckin' special

But I'm a creep

I'm a weirdo

What the hell am I doin' here?

I don't belong here...

Hello My Old Heart (The Oh Hellos)

Hello, my old heart

How have you been?

Are you still there inside my chest?

I've been so worried

You've been so still

Barely beating at all

Oh, don't leave me here alone

Don't tell me that we've grown

For having loved a little while

Oh, whoa, I don't wanna be alone

I wanna find a home

And I wanna share it with you...

War (Poets of the Fall)

Do you remember standing on a broken field

White crippled wings beating the sky

The harbingers of war with their nature revealed

And our chances flowing by

If I can let the memory heal

I will remember you with me on that field

When I thought that I fought this war alone

You were there by my side on the frontline

When I thought that I fought without a cause

You gave me a reason to try...

Colours (Billy Raffour ft JJ Wilde)

It's the smartest thing I ever did

Opening my heart to let you in

You taught me that despite the evidence

I'm still worth a damn, you'd still take the risk

Oh, stay with me, don't ever leave

Where I was broken, you made a home in

Where I had nothing, you gave it all

Where I was hardened, you grew a garden

Your love, it hollers down my halls

I've got your colours on my walls...

Golden (Harry Styles)

Golden, golden, golden

As I open my eyes

Hold it, focus, hoping

Take me back to the light

I know you were way too bright for me

I'm hopeless, broken

So you wait for me in the sky

Browns my skin just right

You're so golden

You're so golden

I'm out of my head

And I know that you're scared

Because hearts get broken...

Sirens (Pearl Jam)

Hear the sirens, hear the sirens

Hear the sirens, hear the circus so profound

I hear the sirens more and more in this here town

Let me catch my breath to breathe then reach across the bend

Just to know we're safe, I am a grateful man

The slightest bit of light and I can see you clear

Oh, had to take your hand, and feel your breath

For fear this someday will be over

I pull you close, so much to lose

Knowing that, nothing lasts forever

I didn't care, before you were here

I danced in laughter, with the ever after

But all things change, let this remain...

[neelahind]

(i donr feel like retyping the questions I had so I'm just send a screenshot of them)

AUGH I ALMOST FORGOT TO ANSWER THIS HI to answer the first question directly the impostor in that art from last year i rbed the other day (katya) has killed but at the 'start' point of the story w my & a friend's amogus ocs she no longer kills. 2nd answer's going under the cut i cant just post a mini essay about my amongus ocs un-readmored

ok so i gotta establish my impostor lore first: my impostors are humans who've been infected w an alien parasite. they're conscious, they're basically in control, they're still themselves, it's not a zombie situation or a "strapped into the driver's seat but the car's stuck on autopilot" situation. but the parasite's essentially attached to the host's digestive system and 1) steals nutrients, it's a whole point in my lore that the parasite feeds itself before it lets its host feed; 2) is an obligate carnivore, so the hosts need to eat a LOT of meat to sustain both it and themselves. the space food my crewmates are usually eating does NOT sustain the parasites, so hosts need another source of meat. you know what i mean. you know

so really when you get down to it, the reason impostors in my lore do what they do is they're newly infested by this alien parasite and they're... confused. probably scared out of their minds not knowing what's happening to them. agitated, too. and hungry to a degree and with an urgency they've probably never felt before.

(and it IS urgent. if left unfed the parasite eats the host alive. nbd though)

and to add to things i always have that new impostor haze mix with some other driving force. just like, something that probably WOULDN'T lead them to kill in normal circumstances, but the effects of the infection push that drive to its extreme. impostor instincts combining with very human motives is kind of my Thing.

for katya it was that she'd been harboring resentment towards her two best friends for months because she was trying to repress her heartbreak (said two best friends had gotten together, she had a Huge Crush on one of 'em) and repression wasn't working. and also harboring resentment towards herself for feeling how she was feeling

other Very Human Motivations include "i have to protect those close to me, if i hurt them or let them get hurt i couldn't live with myself," "i need to cover up my own wrongdoings so i don't Lose my fucking Job," and "if we die out here because i'm an impostor now it'll all have been for nothing, i can't let that happen" (to be fair the last one was Already killing people. don't worry about it)

anyway to sprinkle in a bit of bonus lore about those two in that drawing i rbed the other day: after getting caught katya threw herself to the mercy of her surviving crewmates and offered herself up for study if they didn't eject her. somehow it worked. in the years following she'd been under the care & study of several different groups of MIRA employees. the other one in that drawing (haüyne) is part of the last group assigned to watch & study her

[bitterletters]

When someone loves you, the way they talk about you is different. You feel safe and comfortable. - Jess C. Scott

This is more of my Assassins Creed AU with Anya.

