#like of course she made a choice herself and was more than capable of stomping in heels--I mean I've seen Phoebe from Lambrini Girls

[aeolianblues]

was kinda thinking about this when I saw Renee Rapp live recently-- I didn't know her visual vibe, I'd heard a few songs here and there but I hadn't really *seen* her, and her attire at Osheaga was really casual, a jersey (baseball/basketball?) and slacks. And that was so amazing! I couldn't help thinking, the work Billie Eilish has done for how women in pop music are allowed to dress is incredible. Seeing her up there all comfortable you just know that Billie walked in her oversized tops so that Renee in her slacks could run; Billie walked through all the critcisms about how she dressed slobbily and having to assert that she didn't owe anyone a display of skin, so that Renee could be comfortable and unquestioned running up and down the catwalk in front of 10,000 people. How iconic.

And I don't think we even realised at the time how much something as simple as letting Billie dress the way she as a (then-) 17-year-old teenager dressed, could end up meaning for a future generation of women in music.

Obviously there is still way to go, there were weirdos complaining about how 'plain' Dua Lipa's Glastonbury outfit was this year (in 2024!!), l have to ask, are you at Paris Fashion Week?? She is the musical HEADLINER of an entire day of music at one of the biggest music festivals in the world, and you can't grant her the space to exist as an artist, you have to moan about her dress not being excitingly revealing enough. There's work to do, it's still dismal out there. But the space Billie Eilish has created for a most ordinarily-dressed woman popstar is still heartening.

[irkendogma]

tak is the main antagonist for this crossover fic im writing and due to the lack of canon content beyond literally that one episode and some of etf, sometimes i worry im not doing her any justice or it’s too ooc. what do you think would be the best way to write tak in your opinion? (if you happen to have any advice on the matter. just wondering! byeeee💃)

i'm genuinely so relieved at the specification of "in your opinion" because i have such a strange long-lasting attachment to tak that i think i would second-guess my thoughts on her in an objective vacuum to the point of just saying "she should be purple". but as it is i now have the freedom to go stupid crazy about it

i think there's a number of crucial elements to tak, but i think the one that people miss most in writing her is that she isn't just meant to be a more competent counterpart to zim - she's a direct parallel in terms of her ego, motivation, and backstory (the latter particularly as a result of treatment by irken society)

like zim, tak has an enormous ego and an audacity that places herself above anyone else, even the empire itself (see: her custom invader insignia. that's like drawing a crucifix but substituting yourself for jesus after being refused by the church), and like zim, in spite of her disregard for the empire's rulings she's striving for recognition both by it and within it (to quote her: "the plan i have in store for this nasty rock will so impress the tallest that they'll have no choice but to make me an invader"). the same way zim "quit being banished", tak "escaped" from the janitorial squad she was placed under as a stopgap job until the next elite test in seventy years

i've seen some people write her as tall, but in my opinion her being only very, very slightly taller than zim is not just a stylistic choice but an essential part of her character that draws her backstory together: technically that janitorial job wasn't even a punishment, it was just deemed the most suitable position for her in the absence of official imperial proof that she was capable of anything "better" or "higher" that would've been afforded to a taller more easily

that she made it so far in the elite course at all in spite of her height gives context and precedent to the competence and sheer refusal to admit defeat she exhibits in her attempt to destroy earth, a planet she initially believes is already undergoing an officially-sanctioned invasion judging from how bitterly she tells zim about what should've been "rightfully hers", down to specifically mentioning the great assigning - loops back to her audacity, in that she has zimlike degrees of ego regardless of how hard the circumstances logistically are aligned to stomp her back down (see again her quote where she confidently states her plan to hijack an official invasion will impress the tallest to the point they won't mind her flagrantly flaunting the rules). she would've spent so much of her life striving to meet her own exceedingly high expectations, not the exceedingly low ones assumed of someone her height, that this likely isn't far from her standard procedure of "show them i can do it better than the rules say"

what sets her apart from zim, i think, is in how much she's allowed herself to let those miserable expectations get to her and leave her pettier, more vindictive, less grandstanding speeches like zim than showing off everything she's capable of as often as possible, no matter how necessary (ALL the stupid parkour she does for no reason) - which i think is admittedly less her fault than partially being the result of her having actually experienced her confidence failing her when the entire future she'd set up for herself was pulled out from underneath her

unlike zim, who experiences failure regularly but never has it truly sink in, tak had the entirety of her progress wiped off the board in a single moment as a result of circumstances entirely beyond her control: i think a large part of the reason she resents zim so deeply and sincerely isn't solely because of the practical consequences of her missing her test (though it is in no way insignificant to it) but because he was the one who broke her streak - he was the one who made her brutally aware that no matter how she built herself up, no matter what proof she offered, she could still fail and be crushed into exactly the nobody she was expected to be

and she just cannot abide that, no matter what, because even if the memory of helplessness and humiliation will never go away (not that she'd acknowledge it wouldn't), if she can make him hurt the same way maybe that will give back to her some of the power and control over her life and her identity that she lost in losing her potential status as a real, sanctioned invader

also, i do think she should be purple. she seems to have a great attachment to aesthetics and individual style, given her custom pseudo-elite uniform (which we see her wearing even in training, on her test day), the fact she designed and programmed her hologram specifically to have the distinguishing marking of a beauty spot in the same place she has one on her actual face, and her penchant for making nearly every damn piece of her tech purple some way (minus mimi, who while being her own bootleg SIR unit still follows the same red color scheme as a functional one) - even the cockpit of the spittle runner she pilots is initially purple before it's ejected as an escape pod, and the magma pump's interior looks like this:

girl likes giving things her own little touches whether that's in terms of her trademark color, her near-blasphemous custom imperial logo, or her doing a tactical slide between bars of a railing instead of just stepping normally onto the floor

[the-bau-quinjet]

Memories, Pt. IV

Summary: You were captured by Hydra. What did they do to your memories?

Warnings: mentions of violence, panic attacks, torture

Word Count: 4878

a/n: The last part! I'm so sorry this took so long! I planned to have it done over the weekend, but life got in the way. Hopefully y'all like the ending though!

Masterlist

Series Masterlist

3 Months Ago

"Come back to me, okay?" Bucky pressed his forehead to yours, relishing in this moment.

"I promise. I love you" You give him a quick kiss before moving back to board the quinjet. He calls out his response just as the doors begin to close.

"I love you too!" Bucky watched the quinjet fly away, waiting until you were completely out of sight before he turned to go back inside.

He nearly ran through the building, the excitement and nervousness he was feeling rolling off him in waves. He nearly ran right past Steve before skidding to a stop, grabbing onto a wall to slow himself down.

"Hey Buck." Steve greeted him with a furrowed brow. Typically after you leave for a mission, Bucky spends the next week moping. "What's got you so happy with Y/N gone?"

"I need your help." Bucky grinned, so focused on his plans that he missed Sam and Tony walking into the room.

"With?" Steve prompted, eager to figure out why Bucky was behaving so strangely.

"Picking out a ring." Bucky stated confidently, earning gasps from all three men. He spun around, eyes widening in surprise to find Sam and Tony in the doorway.

"You're proposing?" Sam nearly squealed with delight.

"Do you need dinner reservations? I know a guy at L'Artusi, I could probably get you in the week she comes back even though reservations are booked months in advance. Oh! I need to get Pepper to start planning a party." Tony mumbled more to himself, thinking back to how he proposed to Pepper.

"Tony!" Bucky nearly had to scream to get the man's attention. "I appreciate the offer, really, but I don't think Y/N is a fancy restaurant, big party kind of gal." Bucky sighed, not having expected to share his proposal plan just yet.

Steve cut in before Tony could respond, knowing the billionaire would say something about everyone loving fancy restaurants. "Congrats, Buck. I'm happy for you."

"She hasn't said yes, yet." He mumbled in response, suddenly feeling a bit bashful at being the center of attention.

"She will. That girl is madly in love with you." Sam encouraged, but couldn't help adding in a playful joke. "For reasons unbeknownst to me."

"Thanks for the encouragement." Bucky rolled his eyes, turning back to Steve. "So will you help me?"

Steve nodded, happy to help in any way necessary. "Of course, did you have any ideas?"

"I'll help too!" Tony added in, inserting himself into the conversation. He held up a hand before either man could interject. "And before you say it'll be too much if I have any say, I'll just help you get the ring made and to you in a reasonable time."

Bucky smiled, about to thank Tony when Sam cut in again. "If he's helping, I want in too. You can't leave me out!" He whined.

"Fine. You can both help too. Just don't push it." He eyes Sam, knowing he would take any opportunity to mess with him.

"Did you have any ideas or did you want to go to a jeweler tomorrow?" Steve asked, trying to refocus the conversation.

"Actually, I have a few ideas." He took a deep breath, trying to prepare for any criticism the men would throw at him for his unusual choices. "Nothing too flashy, and I don't want a diamond."

Tony nearly fainted with how big of a gasp he took. "No diamond? But, but, diamonds! Diamonds are the best! She deserves diamonds!" He stomped his foot, nearly throwing a full on temper tantrum before Bucky jumped in again.

"You're absolutely right, she deserves the world." He smiled softly, just thinking about you. "I just don't think she would like a diamond." He tried to explain.

"Tony, Buck probably knows her best..." Steve cut in, trying to calm him down.

"Friday, call Natasha and Wanda to the kitchen." Tony sent out the command, receiving a response from the AI before anyone could protest.

"What are you doing? You can't tell them!" Bucky harshly whispered, knowing it wouldn't be long before the two women arrived.

Tony sighed dramatically, "Look. If you don't think she'd like a diamond, those two are going to be your best bet at figuring out what she would want."

Bucky opened his mouth to protest, but realized Tony was probably right. He hadn't made it much past his no diamond idea. "Fine, we can ask them for help." He resigned himself to everybody knowing his plans.

"Help with what?" Wanda asked as her and Nat strolled into the room, eyes slightly narrowed.

"What kind of engagement ring Y/N would like." Sam relished in the surprise that overtook their faces.

Nat recovered in seconds, scoffing immediately. "Well, definitely not a diamond."

"You're right. Too flashy for her." Wanda immediate went into planning mode.

Steve clapped Bucky on the back, reassuring him that he was on the right track.

"Yeah, Romeo over here already ruined my plans with that idea." Tony huffed. "What kind of stone then?"

They all spent the next few hours debating between opal, amethyst, sapphire, and sunstone. Then another few hours debating the shape and style of the stone and band. By the time the entire ring design had been settled, the sun was rising the next morning.

"I'll send the plans to my jeweler. You should have it in hand a few days before Y/N is due to get back." Tony stated, happy that you would be receiving the best money could buy.

"Thank you. All of you." Bucky turned to look at the people who had become family to him. "I really appreciate the help."

"Now we just need to plan the proposal." Nat smirked, a teasing glint in her eyes.

"Nope. That is for me to know, and Y/N to tell you if she says yes." Bucky smiled, glad he had already planned how he was going to ask you.

"I'll worm it out of you. You know I will!" Sam narrowed his eyes, ready to start his barrage of questions when Friday cut into the conversation.

"We have lost tracking capabilities on the quinjet. Communication with onboard agents has failed. Enacting emergency personnel tracking protocols."

Everyone froze, anticipating Friday's next announcement. In seconds, they would all know if you were okay or if you were missing.

"Tracking failed. Agent L/N's whereabouts unknown."

They all took off to the lab, Bucky leading the way despite not knowing how to use the technology to try and find you.

Tony started asking questions: what was the jet's last known location? Did any of the tech onboard fail? Was another aircraft present in the vicinity? Were missiles involved? Any heat signature information from before it went offline?

Each question asked did little to calm Bucky's racing heart. It felt like his world was collapsing, his future falling apart right before his eyes.

"We have to find her." He whispered more to himself than anyone else in the room. "We have to."

-

Present

"Where's Y/N?" Bucky asked as he sat down in the debriefing room. Everyone else was already there, waiting for Tony to explain why he called the impromptu meeting.

"She's... She's in the med bay." Immediately Bucky was out of his chair, ready to run to you. "Barnes. You need to hear this before you go. She's fine, she just had a panic attack and passed out."

"Fine? You call that fine?" He was nearly raging, pushing to get back to the door.

"Relatively, yeah. Look, just trust me on this. We'll all go see her when I've filled you in." Tony sighed, knowing it wasn't going to be easy to explain what you told him.

"Filled us in on what?" Nat questioned first, honing in on Tony's distressed state.

"Y/N." He stated simply, finally getting Bucky to listen to him.

"What do you mean, Y/N? You just said she was fine!" His words cut through the room. He just got you back, he couldn't lose you again.

"Physically, she is. Would you just sit down?" Tony practically begged, trying his best not to break down at the memory of the pain in your eyes.

Bucky stomped back to his seat, giving Tony his undivided attention and gesturing for him to continue.

"I ran into her last night. Literally. She was running through the halls. It looked like she had just seen a ghost." He ran a hand through his hair, struggling to contain his emotions.

"I figured she was just having flashbacks to being held captive, so I made her talk to me." He closed his eyes, unable to look everyone in the eye as he continued his explanation.

"I should've noticed sooner. She wasn't acting right. I just thought it was PTSD. I-" Steve cut him off this time.

"Tony. What happened?"

"She wasn't making any sense. She said she didn't belong here, that she wasn't who we thought she was." Confusion grew on everyone's faces as Tony explained your breakdown. "Said she wasn't an Avenger. She was a murderer."

"The experiments..." Nat mumbled to herself, putting the pieces together as Tony continued explaining what happened.

"Long story short, she thinks she made a bomb that killed 38 people and that she was in prison for 3 years before we broke her out and brought her here." He took a deep breath, letting his words sink in for everyone.

"She was mumbling about experiments." Nat said louder now that Tony was done. "In the kitchen. She said they would bring her to another room sometimes, but it looked like it hurt for her to remember. They must've messed with her head."

Bucky could barely breathe. You strange behavior suddenly made sense. Your surprise at being part of the Avengers, not wanting to tell him what was bothering you, leaving bed before he woke up, not telling him you loved him. It all started making more sense.

"We have to tell her the truth."

-

While everyone was trying to come up with the best plan to help you with your memories, you woke up in the med bay alone.

You were surprised to have been left alone after admitting to your crimes, but you took the opportunity to finish what you started: running away.

You quickly found your way to the elevator hoping you could remember which floor would lead to an exit. As you snuck down the halls, you could hear voices coming from one of the rooms.

"We have to tell her the truth."

You felt your heart flutter at the sound of Bucky's voice. He had been so kind to you. it felt wrong to just leave him, but you didn't see another choice. You couldn't bear the thought of looking him in the eye now that Tony likely told him about your past.

You quickly made your way back to the elevator, figuring a different floor would be better suited for your escape.

You ultimately made it outside, deciding to forego any vehicles you passed. They could probably be tracked. Instead, you took off through the woods.

-

It wasn't long before Bucky got tired of debating how best to fix your memories. He needed to see you. He needed to know you were alright.

"Look, call Shuri and T'Challa. See if they can come here to help her." Bucky headed for the door, not waiting for a response before making his way to you.

Everyone but Tony, who was calling T'Challa, quickly followed his hasty exit.

When they arrived to the med bay, it was empty.

"Where is she?" Sam questioned, causing everyone to glance around the room.

Tony walked in as everyone searched the multitude of beds, making sure you were in fact not in the room.

"You said she was in the med bay." Bucky glared, waiting for Tony to explain.

"She was." He glanced around the room as well, confused by your absence. "She passed out, so I brought her here. They gave her a sedative to calm her heart rate. She should still be sleeping."

"She's not here." Bucky stopped moving, the realization causing a mixture of anger and panic to course through him. "She's not here." He repeats it louder, causing everyone else to freeze as well.

"Friday, where is Y/N?" Tony asked the AI, knowing it was a waste to search the compound.

"She left the Med Bay 23 minutes ago, briefly stopping outside the debriefing room before exiting the building from the garage." The AI easily recounted your quick escape.

"Are there any cars missing?" Tony followed up, figuring you'd be easy enough to track.

"All vehicles are accounted for."

"She's on foot. Friday, which direction did she go?" Bucky asked, barely waiting for a response as he ran from the room.

"I can track her movements via security footage east until she hits the woods."

Tony, Sam, Nat, Wanda, Steve, Vision, and Clint all followed right behind Bucky as he ran out of the compound.

Bucky and Nat headed east, following Friday's information. Everyone else split up, figuring it'd be best to cover all directions since you could have doubled back or gotten turned around in the woods.

-

You weren't sure how long you had been on the move, but you had made it about 3.5 miles when you found what looked like an abandoned treehouse.

With the sun setting and the exhaustion of waking up in a hospital bed catching up to you, you figured it'd be best for you to stop and rest for the night.

Hopefully you made it far enough to avoid detection for now. Ideally, they wouldn't start the manhunt for you until morning.

You climbed into the treehouse slowly, trying to distribute your weight over the creaking and breaking floorboards. You settled in the corner, propping yourself against the walls to keep an eye on the door.

Eventually, you drifted off to sleep, the sounds of frogs croaking and crickets chirping invading your senses.

Your sleep was restless, plagued by memories of a life you barely remembered, memories that felt more like a dream than reality.

-

Nat and Bucky tracked you through the woods methodically. Every snapped twig or partial footprint lead them in your direction. The sun set early in their search, but it did little to deter their efforts.

A few hours after dark, they approached the abandoned treehouse you camped out in.

Even twenty yards away, they could hear your whispered screams.

"No. No, no, no. No, please. Stop. Bucky, help me. Please don't. Please." You begged.

Bucky's heart broke at the sound of pain in your voice. It killed him to know you were begging for him while Hydra was removing him from your memory.

He climbed the ladder of the treehouse rapidly, not paying any mind to the creaking floors and breaking boards. He rushed to you in the corner, pulling you into his arms as he tried to wake you up.

"Y/N, I'm here. I've got you. You're safe. I'm here now." He whispered into your neck, rocking you back and forth.

"Bucky?" You squinted in confusion, eyes adjusting to the dark.

"I've got you, doll. You're safe now." He easily replied, trying to calm you from your nightmares.

"No, Bucky. I- I killed people." You sobbed, your hands burying themselves into his shirt.

"No, doll. Y/N, that's not real." He repeated your name, trying to convince you of the truth. "Hydra, they messed with your memories. We can fix it."

"But, no- I hurt people." You were shaking, trying to explain even though you'd rather give in.

"Please trust me. Let's go back to the compound. We can figure it all out. We'll get your memories back, I promise." He held you in his arms in an unwavering grip, afraid if he let you go you would disappear. "Come back to me, okay?"

"I promise. I love you." You whispered the words more to yourself, trying to figure out why they came to mind. Images flashed through your mind; saying goodbye to Bucky, boarding a jet, being attacked in the air, Hydra.

"I'll come with you." Your voice was shaky, still unsure of what was true.

Bucky quickly lead you out of the treehouse, regrouping with Nat on the ground.

"Good?" Nat questioned, trying to prepare for if you ran.

"Good, for now." Bucky replied, scooping you into his arms to carry you back to the compound.

- You woke up to voices, patches of light flickering across your closed eyelids.

"Can you do it?" You recognized Bucky, but the responding voice was only vaguely familiar.

"I can. It will take some time, but it does not appear to be as severe as your own memory problems." His memory problems? What was she talking about?

"Shuri, you're a genius." Shuri, the name triggered something in your mind, but it's like you can't put the pieces together.

"I know. Now let me get to work." She shooed him out of the lab as your world faded to black yet again.

-

Bucky sat beside your bed the second Shuri allowed him to. If it weren't for Steve bringing him food, he wouldn't have eaten anything in the day and a half you've been asleep.

"Buck, you've got to rest." Steve tried for the fifteenth time to get his friend to sleep.

"I can't. Steve, if I sleep and she's not here when I wake up..." He trailed off, unable to put to words the pain of losing you again.

"I'll stay with her. She'll be here when you wake up, I promise." Steve sighed.

"You'll stay?" His voice was small, his body's need for sleep finally overpowering his concern for you.

"Promise." Steve nodded, pulling a chair to sit next to your bed while Bucky laid down in the hospital bed next to yours. "I would've preferred a real bed, but I'll take it."

"Good, because I'm not going anywhere." Bucky closed his eyes, knowing he had to at least try to sleep to avoid another scolding from Steve.

A few hours later, Steve couldn't help but smile as he watched Bucky finally get some rest. Even asleep in a different bed, his body was angled toward yours.

"Steve?" Your voiced cracked, throat dry from crying and lack of use.

"Y/N?" He sat up instantly, moving to pass you a glass of water.

"What the hell happened? Where's Buck?" You questioned, feeling as though your brain was a pile of mush.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Steve avoided your questions for the time being, subtly pulling out his phone to message Shuri.

"The mission. The quinjet was attacked. Hydra took me captive." You slowly put the pieces together. "But you saved me. Bucky saved me. Right?" You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to clear up the memories.

"That's right. Do you remember anything else?" Steve probed gently, unsure of how to tell you about the last few days.

"Um, there was a lab in the basement. They brought me there sometimes. I think..." Everything in your head felt incomplete, like you only knew part of the story.

"You're awake." A feminine voice called from the door to the med bay, causing you and Steve to turn your heads.

"Shuri! It's so good to see you." You pull her in for a hug as soon as she's close enough to your bed. "What are you doing here?"

Shuri eyes you suspiciously, willing you to remember everything with just her stare. "You'll remember soon enough. What do you remember from the past few days?"

"Um, where do you want me to start? I was just telling Steve, I left for the mission, but the jet was attacked and I was captured. I think Hydra must've tried to do experiments on me or something, I remember a lab." Your whole body shook, shivering from the bad memory.

"Good. It's good you remember that." Shuri nodded, a confident smile on her face. "What about after you were rescued?"

You thought back to that moment, but it was a little fuzzy. "Bucky... Bucky was there. He carried me out." Suddenly, an even more urgent thought popped into your head. "Oh my God. Where's Bucky?"

Steve gestured to your left, pointing out a sleeping Bucky in the bed next to yours. He always looked so peaceful while he slept.

You couldn't stop the grin from forming on your face as you watched him. You couldn't imagine how he was feeling while you were gone.

"Messages." You whispered. "I remember listening to messages from Bucky. He- He must've left them while he was looking for me, while you were all looking for me." Your eyebrow furrowed in confusion.

"Y/N?" Steve questioned, drawing you back to the present. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure." You shook your head, as if the action in itself would clear your mind. "I remember how I felt when I listened to the messages and it doesn't make any sense."

"How did you feel?" Shuri questioned, eager to see if she gave you back all of your memories, including the past few days.

"Guilty? I think." You replayed the messages in your head as best as you could remember.

"What do you mean guilty?' Steve questioned.

"Like they weren't really for me. Like I wasn't actually me." You looked at Steve and Shuri as they shared a look. "What are you not telling me?"

"I'll leave this one to you, Captain. She is healing nicely." Shuri turned to you before she walked out of the room. "You should understand everything in a few hours. Just give your mind time to put the pieces together."

"Steve, what is she talking about?" You settled a hard glare in his direction, knowing he knew more than you.

"Let me ask you this: do you know how long you were gone?" Steve sighed, unsure how exactly to explain everything.

"About 3 months. I tried to keep a tally while I was there, based on the daily routine." You responded easily.

"Well, when we found you, although we didn't know it at the time, you thought you had been there for 3 years." Steve looked like he was about to continue when you interrupted.

"38 people. I thought I killed 38 people." Suddenly, the pieces were falling into place. "They made me forget who I was. Erased my past and gave me a new one." Your breathing was speeding up as everything came back to you.

"Y/N, hey, look at me." Steve nearly commanded causing you to meet his eye. "You're safe now. We've got you."

You nodded, matching your breathing to his pace to settle your racing heart.

"How long has Buck been asleep." You looked at his sleeping form, wanting more than anything to wake him up.

"A few hours. Ya know, it's good to hear you calling him Buck again." Steve looked at his friend as well, knowing he would be furious that he was still asleep when you were now awake.

"What do you mean?" You turned back to Steve, the question clear on your face.

"The past few days, I mean we all thought it was PTSD." He ran a hand through his hair, guilt clearly playing at his emotions. "Well, not Nat. She knew something was up."

"Of course." You chuckled.

"You called him Bucky every time you talked to him."

"Isn't that normal though?" You were more confused now than before.

"No, not really. You use a lot more pet names than you realize. Plus, you didn't say 'I love you' when you woke up." Steve sighed, again upset at not putting it together sooner.

"Well, that should've been a dead giveaway." You joked, but Steve's eyes remained sad. "Hey, it's not your fault. I'm fine now. That's all that matters."

"I'm glad to have you back." He looked at you with so much sincerity, you nearly started crying again.

Before you could respond Bucky groaned, stretching as he woke up.

"Damn, that was a good nap. How long was I out?" He asked before opening his eyes.

"Oh, just a few hours. You should really sleep more." You answered casually.

"Y/N, you know I can't sleep when- Y/N!" His eyes popped open comically wide as he nearly threw himself out of the bed.

"I love you." You said it so clearly he froze next to your bed.

"You remember?" He asked, voice full of hope.

"I do." The tears pooled in your eyes again as you watched his body visibly relax.

"I missed you so much, doll." You pulled him on top of you in the bed, needing to hold him as close as possible.

"I missed you too. I knew you'd come for me." You smiled through the tears, breathing in his scent.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there. I'm sorry it took so long. I'm sorry I didn't realize everything sooner. I'm so sorry." He apologized over and over.

"Look at me." He moved his head back just far enough to look you in the eye. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Not one single thing. Okay?"

"But-" His protests were quickly cut off.

"Not. One. Single. Thing." You stared him down until he nodded.

The two of you cuddled in your hospital bed while Steve went to update everyone on your condition. He could've just had Friday announce it, but he wanted to give you and Bucky a minute to yourselves.

"I've got a date planned for you." Bucky smiled cheekily.

"Oh really?" He nodded. "Care to share with the room?"

"Nope. It's a surprise." He shared a small smile, the love he felt so easily portrayed through his eyes.

"I love you. So much." You couldn't help but blurt it out one more time before everyone barged into the room.

"I love you too."

-

"We're going to be late." Bucky huffed, waiting for you to leave the bathroom.

