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boots-with-the-fur-club · 3 months

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Inverted Confrontation chapter 6! Next is the last one!

@daboyau

“You already know I wanted to end humanity! Is this really such a surprise!? I made you all for war and experimented on dozens of animals. Obviously I was going to make sure you were suited for it.” Draxum crosses his arms.

“This is so not helping your case! How are we supposed to convince these guys to stop being villains when you basically made it impossible for them to be anything else!?” Leo grips his own face and pulls on it in frustration.

“Maybe we can talk to them now that the situation is reversed? They might be willing to listen!” Mikey suggests.

“No way they ever would. Reasoning doesn’t work!“ Other April insists.

“What do you say we do with them then?” April questions.

“Let me take them back and we’ll deal with it. The people in my universe deserve justice.”

“Are you going to kill them!?”

“It’s up to everyone who’s lives they ruined! This is the only chance I’m ever going to get!“

“Woah woah woah, heroes don’t send people to their deaths!” Raph gets between them.

“They’re murderers themselves if you need reminding.” Draxum comments.

“Yeah, because of you!” Leo points his finger in his face accusatorially.

“We can’t give up on them. Villains and other universes or not they are my sons.” Splinter chimes in.

“They also tried to brainwash your real sons though.” Donnie casually adds.

Everyone begins arguing with each other, allowing Mikey to slip away to the room they’re holding them in.

He’s surprised to see that Champion is awake, but not exactly…..present. It reminds him a little of Leo with a concussion but this seems much worse.

“Are….are you okay?” He hesitantly reaches out to him.

When there’s no reaction, so he quickly touches his neck to make sure there’s a pulse. Luckily there was. Unluckily, it means he has no idea what’s going on with him.

His head was drooped slightly, his eyes were….gray, half lidded, sort of empty.

“This is bad….I have to get help-“

“Stop! There’s only one thing that can help him, you’d just make it worse!”

Mikey jumps a bit at the voice coming from behind him. Dr. Rude apparently has woken up.

“What will help?”

“Me! He needs me.”

“I can’t just let you out, you just tried brainwash me and my brothers! Tell me what to do, I won’t mess it up.”

“You can’t be the one to do it.” He breaks the mystic bindings fairly easily.

Mikey panics, quickly holding onto Champion. He’s not sure why, but something feels wrong.

“How did you break it!? You shouldn’t have had your powers!”

“Just because I can’t use them doesn’t mean I wasn’t strong already. Let go of my brother.”

“What are you going to do to him?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you!” He starts coming at him.

Mikey holds Champion closer and jumps out of the way.

“You do if you actually want to be able to do it!”

“If I don’t help him he’s just going to get worse! Do you want him to die because you’re being stupid!?”

“I’m not being stupid! I’m trying to make sure you’re not doing anything weird!”

Champion begins to shift in his arms. Mikey immediately notices the panic on Dr. Rude’s face.

“P-Please! I have to do it now!”

Mikey frowns, trying to figure out what the right thing to do is. His unease was brought on by something but it was just a feeling. They loved each other, he wouldn’t hurt his brother right?

He hesitantly moves Champion closer to him. There’s immediate relief on his villain counterpart’s face. Maybe this was the better option.

Dr. Rude mystic powers start surging through his arms which makes Mikey confused.

“You’re going to be okay again….just like before….”

“What are you doing!?”

Both Mikeys snap their heads towards Hyde who .

“I-I was just….it’s….” Dr. Rude is at a loss for words.

Hyde breaks his bonds and rushes over, scanning Champion with a device he materializes.

“…..Mikey.”

Dr. Rude freezes. Mikey knows that reaction. He gets the same way when Splinter calls him Michelangelo instead of Orange.

“Hyde, it’s not what-“

“Why are there traces of your power in his system?”

“You don’t understand-“

“Then make me understand! What were you about to do? What have you been doing to him!?”

Dr. Rude shrinks in on himself a bit, glancing at Champion. Hyde moves into his line of sight, blocking the view.

“Tell me I’m wrong! Tell me that you haven’t been puppeteering our brother!”

Dr. Rude begins breathing heavily.

“….You did it….didn’t you? For how long!?”

Dr. Rude tears up, holding his arm and looking away.

“Mikey! If I’m going to fix him, you need to tell me everything!” He grips him by the shoulders.

Dr. Rude looks back at him with anger before tackling him away from Champion.

Mikey takes several steps back at seeing this, then rushes out of the room.

“You think you can fix him!? What I did was the fix! He was failing! You weren’t there! You don’t know what it was like! Draxum was going to get rid of him if I didn’t do something!” Dr. Rude holds Hyde down, his arms still full of mystic energy.

“Mikey! Be careful!” He fearfully glances at them.

“I-I swear I didn’t do it on purpose at first! I was just trying to help! And it worked! I-I didn’t even know I could do that! I thought it was just helping his abilities!” The energy begins to seep into Hyde’s arms.

“Stop it! Please!” He looks at Red to see if he’s awake.

He’s only slowly beginning to stir.

“I was trying to keep him alive….and then….h-he and I were so in sync….we worked so well together….we were perfect. Too perfect….”

Hyde struggles against him as the energy spreads more. He glances around next to get help from regular Mikey but couldn’t find him.

“I couldn’t have known what I was doing….but something was wrong. He never questioned me about anything. You remember those things dad made us, right? Leo’s stuffed unicorn was the only one Draxum never found. You remember how angry he was when he found ours, what he did to us….Leo was so good at hiding his, but I just knew it was a matter of time, so I told him to tear it up. He loved it so much, so I didn’t think he’d actually do it! He was going to do it without a second thought if I hadn’t stopped him!”

“You could have stopped after we were free!”

“I tried stopping! I-I got scared after the unicorn, but it was so much worse when I didn’t do it….Draxum got even angrier. Leo couldn’t handle what he was feeling anymore, Donnie! And that was only after a week! After how long it took to get out of there!? It would break him!”

“But now you’re doing it to me!?”

Dr. Rude’s tears drip onto Hyde’s face.

“I have to. It’s the only way. I’m taking care of us! You’ll feel better, he always does…..”

Hyde shouts in pain.

Red blearily wakes up at the screaming, immediately breaking his bonds and instinctively grabbing Dr. Rude as soon as he sees him.

He looks around in confusion for the actual attacker, only assuming Dr. Rude was trying to help Hyde.

Only when he notices the orange spreading through his veins does he fully understand what’s happened. His attention turns back towards his youngest brother.

“You….did this?”

Dr. Rude breaks down in tears as he looks back up at him.

“I-I didn’t know what else to do. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” He hides his face in Red’s shoulder.

Red hugs him closer, his shock turning completely to understanding.

“Oh Orange…..”

Dr. Rude hiccups in response to the nickname he hadn’t heard in a long time.

“I-I’m a monster…..I’m just like he was…!”

Red rubs his shell.

“No. Never, ever like him.”

“But I-“

“It’s not his DNA we’ve got. You messed up….and it’s bad. Real bad. We’ve all done bad things. We did it for a reason. How would ya even know what was crossin the line? We sure didn’t teach you. We sure didn’t really have anyone to teach us. The real monster….he never cared about being a monster. His reasons never were for anybody else. You’re different. I know you are.”

Dr. Rude further bursts into tears.

That’s when everyone who was previously fighting rushes into the room. Original Mikey had managed to get them to listen long enough to tell them what was happening.

“Why did I even bother making those bonds when they broke out immediately?” Draxum crosses his arms.

“Not the time, Barry!”

Both Aprils rush over to Hyde.

“What do we do!? How do we stop this!?” April panics.

“I don’t know! I’ve never seen it stopped before!” Other April answers.

“I-Ignore me, Champion needs help!” Hyde winces, holding his arms in pain.

Splinter quickly goes over to Champion.

“Blue, can you hear me?”

Light starts returning into his eyes. His gaze meets with Splinter’s.

“D-Dad….? You can’t be….you’re….” His eyes widen in a split second.

He screams out in a wail, gripping his own head in what seems like a lot of pain.

“No! I-I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! He killed you because of me! And I-!….Oh my god….I killed him….I actually did it, how could I have-?” He sees Draxum behind Splinter.

His screams change from pain to absolute fear. He curls up into a tight ball, shaking like he’s about to fall completely apart.

“Blue!” Splinter tries to touch him but Champion only flinches.

“Okay, since Champion is down for the count, Leon is taking over! Whoever can help fix Hyde stays in a room with Draxum. That includes the Aprils to watch over him. Whoever can calm Champion down stays here. Having Draxum around is only going to freak him out more. All good?”

Nobody seems to have any problems with his solution. They all split off into the designated groups. Red, Raph, Donnie, Mikey and Splinter stay with Champion. Draxum, Dr. Rude, and the Aprils go with Hyde. Leo leaves the room with them but pauses, not sure if he could really help either.

“P-Please, don’t leave.” Hyde pleads.

Leo is surprised but quickly catches up with them and goes to his side. They all get to the med bay and lay Hyde down on the bed. Everyone else takes a step away from him in order to talk about what the next course of action would be. Leo stays next to him.

“That looks like it hurts….”

“O-Only because I’m fighting it. It’s….trying to spread but I’m not letting it. H-Humans can’t really fight against this, their mystic powers are nonexistent.”

“Are you sure you want to keep talking if it hurts this much?”

“I….I miss when you were like this.”

“Like what?”

“All the dumb jokes, the way you were unsure, when you let yourself be scared….”

“Well now you just make me sound like a loser. I thought it was cool how you believed in him, called him Champion, how he could actually be leader, but that was all kinda a big lie because of all that puppeteering.” He crosses his arms.

“You were you. Not….fake. Not a mix of something else. If you were a loser that way, we were losers together. Y-You’re my twin and it felt like I lost whatever we had. Now I know….it was replaced by what Dr. Rude created…..”

“What….we had?”

“Y-You and I both know what it was. The way you can tell if he’s in pain. If he’s in a bad mood. Wh-When he needs you.”

“I knew that wasn’t just in my head! I caught him watching scary movies at 3am because him being scared wouldn’t let me sleep.”

Hyde smiles softly.

“I’d give anything to have that happen. Th-That’s why I agreed to this. I don’t just miss you….I-I miss Mikey too. Hyde and Champion….they became like we were the same person. I-I guess they sort of were. It felt like it was just me and Red at times….I just wanted to spend time with my little brothers.”

“Hey, I’m not letting you say that just because you’re not feeling well.”

Hyde’s smile changes to a smirk.

“I tested us. I’m older.”

“What!? If you weren’t such a bad liar I’d be calling pants on fire!”

Hyde chuckles before he grits his teeth in pain.

Leo frowns and looks at his arms.

“There has to be something I can do.”

“D-Dr. Rude himself doesn’t know how to stop it. I-It’s not your fault.”

Leo looks at his hands, then back to Hyde.

“Here goes nothing.”

“Wait, wait-!”

Leo recalls the surge of energy that Champion had forced them to dip into. He thinks hard about how he wants to help Hyde, putting aside the fact that he isn’t from this universe, ignoring what he attempted to do.

Right now, he was family.

Hyde’s shouting drew the attention of the others in the room. He can sort of hear Draxum and both Aprils yell at him to stop. They’re all ignored.

They can lecture him after it works. Or take pity on him if it doesn’t.

Energy prickles in the palm of his hands. He grabs Hyde’s arms and does his best to will the energy that wasn’t supposed to be there away, somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t in Hyde.

The energy fights him, not wanting to leave. He fights back, insisting that it was not going to get any further. He can feel something in Hyde helping his own energy kick out the harmful one.

Eventually, finally, Dr. Rude’s energy changes into his own. He pulls it all back, out of Hyde.

He’s pulled away just as he finishes, getting yelled at a lot more.

He doesn’t really pay attention.

Hyde’s arms are back to normal. He’s not in pain anymore.

He looks at him in complete shock.

“Ha, there was something I could do!”

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self-loathing-angel-of-thursday2 · 2 years

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Beautiful Spouse’s Rewatch Thoughts SPN 01x18

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Fuckin’ Wisconsin

“Do we really have to indoctrinate all these children?”

“Monkey puss - I remember calling everybody Monkey Puss for days”

“I think the tree wants in. It’s getting cold so you should let it in.” “Help! Someone is trying to chop me down” “Like that sheer is going to do anything AT ALL”

“Alright Kid I’d be running like 10 mins ago but ok” “Doesn’t she die or something? Doesn’t she turn into a tree? Like her heart turns into wood?” “He couldn’t find a single red flag.”

“Why are they looking for John anymore? He literally told them to stop looking for him.” “Yes, Dean is the oldest so he is right” “FITCHBURG”

“Does that mean that kids have to be playing?”

“Where are all the kids? They’re being creepy about it” 🎶COVID-19🎶the wind of god

“That wouldn’t actually work. Like it would work or it wouldn’t, and if it wouldn’t work, they’d be in BIG trouble”

🎶devil lady🎶 upside down cross🎶

“Convenient” babygirl

“I love how they use the exact same logic to say it’s not supernatural. Sometimes they’re all in and sometimes they’re not.”

“They’re finding tasty stuff on the walls with the backlights” “looks charred to me not moldy” I remember Spouse went on and on and on about the charred hand for like 10 mins the first watch-through.

“We should keep track of all the Little Deans” “That’ll go over real well with room service. Jesus Christ.” talking about the cartoons and the motel decor

“Sam would have been like 5?”

“What I find amusing is that Dean almost got offended by the microaggresion instead of laughing. The kid did the snort thing like twice.” “Is MasterCard not credit?”

Us talking about how you used have to specify MasterCard vs Visa

“If you’re going to dump it in the trash, why throw it away and just not eat it for yourself? Why waste it? Eat it later?” 🎶paranormal watch🎶

“Dean’s always right; don’t forget that.” “What the fuck kind of shirt is that? I remember hating that shirt last time. It looks like a llama-horse that turns into a dog. I hate the graphic animal tees. Sign of the times, man” “I’m going to hang an inverted cross in my room one day; maybe Dean will come visit me.” “Close call”

“They have so many close calls that it’s ridiculous” “Let’s just break into an old lady’s room with a gun in our hands.” “That’s a pretty big gun to check on grandma” “Oh look at that. Another smoke machine” “Yup” “You can’t just get pneumonia from an unlatched window and being cold? I guess it can be both viral and bacterial, but I don’t see how it’s related to an unlatched window” “That’s funny. Just let a strange man drive your car. No big deal” “bitch burg”

“The microfiche machine made a page turn noise” “totally washed out black-and-white photo. Absolutely sure. Let’s shoot this guy based off of that” “Dean would be terrible at playing poker since he has all these little tells he shows the camera” “If they use the kid as bait, is he a human minnow?” “haha that’s funny” “it doesn’t seem very Dean of Dean to worry about this kind of shit” “I don’t think he has that many regrets. It’s too much of a fkn burden” Me arguing with Spouse that he is wrong

“No, he’s not alright. His eardrums are bleeding.” “He’s just a fkn kid, man” “It’s ok, kid. I’d call the cops, too” “How many times are they going to explain the monster stuff? How many times are people going to ask a lot of questions?” “Yeah, that wouldn’t be a very good look on the outside for a kid knocking on the door to 2 dudes opening up the door” “As clear as day, but it already looks like shit” “Don’t mention covering your ears or anything” “Hey! They mentioned how loud gunshots are. It’s like the only time they ever give a shit about hearing protection” 🎶being a shitty burden🎶

“I love how they choose to wait until the kid’s soul is like half-sucked out” “Didn’t they say it’s only vulnerable while it’s feeding? So the kid is even more than just bait.” “they totally didn’t wait for the kid to be off the bed or to cover his ears” “No worries. Just some dead thing in the house. It’s not even bleeding. What’s wrong with this thing?” “Really? Just going to look at it?” “Dude - his hands look like the outside of a potsticker. It’s gross but potstickers are good. Potsticker fingers are gross” “Gotta vent him out a little bit.”

“This is a Dean badass moment. He’s doing the duckface, too” “You can come out now. I’m just going to shoot this thing, and you don’t need to cover your ears.” “That shit was full of hot air” 🎶hearing damage for life!🎶

“This is fucked. Look at the curb thing. It was probably a whole one, but now it’s small enough to just fuck your oil pan if you ran it over. That’s an insurance claim waiting to happen right there.” “Can you explain to me why my kid can’t hear shit?” “Yeah, he was real sick all right” “let’s go pikachu” “So? At least he knows.”

“That was another Dean postcard look - 40.24 - that’s some bullshit right there”

“There are three of those little things! Why would you want 3 little curb things? Those are 3 insurance claims waiting to happen!” “Was that a fake bird? Is the bird on payroll?"

#beautifulspouserewatchesspn #supernatural #supernatural s1 #supernatural rewatch

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lexosaurus · 3 years

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Going Angst Week 2021: Family/Friends

Read: [1: Birth] [2: Instinct]

Continuation of the No One Knows AU plotline.

---

Everything had changed since the accident. The biological differences were obvious. He glowed, his hair inverted, his eyes turned green, he had ectoplasm running through his veins, he was cold, he didn’t need to breathe as much in human form—the list went on.

But the psychological ones were easily more terrifying.

And nothing scared him more than the way his friends and family were treating him as of late.

He knew that deep down he would never be able to match the way he acted when he was fully human. But that didn’t mean that his heart didn’t skip a beat every time someone shot him a worried glance, every time someone asked if he was alright, every time he caught himself doing something wrong.

He wasn’t human anymore. He wasn’t even sure what he was now, and Vlad seemed to have too much fun emotionally torturing him to give him a straight answer.

“You up for a movie tonight?” Tucker asked, leaning across Danny’s desk.

“Hell yeah,” Sam said. “My house?”

“Oh, you know me too well. What do you think, dude?”

Danny realized that both teens were looking to him for an answer.

He wanted to stay home. Hanging out with either of them meant there was a chance they would see him slip up, and he couldn’t have that.

“Sure.” He hoped his voice didn’t sound too pained.

“Perfect!” Tucker clasped a hand down on his shoulder.

Danny tried not to duck away.

“So we’ll go to Sam’s after dinner. I can bring snacks. Anything you want in particular?”

The thought of eating anything was nauseating. “No. I’m fine.”

“Alright, I’ll just bring the usual then.”

But Danny should have known that something was up. After all, it had been a while since they’d done a movie night. And lately, Sam and Tucker had been acting...oddly.

Well, that was nothing new. Danny thought that as time went on, they’d forgive him for being a bit jumpier than usual and everything would go back to normal.

Except, of course, it didn’t.

The past few weeks had been especially hard. It seemed like they constantly had something to say, but never did. The worried glances had only increased, and the silent conversations seemed to only grow.

Danny had been trying his best to act normal, act human, but it seemed like the more he tried, the worse they’d get.

So of course, in between the first movie and second, the elephant in the room finally stomped all over Danny’s metaphorical floor.

“Hey, Danny.” Sam glanced over at Tucker. A moment passed between the two before Sam nodded and turned back to Danny. “We really need to talk to you.”

Dread pooled in his stomach. He knew exactly where this was going. “I can start the next movie if you want?”

“No, Danny. Listen, can you just sit down for a second?”

His ghostly instincts were begging him to run, but his human side forced him to sit down.

“Listen, we know that...well, Jazz told us about the lab accident.”

Danny could have sworn his heart stopped beating.

“She said it was pretty serious? And she was surprised that you hadn’t told us?” Sam fidgeted with her black rings. “We didn’t say anything to you because we wanted you to be the ones to confide in us.”

“That and we didn’t want you to get upset that we were talking to Jazz about you,” Tucker interjected.

“Right, and Jazz only told us because she was worried. And honestly? We’re really worried too.”

Any oxygen left in Danny’s body was sucked out of his throat like a vacuum.