Anya has never been loved. That is not to say that she is unloved. But she is not loved. Not in the way Zoe and Isaac had pressed together like they had been woven from the same cloth. Or in the way that Katya and Emily smile so sweetly at each, timid hands always finding each other and holding. Normally, this doesnt bother her, Anya is a busy girl. Endlessly running here and there. Always busy. No time to love or to let herself be loved. No time for anything, not even the questions she has for herself when she sees Isaac's top surgery scars on his chest.

And now Zoe-and-Isaac are just-Isaac and Katya and Emily are still hand in hand but ended in a way Anya can never forgove the Templars for. Now Anya thinks it's too late to be loved the way her friends were and do. Now she has time to think, there is no endless hustle to feed everyone, to find or take supplies, no more frantic fleeing of the group from one refuge to another equally broken refuge.

Anya isnt sure she likes thinking. Because thinking doesn't give any answers she wants. So instead she looks at what the Apple has done. What it brought back. Dragged out of her screams and desperation into...something she has no knowledge of. Because this man with his dark skin and darker eyes has been brought back. There is no other answer for him. Anya hadn't asked his name. He hadn't asked hers either, she justified with an angry little snarl in her stomach, the same one that kept her going and going and going and-.

He knew Masyaf better than her, and his eyes were shuttered shut, like great doors to keep the strangeness of her out, but even Anya with her "social inexperience" could see the deep grief in his hand when he ran his fingertips over the stone of the walls or when he found some part of the fortress reduced to rubble. This man was supposed to be dead as the skeleton in the library had been. She knew this. Felt it in a bitter sort of certainty. But some combination of the temple, the apple, the her, had dragged him from...whatever he had been doing to here. Where he was just as out of place as she was. For while these halls had clearly been known to him and known well, this was not his time.

But he didn't seem in a hury to speak to her. And Anya didn't know what to say to him. What could she say? "I'm sorry you're here i was scared and angry and threw the Apple and somewhere between that, agony and the temple beneath Masyaf glowing an angry white you apeared?" So instead she stayed quiet and avoided him. But avoiding him led to thinking so she took to following him as he explored the ruined fortress, as if he was relearning its walls. Perhaps he was. Anya wouldnt know. She left him food and water in the corner of the library slash temple he claimed for himself. And she pointedly doesnt think of how the hell she was meant to explain this man to the resistance.

After a week of this strange stalemate, the man grew tired of this routine and asked her a question. A quick sharp biting of words over his shoulder followed by a glare that feels sharper than whatever he just said sounded. She was so startled by it that she staggered and he snorted, muttering something under his breath that was probably an insult. He asked again, this time more insistant, a firmness underlying his words. She flushed in that embarrassed oh-shit-language-barrier way and cleared her throat.

"I..." Anya cleared her throat again, straightened her spine out of the meek cower she'd fallen into by habit and continued, "I don't understand. You speak english at all?" He looked at her disdainfully and she couldn't blame him, who goes to another country without learning the language? Much less does...whatever she had done.

"I said are you going to tell me what this is?" He finally said, although from his tone, Anya imagined he'd likely insulted her while he was at it.

"It's Masyaf." Anya felt like he probably knew that, what with the way he knew the layout of the fortress far better than she did. But if he wanted to ask her odd questions, at least they shared a language for her to answer him in. Her words didn't seem to appease him and he stared at her in disbelief.

Suddenly nervous, in that way she had always been when she answered in a way that was, apparently, wrong somehow, Anya found herslef elaborating with what lottle she knew. Which was very little.

"It used to be I guess a training faculty? For the assasssins. When they existed." This was apparently a worse thing to say and the man scoffed at her word, anger visble in a startling way.

"Training faculty?" The disdain in his voice was so thick it felt suffocating and rather than continue speaking, the man turns from her, striding back to the temple-library-base that she hasn't found a solid name for yet. She debated following him but instead climbed (scrambled anxiously) up a tower to report to the resistance what she had done.

Isaac was quiet when she told him what happened. Then a laugh nearly as sharp as the words the man had bit out earlier clawed its way out of her friend and she grumbled at him as he laughed until it clearly hurt.