"Well, if you had told me where we were going it would've been easier to pick an outfit." You teased him back. He had never been good at keeping secrets from you, so the fact that your date destination was still a surprise shocked you.

"I told you to wear whatever you want. You always look beautiful." He relished in the bashful smile that you covered with a playful roll of your eyes.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm ready now Mr. Impatient." You grabbed his hand as you walked out of your bathroom.

"Good, let's go." He guided you to the kitchen where he stopped to grab a picnic basket. He then lead you hand in hand to a blanket set up by the lake.

"We were going to be late for a picnic?" You questioned, fixing Bucky with a teasing glare.

"Not the picnic. The sunset." He teased back, turning your head to look out over the water.

You hadn't realized the sun was already in the midst of setting. "It's beautiful." You smiled as you stared at the horizon, the ultimate picture of peace and tranquility.

"Y/N, I've been in love with you for so long, I can't remember what it was like before I met you." Bucky kept his eyes trained on you as you took in the pink and orange hues of the setting sun.

"That's just because you have a bad memory." You joked, but your breath caught in your throat when you turned to look at him.

"Maybe so, but I don't want to remember any part of my life that you weren't in." He stated from his kneeling position. "I knew from the second you agreed to get dinner with me that I would ask you to marry me someday."

He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a teardrop cut sunstone ring, small diamonds set along the band.

"Y/N, will you marry me?"

You shook your head up and down as you willed your voice to answer him.

"Yes. Bucky, I- yes."

He slipped the ring onto your finger, silently thanking Nat and Wanda for knowing your ring size. He then pulled you down into his lap, pressing a series of quick kisses to your lips between smiles.

"I love you so much, doll." He whispered, pressing kisses to your cheeks, nose, and forehead.

"I love you too, Bucky." You responded in kind. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

He cuddle you closer, sliding the picnic basket next to you. "Let's start with dinner."

"I think I might be too excited to eat." He laughed at your pout.

"Well, if we hadn't of been late, you would've eaten before sunset." He smiled at your carefree laughter.

You looked out over the lake one more time, taking in the dusk sky as the sun swiftly dipped below the horizon.

"It was perfect just like this. You're perfect." You kissed him again, unable to contain the utter joy you were feeling.

"I'm hardly perfect." He objected.

"You're perfect to me." You countered.

"I love you. So much." He whispered one final time before kissing you again.

"I love you too."

Permanent taglist:

@averyhotchner @jesuswasnotawhiteman

Memories taglist:

@otherglowcloud @dontxfearxthereaper

[pandastern]

What’s Your Poison, Captain Levi

Part 1: Desire

Sub!Levi Ackerman x Dom!Reader

Warnings: explicit, mature content

Word count: 2989

Genre: romance

When Levi overhears a fight between Y/N and Erwin about their newest addition to the squad, his curiosity leads him to investigate. Little does he know that this decision will confront him with his deepest and darkest desires he had hoped to keep buried.

The castle fell silent after a long day of work, most of the cadettes were already asleep and those who weren't, better got to it before he found out. Levi sighed deeply and downed his last cup of tea. The fragrant blend had lasted him for almost 2 months, but as so many things in his life even this was coming to an end. 

Levi did not allow himself many luxuries. A clean space and some tea. That had always been enough for him. 

It had been a week since Eren had joined his squad. The boy was so lively, so full of life and determination. How many soldiers had he seen with the same kind of attitude. How many had died before his eyes.

Putting down the cup, he got up and rubbed his eyes. Levi couldn't tell how long he had been sitting there, contemplating so many things, he could barely remember what he had mulled over. Maybe he was just utterly sleep deprived. 

Yes, that had to be it. 

“Off to bed it is then…” He mumbled to himself, blowing out the candle on the table. The moon was shining brightly, the light coming through the windows illuminating his way enough to find his path without needing another light source. 

How eerie this castle could be at night. The creaking of old wood and the howling of the summer breeze almost sounded as if the building itself was breathing.

Halfway up the stairs that led to his quarters he suddenly heard a door slam in the hallways below him. The loud sound made him freeze. “This better not be one of the brats out of bed.” He grumbled and listened into the darkness.

“No Erwin! I dont give a flying fuck. That kid has been here for a week. A Week, Erwin! He's been in my office with burns, a bleeding nose, overexhaustion and oh, yes, snapped tendons! Ah! No! Close that mouth of yours I don't want to hear it! I don't care that he regenerates like some Lizard on drugs! Eren is 14!”

“He is a soldier and doing his duty. As should you. Eren is not a child and he knows the cost of his purpose! This young man has seen more than enough of the gruesome reality of this world to make his own decisions!” 

“Yes, Life is shit. Reality is cruel. Trust me, I fucking know that! It doesn't change the fact that you are sending children to die, asshole. And no excuse of yours makes it right.”

“Y/N, you-”

“No, fucking save it. I don't want to hear another word. I am not a soldier, nor a cadette, so you can shove your Commander bullshit right back up your arse.”

The sound of angrily stomping footsteps followed by a never ending string of curses echoed through the staircase. Levi rose a brow. He had recognized that voice. Y/N was one of the Medical staff they kept here to support the survey corps. Usually that woman worked under Hanji Zoe's Squad unless she had to take care of injured soldiers... Or Eren. 

He couldn't remember having ever heard her use that kind of tone before. He'd seen that woman pop a dislocated limb back into place while sweet-talking the whimpering soldier into a blush like it was nothing. Not much of a soldier herself, he had to admit, but she kept her medical office under strict rules that no one dared to break. Y/N was strict, but she was never harsh. Not like this.

He knew it was probably for the best if he just went to bed. It was none of his business. They weren't friends so he was probably the last person she wanted to talk to right now. Especially since he was also a reason why Eren was here in this castle. Granted, if he and Erwin had not intervened the boy would be dead by now. However that didn't change the fact that whatever argument Y/N had had with Erwin she would most likely have with him as well. And as someone who had seen what that woman was capable off, he'd rather not be on the receiving end of that.

After hesitating for a moment Levi sighed deeply and turned around and followed in the direction of where Y/N had stomped off to. Why, he couldn't say. Maybe it was that slight tremble in her voice when she had hissed at Commander Erwin, that he had never heard before. Maybe he was just...curious.  

It took a little bit of searching before he found her. Y/N was sitting outside in the grass, resting against a tree. When Levi approached her the scent of something sweet and burning wafted around him. 

“What the hell are you smoking?” he asked and wrinkled his nose. “Don't tell me you actually got your hands on tobacco. What merchant did you shake down for that?”

Taking a deep drag from the hand rolled cigarette in her hand she gave him a very calculated look.

“Isn't it past your bedtime Captain Levi?” Her lips curved into a smirk that made her look like a Cheshire cat. “Don't you know? To stay sane in this wretched world everyone needs a little pick me up. Some people like to fuck an excessive amount, some people drink alcohol till their liver burts like an overripe tomato. Others…”

She took another drag from the cigarette, the sweet musky smell getting stronger. “Others just know where the good stuff grows.”

Y/N chuckled softly, shaking her head. Levi didn't reply to that. He could sense the frustration in her demeanor. “It's not like you to numb yourself with substances to escape whatever upsets you.”

Another dry laugh.

“I am not. This is St. John's wort and lavender. Helps me sleep. And considering you're up at  this ungodly hour I am guessing you could use one as well.”

Levi watched as Y/N softly patted the grass next to her, motioning for him to sit down. With a sigh he let himself fall into the grass. Silence spread between them and Levi just watched her carefully. 

“I heard your fight with Erwin.” He finally said.

Y/N clicked her tongue and shot him a glance through narrowed eyes.

“Oh? So you're here to...what? Scold me?”

“No. Not like a brat like you would listen to me.”

“It doesn't matter what I think anyway, does it?”

Levi sighed and stretched out his legs, leaning back against the tree. “You know that what we do here is necessary. You also know that Eren is not a child. No matter his age. It may not be pretty and it may not be what you want for him, but you can't forget that Eren killed twenty Titans by himself in his Titan form.”

Grinding her teeth Y/N pressed the cigarette bud into the ground and cursed again.

“Fuck you. Don't you think I know that?! I am fully aware that this kid can turn into a building sized naked killer man. Trust me, Hanji told me all about it in one of their ‘I am horny for Titans’ rants. It doesnt change the fact that he is a child. Just because he's seen some shit doesn't make him any less of a 14 year old kid. If you're sending soldiers to die, then at least make sure they are fully grown first.”

Her voice had gotten louder with every word she spat out before she cut herself off. Levi watched her take a deep breath and pull out a second hand rolled cigarette.

“We have no choice. Not when the survival of the human race is on the line.” he stated with a stern voice. It wasn't that he didn't understand where she was coming from but sometimes sacrifices had to be made.

“Spoken like a good little soldier. I know that of course. Doesn't mean I have to like that shit.” Y/N scoffed. “How far you've come from just a little underground street rat.”

Levi stiffened. It had been so many years since someone had brought up his origins. He wasn't ashamed of who he had been, but being confronted with it so suddenly still made him tense up.

“What, surprised? Of course I know. Where do you think I come from. You're not the only underground rat dwelling on the surface. Like you, Erwin was the one who pulled me up.”

Now she sounded almost bitter. 

“Now that you mention it, it explains a lot about you.”

Like that time when he had watched her knock a hysteric solder out cold with one brief move so she could treat them.

“I suppose it does.” Y/N pulled out a lighter and ignited her second cigarette, taking a deep drag. “I've always been good with herbalism. Drugs...Poison...Back then I used that knowledge to cater to Clients with a very particular taste of pick me ups.”

Another side shot glance and the smirk returned on her lips. “But enough about me. What is your preferred poison, Captain?”

The swift change of subjects did not go unnoticed to him. Not that he minded. He personally didn't much like to talk about the past. That, however, caught him off guard.

“What do you mean?” He asked carefully.

Y/N sat up, put out her cigarette and leaned closer, her eyes having a glint in them he had never seen before. “Like I said before. Everyone has that little something that keeps them sane. So what is it for you? And please don't say tea. That doesn't count.”

“Why wouldn't it count? Who gets to decide what keeps me sane if not me?” he huffed. Levi didn't like where this conversation was headed. As Y/N leaned a little closer, he instinctively leaned back but the tree trapped him in place. 

“Because I am talking about something more...decadent.” Her husky chuckle made him shiver, her face now so close to his, he could feel her breath on his skin. She smelled sweet, just like the herbs she had smoked earlier. To his surprise it wasn't unpleasant.

“So...tell me. What is it the Levi Ackermann, humanity's strongest soldiers desire? What is it that makes your fingers itch? You always seem so stoic but I know there's more. I can see it in your eyes”

Levi finally recognized the glint in her eyes. It was the same look a cat had that was playing with a mouse, ready to pounce. And he didn't quite know how to feel about that.

“I have no idea what you're going on about.”

“No?” Another soft chuckle that made the hair on the back of his neck stand. She was so close now, he could make out the soft dusting of freckles on her cheeks. Before he could stop himself he evaded her eyes to focus himself.

Soft fingers grasped his chin, forcing him to look at her.

“Y/N-”

“Do you think i haven't noticed? The way your eyes follow me the moment I step into a room?” She whispered.

Levi could feel his face grow hot. Had he really been so obvious? 

“I- wait, Y/N its not- “

Before he could answer, Y/N moved even closer, climbing into his lap. Levi stiffened, his eyes wide as her warm hands cupped his face. 

“It's okay, I don't mind. Not like I haven't done the same thing…”

Her body was pressed so flush against his, her body heat almost scalding him. Levi's breath caught in his throat. Their faces were so close, noses touching, breath mingling together and somehow the entire world started to fade away, leaving just the two of them together. His heart was beating so fast, he was sure the sound must echo through the entire castle, but he just couldn't push her away. He knew he should. He knew he couldn’t allow this. Knew this wouldn't end well for him.

But the look in her eyes told Levi, Y/N already had him in a trap he couldn't  escape. Not that he wanted to.

“Such pretty eyes you have, Levi.” She whispered in a low voice. “I’ve always wondered what's going on behind them.”

Keeping one hand on his cheek, Y/N gently brushed a strand of hair out of his face making him shiver. No one had ever touched him that way before. “W-what do you mean?” He managed to whisper hoarsely.

“What you crave of course. Everyone has something. Fantasies of pleasure and lust that keep playing in your head when you are all by yourself and need some release.” Y/N laughed softly, her thumb brushing over his bottom lip. Gods he was blushing like a boy but that look in her eyes kept him enthralled, unable to move a single muscle.

“I have two theories. Lets see which one hits the spot.” She purred. “My first theory is that you crave control. You are the captain after all. So what is it you think of when you watch me?”

Another shiver ran down Levi's spine, Y/n's feather light touches ghosting over his skin igniting his nerve endings in exhilarating sparks. Why was it so hard to breathe? 

“Do you think of me, naked? Tied up with ropes, suspended limbs hanging in the air like a doll...completely and utterly at your mercy as your wandering hands coax soft moans out of me? Do you dream about teasing me till I fully submit to your authority?”

Heat started pooling in his stomach and instinctively Levis' hands moved to her hips gripping them tightly. Y/N leaned in, softly brushing her lips against the corners of his mouth. Levi froze, his fingers digging into her soft, supple skin. “W-what?”

She was searching his eyes intently and it felt like she was stripping away every little layer of protection he had built over his lifetime. Dangerous. She was dangerous. He'd always known that. Hed known the moment their eyes had met for the very first time.

“No...no that's not it…is it?” A lascivious smirk spreading over those sinful lips of hers. “So I was right. See, my second theory is the one I find most plausible. It's human psychology after all…”

Her hands started to travel down his jaw before resting gently around his throat. Levi swallowed hard. He could feel himself tremble softly and that predatory glint in her eyes told him, she felt it too.

“You don't wish for control Levi, do you? You crave release. So much responsibility on your shoulders. Always having to be reliable. Humanity's Strongest. A leader in his own right. But what you really want is to let go. To give yourself into reliable hands that roam your body just the right way”

Levi could feel her lips on his ear, nipping at the soft skin. The gasp escaping his parted lips was almost treacherous and wrong. But dammit she was right. And he hated that she was.

“I am right, aren't I? I can feel you getting excited…”

As if to prove a point Y/N rolled her hips against him, coaxing a soft moan out of his parted lips. Levi's head fell forward against her shoulder, the scent of her herbs wrapping around him, more intoxicating than any booze he'd ever tasted.

“Please-” He rasped almost helplessly.

“Please? My, my, Levi...such beautiful sounds you make.”

More featherlight nips and kisses trailing down his jaw and neck, making him dizzy. She was toying with him.

“Your arms tied behind your back, maybe even on your knees. Helpless and taken care of at the same time. That's what you crave isn't it? That's the deep dark sinful little desire that's burning in your heart. Submission.”

Nimble fingers threading into his hair, gripping it tight before yanking his head back. 

“F-fuck!” The moment the groan left him Levi already knew he was done for. She was gonna swallow him whole.

“Say it Levi...is that what you want?” Y/N purred, her forehead touching his. It was an order. She was giving him an order.

Levi shuddered under her gaze, his throat so dry he barely resisted the urge to lick his lips. “Y-yes…”

“There we go...that wasn't so hard was it? Don't worry...I'd be more than happy to do that for you darling. I will keep you safe… take you apart piece by piece until you lose yourself in pleasure. Until you fall… and then I will put you back together.”

Her lips were hovering over his, a tease, an invitation. Why couldn't she just kiss him already?

“What...are you saying?” Levi whispered barely audible, his chest heaving with every breath. His lungs and all his senses already filled with her scent, her body pressed again so flush he could feel every curve through her clothing.

“I am making you an offer, Captain. And I want you to think about it before you answer. If that is what you want...come find me in my office. I'll help you fly in the best and worst way  possible...understood?”

Not knowing what to say or do, Levi just nodded. There was no way another word could make it past his lips. He wanted her. He wanted her so damn bad, the desire was burning him up alive.

Her soft chuckle echoed through the night.

“Good. I bid you goodnight then. Come find me when you're ready.”

Before Levi could process what she had just said, Y/N got off him and jumped to her feet as if nothing had ever happened. His body shivered at the sudden lack of heat, already feeling empty without her so close to him. 

Stunned, Levi watched her wink at him before disappearing into the night. What the hell had just happened?

[missingartist]

The Witcher’s Mate- Chapter 25

In all honestly, if someone told her that she would willingly allow Geralt to carry her off, she would have laughed at them. Adva told herself that if any man ever tried to carry her off, she would kick and scream till she escaped their clutches. The idea of having someone carrying her made her feel pathetic and vulnerable; she didn’t need anyone to do that until now. The inside of the castle was only fractionally warmer than the outside, with the unfortunate bonus that the thick stones that protected them from the biting wind seem to store the icy cold. Adva was sure back when there were enough Witchers to inhabit Kaer Morhen it was warm and toasty, with the raging fire ablaze throughout the fort. Now, however, it was freezing and barren. Her feet were already numb from the walk to the stronghold from the lake in what could barely be called a stitch of clothing. Stepping on the glass vial also hadn’t been the best idea, she was certain half of the blasted container was embedded in her foot, she could feel a steady stream of blood flow from foot and the tail tale sounds of the delicate droplets splattering against the stone. Even without her injuries, she couldn’t see herself being capable of finding her way back to her room.

But she wasn’t going to her room, she knew the second he stomped up the stairs that wasn’t the way to her chambers, but she couldn’t bring herself to care if he brought her to his room at least it meant he would stay with her. After the sour note that Cersi and Yennefer left on, she feared what would happen to her and him if they felt so inclined to return. And the thought of being more than an arms reach away from him filled her with dread. But the dread faded as he carried her up a winding staircase towards the very top of the forts highest tower.

Without dropping her, he kicked open the heavy wooden door with a bang and softly depositing her on the bed. The room was not what she expected; it was filled with several pieces of fine furniture, beautifully decorated rugs and tapestries. In the centre, opposite a grand stone fireplace, a large mahogany four-poster bed stood boldly, draped in rich green silk. It was a gorgeous room, fit for a king but had been left in a state, books and papers littered the floor and food left to go stale since his self banishment to the lake house. Her nose wrinkled as the smell of spoiling fruits and overripe cheese as the Witcher appeared in front of her with a jar of salve and a thick blanket that he dropped over her to protect her modestly while he knelt on the floor and examine her bloody foot. The sound of running water softly filling the background.

‘Sorry about the room. I wasn’t expecting…’ The golden eyes glanced up at her before quickly looked back at her injured foot.

Not trusting herself to speak, she continued to gaze upon the Witcher and felt a pang of guilt tore through her as she looked at his warn face, dark circled strain underneath his golden eyes, which seemed dimmer somehow. Golden skin seemed to have faded too, and even the bronzed hue was not enough to hide the sickly pallor that marred his skin. She had done that, her inability to see through Yennefer’s interference and her stubbornness has caused the prolonged suffering of not just her but him. Yet here he was tending to her so carefully in made her want to cry, she could scarcely feel the sting as he pulled the sliver of glass from her foot and smoothed in the salve, causing a weak giggle to erupt from her.

‘Someone is ticklish’ Geralt chuckled lowly as he raised to his feet and sent her a half-smile, it was a small one but a smile nevertheless, more then he had done in the past month at least. ‘Come on a little flower.’ Geralt purred and wrapped tightly in the blanket, and he strode over to a door half-hidden behind the chest of draws.  Inside a cloud of steam warmed against her skin, blinking her way past the mist, she was in a grand bathing room. The room was large, decorated with a folded ornate dressing screen edged in gold and glisten wood that stood out against the white porcelain of the washing bowl and pitcher.  The hulking Witcher settled her down on the edge of marble stone trough that dominated the middle of the room. Peering down, she watched the oil swirl around in the depth of water and filled the room with a heady fragrance of citrus and blossom.

‘You can em warm yourself in the tub. Towels are on the side.’ Geralt spoke through the thick mist of the heat of the room; she could see his gaze fascinated with the corner of the dresser screen. ‘I’ll be…I’ll be er next door if you need me.’ Geralt mumbled as he slowly retreated towards the door.

Adva couldn’t help but smile as she watched the big bad Witcher scurry from the room. But even after the door was firmly shut, she stared pensively, before, with a sigh,  she shredded the last remains of her clothes and submerging herself in water.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Geralt did not like uncertainly; he was a creature of action by his very nature, hesitation for a Witcher meant a very short life and a grizzly end. Now he wasn’t sure of anything, and that ambiguity was gnawing at him. From the moment he heard the bottle creak underfoot his heart soared like an eagle in flight over the Witchers trail, even more so when he watched his little goddess order Triss to throw the blonde mage through a portal. He was certain then she has made her choice but now, now in his room he wasn’t so sure.

He busied himself, washing in the wooden tub that has been placed in front of the fire seven winters ago during the great freeze. The circular tub was luxurious enough to satisfy him and filling the tube in the bathing room seemed more effort, then it was worth it. His wash was quick, removing any mud and leaves from his body and hair. Before shrugging a robe gifted from Duchess of Toussaint on his last excursion, it was a little flamboyant for his taste, but it covered himself and let him attend to his business with some modesty. He cleared the debris of the weeks prior and crafted a large fire to warm up the room. The sheets were clean enough, and he did not care to change them; he had other things of more importance to worry about, like Cersi and his mates mother.

They would be a problem which would need careful consideration and planning, but thankfully Kaer Morhen was the most impregnable fortress. They were landlocked, so the fear of a Merpeople army was not at the forefront of the list. Cersi was devious, and a threat, but the castle could be mage-proofed. But not to be forgotten was the threat from Adva unknown banished brother, he has already sent one assassin, he could send another or far worse. A weary hand rubbed over his face; he would keep her safe no matter what.

‘Hi.’

Turning around Geralt couldn’t stop a primitive growl from pushing its self through his chest and out through his mouth. There she was wrapped in a towel, smiling at him, all pink and fresh. The orange blossoms and bergamot oil lingered on her skin, but the scent of apple and salt overpowered them and sent his heart racing. She had rejected her chance to escape him and was here, with him, near-naked.

‘You better get dressed. I will….’ He forced out in a gruff low tone.

‘Stay’ a voice that sounded very similar to her own demanded the Witcher. He should go, they had a lot to discuss  yet the mere thought of their parting cause her a great deal of pain.

‘Don’t….Don’t….say it if you don’t mean it I can't….’ Geralt voice wavered as it cut from the tension that churned in the air between him.

Reaching out she clutched his hand it hers, there was no warmth, his skin still suffering from trudging back to the stronghold in nothing but his breeches. Staring up at his piercing eyes, she cradled his large hand between her smaller one and towards her chest.

‘I… don’t understand what might happen, but I know we are stronger together. I…. I want to face this together. Properly. I want to BE with you.’ Adva forced herself to look up at him, to staring into the whirling mass of his golden eyes.

Geralt stared at his mate, his eyes burning into her skin, looking for a sign, any sign. It was unnerving to wait under the heavy gaze of her blues eyes. A small smile curved across her pouting lips and shy eyes looked up at him. His lovely mate brought her lips to his hand and kissed them. It was soft and tender; the heat from her lips surged through him and set off a raging fire within him. All the want he felt for her, the touched starvation, the neediness. A rumbling growl vibrated through the room, setting a trail of goosebumps across the paleness of her skin and a soft blush to creep up and rest on her cheeks. The last grasps on control slipped, and he surged forward, a scooped her into his aching arms, one hand under her knees and the other supporting her back as he brought into a searing kiss.

Adva found herself being lowered down into the middle of the bed, the hulking frame of her mate hovering over her, his lips moving against hers in a passionate embrace.

 The anticipation and desire washed across Adva’s body as Geralt rested himself between her open legs, legs she parted widely to accommodate the Witchers thick body. Tentatively, she moved her hands across his golden skin. Heaving an eager breath, she licked her lips and again reached for her mate, her love. She was hungry for him in a way she'd never felt before, and she had to have him close, nestles between her thighs.

 Geralt pulled back, and his features blossomed into a devilish smile. Delight and devotion were coursing through his body; their teeth clacked slightly at the sudden force of their kiss but neither relented. Adva opened her mouth for him, and he took advantage of her submission by thrusting his tongue into her willing mouth. Her kiss lacked his skill, but it was full of love and want. Reaching up, she tangled her hand in his ashen locks, and the others gripped his bicep relishing the quivering muscle underneath her touch. Not to be outdone it seemed, Geralt grabbed her again under her thighs and hoisted her up so she could wrap her legs back around his waist as he continued to attention down her neck and finally to suck gentle on her collarbone, causing the most indecent moan to mew from her, which seemed to spur the Witcher on as he nipped at her neck. The feel of his teeth sliding across her neck was enough to cause her whole body to tense, tightening her thighs hold against the Witchers hips, dragging their cores against each other.

 With a grunt, Geralt pulled back to rest his forehead against her, his body almost trembling above hers. Panting, she was confused. Her brows furrowed, and her lips pouted. She watched as his eyes screwed shut and his brow pucked in his usual pensive look.

 "Adva," his throaty voice snapped her back to herself, "You …..you have to tell me now if you aren’t ready….I don’t think I will be able to stop this if we go any further. I…want you too badly.’Geralt voice wavered, almost breaking as he spoke.

 Her heart soared and broke at the same time. If she hadn’t have been so stubborn, she might have already been claimed, and the suffering they both had to endure wouldn’t have been. Yet, after the pain she had caused him, he was, as always, being so careful with her. Smiling up at him, she rose up on her forearms to meet his gaze.

 ‘I don’t want to be without you. I need you…Please don’t make me wait any longer.’

 The plea from her was all that he seemed to need.

 He pulled back onto his knew as he tore off the robed from his shoulders, and tossed it across the room, joined shortly by her towel. She was bare in front of him for the first time; any attempt to cover herself was met by a furiously deep growl and her desire to please him outweighed her want for modesty. Besides, her attention had settled in taking on her mate or more importantly, between his thighs. She had absolutely no basis for comparison apart from the brief glimpse she had seen in the Brightwater Whorehouse. They all appear inferior to her own dear Witcher. It bounced and swayed with his movements. It curved out from his body, looking rigid and swollen. A lowly rumble pulled her from her gaze and back to the Witcher who, with dark eyes, began once more to take his place over her. But for her hand to shot out against his chest, pausing him in his movements.

 ‘Please…let me.’ Her soft voice pleaded.