They’d found out. They knew the truth, they knew he was a freak of nature half ghost and they were going to out him, they were going to tell his parents, they’d tell the school counselor, and Danny would have no one and he’d have to run away to become Vlad’s apprentice and he’d change, he’d be corrupted, he wouldn’t make it out alive.

“I’m just wondering why you didn’t say anything?” Sam asked, her violent eyes brimming with concern.

“I…” Danny’s mouth felt like it was lined with cotton. He tried to swallow, but it was like swallowing sand. “I didn’t want you to worry is all.”

“Yeah, and we get that,” Tucker said carefully. “But, I mean, we’re your best friends. And dude, you’ve been...well…”

At Tucker’s helpless glance, Sam took over. “You just have been acting really off lately.”

“Sorry.”

“No!” Sam nearly leapt out of her seat. “Danny, don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. I mean, hell, if I nearly died in a lab accident I’d be acting off too. It just, you know, it explains a lot. It must have been really terrifying.”

Danny didn’t trust himself to say anything.

How much of his personality had shifted because of Phantom, and how much had shifted because of the accident? Were his ghostly instincts really creeping up that much into his human form?

Would he ever be the same again?

Did they know?

“Is there anything you wanna talk about?”

“We’re all ears, dude.”

He had so many questions he wanted to ask, but he couldn’t say a word. Not without outing himself as Phantom, and that was bound to backfire on him in the worst way possible.

Oh god, he was acting too suspicious. He needed to save this.

“I’m good.”

There was a beat of silence.

Sam leaned forward. “Danny...I don’t mean to sound like Jazz, but bottling stuff up isn’t—”

“I’m fine!” Danny snapped. “I didn’t say anything and I’m sorry, but you know it’s not every day like you’re nearly electrocuted to death in your parents’ ghost portal.”

“Is that what happened?” Sam’s eyes grew wide. “Oh my god, Danny.”

“Holy shit,” Tucker agreed.

Danny threw his arms out. “Ta da! I survived, I’m fine. Nothing to talk about.”

“Danny, I—”

“No.” His tone was final. “Drop it, seriously.”

Another beat of silence passed, and then Sam finally sighed. “Fine, but I’m telling you as your friend that if you ever need anything, we’re here for you.”

He wished he could have trusted those words. But he knew they were nothing more than a farce.

It would have been cruel to hold onto false hope.

Still, he tried to smile. “Thanks.”

Even though he knew he hadn’t fooled anyone.

---

Maddie’s POV

Maddie watched her son from across the kitchen table, just as she’d done every night for the past several weeks. Quietly, as inconspicuous as possible, always watching.

Ever since the lab accident, he’d been….different. Jack hadn’t noticed, but to Maddie the changes were far too obvious. The dropped spoons, the flash of green behind his eyes, his limbs losing visibility without him even noticing, their ecto-inventions that always seemed to go off around him.

One day, she even saw him walk through his bedroom door.

At first, she thought it was just a simple case of possession. But there were telltale signs of possession, one’s that Jack, for all his enthusiasm, always failed to take into account.

Sure, Danny’s eyes flashed green every so often, but most of the time they were blue. Human blue.

And then there was his personality. In cases of possession, the ghost would be completely controlling the body. But in Danny’s case, he was still very obviously Danny. Still the sweet boy she always knew him to be, but he was just...different. Jumpier. Scared.

Like he knew he was living a lie.

And then, just a few weeks after Danny’s run in with the portal, a new ghost appeared.

Of course, Maddie didn’t make the connection at first. The ghost was obviously new, and didn’t seem to have a grasp on its powers. Its fighting was laughable, its ectoblasts nearly always missed, and it seemed to constantly forget about its core powers.

Not to mention, its hair was white. Danny had black hair.

But then the ghost gave itself a name: Danny Phantom. And that was when Maddie decided to take a second look at it.

It was Danny’s height and build, its voice sounded similar to Danny’s, it seemed to know all of Danny’s classmates, it used a Fenton thermos, it wore a hazmat suit that looked eerily similar to the ones in their basement closet—not to mention that Danny’s hazmat suit had gone missing recently.

On its own, one small correlation didn’t mean anything. But when the little similarities kept piling up, then Maddie had to draw some sort of conclusion.

Just what was the conclusion though?

The Danny across the table had gone to school like any other human child, he’d eaten his meals like anyone else, he’d hung out with his human friends, he talked with his human family. On paper, he seemed normal.

Human.

But his grades were in a downwards spiral, Jazz had expressed concern about him and his friends, he’d been breaking curfew, and there were times when she’d peak into his room at night to find him gone.

He could have been just experiencing trauma from the accident. Maybe he was rebelling. There were so many explanations for his behavior that didn’t involve ghosts.

But then he’d do something ghostly or a weapon would beep around him or Phantom would fly nearby, and her red flags would be raised once again.

Maddie learned long ago to trust her red flags.

The Danny across the table took a bite of his salad, and his face immediately scrunched up.

Maddie felt sick.

He swallowed, and Maddie could see his eyes watering. “Is there something wrong with the lettuce, Mom?”

She feigned innocence. “Hmm?”

“I don’t know,” he prodded a carrot on his plate. “Something just seems off.”

“Tastes fine to me,” Maddie said. “I just bought this lettuce today. Jazz, is yours okay?”

“Yeah,” she said.

Maddie suppressed a grin. She could always count on her “facts and research only” daughter.

“It could be the dressing? I used a new brand tonight. It’s healthier than the other stuff.”

That, or it was the small amount of blood blossoms she’d blended into the vinaigrette.

“Maybe.”

But it couldn’t end here. She needed to know. She was a scientist, she had to see the experiment through.

“Eat the rest of your salad, honey. I’ll buy the other brand tomorrow, okay?”

Danny carefully put another forkful of salad into his mouth. He gave a small wince, but swallowed.

“Good boy,” she said. “I have fudge in the fridge for when you’re done.”

“Oh, fudge?” Jack exclaimed. He shoveled the rest of his salad into his mouth. With a mouth full of food, he said, “Thanks, Mads! You’re the best!”

“You’re welcome sweetie!”

Jazz made a face. “Gross, Dad.”

Jack laughed and bantered back at his daughter, but Maddie had already tuned out of the conversation. Her only focus was on Danny, whose face was now just too flushed to be healthy. Still, he forced himself to eat.

There was just no question. No doubt about it.

No matter how Maddie looked at it, this was proof enough.

Danny Fenton wasn’t human. The portal hadn’t nearly killed him, it probably did kill him. And now here he was, pretending to still be a part of the family while using Phantom to distract them from the fact that he was a ghost.

It was a truly elaborate ploy. And if Maddie was anyone else, his plans probably would have worked.

But she was Maddie Fenton. She had a PhD in ectobiology. She’d been researching ghosts for twenty years.

Dinner ended, and the children went upstairs to do homework. Although, if Maddie looked, she was sure Danny wouldn’t actually be in his room. And if she went outside, like she’d done in nights past, there was no doubt she’d see Phantom soaring through the skies.

But she knew. She knew. She knew.

She slipped a white business card out of her jacket pocket, grabbed her cell off the counter, went into her bedroom, and dialed the number.

It rang once, then twice, then stopped. A deep voice sounded from the other line. “Maddie Fenton? I figured I’d be hearing back from you. Have you made your decision?”

“Yes.” Her voice was mechanical, as if she’d only called about a malfunctioning weapon. “I have. I agree to the partnership.”

“Excellent. And the terms are to your liking?”

“Yes.”

“Understood. We’ll be in touch tomorrow to sign the official contract. Will your husband be involved in this, or are you working alone?”

Maddie closed her eyes. “The contract will be for my name only.”

“All right, then. We’ll talk tomorrow. You won’t regret this.��

“I know.”

---

#danny phantom #the life cycle of a half ghost #going angst week 2021 #phicc #my writing

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smhalltheurlsaretaken · 4 years

Text

for @jedijune - I thought I’d contribute some more to all the Jedi love. Press “j” to skip, it’s horrendously long.

A quick (lmao) tour of the Jedi Order’s views on blood ties and nuclear/traditional families in LucasFilms canon.

Basically, instances of Jedi calling each other brother, sister, father, etc. and their peers’ reactions to this. It’s a common misconception that despite the Jedi having their own unorthodox family structures and own ways of demonstrating love, “regular” familial bonds are taboo. Let’s see what canon has to say about that.

(This is already a very long post, so I’m ignoring Luke and Vader’s relationship, as well as Anakin and Shmi’s. Those cases are unusual and very complex, and my goal is to showcase the Jedi’s general take on family, not their opinions on two exceptions.)

1) Likening your Master to a family member = fairly common

AotC Obi-Wan and Anakin

AotC Anakin to Padmé, about Obi-Wan

Jedi Crash, TCW s1e13 Aayla Secura to Ahsoka, about Quinlan Vos and Anakin

Gone Without a Trace, TCW s7e5 Ahsoka to Trace Martez, about Anakin

Ahsoka and Anakin may be unusual Jedi, but Aayla isn’t. In RotS and TCW s7, we see her in a Council meeting despite her being a Knight. It means she is respected and trusted despite her youth and low rank. Aayla isn’t characterized as a maverick in any way despite her chaotic Master, and we have thus no reason to believe her openness about her relationship with Quinlan is an exception. What’s more, in the episode she’s specifically using that relationship to explain to Ahsoka how love for one’s Master and the importance of letting go aren’t contradictory.

Obi-Wan doesn’t appear in the least uncomfortable after Anakin’s admission. He actually takes it so casually it seems to imply this is not the first time he’s heard this. Far from dismissing Anakin’s feelings or rebuking him for calling him a father figure, Obi-Wan uses the analogy to ask Anakin why he isn’t better behaved - he’s literally asking “well if I’m your dad, why can’t you be a good kid?”

In all four cases, the Jedi comparing their Master to a family member is either talking to a non-Jedi or within earshot of one. Clearly they are not worried about giving a wrong image of the Order, so it’s safe to assume they’re not alone in their views. So yeah, calling your Master a father/brother - and probably a mother/sister? Not taboo.

2) Having blood ties within the Order = perfectly okay

The Unknown, TCW s6e1 Tiplar and Tiplee

Wookieepedia Stass Allie and Adi Gallia

These four women are Masters, not Knights. It means they have proven themselves to their peers - they’re not under scrutiny for potentially being “attached.” Adi and Stass both served on the Council, indicating the rest of the Council is fine with people having blood connections with other Jedi. If you look up the origin of Stass’ character, you’ll find it was Lucas himself who made her Adi’s cousin.

Tiplar and Tiplee call each other “sister” in public, they are co-generals and they wear matching outfits (same cut, but the colors are inverted). Tiplee openly displays grief and affection for her sister, in front of Jedi (Anakin) and non-Jedi alike (the troops). Again, no taboo here.

(Edit: Depa Billaba, Mace Windu’s padawan and Caleb/Kanan’s Master also had a sister in the Order, Sar Labooda. She died on Geonosis and her parentage to Depa is such an obscure piece of trivia that no material in the Legends EU or the Disney EU ever made use of it, but still. Depa served on the Council several times and both Depa and Sar were Masters, so the point stands.)

3) Acknowledging blood ties to non-Jedi = perfectly okay

Kidnapped, TCW s4e11 Ahsoka to the Jedi Council, about the people of Kiros

RotJ Obi-Wan to Luke, about Leia

Ahsoka claims a connection to the people of Kiros in front of the whole Council, (she’s from Shili btw - she’s thus claiming blood ties as a Togruta, not geographical ties) and nobody reacts in any way to her outburst - no censure, no disapproving looks, nothing. Identifying with your biological people is fine.

Obi-Wan goes a step further with this and praises Luke for caring about his sister. He is very clear about why Luke shouldn’t acknowledge the connection: their sibling bond is a good thing, but it’ll be used against them. You can’t see it in the screenshots, but Luke actually nods twice in this scene: once when Obi-Wan tells him to bury his feelings, and once when Obi-Wan explains why. Luke agrees that he shouldn’t show his feelings for Leia - so this isn’t a case of a Master forcefully repressing his student’s emotional life.

4) A broader view

a) Obi-Wan and Anakin RotS Obi-Wan to Yoda, about Anakin

RotS Obi-Wan and Anakin

Essays have been written on these two, so I’ll stick to this: when Obi-Wan tells Yoda he cannot kill Anakin because of the bond between them, Yoda does not condemn him. He does not say something along the lines of “suck it up, attachment is forbidden and you should have known better.”

He says instead “he isn’t your brother anymore. The man you love as part of your family is gone. It’s not your brother you’ll be killing.” That’s very, very, very different. Yoda acknowledges and accepts the connection between Obi-Wan and Anakin, but he cannot let it stop them from doing their duty to the Galaxy. (As Aayla said in Jedi Crash, you can’t lose thousands of lives for the sake of one.)

b) According to the Order itself The Gathering, TCW s5e6 Narrator to the audience, about the Order

Narration guy is rarely entirely objective, so you can take it with a grain of salt. Still, Ahsoka and Plo’s relationship is generally accepted as the more overtly familial one of the show, and that’s what’s illustrating narration guy’s claim here. Seems legit.

c) Outsider POV The Citadel, TCW s3e18 Osi Sobeck to his droids, about the Order

Osi Sobeck is a complete psycho and an enemy of the Jedi, so make of that what you will.

5) BONUS CONTENT (not LucasFilms)

Darth Vader (2017) Kirak Infil’a to Darth Vader, about the Order

Darth Vader (2017) Jocasta Nu to the Grand Inquisitor, about the Order

RotS novelization, Matthew Stover Dooku to Palpatine, about Obi-Wan

(Please note that I added those last bits because they fit in well, not because I see the old EU or the Disney EU as basis for characterization. For example, I’m not touching Dooku’s convoluted Disney backstory with a twenty-parsec pole.)

tldr: The Jedi Order is portrayed in canon material as pretty chill with traditional family structures among its own members. The Jedi have nothing against brotherly/sisterly bonds and they acknowledge that Masters are very much like parents. Using the complicated issue that is Anakin’s relationship with his own mother as the measure for our understanding of Jedi views on family is unfair and ignores tons of what Lucas (and later Filoni) showed on screen.

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san-fics · 2 years

Text

4 times Chat Noir let Adrien out and one time Ladybug let out Marinette

Ladybug was looking at the new Adrien Agreste advertisement poster dreamily.

Oh, this boy. What was he doing to her heart without even knowing about it.

“Don't tell me the Parisian heroine is fascinated by this boring pretty face!” Chat Noir’s voice came from behind her, and Ladybug jumped in surprise.

“Not at all!” She denied, hiding her blushed face from her partner.

“Oh, come on, LB, I saw you staring at his poster for like 15 minutes!” Chat insisted.

Ladybug was trying to think fast. Chat Noir knowing her love interests wasn’t good at all. And if she just denied by words without convincing arguments, well, Chat will never stop annoy and tease her about it!

To make her partner believe that her sympathy to Adrien wasn’t that bad, she needed to find a good comparison, next to which she would not seem at all carried away. And what could be better than comparing yourself to a fanatical stalker?! Luckily she knew exactly the one...

“It’s not like my room is fool of his posters that I kiss before going to sleep, like that classmate of his does!” Ladybug exclaimed. “Remember they showed her room once when Jugget Stone was there?”

Chat Noir looked at her with a kind, slightly naive, and not at all characteristic for him, smile.

“You are mistaking, my Lady.” His tone was a little protective though. “Marinette doesn’t have a crush on him.”

“Riiiiight.” Ladybug smirked. “And I am a Pokemon!”

Her partner rolled his eyes with the air of a man listening to nonsense.

“She is just into fashion.” He explained with soft patient tone.

Ladybug froze and stared at him for a few moments. Then she shook her head and continued with a mocking tone:

“I don’t buy that, Chat.” She argued. Her comparison plan wasn’t working so well, so she had to be more convincing. “What about the hearts all over those posters?”

“Those are just inverted patterns for clothes.” Chat explained, his face soft and dreamy.

“You are so amazing, LB!” Chat cheered after another akuma fight with some creative lucky charm ideas was over.

“I’m just a normal girl, Chat.” Ladybug rolled her eyes at him. “And those are just superpowers that Tikki gives to me. Nothing else.”

“That isn’t true and you know it!” Chat insisted. “Superpowers are superpowers, but without you and your strength, imagination and kindness — they would be nothing!”

“No-one would be able to make it without a miraculous, Chat.” Ladybug said. “Tell me, do you know people without superpowers that could pull that out?”

“In fact, I do.” Smug smile stretched across Chat’s face.

“Oh?”

“There is this girl, a good friend of mine.” He started. “She is strong and selfless, she stands for the others, and takes care of the people around.” Chat Noir was smiling softly. “She can even make a lucky charm!” He laughed to himself. “And she doesn’t need any superpowers for that.”

“Wow, I’m impressed.” Ladybug said. “You obviously have a high opinion of your friend.”

“Yeah.” Chat had a dreamy face again. “She is amazing.” He sighed. “She is just like our everyday Ladybug.”

“You know people ship us, right?” Chat Noir pushed her shoulder against his shoulder playfully.

“Don’t even remind me!” Ladybug sighed. “My whole class full of Ladynoir shippers!”

“Is that such a bad idea?” Her partner smiled at her with a toothy smile. “C’mon, m’lady, all Paris knows how good we look together, you’re the only one who doesn’t see it!” Chat wiggled his eyebrows at her.

This sort of discussions were bad and could give him a wrong ideas, Ladybug thought. Especially when he had the whole city supporting them...

Ladybug was wondering how she could distract his attention and maybe even panish him a little for all those shippers his behavior was creating around them, making her uncomfortable.

“Oh, really?” She asked slyly. “You know what other ships there might be?” She narrowed her eyes as if thinking about it. “Let’s ship you with Queen Bee.” Ladybug suggested. “QueenNoir? ChatBee?”

Chat rolled his eyes.

“C’mon, my lady, Chloe and me sounds so ridiculous, I’m almost not offended!” He laughed.

“Oh, yeah? How about Rena? ChatRouge? RenaNoir?” Ladybug smirked.

“As much as I respect Rena, she is in relationships, so you can’t really ship us.” Chat argued.

“Ok, you might be right there.” She sighed. “So it applies to Carapace as well.”

“And all the other temporary heroes were on the scene so little, it wouldn’t make any sense, Bugaboo, so, give up right there.” A winner's smile shone on his face. “Ladynoir is the best ship and you can’t do anything about it!”

“That is what you think.” Ladybug smirked, thinking of pulling out her old distract-Chat-from-herself-with-herself trick. “But there are some people besides our teammates that you spend rather a lot of time. Enough to be shipped with.” Ladybug was smiling slyly.

“Oh, really? If we are still talking about Chloe, who happens be appearing a lot during our fights, spare your time, ‘cause...”

“No, no, it would be to easy for you to brush away. Just ‘cause it’s Chloe. I’d rather go for someone actually human for a change, so you’d know how annoying it is for me to hear about Ladynoir.”

“Try me.” Chat said in a challenging tone, smiling widely.

“What about this girl that you tend to save all the time, even when she doesn’t need any saving? Marinette? How was it... Let me think... Chatinette? Marichat? Right! Even Ladyblogers ships you with her!”

Ladybug was pleased with herself: Chat really had some soft spot for her civilian self, so he won’t be able to deny it.

“Come on, LB!” Chat started, blushing furiously. “Of course, Marinette is an amazing friend. She is great and kind, and strong, and beautiful...” For a while he silently smiled at his thoughts, then came to his senses and shook his head. “But... umm... as I was saying... Marinette is just a good friend.”

Ladybug was just staring at him again with another feeling of déjà vu, which she often had lately...

4 + 1

“Marichat is really rising!” Ladybug was upset. The last thing she needed was to have journalists on her tail as a civilian. “You have to be more careful with attracting attention to her!”

“Are you jealous, m’lady?” Chat smiled at her, blinking fast.