"Only you, Anya. You really dragged some guy from who the fuck knows when to here. And naturally, you havent even asked his name." Isaac sighed, "You gotta find out more about him, y'know. Maybe even befriend him. We could use all the allies we can get." Otherwise our resistance will end up like the assasssins did. That part went unsaid as always and Anya sighed grimly.

"I know."

There was a long moment of silence and Anya shifts uncomfortably. The sky is getting darker and she doesn't look forward to whatever snow it's going to spit out at her. She hasn't had to scavenge the little village nearby for supplies in weeks and she doesn't want to risk it when the man is such an unknown factor.

"Anya..." Isaac's voice was careful and she focused ochre eyes on her radio. She let oit a little grunt of inquiry. He sighed heavily and then cleared his voice, his next words business like and focused. "Anything else to report?"

Anya started to shake her head but caught herself, "No, Isaac, thank you." Isaac cut off contact and she stared morosely for a moment before a snowflake hit her neck and she hissed. Still, as she carefully descended(it was really more like controlled falling), there was a heaviness in her stomach that had been there since that morning she had found her mother's body in the living room. It followed her into her own corner where she'd piled several pillows and blankets.

The man was there. Seated in the middle of her pillows, as if she hadnt given him his own blankets and pillows. Far fewer than her own perhaps but she had always wanted more than what was considered average. Anya slowed to a stop before him, eyes narrowed questioningly at the intruder upon her bedding.

He took one look at her glowering down at him with golden eyes and let out an amused sound somewhere between a chuckle and a derisive snort. "Sit." He said after a moment and Anya couldn't see a reason not to so she did. This seemed to amuse him again, but he didn't explain what was so amusing about it and she wasnt sure how to ask. The amusement slid slowly out of his face leaving behind something she didnt know how to recognize.

"Masyaf was not merely training. It was a fortress." Here he stopped and looked at her, his eyes searching. Whatever he found left him silent for a long moment and Anya pulled her eyes away from his, suddenly reminded of how uncomfortable most were with her staring. When he spoke again, his voice was softer than it had been.

"It was my home. I was born here. My brother was born here. We trained here yes. But we lived here." He continued to speak about Masyaf for a time. And Anya did not understand. Not really. He spoke to her of a man named Altair. Of a brother called Kadar. Of prayers and traditions. Never in details, only in context of what Masyaf was. Anya knew running and hiding. She knew what it meant to flee, but this man spoke of this place as if it had been worth protecting. He spoke of battles to protect it and all that had been within it. He spoke of this ruined place as something he loved, determination in his voice. She did not, could not understand. After he was done he looked at her again and she had the sense that she should give him something back.

She met his eyes, dark coffee to her light honey and helplessly offered, "My name is Anya. I live here now."

He watched her solemnly and she worried she had once again done something wrong before-

"Malik."

[artificialqueens]

🌸 Under the Suit (Katlysska Superhero AU) - Melyssa

Pride challenge: Lust

"Girl you better be out of ya goddamn mind if y'all think I'm going to be wearing this." Alyssa hollers from the file room located inside Alaska's office.

Meanwhile, Alaska herself sat on her favourite leather chair. Her gigantic wooden desk which was usually filled with her scattered paperwork in the day, was now empty as she prepares to end another work day. All that's left on it was a plant her wife Katya had gifted her, her desk plate and a crimson mask. Her desk plate was glowing under the office lights, it's golden face proudly engraved with the words "GLAMAZON SECRETARY OF STATE- ALASKA THUNDERFUCK". Beside it was a crimson mask, a part of the new uniform of their city's beloved superhero: Alyssa Edwards. 

However...

"Alyssa, you will not be rejecting yet another costume just because it's not pink" Alaska hollers back in irritation. It was late, Katya was waiting for them both for dinner, and her damn girlfriend was complaining over her hand-tailored suit which cost about 7,500 dollars. 

"Mrs. Goode even gave you the boots for free." She yells again, hoping that the mention of the famous designer would persuade the haughty superhero. 

"Now that's real sweet of Mrs. Gigi, but I will not in God's good name be wandering along the streets wearing THIS."

No it does not. 

Alaska sighs, getting the mask and walking towards the cabinet. 

"I do not get paid for this." She mutters under her breath. Sure the government had given her a raise to manage the superheroes, but they sure as well don't give her a single penny to babysit her girlfriend. 

"Come on out Alyssa" Alaska sighs, trying to will back her patience "That is an order."

She is answered with silence and she was certain that this was Alyssa's way of defiance. 