 Geralt stopped moving above her; hungry eyes searched across her face as she gently raised herself and let her fingertips trace the surface of his skin. His hands came down to clasp her knees, but she was still focused on exploring his arms and torso. He was perfect muscle; his body didn’t seem real as if chiselled in marble. Catching her lip between her teeth, she felt his eyes burn into her, but she steeled herself, she dared herself to touch his cock as it hung proudly between them. Fascinated, she watched her hand run up and down the length of him. He was thick and hot; she was amazed at how reactive he was, how his chest juddered and stifled moan caught in his throat. Wrapping her hand around the base, her small hands could scarcely fit around him as she sheepishly stroked upward.

Geralt's strangled grunt brought her gazed away from his cock, but her hand's slow movement didn’t pause.

 Darting her gaze back to his, his eyes were almost completely black, just a thing circle of gold remained, his jaw clenched tight, and she watched as bronzed callous hand pulled at her arm trapping it on the bed next to her. She had no idea what to do next, but she knew what her body wanted. She felt so empty, body clutching at nothing, wanting to be filled and mated. Her core was wet and in need of her mate.

 Geralt’s hand left hers as they continued onward until she felt the skin of his palms and fingers caress the skin of her stomach. Inwardly she winced, her soft and flabby stomach was not attractive, but the moan that pushed itself from his lips was enough to let her forget her insecurities. His hands roamed, seemingly enthralled with the dip of her belly button followed the skin up towards her breasts, they locked eyes again, and a deep blush bloomed across her body.  She remembered his touch from before, but this was different, it seemed more real than the time before.

 ‘Gods, I love your blush.’ Geralt all but moaned as his fingers ran across each rib below her breasts.

 She felt her nipples harden and her breast perk into delicate peaks under Geralt's lusty stare. She wanted to explore every dip and ridge of his body but was more than content to allow him to explore first.

 Skillfully, her mate lowered himself down onto her, which was too much. To feel the heat of their bodies burn together sinfully. Crowd his hulking frame against her small figure before returning to nip and suck down jaw and neck. A wanton groan tore from her in a needy whine, her body surrendering to his teasing. Soft whimpers continued to fall from her lips as he leisurely worked his way down her neck until he was placing sucking kisses across the top of her breasts.

 Adva’s back arched his mouth began to suckle on the right nipple; his other hand came up to flick and pull at the other neglected nipple. His torso pinned her juddering hips that yearned for something, anything to take away the ache within her. Her hands fisted and twisted in his hair, pulling him to her as he sucked greedily. Every movement of his mouth urged her more till she was vibrating with need.

 He released her breast with a wet plop and lowered his head to continue his kisses down her body, his hand never straying from her breasts.  A whine she didn't know she was capable of escaped her throat as he rolled her nipples between his fingers. Her body was shaking with impatience, excitement and fear.

 She watched as she kissed his way down her torso until he hovered over the most intimate part of her body, heavy eyes locking on to her own.  A primal growl roared through him as her inhaled deeply. His eyes darkened to an impossible degree, as a wicked smile blessed his lips. He looked like a predator, and it scared her, yet it thrilled her at the same time. She tried to close her legs and pull herself from his grasp, only pull her back as a glimmer of glee stretched across his features. With no effort, he pulled her back into position, holding her in place with one large hand.

 "My… kiss… little Goddess…kiss… I have to…kiss… worship you…kiss…I need to…’

 A strangled cry choked its ways out of her as he mouther kisses into her trembling thighs. It felt good. Too good. Too much. Gods. Bucking against him, a powerful snarl rippled up her body. As his hand pressed down on her hip, holding her in place, as is other hand pried shaky open legs, exposing her.

 A delicate cry poured from her as his tongue drove into her folds swirling around her clit. The feel of his tongue plunging into her core was overwhelming, too much, but she was too weak to want to escape such a sinful feel.

 One of his arms curled itself around her upper thigh, open palm against the opposite hip keeping her twisting body on the bed. Her eyes slammed shut tightly as another wave of pleasure surged through her as Geralt began to move again. His tongue was searching, alternating between circles, swirls, shapes and flicks till he found an action that brought about a cry of pleasure as she gripped the bedsheets, pushing her body up to lock eyes with him. Geralt smirked into her pussy, as he repeated the action again, and again, and again. Till it was as easy as breathing and his mate became a bubbling mess beneath him. His own moan began as her leg closed around his head, pulling him to her.

 ‘Please…..Please…Don’t….Stop….I can’t……I don’t know….Geralt.’ a string of moaned escaped her in a cry of passion.

 Geralt growled at the sound of his names fell from her lips. From now on, he would have her call his name like that at least once a day. He was merciless. He knew that he was teasing, not hard enough to bring her to the release that she craved but light enough to keep her needy and wanting. Lowering himself down to lay full on the bed, a moan vibrating her clit as his cock rubbed tortuously against the bed, the friction that he craved. Another groan pushed its way out of her throat as his fingers traced the opening.

 ‘Gods Geralt’ Adva body curled into itself as Geralt middle finger slipped into her. During her fitful attempts at masturbating, she dipped her fingers into her arching core in an attempt to get some release but never had it felt like this. His digit searched her channel. Exploring and stretching.

 Geralt let out a series of grunts as his finger sunk into her wetness. Gods, she was tight. And so hot. His eyes never left her as he plunged in and how curing how snugly she gripped at him. She was wet enough, but so tight. He kept his rhythm steady, as he worked into her till his finger hit that bundle of nerves he had desperately been searching for. Her whole body shuddered, and a flood of ecstasy rushed through her veins.

 She was so close; the feeling was overpowering. Too much but at the same time, not enough. When Geralt slipped in, she felt an uncomfortable stretch pull at her core, she mewled lowly, her hips jerking against Geralt’s hold.

 ‘You're doing so good, love.’ Geralt moaned in between furious licks as his fingers plunged swiftly in and out of her, hitting that spot again and again.

 ‘Geralt…Ohhh Geralt.’ Adva body stiffened in the bliss that built in the pit of her stomach, threatening to burst in her.

  Geralt grinned up at her as he pumped his fingers into her, curling them into her spot, his free hand sneaking up his body, messaging her breast, rolling her nipple between his thumb as his tongue continued is an assault on her clit.

 The whimpers grew into cries and the cries into shrieks of ecstasy. Geralt was in rapture as he watched her body arched and trembled as her orgasm broke through her. Her mouth formed into a perfect O as a nearly inaudible scream ripped through her. A mewling moan filled the room as her body twitched as wave after wave engulfed her. Her hands clawing at the sheet trying to find anything to keep her grounded

 Geralt still between her thighs was lapping at her core, sending little after tremor thorough her as she rode out her high. When the last of the tremors subsided, she lay weightless against the pillows. Geralt was all but purring between her legs, making sure every drop of her essence was not wasted. She felt strangely energised but boneless like she has been poured onto the bed. She couldn’t help but give her mate the brightest smile she could muster as he kissed his way up her body.

 Caging her in with his forearms Geralt settled down between her thighs and lazily kissed her lips. Adva groaned into his mouth as she tasted herself. It was not unpleasant; it was musty and thick, but it was proof of what had just happened.

 ‘Mmmm I am going to spend the rest of your life devouring you.’ Geralt moan into her mouth. ‘but don’t think we are anywhere near done. You. Are. Mine.’

Sorry for the long wait- Work has been crazy so I haven’t been able to write as much as I would like. Let me know what you think. 

  @threepupsinapuddle @broco8 @introvertedmouse @luxyash @vikingsbifrost @pastelblogsposts @wastingmypotential @whitespring21 @ayamenimthiriel @wonderlandfandomkingdom @shesthelastjedi @fandom-lover-4 @sageandberries-png  @just-a-sad-donut @alicia-d-o @dreamerwithapen1 @evangeline73aster

[prbni]

Dramione Headcanons/Prompts

(Note:Might update the post and tags according to the requirement)

A 15 y/o Scorpius Malfoy accidentally stumbles upon a pensive of his father, that contains the memories of a certain witch he had feelings for before he met Scorp's mother. Seeing the loneliness and despair that has fallen upon his father after the death of his mother Astoria, Scorpius decides to use the prohibited Time-Turner to change the courses of the past.

But this meant two things: he'd never be able to experience the love and warmth of his mother and....he probably would cease to exist.

"This is madness Scorp!" Albus shouted angrily. " Uncle Ron and Auntie Mione are happily married. They have loved each other for ages. And this also means,Rose wouldn't exist as well. Do you really intend to do this over the one-sided crush that your father had on Auntie Mione once upon a time?!"

Basically, Albus trying to convince him in all possible ways that this is a bad idea.

Cue to Ron and Hermione arguing at the backyard of Harry-Ginny's house. They even forgot to cast Silencing Charm. Hence,everyone including the kids heard their argument.

"Oh,stop behaving like you're the only one who has been compromising in this marriage!!! Did I tell you to give up your position in the Ministry of Magic? No!" Ron yelled. " Why are you even bringing this up?! I never said it was your fault or anything!"Hermione tried to reason. "BECAUSE I'M TIRED. TIRED OF EVERYONE PRETENDING LIKE YOU HAVE DONE ME A FAVOR BY MARRYING ME WHEN IT IS THE OPPOSITE!!!" "Wh-what do you mean?"Hermione asked meekly. Ron scoffed. "Your parents are gone,Hermione. If we didn't take you into the Burrow, you wouldn't have anywhere to go. You needed us. You needed me." Hermione looked like she was trying to process the words that Ron just said. Or maybe, she was just trying to convince herself that Ron is capable of saying something like this. It's just Ron being in a foul mood. He definitely doesn't mean it."Ron let's talk about this tomorrow, okay?" Hermione tried to calm herself down. "Harry and Ginny are probably waiting for us in the dining table."

"Why? Can't face the truth?" Ron sneered. "If you were sensible enough Ronald, we'd be having this conversation at our own home,with a Silencing Charm on and without children listening to this," Hermione retorted while hinting towards Albus and Scorpius behind them,who were looking warily back and forth between the older duo. It took a while before Ron realised what she meant and grudgingly complied to go inside the house.

Scorpius gave Albus a if-this-is-what-you-mean-by-them-being-a-happy-couple look.

"Well,older couples fight. My parents fight as well. Uncle Ron is a bit aggressive,you know. But they have been like this for years.Also we don't know what actually happened between them.See,Aunty Mione didn't even fight him back," defended Albus."She didn't fight back because she knew we were listening,Al. And I don't know but this sounded more like defamation than argument." Albus sighed loudly,aware that there's no point in arguing. "So, you're still keen on getting Mr.Malfoy and Auntie Granger together in the past?" he asked instead.

"I think now I'm even more keen on getting them together,"Scorpius replied with a slight grin.

Yule Ball AU: Draco is awed when Hermione descends downstairs.

His expressions form into a scowl when he witnesses Ron and Hermione's encounter,and it pisses him off to no end when he sees her crying.

"Pathetic shite really. Ruined the whole festive mood" he mutters to himself. Even all the purring and cooing of Pansy Parkinson beside him couldn't fix his mood."Well that's what she gets for gushing over Weaselby of all possible blokes. Even Longbottom or Potter would know better than making her cry at the Ball. Seems like Weasley lacks in everything,even courting manners. But well,what do I care?"

"Enough to disturb others' sleep through your late night self-indulgent altercations" a voice drawled in beside his bed.

"Seriously,mate. Try to sleep or let others sleep. This was a long,tiring day and we have a tournament ahead,"Theo grumbled from under the covers while Draco shot a glare at this direction.

Another Time Travel fic. This time it's Hermione and Draco going back to time for their own purposes but getting entangled in the middle as they decide to help each other out before returning to the original timeline.

"Be wise before you hold my hand,Granger" Draco said. "I'm not just offering you for a dance. I'm offering you for a lifetime with me. Once you accept this, you're never returning to Weasley."

If Hermione didn't know better what Draco looks like and sounds like when he's joking,she'd almost think this was just one of his attempts at flirting. But one look at his eyes and the intonation of his words sent her shivers.

"That's not how time traveling works,Malfoy. We aren't supposed to end up together. That's not why we're here,"she explained.

"It's okay,Granger. You can just tell me you don't want this,"he chuckled bitterly. "For if you did, you wouldn't care what happens and what's supposed to happen. You'd just join me without excuses."

"I'm not making excuses,Draco. I'm a mother as well. If I mess here in this timeline, they'd be gone there in the future,"seethed Hermione.

One of the common tropes here: Compulsory Marriage under Marriage Law post-war. Here, Hermione is literally fighting with the Ministry to prevent her marriage with Draco. While Draco reluctantly agreed to the marriage since this was the only way to save himself from landing into Azkaban, Hermione had a huge outburst.

"Minister,are you seriously telling me I have to marry this git?" Hermione scoffed in disbelief. "Now now Granger. That's not the way to refer to your future husband," Draco drawled in. She almost forgot Kingsley called both of them to talk about their compatibility in terms of marriage. "Quite rich coming from someone that called me filthy mudblood the entire time he'd known me".That seemed to shut Draco up. The Minister in the question coughed a bit to grab their attention. "Hermione, I'm sorry,okay? I tried talking with the other ministers about this. But nobody including myself seem to come up with a solution better than this." "Granger, don't act like this is a punishment only for you. If choices or circumstances were any better, I'd rather do a dirty dance with goblins of the Gringotts than showing up here and talk about the prospect of marriage....or whatever this is," Draco said in an annoyed tone."Serves you right for all the horrid things you were part of," Hermione replied to him and then turned to Shacklebolt, " I understand why and how this is a punishment to him. But this is a punishment to me as well. And what am I being punished for?"she almost cried out. Draco visibly flinched a bit. "Ever since I stepped into the Wizarding World, almost everyone has taken a knack of making a point to me that I'll never be good enough to belong here. So, I studied.I learnt as much as possible,more than anyone else and tried to dedicate myself to whatever it takes to make a perfect witch. Then, Voldemort returned. Second Wizarding War came along. Everyone talks about what or who has been lost who has made sacrifices but does anyone know I had to take it to myself to wipe out my parents' memories of me and drive them away because the Wizarding World cannot provide them with protection?!"Her eyes were glistened and voice became hoarse. "Hermione,you have to know I'm sorry and thankful-" "No,Minister. I'm not holding anyone accountable for what became of my parents. That's completely my own doing.What I'm trying to understand is after everything I've seen and been through, why am I to be hitched against my own volition to this rotten scum of a Deatheater?!" "Ex.Death. Eater,"Draco said in a dangerously low voice. "You have all the reasons to hate me,Granger. But don't carelessly throw around words like you know me. Despite all the hatred and animosity over the years, I tried to warn you during the Triwizard tournament. I didn't want you to end up at the Manor and I definitely didn't want this!"he shrieked pointing at her forearm where that eight-lettered word was curved in forever. "I didn't want this either," he said in a softer tone,pointing at his own forearm and own scar this time. "So,you see. I'm not the good guy that you'd want as your husband. But I'm not as evil as you expect me to be either." Draco's eyes held nothing but honesty and sincerity which took Hermione aback. "Have you said your piece?" she asked with a renewed vigor to which Draco nodded.

"I'd submit my wand and all magical articles to your office tomorrow,Minister. And return to the Muggle world for good. I shall take your leave now." With that she stomped out of the room without even sparing the other two wizards a glance or letting them speak.

Draco's boggart wasn't his father's disappointment in him. Heck it wasn't even the Dark Lord himself. His boggart was a certain Muggleborn witch crying and writhing in pain on the stone cold floor of the Manor,her screams ringing through the Manor walls tortured by his own aunt while he stands there like a coward, doing nothing,not even looking at her.

After being able to successfully able to restore her parents' memories using the Memory Charm,ever-so-curious Hermione Granger tries it on herself. What she didn't expect was an overwhelming rush of memories consisting of a certain very familiar blonde with very unfamiliar moments between them. Shock,surprise,sadness and anger crashed down on her altogether. Did anyone else know? Had he obliviated himself as well?

She knew accepting a dare from Weasley Twins meant trouble. Yet,when they called her a scaredy cat for trying to back down from the bet,she lunged into it. Even if that meant she had to stalk Draco Malfoy the annoying ferret for a week while disillusioning herself. What she didn't realise was that the thing that started as a dare would become habit while being thrust into a totally different perspective of what the-boy-who-made-her-school-life-hell really was.

She was tired of being called ‘boring’ and ‘no fun’. The one time she decided to pull on a prank was on someone no one would expect. Draco Malfoy. So,when an accident happens while concucting the Love Potion and the cauldron explodes,Hermione falls in love with her forever nemesis. Or should I say, pretends to fall in love with him.Draco Malfoy was already having a hard time accomplishing the task he was assigned with. A bushy headed witch being all sappy and clingy was the last thing he needed at the moment.

[xyzcekaden]

🚍 unsuspecting sunday afternoon 🚍

by me, xyzcekaden! a pokemon fanfic about when the one you hate to love is made for you

How capable is the human heart now?

fandom: pokemon, gen 3, advanced generation characters: ash, may, steven stone in a “supporting” role ship: advanceshipping genre: romance, angst themes: friendship, pre-relationship, slowburn, 6+1 if you squint setting: modern, hoenn, pokemon universe lite word count: 4.6k rating: T

read it below, on ffnet, or on ao3!

A/N (9.7.201): So this has been in my drafts since about April 2020 😅 Sure, I'm happy to finally share something new with the small yet strong advanceshipping fandom; but more than that, I'm relieved this document can no longer taunt me with its incompletion, hahaha. Do let me know what you think! Especially with this opening formatting; I'm trying something new. :)

Nothing sensitive in the fic, but the characters are all adults so it felt fitting to rate it T. Title taken from the song of the same name by the Backstreet Boys, and its lyrics/sentiments are interwoven throughout. The narrative is inspired and framed by monstaxnight's anonymous ask. If you recognise it, it doesn't belong to me. Thanks for reading!

~~~

fall for someone whose body would start fires

On a Saturday, May asked Ash to come over the next day. “I need a second opinion on something,” she had said. “It’ll be super quick.”

Of course, ‘super quick’ means Ash has enough time to set his switch up on May’s gigantic living room tv and play a few rounds of his favourite fighting video game while she gets ready for something or another in her room. He always acts like he has better things to do than help her with her sundry weekly ventures, but they both know he’d rather do ‘nothing’ with her than ‘something’ on his own somewhere else.

“Okay, Ash, are you ready?” May’s voice rings out. “Yeah,” he answers distractedly, strategically button smashing.

“So I kept the jeans from this last outfit, but this top I just got two weekends ago and haven’t had a chance to wear yet,” May narrates as she exits her room. “I had the, frankly, brilliant idea of using the jacket from Outfit 1 and pairing it with those heels you paid for for my birthday, et voila!”

The clacking of heels stops at the entrance of the hallway. “What do you think?’

Ash redirects his attention to May. His avatar dies on screen, just like his voice dies in his throat.

“You, um, you look great.”

In actuality, May looks smoking hot, but that’s not new for either of them. His best friend is supremely attractive, and he knew it and had no problem acknowledging it normally. This time, however, May doesn’t just look physically great, she also looks like she feels like she looks great. He doesn’t know how much sense that makes; but there is decidedly something different, and Ash feels a strange sense of dread in his chest.

May beams, taking the inarticulate response in stride. “Well that’s a winning endorsement if I ever heard one! Now let’s just hope Steven has as great of a reaction.” She turns to one of the many full-length mirrors stationed around her condo and reviews the outfit with a critical eye.

This brings Ash out from his stupor. “‘Steven’?” he repeats as he sits up on the couch. “You’re going on a date?”

“It’s not a date,” May replies in a tone that clearly conveys that she would not be opposed to it turning into a date. “My dad is having dinner with an old business partner, and the guy’s bringing his son along, so me and Max were invited, too. We were kinda friends back when we were young, but it’s not like we’ve kept in touch or anything. I just figured I should make a good second first-impression… You know, for my dad’s sake.”

Ash can tell the last bit was just something she’s telling herself to rationalise why she’s trying so hard, and it doesn’t sit right with him. He slinks back down on the couch dejectedly and halfheartedly starts a new game.

He finds himself wondering how often they hung out and how much whatever-that-number-was-teenth impressions were worth. He hopes it’s a lot.

~~~

fall for someone who always runs from his kiss

“… And I was right! They were roommates!” May boisterously ends her story, almost losing her ice cream to physics as she wildly gesticulates.

They’re just strolling around the park that’s honestly nowhere near either of their apartments; but over the years, it became their park anyway. They didn’t even set plans to hang out today, but it kinda just happened―a recurring theme in their friendship, admittedly.

For his part, Ash hides a smirk with a lick to his own ice cream, not bothering to say or do anything to protect her treat. If she hasn’t learned by now, she never would. “Oh my god, they were roommates,” he deadpans instead.

May sends him an unimpressed smirk and lightly smacks Ash’s shoulder. He yelps. She yanks her hand back as soon as she realises, but the damage is done.

He blinks down at the cold, vanilla, rainbow-sprinkled stain before raising his gaze to meet May’s equally stunned one.

They stare in silence for a moment, then May cracks a conciliatory grin. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry?”

He shrugs it off easily. “I probably deserved it,” he says, making peace with the knowledge that his previous unwillingness to protect her ice cream from any accidents is the undoubted origin for his current poor luck. He nods toward the path. “Shall we?”

“We passed by a restroom a little bit ago. We can clean you up,” May disagrees, tugging on his arm in the opposite direction.

“‘S fine,” he argues as he tries to continue walking forward.

“Ash, it’ll stain!” She tugs harder.

“It’ll be an improvement!” He’s overpowering her, but not as easily as he’d like.

“Why are you being such a butthead about this!?” She’s pulling with all her strength now, this being a matter of pride to her at this point.

“Come on, May!” Ash heaves one last time.

They tumble head over feet onto the ground, but that’s not the reason Ash feels like his world has turned upside down.

May’s body weighs comfortably on his, his hands naturally settle on her waist with hers on his chest, and his brown eyes bore into her blues. Their ice cream has fallen… somewhere, but Ash doesn’t concern himself with that considering this is the closest they’ve been since they first met.

They’ve been toeing this line since then, too.

I’m gonna do it, he thinks to himself.

He closes his eyes.

He leans in.

May scrambles away.

Ash sits up and blinks at the sight of May’s confused, furious eyes. “Ash, what are you doing?” Her voice croaks like her throat is dry. It makes him clear his own before dumbly responding, “I was trying to kiss you.”

“Why??” she asks, her voice strangled. He pushes himself off the ground warily as he watches her hold herself, bite her lip, shake her head in a panic; and somehow in all of that, he understands.

“I thought it wasn’t a date.” Ash tries so hard not to sound accusatory, but her wince in response proves it didn’t work. It also proves his fear correct.

He turns, hiding as if the people walking by could discern his transgression and shame by the sight of his face alone. Besides, his mind can conjure up an image of her running away just fine on its own.

Ash notices the remnants of their impromptu outing splattered on the ground near his feet. He picks up what he can and stomps over to the nearest trash bin, throwing it in as hard as he can to let out some of his frustration.

He hopes he hasn’t gone and screwed everything up.

~~~

fall for someone whose lips belong to someone else

They don’t talk about it, and then it’s too late.

“Ash, this is Steven,” she tells him softly, as if it could make up for how it feels like the sight of her arms wrapped around the guy’s torso and his arm casually thrown over her shoulder assaults him every time he blinks.

“Steven Stone. It’s great to finally meet you. May speaks of you highly,” Steven introduces with a dignified air. Not pompous, no; he is just someone who was raised being told that he was going to do important things and who happened to believe it.

They shake hands, and Ash’s fingers feel cold, a marked contrast to how there’s something in his chest that’s burning.

Inside the restaurant, the waitress asks if a table is okay, and no one asks for a booth instead. In his seat, Ash is neither directly in between nor directly across from the newly-established couple, and he wonders if this is where all his luck went into.

Lunch goes better than expected.

Ash was prepared to hate the guy, but what is there to hate? Steven has a decent sense of humour, loves pokemon but loves rocks even more, and is COO of the biggest enterprise in Hoenn. He is a safe, sensible choice. This guy isn’t going to break May’s heart.

As the meal winds down, Steven offers to pay for everyone; but Ash still has his pride. In the end, he manages to negotiate paying for just his own plate and drink, knowing he has no right to battle for the privilege of paying for May’s.

He wouldn’t even do so on a typical occasion anyway; but as far as Ash is concerned, Steven’s presence throws all of the friends’ typical rules of engagement out the window.

They say goodbye and part ways in front of the restaurant.

A few steps later, Ash snaps his fingers as he recalls something. He turns around to remind May of their movie plans in a few days, and he is met with the sight of the couple sharing a sweet kiss on the corner while waiting for the light to change.

Steven could never break May’s heart, but he sure can break Ash’s.

Ash turns back and continues walking. He hopes May can remember on her own.

~~~

fall for someone whose touch is way too much

May insists that nothing has changed between them, but clearly something has because Ash doesn’t remember ever being so anxious about her proximity before.

He had always been aware of her, though. Always. When your first meeting is saving the other from getting run over by a tour bus, you quickly develop the habit of keeping track of where the person is at all times.

Between his athleticism and her natural proclivity towards tactileness, casual physical exchanges quickly became their norm: hugs and high fives, friendly elbows in the rib after a good joke and sharing a blanket as they watch a movie, (lingering touches on the shoulder and holding hands even after they’ve escaped a crowd… or did he make those up?).

They were controlled yet unmistakably affectionate markers of their relationship.

But now?

When she shifts one centimetre closer to him in line at the mall food court, he accidentally overpays by fifty pokeyen out of distraction. When she grabs his fork out of his hand to try a piece of his takoyaki, he jerks so hard at the contact that he spills his soft drink all over the table. When she pats him dry using flimsy food court napkins with a joke about ice cream in her voice and fondness in her eyes, he needs to claim a rapid-onset fever in order to give himself an excuse to cut their lunch short immediately.

These innocent touches have been an ever-present facet of their friendship since basically the beginning; and even when he realised he was in love, they hadn’t affected him like this.

Things are different now, despite what she says.

Well, maybe not things; maybe just him.

He had allowed himself to revel in their familiar touches when she was single because he could, because there was no one else that she was supposed to be able to make feel like this. Even if the feeling wasn’t meant for him, it wasn’t meant for anyone else either.

But now.