“Not at all!” Ladybug exclaimed. “It’s just you seem to always stuck with her, and it can put her and her family in danger!”

“You’re right.” Chat became serious and sighed. “I’ll be more careful from now on. Even I don’t mind to stuck somewher with a friend like her.” Chat’s dreamy face appeared again, like the one he seemed to always have on him while talking about Marinette.

Ladybug would brush it off as usually, but those were the exact words Adrien told her in New York. Just as well as calling her ‘just a good friend’. Just as well as calling her everyday Ladybug. Well, that time Chat didn’t actually name Marinette, but now, together with all the other déjà vu of Adrien she had while talking with Chat...

He even used her own argument for explaining her Adrien-posters, wich could still be a coincidence. But ‘inverted patterns for clothes’? Really?

Ladybug blushed on the idea that all this time the boy she liked so much was fighting along her side, saving her, flirting with her...

“Stuck... go... New-York... to...” She stammered.

Chat Noir turned to her and narrowed his eyes.

Ladybug gulped in air, trying to hide her excitement and worrying even more intensely. Nothing new for Marinette while communicating with Adrien, but not for Ladybug when she communicated with Chat!

“I should... need... go... friend... uhhh...” She tried to explain herself.

For a long time Chat Noir looked at her intently, then his eyes widened.

“Marinette?!”

P.S.

"It was when she babbled nonsense in my face - I knew that My lady was My Princess." Adrien said, kissed Emma on the forehead and turned off the light next to her bed.

[more MLB fanfic]

[December 2021 posting schedule]

Tag list (ask me to join)

@minibug-n-kittynoir

@mochegato

@thepapillonnoir

@loves-books

@turiankitty

@toodaloo-kangaroo

@readingismyoxygen

@aespades

@starlightshield

@apasponsor

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just-dreaming-marvel · 3 years

Text

Out Of Time ~ 140

MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 2,325ish

Summary: The Starks receive unexpected visitors, that come with a plan.

Warning: Possible gif overload. Gifs aren’t mine. I just love Tony and Morgan.

Before the small Stark family knew it, it was October of 2023. And their house had become a wonderful home for them.

Morgan was four and almost the spitting image of her father. She was smart like him too. She loved working with her father in his workshop or playing outside in the tent Tony bought for her.

Y/N had got into gardening, especially because they were kind of far away from any grocery store. Tony was a willing helping hand and was slowly becoming a small farm boy. It bought a few small goats, an alpaca, a couple of chickens, two cats, and was planning on getting a dog for Morgan for Christmas.

Steve and Natasha only visited when Tony was gone or Y/N and Morgan went to them. Tony was still struggling to forgive after everything, and Y/N wasn’t willing to push Tony more than he had willingly done himself.

Y/N was currently in the kitchen, making lunch, while Tony was “being helpful”.

“Are these our gojis?” Tony wondered, looking at the bowl of berries.

“They are not,” Y/N answered as she cut tomatoes.

“What’s wrong with ours?”

“Your alpaca ate them all.”

“Oh.”

“All of them.”

Tony laughed, moving to the other side of Y/N. “What a glowing endorsement. First of all Gerald is our alpaca.”

Y/N scoffed out a small chuckle. “He’s not my alpaca if he’s eating my goji’s.”

“Okay.” He grabbed a handful of berries. “They’re gonna be nice in the salad right there, right?”

“No.” Y/N quickly reach over to stop Tony. “Don’t, don’t, don’t!” Tony looked at her with big doe eyes. “Could you put it down?” She gently pushed his arm away. “And get out of my kitchen.”

“Okay.” He turned towards the stove and crashed into some pots. “Whoops.” Trying to bite back a smile, Y/N looked up at the ceiling. “We’re good here, right?”

“Yeah, we’re great.” She got back to chopping. “Tell Madam Secretary that lunch is in five.”

“I will collect our alpha female, posthaste,” Tony replied, before exiting the house.

Y/N couldn’t help but grin as she focused back on the food. She was so lucky. So very lucky.

~~~

Tony walked down the porch steps, clapping out a beat.

“Chow time!” He called out to his daughter, heading towards her little play area. “Maguna?” He sat on a small chair outside of her tent. “Morgan H. Stark. Want some lunch?”

Morgan appeared from the fort with a suit helmet on and a fake suit glove. She had her gloved hand pointed at her father.

“Define lunch or be disintegrated,” she demanded in her young voice.

“Okay,” he ran his fingers down the helmet to the edge. “You should not be wearing that, okay? That is part of a special anniversary gift I’m making for mom.” He kissed the side of the helmet before removing the helmet from Morgan’s head and brushing the hair from her face.

“Okay.”

“There you go. Are you thinking about lunch? Wand a handful of crickets?”

“No,” she laughed.

“That’s what you want.” Tony held up the helmet. “How did you find this?”

“Garage.”

“Really? Were you looking for it?”

“No. I found it, though.”

“You like going to the garage, huh?” Morgan nodded as Tony lifted her up and set her on his hip. “So does daddy. It’s fine actually. Mom never wears anything I buy her.”

As they made their way to the house, a black car pulled up and parked in the driveway. Steve, Natasha, and Scott Lang stepped out as Y/N came out of the house to see what was holding Tony and Morgan up. They all were looking at Tony, who was avoiding Steve’s gaze and gave a slight nod to Natasha.

“Uncle Steve!” Morgan exclaimed, trying to wiggle out of her father’s arms. “Auntie Nat!”

Tony failed to keep her there, and let her run to welcome the guests. Y/N and Tony shared a look. They knew that, since Scott was with them, this wasn’t just a friendly visit. Y/N walked down the porch, to where Morgan was chatting Steve’s ear off in his arms.

“Hey, Mo,” Y/N called to her daughter. “Why don’t we go inside and make drinks for everyone? Then you can talk your uncle’s ear off.”

“Okay,” she sighed, turning to reach Y/N. Y/N took her from Steve.

“Please don’t ask anything stupid of him,” Y/N whispered to Steve. “He’s—we’re finally happy.”

Steve didn’t bother to answer, which Y/N huffed about before heading into the house with Morgan. Tony, Steve, Nat, and Scott gathered on the porch as Morgan and Y/N made drinks inside. Scott was explaining something when Y/N brought a tray of drinks out to Tony. She wished she could hear what they were talking about, but she needed to stay in with Morgan. Y/N watched from the window as she fed Morgan.

“Now, we know what it sounds like—“ Scott said, finishing his story.

“Tony, after everything you’ve seen, is anything really impossible?” Steve interrupted.

“Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck Scale, which then triggers the Deutsch Proposition. Can we agree on that?” Tony asked, handing out drinks.

“Thank you.”

“In Layman's terms, it means you're not coming home.”

“I did,” Scott said.

“No, you accidentally survived. It's a billion to one cosmic fluke. And now you wanna pull off a... What do you call it?”

“A time heist?”

“Yeah, a time heist. Of course, why didn't we think of this before? Oh, because it's laughable? Because it's a pipedream?”

“The Stones are in the past. We can go back and get them.”

“We can snap our own fingers,” Natasha stated. “We can bring everyone back.”

“Or screw it up worse than he already has, right?” Tony responded.

“I don’t believe we would,” Steve said.

“Gotta say, sometimes I miss that giddy optimism. However, high hopes won't help if there's no logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist. I believe the most likely outcome would be our collective demise.” Tony sat down.

“Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel,” Scott replied. “That means no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events—“

Tony held a hand out. “I’m gonna stop you right there, Scott. Are you seriously telling me that your plan to save the universe is based on Back To The Future?”

“No.”

“Good. You had me worried there. 'Cause that'd be horse shit. That's not how quantum physics works.”

“Tony…” Natasha called. “We have to take a stand.”

“We did stand. And yet, here we are.”

“I know you got a lot on the line. You got a wife, a daughter. But I lost someone very important to me. A lot of people did,” Scott was pleading.

Y/N could see that Tony was getting overwhelmed and she quickly told her daughter to go and save him.

“And now, now we have a chance to bring her back,” Scott continued. “To bring everyone back. And you're telling me that won't even—“

“That’s right, Scott, I won’t even. I got a kid.”

Morgan ran up to Tony, who quickly set her in his lap. “Mommy told me to come and save you,” she said.

“Good job. I’m saved.” Tony stood up, facing his friends. "I wish you'd come here to ask me something else. Anything else. Honestly, I... I missed you guys, it was... Oh, and table's set for six.”

“Tony, I get it. And I'm happy for you and Y/N, I really am. But this is a second chance.”

“I got my second chance right here, Cap. I can't roll the dice again. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch.” He headed inside.

“Talk to Y/N about it. Think it over.”

“No need. We can’t risk this.”

Tony entered the house, holding Morgan close. He went straight into the kitchen to get washed up for lunch. Y/N watched as their three visitors walked back to Steve’s car. Steve looked back at the house, making eye contact with Y/N through the window.

~~~

Tony was quieter than usual the rest of the day. This worried Y/N, but she couldn’t let it get to her. She needed to take care of Morgan. They made dinner together and Tony and Morgan chatted loudly over dinner. He even offered to do the dishes while Y/N tucked in Morgan.

As Tony finished the last of the dishes, he lost hold of the hose, causing water to spray everywhere. Including the small shelves beside the sink that held a photo of Howard and a photo of Tony and Peter. Seeing the photo of Peter slightly wet, Tony grabbed it to dry it off. Looking down he say Peter’s face. He missed that kid so much. He looked up, with a determination he hadn’t felt in a while.

When Y/N came down from tucking in Morgan, Tony was at a table. He was talking to FRIDAY and playing around with a hologram. She knew very well to leave him alone when he was like this, so she grabbed her book and curled up on the couch.

Tony was still going strong about an hour and a half later:

"Look at a mod inspiration, let me see what check out,” he told FRIDAY. “So, recommend one last sim before we pack it in for the night. This time, in the shape of a mobius strip, inverted, please.”

“Processing,” FRIDAY responded.

“Give me that eigenvalue. That, particle factoring, and a spectral decomp. That will take a second.” He stuffed some food in his mouth.

“Just a moment.”

“And don’t worry if it doesn’t pan out. I’m just kinda—“

“Model rendered.”

Tony fell back into a chair, in complete shock and amazement. “Shit!”

“Shit,” Morgan giggled.

Tony turned around to see Morgan sitting on the stairs behind him, large smile on her face.

“Sshhh,” Tony shushed, finger over his mouth. “What are you doing up, little miss?” He whispered.

“Shit,” she repeated.

“No, we don't say that. Only Mommy says that word. She coined it, it belongs to her.”

“Why you up?”

“'Cause I got some important shit going on here.” Morgan raised a brow at her father, not impressed. “What do you think? No, I got something on my mind. I got something on my mind.”

“Was it Juice Pops?”