"Alyssa Lea Nicolle Ed-"

"Now don't you threaten me with full name now Alaska" Alyssa speaks warningly behind the door. "I ain't scared of my name."

Alaska wanted to bang her head through the door. Who knows maybe she could break it if she hit it hard enough. She didn't need to however, the click of the door making her head perk up as it opened. 

"It's a very lovely name." Alyssa steps out, eyes burning just as displeased as her tone, yet her cheeks dusted with a light pink blush. "Don't ya think it's lovely?"

Alaska couldn't tell if she was still talking about her name or her costume. In fact, she couldn't even get any words at all, speechless as all she could do was stare at her girlfriends suit. 

Her girlfriend's very new, very expensive and very very revealing suit.

The entire thing was a two piece, also a shade of crimson just like the mask. Honestly, the colour looked better, an improvement in the case of sophistication in comparison to her previous neon suit. But…

"I mean what in the hell were you guys thinking when you order this?" Alyssa mutters, trying to tug down the top piece. It was short, length ending just below her breast. No matter how much Alyssa tugged it down, it didn't cover even a quarter of her caramel, taut stomach.

Against her will, Alaska slowly starts to understand Alyssa's disagreement as her eyes begin to wonder lower. 'Katya loves to mark her stomach' 

She follows Alyssa's other hand which was also trying to adjust her mini skirt. Like the top it was short and downright sinful as they ended mid thigh, not leaving anyone to their imagination as it didn't have a single inch of fabric to cover the Texan's long, smooth legs-

"Now I recommend you return it." Alyssa's voice breaks her trance. 

Alaska looks up to find her lover's pink cheeks now a shade of red and her green eyes glinting dangerously.

Fury. 

"No, I demand that you return it." Alyssa hisses before she throws her hands up and gives up on trying to make the suit longer. 

Alaska is still standing there, openly gaping and staring at the  costume which is not something a superhero should not be wearing in front of the town's folk, the children, the news…

And definitely not something she should be wearing in front of Alaska in her private government office ...at night...when she was sure would be no one would hear them, much less see them…

"Okay we'll return it."

Alaska surprises them both as the words escape her lips. By the time her brain processed what she said, her body was already moving forward. 

"Really? You aint going to be- hey, what are you doing?!-" Alyssa suddenly finds herself pressed against the door. She looks at her girlfriend who in turn stared right back into her green eyes.

Shock. 

"I'll return it tomorrow." Alaska mutters as her hands instinctively rests on her hip, drawing circles on the flesh there and watching Alyssa as she blinks.

Confusion. 

Alaska brings one hand up to cup her cheek and pull her in for a kiss. Alyssa makes a shocked noise in the back of her throat, taking a couple of seconds before she throws her own hands over Alaska's neck and kisses her back. The warm feeling in her stomach Alaska felt the moment she saw her girlfriend walk out of the closet suddenly grew, spreading throughout her body as she kisses her deeper. And when she pulls away, she sees the same feeling reflected in Alyssa's jade orbs. 

Lust.

That was all Alaska needed to let go of her and pick up the discarded mask from the floor.

"Go back home" Alaska says shortly. 

Alyssa looks at her, still slightly breathless and now ultimately disappointed. The blonde opens her mouth, maybe to complain, but Alaska only pushes the mask into her hands and whispers darkly into her ear. 

"And you better think twice before you let anyone's eyes other than ours see you like this."

If Alyssa didn't get what she meant before,  she did now as she hurriedly tied the mask on and ran for her boots and whip. She fumbles a lot in her haste and almost trips over the window frame as she climbs over it, but she obediently leaps out the whitehouse in less than minute. No doubt, she would be home in five minutes,ten minutes before Alaska would be. 

Grabbing her purse and practically running out of her office once she turned off the lights, Alaska dialled her wife.

"Katya" she speaks as warningly as she can as she runs down the stairs. "If you unwrap my present before I get home I will not let you finish tonight."

"Oh?" Katya's intrigued voice filters through the phone "And just what kind of present might this be?" 

"It's a pretty great one despite the fact that I didn't check the description before it was ordered."

"What?" Katya chuckles in disbelief "There's no way you didn't check before you ordered"

"You're right, I've already seen it" Alaska laughs, racing towards her car. "And you're gonna love it."

By the time she pulls down her seatbelt and starts the engine, a 'bang' comes from the other side of the phone. 

"Hold on I think Alyssa just arrived-" Katya says.