He can’t, in good conscience, allow his heart to rush and his smile to form and his hand to squeeze back. It wouldn’t be fair to May, not when she’s trusting him with her friendship and he’s taking more from her than that.

Even though he’d like nothing else than to keep that closeness, to go back to how it was between them before, this is the way it has to be now. He just hopes she can understand.

~~~

fall for someone he doesn’t want to feel for

On sleepless nights, he wonders when.

He knows the who, what, why, and how; but the when eludes him.

...

They were both breathing heavy, attention focused on the spot of the road where the girl would have flattened like a pancake if it weren’t for his quick reflexes and hero complex.

The clapping of a few passers-by snapped them out of their shock and into the realisation that he still had her protectively cradled to his chest.

They quickly broke apart, and he took the time to wave off the praise from the gathered crowd while she checked her purse to see if everything was inside.

“You got everything?” he asked after people’s attentions finally turned back towards their own lives.

“Yeah, I do,” the girl replied, and her voice was rather cheery considering the ordeal she just survived. (He would later learn that was her default.)

“Great,” he said, genuine yet awkward.

They continued staring at each other. The adrenaline from their brush with danger hadn’t worn off yet; his heart was still beating very fast.

“So, um, have a good day,” he bade after it was clear neither of them had anything more to say. He made to return to his errands, but a hand on his arm stopped him.

“You saved my life, and you’re just gonna walk away?” she asked incredulously.

He blinked at her. “I’ll be honest; I wasn’t aware there was an after-action protocol for this sort of situation.”

She was incredulous for only a second before she giggled at him. “The least I can do is buy you lunch to say ‘thank you.’”

“Well, I’ve never turned down a free meal,” he accepts with a grin.

She giggled again then stuck out her hand. “My name’s May.”

“Ash.”

...

No, it wasn’t then. Nor was it during the meal they shared, nor at the bar where they happened to see each other that weekend, nor while they were escaping from the bar fight that she accidentally instigated that night.

...

“Is this going to become a running gag? Will I have to constantly be saving you from trouble you unintentionally get yourself into?” Ash panted after he directed her to duck into a nearby alley.

“Hey, as far as I’m concerned, this automatically makes me the most interesting friend you’ve got,” May countered.

He took one extra second to check no one was following them then cut a glance at her. “I don’t know about you, but most of my friends have my number.”

She rolled her eyes with a smile. “Smooth.” They switched phones and exchanged numbers.

“Better memorize that by heart,” he jested as he handed her her phone back. “Don’t wanna waste your one phone call at the station just because you mixed up the last two digits by accident.”

“If the next time you hear from me is because I went and got myself arrested, just leave me to rot. I must have earned it,” she smirked.

...

Luckily, the next time one of them reached out to the other wasn’t to bail the former out of jail. May invited him to a pool party for her birthday, where he handily won a water balloon fight and impressed everyone by fixing the grill for their barbeque. Their friendship continued to progress naturally: movie nights that turned into impromptu sleepovers, brunches that turned into walks around town. Several shopping trips and video games and hikes later, they were each other’s best friends. It was basically inevitable.

So when? When would he have had the chance to fall in love with her?

...

“Hello?”

“Ash, you picked up!” she sounded surprised―happy, but surprised―and he winced. He knew he’d been blowing her off a little more often lately, but making her think he’d turn down her phone call?

“Heh, yeah, sorry about that,” he said, betting on the hope that she somehow implicitly understood everything he was apologising for. “Is everything okay?”

For an extended second, she was quiet, then she said, “I need to tell you something.”

His hackles rose, and he started grabbing his keys and putting on his shoes. Maybe she finally ended up in jail. “Where are you? I can be there in ten minutes, maybe twenty with traffic―”

She giggled, and he paused. That was her nervous giggle. “May?” he asked, still wary but not about to race out of his house with only his boxers on.

“No! No, it’s nothing like that. It’s just… Steven told me he loves me.”

His breath left his lungs.

“And I told him I love him back,” she continued.

All the adrenaline that had surged through his body only moments before completely left him at her words, and his limbs locked up instead. He felt cold.

“Hello?”

He didn’t even realise he had sunk to his knees until he meant to take a step back towards the couch. He just slumped onto his butt. “That’s―” He had to clear his throat. “That’s gotta be recent.”

He could slap himself. He sounded as dead as he felt. He tried again: “I mean, that’s great news, May! He’s a lucky guy. Yeah.”

She sighed with relief. Could Steven tell what her sighs meant over the phone? ”I’m the lucky one, I think,” she said happily, and that was his last straw.

“Heh, yeah, well,” he sputtered out, just to have something to say. “Listen, since you’re not in danger or anything, uh, you actually caught me at a bad time, so I gotta go. I’ll catch you later, yeah?”

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

“Wait, Ash! Before you go!”

He held back a sigh. “What’s up, May?”

“It’s just… You’re right; it is recent. You’re actually the first person I told.”

“I’m honoured.” He couldn’t help the sarcasm that spilled out, but he backtracked quickly. “I mean it. Thank you for telling me.”

“Of course, Ash; I tell you everything. At this point, it’s like I have to; nothing would ever feel real otherwise.”

He shut his eyes. He really couldn’t take this anymore. “I know what you mean. Same here.”

She made a cute sound, a quiet little ‘hmm,’ and that was when the first tear spilled out. “Alright, I’ve taken up enough of your time. I’ll text you later!!” she promised.

“Later,” he repeated, both an echo and a goodbye; and finally, blissfully, he ended the call.

...

When, when, when?!

That was supposed to be one of the sweetest moments of her young adult life, and she called on him―trusted him, even―to be happy for her. When did he get to the point where he couldn’t even do that? Instead, he recalls it now as he struggles to fall asleep, playing the memory at half-speed over and over again in his imagination, and all he does is hope.

He desperately hopes it’ll stop hurting so much.

~~~

fall for someone with the sweetest rebel heart

When he finds out he didn’t get the promotion he was vying for at work, there’s no one else’s comfort he sought but May’s.

“I’m sorry that happened, Ash,” May soothes as she rubs rhythmic circles into Ash’s back. They’re in her condo, noticeably nicer maintained than Ash’s flat, side by side on the sofa. It is the first time he’s let her touch him in weeks, and he really needs it. “At least now they know you’re interested? It might be your turn next time.”

Ash snorts but nods anyway. He’s usually the type to look at the bright side, but it would be an understatement to say that he is simply disappointed. After all the L’s he’s been taking in his personal life, he had been hoping at least something would go his way professionally.

May continues, “Just make sure not to let this setback actually set you back. Keep putting your best foot forward, and I know you’ll win those guys over… just like you did with me!” She ends with a wink, trying her hardest to inject some levity into the situation.

Just like that, Ash’s mood sours even more. “You can’t say that to me, May,” he angrily replies as he shuffles out of her hold.

“What are you talking about?” she pouts as she feebly tries to get him to lay back against the couch so that the cold air can’t get under the blanket they are sharing.

“I didn’t ‘win you over,’ clearly.” He shrugs off her touch and scoots away. He has spent so long trying to keep his bitterness inside, but he doesn’t have the emotional wherewithal to regulate himself right now. He’s tired of trying to get over things that make him upset.

May frowns, the furrow between her brow getting deeper as she sits up straight on the sofa. “Ash, why are you talking like that? I meant, like, how we became friends, obviously. I didn’t grow to love you by accident.”

Ash stands then, balling the blanket up and throwing it back on the couch. “I bet Steven wouldn’t be too happy to hear you say that.”

She follows suit, her voice elevating in volume as if to match. “I bet Steven wouldn’t appreciate being judged by someone who’s only met him once―despite my efforts otherwise, might I add.”

“I bet Steven would love to hear his girlfriend say she loves another guy.”

“I bet Steven isn’t dumb enough to think I can’t love you both.”

“You don’t love me, May!” Ash finally explodes.

He has never raised his voice like this, not to her, but he’s tired. He’s tired of loving someone he can’t have, he’s tired of hating himself for it, and he’s tired of the guilt when he takes it out on her despite all his attempts not to.

She looks like she’s torn between yelling right back or kicking him out; and before she could make up her mind, he collects himself enough so he could bring his voice down. He states simply, “Not the way you love Steven.” Not the way I love you.

He doesn’t say it, but he can tell she hears it anyway. He clears his throat and turns around, trying to hide without running away. “Hearts don’t work like that,” he murmurs into the room.

He makes to leave, but May’s hand on his shoulder stops him. She forcibly turns him back to face her, and Ash is shocked at the determined set to her face. Her eyes, bluer than a water stone and twice as powerful, hold him as captive as they always have. “You listen to me, Ash Ketchum.” Her tone brokers no argument. “If you thought for a second that I stopped loving you because I fell in love with Steven, you clearly underestimated what my heart is capable of.”

Her grip on him tightens, as if making sure he is still with her in the moment. “It’s big enough for the both of you; and if that’s not the way hearts are supposed to work, then I’ll just be the exception that proves the rule.”

She pulls him into a hug then, like locking that promise between them, and he dares let himself hope she means that.

~~~

fall for someone whose heart needs sewing up

Ash wasn’t expecting a knock on his door this late at night, and he definitely wasn’t expecting to see a beautifully made up May Maple standing in the hallway, mascara-tinged tears and runny nose notwithstanding.

"Steven is moving to Alola to support Devon Corp’s expansion," is all she said, but even that much is hard to make out through her watery voice.

The news sinks in, and Ash’s heart feels like someone moved it three centimetres to the left: still there, still functional, but not at all where he needs it to be.

"You’ve always talked about going to Alola," is the only way he could respond, thinking of all the times they’ve imagined taking a week off and vacationing in the tropical region. He won’t, can’t let himself think about anything else or else he’d break down.

In his heartbreak, he cannot recognise May's tears, which are too raw and too loud to be that of someone bearing regrettable news. These are the tears of a confused, broken heart.

"Ash, I'm not going," she sniffles, still stiffly standing outside his door. "He asked me not to."

Finally understanding that he misunderstood, Ash is even more disoriented than he was before. "Why would he do that?" he asks, obviously still trying to wrap his mind around what the hell was happening.

"I don’t know!" May yells while clenching her fists and stomping a high-heeled foot. It is the most movement she's made since he opened the door. "I demanded a reason, and he spewed nonsense at me! He said―" and she stops. Her whole body slumps back into stillness but without the stiffness of before. She continues quietly, "He said he didn’t want to see what I’d look like with my heart so far outside of my chest," like a guilty confession. Ash is at once reminded of their almost-fight a month ago, and he still isn’t sure what this all means.

He almost asks, Why wouldn’t he believe your heart was right where you were? or How capable is the human heart now? but he doesn’t.

Instead, he finally welcomes May inside. He sits her on the couch and helps her take off her heels before she wraps herself up in the blanket he keeps there―a blanket he only has, he remembers, because when she first visited his apartment, she insisted his couch needed one. She doesn’t just hold the blanket around her shoulders; she hides her entire frame within its folds. He merely sits on the couch next to the lump and places a solitary hand on top, unsure where it was resting yet hoping it is providing comfort nevertheless.

He wonders if May ever let Steven see her like this, the way she needs to shut out all stimuli as if to physically recreate her darkest moments. He wonders why he loves that she does that, even though it causes him so much selfish pain to be close enough to see her like this but shut out from her healing.

"I don’t think I have a boyfriend anymore," May says at length, voice dampened by the space and fabric between them.

It would have been the happiest news of Ash’s adult life if it weren’t for the extreme melancholy that laced her tone as she said it out loud.

He squeezes his hand into a fist on top of the blanket, his signal that he’d like to hug her if he could.

"I would have missed you if you left." Ash gives a nonsequitur-confession in response. May burrows deeper into the blankets and says nothing.

Instead, she reaches a hand out from a heretofore unseen opening in the fabric and holds on to his other hand tightly.

Ash stares at her slender knuckles, made paler from her firm grasp, and stops hoping.

He gently plies her fingers from his palm and tries not to feel guilty about the shocked, embarrassed way the hand pulls back into the blanket as he leaves her there.

The love of his life needs compassion right now. This is not his opportunity to sweep her off her feet; this is not his second chance.

He returns from the bedroom, settles back into his place on the couch, and forces May out of the blanket.

~~~

May jerks her head up, shocked and angry and still embarrassed from her rejected attempt to seek Ash’s comfort, but she is quickly mollified into confusion. The expected sight of Ash’s lit up form in his lit up living room ends up being no different from the blackness from which she thought she was rudely taken.

It is so dark under the extra, larger blanket that she can’t even see Ash’s nose even though she can sense his head is mere inches from hers.

His hands find hers in the darkness and squeeze. Relief flashes through her as she finally surrenders to the deep, thick slice of heartbreak.

May wants to see his face, but she settles for a hug.

[yukiwrites]

Sothis, Loathing

Thank you so much for the support as always, @xpegasusuniverse​! I hope you like it!

Summary: In Askr, there were many stories of Heroes who had fought against Dragons of Destructions back in their own worlds, to the point that at least one out of three people had come from a world threatened by an evil dragon. Sothis felt the presence of one tailing her as she and Byleth went to look into their circumstances...

Commission info HERE and HERE!

______________________________

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

Having a physical body was more exhausting than Sothis remembered; if she had any memories at all, though.

Not counting the pesky Golden Deer poking at her patience at every waking moment, there was also the issue of walking with your own two feet to move from place to place. Never would Sothis think that she would’ve preferred to be a non corporeal being if it meant never having to stomp her bare foot on the cold stone again.

Of course, it wasn’t as though she actually had to stomp on the floor, but not stomping wasn’t an option, especially whenever she felt irritated, so the goddess could always be seen wearing a scowl unbefitting of her small stature. She crossed her arms as she and Byleth headed to the library as it had been their custom for the past few days.

Commander Anna and the Summoner had made it seen through their actions that the books in Anna’s office weren’t privy to the heroes, so it fell on Byleth and Sothis themselves to research their circumstances. Unexpectedly enough, there were many books that hailed from Fódlan in that strange, almost mystical, library. It looked like the size of a small room from the outside, but spammed rows and more rows of bookcases as though they headed ad infinitum.

Once they entered, Byleth immediately made eye contact with Robin, the ylissean tactician.

“Oh, Byleth. Reading again today?” The white-haired man smiled politely, nodding to his fellow researcher.

“Yes. Literature from my own world hasn’t been helpful so I wanted to broaden my scope.” The Professor replied with a business-like tone, making Robin nod in agreement.

“Mhm, mhm. I, too, read many books from other worlds while looking into my own, so I can give you a few recommendations if you want?”

“That sounds wonderful.” Byleth concurred, stealing a glance at Sothis as though she was a child getting in the way of adult’s talk.

She squinted once their eyes met, as though she could read his thoughts. “Even if I possess a physical body at the moment, it does not mean that our shared mindscape is empty, you fool.” 

Perhaps it was because Sothis was a non corporeal being from the start, but Byleth found it difficult to access their mindscape once they reached Askr, so hearing her confirm that she had access to his thoughts to some degree only made his smile grow.

He patted Sothis on the head as he chatted away with Robin, picking up the tactician’s suggested books before heading to an empty table. The three of them sat there -- Byleth and Sothis on one side with Robin opposite of them -- as they discussed the similar topics of their worlds as well as other interesting connections.

Robin tried to insert Sothis into the conversation from time to time as well, but she only rolled her eyes and pretended not to hear him, wanting to have nothing to do with a conversation borne out of pity.

It’s here again, Sothis thought with annoyance as she felt a piercing gaze burn a hole at the back of her neck,. She had felt someone observing her movements the day after they had arrived, wondering what they could possibly want from a goddess that’s probably not even the one they had in their world.

Narrowing her eyes, Sothis looked back from her seat, seeing the tips of a fluttering cape -- or cloak -- disappear behind a large bookshelf.

She then jumped onto the floor from the tall chair, landing without a sound as Byleth checked on her with the corner of his eyes. She tapped on his hand before leaving, as though signaling him that she would be close.

Nodding, Byleth simply let her do as she pleased and kept talking with Robin.

The only sound following Sothis was the low hiss of her long dress dragging behind her calm yet rushed steps towards that revolting presence she had felt observe her.

The moment she reached the bookshelf, she crossed her arms and tilted her head to the side, most likely to make herself sound imposing although she could barely reach people’s chests with her short height.

“State your business at once.” Sothis commanded with the authority of a goddess towards the malevolent aura that surrounded the man Sothis had just been with back at the table: the presence wore Robin’s face and body like a cloak.

“... Why are you so chummy with your vessel?” Grima’s distorted voice sounded from deep within Robin’s throat, making Sothis narrow her eyes even more at the disturbing question. Sothis stole a glance at the table, confirming that Robin and Byleth were still chatting away.

“You are not making any sense. Vessel?” She turned her gaze to this revolting individual.

Grima, who had been slouching by the bookcase, stood straight as his scrutinizing gaze observed the little girl in front of him. “I have been watching you and your vessel for the past few days, but it is truly an incomprehensible sight, so I’ve had no choice but to ask. Why are you forming bonds with him when all you’ll do is overlap his ego with yours?”

Sothis’s eyes shook and she almost forgot how to breathe. “What manner of nonsense are you speaking of right now? It is indeed true that we are here in search of ways to separate ourselves but- for me to take over a body that isn’t mine?”

The man surrounded in a dark aura took one hand to his chin in thought as he observed the girl in silence. After a few seconds, his eyes slowly widened as though he had come to a conclusion. “You truly have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?”

“Enough with this play with words!” Sothis seethed, somehow remembering to keep her voice down despite stomping her foot hard on the wooden floor.

Shaking his head, Grima peeked at the direction of the table, watching as another vessel that was made specifically for him laughed as though his future wasn’t set in stone. He slowly opened his mouth to speak. “I, too, suffered from memory loss after taking over this body -- I still have gaps in my memory, so I’ll let you in on a good piece of information, from one god to the other: that man you’re so attached with, he’s even more twisted than this flesh I wear.” Grima placed one hand over his own chest. “You managed to make a meat-puppet that was capable of thought while infusing him with your own power as his center.”

Everything Grima said flew right over Sothis’ head, making the girl blink in confusion. However, Grima continued.

“For me to be able to inhabit this body, I had to wait a millennia for the right vessel to be born. Countless years I waited for the right combination of blood and darkness to gather in a human so I could wear him to unleash my power to the world.” Grima spoke nonchalantly, as though they were talking a stroll. A devious smirk grew on the corners of his mouth. “But this? You managed to accurately craft a jar of flesh and blood with the minimum of free will necessary to make your take over as smooth as possible. It is inspiring -- perhaps the next body I inhabit will be crafted to perfection just so I don’t have to deal with that buzzing ego that never seems to go away.”

The tips of Sothis’ fingers grew cold at the sheer absurdity of what she was hearing. Her heart beat wildly inside her chest -- something that would be impossible were it not for Askr’s magic -- which also made her recall some long lost memories.

They were simple glimpses of what once was, and immediately disappeared from her memory as she grasped them, like dust to the wind. She felt like the darkness of those who live under the ground was shaking her very being into remembering something vital to her sense of self.

Each time she saw it, she forgot it immediately. Only the vague and unsettling sense of foreboding engulfed her like a wave.

“Do not-” her voice shook, “do not compare me to servants of the darkness like you filth!” Sothis’ shoulders trembled, though not by fear nor self-preservation.

She was angry.

She was furious.

That entire speech hit her the wrong way, making the girl want to stomp on that bug who wore Robin’s face.

Grima, however, threw his head back in a low, mocking chuckle. “Servant? I am the lord. Wherever I step, darkness follows.” His sharp gaze pierced into hers, as though they shared a battle of wills.

That made Sothis open and close her fists lest she used the draconic power inside of her to obliterate that lowly being that dared to suggest that she- that she did something so inhumane!

“Besides, it is fruitless to direct your anger at me; the deed is done and the meat-puppet grew into a fine specimen ready for the overtaking.” Grima pointed at Byleth’s back, accurately pointing to the place where his heart would be. “The center of your power is there, you need simply to call upon it.”

Angry as she might’ve been, Sothis felt compelled to look at the direction the finger was pointing. She gasped once she noticed something she had never paid attention to before.

Perhaps it was because she and Byleth had shared the same body, so it was a different issue to be able to pinpoint something within one’s shared body and when looking from the outside. Sothis could see that Grima’s finger pointed straight to the center of Byleth’s body; to the place that his heart should’ve occupied.

She felt a power akin to her own in there -- no, it wasn’t merely ‘akin’, but identical! She could feel as though a piece of herself was there, right inside Byleth’s heart.

Or perhaps, it was there in place of his heart, as the core of his entire being.

When had she left that power there? Was it the reason why Byleth had been so apathetic the first time they met?

Loathe as she was to trust Grima’s words, Sothis couldn’t help but feel that what he had said was true: Byleth barely had had an ego before he started teaching. He also had the power of a god sleeping inside of him.

Perhaps the anomaly in this case was Sothis appearing in his mind instead of overtaking his body right away as Grima suggested.

She had heard about Grima from Robin during their constant meetings in the library, so Sothis was aware of how a god could descend onto a human being of their choice -- but to think that Byleth seemed like a fabricated being that would only serve as her medium to the world?

That felt wrong. No, that felt terrible.

Was Sothis this kind of person before she lost her memories? Someone so terribly calculating that they would make an entire new body from scratch and imbue it with some power before being allowed to take over it once the time came?

Sothis was confused.

She felt repulsed by Grima’s acts, but since there was not much for her to go on regarding her and Byleth’s situations since it all already happened, there was nothing Sothis could do apart from keep on researching.

Robin wasn’t even the only proof of a god descending on a human’s body in this world, either, so the more Sothis thought about it, the more sense Grima’s words made. But she refused to even think that he could have been right at some point, not wanting her own self to be someone she loathed.

Noticing the horror in the girl’s eyes, Grima simply took a few steps back to hide beneath the shadows, ever observing these new players that had come to this immense play that was the world Askr.

[devnicolee]

The Chosen Ones (7)

A/N: Enjoy! There is one chapter left, which I am really excited about :)

Warnings: Slow burn, verbal abuse (and one mention of physical abuse), angst

Word Count: 6,000 words

Pairings: M’Baku x OC 

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Asha groaned as she felt something nudging her shoulder, assuming it was M'Baku's feeble attempts to wake her up. "Five more minutes," she mumbled, her voice groggy and tired. She shifted on her side, burying her face deeper into his chest, her hand sliding across his midsection to hold onto him tighter. There was no response to her exhausted pleas for more sleep. In fact, she quickly realized that all she could hear were his loud, deep snores. Yet she still felt another more forceful nudge hit her back, forcing her eyes to pop open.

Her eyes trailed up his torso and landed on M’Baku’s face, eyes closed as he continued to sleep. Her lips curved into a content smile as she just stared at him… her boyfriend. It amazed her how far the pair had come in mere weeks… from only existing in quiet, hidden moments to being able to love each other loudly and freely. She decided to lean on his advice, not to dwell on those broader implications, the details they would have to sort out back home. She knew he already gained her sister and brother’s approval, which was all she truly cared about. But the jury was still out on the Council and her mother. Asha already had two strikes against her where the majority of them were concerned. 

It does not matter, she decided. She seceded 25 years to the will and opinion of the Council and her parents, she refused to cower or give them a day more. She worried about the other things and how to be in a successful relationship when she had no experience. But she and M'Baku loved each other and they both had the will and desire to be together. That meant they would climb any walls, weather whatever storm, and extinguish any fires this world threw at them. She finally had the person and love she prayed for every night; she would not let him go without a fight. Her thoughts were interrupted by something hitting her yet again. She frustratingly turned around to come face to face with the same black panther as last night. Inches away from her face, the panther used its nose to nudge her shoulder, a silent demand to start the day.

"Fuck!" she yelped, sitting up abruptly. She, of course, knew it meant her no harm but was also not expecting such a jarring wake up call. Her traveling companion, however, did not have this luxury. Her loud outburst immediately pushed M'Baku out of his restful sleep. Forever the warrior, he leaped out of the sleeping bag, robbing Asha of his warm body heat, and immediately raised his knobkerrie, ready to strike. He examined the cave terrain wildly, searching for an unknown threat.  

"Stand down soldier," Asha chuckled as she ran her hands through the soft, thick black fur of the now resting panther, laying down relaxed after doing their job to wake the couple up. Her heart still thumped loudly against her chest as it tried to return to its resting rate. "It woke me up and I was n-not expecting a Bast wake-up call. Sorry for screaming," she offered before standing up herself.

"Damn panthers," M'Baku mumbled angrily under his breath. But he shook off his annoyance rather quickly as Asha cleared up their makeshift camp. "What time is it?"

Asha fiddled with her beads, immediately distracted by two texts from her brother and sister. "U-u-uh just after 7. But we better get going. Brother called an emergency council meeting 2 hours before the King's Exhibition. We need to find the herbs and get back to the palace before then." The balls of light keeping them warm the night prior bounced around as the two moved about, getting ready to finish the last leg of their journey. Asha raised her hands, each instinctively moving back toward their owner as her skin absorbed them. 

"Why a council meeting?" M'Baku asked as he pulled bags of fruit out of his bag for both to munch on for breakfast and swung it back on his shoulders. 

"Well, we do not need to convince the whole country... just the Mining and Border Tribes. No need to wait for the King's Exhibition if we can avoid it. It is supposed to be a fun and joyous event, believe it or not."

The two emerged from the cave, the Panther waiting for them on the small cliff. They fell in step behind it as it led them back to their original trail. The morning air was crisp and cold, the sun peeked through the swaying tree tops giving them a sliver of light. It still didn’t look like morning on their path though, the thick forest blocked out most of the sun. The mountain had a new layer of fresh, undisturbed snow, which did not remain long as their footprints smashed through it.

"What is the King's Exhibition anyway?" Despite not following the Panther Goddess, all of Wakanda was invited to partake in the celebrations of the week-long Festival of Bast. This was to be the Jabari's first year and he planned on participating to show solidarity. However, M’Baku quickly realized he had no idea what was involved.

"Oh, it is just a show of our King's strength and prowess in battle. Really just a chance for my oh-so-humble brother to show off. He basically fights the Dora, members of the King's Guard and then any challenger from across Wakanda. But unlike Challenge Day, no one is fighting to the death. It is more of a public training session. Everyone loses to him, of course," she added. 