“Sure was. That’s extortion.” He stood up and took his daughter’s hand. “Great minds think alike. Juice Pops, exactly was on…” Tony looked back at the model before heading to the kitchen with Morgan, “…my mind.”

~~~

“You done?” Tony asked with a smile on his face. Morgan was lying in her bed, finishing a Juice Pop. “Yeah, now you are.” He took the popsicle stick before wiping Morgans lips with his sleeve and pushing her head onto her pillow. “That face goes there.”

“Tell me a story,” Morgan said.

“A story… Once upon a time, Maguna went to bed. The end.”

“That’s a horrible story,” Morgan giggled.

“Come on, that's your favorite story. I love you tons.” He kissed Morgan on the forehead as he stood up.

“I love you 3000.”

Tony grinned, “wow,” he mouthed, putting the popsicle stick in his mouth. He turned off her lamp and headed to the door. “3000. That’s crazy. Go to bed. Or I’ll see all your toys. Night, night.”

Tony shut the door and heading to the living room. Y/N was still curled up reading.

“Not that it's a competition, but she loves me 3000,” Tony stated as he came up to the side of the couch.

“Oh does she now?” Y/N questioned.

“You were somewhere on the low 6 to 900 range.” Y/N scoffed as Tony chewed on the stick and looked at the fireplace. “What are you reading?”

“Oh, it's just a book on composting,” she responded.

“What's new with composting?”

“Just—“

“I figured it out, by the way.”

Y/N looked up at Tony. “You know, just so we're talking about the same thing—“

“Time travel.”

“What? Wow… I… That’s amazing, and… terrifying.”

“That’s right.” Tony sat down on the other end of the couch.

Y/N reached over and squeezed Tony’s shoulder. “We got really lucky.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“A lot of people didn’t.”

“No, I can't help everybody.”

“It sort a seems like you can.”

“Not if I stop. I can put a pin in it right now, and stop.”

“Tony… getting each other to stop has been one of the few failures of our lives.”

He smiled lightly at her. “I sometimes feel I should put it in a locked box and drop it at the bottom of a lake... go to bed.”

“But would you be able to rest? Cause I sure as hell won’t be able to… I’ll stand by your side no matter you choose.”

“You already know what I’ll choose though, don’t you? Cause you’ve seen in.”

“I haven’t seen it… but I know that last fight isn’t the last.”

“I just… I can’t lose you and Morgan.”

“You won’t.” Y/N grabbed Tony’s hand. “We’re going to do this. Together…” She leaned in and kissed him softly. “Your lips taste like Juice Pops,” she giggled against his lips.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all.”

She shook her head before kissing him again, this time more heated. Tony pulled her onto his lap.

“What would you say to grabbing some Juice Pops and taking this upstairs?” Y/N panted slightly.

“I wouldn’t be opposed.” He placed on last kiss on Y/N’s lips before standing them both up. “I’ll grab the pops, meet you up stairs.”

“We have to be quiet though. Last time Morgan almost walked in on us.”

“Oh, don’t worry. FRIDAY won’t let that happen again.”

next chapter >

NOTES: Sorry about the time jump. Please send in requests for one shots or questions you want answered about the missing time. Try to be specific.

If you want to be added to the tag list, please dm me or send in an ask.

#tony stark x reader #tony stark x rogers!reader #tony stark imagine #marvel x reader #the avengers x reader #avengers x reader #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x sister!reader #morgan stark x reader #morgan stark #morgan stark x mom!reader #marvel imagine #marvel imagines #tony stark #iron man x reader #iron man imagine

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skellebonez · 3 years

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How's about 45 and 54 where canon MK finds himself in the Inverted AU Universe? Because I think that'd be funny

Poor MK is having the second worst day of his entire life. This is not the situation he should be in AFTER THE FINALE. This would have been way different if I wrote this when you sent it in, but now you get a very sad Monkie Kid.

You may technically be an adult, but you’re still my child./ Yeah well dying generally puts a damper on things.

When MK was knocked out they were on the deck of the drone ship, fighting off some kind of demon that the White Bone Spirit had taken under her control.

When MK woke up they were on the sandy shores of Mount Huaguo surrounded by baby monkeys and one Six-Eared Macaque looking down at them with a face of great concern.

“Are you-” Macaque started to ask them, unable to finish his sentence when MK screamed and kicked out and just barely missed making contact that would have sent him flying backwards into the nearest tree. “Whoa, no, it’s alright! I’m not-”

“What did you do to me this time, Macaque!?” MK yelled, looking around for a weapon, any weapon, something they could use to defend themself. Their eyes fell on something familiar, something that shouldn’t exist anymore and they froze at the sight of red and gold.

“Little one, is your name MK?” Macaque asked softly, holding up his hands as he slowly walked forward back toward the started and confused young adult before him. “I found you washed up on the shore. You need to lay back down, you’re still-”

Macaque let out a yelp of surprise as MK dove, hand firmly grasping the familiar warm-cold center of the staff.

But it felt... wrong, somehow.

They didn’t let go.

"OK, WHAT IS HAPPENING!?" MK shouted, holding the stolen staff in front of them as they turned on the immortal monkey that was their one time mentor. "Is this Jin and Yin again? Is this the Calabash!? Did they change it so my stuff doesn’t work in it anymore!? I'm not falling for that again!"

"I'm sorry, the what?" A new voice rang from behind him. One a little... too familiar...

It was MK. It shouldn't be possible, not if the Calabash was working the same way it had worked before, but it was them. But not.

Like... the way the staff felt.

The Other MK standing in the too bright sun wore a stark sky blue and black instead of his signature orange and red, a large hefty backpack in that same blue slung over his back. And he was... tall. Not unusually tall, just taller than MK was. And also looked incredibly angry as he carried a box of medical supplies.

"The... Calabash..." MK repeated, holding the staff closer to their chest with a nervous gulp. Their hands twisted around the staff nervously, hoping the repetitive action would ground them against the repeating 'THERE IS ANOTHER YOU STARING AT YOU WHAT THE HELL' whizzing in their head. "This... this isn't Jin and Yin again after all, is it?"

MK gulped again, blinking as their vision swam suddenly and their head felt like it was filled with... something. Like liquid but if it was as light as air.

"I don't know which answer would be better for you," Macaque said softly, honesty palpable in his tone. Something so odd for the Monkie Kid to hear in their ears with that voice. "But no. We are very much real."

"Oh..." MK said plainly. "Oh that's bad. That's... Oh boy..."

Before their eyes rolled back in their head and they passed out they were pretty sure they saw a few more overly familiar faces rushing to them.

When MK woke a second time they were once again moved, but to somewhere else far less familiar than the shores of Mount Huaguo and the drone ship... but also too familiar. They also now realized that their head hurt... a lot. Like, a lot a lot.

“Finally, you’re back from the brink of death,” that same overly familiar voice rang our in their ear. They snapped their head to the side, regretting it instantly as it made their vision swim again and lights pop in front of their eyes. “Hey, no, don’t do that!"

The other MK jumped up, kneeling down in front of them and poked them in the forehead. His scowl didn’t seem to let up in the slightest, but it tilted in a way that felt more concerned than angry.

"... why am I looking at my own face?" MK asked, not sure whether they should continue to stare at their own face or to look anywhere else to keep their brain from short circuiting trying to process what the actual hell was happening.

“Considering you were able to pick up my staff,” the other MK said, removing his finger and gesturing to the rod that was still across MK’s chest (how had he not noticed the extra weight of it still in his hand?). “I’d say we have some kind of multi-dimensional bullshitery going on here. Unless you’re, somehow, a robot made of the same shit Red used to get the that thing in the first place, but I don’t think robots bleed from head injuries.”

Ah. That would explain why his head felt like someone had cracked it open and shoved cotton balls into it.

MK looked around, taking in the stark white walls and the overly clean smell and the clean white sheets they were laid on.

“... am I at the hospital?”

“Oh, absolutely!” Other MK yelled, raising his arms in frustration as he paced the room in a familiar excess of energy. “But unfortunately for us you don’t exactly exist here! So we’re figuring out a way to make them believe you’re me with some really fucked up memories my dude! Which is easier with, you know.”

The other MK knocked on his head twice, wincing a bit as the second knock seemed to be harder than intended.

“... but you’re..?”

“I snuck in.”

“OK, well, thanks for the help,” MK started, sitting himself up with more than a little struggle. “But I need to figure out what the heck happened and get back to-!”

“Oh no you don’t!” Other MK said, jumping on the bed and standing over him. That was... well, MK would definitely say that was a very weird but effective way of keeping someone from getting up. “Macaque already ran off without letting me stop him, I barely got him to take some backup, to figure out what in the hell is happening. You are me and I know myself and if you ever tell anyone this I will end you, but you are way too injured to be doing anything right now!”

“I have to do something, Other Me-”

“No, oh no I hate that, just call me Blue,” the other MK said, the scowl on his face softened ever so slightly once again. Just slightly. “It’s a lot better than ‘other me’. And there’s nothing we can do until Macaque gets us some answers.”

"So... what, Blue? Am I just supposed to sit around and wait for someone to come and rescue me if he finds nothing!?" MK snapped, grip on their staff tightening so much that their knuckles paled and creaked in stress. "Just do nothing while who knows what happens to my friends!?"

"No," Blue said, placing his hand on MK's shoulder and frowning when the other shrugged it off and curled in on themselves. "But hurting yourself isn't going to help you get back to them. And as long as you’re here you’re my responsibility.”

“I’m a grown ass adult, you should know that.”

“Yeah, well, dying generally puts a damper on things and you’re not so adult that you can’t escape death,” Blue said, letting himself fall back into a sitting position on the bed. “Unless you got to keep your invulnerability or something, but given the crack in your noggin that doesn’t seem... like...” Blue trailed off, looking at MK with an odd expression. “... are you ok? Like. Emotionally?”

“Huh?”

“You’re crying.”

MK wrestled with one of their hands to free it’s iron grip on the staff (not their staff, their staff was gone, they had to remind themselves that their staff was gone and... and so was so much else), raising to their cheek to discover that at some point in Blue’s retort they had indeed started crying.

“... what happened to you?”

“It’s a long story,” MK said, wiping their face on their arm (they now realized they were wearing hospital dressing). “I...” They grabbed the staff with their now free hand again, twisting the grip carefully and freeing the iron hold their other hand had. “Can I just... keep this for a bit longer?”

Blue looked at MK, looking between the other him and the staff that was rightfully his before sighing and rubbing the back of his neck.

“Not like I need it right this second,” he said, his scowl vanishing completely as he stood and yanked over his backpack and put it back on after he pulled a baseball cap out and squished his hair into it and pulled it down to cover his face. “There’s gonna be someone here with you at all times until you get out, just to keep you in the loop of what’s going on here. We’ll figure out where you’re staying if Mac doesn’t figure out a way to get you home by tonight.” He moved toward the entrance to the room, turning back before opening it. “I’ll be back, I gotta restock my bag. There’s a couple people who wanna talk to you already... don’t... freak out.”

Before MK could ask what Blue meant the young man opened the door and slipped out, talking to someone just out of his line of vision before running off down the hall.

And then they saw the overly familiar sight of Pigsy and Tang... except they weren’t.

Pigsy, their Pigsy, was always in a chef’s uniform unless he was sleeping. Rough edges softened when he smiled or looked at MK or Mei with that exasperated look that MK knew meant he cared. Tang, their Tang, was a scholar who looked the part in every way, old fashioned clothes and books in hand. Always smiling when he could manage it and carefree.

This Pigsy was.. soft. And fluffy. Literally soft and fluffy. And wore oversized sweaters and smiled in a way that fit more on someone else’s face but felt right at home on his. This Tang was...

Well, the only way MK could think to describe the man before them was “skinny biker with probably hidden muscles who would kick your ass”. He looked the same but his hair was more wild, sunglasses pushing his bangs up, decked out in a (probably fake) leather jacket... but he had the same scarf.

And he and Pigsy were holding hands.

“I suppose you already know who we are,” the biker version of Tang said, smile on his face very awkward and seeming somewhat forced in a “I don’t know if this is helping but I’m gonna try” kind of way. “And we know who... you are. Kinda.”

“Yeah,” MK responded, thinking for a moment back to when he was found on the beach. “Were you... were you the ones with Blue, the other me, on Mount Huaguo?”

“Yeah,” the soft Pigsy said and... wow, hearing that voice say something so gently so casually was throwing him through a loop. “M-Blue was convinced we needed to get out of the city for the day and brought us along for his training. We didn’t expect to find... well, another him...” Pigsy frowned, the first one MK saw on his face and it felt so much more openly worried than their own Pigsy’s scowls. “How are you feeling?”

MK looked down at the staff in their hands, then back up to the two men in front of them.

They weren’t the two people MK considered father figures. They weren’t. But they were. And as MK tried to process this they felt their breathing speed up faster and faster and faster until-

“Hey,” Tang said, gentle and soft voice breaking MK from their racing thoughts as he reached out to put a hand in MK’s hair but stopped himself short. Probably in remembering that they weren’t Blue. “You can stay with us if you want. Once you’re discharged and if you need somewhere to stay.”

Well... that didn’t help at all.

No.

Instead it opened the floodgates and MK started crying harder than they had since the final fight with the White Bone Spirit, curling in on themselves as the last few days and what had transpired really hit them.

“What the FUCK did you do!?” He heard his own voice shout from the doorway.

It looked like PIgsy’s apartment. But not.

MK’s hands clenched at air, wishing they still had the staff for comfort. But no, they insisted that Blue take it back when they were discharged.

Blue was still the Monkie Kid after all. He needed the staff to fight.

MK... was just MK here. And they couldn’t fight, not while recovering from their injuries anyway.

But oh how they wish they hadn’t given it back. It felt so right and yet so wrong to hold it. They didn’t realize how much they had grown attached to the object until it was...

“MK?” Once again Pigsy’s voice startled him, not for the first time since they arrived at the apartment and MK took up the extra bedroom that this world’s counterpart had once stayed in until the apartment above the shop opened up for them. “Do you need anything?”

“No,” they responded, hands gripping the edge of their jacket in an attempt to hold something solid. It wasn’t the same. “I can handle myself.”

“I know you can, but you don’t have to,” Pigsy said, coming into the room holding a cup of water and putting it on the nightstand. “And you don’t have to talk to us, if you don’t want to... but it’d probably help. Even if you just ramble about something.”

Had this been the other Pigsy he probably would have something something like “You may technically be an adult, but you’re still my child”. Something firm and gruff and filled with underlying affection for the younger adult. But this Pigsy... there was some of that there. A firmness to his words, though the gruffness was missing. But he could feel the affection he must have had for Blue transferring to themself, the knowledge that they weren’t the same person holding most of it back.

But it was still there.

And MK hadn’t really talked to anyone since the short lived argument with Blue.

“... You uh...” they started, chuckling quietly as they twisted their fingers together. “You said you own a flower shop? My Pigsy, uh... he, runs a noodle shop.”

It wasn’t going to help. MK was certain that talking about their family and friends and how different they were would probably make how he felt worse.

But sitting there and ignoring it would make it worse far quicker in their mind.

So MK talked. For hours. Eventually Tang joined the two, both listening as MK recalled all the differences and similarities and...

Well. They listened. Just like their own Pigsy and Tang would.

... they wondered if they would ever get to go back.

#monkie kid #lego monkie kid #fanfic #gen fic #inverted au #crossover #mk #Qi Xiaotian #six eared macaque #pigsy #tang #freenoodleshipping #(implied)#MK is having a BAD day and eventually all your emotions catch up to you and you break like a dam #i used they for mk and he for Blue because it got very confusing writing the two of them without referring to their clothing color constant

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remsmoonlight · 3 years

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— title : calming the waters

— word count : 2.3 k words

— pairing : rick grimes x reader

— summary : the switch from surviving on the road to living in a cookie cut neighbourhood hasn’t been easy on anyone, especially the leader of your group, you leave it to yourself to remind him it’s not all on his shoulders

— warnings : only brief descriptions of blood and violence .. usual stuff for twd

note: only at the end did i realise i left the opportunity for smut but im too tired to continue damn

Life in Alexandria has so far been strange to adjust to, you continue to find yourself waking up regularly through the night. Your body has relied so long on a broken sleep cycle it simply cannot switch off the switch as easily as you wish for it, and wish for it you do every night before bed. However, life refuses to heed to your desires, preferring to disregard them completely. Your family finds it amusing to tease you about the dark circles under your eyes, that is after you have had anything with caffeine in to rattle your system into a state of alertness.

How the residents have made it this far agitates you to no end, while you and your family have suffered tragedy and loss at the hands of people like the Governor, to the people at Terminus while they sat sheltered and safe from the horrors of this new world crawls under your skin. The thought scratching inside of you, they’ve never known pain as you have, the realisation comes as one of the sons of the Monroe family accosted you the moment you set out of the door.

“ ⏤ she keeps going on about this pasta maker. I’m telling you, she never stops. “

“ she never stops, huh? “ you ask, placing yourself on the porch step with your head lazily resting in your hands. You felt as soon as he began speaking to you it was going to be a conversation you would not be interested in.

The you from twenty five minutes ago happens to be correct.

This all began because Rick thought it appropriate to let you sleep a while longer, and while you do feel more rested than you have in the longest time you can remember, you can feel irritation tickling the back of your neck intensely. Oh, I’m going to kill him when I see him. A silent thought interrupts you rudely, you almost shake your head to be rid of it and focus back on Spencer.

“ yeah, she’s not someone you wanna be caught right now by. She can talk your ears off for days. “ he informs with a chuckle, completely unaware of your blasé attitude or uncaring for it.

“ you know, I can really imagine that. “

Every inch of you is buzzing with an uncomfortable energy, you don’t want to integrate with their community just yet, preferring to feel around and understand the dynamics of how everything works. When society fell into the flames from humanity’s last fight with the walkers, you were lucky enough to have been able to seek safety with your group back in Atlanta at the quarry, and these have been the same people you have spent time with, shared your meals with, everything done has been with them. Quiet town life has been a memory of a past life that has faded into nothing more than a grey blur, shrouded in fog. To live here? It’s like learning how to ride a bicycle after many years of letting it gather dust. Your ways are not perfect, but they’re perfect for you. For your own pace and peace of mind.

“ has my mom given you a job yet? “

“ uh, yeah actually she has. I used to be a preschool teacher before everything went to hell. “ you explain to him, your memories of the children you used to teach had been painful until Judith. The little girl had been what you needed to confront your past that you had been so quick to push away in order to survive. You can’t count how many times you’d come close to thinking about their little faces, and if they’d survived the initial chaos, refusing to even put a face to a possible death. You’d spent many days and many hours getting to know their audacious and bold personalities, it cut you deep to even imagine the days they were supposed to have, the lives they should have been promised extinguished so prematurely as if they had been no more than a flame of a candle burning in the night.

“ well, those classes are really small. You won’t have your hands full. I suppose you’ll probably be helping with the afternoon classes, we’ve got more teenagers here. “

“ mhm, I thought as much. “ your words are a small acknowledgement, though it deterred him little.

Spencer keeps talking and talking, every once in a while you mutter an ‘ yeah ‘ or an ‘ mhm ‘ and even at points humming in response. It’s obvious he means well and is trying to get to know you all but it’s just a simple clash of cultures, it’s why you’re unable to cut the conversation short so rudely. Even during the apocalypse being respectful hasn’t been wiped away.

Yet.

“ hi, Spencer! “ the sugary sweet tone of Carol interrupted the interaction as she greets Spencer and yourself, the broad smile ignites her features.

Although, you know her better to know this is not one born of genuine emotion to see the man.

“ I was hoping to borrow my friend here. Rick’s looking for them. “

Recognition lights his features up, his eyes widen in understanding her words. Never have you been more thankful for the older woman than currently, if there’s one thing Carol can be, is a miracle maker. Spencer backs away with little to say, bidding a goodbye to both of you.

“ Carol, thank you. “ you breathe, your hands move up to scratch your scalp as tension eased away into the open air. “ I thought he was never going to leave. “

“ yeah, I thought you were in trouble. I thought you were ready to kill him. “

“ believe me, if he spoke for two more minutes I was coming close to getting very creative with one of those blunt dinner knives in there. “ you speak, a short giggle plummeting from your lips at the thought.

“ he’s at the gate ⏤ Rick, that is. If you want him. “

A few more words of light hearted humour are exchanged between you, just little things. You have known Carol for a long time, one of the few people to continue to see her as a human after losing Sophia, yes she was in mourning, but she was still human. You never tiptoed around her, you offered her support as best you could and for that she continues to be grateful. Even in the prison, you became closer, as time passed on she took up something of a parental role in your life. Though you were old enough at the time to not need one, you accepted it. A slice of normality granted to you for what reason you have never found out, but one you wouldn’t seek out either, for some things happen without cause or reason, a mystery of life.

Turning around a corner, you’d realised you took a wrong turn around one of the houses, your sense of direction would have been your downfall had you not found the people you now call your family. Admittedly, you’d not spent much time exploring the vast environment that is home to these large homes, you still dedicated some time to mapping all the twists and turns. However, not even that has aided you. Despite this, you find a silver lining to getting lost.. you have been able to shake off whatever blades of irritation that sorely wished to cling to your being for longer, you wanted nothing more than to approach Rick without anything that could set him off.