"Holy shit-" hearing her wife swear under her breath, a smirk spreads through Alaska's face. 

"I think my present just arrived" she remarks smugly. 

"You better get home right now." Katya speaks lowly "Or I might not even care if I come tonight."

Alaska could only chuckle, the call ending right as she heard what cannot mistake was Alyssa's voice.

Michelle was not going to be happy to know that Alyssa had rejected her fifth suit. But Alaska had no doubt that by the time they're finished with her tonight, that it would be the superhero's favourite one yet.  

[welldonekhushi]

Two Snipers

"Aleksandr.." The lieutenant tries to calm the young sniper down, blinded by rage and revenge. All he could see her as an enemy who's trying to defeat Deutschland through his eyes, but for Katya, it was different. She wasn't here to annihilate Aleks, but to just bring back his natural state.

He was definately a skilled sniper like her, but there were some little things that are missed out and had to practice them. The sniping match did went for a long time, but she had to quicken her pace to advance forward.

She approaches the partially defeated German, who was also backing up while gripping onto his scoped Kar98k, aiming directly at her. She actually dropped her gun and raised her hand, just to make sure the battle's actually over between them, but Aleks wasn't ready to listen.

"Stay back, you Russisches Schwein!" Aleks screamed.

"You have to listen to me. I'm not here to hurt you, drop your gun like I did too." Katya replied, still following the soldier.

"All you do is to lie and kill whatever you find in your path, right?" Aleks replied. "It's just fair for only you all Russians to be so feeling-less when it comes to killing our men."

"We don't attack with no feelings. We have to do whatever needs to be done, even if it takes a soldier's life, it's the destiny that counts—"

Aleksandr laughed. "Now you're gonna teach me about life and death, huh? I've seen it many times and now I'm used to it. I don't care if someone tries to make me explain that I'm shooting people whom I have no connection with, but they do find it a threat so I have to."

He continues. "It's just like, you're doing it because, you find it fun. You find it exciting. But, in reality when you realise everything, it's all nothing but.. worthless. You don't actually get what you want, and that what makes it so regretful."

Katya's eyes softened. She did notice the pain inside Aleksandr's soul, knowing how difficult it is to be a part of an army which was controlled by inhumane officials. Working for the evils while secretly being good is just unhealthy for anyone, even if it's for a soldier itself.

The sniper was on the verge to break down in tears but he was good to hide his emotions. He was strong enough to keep hold of his defense, which was left with only a sniper rifle. Maybe, he was scared not knowing if she was just luring him into a trap, but Katya wasn't like that.

Instead, she needed to make Aleksandr relaxed from every stress he was going through, and settle things so that it could provide a distraction and her regiment can secretly advance. Kaiser did try putting a tight security by sending Aleksandr and some few soldats to Stalingrad, so it was difficult to go through.

Katya held the point of his rifle, and aimed it at her heart. It flinched him, thinking what even is she trying to do? She just looks at him with gentle eyes.

"If you want to end it, you can. I had surrendered a while back and if I was the reason for your regrets, then it's your chance." Katya gave Aleksandr the freedom to do whatever he wants, including shooting her dead. But, something just twitched in him that was now slowly preventing him to stop doing it. Was he doing right? Was he trying to make things worse? Every part of voices like that filled inside his mind and started driving him crazy.

He trembled with his grip, as the rifle also started quaking. Aleksandr tried to keep hold of the weapon but his inner self was forcing him to leave it. Tears started filling through his eyes and by finally, his weapon dropped and looked at the Lieutenant with his now heavy teared eyes. He lost the will to fight, he didn't wanted to do all this.

He felt himself as a monster, again.

•

Part two, anyone? Leave your opinions!

Tagging: @smokeywhalee @samatedeansbroccoli @enderio @bumblingbee1 @varlaamsdarkventures @whimsywispsblog

[the-land-of-eternal-winter-novel]

Chapter 23 – The Split

One day, Sveta decided to take any risk and try to escape. She spent all morning trying to measure the distance from the window to the ground outside. There was a very thick layer of snow, but she didn't jump right away. She woke up her children and also Ingrid and she tried to explain to them how to climb down a rope.

"I thought you were too scared to do this!" said Ingrid, confused and taken aback.

"Not for myself; I feared the children might get hurt. But now, from what I've gathered, the snow would atenuate my fall if I should fall, and I'll be down, outside, ready to catch them if they fall off the makeshift rope. I say we throw all the mattresses, pillows, blankets, abd everything else out the window. After I descend I'll arrange them so that they could break any fall softly."