"What is the point of it?" he inquired, knocking some branches out of their path. 

"It shows the strength Bast gives her protector. Her power and by extension, his power to protect all of us. It is quite fun to watch, or so I have heard," she added as a caveat. Snow drifted down lightly around them from the branches and leaves above them, immediately melting to water as it connected with her clothes. 

"You have never been?" 

She chuckled, managing to keep at least some of the bitterness out of her voice. "You would be surprised at the amount of things I have never seen or done. I have not celebrated a Festival of Bast in 15 years. Though, I didn't much care to celebrate her in those later years to be honest." M'Baku glanced over at her and noticed a flicker of shame and regret passing behind her dark brown eyes. 

"Hey," he said gently, pulling on her arm to stop her. "You don't need to feel ashamed about that. You did the best you could. Bast forgives, clearly," he said, gesturing toward the panther that stopped a few feet ahead of them to wait. 

Asha nodded softly, looking up at him to find concern in his big brown eyes… concern and intense love and adoration for her. Love and adoration that made her legs grow weak and the butterflies in her stomach flutter. She couldn’t explain it but it felt like the farther they went on this journey, the easier it became to open her heart and share her soul with this gentle giant beside her. She immediately thought back to what Bast told her, how the journey of loving and accepting herself would make loving others that much easier. Bast is rarely wrong.

"Thank you. I needed to hear that... be reminded of that. T-there is just so much I would have done differently had I known what I know now… you know?" she responded as they broke their eye contact and continued uphill. Asha, being someone who did not train incredibly often, was beginning to feel the strain of this journey as the air grew thinner and the path steeper. M'Baku seemed perfectly capable and fine with the hike but she was starting to grow that uncomfortable stitch in her side that she usually got when she trained with T'Challa. 

"Yes, regrets are the price we pay for living. We all struggle with that… trust me. But it is not about how you lived before, but how you choose to live now. All those things you would do differently, you can do going forward. You have a bright future ahead, Asha. You have to just decide what you want to do with it."

Silence fell over the two; the only sounds were the soft crunch of snow beneath their boots, the random babble of animals moving through the trees around them as she contemplated his words. Asha went from having no real future at all to the one she always dreamed of. However, she now had to apply those dreams to her real life. She was no longer limited, chained in darkness with small fleeting glimpses of the sun. She was fully stepping in the light and she could finally bask in its warmth, serenity, and peace. Now that she was standing in the sun, she was not sure exactly what path she should forge. But she knew, a path without M'Baku was not a viable one. Where the light took her, she was determined to have him by her side loving and affirming her. 

The inner light now flooding Asha's life was only eclipsed by the darkness the forest plunged them in as they trekked farther up the mountainside. It was as ominous as the night before, possibly even more so since they both knew the sun was shining above the thick treetops. The rustles and chatter of the forest seemed to get louder as they went, M'Baku constantly raising his weapon and shielding Asha as if a monster was seconds away from emerging from the trees. Each step seemed to dial up the creepy meter of the whole journey, putting the two on edge. They were not deterred; at the top of this summit laid their destiny, their reason for being. They had no choice but to press forward, stomping out any anxiety or fear that tried to poke through their armor of confidence. 

"Do you like Jabariland?" M'Baku asked out of the blue.

Asha gave him a confused look from the corner of her eye, noting the way his hands fidgeted. Was he nervous? "It is gorgeous... the people were amazing. I felt more at home there... more at peace than I ever had in the Golden City. What is not to like?" 

"Yes, but could you see you-" he started to say before he cut himself off, raising his hand to stop her. The panther leading their way had stopped, halting in front of a break in the trees. Asha walked to stand behind it and saw them.

"Glory to Hanuman," M'Baku whispered, amazed that a childish dream and a hunch led them to this. The only two people in the world who could make it to this promised land. The herbs sat in the middle of the clearing, covered in thick clear ice. But nothing could diminish the distinct and almost magical purple glow of the heart-shaped herb. The purple glow reflected across the white snow as the bright sun shined down on the field, filled with more herbs than either could have dreamed of. 

"Bast... M'Baku, this is it. You were right!" Asha exclaimed, clutching his thick bicep. "W-we can save T’Challa, w-w-we can save the Black Panther." She hadn’t let herself get too attached to the idea that they were right, after all, it was a longshot. But here they were, staring their and Bast’s dreams in the face and it was glorious. 

The moment her foot connected with the hard Earth in the clearing, it started. It was soft initially, like faint distant whispers as several quiet voices invaded her ears. She pushed forward, ignoring them. Nothing would stop her now. With each inch forward, the voices grew louder and more unruly. Asha had no idea what they were saying, what they wanted. She knew it was all in her head but she understood why such a phenomenon would drive people away from this place. It was almost impossible to ignore and it was terrifying. A piercing pain started to spread through her skull as she tried to continue. Soon the pain, the symphony became too loud to ignore.  

"Ah!" she cried out as she fell to her knees, so close that a herb was within arm’s reach.

"Asha!” He had been watching from the tree with the panther and rushed forward when she hit the ground. He was at her side in record speed. He clutched her face, rotating her head in his hands as tears streamed from her eyes. He examined her head and body finding no obvious injury, realizing that the voices they were warned found their next victim. 

She whimpered slightly from the pain, unable to speak as it became too much to handle.  He felt his world crumbling at her pain and distress. He wondered if his hypothesis was wrong. Had he brought her all the way here, pumping her soul with false hope with every mile only to push her into a world of pain? 

"Asha... It's gonna be ok... Go back and I will get the herb. It is ok, you have done more than enough," he whispered, offering more encouraging words as he helped her to her feet. The pain had yet to subside, she was not sure if she had experienced agony such as this before. But as she started to walk back toward safety, the black panther, a casual and quiet guide up until this point, brandished its teeth at her and growled deeply. Its body blocked the way back toward the trees, forcing her to stay there. As if a cue, more panthers emerged from the trees surrounding them, pacing so neither could retreat. M'Baku, deciding that the sooner they had an herb in hand, the sooner they would be allowed to leave, reached to pull one out of the Earth. However, he pulled and pulled but its roots were unmovable. The ice casing around the herb was too thick to break and remove the herb from its flower and the ground was too hard to rip the flower from the soil. He tried everything he had in his arsenal while whatever magical properties inhabiting this mountain brought his all-powerful partner to her knees. 

Asha pushed through her pain and watched him struggle with the plant, a realization dawning on her. There was a reason it was the two of them and no one else. Further proof that their survival depended on each other, that their destinies were intertwined long before they knew of each other's existence. He got them here and now, she had to do her part.

"I-I h-have to melt th-th-the ice, M'Baku. W-we can’t t-take them frozen l-like… this. I c-can do it," she pushed out, her breathing labored as she tried to overcome the pain and channel her powers. 

M'Baku immediately shook his head, "Asha... you were on death's door not even a full 48 hours ago, you are not strong enough to use your powers like this yet." 

Asha shook her head, "I made it up this m-mountain. This is my purpose, I c-cannot.... I w-will not fail.” She crawled closer to the herb and sunk her warm hands into the thick snow around the herb closest to her. 

“Bast, give me strength," she whispered to herself. She closed her eyes and channeled all the fire, the heat in her being down into her palms and fingers. She imagined the field in her mind and pictured projecting that heat outward like a blanket. Her labored breathing grew as she fueled all the power in her body into the ground beneath her. the heat from her internal flame slowly melting the clear ice protecting each herb. 

Asha grew concerned, as she tried to melt all the herbs that she did not have enough energy for this task. She could feel her steam running out. Thankfully, the ice transitioned to water on the last herb just as her body grew cold, void of any flames. As soon as the last herb thawed, Asha's eyes fell closed slowly, her body slumping into the snow as her mind succumbed to the voices and tumbled into her past. 

T'Challa and Asha circled each other on a deep blue training map, the 10-year-old pushing her exhaustion aside to train with her older brother. She and T'Challa went blow for blow for a few minutes, trading hits as they danced across the training floor. She had gotten surprisingly better since they started training together, improving far more in their secret limited sessions than her actual training. She was small and quick, which helped her keep up with him even though he was clearly more skilled and stronger. 

A few minutes of skillful fighting and she found herself on her brother's back, arm around his neck holding him in a chokehold. "Yield!" she demanded playfully. 

"Never," he retorted as he flipped her over his head and forced her to the ground. He did it as slow as possible, as to not actually hurt her. She rolled on her back for a few minutes, catching her breath before standing again and starting the process over. 

Their second fight went similarly. However, Asha suddenly felt different. She felt like another energy source coursing through her veins. She figured it was merely a second wind to help her fight. It propelled her to fight harder than she usually did, forcing T'Challa to up his game. She and T'Challa circled each other before he lunged toward her again. She raised her hand to block his first attempt when he jumped back unexpectedly, dodging with grace toward the side. Bewilderment filled her eyes until she saw a line of fire separating the two siblings. 

"A- Asha... what is going on?" he asked tentatively as he pushed himself to stand.

Asha looked down at her hands to find them covered in flames. "Oh my bast!" She dropped to the ground and tried to stomp them out by banging her hands on the floor, but they wouldn't die. Her hand felt fine, she did not feel the agony of being on fire and yet she was. "T'Challa... what is happening to me??" she cried, panic setting in as she stared at this peculiarity.

"I do not know. But stay calm, I will get baba. It will be alright Asha."

Asha sunk to the ground, tears streaming down her face as she watched her hands and, unbeknownst to her at the time, her future burn right before her eyes. 

The training room dissolved, her father's office replacing it as Asha sat, hands back to normal, next to T'Challa as he tried to calm her down. He rubbed comforting circles into his young and extremely distraught sister's back as they waited for their father to speak. Her father paced by his desk, throwing agitated looks at his daughter every few minutes, making her feel as though she had done something wrong. 

"She is one of them. A mutant," he spat out with disgust. 

"So what do we do?" their mother asked quietly from the other side of the office, keeping a healthy distance from her now dangerous daughter. "You have campaigned against mutants in our borders for years. This will look like hypocrisy." 

"We do nothing," T'Chaka hissed. "We do nothing, we say nothing. No one can know about this." 

T'Challa stood, a look of disbelief painted on his face, "How do you expect to keep this a secret? She is a princess? It is not like you can just hide her away." 

"No, that is exactly what we are going to do. She almost killed you, T'Challa! Her powers are uncontrollable. We will find a way to suppress them until she is old enough to control them. Until then, she will not leave the palace," her father decided resolutely. It was not lost on Asha how they all spoke about her as if she were a mere object and not a person sitting right in front of them. 

She shared a scared look with her brother before the scene changed again. She was now sitting on her brother's bed as he prepared for his 18th birthday party. They had been laughing and joking around, until their father appeared in the doorway. 

"Yes baba?" he asked. 

"You look good, strong. Please finish quickly. It is not good to be late to a party in your honor." Asha wanted to shrink herself or have the floor dissolve her as her father's eyes scanned the room. In the last three years, she found the best way to survive in her home was to simply avoid her father at all cost. At least then, he could not verbally castigate her for merely existing. 

"Asha!" he barked, "What are you doing?" 

Asha hung her head, "I was just helping T'Challa get ready. I will go back to my room." 

He nodded, "Good. We cannot have anyone seeing you wandering around during the party. Go now." 

"Yes, baba." Asha climbed off T'Challa's bed and started to walk toward the door. "Happy Birthday, T." She gave him a tight hug and a wide smile, mainly for his benefit. She did not want him worrying about her on his big birthday and knew he was already concerned about leaving her without her only advocate when he went away for university. That smile carried her until she was out of the view of his door and down the hallway to her own room. 

 Her brother's room disappeared as an intense argument in the royal gardens formed, Asha face to face with Hasani.

“What is the issue? It is just a date outside this Bast forsaken palace?" 

An adult Asha tried to let him down easy, gave all the excuses her father outlined for her and he refused to accept any of them. It was almost as if he wanted to catch her in a lie. "I cannot leave. I would feel more comfortable if we just stayed in." 

"No! I want to go on a real date outside of this palace. Today!" he demanded rudely. Asha scoffed silently. She knew the courting dates were part of the royal deal, her dad's attempt to pawn her off on someone else. However, she did not need to put up with another verbally abusive man in her life, her father was more than enough. 

"Perhaps we should just chat another day? You seem upset, Hasani and I do not wish to upset you further. You know your way out, yes?" she said politely, deciding to deescalate the situation before it grew out of control. She turned away from him slightly, preparing to walk out of the gardens. 

"No!" A hand enclosed around her wrist and yanked her back. His grip was so tight that Asha knew a bruise would blossom on her wrist later. 

"Hasani, you are hurting me! Let me go!" she whispered, trying to avoid a scene as she failed to tug her hand out of his grip. She looked around for a passing Dora, cursing herself for telling Alexis that she did not need to watch over her during this date. She could feel the Panther beating against its cage, determined for release as someone attacked its owner. Even with the rings donning each of her fingers, she knew the flames were growing to uncontrollable levels. "Hasani, I do not want to hurt you, please let me go!" she begged, knowing that this was not headed in any good direction. 

He scoffed, "What could you do to hurt me?" 

As if on cue, sparks flew out of her hands, one hitting him right on his wrist causing him to jump back several feet. Fire shot out of her extended hand, drawing a line between them to protect her. 

"W-w-what the fuck? I-I knew you weren't sick!" he cried, outraged. 

Asha's hands clamped over her mouth in shock as she tried to approach him and make this right. "Hasani, please! I-it is not what it looks like!" But it was too late, he was off, Asha knew, to tell his mother who was meeting with her father in his office. She took off running after him, knowing that whatever happened next... she would certainly pay for this. 

She was back in her father's office, Asha arguing with her father who refused to listen. "But I do not love him, baba! And he doesn’t love me! H-he hates me! H-he treats me horribly. You cannot expect me to marry him!" 

"I don't particularly care if you love him or not. Sometimes arranged marriages are a necessary part of being royalty. You were the fool that showed your… disease to him. These are the consequences."  

Asha threw up her hands, anger causing tears to stream down her face as she defended herself for the 100th time for the incident that thrusted her into this mess. She shared an exasperated glance at her brother and sister, the only two people who were ever on her side. "It was an accident, baba! I swear." 

She knew she messed up, she regretted it everyday but she didn’t deserve this. She especially didn’t deserve the bloodied cut and bruise on her face, the reason her brother dragged her to her father’s office to demand the engagement be called off. It took Asha, Okoye and three other Dora to pull T’Challa off Hasani after he happened to walk in on an argument between the couple right as the back of Hasani’s hand connected with Asha’s cheek. It was the first time he had ever done such a thing and Asha knew it would be last since her brother made it clear he would not live to tell the tale if he touched her like that again. 

"Sometimes I think you are determined to destroy this family and everything I built," he said as he settled behind his desk. "It is like you do not care if this family survives."  

If he had slapped her in the face, that would have been less painful. "How could you say that?" she whispered, the hurt clear in her words. 

"Baba! Please!" T'Challa said, no longer a young boy now but a grown man who refused to let anyone, even his beloved baba, attack his sister. He pushed Asha behind him as if he could act as a physical barrier between her and their father's verbal abuse. He, of course, knew it was too little too late to protect her from him but he tried to mitigate where he could. "Asha is not trying to destroy us by refusing to marry an abusive man. You did not hear the way he spoke to her. Why would you want her to marry a man who cares so little for her? Who is blackmailing our family into it? He has already proven that he has no self-control or respect for her. If you think those bruises were a one-time incident, you are mistaken. These lies have gone far enough, it cannot be worth it anymore." 

"Enough!" King T'Chaka yelled, silencing his disobedient and reckless children. "T'Challa, you will stay out of it. You will be king one day but that is not today. And Asha, you will marry Hasani. You are lucky I was able to find this man for you. He is of royal blood, far better than you could have hoped for. Now, T'Challa and I will be leaving for Sokovia in a week's time. I suggest you take that time to accept this. I will not have this conversation with you again." 

Asha nodded softly, her "Yes baba" so despondent and quiet that it broke T'Challa's heart. She shrugged off his comforting hand from her shoulder and raced out of the room. Asha rarely left her dad's office without tears clouding her vision, today was no different. 

Asha woke among the dirt and swaying grass of the Ancestral Plane. Her second visit was far less confusing, almost as if she expected it. Bast did say she would see her again so she supposed this was that time. And this time, she knew she was not actually dead, which offered a small comfort. 

She stood up and dusted the dirt off the long white dress with gold trim now hanging over her shoulders. Her bare feet sunk into the soft dirt as she walked toward a tree overflowing with black panthers. She did not need prompting, did not need Bast to lead her way. The path, the course forward, who she needed to speak to was as clear as day. She did not get very close before one jumped down from a high branch and landed in front of her. 

Baba, she thought to herself. Sure enough, she watched as the panther quickly turned into a man... her father. 

The two simply stood there, feet apart and stared at each other. He looked smaller than he did in life. He was never a big person, but his presence made up for what he lacked in stature... strong and intimidating. She never got to see the gentle King everyone else adored and worshiped. She had always only gotten the worst of him. She could not deny the small part of her that was filled with the urge to rush forward and hug him, the part that was still desperate for his approval and his love. But the larger part forced her feet to stay planted like a tree firmly in the same spot. She expected there to be more resentment toward him. What once was a burning inferno seemed more like a small contained fire, still present and noticeable but not all consuming.

"Why are you here... again?" he asked. 

"That seems to be a question for Bast, not me... I found a new garden of the Heart-Shaped Herb and when I thawed it, I passed out. And I guess she brought me here." 

"You found a new garden?" He did not even try to hide the surprise in his voice. 

Asha scoffed, bowing her head slightly, turning away from him to study the horizon and the pale yellow and orange sky. "Always a tone of surprise. Apparently, Bast doesn't hate me or my kind as much as you did." 

"I never hated you Asha." 

"Really? You could have fooled me. 15 years... 15 years, you treated me like a prisoner, like I was nothing to you. If you did not hate me, you certainly didn't love me. It does not benefit either of us to pretend otherwise," she added coldly. If she was going to speak to him, it would be rooted in honesty, not historical fiction to sugar coat his actions simply because he died. 

"I did not know how to deal with a child who was more powerful than I. Bast told me you were destined for great things and I refused to believe it. I was so obsessed with the mantle of King that I lost sight of... well, everything. I have had much time to think since being here." 

"Yes, I would imagine death gives you all the time in the world to contemplate your failings," Asha responded, that small fire of resentment showing in her words, regardless of how she tried to contain it. The beautiful and serene terrain of the Planes did nothing to counter the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. She did not know what she expected from a conversation with her father but this was lacking. But she wondered if every conversation would; after all he could not come back from the dead and redo her childhood. His damage was set in stone and no words would fix it. 

"What will you do now?" 

"I will take the herb down the mountain and save your golden son and your tribe from being uprooted. That is all T'Challa and I seem to do lately, save our country from your failures. I will save your country, as Bast destined it. And then, I will find my place in that country, the place you selfishly denied me for decades," Asha responded. 

T'Chaka nodded sadly, "Can you forgive me? I was not perfect in life. I made so many mistakes that forced you and T'Challa down paths that almost led to Wakanda's destruction. If I could go back, if I could have a chance at life anew, I would do so much differently. I did not hate you, I hated your powers and what they represented. But for you, I am sure that distinction means little. I failed you as a father... I failed you as your King and unfortunately, my realizations came too late. I can't fix it; I can't make it up to you. But I can apologize… and I am so sorry. Truly." 

Asha did not hate her father, that was true. She did not know if she loved him either. But she had finally lost almost all the anchors of her past life, this was the final one. No amount of harbored resentment would fix his mistakes. Hating him until the end of her days, refusing to forgive until she was in a tree in the Planes next to him would not give her the life and childhood she desperately had wanted and deserved. She knew she needed to learn how to move on, to stop being weighed down by the past. She did not need to love her father to forgive him. She could not carry this pain, this resentment into her new life. She deserved to be light, not weighed down by someone else's failures and insecurities.

"A king who admits his faults? Quite the rarity." She refused to look at him, still studying the horizon, "You know I used to pray to Bast to take my powers, take my life, take everything so that you could love me. So that you could look at me as you looked at T'Challa and Shuri, with love, adoration, and hope. I wanted that so bad for so long that it almost killed me. Everyday felt like a festering wound that just would not heal. Your ego allowed me to wake up every day without hope, without light. Y-you caused that and, to be honest, I never thought I could forgive you for it. For planting seeds of hatred so deep in my heart that I started to believe them to be my own thoughts, my own insecurities." 

She turned to face him finally, "But I cannot live that way anymore. I have finally started to uproot those weeds and my soul is so light," Asha sighed as tears sprung to her eyes, "that sometimes it feels as though I could fly away. I will never again be weighed down by the hatred you sowed nor the hatred your actions sowed in me for you. I will never feel for you as your other children do, but I do not need to hate you. I appreciate your apology and I forgive you."

 "Thank you. I wish I could be there... to see the new garden," he whispered. "I wish I could be there to right so many wrongs." 

"You are right where you need to be, T'Chaka," an angelic voice interrupted. They both turned to find Bast behind them. T'Chaka bowed slightly, stepping aside so the Goddess could approach. Asha stood tall as Bast stood directly in front of her, her face beaming with pride and joy. 

"So, you solved my riddle?" Bast asked. 

"Yes, but you couldn't have made it easier?" 

"Well... There is just no fun in that. I am so proud of you, Asha. You fulfilled your destiny and Wakanda's future, that was once destroyed, is now like that garden: overflowing and teeming with life and hope. That is because of you and Lord M'Baku. Now I have a few final requests of you before you return to your life, if you do not mind?" 

Asha raised her eyebrow, knowing the only acceptable answer was yes. She just nodded and waited for Bast to proceed. 

"One, keep the Garden where it is. There will be a desire to move them to the Hall of Kings. But that mountain will serve as the bridge that connects the Jabari to Wakanda and the Black Panther. It must stay where it is to thrive. Two, you are learning about your powers, finally understanding and controlling them. Do not let another living soul limit them again. Three, love is overflowing in your life. It has not always felt like it, I know, but I hope you feel it now. Do not lose sight of the love you have, the family you have, as you settle into the mountains with your new one. There is space for it all." 

Asha wrinkled her nose, laughing lightly. "Family in the mountains? M'Baku and I certainly are not there yet. Besides, I still need to find my place here." 

"Of course... your place in Wakanda just may have a bit colder climate than you think, Asha Udaka," Bast mused. "It is time to go now. I expect I will not be seeing you again until your life has run its course, but worry not. You have a long and vibrant life ahead surrounded by those you love and who love you immeasurably." 

Bast wrapped Asha into a hug so loving, so tender that only a Goddess could conjure such a thing. So much waited for her on the other side, and for the first time, she could not wait to get back to them. 

***

Tag List: @destinio1 @muse-of-mbaku @jellybean531 @skysynclair19 @ashanti-notthesinger @gloriousgam3r @archivistofwakanda @leahnicole1219 @mygirlrenee @dramaqueeenamby

[danddymaro]

My Win | Bucky Barnes x Reader

I’d like to imagine her Suit to be something like Ghost (from Antman And the Wasp) I can’t be the only one that thought she was majorly badass as fuck, right?

Flashbacks are in italics : Example

Thoughts are italics  in quotes : ‘Example’

Wordcount:  4520 

Based During Civil war and afterwards.

My Win 

The sound of frothing, scalding water emitted from the ground as black ink began to manifest over the surface, forming a figure that bubbled into a barely recognizable humanoid form.

Startled, the two elder males stared at the bizarre oddity as the younger one took quick action, having moved far before the phenomenon had occurred.

Peter cried out in surprise, leaping up high and holding onto the ceiling with two slung out webs clutched in each hand, releasing a heavy, jolted breath as he sprung to safety. His arachnid senses spiked, and true to the creature he named himself after, he secured himself with caution from the hot zone as he felt a rise of danger and forbidding.

Something seemingly sinister arose from the ground's surface and a feeling of alarm struck the youth, making him recall every single horror movie he’d sat through, momentarily regretting ever having put himself through the thrilling torture.

‘Monsters aren't real,’‘ he contemplated, ‘...But wait...aliens are...so wouldn’t they be real too?’ His inward voice argued back, causing his thoughts to mash together.

With a dark mist still oozing out from it, the appearing body stood motionless at first, hidden eyes observing the two older men with sharp interest.

Parker swallowed down hard, gathering up all his confidence before deciding to speak, forcing out the words, “So...So...You're not here after me?... right?” he asked shakily, getting a declining nod at his question from the mysterious being.

“I'm here for...

winter soldier,” it said lowly, voice distorted by the mask worn on its face. With a pointed finger aimed at the long-haired brunette, it turned over and signaled him to come towards it with patient, slow curls of its index.

“ come to me...Winter Soldier,” it said as it fizzled out his name like a speaking serpent, urging him to step forward into a vice hold.

Cautiously, Barnes stared at the signaling hand that slowly wagged it’s finger at him as though he were a trained dog.

With his feet firmly planted to the ground, he tightened his fists, feeling his heart grow anxious, feeling it grow heavier than it had already been.

The sentiment traveled from him and struck the masked figure with full force. Stopping the louring motion abruptly, the enigmatic being left stunned instead,

‘I can feel sorrow not grown from my chest... but all the same, it’s nested within me.’ (f/n) thought to herself, all whilst hiding her true face of growing sympathy behind her mask. Her hands both traveled up to hover over her chest, wanting to calm her lamenting heart’s ache, but knowing it was futile because it hadn’t come from her to begin with.

“ One of you has a great burden,” She murmured, the sound coming out as wicked as before, and instead of the soft words, distorted hissing was released out for others to hear.

‘For me to be able to sense it…’ She added silently, knowing her empathy wasn’t a strong gift of hers. In fact, she wouldn’t have known she had such a talent, if not for the scarce moments in her past she’d unknowingly utilized it.

With slow steps ( f/n) walked towards the metal armed man, her eyes focused on him only. cocking her head to the side she looked towards him, her eyes fixed on his, peaked with curiosity.

‘Could it be him?’ she wondered, eyeing the man with uncertainty.

It couldn’t be , right?

“I need you to take him down,” Tony told her, “ Nothing else but bring him in, understand?” he told her firmly, and with a short nod, she agreed, accepting his proposition.

She wanted to use her powers for good… Redeem herself.