Though few words have been shared between you both about how you all feel about being in Alexandria, it doesn’t mean you haven’t noticed a tension building its blocks within Rick. Knowing all he has been through, you’re worried that he will reduce himself to being no more than a caged animal, biding his time to break free. It’s why you’re searching him out, a discussion is sorely needed before anything should happen, chaos has a way of trailing your family like a puppy following its master.

“ there you are. “

Rick lays his sights on you in the distance, waiting for you to move closer before saying a word. You would go so far as to say it has been one of the few instances of genuine contentment as his features relax from the lines of strain it held not even a few moments previously. Your hands move straight to your hips, standing a few metres away from him.

“ oh, you were actually looking for me? “ eyebrows raise ever so slightly, you thought Carol had been simply nudging you in his direction.

“ just to check the perimeter. “

“ and you need me for that ? “ you question him as your hands move to rest on your hips, a knowing smile lifting your expression as you observe him.

“ ‘course I do. “ Rick’s tone matches yours, it’s been a while since you’ve heard even the faintest hint of amusement associated with the intense male. It’s alien in a sense, though you’re welcoming of it.

Few words are exchanged with the Alexandrian who has been tasked with guarding the gate, exchanging the barest of information you realise as you watch Rick. You hope that even an hour outside the walls of the town is enough to soothe even the slightest of the negative energy that surrounds his being. Your situation is not perfect, and it’s inverted to what you had been experiencing previously, but you believe in your heart that this has to work. The thought of your family not being able to survive yet another bout of the outside world terrifies you to your core, the ice that is your fear erupting from your centre at the idea.

“ is there a real reason why you wanted me out here? “

“ it’s been a while since it was just us, gettin’ hard to breathe in there. “

“ Rick, you know I’m always here if you need it. I hate to see you carry everything on your shoulders the way you do. “

The hardness that had embedded itself into his face slowly eases at your words and thanks you for your support, he reaches out in between the distance that separates you to slip his fingers between yours. A comfort warms you in a way that no heat could at the action, you’re unable to stop the laugh that bursts free with a splutter. Even back on the road, and he was at his wits end, he was never this affectionate. It’s not something you hold against him though, there were many more things on his mind that required more attention.

“ somethin’ funny? “ he questions you immediately.

“ seeing this side of you, it’s just a bit weird. A good kind of weird, though. “ you assure, continuing to walk over the overgrown branches. “ you’re doing okay? Like, really? “

“ just hard to get used to. These people have just been lucky. “

You nod in understanding, it’s been your first thought every morning since walking through that gate with months of dirt and grime that had accumulated, clinging to every inch of your skin. While blood from the dead dried into your skin, becoming part of you, they lathered themselves in floral perfumes and sprays. As much as you want to allow the venom to pool within you, to form a monster born of hate ⏤ you can’t.

In this world you can’t be driven by such emotions, to aim them at innocent people. Had you been in their position, would it be such an easy position to leave this protected bubble? A piece of the previous world left untouched by the cold, ghostly grip of the dead.

“ we can’t hold it against them. “

“ they’re weak, they could get one of ours killed. “ he quietly grumbles in response, his head shaking at the thought. They’d lost too much already, and he would be damned if he lost any more members of his family, especially now they’d reached an element of safety.

“ or they might not? “ you counter his statement, your eyes pleading as you stop where you stand, your hands still connected.

“ we can’t deal in maybes, we deal in certainties. “

“ what are you suggesting, Rick? That we take over? “ you ask, your brows dropping lower. You’d seen enough death and violence to last you a lifetime, you’d had enough for now. You can’t confirm if you have enough energy for another fight. Too much has been lost.

“ if it comes to it. “

“ this is their home now, our home. They’re not bad people. “ you argue lightly, not wishing for a heated disagreement out there. Any walker around would be attracted by the noise and then the smell of the living, you’ve begun to get used to not having to slaughter walkers every day.

“ no, but they’re unprepared. “

“ so were we at some point! “ inch by inch, you close the distance. You rest your grip on his forearms, trying to calm him no matter how useless it may or may not be. “ Rick, you’re trying to create a problem. I get this is an adjustment and if anything does happen, we’ll have you back. We will fight, but for the sake of safety.. we have somewhere to actually live. “

Against his better judgement he nods, just to put a stop to the conversation. He’d wanted to spend some time alone with you that held no prying eyes from Alexandrians, nor the entertained gazes of your group.

“ let’s just see how things go, and try not to keep things bottled up. It never works out. “

“ I’m not sure you want me to share my deep, dark secrets. “ he asserts with a playful inkling hidden poorly within his words.

A smirk lines itself into your features, you’re feeling the energy from Rick and you can’t deny that it feels good. You lift your chin higher, inching your lips closer to his, the warm glow beginning to burn brighter ⏤ a silent dare in the form of a quiet whisper on your tongue. “ try me. “

#twd imagine #rick grimes x reader #rick grimes imagine #rick grimes oneshot #twd oneshot #twd fic

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op-sheepy · 3 years

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ok so I'm particularly interested in

Bellamy Law

Law and Bible stuff

Law is a substitute kindergarten teacher

shichibukai applications

reverse hanahaki disease (?? do u spit out flowers when your nemesis walks by?)

if you feel like elaborating on any of these!

This is gonna get long and I actually contemplated posting them separately but would that have been more work? Yeah, that felt like more work so for anyone interested, check under the cut. :D

---------------------------------o

Bellamy Law

Hm… This would be an attempt to explore the parallels and contrasts between Bellamy and Law. I've always found it fascinating that the former was a foil to the latter.

They both come from well-off towns in the North Blue.

Bellamy left because of boredom. Law had no choice because Flevance.

Both ended up seeking Doflamingo because of his notoriety as a pirate. Both admired him initially

Doffy favored one over the other though. Bellamy always sought his approval but was never really part of the inner circle Doflamingo cared about.

Law got the dubious privilege of being part of the family despite being absent for so long. Even offered one of the highest seats by Doffy's side for seemingly nothing.

Law had no trouble turning his back on Doffy once he realized the man's nature. Bellamy tried to stick to his principles until the end despite admitting that he new he was wrong.

Bellamy can (and did) quit piracy after his ordeal with Doflamingo. Having the option to live peacefully, perhaps a return to his previous life (the one he considered boring). Law can't do that quite as easily what with his Devil fruit and his reputation.

I thought it would be interesting trying to explore what Bellamy was thinking. Did he hear the Donquixote Pirates talk about their missing 'family'? Did he get to see Doffy be amused at Law's rise as a Supernova while he kept being reminded of his own status? Did Law save Bellamy partially because he also saw what he could have been had Corazon not saved him?

On principle, Bellamy should have hated Trafalgar Law. Does. Bastard even saved him without him wanting it. But there was something about the shadows haunting those eyes and Bellamy started to wonder.

He had heard the family talk about Law before. The child personally taught by Doflamingo, chosen to be his right hand. Never was he compared to the man because Law was just obviously better. Smarter. Stronger. Bellamy was ever just an uncouth thug.

He was allowed to 'borrow' Doflamingo's symbol while Law had an empty seat waiting for his return–a seat Bellamy had wanted enough to risk everything for.

Maybe he had resented, Trafalgar Law for carelessly rejecting the things he had that Bellamy had always desired. In the end too, Trafalgar Law did prove to be better. He'd done as a child what Bellamy had trouble doing even as he was now.

But having been given the chance to observe the other man as they all recovered, he wondered, perhaps for the first time, whether despite Law being better than Bellamy, Bellamy had had it better–barring the poor life choices.

---------------------------------o

Law and Bible stuff

This is just me wanting to know how many biblical parallels and themes I can draw from Law, the Donquixote brothers, the characters associated with them, and his backstory. Honestly not sure whether this would become a fic and in what style or I'm gonna give up and just make it a post.

Not gonna elaborate on them much but here are the ideas in more bullet points (yay):

Law gets familiar with all four horsemen of the apocalypse: conquest, war, famine, and death. He even survives them.

Law is like the son in the parable of the prodigal son to the Donquixote pirates. Except the themes are inverted.

Doflamingo and Rocinante -> Cain and Abel

Ope Ope no Mi -> Granting eternal life by sacrificing one's own life

Gods descending or living among humans. Also, Homing and his family being prosecuted for other people's sins.

That scene where they were hanged by their arms outstretched looks like a crucifixion. Also, Rocinante was on the right while Doflamingo was on the left. Similar to how the penitent thief was on the right and the unrepentant one to the left.

Flevance being considered a paradise with walls/fences/gates and somewhere Law cannot return to.

In the panel where the Donquixote pirates are seated at the table, there were thirteen of them with Doffy at the center. Same as The Last Supper

There are a lot more of these (David and Goliath, Solomon, Jonah, Job, etc.) but I kinda lost the notes and some are more visual so I can't really explain it too well. This would is a drabble series to emphasize or highlight the parallels so no proper snippet for this one.

---------------------------------o

Law is a substitute kindergarten teacher

Originally an idea to get around most of the Heart Pirates being nameless but evolved to include other characters as kids. Chopper is a kindergarten teacher and he convinces Law to take over his class for a week because somehow Law has the qualifications to and free time. Naturally, he wasn't able to say no.

Unfortunately, despite not being terrible at handling children, Chopper's class is filled with menaces. Also, despite not being terrible, Law can still be awkward so...

"Mr. Trofao–fargar—"

"Trafalgar."

The kid—which one was this one again? Shit, he should really get them name plates or something—scrunched up his face and tried harder, "Tar-pal—"

"Law. Just call me Law."

"Mr. Low"—eh, close enough—"can I go to the bathroom?" Wide imploring eyes stared up at him.

"Sure, go ahead." Law gestured towards the exit of the classroom with his head.

The kid just stared expectantly at him and he tried to suppress the need to narrow his eyes.

"Is there… anything else?"

"Mr. Chopper always comes with me to hold my hand."

Really?

"Mr. Chopper isn't here. You should practice doing it on your own now." He said after a deep inhale.

"But the monsters might get me…"

"No, they won't."

"You don't know that."

"I do." Before the kid could open his mouth again to argue, he added, "Besides, children taste terrible so you're safe."

The kid looked stricken and took a step back from him. Uh oh. Glistening eyes, wobbling lower lip… "Alright! I'll go with you." The kid did not look reassured. In fact he looked like going alone with Law was the last thing he wanted to do. Guess, he kinda implied that he ate children didn't he? Oops.

Well, the kid needs to go and he's not going to be cleaning up after him if he wets himself.

Law glanced at the rest of the children. It was Arts and Craft time and they seemed preoccupied enough. Still, Law doubted Chopper ever left these kids alone–already he could see some of them glancing up at him, waiting for him to leave no doubt to cause trouble. That Monkey kid in particular looked extremely suspicious.

He stood up from his crouch and clapped twice to get everyone's attention.

"Alright. Fall in line. Single file."

There was some grumbling and questioning directed at him. "What's going on?"

Law shrugged. "You're all going to the bathroom."

---------------------------------o

Shichibukai Application Forms

Crackfic where the World Government and relevant parties review various Shichbukai Applications. Most submitted by the pirates applying themselves, some produced by their own staff. They discuss and debate. As well as judge pirate resumes.

She scanned the document. Terrible format, really. If you fail to impress within the first page, you've failed entirely. There just wasn't anyone promising enough in this batch of applications or any of the other ones before. The last one had been that clown. "Apprentice to the Pirate King," was a pretty hefty credential.

"Oh, how about this one? Three years experience pillaging, and they even listed all the towns they looted." One of the newly transferred administrative staff said.

"None of these are worth considering at all. You know, when Mihawk was asked to submit his application, he hadn't bothered with all of this. He just sent us a card with his name on it and the title "World's Strongest Swordsman," underneath."

The staff perked up. "Oh, there was an application like that." There was scramble and some shuffling before a plain white card was produced. "Here."

"'From Trafalgar Law'. What does this even mean?"

"Well, it did come with a big box..."

---------------------------------o

Reverse Hanahaki Disease

(?? do u spit out flowers when your nemesis walks by?)

Haha. At first it was going to be that way (because it is hilarious) but the inflicted would probably choke to death too soon. Or if both enemies had it, they'd end up just coughing flowers at each other until they stopped being enemies.

The version I ended up going with was that this variant of Hanahaki, instead of afflicting those with unrequited love, affected those in denial instead. The reverse part comes from the original idea that this would usually happen if you somehow fell in love with your nemesis (someone you originally hated). So it's not the thought that the other person can't love you, it's that you can't accept that you love that other person. You get cured by confessing to the person sincerely.

This is actually another KidLaw (surprise!). And the flower coughed up directly represents the person they're in love with (I went with Oda's flower representation for them because I found it funny for plot)

So the idea is that, you get sick but you don't automatically know (maybe) who it is because that's part of being in denial. Kid and Law have many enemies after all. In this story they both get it though not exactly at the same time and not known to the other.

He survived Amber Lead Syndrome only to be killed off by a stupid flower disease that apparently knows more about his own feelings than he does.

He glared at the petals. Tulips. Red.

An image of a cocky grin and a shock of red hair flashed through his mind and—nope. That's not right.

He coughed harder, tears stinging his eyes with the effort. More flowers. Now he has enough for a bouquet.

Alright, he was a doctor. He could do this. Differential time.

First, which variant does he have. He doesn't particularly feel unloved or hopeless. There wasn't anyone he wanted in particular to love him. Ok, nothing. It was maybe safe to say he had that other variant.

Which was stupid because Law had many enemies and he hated all of them.

And cue the racking coughs. More red. He was very familiar with that particular shade.

New theory. This was a new variant that somehow makes you sick when you think of the person you hated the most.

Yes, that had to be it. He thought as he all but collapsed on the floor from the sudden paroxysm.

I knew this was gonna get long. :) Oh well...

Thank you for playing. :D

#One Piece #One piece fanfiction #wip game #trafalgar law #donquixote brothers #donquixote doflamingo #donquixote roci #donquixote homing #donquixote pirates #one piece bellamy #bellamy the hyena #eustass kid #kidlaw #trafalgar d water law

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goose-books · 3 years

Text

& while i am posting things today. some more maxwriting, specifically two mini-fanfictions for yves. @yvesdot ’s WIP the one and only universe of kay rainier (would recommend! arguments to lovers! he/him wlw! interdimensional (?) shenanigans!) one of which also features an OC i've mentioned a few times on this blog but done historically very little with.

it’s occurred to me in my moment of posting that neither of these pieces have titles. oh well.

THE FIRST ONE

you ought to send yves. some bingo prompts. anyway, i sent them kay + daemons, and then immediately realized i had ideas and thoughts about that, too. so i wrote my own version. unlike theirs, this is vaguely set in the HDM universe, which is funny because i haven’t read HDM and learned everything i know from waya vivji, a single war and peace fanfiction, and also wikipedia just before i wrote it. the notable context here is that daemons are usually the “opposite sex” of their humans, and if i got that wrong do not tell me because i am embarrassed.

Kay is a precocious child; she is twelve years old when her daemon settles. Chesire is a sleek dark mahogany, a ferruginous hawk with a wickedly curved beak and eyes that glitter like beads. He is also male. This, for the Rainiers, is not done; even the absent Ariel, despite his eccentricities, had a properly gendered daemon. It unsettles Kay in a way she will not place for many years; still, as soon as she registers her disappointment (for it must be disappointment, surely; nothing more), she’s awash in guilt.

“How lovely,” she tells him, stroking his glossy new feathers, keeping her voice low less to keep out her father and more because it is only polite. Cheshire bobs his head and flutters his wings and seems, very slightly, to preen. He must be able to sense her uncertainty, the subdued flatness to her voice, but he is a Rainier as well; the polite thing is to ignore it, and he does.

“How curious,” Father says, stroking Fauntleroy’s velvet ears.

“Not unheard of,” the dormouse says from her seat in his breast pocket. Constantine inclines his head slightly; he does not deign to offer more.

When the Neighborly enters the house the jackal stalks at his heel, ears pricked at attention, wet black nose gleaming, mouth crooked open in a canine grin. With it comes a distinct smell — not unpleasant so much as it is unbalancing, an earthy scent, filling the foyer as its claws click on the floor. Like his clothes, it is black, head to toe. They aren’t usually. Kay wonders if it’s coincidence, if perhaps he dyes its fur so it will match.

She thinks of it as such — it — because to be frank she is not sure what to make of Atlas, and what to assume about his daemon. During the customary introductions, Cheshire perches atop Kay’s shoulder, and Fauntleroy emerges from her pocket to whisk up to Father’s collar and cling to the fabric to study the Neighborly. He can’t stay quite still. His hands twitch at his sides. He shifts his weight. The jackal paces maddening circles around the room, eyeing the dark walls and the fine wooden furniture, too dignified to lower its head and sniff but not too good to cast judgment without speaking. Every time it passes Kay in its slow inexorable orbit, Cheshire’s claws tighten on her coat.

“It’s a pleasure, Atlas,” Constantine says stiffly, extending a hand to shake with an expression that suggests he’d rather have it removed.

Atlas shakes, grinning easily, a looseness to his motions, and then he tilts his head and says, “Anubis.” In a moment the jackal’s at his side, curling around the backs of his legs to turn its wet smile on Kay’s father. It’s too large; that’s what she decides. How does he take it anywhere? Why hasn’t it learned to behave? Unless this is his goal: to part rooms, to announce his presence as soon as he steps through the threshold.

“Anubis,” she says, the first time she and Atlas are alone. “Like the god?” Atlas and Anubis; it is the sort of half-joke she can appreciate.

Anubis looks up at its name. Atlas looks at it. “I don’t know,” he says. “It was my sister’s idea.” He looks to Cheshire, who has settled near Kay’s inkwell to reorganize her pens. “And this is…”

“Cheshire.”

“Cheshire,” Atlas repeats, piercing glinting as his eyebrow quirks.

“When I was younger, I thought he would be a cat.”

“I thought she’d be a crow. Probably better this way. Crows are poser birds.” Anubis snorts at that, a sound both doggish and human.

“She is… she, then,” Kay says carefully.

“Oh, yeah. Apparently that’s weird.” Atlas leans back in Kay’s chair until the front legs leave the ground.

“Is it,” Kay says.

Atlas’s eyes flit around her face, like he knows what she’s asking; his smirk doesn’t lessen. “Well, women have male daemons, right? Ask Cheshire.”

Kay and Cheshire look at each other. Cheshire fluffs his feathers and says, “This is dull.”

Kay is less certain. She does not smile at Atlas, but some of the edge has smoothed from her voice. “I should like to watch you explain it to my father.”

“If he could take it,” Atlas says. “What’s the mouse’s fucking name again?”

Cheshire steps back and forth, feathers ruffling, until Kay sets a hand out to still him, gentle, comforting. “Fauntleroy.”

“Christ,” Atlas says. “Bless you.” When he catches Kay stiffening, he relents a little, letting the chair clatter back to the floor. “Fits the vibe, I guess.”

“As yours fits you,” says Kay, making it as uncomplimentary as she can.

“Guess my soul’s black,” Atlas says cheerily. He balls up a piece of paper and tosses it to Anubis, who, flopped across the floor, doesn’t move. “Not the weirdest thing about us.”

“Well,” Kay says, “I think it would be rather unfair for me to talk about oddities,” and she takes a small victory in the look they share: not friendship, not fondness, but something like an understanding, reached in the quiet moment before Cheshire hands her another pen and she resumes her work.

THE SECOND ONE

this one’s a bit older but i never posted it until now, at yves.’s urging! i think i was doing... camp nano last year? or something. and couldn’t think of what to write. or maybe i couldn’t focus on my project because i was thinking about my other project, the butch4butch hamlet retelling i still haven’t written. to which yves. said, “write kay x your lesbian hamlet character,” to which i said, “you don’t think i will, but i will,” and i did. so really this is yvesmax crossover fic.

It is annoying, Holden’s habit of dropping by whenever she likes. This can probably be attributed to the fact that Holden, herself, is annoying. Kay can only adjust the items on her desk (pens, mainly) so many times; she is caught up in an aggravating state of waiting but also not waiting, and she does not care for that.

Just as she thinks so, there’s a knock at the front door.

Holden doesn’t ring the doorbell anymore. She did that the first time and Kay came down the stairs a few seconds too late to find Father staring at the creature in his front hall, looking like he didn’t know whether he should be put out or concerned. “I think the earrings got him,” Holden said later, on Kay’s bed, tapping the crosses hanging inverted from her ears. Kay’s opinion was that it was all of her, from the messy post-buzz hair to the propensity for suits to the Doc Martens to the way Holden leans on any available surface.

She opens the door and Holden is leaning against the doorframe. Which looks a little more awkward coupled with whatever she’s carrying under her arm.

“Hi,” she says.

Kay blinks slowly.

“It is late,” she says, spinning on her heel and heading for the stairs. Behind her, she hears the quiet click of Holden closing the door. The grandfather clock in the front hall is ticking toward eleven.

“I never get over how weird this place is.” When she glances back, Holden is peering into the nearest glass cabinet. “Like a little dollhouse.”

“Thank you,” Kay says stiffly. She cannot decide whether she is irritable.

“And this is coming from someone whose parents were devoted to taxidermy.” Holden follows her up the stairs, hands shoved into the pockets of her suit jacket, looking entirely too comfortable here, and Kay decides that she is irritable after all.

“I do not know what you suppose your business is here,” she says. “Especially as it is almost an hour past ten.”

Holden shrugs.

“Do not shrug at me.”

Holden opens her mouth as if to speak, then casts a glance behind her. There’s no one in the darkened hallway; Father is in his office. Still, Holden waits for Kay to shut her bedroom door.

“I know I’m late,” she says, slouching back against it. “Sorry. I lost track of time in the bookstore.”