"I'm too scared to do this. Have you even done something like this before?"

"Yes, I was required to do a few years in the military school. Petya knows how to climb up and down a rope, too."

"Mom, what about Katya and Volodya?" he asked when his name was mentioned.

"I'll help you," Ingrid chimed in, "but I won't be able to go too. I have to take care of Oleg."

She explained to the children that they were to hold tight onto the sheets knotted as a rope while she tried to lower them slowly. The two women tried their best to improvise a sort of harness. The children were scared, but they listened to their mother and their aunt, also wanting to get put as soon as possible.

"I didn't expect you to come up with such an idea, Sveta..."

"I decided I have to get over all of my fears, at least during such a desperate situation. I've taken every single precaution I can. Now I can only hope and pray that nobody gets hurt. What are you going to do, since you don't want to go on the rope?"

"I'm going to have to find some of the tunnels. I'll manage, don't worry for me. I hope we'll be able to meet again soon, in more peaceful times."

The two hugged goodbye and put their escape plan into action. Sveta went down first, then her children, from oldest to youngest, and she was prepared to catch then and move the mattresses where needed. Ingrid also tried her best to help the children get to their mother safely, which they did. Afterwards, she threw them their bags and heavier clothes. Sveta and her children began walking in the direction of the small country's capital, as indicated by the routes of some sleds.

No sooner had Sveta left than the guards came into the room and noticed it. They tried to question Ingrid but she refused to cooperate. They came closer, but she grabbed books from the bookshelf to her left and threw them at their heads, sometimes hitting them. After much struggle, she managed to take the gun from one of thee guards' hands, she took Oleg in her arms and ran forwards, without thinking of anything else or even seeing more than the narrow path ahead. She ran and ran, going in down in spirals: halls, then stairs, then halls again. She was now in the cellar, and she knew one of the doors would lead to a greater tunnel. She broke a few wine bottles, spilled the liquid and the foam on the floor, as well as the shards of glass, so as to slow down the guards when they reach that point. She hurried, checking every door. She managed to break the lock using the bayonet of the gun, and she followed the tunnel which seemed deepest to her.

With the door closed behind her, she only had a torch, a gun and the clothes off her back. She tried to calm Oleg down, lest the guards hear him crying and track them down. She went ahead at a lower pace, being already tired, but she remained alert. She knew that the house of a prince, even one distant from the capital, like Grigoriy's, had to be connected to a nearby town or any other human settlement, most likely a resort. She walked many hours before she stopped, now sure that she wasn't being followed anymore.

"I wonder how I can learn to shoot this thing... What will we do if I have to hunt? I don't know how to shoot, or how to cook... I'm not good at anything!" she ranted to herself out loud, much to Oleg's confusion.

When she found a written sign at a crossroads in the tunnel, she arranged a sort of bed, having decided they would travel the next day to one of the villages mentioned in the sign. She bundled Oleg up, being even more careful about his health, and she kissed him goodnight, then lay down next to him. She prayed before going to sleep, and she wondered where she would go, as an ultimate destination.

Some conflicts seemed to surface among the revolutionaries. The original rebel group were trying to persuade people to leave Mantas and come back to them, as the new leader, whom they disregarded, diverged from their cause. One of the ongoing debates centered around the circumstances of the first leader's death.

"We've said it at first, we'll say it again: it wasn't suicide! There was a scientist who confirmed there was a rare poison in his glass."

"Not to mention the scientist died soon after publishing this. Certainly, they were killed by the same person."

"Most likely one of the royals" said Mantas. "They could afford such substances."

"Which of them do you suspect?"

"The current Emperor, of course. He's the one who's been pulling all the strings. He had all of his rivals for the throne eliminated, his brother, his nieces and nephew, and even grand nephews. That's why I say we ally against him, he's our real threat now."

"We won't follow you!"

"Why not? Because I'm unrelated to your first ruler?"

"You took advantage of our crisis to prop yourself up."

"That's how the kingdoms you idolise started as well."

"If you really believed that, you wouldn't 'stoop to their level'."

"What makes you think I can be compared to someone who thinks he can rule just because his great grandparents won a war, when the people have designated me as a qualified enough ruler?"

"Have you been voted in, or did your buddies decide to make your own revolution and you stepped up?"

"You can't accuse me of nepotism if you still support the monarchy. You'd better understand that such institutions need to be done away with in order to achieve your goal of freedom and equality."