“Oh..” he added, stopping her before she drew further from him, “ And watch out for the kid would you ?” he told her.

“ Kid?” she asked him with confusion, “You have a child fighting your battles for you,” she said lowly, her (e/c) eyes glaring at him with frost.

Dragging his hand over his face he gave a low, frustrated sigh, “ In Case you forgot Cap is a handful himself, he can take down an entire army without a sweat,” he told her, “ And his little buddy is even worse, “ He told her.

“Oh, and do I need to remind you Maximoff is off with them? So keep your guard up with her,” he warned her, “Unfortunately, you’ve already witnessed the collateral she can do, and that's unintentional...” he muttered.

“Needless to say, I need every bit of help I can,” he told her with a tight smile.

“The kid is capable, I'm just asking for you to have his back… “ he told her,  "He’s not there for anything else besides restraining Barnes. So if you see him struggling, jump in , ok ?” he asked.

With a strained smile of her own, she agreed, “Very well,” She sighed.

Had it been anyone else she would have opposed. But she knew Stark. She trusted him and his judgment.

After all...if it hadn’t been for him she wouldn’t have the moment to pick sides.

She wouldn't have a choice of free will…

‘Could your heart be so drowned in such suffrage, you reached out to me?’ She wondered, shaking her head of the thought.

‘No...of course not…’

That couldn't be...

“This is your final offer,” she urged him, her steps quickening to come closer to him, but he refused, instead charging himself towards her, his eyes fixed on solely her.

“I’ll take this one,” Barnes told Sam, already moving to confront the new opponent, leaving the other man to keep his eyes trained on the teen instead.

As his hand flew towards the masked being, It was captured within her gloved hand, a mist of dark smoke emitting from her arm, dividing in two. It began to circle his wrist, crawling up his arm like small, twin snakes aimed right at his neck.

His eyes grew wide as he watched the strange occurrence and he began to retract his still balled fist, feeling a resisting opposition hold him back towards the enigmatic being, refusing to give in to his force whether it came straight towards her or drew back.

An echoing tisk came from his opponent and he felt his pride get stomped on yet again, as well as rising panic at the strange vapor coiling around him.

“ Again...” he said lowly, a hiss coming from him as he looked straight forth to where the stranger’s eyes would be located, glaring at the cloaked figure with aggravation,

‘First that damned kid… and now this...this thing!’ He thought with dismay.

“ I don’t even know what to call that,’ He added lowly while eyeing the being.

“ wow, really impressive there…” Sam said flatly, seconds before being shot with a sticky web and flying back to the wall behind him, bouncing off of the hard structure with a wheeze.

“Shut up and take care of that damn kid!” Bucky snapped, deciding to lunge forward, jerking his shoulder, his entire body shooting right towards the opposing force instead, following up by a brutish strike from his forehead.

Immediately, his tightened fist was released and the cloaked figure stumbled back, feet struggling to maintain balance from the sudden headbutt.

“IM TRYING!” Sam huff out as he attempted to wiggle out from the sticky strings of white snugly tightened around his upper body. “... it's just so damn hard when everyone has a stupid gimmick now!” He cried out, the force of his mechanical wings finally tearing through the restraint.

Once again he was up, taking air and focusing himself onto the young, talkative boy as he continued to jabber on during the battle.

For a fraction of a second, his espresso colored eyes strayed over to Barnes, just on time to see him get a good upper hand on his opponent, leaving him confident to keep the boy in his center of attention.

With repeated strikes to the lower ribcage on each side, Bucky attacked Stark’s ally, executing a final uppercut before sending his metal arm to sling forward, right at the center of (f/n)’s face, causing her to fall back, her body sliding across the ground as it landed.

Groaning, (f/n) arched her back, rolling over to the side with a harsh intake of breath as Bucky came to step onto her stomach.

Fortunately for her, her quick reflexes made him miss, getting nothing but ground and small debris.

Taking advantage of his misconnection she swung her entire arm, the balled fist she formed catching the back of his knee and making him fall to the ground as well. However, to her frustration, he managed to pin her down, his stronger arm falling far behind him to once again strike her masked face.

Cursing under her breath she turned her head to the side, tearing away the bothersome cover from over her face with a frustrated cry.

With a harsh breath, she snapped her face back to look up at him as he was ready to deliver another strike, her (e/c) colored eyes hardened with resolve, willing to take the strike head-on, but only with the promise of vengeance.

However, at the sight of her, he stopped his balled fist loosening,

“You're... a girl ?” he said airily, surprised at the face before him, the same one that had been blessed by feminine beauty. With complete awe his eyes strayed towards her (e/c) colored eyes, feeling himself go nearly weightless as a result of their bewitching nature.

Her lips were parted with a small ‘o’ being visible, her eyebrows raised high in shock. Long, dark lashes fanned over her face as she blinked at him with surprise, stunned as he stopped, not having expected the action.

She had been motionless at first, stuck like he was until she took notice of the look of shock on his own face. It was then that her expression began to change before his eyes.

Her (e/c) eyes peppered with little twinkles and she held back her laughter, which had been successfully calmed into a small, suppressed giggles, leaving him even more stupefied.

She took advantage of his memorization and switched their positions, leaving him to be captured beneath her instead.

His arms were spread out, held down by their wrists by the same power she had demonstrated before, leaving him completely defenseless,

“Are you afraid of me?” she asked him softly, a sweet tone fired directly at him, coated with sickly sugar. Both her hands cupped his cheeks, gently caressing them before crawling down to his neck.

He could feel his skin riddled with small risen bumps, and he swallowed down hard,

“James...Don’t fear me,” she said with the same saccharine tone, her eyes glowing, illuminated like a feline in the night.

And it seemed as though behind her (e/c) eyes a flashlight was set off, glowing magnificently.

'Could it be he's more afraid of me like this?' She asked herself.

He felt a ghastly grip coiling around his neck, shutting out the oxygen supply from reaching him, causing him to panic.  fighting her back, he managed to push her off,  immediately jumped back from her, hacking and clawing at his neck to feel nothing there.

With a foxy smirk she stared him down, watching him step back from her with cautionary steps like she had become some disease-riddled fiend, and one-touch from her would make him drop dead.

He seemed to be more afraid of her now than before when she had seemed like a monstrous entity, as each step she took towards him, he withdrew himself further by three.

‘ Because I'm a girl…? Is that why?’ she asked herself amused. ‘ That’s really cute…’

“ Oh I see…” she murmured, getting a better understanding, “ Don't tell me it hurts your pride ?” she said cooing at him, teasing him as her smirk grew into a toothy grin.

She showed him all her teeth, grinning at him like a Cheshire cat, all too entertained by the look of shock still plastered over his face, and moreso by the obvious effect of her inquiry.

He shut his mouth, holding back any remark he had because he wouldn’t dare satisfy her.

She wanted to play mind games with him, and he wasn't going to allow himself to be used again… not ever.

Admittedly it had stung at his pride, pinned under a pretty girl and getting his ass handled by some kid that sounded like he had yet to hit puberty earlier on,

So yeah...maybe he was bitter about it.

Her (e/c) colored eyes dashed towards her side to find a small chunk of cement, and with a swing to her right arm, she coated it in her dark power, chucking it towards him.

However,  with a quick defensive maneuver, he lifted his arm in front of him, his metallic forearm taking the strike head-on and saving the rest of him from severe damage.

Seeing him deflect her attack smoothly , she huffed, annoyed.

“This ends now,” She said lowly, finding no enjoyment in the prolonged quarrel.

Her body then began to levitate from the ground, ‘ I’ve wasted too much time,’ She thought with annoyance, no longer finding enjoyment in the matter, knowing that letting it go on any further would be a mistake.

She drew her arms up, rising far above her head and cutting through the air. “ No hard feelings,” she said under her breath, lifting her eyes to the two men in her vision.

Bucky was still on the ground, getting up from one knee, and as for Sam, he was hovering above his companion, scanning Peter through his eye-wear to try and find a loop somewhere.

“Move out of the way kid,” she said addressing Peter, who quickly leaped to her side, standing on top of the broken rubble, huddling close to the cracked wall. “Yes mam, “ he said landing, standing at full length and staring in wonder as he saw everything before him coated with a layer of dark ink.

“That's so cool,” he said breathlessly, his brown eyes growing large beneath his mask. He itched to touch the strange coating, his fingers twitching in wonder, wanting to know how the strange aura would feel at his own hand but held back from doing so.

Looking to her side secretly, she gave the faintest smile, melted by the youth’s astonishment,

‘He really is just a kid…’ She thought to herself.

She had been told he was just a teenager, a young boy still, something she had skepticism in.

‘ Stark’s an idiot...’ She thought with a shake of her head.

The kid had no business messing with problems he didn't know about… but then again…

‘ So am I… Because this isn't  any of my business either.’

She began to lift up all of the broken rubble and objects scattered around the bit fo area, taking in a harsh breath, feeling herself strain.

'I have to make it count,'

She was then ready to strike, but Falcon flew towards her, spearing her right at her midsection, and making her fly back, the breath being knocked out of her. His arms began to circle around her, planning to slam her down when Parker intervened.

With a web sticking towards Sam’s back,  pulling him away with all his strength, Spiderman sent the soaring man flying the opposite direction, effectively tying him up in the process.

Moving quickly, he swung towards the woman, shooting out a web to stick to the center of her chest before she collided with the hard ground,

“ I've got you!” he exclaimed, pulling her up towards him, bringing her close to his own body, arm wrapping around her and securing her in a tight grip,

"Pretty good huh?" he asked her, receiving an appreciative nod. "A quick thinker," she said truthfully.

“Nice," he muttered, " So...could you put a good word in for me for mister Stark?” he asked her as he shot out another web, “ it’s just..I’ve really got to impress him,” he added with small hope, embarrassed to ask such a thing and with a strong heave she hung her head,

“Sure kiddo,” she said sighing, relieved to have been saved from the nasty fall.

Just then a small, red mechanism shot towards them. Instantaneously, they both caught sight of it, but all too late.

The arm that had secured a web to the ceiling was captured and tied by redwing as it continued to fly out, dragging the two along with it.

They both hollered as they were chucked outside, shooting out from the building and dropped immediately afterward.

Her eyes bugged, and frantically she clawed at the air, only to find herself falling further.

‘calm down, calm down, calm down, calm down!’ She repeatedly told herself, taking in a deep breath, vapor seeping out from her entire body, slowing her fall.

She gave a sigh of relief before she remembered the other falling person at her side, “ The boy!” she exclaimed, shooting out her hand to him, also coating him in the strange aura, “ I've got you Spiderboy!” she said with a happy smile, straightening herself out, her feet stretched out beneath her for when she landed safely.

Together they descended like falling snowflakes, worry-free of harsh impact,

“It's actually spiderman,” he said sheepishly, waving his hands up and down, wiggling his legs back and forth too, feeling weightless.

“So," he started, " The powers," he added, interested in what amazing event brought them forth.

“I was just born weird... normal mom, normal dad,” she said chuckling, taking notice of how his shoulders slumped in disappointment.

“You?” she said interested, truly peaked with interest as to how he came about his own powers,

"Is it you, or the suit,?" She asked him.

"It's me," He replied, “They came from a Radioactive spider when it bit me” he answered her with a shrug as though it wasn’t impressive which would be far from true.

"Radio-active spider…" she muttered dumbly.

‘How bizarre…’ She thought to herself.

“I’m so sorry, I didn't ask for your name!” he said with worry.

“(f/n) (l/n),” she said welcomely, but he crossed his arms, and though she couldn't see it, he pouted.

“What's wrong?” she asked him.

"I didn't think you'd give me your actual name," he admitted with disapproval, “ Don’t you go by something cooler?” he asked her, making (f/n) repeatedly blink at him with a blank expression. “I should have one...shouldn't I ?” she asked with amusement, chuckling.

“Later on you can help me out, deal?” she asked him, and with a crudely performed salute, he agreed, “ Awesome! I already have a couple in mind!” he told her.

“ Then let’s save that for later, right now we’ve got to go kick some butt,” she told him, forming a tightly balled fist, jutting it up into the air.

Unfortunately, Rogers had fled, taking the wanted man along with him, the (h/c) haired woman left huffing, annoyed due to their earlier encounter.

............................................................................................................

( A Couple of years after)

With a deadpan expression, she set her eyes forward, not actually staring at anything in particular, instead just avoiding looking at the man that fell into step beside her.

“Come on Doll, after all that talk before, now you've got nothing to say?” he asked her, chuckling.

“ I knew you were a sore loser, “ she started, “ but a sore winner too?” she said with flattened astoundment, gazing her eyes over to him to see that darned grin of his as he maintained his attention towards her and moreso her obvious annoyance.

“Me, a sore loser?” he asked her, snickering, “ I Don’t recall a time you have ever had me beat,” he said shrugging.

Raising her brow, she began to grow a haughty smirk, “Did you really just say that Barnes?” she challenged him.

‘You're just begging for it,’ She thought with amusement.

"I didn't stutter," he said with an eye roll. " Or did I ?" He added.

"Oh… Ohohoho," she began to laugh, waiting to settle down from her chuckle before she put him down.

“Say, Buck,” She started, “ Remember when I beat you up?” She said with complete seriousness.

And at the mention, Bucky immediately settled down from his earlier merriment and prepared himself for a loaded serving of humble pie.

Slowly, (f/n) lost her composure. Laughing jovially, she held her stomach as the soreness from her earlier workout strained her.

Bucky could run faster than her all he wanted, and pick on her all he wanted afterward as well, but the win she had on him that day she met him would always be on the scoreboard, carved into it to always remain.

Grumbling he crossed his arms, “You didn't beat me up,” He argued with a flat look, staring dead at her with steel-cut eyes, and it tickled her even more to see him practically pouting.

The grown man was pouting like some cute, little baby...

“What happened to not being a sore loser?” She said giggling, shoving him aside and moving along with a perky walk. “I just knew you'd get all pouty and in denial,” she added, making sure he heard her, despite their growing distance.

“ Oh! And then before that you had your run-in with Petey,” She added, making sure to remind him of that fail too. Spinning on her heel to walk backward, she focused her eyes on him,

 “I saw him manhandle that itsy bitsy punch of yours.” she tisked, loving the growing distraught on his face.

He gaped for a few moments before shutting his mouth and glancing at his side in a scorned manner,

“ Doesn't ring a bell. “ He said under his breath, glowing red at the recollection.

Possibly one of the most embarrassing moments of his life was having some 15-year-old brat cancel him out so easily, and then on top of that throw him around a couple of times for good measure.

“Did... Not... happen,” he claimed.

The sound of crunching ground was heard coming closer as their dark-skinned friend finally caught up to them, having been pushed aside by the two earlier on as they had a childish race to finish their afternoon run.

Truth be told, the only reason (f/n) even caught up to Bucky was because she flew through the last few laps.

It technically counted…

' The deal was to finish the rounds,' she defended herself. Because nothing was said about not running them, the deal was to just pass them.

“ Oh no, he’s pouting again,” Sam said while calming down his breathing, coming to match the other two's calm pace.

Nodding (f/n) confirmed it, “Say… you were there too Sam, remember when I kicked Bucky's ass?” she asked.

Sam started speaking, about to leave his poor boy in shame when he was cut off by a quick elbow to the rib, not hard enough to break anything, but enough to leave him behind.

'Not now.' Bucky thought to himself, shooting a grimacing side glance at the hurt male.

Hissing Sam doubled over, being left behind by the walking pair yet again. “Real mature!” he said out loud, deciding to rest on the concrete ground.

His legs hurt, his muscles had begun to ache and on top of that the metal armed baby decided to hit him.

"I need a break," he grumbled.

(F/n) gave him a quick glance back, craning her neck to look behind Bucky to where Sam sat and shook her head, sighing as she redirected her attention back to Bucky.

“You're such a diva. “ she commented, rolling her eyes for good measure.“Is it so hard to admit I beat you up?”She asked him.

“You didn't beat me up!” he insisted. “ last I remember I had you down on the floor, remember that?” He asked her, making her stare at him with confusion, one she exaggerated and faked of course,

“ Doesn't ring a bell,” she said shrugging,” Not in a million years,” she challenged him, before he used one of his legs to make her stumble.

He seemed to dip her low before falling with her, supporting himself on a knee at first.

She landed safely as one of his hands stayed behind her head and wide-eyed she looked up at him as he sat on top of her.

“I remember it went something like this,” he told her, smirking.

“Remember me?” He said holding her down, smirking at the vexed expression she gave him, her teeth bared as she pressed them tightly together.

“ What's the matter doll? Don't tell me it hurts your pride.” he sang, glaring down at her with the same boastfulness she had shown him earlier.

His two hands gripped her wrists, holding her down with the point of his nose grazing over hers.

“Or Are you afraid of me?” he added tauntingly.

“You have some nerve,” she said lowly, not backing down from his stare-down.

Keeping her eyes on him she melted into the ground, her body turning into dark mist and escaping .

Oh, it made her heart race, remembering just how he held her down, thinking about it as he did the same during the present time,

“Fine,"  she muttered, “just get off,” She said huffing. “You proved your point,” she added, giving in easily, her will to fight him back sucked out of her.

Her quick submission made him grow suspicious and before long he grew to understand why,

“Hold on...wait…” he said softly, “ Are you being shy?” he said surprised, raising his two brows up high and grinning wildly at the discovery that she could actually glow so brightly, and in such an adorable manner.

It wasn’t like her to be so off guard, much less cave in so easily.

Heck, she was like a mule sometimes , hardheaded and stubborn.

An admirable trait on some days, absolutely annoying on others.

As he asked her that , she grew even more flustered, “Roll your big ass off me now!” she screeched, pushing him away, repeatedly shooting her palms straight towards his chest to get him off.

“Oh your so cute, “ he said laughing. “...But if you really wanted me off, you would have just done it already, like before,” he commented, coming down closer to her, making her face glow darker with rouge.

“Face it...you like it when I'm right here ... on top of you.” He said lowly. 

“Barnes… I'll make sure you lose that other arm of yours, “ She threatened him.

“You’re so cute,” he said dismissing her vicious warning, looking down at her with a sweet smile.

“I’m being serious,” she said gruffly. "I'll tear it clean off," she added.

"I know, and I love that," He replied back, causing her flustered state to rise.

Now a long way from them Sam rolled his eyes, cupping his hands over his mouth, “ Get a room you two!” he said out loud, before beginning to stand.

"So..." Bucky said suggestively, causing (f/n) to chuckle,

"You wanna go-"

"Shut up," she huffed, interrupting him.

[rohad93]

Sea Glass - Chapter 1 A Bellow diamond Pirate AU

The gentle rocking of the ship made all the glass bottles and knickknacks clack together quietly on their shelves, a constant and soothing background noise over the sound of the sea and the gulls outside her window.

The storm they had been sailing through for the last three days had finally passed over and they could finally pull into port to restock their supplies and go ashore. They had cut it a little too close on their last trip and she was going to correct that this time, she’s already made some allowances in their rations. 

Captain Marigold ‘Yellow Diamond’ stood, leaning over her desk, scouring the contents of the map. She was already plotting their next course, her compass moving slowly and deliberately along a newly marked path across the map. 

If they left the port by mid-morning tomorrow, the wind would be pushing from the perfect direction to take them just where they needed to be.  

A lone independent merchant ship carrying precious metals and silk was set to sail for Caracas in the morning from St. Lucia; they were going to take it. She already had a buyer for all the silk. The metal would be easy enough to sell in the markets of Aruba.   

Rolls of parchment sat on her desk, carefully rolled up and set off on either side of the map, several star charts she had been consulting, and some letter that needed to be mailed off while they were in port. She moved them into envelopes and sealed them with the nearby candle, pressing her signet ring into the soft, red wax.  

Straitening up, she rolled her shoulders and grumbled at the stiffness that had settled in her neck. She moved to the large wooden wardrobe and threw open the doors and pulled off the grubby gray shirt she had been wearing while doing chores around her quarters and pulled out the freshly washed white one, its newly starched sleeves were too puffy for her but the coat would fix that.

Strapping her pistol and saber around her waist, she pulled on the black and gold-trimmed long coat, stuffing the sealed letters into her pockets as she strutted past her desk, boots thumping rhythmically on the floorboards. She whipped the tricorne hat off the hook by the door and situated it carefully over her short flaxen locks as she stepped out onto the deck. 

The bright sun overhead made her squint as she walked across the deck, several deckhands nearby saw her and shouted greetings.

“Pulling into port now, Cap’n” A voice called from the rigging above. She only nodded, watching as the shore grew closer. The golden flag a lightning bolt emblazoned in the middle flapped in the wind. 

She looked carefully over the ships pulled into port and felt her shoulders loosen up when she didn’t spot the one she was looking for.

Small miracles.

“Jasper, take some of the crew and restock all the things on this list.” She handed a rolled-up bit of parchment over to her first mate. “We need to be prepared for the voyage to Caracus.  

“Aye, Cap’n” The large sailor hurried off with the list as some men lowered the gangplank onto the pier. She stopped at the top and turned to face the ship, most of her crew watching her as they worked.

“I want this ship scrubbed from stem to stern by sundown, then to the tavern!” 

“Aye aye Captain.” was the chorus of answers before she turned on heel and strutted down the plank, feet finally touching solid land for the first time in weeks. 

She pulled the pocket watch out of her coat and looked at the hands. She had plenty of time to take care of her errands before the crew scurried off to the tavern to get drunk enough to fall while laying down. 

They needed it after the last trip and their close encounter with that royal frigate.

It had proven much too cumbersome to avoid The Cluster’s cannons though and had sunk to the bottom of the ocean like a rock. 

Yellow couldn’t help but grin to herself as she walked through town at the thought of the look on her face when they had sailed by after sinking the royal pest. 

It honestly filled her with too much giddy delight, especially when she knew there would be consequences, but she just hadn’t been able to pass up the opportunity to show her up a little.

Those troubles would be something to deal with later.

By the time she’d delivered her letters and picked up a few personal parcels, the sun was starting to dip behind all the ships sitting in the harbor, casting their long shadows over the pier and a hazy orange glow over everything else.

She glanced out at the sea and could see another ship in the distance slowly pulling in to port, the setting sun, blocking it out in dark shadows. 

Yellow ignored it as she made her way to the tavern, the raucous sounds of drinking and merry-making could be heard before she had even stepped inside. 

Once she did a loud cheer of ‘Captain!” rose over the din. 

Her crew sat gathered around the place, flagons of piss poor beer and rum in one hand, dice or cards in the other. The locals seemed to be holed up in one corner of the place, keeping to themselves. 

A wise choice.

The crew of The Cluster often frequented this tavern between runs and it was fairly common knowledge that if you stayed out of their way they would leave you be in turn.   

Yellow sauntered up to the bar and sat on a grimy wooden stool that creaked under her weight. Within a minute, a flagon of dark, murky liquid was sat down in front of her by a tavern maid, who quickly made herself scarce. 

She took a long, deep drink of the liquid and it burned every inch of skin it touched all the way down. She let the fire fade before turning around to face her crew, standing from the stool to raise the flagon overhead.

“Drink till you’re blind, men!” she called and the roar that followed drowned out anything else as she sat a bag of gold pieces on the counter, which the barmaid quickly snatched up. 

They had their marching orders. 

An hour into the festivities the tavern doors burst open and while it didn’t go quiet, it did go quiet enough for Yellow to turn away from her drink and curse under her breath the second she did.

The subject of many a nightmare she had suffered was quickly strutting across the tavern straight for her, followed by a motley bunch of bilge rats she called a crew. 

Black leather boots thumped across the wooden floor in a steady rhythm that Yellow was unsure if it was her or her heart, accompanied by the quiet tinkling of metal. 

“I see you washed up on shore just fine,” she smirked up at her new companion. 

Captain Ciel ‘Blue Diamond’ leveled her with a long look, one hand resting on her hip as she looked down at the other pirate from beneath an ocean blue headscarf, tied neatly around a head of long, silver hair, several charms and braids intertwined within the locks.  

Yellow didn’t let her eyes trail past the other captain’s neck. Like usual, Blue was dressed in an off-white blouse that had entirely too many buttons left undone, and were it not for the cobalt colored corset cinched around her middle it would have been left entirely useless as a garment, even tucked into the black trousers she was wearing. 

She let her eyes focus back on Blue’s face, passing the gold and blue gemmed necklace hanging around her neck, the gemstone dipping into her cleavage as she leaned forward.    

Brows the same color as her hair had dipped between a pair of obviously annoyed cerulean eyes at the self-assured smirk on Yellow’s face.

“We didn’t need your help.” She finally said. “My crew is more than capable of taking on some royal navy rats.” 

“It certainly didn’t seem that way…,” Yellow smirked behind her drink, pleased by the annoyance shining in Blue’s eyes. “and we weren’t helping you,” she corrected, setting the drink back down on the table. “I saw an opportunity to take out a future nuisance, so I took it. If you were aided by that... it was an unfortunate coincidence,” she mumbled quietly, not even trying to contain the delight that was no doubt shining in her eyes.

Cerulean eyes narrowed but just as quickly as the look appeared, it vanished, replaced by a sultry smile. 

“Well, even if you didn’t intend to help, I feel like I owe you something…” She said over her shoulder as she turned and walked away; blonde brows furrowed quizically.

She didn’t like any part of that statement, nor the look that went along with it. 

The members of the two crews were intermingled among the tavern, drinking, and trading tales of their recent voyages, but all the while keeping an eye on the two captains. Nothing good ever came of the two of them interacting for too long.

Yellow sat drinking, on edge, now that Blue had disappeared with the unnerving parting words. 

Eventually, the edges of her vision weren’t as clear as they had been before and she felt a little lighter. The cheap rum at work. It was around this time that the band suddenly went quiet and she looked up in time to see Blue, bottle in hand standing on a table. 

“The oh so goodly Captain of The Cluster did The Menagerie a favor ereyesterday and I think it deserves a song, what about you lads?” She called and the tavern answered in a drunken cheer. 

She turned to the band and they quickly began to play a jaunty tune…

“If you need someone to swab your deck there’s only one pirate who can do the trick, call Yellow diamond!” Blue belted out and Yellow jerked, almost dropping her drink.

The crew of The Menagerie stomped and clapped as their captain hopped off the table and began moving through the room.