Kay blinks. “You are late to see me because you went to the bookstore,” she intones.

She says nothing as Holden withdraws the books from under her arm and extends them. “I really wanted to find Carmilla for you,” she says. “Like, the oldest print version I could find.”

It certainly looks old. Kay purses her lips. “I own Carmilla.”

“I know. But, like… it’s vintage.” Holden attempts one-handed jazz hands. “I have a sentence in my notes app from six months ago that just says carmilla but like the old edition.” She shuffles the stack of books. “And then I sat down for — look, I swear I was trying to be timely about it. Trying to be punctual.” She pops the P. “But time isn’t real and I read two chapters of Pride and Prejudice and I don’t know if you own that but it feels like the kind of thing you’d find sexy.” Her smile glitters. “And then — I know The Catcher in the Rye isn’t your thing. But I wrote in this one, so.”

Kay reaches out, very carefully, to take the books. She does own Pride and Prejudice, actually, but she still feels a pang. She flips through The Catcher in the Rye and is met with scrawls of black-ink handwriting, filling up the margins and underlining passages.

“Thank you,” she says, very softly, and moves to set the books on her desk. “You didn’t have to… get me anything.”

“I like knowing that my parents’ money is fueling homosexual agendas,” Holden says pleasantly. When Kay turns around, Holden catches her hand and steps in closer, showing her teeth in a smile. “But I’ll try to be on time from now on.”

“As you should,” Kay says, pulling Holden a few inches closer.

Holden raises a hand to caress Kay’s cheek. “That said,” she says in a low voice, “now that I’ve — what did you say. Now that I’ve fulfilled my business here, I can think of a few things we could do. Unless it’s too late.”

Against her will, Kay smiles.

“I suppose we can extend your stay a little longer,” she says, and their lips meet.

#max.txt #max actually writes #yves tag #love h tag #holden hemlock #apparently i only write kaypov. i'll admit atlas's pov intimidates me a little bit.#but i do maintain my choice of holden/kay versus holden/atlas because holden and atlas are like... the same. doubles #well not really doubles but like... i think the furthest they would get would be holden asking atlas to swap clothing items.#in a nonsexual very literal way.#anyway! enjoy.

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lovely-necromancy · 3 years

Text

A Cure for Insomnia Ch 17

Living with the Cowell's is going about as well as you'd expected it to go. In other words it's more or less a disaster for your mental health. Which is ironic considering you didn't put this much stress on yourself when you were sure a stalker was watching you.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that the stalker didn't own your house and wasn't in your personal space at every turn.

You'd honestly been expecting Little Jo to be the biggest space invader but Dia and Nate were constantly hovering around you. Nate had taken up the other spare room, or rather his room away from home, the minute he heard you'd be staying with the Cowells. He's made it his job drive you to and from work for the past two days and you both take breaks together now closing the store when you do. Then the second you cross the threshold Dia is right by you either asking for some help cooking or rushing you off for hobby time in the sitting room. It's like living in a 1920's story book, minus the extreme prejudice you would've faced.

It's only been two days and you can't find a way to ask for more space. You tried asking to go on a walk earlier and it turned into a partial jog with Nate. You really just need a moment to yourself it's been five or six days since you last had some 'me' time. All your nerves are shot and you are just a few minor inconveniences away from snapping at someone.

And it would not be a smart idea to nap at your boss. Your boss who's been so considerate and helpful offering his support to you through this whole mess of a situation.

Nonetheless you need space and your own clothes. Nate's don't fit you properly and they're uncomfortably itchy against your skin. His detergent is also very smelly, more in the chemical sense than in a bad sense. Though it could be a bad sense considering the headache you've had the past day from the over bearing smell. You know it won't end well for you but you desperately need to go back home and grab your own clothes and maybe even your car.

Having the illusion of more freedom would put you more at ease.

After all it isn't like you want to knowingly put yourself in harms way, you just can't stand the suffocation any longer. That's why you decided to bring it up during dinner, and why you are now sat in the tensest atmosphere this table has possibly ever experienced.

“Installation ain't done yet.” is Big Jo's gruff response.

It's as if that short sentence gave everyone premission to breathe again.

“I'm not planning to stay, I just need my own clothes.” you press.

Nate glances over to you before placing his fork to the side, “Then why do you need your car?”

“I'd just feel more comfortavle if I had it.....y'know instead of just relaying on you for rides.” you gesture around to the table trying to get someone yo come to your defense.

Big Jo pinches the bridge of his nose, it's been a stressful week for him as well. You don't mean to be ungrateful in this scenario but you are Autistic and the routine you've spent months carving out for yourself is being ruined. You are wearing smelly itchy clothes and need to have something you have control over. Not to mention you're the one who actively experienced the home invasion and were sat in a hospital for two days.

Big Jo can deal with you asking to go collect your thing, as far as you're concerned anyway. You're at least entitled to that much.

Dia puts her hand on Jo's arm and he sighs, “Fine, if Nate takes you. You can go to the cottage.”

“Tio, they can't have the car.” Nate is wildly failing his arms and motioning to you as he explains that you're a known flight risk.

Great, nothing's been resolved and you are back to a tense dinner in the Cowell's home.

“Fine I won't take the car, just lemme give it to someone to watch it for the...the what's it gonna be a week?” directing the question to Big Jo who's been handling the security detail for your home.

He gestures in a so-so manner.

“Yea, just lemme give it to someone to watch for the week.” you pause before throwing your hand up, “Because let's face it none of us have any idea where those two are now, and they could've easily tampered with my car.”

That was the worst possible thing to say because the second you finish you sentence the table erupts into chaos. Dia and Little Jo voicing their concerns over you driving your car, Big Jo and Nate all but forbidding you from driving and you trying to find some sort of compromise.

“What if we had it towed to Whistle's? Nate takes me there after work and we make sure nothing's wrong with my car.” looking around the table at the mixed reactions before you.

“I'll call Lewis for a tow in the morning and you both can go after work.”

“thank you.” you say relieved that you can finally gain back control over your life. Maybe get a little bit of space a long with it.

Everyone calms down and goes back to eating. The air is still so tense you could practically cut it but without your constant stirring it seems to settle. The rest of the night goes by uneventfully, you've changed into some pajamas and are ready to lay awake staring at the ceiling for hours.

The antsy energy you've been building up these past few days have left you without sleep. Tomorrow the hallucinations will probably start up, you wonder if they'll be worse thanks to your healing concussion. Hallucinations aside, your real problem is being alone with your thoughts for the next seven or eight hours.

You have nothing to occupy your mind with and thus nothing to help block out the invasive thoughts.

You'd finished the TAZ graphic novels while you were still at the hospital. The Cowells had taken you straight to their home after you got discharged, so you hadn't been able to grab your switch or any smaller art supplies.

Ultimately knowing that all this was for your safety and benefit you understand them wanting to keep you away from your home. The sight of you attack. Even a supply run could prove dangerous. Try telling that to your restless and bored mind. Constantly feeling like one of the undead wandering around aimlessly with no real purpose has certainly not done anything good for your mental health The lack of stimulation was definitely making it harder to mask and not just explode in frustration. To just let loose and rage at everything: from the situation to your stalkers, hell even to Jo and yourself. The after the brief flash of rage it would be washed away by the overwhelming guilt you felt about being in this web and dragging everyone around you into it. Whether directly or indirectly.

Safe to say, it is not good to be alone with your thoughts right now.

And it is with that restless energy that your night of staring at the ceiling turns into a morning of staring at the ceiling. Until a knock at your door signals the start of breakfast. A routine you've recently become apart of while staying with the Cowells. Getting ready for the day you make your way to the dining room, not before steadying your nerves and static filled mind with a long and drawn out huff of air.

Not quite cathartic enough to be viewed as a sigh.

And with that you begin you day.

The morning fades into late afternoon and you find yourself in the shop a little before close, just looking through the isles. A vaguely human figure, much too tall to truly be an actual person, had brushed past Nate and into one of the isles. Honestly you're sure it's one of your hallucinations but you still have to double check the isles before you finish locking up the shop. Today had been really slow and you can only recall a handful of patrons throughout the day, though you haven't been with it enough to actually hace much accuracy on that statement.

Nevertheless you are searching for stragglers, thankfully you find none. Really hoping to get out and to Whistle's soon, then home to grab things that'll keep you occupied. Things that are finally yous; actual comfortable clothes, that smell like you too. Eyes blinking in rapid succession at your near giddy nerves.

For once your tic helps you vision, you're able to catch the book laid on its side. Its cover a deep russet nearly matching the shelf in color, you'd have missed it if it weren't for the inverted shapes that pressed themselves into your eyelids almost burning the scenery into your memory. Picking the book up you try to discern where it had come from.

Upon further inspection it appeared to be more of a journal. Half written in English with margins made out it – was that German? Yeah that was definitely German, the Eszetts is way too distinctive for it to be any other language. Poorly drawn out sketches littered several pages as you flip past them. Until you see a familiar but scrathy image. It's of a symbol a circle with an 'x' through it.

As you look at the jagged lines you can't really place where you've seen this symbol before. It's so familiar but the ringing bells do nothing to help you remember where you've seen this symbol. Flipping further in you catch sight of a drawing of a being that is slim and taller than the trees. Wasn't that the figure you'd seen moments before? Right as you were doing you check for customers? You're beginning to think this shop's haunted.

“Hey YN, coast clear?” The sound of Nate's voice stops you from inspecting the book any further.

Placing it back on the shelf and nestling it in between to larger books you turn and head out of the isle.

“Yea, no customers.”

“C'mon then, I don't want to be out all night.”

Rolling your eyes at Nate's exaggeration, Whistle's probably wouldn't take more than an hour tops and you won;t take long gathering your things from the house – you follow Nate out the door.

Waiting close behind him as he locks up. One thing about the attack is you've become hyper aware of your surroundings and are nearly always on high alert now when you're out in the open like this. Luckily in most spaces you had already noted the number of exits and where to find them. Having to plan escape routes ahead of emergencies might not be the healthiest mentality but it's kept you sane throughout this ordeal. Thank you American public school system.

When you get to the auto shop you see a familiar ticcing brunette talking to a group of mechanics as he leans on your car.

“Who the hell is that?” Nate says squinting at Toby who's practically laid out across the hood of your car.

Weird, haven't they met yet? Toby did hang out at the shop for an entire day. Had Nate not noticed him then? What about the picnic? Before you can say anything Nate's already out of the car and shouting something to the group. Most of the men standing around tense up as Nate storms up to them.

But you catch the dead look in Toby's eye, the other is still horribly out of commission. Honestly without your glasses faces blur from so far away but it's undeniable that there isn't a light reflecting in his eye. Nate seems to be directing his lecture to Toby who doesn't appear to do anything. He's like a big old house cat, tired and done with everyone's shit if they aren't actively feeding him.

Sighing you exit the car, your only real thought is defusing your Karen.

You aren't at all surprised when Toby locks onto the movement of you walking towards the group. The man perks right up and lifts himself off your car in one fluid motion. He's so agile, just like a cat. You can't help but smile a bit at the connection automatically reaffirming with yourself that Toby would totally push over a precariously placed glass of water.

“Hey, wh-mrrow-what'd you bring the car in for?” Toby asks side stepping Nate, completely ignoring the older man.

“Huh – oh, yea boss wanted it checked out to make sure it wasn't like tampered with – I guess. Y'know after the accident.” you know the mechanics probably know what happened to you, you do live in a small town after all. Gossip stops for no one. But you do have control over details and talking about the incident and you won't be letting go of that any time soon.

Toby's one good eye darkens as he nods, “Gotcha, well it's fine even had Jess take it for a drive. Drove fine. Fixed that weird clicky thing it did on left turns, you're welcome.”

Hah, during the drive through Franklin Toby lost it after two left turns. He noticed the clicking sound your car would make, oddly only on left turns, and started bitching about it to you. At the time you just thought he was being funny when he'd complained you needed to take it in to the shop to fix that. Guess he wasn't. But what's the point of fixing something so trivial?

You cross your arms and are about to sass Toby about how unnecessary that was when Nate interrupts.

“Well since the car's cleared we'd better go settle the bill with Lewis.”

“No need, no parts to replace plus my free labor.” Toby looks away from Nate and back to you “It w-w-was so sl-o-ow-w so I told the old man we were dating and I'd been wanting to fix up your car.”

Normally you'd protest a friend or anyone giving you free services but since this was on the Cowells' dime you weren't going to burden them anymore.

“That's sweet – really really stupid, but sweet.”

Nate's already moving around you two and motioning towards his car as he says, “Well thank you, now we really need to get going YN. I don't want to be out late.”

You nod to Nate, turning and saying bye to Toby from over your shoulder.

When you suddenly remember, “Wait, hey Tobias can you take care of my car for the week? I know it's probably a weird request, but I'm sorta “grounded” right now and can't drive till the cottage is set up. A little worried the battery will drain from disuse.”

If it weren't for the mask and swollen eye the confused sneer of his would be clear to everyone on the lot. He sputters for a moment before speaking up.

“Ok? I mean like that's valid – whoa – a valid concern...but your car's not that old. But I guess I'll watch it? I don't have Connor so it'll have to stay in the lot tonight, that ok?”

Oh this stupid beautiful boy just gave you an out. Probably not the one he meant to give you but you are taking it and running as fast as you can.

“Or, or, or-”

“No, no, and no. You can't be trusted to not just drive off in the dead of night.” Nate cuts in.

It took a bit of coaxing but after calling the house and getting Dia's blessing you obtained one night to yourself. Really it'd be one night spent at the lodge but it was still better than being a guest in someone else's house for the night, this way you're a guest at the lodge for the night. A little mini vacation if you will. And Toby seemed fine to go with you to the cottage while you packed a bag with your essentials, before you both go back to the lodge.

He even agreed to drop you off at the bookshop in the morning.

“Are you seriously going stir crazy after five days?” he asks as you pull up to the cottage.

“it's more their constant smothering I'm over. I know everyone's worried but I still need my own agency. Y'know?”

“Yea....I do.” he murmurs with a solemn look about him before he exits the car and makes his way to the front door.

Your steps falter as you near the cottage. A few flashing images pass through your mind before you shakily inhale. Fortunately Toby is right beside you squeezing your hand to remind you of his presence. You aren't alone this won't end like Monday night.

Opening the door the house is quiet and just as you had last seen it. Nothing was disrupted, even peeking into the bathroom where you expected a crime scene to be – only a toppled shower curtain and over turned bath mat remained.

It doesn't really feel like your house right now. A fuzzy sensation clouds your thoughts, like your brain is trying to protect you from connecting with this place after your recent trauma. Although you aren't sure how you actually feel there's a strong sense of discontentment.

Noticing how you linger in the threshold of the bathroom Toby gently guides you into your room, all without a word. Leaving you alone in your room to collect your things. You move around at a moderate pace, you aren't drawing this out but you aren't rushing to leave soon either. A handful of shirts, a set of jeans, shorts, and joggers later you are grabbing your switch. Before diving into your art supplies you hear a thud across the hall.

You freeze as if ice water had just been poured onto you keeping you in place.

“Tobias!” you call out not moving.

“Fuck – sorry I acc-ack-accidently kicked your trash can.”

When had he gone to the bathroom?

“Are you ok?” you receive a quick 'yea' in response.

Jittery and in no mood to sit and draw you pick up an embroidery kit you'd been meaning to rip into. Should keep your attention long enough, but maybe you should grab another kit just in case. Bag loaded with enough of your things so you aren't driven mad during your stay – you turn to leave but decide to grab your goat plush as an after thought before leaving your room.

Walking out and into the rest of your house you notice a lack of Toby anywhere. Going towards the front door you spot him as you pass the kitchen. He's messing with your garbage can before he takes out the bag and ties it up.

“Wha' cha doin'?” he's been a bit off since you both arrived but you don;t blame him. Not like you're fairing any better.

“I, I kicked it and a whole bunch of trash came out. So then I had to put it-it all back, but there's a lot here and you aren't gonna be here for a week....I, I ju-just thought it'd be better to tak-take it out now.”

Nodding, you're thankful to have such a good friend looking out for you. It would've sucked to come home to a toxic waste site because you'd left trash in the garbage for three weeks.

You probably just thought it came from the bathroom because of the echo or something. Paranoia's been a pain this past week. Maybe you should look into getting a roommate, they might help.

“They're not that helpful trust me.”

“Wow, did I say that out loud?” Toby nods, “Fuck I am out of it. How are you and Tim doing?” you might be deflecting/ignoring your own issues. But Toby had his own shit going on Monday night and you doubt he's talked to anyone.

“We're fine. Just fucking hate him.” the sharp jerk of his head keys you in that he's very much not fine.

“Wanna talk about it?”

“Who are you, my fuck-ing therapist?”

“Fine, wanna bitch then?”

He comes off the defensive like he realizes that he's talking with you right now. His good eye down cast after he relaxes his stance a bit.

You go to grab your kettle, filling it up and placing it down on the stove to warm up.

“Any preference on tea? I've got a few.” it was very much more than a few.

A chair screeches as Toby drags it out to sit down at your small kitchen table. He doesn't respond so you get one of your special blends out. This blend has rose hips which you normally dislike anything scented or flavored with roses but the ginger and cinnamon can normally over power the slightly floral sting of this tea. Plus it's made with the intention of healing the heart and promoting self love. A spell tea of sorts. Toby could probably use a little pick me up, you always did after a fight with a friend. Getting out the honey you ready the tea infuser into the cup waiting for the kettle's whistle.

“So just wanna start talking....or should I ask questions?” you turn to face Toby as you lean against the counter.

He's taken his mask off and placed it on the table, of course you remember his deteriorating face but it still surprises you to see it after a few days of not actually seeing his face. Maybe you'll get used to it and one day won't be so fascinated by his teeth.

“Tim's just a dick who thinks he has a right to act like he's my dad. Li-ike-like I'm twenty-four he doesn't need to constantly question the things I do. He doesn't have any room to talk to me about my mistakes he literally could've fucked staying here up for us....” Toby head had been snapping to the left several times during his rant and it continued as he got very quiet suddenly.

Tim could've messed staying here up? Did he mean here as in Kepler or the lodge? Barclay did have to break up the fight maybe he didn't want any of the trio in but let Toby stay out of concern for his condition.

“Hey I'm sure it wasn't that bad, I could even talk to Barclay to get you unbanned from the lodge.”

He takes the mug you pass him and spoons some honey into it/ It's weird to see half his face drawn into concentration since the other half isn't able to emote yet. Holding the cup in his hands he stares at the swirling steam rising up as you bring your own mug over to the table taking a seat. Not once does he look up at you as you stir in a bit of honey into your own tea.

Toby's neck snaps, “Am I...is it bad that I don't want you to?”

You send him a slightly pitying smile.

“No hun, you're upset. And you're having a totally valid reaction to a falling out.”

Toby rolled his eyes, at least you thin he did. Hard to tell with just the one.

“My therapist would love you. That's the kind of bullshit she tells me like all the time.”

Not knowing what to say to that you just nod as he continues to stare at you.

You both continue to talk, well you continue to let Toby rant about how stupid and dumb Brian and Tim are as you finish your tea. You still don't know the details of the fight but it sounds like the cause was just the last straw between the men and not the actual catalyst. According to Toby the other two tend to baby him or talk over his ideas and suggestions because he's the youngest of the group. Twice Toby mentioned Tim's paranoia and how that was really the cause of the tension between them. And how Brian wasn't any help because he'd always side with Tim to make sure his boyfriend was ok.

Toby was very bitter when talking about Brian's role in this more than Tim's. As if his role of passive bystander just sent Toby over the edge. Which from the way he spoke seemed like it's been dragging on for some time. All of this was painting an even worse picture of the smug asshole. Though you didn't break your silence or series of nods and hums until Toby off handily mentioned Brian getting him in trouble with his therapist by saying he was the one who started the fight.

“He fucking snitched....wait no he lied?!” Toby had to blink a few times before he finally understood what had gotten you so upset.

“Yea I mean it's not that big a deal. I was able to tell Clarise I missed a few days of my meds and she made me set reminders in front of her on the call.”

Apparently Clarise was sure Toby suffered from Bipolar Disorder, he was very flippant when he told you like it wasn't anything big. When you mentioned ADHD he kind of blanked. He got fidgety when you mentioned the symptoms you saw and nervously told you his medication was working just fine for him. Not wanting to make him more uncomfortable you dropped the topic. Soon it was dark and you needed to leave to make it to the lodge for dinner.

“You sure you want to take the garbage out? What if Chonk is over there?” joking as you lock the door.

“Good point. Trash you live here now.” he dumps the bag onto your lawn and walks towards your kia.

“Toby!”you gasp out, which sounds weird amidst your laughter.

He stops and looks at you his expression more unclear than it's been all evening. Your heart skips a beat as you stare at each other for a moment, your laughter gone now.

“It's weird to hear you say 'Toby'.”

That's all he says before he grabs the bag and carrying it to the side of your house where your bins are.