"If you were truly equal, there would be no leader to your movement. At least we admit the need for certain hierarchies."

"And you think a lawless mob is any more useful than a headless chicken?"

"So we agree on the need of leadership. But I ask you again: who chose you as their leader?"

"I did, as I began the movement in the first place. I'm way older than you, I have plenty of life experience and useful skills, so I'm quite qualified. I, for one, like meritocracy, unlike you, who decide who decide who gets to rule based on who's the favourite second cousin once removed of some king."

"I've never met anyone as humble!..."

"Imagine being so self righteous that you think having self esteem is a bad thing!..."

"You're not worth debating with!"

"Who's arrogant now, little boy?"

The first movement revolutionaries continued their attempts at persuading the public elsewhere, and Mantas minded his business as usual. One of his soldiers began talking to him:

"You sure have a lot of patience if you talk to them."

"It's entertaining to me. The truth is that our movement is much stronger: they only have the ones in their country who both reject the empire but wish their own king, while we have people from all over the empire, united by the dream of an equal society."

"There's also the anarchists."

Mantas smirked, struggling not to laugh.

"They'll never accomplish anything of substance. People in their movement are migrating either to the first movement or, in larger numbers, to us."

"Anyway, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away, Sava."

"How are you so sure that the current emperor is the one who killed the first revolutionary leader?"

"Tell me who else?"

"Maybe it's the queen regeant, or her son, or who knows?"

"Does it matter who it was, precisely?"

"Well, the implications are a bit different if it's not somebody from the empire. Take, for instance, the queen..."

"If it's the queen Regeant, we can convince the old revolutionaries they're wrong about the monarchy."

"What if it was another revolutionary?"

"Look at that ragtag bunch and tell me they could afford a poison like that."

"Many of them are from more well off backgrounds. And, after all, they could've stolen."

"Alright, but why would anyone want to take over a movement that seeks to put somebody else on the throne?"

"Maybe he was considered a traitor, and that's why the others did him in."

"The first leader?"

"Yes, because many are wolves in sheep's clothing. I have a feeling he was one of us, trying to trick the others into starting the revolution for him."

"Where do you get these wild ideas from?"

"I was in the empire military before I joined your revolution. I happened to hear some things. I met that man when he was imprisoned. He told his colleague he wished he killed the emperor and took his place. He must've thought I don't speak his language."

"Oh, why didn't you say so from the beginning? You possess useful information and skill."

"If you need a right hand man, I'm right here."

"I'm seriously considering it. What other things do you know?"

"I know my way through the tunnels and the palace. I could help when it comes to infiltration."

Later, Sava's assistant, who happened to overhear, questioned him.

"What do you mean, the revolutionary who wanted to conquer the empire was one of you?"

"Weren't you busy elsewhere?!"

"I was passing by!"

"If we wanted to conquer it, what's your problem?"

"People who follow you think you'll help them out of poverty and give them a free country."

"Which we'll do. Why did your mind suddenly jump to dictatorships? Not to mention that I thought you were on board with killing the emperor."

"I am... but I just had a bad feeling..."

"That's what happens when you don't mind your business. As long as you're good, you'll get your fair share."

The young soldier regretted his cowardice, as, when he thought the conversation through again, he realised he had raised good questions, but instead he accepted to be silenced. He became convinced that the two actually planned to keep the empire, but for themselves. Secretly, he began talking to other revolutionaries from the different movements, even trying to persuade some of Mantas' followers to leave him. Be began to sympathise with the anarchist movement, but he also kept in mind the original independence one. As he did so, he also met Melynė and her father.

In the meantime, Svetlana was walking through the snow with her three children, trying to protect them and wondering how she'll provide for them during the following days. Eventually, they were met by a familiar looking sled with some soldiers in it. They were the Queen Regeant's guards.

"Thank God you found us! I feared we would get lost for good!"

The guards took the children inside the sled, but they closed the door as Sveta was trying to get in.

"Let me in!"

"The Queen ordered we take her grandchildren, as you have endangered them, unable to take care of them."

"I'm their mother! I did my best to protect them! Don't you know the circumstanceswe were in?"

"Kidnapped by your tyrant uncle. Hunted by the revolutionaries. If you stayed in our castle, you would endanger us as well."

"How much is order from the queen and how much is you stepping your bounds?! She wouldn't do this to me, she knows I have an empire to rule. She's my mother-in-law, too!"