“When the rum has got you limp, call Yellow diamond!” The Cluster’s crew didn’t know what to do, the more sober ones, anyway. The drunkest unknowingly or unhearing of the lyrics clapped or sang along.

Yellow had a white-knuckle grip on the cup in her hand, watching the other captain twirl around the bar, drinking straight from the bottle between lyrics. She was seething on the inside, listening to Blue and her crew sing and roar with laughter while her crew sat looking at her uncertainly.   

“If the local whore won’t heed your word, call Yellow diamond!” The crowd cheered and suddenly Blue was moving toward her with that damnable little smile on her lips till she was standing at Yellow’s table and leaning forward on her hands, a litany of rings on her fingers that sparkled and shined in the light of the sconces on the walls. 

“The easiest pirate of them all, Yellow diamond!” She sang with a look on her face that spoke volumes. Both crews were watching her with wide eyes. 

Amber eyes flashed with barely contained rage. 

In a flurry of movement Yellow jumped up, knocking over the table and aiming her flintlock pistol straight at Blue. 

All sound in the tavern died in an instant and the little grin on Blue’s face had fallen away, but not to one of fear but shock. 

At the very least it shut her up, but now Yellow was at an impasse. 

Though Blue was soon to fix that.

Her look of shock quickly morphed into one of deadly seriousness.

"Well?" She asked taking a step forward pressing the muzzle of the pistol against her chest. "Are you going to fire or not?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. 

Yellow said nothing and made no move to pull the trigger.

"Need some help? I'll start…," she said it so lowly that Yellow wasn't even sure she had heard her when suddenly her pistol was knocked aside and her world became a wash of white light and pain, quickly followed by the thundering of furniture being thrown and battle cries all around. 

She opened her eyes just in time to see Blue rear back for another punch but this time was ready and caught the fist as it sailed through the air, jerking the other captain forward on to her raised knee as their crews brawled around them. 

A table flew through the air and splintered into a thousand pieces against the wall raining wood shrapnel down around them, Yellow closed her eyes against the debris just long enough for Blue to lunge forward, tackling her to the ground just as one man was thrown overhead sailing straight into the bar shattering several bottles.

Punches were thrown and teeth fell to the floor among the blood and rum as the two crews duked it out.

Yellow scowled trying to grab the other captain's flailing fists as she straddled her waist. Her hat had flown off somewhere and Blue’s headscarf was askew atop her head, silver hair a wild mess as they rolled across the grimy floor, somehow not getting trampled by their men.

With a thrust of her hips, she managed to throw the smaller woman off her, twisting an arm behind her back that made Blue cry out, a sound that elicited emotions in Yellow that she had not expected, allowing Blue the moment needed to ram the back of her head into the blonde’s face. 

“Shit!” She cursed, hands flying to her nose and eyes watering.

Suddenly she was tackled again, Blue flying into her midsection and sending them both reeling through the tavern door and out into the dirt. 

Yellow managed to kick away from Blue long enough to scramble to her feet just as she did. 

With a low growl, she lunged forward, grabbing both her wrists in an iron grip, and shoved her back against the side of the building. They’d stumbled half into the alley beside the tavern, the roaring of the fighting inside raged on without them. 

Blue winced as her back hit the wall with a low thud. She hissed before looking up at the taller woman looming over her, wrists caught in her iron grip.

They both stood their, muscles taught, red-faced, and panting.

Blue could feel the blonde’s hot breath on her face, those amber eyes flickered in the low, distant light. 

She wouldn’t be able to explain what came over her tomorrow.

She lunged forward, capturing Yellows mouth in a sudden searing kiss that made the blonde’s grip go slack. 

She should have taken the opportunity to punch the blond pirate again, but instead, she just dug her fingers in those golden hairs and pulled Yellow closer to her, deepening the kiss. 

Calloused hands wrapped around her waist and suddenly she was pulled flush against the tall, solid form of her greatest rival and she didn’t think anything of it.

Yellow pulled away but before Blue could even comprehend what was happening that mouth was on her neck, biting at the skin near her pulse and it felt like her legs were going to fold beneath her.

Surely the only thing keeping her upright now was Yellow’s iron grip on her hips. 

She moaned, tugging on the taller captain’s short locks, eliciting a growl from her that shot heat all through Blue’s body. 

“Marigold…” She mumbled with a heavy tongue before the blonde took hostage of her mouth again, which Blue allowed gladly.

“Blue!”  A voice called and a petite woman with short curly hair slid around the corner, stopping to stare at them with wide eyes.

Blue jerked out of the embrace at the sound of her sister’s voice. Turning to look at her with wide eyes. It was fairly dark, she wasn’t sure just how much her sister had or could see.

She turned back to Yellow, who was looking back at her with wide eyes, mouth hanging open in clear shock at what had just transpired.

Making a quick decision she reared back and punched the blonde square in the nose.

Yellow cried out, hands flying to her face as blood began to drip from her nose.

Blue took off down the alley, grabbing her sister’s hand as she passed, pulling her along.

“What the hell was that?” Rose asked as Blue pulled them along back toward the docks to the ship.

“Later,” she huffed, pulling her down the dock. 

She still needed to decide that for herself.

Yellow cursed to herself as she held her hopefully not broken nose as blood dripped down her face and onto her good white shirt. 

That annoyed her more than anything else…, well, not by half, but it was on her list. 

The sounds of fighting inside the tavern seemed to have died down as she stepped inside, and grabbed her hat off the floor before raising her pistol and firing a single shot into the ceiling, bringing all the brawling to an end.

Most of the remaining members of The Menagerie’s crew scampered out of the tavern, climbing out through the windows of the holes they had bashed through the walls when their Captain did not reappear.

“Cap’n!” Jasper was at her side within a moment, a black eye already forming and a split lip dribbling blood down her chin.

“Gather the crew and get back to the ship!” Yellow barked, kicking a drunken deckhand laying near her feet. ‘We set out at daybreak!” With that she turned and stomped back to the ship, face set in a stony glare. 

“You heard the Cap’n!” Jasper’s loud, gravelly voice bellowed.         

Yellow wiped at the blood dripping across her mouth, but even it’s salty tang couldn’t make her forget the way Blue’s lips had tasted.

[pahrak-the-sinnoh-slizer]

Super Fighting Roll (2-3)

(Roll tracks down the last remaining Energy Element, but soon discovers that things are far from over.)

Roll spun around, buster armed, as the transport completed.  The only things that greeted her were another transporter unit and an endless expanse of dusty red plains.

“Mars?  I guess I should just be glad they didn’t go even farther out.  Dr. Light, can you read me?”

Static came in reply.  Giving a short hum, Roll set out, Rush on her heels, keeping her eyes open for any sign of movement.

“Never thought we’d get to see another planet up-close, huh boy?”

Rush barked.

“Hehe...though, a lot of things have taken an unexpected turn lately.”

She thought back to what Break Man had said. At first she had simply wanted to dismiss it as a misunderstanding—being weaponized had been her choice, and it was bizarre that he thought otherwise.  The more she thought on it, however, she became curious as to why he was so sure Dr. Light would do such a thing on his own.

The way he talked about Dr. Light…it almost made it sound like he knows him personally.  And now that I think about it, that would explain why Dr. Light wasn’t expecting Break Man to just talk things through.  But, if they do have some kind of history, why wouldn’t Dr. Light have said so?  No, more importantly…I’m positive Break Man is a Robot Master.  I was sure that Tempo, Rock, and I were the first, so when could he have met Dr. Light without us knowing?  Unless…

Glancing back, Roll suddenly realized that Rush had stopped following her.  She turned to look at the dog, standing a few paces away with ears perked up, and prepared to call him.  Before she could, he pounced on something.

“What’ve you got, boy?”

Rush pulled a small mechanical snake from the dirt. Roll tilted her head as she examined it, and then froze, spotting the dirt behind Rush shifting.  She fired a shot, blasting out another robot snake.

“What are these things?”

“Oh, you’re no fun…”

Whirling, Roll spotted a figure emerging from the surrounding dust cloud: a Robot Master with mostly green armor, his helmet styled to look like a large snake with its jaws around his head and tail hanging down his back.  Keeping her eyes peeled for more snakes, Roll said, “I just want the Energy Element.”

“So impatient.  May I at least introduce myself?”

“I’m going to guess ‘Snake Man’?”

The robot frowned.  “No fun at all...regardless.  If you are here, then I take it our comrades left on the moon have met their end?”

Roll didn’t answer.

“Ah, what a shame.  If you’re capable of defeating them, then the rest of us certainly don’t stand a chance.”  He began to walk back into the dust cloud.  “Yes, I think it’d be best to just hand the Element over.  Come, this way…”

Roll turned to Rush.  The dog looked up from gnawing on the snake he had caught, giving a low-pitched whine.

“Yeah, I’m not convinced either...but, we need that Element.”

The two of them proceeded with extreme caution, scanning the ground for signs of any more snakes while also keeping Snake Man’s silhouette in sight.  After a few minutes of walking, the dust began to thicken; wanting to keep the other robot in sight, Roll ran forward a few steps, and at that moment a pinpoint of light appeared.  Roll dove aside, the incoming laser beam grazing her shoulder.  Large metal spikes then began to rain down, so she stayed low, carefully crawling forward in search of her enemies.

I knew it wasn’t going to be that easy.

A gust of wind finally thinned the dust cloud. Roll found herself staring up at a small, two-story structure made of metal stained red by the planet’s dust, Snake Man standing in the doorway grinning at her.  “What ever is the matter, Roll?  The Element is right in here.  Come over and take it.”

He ducked aside to avoid a Hard Knuckle. From the upper floor, Needle Man fired a hail of spikes; Roll slid behind a boulder just in time, spotting another laser a second later.  “They’ve really got the advantage here...I’ll have to be smart about this.”

She peeked out and took aim at Needle Man. He ducked back inside immediately. A battalion of snakes were set in motion before she could switch targets, so she instead began clearing them out.  A figure appeared behind Snake Man then, shooting yet another laser, though it was aimed away from Roll for some reason.  She refocused on destroying the snakes.  The laser hit another rock, bouncing off of it at a new angle, and went straight for Roll, knocking her out of her hiding spot.

“Uh-oh!”

Needle Man was back.  Roll had no time to dodge, opting to blast the incoming spike out of the sky instead.  Several of the snakes were upon her now, biting into her armor all at once--leaping to her feet, she shook them off with Top Spin, ducked back behind cover, and prepared some new tactics.  She instructed Rush to shift the dirt on one side of the rock, hopefully making her enemies think she was about to emerge from there, and then darted in the opposite direction towards another adequately-sized boulder.  As she passed, she shot Snake Man with Spark Shock to prevent him from adding to the army of snakes.  Once safe, she unloaded a series of Magnet Missiles, the projectiles curving around her cover in search of proper targets.

“Admirable effort, Roll!” Snake Man called.  “But aren’t you forgetting something?”

Snakes began to crawl over the rock.  Roll leapt back and fired a Hard Knuckle, shattering the stone and disrupting the movement of the machines.  She tried to head back to her first hiding spot, but Needle Man was too quick: a barrage of spikes kept Roll in place, allowing the snakes to regroup and resume their march.  A bark caught Roll’s attention.  Rush, in his jet form, rocketed towards her; she grabbed the edge of the platform and was carried out of harm’s way, quickly pulling herself up to get better footing.

“Thanks, boy,” Roll said.

They turned hard to avoid a laser.  Circling around, Roll got a better idea of the landscape, seeing that the building was protected from the rear and sides by natural barriers.

“That still leaves one other way!”

After verifying that they were out of their enemies’ sight, Rush flew as low as he could without the roar of his jets giving them away, and Roll jumped onto the nearby rock wall.  She steadily climbed down and onto the roof of the building, then looked back to Rush and held up ten fingers.  Roll gripped the hatch on the roof, took a deep breath, and then ripped it off and jumped inside.  The inner walls looked identical to the outer walls, and the room was empty save for a few rusty crates and a very surprised Needle Man.

“Wha--where’d you come from?!” he shouted, hurrying to lift his cannon.

Roll threw a Shadow Blade before he could fire, knocking his arm aside.  She followed with a Spark Shock to stun Needle Man, and then blasted him into the wall with a Magnet Missile.  Snake Man leapt up to the window as quickly as he could, only to be met by a Hard Knuckle that sent him falling back to the ground.

“Gemini Man, get up here!” Needle Man shouted.

Roll ran at him, hoping to not give him enough space to use his cannon.  Suddenly, Needle Man bent forward, and the spikes atop his head extended out, stopping Roll short.  As she stumbled back, she saw one of the lasers from before shoot out of the stairwell: it ricocheted off the ceiling, floor, and walls, fencing her in. However, Needle Man did not attack.

“Jerk...at least get an idea of what you’re aiming at!”

Ten seconds had passed.  Rush came charging in through the opening in the roof, getting hit by the unexpected beam.  Roll stunned Needle Man again as she made sure he was alright.  Before she could follow up, snakes emerged from the stairwell and advanced towards her.

“Darn it!”  Needle Man stomped his foot and took aim with both cannons.  “Prepare to look like swiss cheese!”

He fired wildly, leaving no opening for Roll to counterattack.  The projectiles zipped past her, most of them burying themselves in the oncoming wall of snakes--they were easily pinned to the floor, and those in the rear were slowed by the need to crawl over their companions.  His assault only lessened when another Gemini Laser entered the room. Between the three incoming attacks, Roll was forced closer and closer to Needle Man, soon coming into range of his headbutt attack; as he moved to use it, Roll ducked and slid forward, colliding with Needle Man’s ankle and tripping him into the Gemini Laser.  The impact sent Needle Man rolling into the wall, where he sat dazed for a moment.

“Ugh...just great…”

Roll pointed her buster at him.  “Just give up.  I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

Needle Man stared at her.  “...Huh.  You really aren’t what the boss prepared us for.”

“...What?”

“Here we were expecting a terrifyingly powerful Robot Master ready to kill at a moment’s notice.  You’re tough for sure, but it doesn’t really seem like your heart’s in it.”

Roll clenched her teeth.  “Of course not!  Why would I want to kill any of you?  I’m only fighting because you’re forcing me to!”  She turned to blast some of the snakes before immediately putting her eyes back on Needle Man.

“Heh heh...guess someone’ll have to let the boss know he’s wrong.  I would love to see that.”

“I already tried, but Break Man won’t talk to me.”

Needle Man shook his head.  “I don’t mean him.  I mean--”

Another Gemini Laser shot into the room, reflecting off the wall once before striking Needle Man directly in the chest.  In his weakened state, that was more than enough to pierce his armor, searing a hole clean through his internal components.  Roll jumped back in shock.  A few seconds later, a scowl clouded her face; she grabbed Needle Man just long enough to copy his weapon, and then shot spikes through the floor in a circle.  When she stomped on the center of the circle, the floor broke away, giving her a path to leap directly down to the lower level.

“Ah, there she is,” Snake Man said.  On either side of him stood Gemini Man and his duplicate, though which was which was anyone’s guess.  “You’re quite determined to swoop down on us from above, aren’t you? Are we so beneath you?”

Ignoring him, Roll stared at one of the Gemini Men. “Why would you do that to Needle Man?”

Both Gemini shrugged in response, one saying, “Who knows?”

Roll opened fire.  “Is it really so easy for you to kill someone?  What’s wrong with you?!”

Her foes scattered.  Roll tracked one of the Gemini while the other and Snake Man flanked her.  Rush dropped on top of Snake Man just as he prepared to attack, and the closer Gemini charged at Roll, prompting her to turn her assault his way.  The spikes passed right through the projection, and the real Gemini Man used the opportunity to set a Gemini Laser bouncing around the room.

“What a peculiar thing to say!” he remarked as Roll focused on tracking the laser.  “Of course it’s easy.  As if it could be difficult for a technical marvel such as myself!”

Rush scurried back out of the laser’s path. Bounding back, Snake Man began calling up his army; Roll turned her fire upon them, impaling the troops before they could advance more than a few inches, and managed to land a direct hit on Snake Man’s shoulder.  He cried out, clutching the wound as he slumped against the wall.  Switching her focus again, Roll ducked just beneath the Gemini Laser and equipped Magnet Missile, hoping the homing projectile would be able to track Gemini Man.  The laser shot down her first attempt before she could find out.

“I can’t believe anyone would program robots to be so cruel,” Roll said.

“Are you saying all we know is wrong?” Snake Man asked, baring his fangs in a pained smirk.  “It isn’t our fault we are who we were programmed to be.  There’s no need to act all high and mighty.”

Gemini Man and his doppelganger charged before Roll could respond.  She leapt back, the laser striking her in the side and knocking her flat.  Snake Man capitalized on the situation with a small squadron of snakes, with the tiny machines charging straight through one of the Gemini.  Switching to Shadow Blade, Roll attacked the other, stopping his charge, before tumbling out of the snakes’ way.  Rush pounced on the real Gemini Man to keep him pinned, while Roll dealt with the snakes and turned to their master.

Raising his arms, Snake Man said, “My, this is unfortunate…”

“Where’s the Energy Element?”

“Right over there.”  He gestured slowly to a crate in the corner.  “By all means, help yourself.”

Keeping her eyes on Snake Man and her buster ready, Roll made her way over to the indicated crate.  She grabbed the lid, paused, and lifted it, spotting the Element at the bottom on a bed of something she guessed was packing material.  The instant she reached for it, Snake Man darted in Rush’s direction.  Roll was ready: she shot him with the Needle Cannon, the spike piercing straight through his chest, and with a drawn out cry Snake Man fell to the floor, his sparking body soon growing still.  This still distracted Rush, however, and Gemini Man was able to set another laser loose into the room.

“Get back boy!” Roll shouted as she ran forward, sliding just under the beam’s path.

Rush complied, and Gemini Man sprang to his feet. He leapt back, shimmered, and then jumped to one side, his doppelganger jumping in the opposite direction.  Roll hit Snake Man’s body as she passed, armor turning green and white.  Three Search Snakes leapt from her buster, zipping along the ground too low for the Gemini Laser to intercept them, all converging upon the real Gemini Man and bringing him down as they sank their fangs into his ankle.  Roll launched a Magnet Missile to cancel out the Gemini Laser, and then glared at Gemini Man.

“You...you just got lucky!” Gemini Man said.  “If it weren’t for the others holding me back, there’s no way you could have outperformed me!”

Roll shook her head.  “What’s the point of this?  Why--”

She stopped short as Gemini Man raised his hand to fire a laser.  Quickly, she fired a Hard Knuckle in return; the beam reflected off the rocket-propelled fist back into Gemini Man, finishing him off before Roll’s attack even landed.  With a harsh sigh, Roll knelt and copied his data, and then transferred the Element to Rush’s storage compartment.

“Let’s hurry home, boy,” she said.  “I’m worried about Dr. Light and the others.”

Rush transformed into his jet mode and carried her in the direction of the transporter.  Roll tapped her fingers against her leg, thoughts lingering on what Needle Man had said.

There’s someone other than Break Man behind all this.  I just hope it’s not who I think it is...

***

Light typed away at his console, eyes repeatedly flicking to the comm window in the corner to see if the connection had reestablished.  Wily set a hand on his shoulder, saying, “Thomas, I can handle this if you need some time.  I’ll let you know right away when Roll comes back into range.”

“Thank you Albert,” Light said, “but I think it’s best I stay busy.”

“If you insist.  The Energy Element is installed, so we’re ready to test as soon as you are.”

“I’m finished here as well.  Running test in 3...2...1…”

Light hit one final key and held his breath. Behind him, Gamma roared to life, light shining from the eyes on its half-completed skull.  Wily grinned.  “Excellent! Let me take a look at those readings!”

Not far away, Rock applauded alongside the construction crew, though he slowed to a halt when he spotted Elec Man in the crowd. He hesitated, but then approached, asking, “Elec Man?  Are you okay?”

The other robot shuffled away slightly. “Fine.”

“Okay...it’s just, you’ve been really quiet since the other Energy Elements were stolen.  Are you worried?”

He shifted his shoulders.  “It’s nothing, Rock.”

“...I don’t want to butt in, but...if you need anything, even if it’s just to talk, I’d be happy to help.  I mean, I’m your big brother after all!  Technically.”

Elec Man finally turned to look at him, expression blank at first.  Rock saw him crack a small smile as he turned away again.  Giving a sigh, Elec Man quietly said, “I guess I’m worrying you, aren’t I?”  He paused. “I’d never quite realized how powerful my abilities were.  I had some idea, of course, but now I have a much deeper understanding.  After seeing just what I was capable of under Wily’s reprogramming...I suppose I’m afraid.  If I were to lose control, even briefly, I could end up destroying someone else, maybe beyond all repair this time.  When I destroyed that Robot Master’s projection, I thought I had done just that.  That’s why I’m still shaken.”

“Oh.  I see…”

Elec Man shook his head.  “There isn’t really anything to be done about it.  I’ll just have to be as careful as I can.”

Rock waited a moment.  “...Have you talked about this with Roll?”

“Roll?  No, why?”

“It isn’t exactly the same, but...well, I shouldn’t say too much.  But, she’s been struggling a little after having to fight all of you, so she might have some advice that could help you out.”

Elec Man looked up, considering this silently.

Back at his console, Light nodded at the data he was seeing, and prepared to shut Gamma back down.  Something caught his eye, stopping him, but before he could look into the matter, the sound of the lift descending reached his ears.  He turned, expecting to see LaLinde or Tempo coming to join them.  His heart stopped when he laid eyes on Break Man.

“...Blues…?”

Wily noticed him as well.  Throwing his hands up, he shouted, “Agh!  Break Man!  Oh no, this is terrible!”

The worker robots scattered in a panic.  As Break Man stepped off the lift, Guts Man came forward to meet him, saying, “Well well well!  Looks like you finally decided to stop hiding behind your minions and come face us head-on like a real robot!  Good--I was hoping I’d get the chance to deal with you personally!”

Break Man ignored him completely, gaze fixed solely upon Dr. Light.  Trembling, the scientist muttered, “Blues...it’s really you...you’re still alive…”

“Hey, tough guy!” Guts Man said.  “I’m talking to you.”

Break Man finally faced him.

“Yeah, y--”

Suddenly, Break Man’s armor changed color, becoming purple and white.  An instant later, he was behind Guts Man, slowly walking towards Gamma.

“Wh--hey!  Get back here!”

Guts Man lunged after Break Man, the other robot’s armor now turning green and white.  Four large leaves whipped around Break Man, deflecting Guts Man’s attack before flying out at him, slicing through the small gaps in his armor. Break Man then lifted his buster and activated its beam, knocking Guts Man flat on his back.

“Hold, villain!” Fire Man declared as he bounded forward.  “Whatever purpose brought you here, I will not allow you to succeed!”

Break Man’s armor turned white and gray.  He and Fire Man both attacked at the same time, Fire Man’s flaming shots soaring high while Break Man generated several bubbles which travelled along the ground.  Break Man pulled his shield around just in time, but Fire Man was taken by surprise, the water-based attack shocking him still.  Guts Man pushed himself to his feet, but now Break Man’s armor was brown and yellow--he generated a circular saw blade in each hand, and then hurled them straight into the chests of both his opponents, dropping them instantly.  After pausing to glare at Light once again, Break Man continued towards Gamma. Activating his laser, he swept it through the scaffolding, setting the gargantuan robot free with a thunderous rain of rubble.

“Is he trying to take Gamma?” Rock said.  “We have to stop him!”

Elec Man held him back, saying, “How exactly are you going to do that?  You’ll only get yourself killed!”

“But…”

Break Man took a few steps towards the two doctors. Wily cowered, but Light just kept staring at him, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

“I thought you were lost forever,” Light said. “Blues...you’re still alive...I’m so glad…”

At this, Break Man froze.  Wily said, “Thomas, it’s Break Man!  He’s attacking!  What are we going to do?”

A smile came to Light’s face.  “Blues...I’m so happy you’re alright…”

Wily looked up at him.  With a sigh, he said, “Hrm...hardly the reaction I was hoping for.” Now perfectly calm, Wily came forward. “Nonetheless, excellent work, Break Man! Not that I expected anything less.”

Break Man nodded.  Rock said, “Wait...what?  Didn’t you say you were the one working for Break Man?”

“Neh heh heh, foolish little robot.  That was nothing but a genius ruse to gain Light’s trust!  I’m the true mastermind here!  Nehahahahaha!”

Finally emerging from his trance, Light furrowed his brow as he turned to face Wily.  “What?  Albert, is--”

He whirled in a fury.  “That’s Wily! You will refer to me with respect, Light--never again with familiarity!  It’s been agonizing playing along all this time!  I thought my skin would crawl right off my bones!”  Wily grunted, but then his mouth curled into a smirk.  “It was worth it, however.  Using your designs, your resources, your labor, I was able to construct this unstoppable war machine in record time!  My brilliant plan was a success!  And once I unleash Gamma upon the world, not even your precious little lab assistant will be able to stop me!  If she even survived her trip to Mars, that is!  Nehahahaha!”

“I’m just fine, Wily!”

He winced as Roll’s garbled voice sprang from Light’s terminal.  “Rrgh, of course.  I knew I should’ve sent the other batch…”

“Dr. Light, are you okay?” Roll asked.  “I made it back to the moon and I’m closing in on the transport coordinates!  I’ll be there in just a minute!”

“I think not!  I took the liberty of encrypting Light’s transporter program--it’ll take him quite a while to get things working again!”

“What’s wrong with you, Wily?!  We trusted you!”

Wily waved his hand, turning his back on the console.  “Bah, I don’t have to indulge this prattle!  All I need to know before I leave is whether or not you retrieved those Energy Elements for me, Roll.”

“There’s no way I’m turning them over to you!”

Wily’s smirk spread into a grin.  “Yes, I thought you might say that.  Break Man!”

Break Man was suddenly right in front of Rock. He grabbed the robot by the arm and yanked him in Wily’s direction, but then paused.  Turning his head, he saw Elec Man standing next to him, two electrified fingers pointed straight at him.

“...Let Rock go,” Elec Man said.  “I won’t ask again.”

Break Man let go.  Then he was behind Elec Man, stabbing a curved metal boomerang into his back.  Rock cried out as Elec Man dropped to his knees.  Fighting to stay online, Elec Man fired a bolt of electricity at his foe, only to have it blocked by another set of leaves.  Break Man’s armor then turned orange and white.  When he aimed his buster at Elec Man, it fired a projectile with a blinking orb on one end and a sharp point on the other, which buried itself in Elec Man’s back.  Break Man then kicked him aside, grabbed Rock once again, and dragged him over towards Wily.