The conversation in the car is pretty light in comparison to what it has been. Just jokes getting thrown around and sharing the gossip that you'd head in the hospital because nurses' can't keep their mouths shut. Neither of you know any of the characters in the stories but they're still pure gold. Like the man who came in after getting his hand stuck in a cookie jar. Nervous and scared his wife would find out he's been eating the new holistic dog treats. A few stories or more like vents about the auto shop got thrown in. By the time you got to the lodge both of you were in lighter spirits.

Everyone was ecstatic to see you up and about and made an extra spot for you at the table. You didn't miss how Barclay would rise an eyebrow every time you locked eyes. You just roll your eyes and continue eating. When it got time to settle in for the night you were planning to commandeer the couch but Toby offered his room.

More accurately he offered a chance to hang out with Connor which you readily accepted. The rottie was just as excited to see you, bounding over the second you stepped through the door.

“Sigh if only there was a way to see Connor everyday.” you say dramatically whistful as you hold the pup's jowls in your palms.

Toby responds in turn in a drawn out sarcastic monotone “Oh my, how sad your life must be. There's only one solution, marry me. So Connor can finally have the second parent he's always wanted” he ends with a scratch behind the pups right ear.

“I was just gonna kick you and steal your dog.”

He turns to face you, “I can't feel-”

“So if I kicked you in the back of the knee it wouldn't buckle?”

Toby goes silent before conceding to your point. A mumbled “Connor would avenge me.” is heard.

After you two settle down you both hop into bed to try and get some sleep. Toby was holding your switch hostage so you had no choice but to “sleep” now.

You really hoped he changed his sheets from the other day. You'd hate to find out you're laying in milk stained sheets. Pushing those thoughts away as your body finally starts to relax, you can feel when your mind begins to drift into the beginning stages of sleep.

“Tobes, you can crash at my place if you need to.” is the last thing you say before falling into a peaceful slumber.

Toby on the other hand wasn't able to get much sleep at all that night. He couldn't shake the feeling something bad was about to happen. And unlike Tim he didn't think it was because of you, it just had something to do with you. You were too kind to be one of The Operator's proxies, with all the clues of His presence in this town you were one of many red herrings. Looking over to you Toby only hoped you wouldn't get hurt in the crossfire. Not like Lyra did, he doesn't think he could handle something like that. Especially with how shitty Tim's been lately, he's on edge and constantly about to snap. He just needs a break from everything. Maybe then the weight in his stomach would go away.

In the morning Toby's keen to hold up his end of the deal and drive you to work. You buy him breakfast and an iced coffee from Dunkin' and a pup cup for Connor. The three of you eat in your car while you wait for Nate to arrive. When he does you say your goodbyes and head off to start your shift. Promising Toby you'd call once you've been ungrounded.

Nate's face is grim as you approach the shop, you're starting to get used to the cold sweats from these dread bearing encounters. That can't be a good thing.

Did something happen last night? Were the Cowells targeted? Was everyone alright? These thoughts and more swam through your head as Nate motioned for you to follow him into the shop quickly.

He locked the door and pushed you into the back room. His hast doing nothing to settle your fraying nerves as you stumble past the threshold.

“That Rogers kid, how well do you know him?” his eyes dart around the back looking at every shadow as if watching their movements.

“Who's Roger?” you feel out of the loop.

Was Roger one of your assailants? Had the police already found suspects so soon on what little information you had to go on?

With a groan Nate smacked his hand against his face muttering something under his breath.

“Toby, Tobias Rogers how much do you know about him?” his tone is rushed and sharp.

You didn't even know his last name until now. But maybe you had heard it before but it never clicked with you. Honestly you've known each other for a month that's not very long at all. But maybe it's long enough to learn some things?

“...ah not much?”

There's a panicked look in Nate's eyes and he does his best to control his breathing. But it's clear that Nate is either about to hyperventilate or go into an anxiety attack. You wonder what's got him so worked up as he reached into his bag and pulls out a manila folder.

He hands it to you, you can see the water marks left by his sweaty palms.

What on Earth is going on?

#a cure for insomnia #ticci toby #ticcitoby #ticci tobyx reader #ticci toby x reader #tobias erin rogers #Timothy Wright #timothy wright x reader #timothy wright x brian thomas #Brian Thomas #brian thomas x reader #creepypasta fanfic

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itsthenovelteafactor · 3 years

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Vanya and the Phantom

I asked and y’all answered (special thanks to @schizoidwire and @the-aro-ace-arrow-ace and all the people who responded to my earlier post for encouraging me!), so it is time for how The Phantom of the Opera song introduction can be read as a look into Vanya’s self-narrative and also foreshadows future events in a really subtle and interesting way.

I’m channeling my inner Elliot and going into full conspiracy mode. This is gonna be a long one, y’all.

Part One: In Which I Expose Myself as a Former Theater Kid

So, for those who aren’t familiar with The Phantom of the Opera, it was originally a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux back in 1909. In 1986, Andrew Lloyd Webber rewrote it as a musical. For purposes of my analysis here, I am just going to be discussing the musical because 1) the score used in the opening scene is from it and 2) I’ve never read the book. (If anyone out there has read the book and wants to weigh in, please do!)

It’s a very aesthetic show, and draws on a lot of gothic themes and imagery. The plot follows an opera house, and specifically a young chorus girl named Christine Daaé. I’m not going to explain the whole show plot in detail because wikipedia exists, but I will do a quick overview here and point out some things as they relate to things I’ll be discussing later. Also there will be a test after and it will NOT be multiple choice.

The show begins when the opera house is sold to new owners who 1) just want to make money and 2) do not respect the opera house’s resident ghost (who isn’t really a ghost, but we’ll get to that later.) When the Phantom makes his presence known, and freaks out the resident prima donna singer (who will be relevant later) Carlotta, who says she won’t sing under these conditions. It is then that Christine appears. She’s quiet and humble and has always lived in the background, but is incredibly talented. The woman who runs the chorus (also owner of the opera house’s resident braincell) suggests Christine sing the part. She does, and is amazing. Everyone is blown away, and she’s catapulted into instant fame and success.

We later learn that Christine has been studying under the Phantom, who appears to her in mirrors. She calls him the Angel of Music, and thinks that he was sent to teach her by her recently deceased father. He isn’t. He’s actually pretty malicious, and is obsessed with Christine, wants to control her voice, and doesn’t like her dating anyone. Which is a bit awkward when her childhood friend shows up and promptly falls in love with her.

Anyways, Carlotta is jealous of the attention Christine has been getting and threatens to leave prompting the new owners to cut Christine from the program. The Phantom doesn’t like it at all, sends a bunch of letters, things escalate, people are murdered, and the whole first act ends with the chandelier falling from the ceiling and crashing onto the stage (which is done with really cool effects, oftentimes beginning the show hanging over the audience. It’s a BIG MOMENT and one of the most iconic ones from the show. This will also be relevant later.)

Act two takes place a few months later, wherein no one has seen the Phantom. Shock of all shocks, though, he’s not dead. He’s been writing an opera and he wants Christine to star in it. More stuff happens, you learn the backstory of the Phantom (which is pretty sad, ngl, but in no way makes him less of a creep) and the story ends with the Phantom kidnapping Christine and giving her an ultimatum: stay with him forever, or he kills Raoul (aka childhood friend/romantic interest guy). She agrees to stay with him and he’s so moved by her compassion that he lets them both go and disappears forever.

Part Two: Casting the Characters

That’s interesting, Rosie (note sarcasm) but you said this was about The Umbrella Academy? I did, in fact. So, we meet Vanya when she’s playing a medley of songs from The Phantom of the Opera. Since it’s primarily the melodies and not one of the orchestral pieces from her performance later (I don’t think), we can assume she’s just playing it for herself (which is nice! good on you, Vanya).

Maybe she’s never seen the play and just likes the score, but for purposes here, let’s assume she’s familiar with it.

You can tell a lot about a person by the stories they connect with (for example, I like TUA because I like fun sibling dynamics, found family, music, and being sad). And I think that it makes sense that The Phantom of the Opera would be a story that resonates with Vanya. The overlooked chorus girl finds power in music, and, after years in the background, is finally given a chance to show how special she is.

So, yeah. I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility that Vanya sees herself as Christine. There are some discrepancies, sure, but this is Vanya’s self-narrative, which we learn pretty much immediately is unreliable. (Love her, but it’s true.) And if Vanya is Christine, then we can try and tap into her perspective to look at some other characters.

Anyways remember Carlotta (the prima donna opera singer who always got the spotlight and tried to destroy everything good that happened to Christine because she felt threatened that someone might be as good/better than her whose entire personality and role in the story I just summarized, rendering my plot recap useless)? Carlotta is how Vanya views Allison. (Kind of all her siblings, but her relationship with Allison is the most important here.)

Think about the scene in the cabin?

“You couldn’t risk me threatening your place in the house! You couldn’t handle the fact that Dad might find me special!” - Vanya, having a mental breakdown.

This always struck me as an interesting accusation to throw, since prior to this moment, I don’t think there was any indication that Allison had ever felt threatened by Vanya. She excluded her, sure, and wasn’t super friendly at times, but the idea that Allison has been pulling strings to keep Vanya out of her spotlight is new. But that is exactly the role Carlotta plays in Phantom.

Fun fact! At one point in the musical, the Phantom enchants Carlotta so that she loses her voice right before coming on stage.

Part Three: The Phantom of the Opera is there

So based on everything I’ve said so far, the most straightforward reading is then, that Leonard Peabody/Harold Jenkins (who for purposes here I’ll call Leonard) is the stand in for the Phantom, which works... really well. Both in helping to understand Vanya and also because it foreshadows the twist of season one in a really cool way.

So, the Phantom appears to Christine first not as an enemy, but as a friend and teacher, who encourages her to be more confident in her abilities. He trains her to develop her singing ability. While the teacher-student dynamic is actually inverted initially with Vanya and Leonard, from the get go, he is showering her with compliments, encouraging her to be confident in her abilities, and, at least on the surface, supporting her in a way she hasn’t been supported before (he’s a trash human but an expert manipulator).

But, in the play, the Phantom is also very possessive over Christine and her power (er, I mean voice). He also is perfectly willing to kill and/or hurt people who he views as standing in the way of Christine and her success (see the aforementioned Carlotta incident). Which is exactly what Leonard does to Vanya. He kills the first chair violinist to help her get it, and orchestrates a whole master plan to get her to reveal her powers on his terms.

Even the part where he starts “training” her to use her powers kind of resembles the second act of the play. The Phantom wrote a play for Christine and she’s going to star in it, whether she wants to or not.

(One could even make the argument of the parallels between Christine believing the Phantom was sent by her father to teach her and Leonard showing up because of his revenge scheme against Vanya’s father, but I honestly don’t have much support for that.)

Part Three: Two Conflicting Narratives

So, as you might’ve noticed, I sort of have two different threads of analysis going on right now. 1) The Phantom of the Opera parallel is part of Vanya’s self-narrative and in it she mischaracterizes Allison, making her more suspicious of her motivations and 2) Leonard Peabody is clearly the Phantom and doesn’t bother being subtle about it. I hope that I’ve been convincing (or at least intriguing) for you to get to this point, because here is where they come together.

Vanya has this parallel going, but she doesn’t see Leonard as the Phantom. In the beginning at least, he’s her Raoul. If I had to guess, I’d say Reginald Hargreeves is the Phantom in Vanya’s self-narrative (says he’ll train her but wants to manipulate her and keep her locked away for himself, strict teacher who doesn’t really care about her well being, wearing a mask to appear more normal/human... she wouldn’t exactly be wrong). Leonard, on the other hand, is Vanya’s supporter. He validates her, and believes in her, and taker her side when Carlotta and the opera house owners (er, the rest of the Hargreeves children) gang up on her and conspire to keep her out.

This is all building to, of course, the final confrontation. The Phantom says Christine has to pick one or the other. When Allison comes to talk to Vanya, Vanya feels as if she’s been given an ultimatum and lashes out.

And that’s where everything (including this parallel) starts to crumble.

(I honestly don’t know a lot about the other characters and how they fit in. I suppose we could have Five = Raoul if we ignore romance plot and focus on the childhood friend that hasn’t been seen in a while angle? And maybe also Pogo = Madame Giry. Vanya doesn’t really have any friends to be Meg.)

Part Four: It’s All About the Moon

So that is kind of the gist of The Phantom of the Opera as a window into Vanya’s self-narrative theory, but there are a couple of other loosely related ideas I thought I might as well bring up since this thing is already ridiculously long.

Remember how I mentioned the chandelier is like, THE scene from The Phantom of the Opera back in part one, and said it’d be relevant later? Bringing that back now, because I’m going to pull a Luther and connect everything to the moon.

So, to get the obvious out of the way, the moon exploding and the chandelier coming crashing to the stage are similar because something falls, breaks into a bunch of pieces, destroys a bunch of stuff, and creates a powerful and memorable image to close off before an act/season break (the next installment of which begins with a time jump).

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that The Phantom of the Opera is told out of order. The opening scene shows a grown up Raoul at an auction for the items left behind after the opera house closes, and it switches to the past as the remains of the chandelier rise upwards to the ceiling, Phantom’s theme swelling (it’s a really cool moment, tbh). Following the prologue of The Umbrella Academy, we switch to the present with two images: Vanya alone on the stage, and then Luther alone on the moon. Which has a kind of symmetry that might mean nothing, but is still kind of cool.

(Also the item that Raoul buys from the auction is a music box with a monkey crashing symbols on top of it. Which might mean nothing.)

Part Five: How is she STILL talking about this? (AKA Conclusion)

To be honest, this is more a very tangled “things I noticed and thought were interesting” discussion than a formal essay with any clear thesis. While there is a chance that this was all coincidental and I’ve gone full Pepe Sylvia, the music selection in The Umbrella Academy is one of the things that they seem to be really deliberate about.

I would love to chat with anyone about this theory, so feel free to reach out in the notes or message me! My inbox is always open. Much love, and thank you for reading, if you got this far! ❤️

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weclassygirl · 4 years

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𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐩𝐭.𝟑

Word count: +2.4k

Pairing: neil x reader (tenet)

Warnings: none, tiny bit of violence

Author’s note: hello! i feel like the chapters are getting longer, the next one (which will be the last one) will be long, i really hope my logic in this will be correct for the next one. anyways, enjoy! as always, i’m not a native english speaker. take care love! <3

Previous part (x)

Gif credits (x)

You wake up as the car stops in front of an entrance to the destination place. You see Ives going around the car and into the building. Neil reaches for your door, ready to wake you up but already sees that you're up.

"Finally awake? You've got us worried." he says and you massage your temples. You reach to your arm to see how bad the wound got, it began to scar. You get out of the car and move towards the entrance with Neil.

"I'll have a beautiful scar to remember by." you tell him and he chuckles. Both of you enter the building. It’s different than the one in Tallinn. You see that Ives is nowhere in sight, probably already on the other side. You look at the proving window before you enter and see yourself on the side in the red room. This time you enter without hesitation, Neil follows you. You feel the machine move and shortly after you see the now familiar red light of the room. Both of you exit the machine and move towards the exit, Ives already waiting by the door.

“I’ll meet you in a few days.” he says and you see Neil nodding. “We have to wait for Wheeler and the others to come back and see if our new friend somehow followed us here.” this time you nod and take off your mask, hanging it on the wall beside you. Your eyes follow Ives' figure as he disappears behind the steel door. You turn to Neil.

"Where to now?" you wonder as he hangs the mask on the wall.

"Another country. Safety measures but this time we need to find a hotel." he informs you as both of you move to the exit.

"No more safe houses?" you question from the side.

"It will be a safehouse if we remake it into one." he says, his eyes lighting up. You chuckle and enter the car that will take you to the airport and then to Romania.

When you land in Bucharest you're driving straight to the hotel. You see Wheeler already waiting at the reception, not in her usual military uniform.

"Got out safely?" Neil asks her. He takes the keys to the room and the three of you move to the elevators.

"Barely, some of the guys got injured, but nothing major thankfully." she informs him. The elevator moves rather quickly and soon the doors open. Wheeler moves to her room which is placed in front of yours. Neil puts the key in and turns it, opening the door. He gestures for you to enter first. You walk into the corridor and into the living room. The walls in front of you are covered in roof to ceiling windows, the whole room has a nice beige tint to it. You go around and find two bedrooms, you walk into one and put your bags down.

Outside you can see that it’s already getting dark, you go to the living room and see Neil talking on the phone with someone that you assume is Ives. He sees you enter and hangs up the phone. He looks at you for a moment before speaking.

“Everything alright?” he asks.

You nod. “Yeah, just gonna head to shower, clean off all the blood from my arm.” you see him nod and move to the bathroom. You close the door behind you and take off the dirty clothing, being careful around the arm. The blood has already started to dry. You enter the shower and clean rather quickly, you see red water going down the drain beneath you. You exit it and look at your reflection in the mirror. You look tired, exhausted really, the wound is not as big anymore, it began to scar.

You leave the bathroom and walk into the living room, Neil nowhere in sight. You go to the bedroom and see the door next to yours slightly ajar. You open them carefully and see Neil already asleep, his phone next to him as well as some notes. You take the blanket from the chair and place it on him, gently so that you don’t wake him up. You close the door and head to your bedroom, falling onto the bed from exhaustion.

You wake up to the sound of muffled voices coming from the living room. You see it’s light outside, probably early morning. You get dressed and go to the living room, you stop near it when you hear them talking in hushed tones.

“We can’t get it out right now, it’s too risky.” you hear Neil say. His voice worried.

“What else do you want to do? Wait here and let the others find the algorithm and use it?” Ives whispers loudly. You try to turn back to your room but they hear the shuffling of your feet.

“(Name)?” Neil calls out. You stop in your tracks and turn back to the living room. Both of the men look at you and you press your lips into a thin line.

“Hi. Sorry, I heard some voices.” you quickly explain. “What’s the algorithm?” you question hesitantly. Ives' side glances Neil and looks back to you. You look at them suspiciously.

“Just tell her. She’s as much a part of it as we are now.” Ives urges Neil and he sighs. He comes closer to you.

“An algorithm is a device that has been split up and hidden in the past. If a person were to combine all of the parts, they would be able to invert the entropy of the whole world.” he explains to you as you nod along, trying to understand what you just heard.

“But… that would mean that…” you say slowly.

“That the world would be destroyed when they’re joined and used.” you hear Ives say. You look at both of them in shock and fall down onto the seat near you, trying to comprehend the situation.

“And you guys found it?”

“Yes. And we’ll be leaving soon to get it.” you turn to Ives and nod. He looks to Neil and seems to be having a silent conversation with him, after a moment he leaves the room, only you and Neil are left in it.

“Not what you expected right?” he speaks up and you chuckle.

“I think this might be a bit better than someone trying to kill me for whatever reason.” you see him smile at your response. He looks at you for a moment and observes you. He sees you still a bit tired, but now more alert with the new found information.

“How’s your arm?” he asks. You look towards it and move it experimentally. Your face scrunches at the faint feeling of pain. He goes to the cupboard and takes out the first aid kit.

“Better I think. Started to heal and not spread further.” you inform him as he sits next to you. He reaches to your shirt trying to remove the part from your shoulder. You do it for him and carefully give him better access to it. The bandage around your arm started to bleed through a bit in the night. Neil takes it off gently and starts cleaning the excess blood. You wince at the sudden feel of a pad soaked in alcohol. You hear him whisper a small “sorry”. He wraps a new bandage around your arm and stands up to put the aid kit back to its place.

You observe him for a moment before he sits across from you pouring some water into the glass and handing one to you. Both of you start to talk about the smallest things, trying to fill up the silence of the room. You talk about his passion for physics and you tell him why you chose to study at a university so late. You wanted to give yourself a break from studying nonstop, try to find some calling in life. The two of you seem to fall into a routine, to find a topic to talk about for hours, that could even extend into late nights. You enjoy talking with him and he feels the same. Both of you talk like you’ve known each other for years.

You stand up from your seat after a few hours of talking. “Where are you going?” you hear Neil ask as you move to the door.

“To find Ives and Wheeler. I want to ask them some questions about that algorithm and probably the mission.” Neil nods at your answer and you leave the room. In the meantime Neil has been writing some notes on the inversion and the all possible scenarios that could come up with retrieving the algorithm.

He turns his head at the sound of opening doors and tenses for a bit before seeing you walk through them, he immediately relaxes. He goes back to his notes and you walk into the room slowly, walking around it for a bit, looking out the window. Neil watches your movements with furrowed brows.

“Everything okay?” he asks and you turn to him with a bit widened eyes. You nod your head and sit close to him, looking at his notes.

“What are you working on?” you question. He looks at you for a moment before answering.