"That's precisely the reason, your Majesty. She'd make a better ruler than you, anyway. This is her message; you'd better leave such responsibilities as parenthood and leadership in the hands of the qualified."

"Where is my husband?! Does he know about this?! Give me back my children! You are committing treason!!!"

The sled took off suddenly and with great speed, knocking her off the steps below the door. The children were screaming in panic as they realised their mother was left behind. Sveta picked herself off the ground and started running with all of her might, but the sled went faster and faster and she eventually fell in exhaustion, the sled going farther and farther, until away from view. She lay in the snow hopelessly, crying as she thought that she was, indeed, incompetent, otherwise this wouldn't have happened to her.

As soon as Anatoliy, Radek and Akim healed completely, leaving the hospital, they went their separate paths, as decided. Radek headed towards his mother's palace, prepared with questions. Anatoliy helped Akim navigate the many tunnels and snow covered roads leading to the capital. As they wished to keep anonymity, they avoided taking a sled or other such transportation, instead walking through less traveled routes, hoping not to be noticed at all.

"Back in my country there weren't tunnels like these." said Akim. "I knew about them when I still lived here, but I haven't gone inside one before. Are they secret in any way?"

"Some certainly are, but many are like regular, but less travelled roads. People, understandably, prefer to walk above ground."

"I think they taught something about this at school but I totally forgot. The only thing I liked about military school was learning how to shoot, anyway."

"Well there are many reasons for building the tunnels, and not all of them have had the same purpose. Some of the oldest ones were certainly secret roads built during one of the wars a few centuries ago. Many are historical monuments, actually."

"I think I saw one during a school trip once!"

"The majority, though, just link people's lower rooms to eachother."

"Cellars?"

"No, now it's the norm to build several levels below ground, as well as above ground. The lower levels are shelters from the cold. They have better insulation than wooden walls, obviously."

"I thought only the palace had those. And I was never even allowed there in the first place, so I thought it was some secret."

"Our lower levels are emergency escape routes, for the most part. Normal houses have those, too. But from what I've learned, people like to keep their basements as fully functional rooms, for use during the coldest months, snowstorms, and the like. The winds get harsh sometimes."

"Why don't people build brick or stone walls instead?"

"Where would you get clay for bricks? Even if we had such a soil, it's covered in ice half of the year! And I doubt people want to tavel the whole country just to get stones for building houses. It's more convenient overall."

"I don't remember it being so cold..."

"It has always been like this. The tunnels and lower rooms are inventions dating two centuries. Even back then people knew it was warmer below. But in the last few decades I think it's been getting even colder, somehow."

"As I can see!" he said, warm vapor coming out of his mouth. "I wonder why it's like this, though... Even in my country the scorching summers have become mild."

"You call those summers mild?!"

"By their standards, yes. You white bears have forgotten what summer looks like, it seems." he laughed.

"Your father is one of those 'white bears'. You were born here!"

"After 25 years, I'm more accustomed to warm weather, believe me."

"You know, I've read a number of history books, and it seems like it wasn't always cold here. Sure, we've always been the coldest country in the world, but we used to have four distinct seasons. People wrote of the shocking contrast between the winters and summers. How this weather gained an advantage in battles. They even worried the weather was growing too hot, if you can imagine! As you read more, you see: this and that strait has been permanently blocked by ice, this and that town has become uninhabited, famines here, famines there. I wonder if it was the same in the past millennium. Sadly, we only know about history from the past 500 or so years, and only the books surviving from that period give us hints of times earlier than this. The world has been around for 8000 years, and we only know the last 500 in detail..."

"...The War of The Great Earthquakes..."

Both remained somber for a few moments.

"...and to think there have been wars ever since..."

"It's human nature..." responded Anatoliy. "On the brightside, their weapons were destroyed."

"...and their inventions, as well..."

"Don't be so disappointed. We've had our own inventions. And scientists are still discovering many things, especially in chemistry."

"I don't ask for much. As some people live in the harshest deserts, and your people live in the most painful cold, some underground, and even underwater for short term settlements, I wish we could live on the moon. I'd be the first to move there."

"How do you think it's up there?"

"Warm and dry, like a desert. Otherwise, we could see its seas and greens from here."

"Maybe it's very cold. Maybe it's frozen over, and that's why it looks so white."

"Do you think there are living creatures there?"

"I don't believe such a thing. But, if there ever were, they must've died during The War 500 years ago. You know what the historians said: toxic clouds rising up to the heavens..."