“Plans for the mission, in case something goes wrong. Did you find out everything you wanted from Ives and Wheeler?” once again you nod your head all the while looking at the notes spread on the table. There’s an unfinished coffee laying next to them.

“Can I ask you something?” he says as he stands up to fill up the glass with water.

“Sure.” you say and stand up to, getting a glass for yourself. You sip from it as you wait for his question.

“Why did you start your university so early? Why not take a break from studying?”

You look at him, thinking for a moment. “Wanted to learn more. Gain some more knowledge, maybe find some job or try to at least.” Neil nods at your answer and puts the glass on the table. You turn to do the same but are suddenly gripped by Neil and pinned to the wall. His arm across your chest, holding you in place. You try to free yourself from his grip but he only pins you harder against the wall.

“Who are you?!” he asks you. You don’t answer and he only presses harder against you. “I’m not gonna ask you again.” he warns you. You’re about to respond but you hear the doors to the apartment open and in them stands… you.

Neil looks at you and back to the you that he still holds in his grip. From the doorway you look at the scene with wide eyes. Neil lets go of the person and she steps away from him. You close the door and walk into the living room, standing beside Neil. Both of you looking at the woman with the same face as you. She puts her hands up as if to reassure you that you mean no harm, Neil already points his gun at her.

“Who are you?” he asks again but you respond from beside him, already knowing the answer.

“You were the person in the mask.” you state, still not believing what you’re saying. “At the highway, outside of the safehouse.”

The woman nods slowly. Neil looks at you from the side and you put your hand on his gun, lowering it. You step closer to the other you, she steps back a bit. “We can’t touch each other, it could erase us from the universe.” she tells you and you stop just a few meters from her. You look at her. She looks exactly like you, the same hair color, features, eyes. The eyes that you’ve seen through her mask, that seemed so familiar. Familiar cause you were looking at them everyday in the mirror.

All these days you thought the person behind the mask was a man sent to kill you but it was you all along. The only question left is why.

“You’re me.” you tell her, she nods. “From when?”

She looks to Neil for a moment before turning back to you. “The future. A few years from now, at least.” you look at her with wide eyes still not believing that the other you is standing right in front of you. Neil speaks up from behind you, his hand still on the gun now hidden away.

“Why did you try to kill her? She’s your past self. If you succeeded that would create a paradox. You would cease to exist.” he tells her. You recall him telling you about that paradox. How would a future version of you be able to commit the act in the first place?

“They needed to know that I was loyal to them, needed to prove myself to them.” the other you says. Neil comes a bit closer, his hand still on the gun, waiting to be pulled.

“Who’s they?” he questions. The woman looks at him, a softness crossing her features as she takes him in. She composes herself quickly and says only one word.

“Tenet.”

Both of you look at each other not believing what you’re hearing. Neil comes closer to you and takes you to the side to make sure that the other you is telling the truth. You tell him that she does, you know when you lie, you see that she’s truthful. Neil hesitates but trusts your judgement. Both of you go back to the living room and see the other you sitting on the chair. Neil sits across from her while you stand beside him, not wanting to risk accidentally touching your future self.

“Why would Tenet send you to kill your past self?”

“They don’t want you ruining their plans concerning the algorithm.” she turns to you. You look at her confused, you only learned about the algorithm a few hours ago. How much could you be involved so that Tenet wants you eliminated?

“We only found out about where it is a few hours ago, how does it connect to this?” you ask her. Your future self leans back in her seat, sighing deeply.

“Because Tenet wants to use the algorithm for their own needs, to their advantage. Not all of them are on the good side. There are some that want to do more bad than good.”

#again the next part might take some time #i want to rest for at least a day #from the writing #hope you enjoy #feedback is always appreciated #neil x reader tenet #tenet #neil x reader #robert pattinson #christopher nolan #robert pattinson neil #robert pattinson tenet #ives #really hope that this will be logical #kinda annoyed if i see even a tiny not relevant error #inversion man...#mind blowing #alright see ya #<3

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lu-undy · 3 years

Text

Chapter 106 - SBT

Here it is!

“Alright, here we are."

"Meow." Perle sat down and Soot imitated her. A couple of weeks had passed since the birth of the kittens now and they had opened their eyes fully.

"Mundy, I would rather stay outside, I really don't think that-"

"No." Mundy cut Lucien's speech. "No excuses, no half-truths. We go together." Lucien raised his eyes to Mundy and sighed. "Don't look so sad, Lu', you're not the one takin' risks here."

"Of course I am." Lucien answered. "If this whole idea fails, who is going to carry your sorrow with you?"

"I… Yeah, I'm sorry." Mundy sighed and adjusted his grip on the basket he was holding in his arms. The kittens were squeaking and squealing gently there.

"It is fine." Lucien answered. "Mundy?"

"Yeah?" Mundy raised sorry eyes to his lover.

"Je t'aime, mon loup. You will make it."

[I love you, my wolf.]

"Hope so… C-Can you knock on the door for me, please?"

"Before I do," Lucien raised his eyes to Mundy. "Take a deep breath."

Mundy melted and his shoulders sank. He smiled, albeit sadly.

"Love you, Lu', you're my everythin'." He whispered and their eyes locked, both blushing.

Lucien raised his hand and gave the dark brown door a few knocks.

"Oh, hey boys, come in, please…" Caroline opened the door and let both men through.

"Who's that?" Mike asked from his sofa.

"It's Micky and Lucien." Caroline answered while throwing a mildly scared glance at Lucien. The Frenchman nodded to her.

Mike appeared at the living-room's door, his hand on the door frame.

"What d'you want?" He bluntly asked.

Perle took a step forward and her fluffy hair spiked everywhere along her spine. Soot joined her, standing defensively between his wife, his children, his fathers and grandmother, and Mike.

"The cats had babies, we've come here to show them to Mum and you, Dad." Mundy answered.

"Pff…" Mike looked down at Perle and Soot. They were showing their fangs and hissing.

"Pearl, Soot, no." Mundy said, but the cats disobeyed, their posture was defensive. "Please, guys…"

The old man took the stairs up and disappeared.

"You guys come in and make yourselves at home, I'll go and talk to him." Caroline almost whispered to them, and both men agreed.

They sat in the living-room, Mundy on the sofa and Lucien on the armchair. Mundy put the basket on his lap and Perle jumped to her little ones. Soot helped her bathe them all.

"I'm not so sure it'll ever wo-"

"Shh." Lucien cut him. He was pricking his ears up, trying to hear what Caroline and Mike were saying, but to no avail. "I cannot hear them…" He finally gave up. "Not with the babies mewling that much."

"Bah…"

"Meow." Perle took them out of the basket one by one and lay down. The babies were hungry and the Mummy had felt it. She started feeding them when Caroline and Mike came back downstairs.

"So! Where are my great-grand babies…?" She excitedly asked.

"Here, Mum, look."

Caroline took a seat next to Mundy.

"Aw, look at them… There are… four! They're adorable! How old are they?"

"Just two weeks today." Mundy answered.

"Aw…" Caroline stared at the little ones feeding from their mother who was trying to bathe them at the same time. "Do they have names?"

"Yeah, Lu', c'mere and tell Mum."

"Uhm, of course…" Lucien rose from the armchair and crouched in front of the sofa. "This lady here is Marshmallow, this one is Inky, and then we have two brave little males. This black one is Bushcat, or as Mundy calls him, Bushkitty, and this white one with black paws is Glovy the Second."

"The Second?"

"Yeah," Mundy answered. "Previous litter had a similar kitty but with inverted colours and we called him Glovy. He liked his food a lot too, a bit like this one. He's always the first on his mum's milk and the last to go away from her. He even sometimes falls asleep still sucklin'..."

"Poor baby…" Caroline smiled. "Ooh, they look gorgeous, look at their eyes…! Bushkitty has one green and one blue, eh? That's very pretty!"

"Yeah, one from his mum and one from his dad."

"Congrats, Pearl, your babies are gorgeous…!" Caroline gently patted Perle's head who closed her eyes under the tender gesture. "Mike, come have a look-see, they're adorable…!"

Lucien went back to the armchair to leave some space and Mike approached, not without glaring at the man…

"Listen to them mewl, aw, cutie pies…" Caroline insisted, trying to get a reaction out of Mike, but the old man remained as lively as marble.

Mike took one more step and Soot jumped to his feet to hiss and show his fangs, digging his claws on the couch's armrest. Perle's ears were pulled back too. She curled on her babies defensively before slowly rising to her feet as well.

"Right. They don't want me to get close." Mike sighed.

"Pearl, you get down and Soot too. What's this now?" Mundy's voice was authoritative and it surprised everyone in the room, from Caroline and Mike, to Lucien. The cats immediately stopped and Soot withdrew to Mundy's lap. "There. And stop hissin', we raised you better than that."

"Meow…" Both adult cats lowered their heads apologetically.

"It's ok, but don't hiss like that ever again, not at Dad's dad, alright?"

"Meow."

He scratched Perle and Soot's heads.

There was a second of silence in the room. Everyone was processing what had just happened differently. Lucien was melting on his seat, only he didn't let it show. He didn't know Mundy could be authoritative, and gosh, his insides were molten lava.

Caroline was overwhelmed by the pride she was feeling. If this was what Mundy was like as a father, then her job on that planet was done. He knew when to step his foot down but showed compassion too. The mother couldn't help but take some pride for herself, surely Mundy had learnt that from her, at least a bit?

The one whose emotions were hidden as well as Lucien's, was Mike. God only knew what he thought of that, but he came closer and sat at the edge of the sofa, on the armrest. Perle looked at him intensely and turned her head to Mundy, who nodded.

The lady cat carefully approached the old man, who was offering his fingers. She smelt them from a distance and got closer, ever so slowly. Soot jumped on the sofa and tended to the babies.

Perle looked in the direction of her Papa, who nodded too. He wanted to speak, but Lucien was trying to make himself as small as possible in the room.

The lady cat finally brushed her head against Mike's fingers gently. The old man softly scratched her and she purred, her meows wrapped around the rolling of her purrs.

"There ya go, baby, this is your Gramps, he's nice."

"Meow?"

"See how I'm your Dad?"

"Meow."

"Well this is my Dad."

"Meow?"

"Yeah, this is my Mum, and my Dad." Mundy explained.

"Treat her like your kid, huh?" Mike finally broke the silence.

"Yeah, she listens." Mundy said and scooted over. He pulled Perle to himself to create some space and Mike joined them on the couch. Caroline and Lucien exchanged an eager gaze.

"Lucien, d'you mind helpin' me with the tea?"

"Of course." Lucien took the bait and followed Caroline out. They went to the kitchen and shut the door. Then, both promptly stuck their ears to it…

"So, how've you been, Dad?"

"Not too bad. Last week, we sold most stuff at the market. With the extra, I had the car fixed."

"What was wrong with it?"

"The cylinder head gasket needed replacin'."

"Ah, fair. Is it fixed now?"

"Yeah, it's alright now."

Both were nervously petting Perle while the little ones mewled and explored the sofa, wrestling with each other while wobbling on their short legs.

"And uh… What's up with you, son?"

Mundy's ears pricked up at "son".

"Not much. Been busy with these fluff balls. Hard to raise them proper with the daytime job and all, but we manage. Lu' works in the mornings, I take the afternoons, unless there's an emergency."

"They're alright? Growin' well?"

"Yeah, so far, so good. Today's their first day outside the house."

"They're curious, eh?" Mike said as Glovy and Bushcat tried to climb on his thigh.

"Yeah, sorry about that, I can take them back…"

"No, no, they're fine." Mike gently let his finger run on the little ones' heads, and Mundy grinned. "Son?"

"Yeah?"

"I uh… I still don't get it." Mike said in a serious tone. "For Lucien and you."

"Ah yeah, well… It's uh, it's alright. You don't need to-"

"No." Mike cut him short. "I… I wanna understand this. Been talkin' to your Mum about it." He scooped Glovy and petted him between his hands. "I don't know, son…"

Perle took Bushcat in her mouth and gently dropped him on Mike's lap. The young black male curled down and looked up at Mike.

"I listen to your Mum, see? She's been tellin' me a lot about you and Lucien. Every time she visits you guys, she comes back and tells me about it, gives me the news."

Perle took Inky and dropped her on Mike's lap. She sat down there and didn't move.

"I don't get it cause I don't feel it in me. Never felt more for a bloke than just bein' friends. Hell, it never came to me that you could be more. And we didn't raise you like that, son, nah, we didn't. So of course, I thought about it all for a long time. Where the hell could you have got the idea from? You can't have just thought about it on your own, can you?"

Perle finally took Marshmallow and brought her to her great-grand father's lap. The poor kitten lay down, curled in a ball against Bushcat, she seemed afraid.

"But then, when I thought I could never get it, I asked your Mum. And as always, she knew."

Perle lay down, curling her body around her babies, on Mike's lap.

"She asked me why I chose her. I told her that it was because she was kind, and pretty, and compassionate… I went on until I couldn't think of any words anymore. D'you know what she said then?" Mundy shook his head. "That your Auntie Sally was the same." Mike chuckled and Mundy smiled. The old man laced his arms around Mundy's shoulder. "Then she told me that there is no rhyme or reason as to why I chose her. Yeah, she's nice and all, but lots of other girls are like that too. But your mum has somethin' special that speaks only to me, on the inside, somethin' that no one can put into words. And that's why I chose her."

Mundy smiled at his father's dreamy eyes. He could clearly see that even after all these years, Mike still loved Caroline, a bit out of habit of course, but the feelings deep down, they were still the same.

"Then she said it was the same for you and Lucien. You chose him cause he's nice and all, but also, there's stuff you can't explain to me, you can't explain it to anyone, but when you think of him, it feels alright."

Mundy nodded.

"Y'know, I still find it a bit weird but… I'll try. I can't promise I won't give weird looks, I'm sorry, it's just so strange to me. But that doesn't mean I don't love you, Micky. It's just that I'm a bit… surprised, if that makes sense."

"Does that mean you're ok with Lu' and me?"

"I'm… I'm tryin' my best, son and uh… I'm sorry I didn't just understand it sooner." Mike pulled Mundy in an unexpected hug. "I made your mum and you worry about me and for what? Cause you were happy with a bloke. God damn it, I asked Maurice and he told me he was a war hero that Lucien of yours, did you know?"

Mundy nodded, returning his father's hug and holding him close.

"Y-yeah, I know."

"He's… Maurice told me he's a hell of a guy, traditional, and honest, hard-workin' too."

Mundy nodded again.

"Micky?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you really happy with him?"

The Aussie closed his eyes.

"Yeah, I am."

"For sure?"

"Yeah. He saved me and sacrificed everythin' for me, even his own self. I won't find anyone else like him, Dad."

"Right. Then, please go and get him out of the kitchen, I need to talk to him." Mike gently pulled himself out of the embrace.

"Alone?"

"Nah, bring your mum too."

"Ok… Uh, Dad?"

"Mh?"

"Thank you." Mundy smiled.

"Heh, I should be the one apologisin' and you're thankin' me? Gosh, son…" Mike ruffled Mundy's hair. "You're a good boy. Now go and get Lucien."

"Alright."

Mundy went to the kitchen and gestured to Lucien and Caroline to come. They brought Caroline's usual tray of tea and biscuits.

"You wanted to see me, Mike?" Lucien asked.

The old man gently scooped the kittens out of his lap and Perle helped him remove them. He then stood up to Lucien and looked up at him.

"You sit down next to me."

Lucien nodded and obeyed, Mundy went to the armchair.

"Now you listen here… I talked to Micky. I talked to Caroline too. I'm not sayin' any of this makes sense to me at all, alright?"

Lucien nodded.

"I wanna ask a few things."

"Pray do."

"What d'you think of my Micky?"

Lucien took a deep breath.

"He is… unique. Without a doubt, he is the most compassionate soul I have ever met. His unconditional love for you and Caroline speaks at length for his faithfulness, his patience and his loyalty. I have seen him show love for his family, for his friends, and for animals in an outstandingly respectful way. I have also seen his wrath and his frustration, and I admire him for them too. There is something beautifully frightening in seeing a man so gentle become furious. But as of late, I have had the privilege of seeing a more confident Mundy, and what a sight… I think you have raised an example for the human kind, Mike. You might not even see it, or not the way that I do, but please hear my words and believe them."

Mike had listened, frowning all along and nodding from time to time. From the armchair, Mundy was shaking, his limbs were trembling silently as his jaw clenched.

"Is Micky happy with you?"

"This is my only worry." Lucien answered. "I strive to make his life complete, to make him feel as whole as possible. If in your eyes I am not doing enough for it, then please understand that no one else on Earth would do as much as I have, and I am not exaggerating when I say that I am, and will remain, the only person who will go to unthinkable ends for Mundy's happiness."

"Lu'-"

"Son." Mike raised a hand to silence Mundy. He turned to Lucien again. "You takin' care of him as best as you can?"

"Oui."

"Hm." Mike nodded to himself. "You… You really make him happy, huh?"

"More than I thought I could make anyone, including myself." Lucien answered.

"And d'you have plans for the future?" Mike asked.

"Neither him or I are young anymore. I do not plan anything else but live with him for as long as God allows it. Whatever his wishes, whatever he dreams of, I shall know of it and bring it to him. Those are my plans for the future."

"Hm…"

Mike remained silent for a minute that seemed like an entire life and a half for everyone in the room.

"Meow…" Perle moved her babies to both Lucien and Mike's lap before sitting on Lucien's lap. She raised a paw to him and he gently held it and put it back down.

"Attends, ma chérie, je parle avec Mike, c'est important."

[Wait, my darling, I am talking with Mike and it is important.]

"Caroline?" Mike asked.

"Yeah?"

"Anythin' you wanna ask him?"

"N-no…?" She answered surprised.

"Well, c'mon, y'have to, we can't let Micky go with him without askin' a few things…!"

"Mike, they already are together, what are you on about?"

"Yeah, but you know that this isn't about them bein' together, it's about you and I givin' our blessin'."

Mundy's eyes watered up. Lucien saw it and looked at Perle before nodding in direction of the poor Aussie, melting on his island of an armchair, further away from the action. Perle turned her head to her Dad and both Soot and her went to comfort him. The kittens squealed in Lucien and Mike's lap, seeing Mummy further away, but both men kept them warm in their palms.

"I have nothin' to ask, I've seen them. I've seen them and I've heard them at home, they're… They work perfectly, Mike, they might even work better than you and me!"

Lucien was sandwiched between Caroline and Mike and leaned back on his seat to not block their conversation.

"C'mon, Carrie, ask him one thing at least, just for good measure…!"

"Right, right…. Uh, Lu'?"

"Oui?"

"Will you excuse Mike and his century old manners with you?"

"Carrie!" Mike exclaimed and Lucien smiled.

"Non, please, I am an old man, and a man of tradition too. It is only normal that Mike asks me a few things." Lucien tried to calm both parents down.

"See? He gets it!" Mike said.

"Oh well then, now you agree with Lucien, Mike, hm?"

"Course, I do! He talks sense! Now, please Carrie, give us some tea, throats are dry here and we can't think anymore."

"Right, right… Here, Lu', pass this on to the old man from the last century, yeah?"

"Of course, Mike? Here is your cup." Lucien handed him the cup that Caroline had given him.

"This is for you, Lu'... And this is for… oh?"

Mundy had been staring, his back hunched and tears were streaming down his face.

"Mundy…!" Lucien put his cup aside and the kittens on the carpet before going to Mundy. "What is wrong, Mundy?"

"Step aside, son, I think this is for me to handle."

Lucien felt a hand on his shoulder and withdrew.

"Stand up, Micky."

The Aussie pushed on his wobbly legs and Mike pulled him into a hug, to which Mundy couldn't resist and burst out sobbing, his knees gave up but Lucien held him from behind and helped him stand.

"Dad…"

"Shh, son, don't cry… What's Lucien gonna think, eh? Didn't raise you to cry like that, eh?" Mike patted his back and held him close. "What's yer… uh… companion gonna think, eh?"

"Dad…" Mundy sobbed again, the only word he repeated was Dad for long, long minutes of wringing himself.

"C'mere now, sit down." Father and son took a seat on the sofa. "There, there, thanks, Carrie. Look, your Mum's handin' you a tissue, yeah, wipe that mess off yer face, good boy… Now, can you speak?"

Mundy's breath was hitched, his whole ribcage was trembling in erratic waves.

"Y-yeah… I-I'm sorry… I…"

"Now, now, shh… You have nothin' to be sorry about. I should apologise to both of ya. Sorry, Micky, I didn't want to be mean to you or anythin', I just thought… I couldn't imagine how you could be happy with a man. And you," Mike turned to Lucien. "You continue takin' care of my Micky, alright?"

"Oui, Monsieur." Lucien nodded.

[Yes, Sir.]

"See how sensitive he is? He's fragile, my boy. But he's strong too, eh? I didn't raise a sissy! He's strong and sensitive. He's my boy, and if I learn that anyone's been mean to him…!"

"Mike," Caroline answered. "So far you've been that one…"

"Yeah well, I was… not really bright, anyway! That's not the point, point is, I love you Micky, you're my boy, the baby we chose to raise and we both love you. As I said, don't expect me to not give you the occasional weird stare, I can't help it, you can't change an old man, but I don't mean any harm. I'm just… I'm just surprised, is all."

"Thanks so much, Dad, I…" Mundy hugged his father, clawing and clinging to him.

"There, there, it's alright… Now, Carrie, give the boy his cup of tea, he's lost lots of water and will need the hydration. There we go… Now…"

Everyone held their cup and Mundy turned to take Lucien's hand in his. The Frenchman blushed intensely.

"Lucien?" Mike called.

"Oui?"

"Did I tell you that one time we went fishin' with Micky and he caught a fish with his bare hands, or rather his bare foot?"

"Oh, non, I don't believe you have." Lucien smiled in anticipation.

"Well, it's not a flatterin' story, not at the beginnin'..."

"Dad, please…"

"Let me tell him, it's a good story."

"Dad…!"

"He caught the fish, see? But the fish caught him too! It was a vicious thing that grabbed his foot!"

"Oh, God…" Mundy hid his face in his hands.

"See, we were on a lil' row boat and Micky fell in the water trying to pull on his fishin' rod too hard. When he came back to the surface, the damn thing was on his lil' bare foot!"

Lucien chuckled and Mundy shook his head.

"Dad, he doesn't need to know that…"

"Yeah, he does. Now there was also that one time where he tried to hunt bees, now I'm sure you can guess how it ended, eh?" Mike chuckled. "Carrie, get us the photo album, Lucien's gotta see the picture…"

"Dad, no, please…!"

"Come on! It was ages ago, let me show him what specimen you were… See, he caught the bee in the end, but the poor thing stung him on his ear as it tried to escape and the poor kid got an ear as big as a frying pan!"

Caroline brough the photo album.

"Now, squeeze a bit boys, c'mere Carrie… There we go… Now, let's have a look, yeah?"

"Dad, do we really have to?"

"Yeah we do! Lucien has to know what kind of a kid you were. Now, where was I…?"

Perle gathered her little ones and with Soot's help, they all went on their parents and grandparents' laps. As it turned out, the kittens were as curious about the pictures as Lucien was.

The Frenchman turned his head to meet his lover's gaze and smiled. Mundy's eyes were still a bit red with the crying, but he grinned back, and he slid his fingers between Lucien.

#tf2 sniper #tf2 spy #sniperspy #SBT

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