“No...I won’t…!”  Elec Man struggled to lift his arm, preparing one more attack.  The item stuck to his back then detonated.

“Elec Man!” Rock shouted.  “No!  Let go of me, you…!”

“What’s happening?” Roll asked.  “What are you doing?”

“I was thinking a trade might appeal to your sense of fairness,” Wily said.  “You give me the Energy Elements, and I’ll return your brother Rock to you!”

“Roll, don’t worry about me!” Rock said.  Break Man clamped a hand over his mouth before he could say anything else.

“Oh, you really should.  If I don’t get my hands on those Elements, I’ll reduce him to scrap metal!”

“Wily,” Roll said, “you--”

“Wily!”

The entire room went dead silent at Light’s sudden shout.  He leveled a stern gaze at Wily--the look that may not have been harsh in its own right, but out of place as it was on Light’s kind face, the jarring, eerie feeling it generated multiplied its weight exponentially.

“I won’t forgive you if you harm my children.”

“Ah, so that’s what it takes to get you mad,” Wily said.  “How interesting!  Don’t you think, Break Man?”

The red Robot Master said nothing, only tightening his grip on Rock.

“Blues,” Light said, “I--”

“Save it, Light!” Wily interrupted.  “You have my demands.  I’ll be waiting for my Elements!”

Wily pulled a small device from his pocket. At the press of a button, he, Break Man, Rock, and Gamma all disappeared into thin air.  Light’s fierce expression vanished as well, replaced by a look of absolute terror.

[thebonggirll]

Chapter 16 - Cavalry Battle

Chapter 15

Bakugou was already fuming about that stupid Deku getting the first position in the first round when Y/N suddenly grabbed his shoulder and talked to him in a way that no one dared to do before. He looked at the girl who still had her eyebrows furrowed while talking to her childhood friend. He was embarrassed and-

"Now the real fun begins." Bakugou heard Midnight's voice boom across the arena. The students gathered around as she explained the rules of the second event - Cavalry Battle.

Participants will form teams with a maximum of 4 people and then get in a horse configuration. The objective was to earn points by swiping other teams' headbands while protecting their own. The value of a team's headband would be the sum of the points each person on the team received based on their performance in the previous competition.

The person who ranked last would be worth 5 points, and each rank above that would be worth 5 more points than the previous one, with the exception of 1st place, which was worth 10 million points. Everyone's eyes fixated on Midoriya. His team was going to be targeted mostly.

The one to wear the headband must be the rider, and they were not allowed to wear it below their neck. If the team lose their headband or crumble as a horse configuration, they would still not be eliminated. Participants were allowed to use their Quirks, but, should they attack with the malicious intention of harming another participant, they will be forced out of the game.

Y/N looked at Todoroki from the distance who was talking to Kaminari, Momo and Iida. "I mean I can ask him atleast.", she thought and walked to them.

"H-Hey Todoroki? You have already decided or-"

"Sorry Y/N.." Momo apologized.

"Oh no no!" Y/N shook her head, "It's fine!" She sighed and looked around. Hot-head was surrounded by many students. Y/N didn't expect him out of all the people to be in demand. She in no way was going to be in his team. Not only because their quirk are basically polar opposites but also because of the little crap that Bakugou spouted. Yes she was mad about it. She was allowed to feel that way.

But now the problem was..who was going to team with her? Looking around she already found students with plans made up before and teams set up. Shoji maybe? He didn't find anyone too. She was walking towards him when Sero stopped her.

"Hey you don't have a team to join yet right?" He asked.

Y/N blinked looking at him and said, "..Not yet."

"Well join our team then!"

"Uhh..sure but who's in-" her eyes moved behind him as she watched the rest of his team members - Kirishima and Bakugou.

"Our quirks aren't compatible." Unknowingly the frown came back to her face.

"Hey look. I get it, y'all have problems but can you just put aside your personal issues and look at it as just participants of a competition? We need you. Your quirk is powerful." He explained, "Also, your quirks can be compatible in ways which you guys don't know about. You just never once considered to think about it."

Y/N's frown deepened as she realized that he was actually right and never thought about it that way. She sighed and said, "Okay."

Even though she managed to make new friends, they had their priorities sorted when it came to their career. Ofcourse she was approached by some people who wanted her to be in the team but after her little speech in the arena before the competition, she didn't really feel comfortable with anyone other than her classmates. It felt like they would only try to use her because of her quirk and if anything happened, guess who's the first one they'll be ready to sacrifice? If given an option, she would avoid joining the team Bakugou was in. Ofcourse it was a matter of her self-respect.

But then again it was also a matter of her stupid ego. Which she had to stomp on if she was going to make a name for herself as a good hero.

Y/N walked to the team, her cheeks reddening out of embarrassment. "Plan and Execute. That's it.", she whispered to herself in reassurance. It wasn't like she had a choice OR a good plan. Her team had Bakugou who was not only strong but smart.

"You're joining?" Kirishima asked, "Woah...I didn't feel like you'll agree."

Bakugou was observing her. She can feel it but she refused to look at him.

"She had no other choice." His smug voice entered her ears.

"Do we have a plan?" She asked, still not looking at him.

Bakugou normally didn't pay much attention to anyone. But for someone to be in his team AND to have the audacity to ignore him, he was surely angry.

"Fucking look at me when you're talking. Or you don't have the guts to do that too?"

She looked back at him and asked again, gritting her teeth, "Do we have a damn plan."

"Ofcourse we have a plan." His face broke into a wicked grin as he said, "We are taking the 10 million from your boyfriend."

"Don't call him my boyfriend." Y/N muttered, averting her eyes. The term just reminded her more about the stupid crush she had on this guy, and she was in no mood to feel giddy about it. Infact, she was getting more mad at herself for even liking a guy like him.

Her whole demeanor - starting from the way she talked with him to the way she refused to look at him - everything was noticed by Bakugou. He didn't get to think much because of the announcement of second round but he knew what he was thinking of at that time.

Embarrassment and fucking guilt.

As soon as the event started, just like everyone, Team Bakugou was also running towards Midoriya. But something happened while they were busy chasing him. A guy from section B, specifically, Team Monoma snatched their headband. Which ended up in Team Bakugou with zero points.

"Your class is too small minded. Think bigger." Monoma said.

Bakugou as usual lost his temper and yelled, "What did you say! Come back here!"

"Midnight said the obstacle course was just the first game. And we figured they wouldn't cut that many of us right off the bat, would they?" Monoma looked back, "Assuming they'd keep atleast 40 of the contestants in the next event, all we had to do was to stay within that group and run. From our spots in the middle rank, we could fully observe the quirks that our rivals have and judge their capabilities. Only a fool would obsess over preliminary round, wouldn't you agree?"

He tied the headband around his neck and continued, "Oh while I have your attention, you're kinda famous aren't you?"

Y/N knew what this kid was talking about. It was a sensitive issue for Bakugou and this guy knew exactly what he was doing. Yes, he was successfully making Bakugou mad but the thing is..

...they don't know what he is capable of doing and especially, when he's mad.

"You got attacked by that sludge villain. You must tell about it sometime. It must be strange for a hero to be in a role of a victim."

"Kirishima." Bakugou said, "We have a change of plans. Before we take down Deku, we are gonna kill every one of these B list idiots." No one ever saw him being that mad, and it scared the rest of the team members.

But she was also pissed about the trash talk they had to listen to from this section since they were shown in the national television. Bakugou was at fault too, ofcourse, but that shouldn't cloud their opinions about every single one of the students of section A.

"Smart, my fucking ass." Y/N thought.

"Please don't make us regret this!" Kirishima said as they started running towards Team Monoma. But they were quick to dodge Bakugou's attack. It took a few seconds for them to realize what Monoma's quirk was. Copy.

Ofcourse it didn't stop Bakugou. As soon as Team Monoma started running away again, He jumped off of Kirishima and flew towards them using his quirk. But once again, he got stopped by their team's Solid Air quirk.

Like it was mentioned before, they don't know what he's capable of. Bakugou was able to break through the solid air and he jumped back. Sero was quick to catch him before he hit the ground.

"We told you to warn us before you jump!" Sero said.

"Whatever, atleast we are advancing-" Kirishima said but got interrupted by Bakugou yelling, "We are not done!!!"

"Boy, you are that pissed." Y/N said as they continued running.

"I couldn't brace myself earlier when I jumped! Get closer! We'll get our points back from these idiots! Then go for the big one!" Bakugou yelled, "Elbow guy! Tape up!"

Sero released his tape forward at high speed, "My name's Sero."

"Speed up Grandma!"

"I told you to stop calling me that!" Y/N said, "Don't slip and hold onto each other firmly!" Releasing a huge gush of water from her feet and using it like a jet ski, she moved forward at a high speed towards their opponent.

It took only a few seconds. Y/N used her quirk to get close and Bakugou used his quirk to break the solid air in front of them created by Team Monoma, then snatching all of their headbands.

"Now we are going after Deku and Todoroki!" Bakugou said turning to his left where Todoroki created an ice barrier, probably to trap Midoriya. Being the impatient boy he was, Bakugou broke the barrier and jumped ahead, without warning his team, again.

And time was up.

Team Todoroki was the winner of the second round. And Team Bakugou was the second. Although, he didn't look too happy with it.

But what came as a surprise was the third winner. Team Shinsou, one with the purple haired guy. Y/N finally came to know about his name.

"Hey congrats Y/N!" Tzuyu said approaching her.

"Yeah I didn't do much, Bakugou just wanted me in to melt Todoroki's ice and for high speed." she replied. Tzuyu then went to crongratulate the others who passed.

"God I'm gonna hate myself for this." Y/N whispered to herself in the meantime. "Hey Bakugou," she called noticing him standing alone and complaining, "Uh, good work. We...wouldn't be in the second place if you weren't so hard-headed."

"What did you just call me!"

"I meant it as a compliment. But, don't get used to it buddy."

"I don't care, I wanted to be the first."

"And I just want to be a good hero." Y/N knew that she was bringing back the topic but she couldn't help herself, "Using unethical ways to be one is just not me. That's all I have to say."

Bakugou couldn't speak any word other than "okay", but Y/N was content with it.

It meant that he listened and probably was sorry about it.

.....Yeah, not so sure about the last one.

Chapter 17

SEASON - II

Ignite

MASTERLIST

tags: @captncappuccino​

[kittensjonsa]

Otherwise, Engaged

A Jonsa Proposal AU with a slight deviation from the original.

Summary: Sansa chose ambition over her heart. Jon chooses his heart over everything else. Choices, choices. Tsk.

A 'let's kiss and make up' fluff chapter with an unexpected twist, after the tacky angst in the previous one (lol sorry, story just wrote itself that way). Rated PG. No smut yet, all good things come to those who wait!

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Chapter 8

“This..just doesn't feel right.. I can't do that to you.”

The words replayed in her mind over and over. Maybe he was drunk. People do and say stupid things when they're drunk.

Yet, Jon had managed to make her feel worse than all the shit he had wrung her through the past three years put together. Something's wrong with me. It was disheartening, watching Jon recoil, so taken aback by the thought of them together. So repelled that he sobered right up.

The sting of tears made their rounds again. That idiot. The bastard. Stop crying. Jon was a coward, afraid of any accountability if something did go further than just a kiss. A vodka-laden kiss Sansa could still taste on her lips.

If I hate him, like I always have.. then why do I feel so miserable?

Truth of the matter was, it was a slice of heaven, being kissed so fiercely and touched.. like that. Sansa liked it, against her better judgement. What was she thinking? Jon was right, it could have gone badly and tossed them deeper in hot water. The situation was tough enough as it was and sex - as much as Sansa wanted it, or the idea of it, wasn't quite in the script like she had planned. Sex always complicates things, she read once in a women's magazine article. Throw in the boss and assistant cliché to the mix, Sansa can kiss goodbye to a career she had toiled for three vacation-less years.

Adding salt to the wound, it had already come at a great cost in the shape of a non-existent personal life. If it counted, Jon had been the only man she had ever been in a relationship with, her first and longest too, if she could call it that. Also, if a relationship meant spending hours and hours together reading manuscripts, taking notes and eating take outs in the office. It was pathetic. But it was the closest she could get to one. Meeting people? Hah. Love life? Sigh..nope. 

Growing up, Sansa had always been a planner, and it was a good plan she had ever since she was twelve - study hard, get good grades, work in the city, write a book, meet someone and marry. All this, before thirty. Of course, real life stepped in and slapped her in the face in the form of a boss called Jon Snow who stomped on all over that plan when the truth stared her in the face - she had spent her entire first year of work attending to the whims of a madman. For a sad moment, Sansa would forever cringe to remember, her future looked bleak.

Though, never one to give up so easily, she trudged on, love and happiness aside, towards building her career. Besides, the opportunity for love and marriage rarely reared its head. Sansa could only blame herself for that; it had always been about family, studies and work for Sansa ever since she could remember. She kept consoling herself, how there were better opportunities out there and devoted her time and energy to finding them, staying positive and upbeat no matter what. Mormont & Sons Publishing was one of those bright opportunities, and Sansa was over the moon when she received the email for an interview. 

She just had no idea what was in store for her. But Sansa often reminded herself how this was her ticket in, the launching pad for her future in writing. And every year, meant a step closer to that goal. Sansa learned all she could, observed everyone she met in the industry and played nice. It would be hers to reap one day. And how she vowed to never let it out of her grasp, how she would absolutely do all she can to get to where she wanted. One fine day.

Oh how the mighty have fallen.

“I don't think they'll be back so soon, Sans. You know how it is, whenever they go out fishing,” Robb's voice leapt within earshot.

“Huh.. oh, no.. I was just-”

“What.. doing yoga?” Robb teased as he joined her on the bench.

Sansa stuck out her tongue at him. Only Robb knew where to find her, at her favourite spot, a stone bench that had the whole Winterfell lake in view.

“You and Jon.. everything okay? Want to talk about it? ”

“Oh god. Please tell me you didn't hear us,” Sansa groaned, shooting a worried glance at her brother.

“No, I didn't but I did see how fast he got out of the house. With that look of his,” Robb said, as he tried his best to mimic Jon's broody countenance.

“I hate him.”

Robb chuckled. “No you don't. Well.. I mean you guys act a little funny but I wouldn't call it hate.”

“Yeah, right. And you would be the expert,” Sansa scoffed. Trust her big brother to dish out misplaced relationship advice.

“You, my dear sister, could never hate someone. If you do, it's only because on the flip side, you feel very strongly about it. Love and hate, takes a lot of feelings.”

Feelings. Sansa wanted to laugh. What feelings? He doesn't have any.

“Yeah, well, I hate him. He's just… arghhh.”

“Does he know you hate him?”

“Well, now he does.”

“Hmm. Seems one sided to me. I don't think he hates you back, sorry to say.”

All this after just a day of meeting Jon, was impossible to fathom.

“Yeah well.. he made it pretty clear he didn't want me. Or anything to do with me,” Sansa said, quietly.

Robb raised an eyebrow at her. “What? Did he say that?”

“Well not out loud. I just.. got the vibe, I guess. Maybe he thinks I'm gross.”

“Really, Sansa? What are you, twelve? He does not think that way. Come on. Three years with someone, I think it's more than just 'vibes'.”

“What, you and Lisa don't get vibes from each other?”

Robb shrugged. “Define vibes. I can tell exactly what she's thinking just by a look. Which by the way, aren't 'vibes'. That's being in a relationship and knowing your partner.”

Well, Jon doesn't care about that.

“Yeah.. it would take a hundred years for him to even care about how I feel, let alone know just by a single look.. so pardon me, if I don't have my hopes up.”

Robb glanced at her and rested his elbows on his lap. “Maybe you don't see it. Yet.”

“See what? I don't think Jon's that type though.”

“The sensitive type? Maybe. But from the way he looks at you, I don't know but I'd say he's trying at least.”

Sansa frowned at the statement. Maybe it's a guy thing. Solidarity and shit. Or maybe the advice wasn't be so misplaced after all. So, Sansa was willing to listen.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Robb chuckled. For someone claiming to be a romantic, Sansa was clueless as they come.

“He looks at you like how Dad looks at Mom. I've seen it. Every time. And man, I hope that's how I look at Lisa, too. Hard to believe Jon doesn't care. Because, I think he does.. more than he lets on.”

The talk wasn't making any sense. What happened an hour ago was so different from what Robb claimed Jon was capable of, it was hard to believe.

“Look, I've heard a lot about him. Not so nice things and frankly, I was expecting some jerk showing up at our doorstep.. but he isn't one. Surprised me.”

“You clearly don't know him,” Sansa protested.

“True. But I know guys and he's just one of those big softies. With a hard outer shell, you know. Must be tough meeting our family, I get it,” Robb chuckled.

“Well, he didn't have a choice now did he?”

Now that the government is hot on our trail.

“No, but he did have a choice. I mean, he's a big shot editor right? Or something like that, what Dad told me. Why would he be here when he could be busy making it rain back in the city? Schmoozing with the big names and whoever's the It person of the month. But did he? No. He chose you over that, coming here to Northern country. And going fishing with Dad? Props to him. Being nice to Mom, even though we can all see how much she hates his guts? Wow. And for coming to Gramp's birthday too. If he's such an asshole like you claim he is, why make all this effort?”

Fiancé visa. It's all an act. That's why. Sansa wanted to scream, to tell Robb the actual truth. But it would ruin everything. Not to mention, implicating him as well. Best if no one knew at all.

“Listen, you always sit here when you're in a rut. Is it something so bad that you can't fix?” Robb finally asked the right question. Committing a felony. Bad enough?

“I would tell you but.. it's between me and Jon. We'll figure it out.”

Robb placed an arm around her and pulled her in for a hug as he rested his chin on her head. “Of course you will. You're Sansa freaking Stark. You always do.”

Sansa rested her head on her big brother's chest. It was warm and cozy and been a while since she had done so.

“I just wish some things were.. different.”

“We all wish for that, don't we? But this is all we've got and we just have to make the best of it, Sans. And I'm sure Jon will too. Life and lemons sort of thing. He's like this 'run-with-it' kind of guy. Which is all right. Reliable, I give him that. Besides, he doesn't seem the type.”

There it was again. The great Jon puzzle. Robb seemed to know a lot more about Jon that she thought she did.

“The type of what?”

Robb smiled at her, wondering if these two were actually a couple. “The type who doesn't take advantage. You know, so he doesn't screw up a good thing. Not many guys like that. And he'd better be if he's engaged to my sister.”

The thought hadn't crossed her mind. That, instead of thinking how she drove him away, perhaps it really was Jon trying to control himself. For once, the words 'respect' and 'Jon' were in the same sentence, as Sansa considered the alternative.

“Thanks.. Robb.” Sansa sighed as they both sat, looking out onto the lake listening quietly to the waves gently sloshing against the dock.

It was dusk when Sansa heard her brothers and father shuffle through the kitchen with the day's catch but Jon was nowhere to be seen. Avoiding, of course.

Sansa ignored the feeling and went on setting the table. It was going to be a great dinner with everyone she loved and maybe her last together before heading back to the city, the prospect of imprisonment looming heavily over her head. Whatever happens, she was going to enjoy the dinner, with or without Jon. He's on his own now.

“Hey everyone. Hi.. honey,” Sansa heard Jon greet the family and her, as soon as he made his entrance.

In usual Stark fashion, everyone, save for her mother, welcomed him back warmly, especially her father, who was now smiling ear to ear regaling the rest of how Jon helped to reel in a particularly large and stubborn trout and almost falling overboard in the process. Her father even sounded quite impressed by the whole thing. Sansa munched on her green beans quietly as Jon walked over and sat next to her.

“Sansa.. hey. I thought you'd be in your room-”

And what, wait for you? Boy, he's got a lot to learn in this house.

“Nope, was helping with dinner. You know, since it might be my last and all.. if we're going to jail.” mumbled Sansa, aiming her side eye at him with scorn.

Jon sighed and turned to his plate. It alarmed him realising how distressed he was, watching Sansa get visibly upset with him. I thought girls didn't like to pushed into that sort of thing. Jon knew nothing, absolutely zero of the female psyche.

It was unnerving and such a marked difference from the Sansa he was used to. But that was work, he had to remind himself. This.. this is not work. He'd be a fool to dismiss this as 'just work' and nothing else. It was a deal between them, he’d play his part and so would she. And in just one day, in spite of themselves, managed to turn it into something quite complicated.

Jon admitted he wasn't very skilled in the art of courtship and wooing, it had been years since he did any of it. But if it was one thing he knew about women, was that a great grand gesture would easily smoothen any rough patches in a relationship before being tended to carefully. Or so, he thought. At least he hoped that information was still relevant. And if there was still some semblance of a 'relationship' or whatever it was between them left to save. 

Regardless, he'd take the risk. Don't all heroes do, take the risk and save the day because he believes in love. Love, he smiled. What an idea. Then again, if there was anything the weekend was close to showing him, was that, for the longest time since his parents passed, Jon felt something deep inside of him slowly stirring to life, a strange magnetic pull he couldn’t ignore. It was heavy yet light as the warmth began to settle gently on his chest. 

So.. that's how it feels like.

Sansa kept to herself and mostly listened to everyone else's conversations over dinner. There was a lengthy discussion on Gramp's actual birthday party the following day and her family had decided on a list of party games for the guests to play. It was the big eight zero after all.

“Hey Sansa.. can we talk? Later after dinner?”

Sansa leaned back and sighed. If Robb was right, why was Jon taking such a long time to fix whatever it was that broke between them? As much as she wanted to share the faith Robb had in Jon, she just didn't see it. And it frustrated her to no end.

“What's there to talk about? You made it abundantly clear.”

“Well, I still haven't made my point yet but I think I know how. If only you'll let me. Please.”

Sansa was tired of thinking over and over about the 'point' Jon so desperately needed to make. She didn't care anymore and only gave a nonchalant shrug and returned to her plate, deliberately avoiding Jon's gaze.

Right.. okay then. For the first time, he felt invisible. 

“Uhh.. everyone.. I.. I have an announcement to make,” Jon slowly stood up at the table, the family quietening down as they looked on. Sansa's jaw dropped. Shit. He's going to tell everyone. How dare he? Sansa's heart almost stopped a beat. Don't do it!

“As you know.. Sansa and I, we're here to meet the family because, well..we got engaged.”

Oh my god. Jon.. don’t do it please. But Sansa didn’t make a sound.

“And what a lovely weekend it has been and such great pleasure meeting you all.”

Oh. My. God.

“And I know it's such short notice but it wouldn't feel right if I didn't take the time to do this. Especially with her family around. And.. I hope you all don't mind because I have something to say.”

Sansa wanted to scream, mortified at the thought of her family finding out the truth. But the cry froze in her throat - the horror, the embarrassment, the thought of talking to them through a glass screen. No. No, I won't let it! 

Sansa tried to breathe as normally as she could, one half of her was dangling on the edge of a full blown panic attack, while the other was stuck paralysed in a dining chair. She knew the panic attacks would come for her one day. And it did -what timing it was, on the day of her ruin in the hands of her sadist boss, before her own family. She couldn't watch nor listen and shut her eyes as she gave in, her body rigid with fear taking over almost completely. She absolutely refused to go through with it, she was guilty and there was no way she could face the angry and disappointed looks from her family, let alone the lectures. Sorry, Daddy.

That's it. We're done. Jon, you fucker!

But then.. everyone gasped. A giggle and an excited squeal had Sansa slowly opening her eyes. Her breathing was still ragged and Sansa knew she was minutes away from hyperventilating.

“Sansa?”

Sansa turned to a Jon kneeling before her and her entire family, holding up a shiny diamond and sapphire ring.

“Wha.. what?”

“I know you didn't plan for this but.. you deserve this. This is it. We're a team. You and I. I'm not going to let you go down for me, for this mess I’ve put you in. I won't let you.” Jon whispered quietly, his face softening, showing a different Jon than the one she knew.

“Will you...marry me?”

Sansa stared at the ring, in disbelief. Jon fidgeted nervously, seeing how quiet she was. Speechless. And the rapid blinking, worried him a little too. Sansa didn’t look too good as he noticed the beads of sweat rapidly dotting her forehead.

Sansa tried her best. She tried to breathe and calm herself down but nothing seemed to work. There was shouting in her head, alarms were blaring left and right. Is this a joke? Fuck! But there were no alarms - just her heart pounding so hard, Sansa couldn't hear anything else. The stares from her family waiting in silence only made it harder to breathe again. It wasn't supposed to be like this.. I’m going to prison...

Seconds passed like hours as everything around her moved in slow motion. Sansa felt her jaw slacken and her vision began to blur. The only word she could muster - was just one syllable long.

“Huh?”

Then, it all went black.

[keyofjetwolf]

Bonus Question Answers! (live action final)

I asked a silly question! You gave me incredible answers. SO VERY MANY INCREDIBLE ANSWERS. If yours is listed below, you’ve earned an entry in a random draw to win a GIFTENING liveblog OF YOUR CHOICE

—

Q: There's a new Big Bad in town: JET WOLF. What am I after? What is my power? How will I, hypothetically, be defeated?

*  Agents, we have a problem.  There is a new player in town, goes by the name of Jet Wolf.  She seems harmless, but don't let that fool you.  From the information we were able to gather, she accidentally triggered her own power by completing an unknown ritual called the Giftening (we're still researching to see what that is in her world). She can review a situation and instantly analyze all angles of motivation and character.  She can see what drives any person to behave in any way.  However, she does have a weakness for understanding homosexual motivations.  We may have to bring in the Butch squad to assist on this one.  The biggest trouble is that a Chaos God insists that she belongs to Them, so now there are chaos acolytes following her everywhere she goes. When she is upset, she can manifest multiple demonic plush multi-colored cats to throw at people.  Luckily, her aim is not the best, but even a glancing blow from a single cat can disorient you for hours. We've seen references to a previous companion named Holligay, but no knowledge of their status or whereabouts at this time.  Her overarching goal is to get back to her own world, and we MUST assist as soon as possible.  Our world may not survive continued long-term exposure to the myriad chaotic forces she brings everywhere she goes.  If you have any ideas for strategy, please bring them forward.  We'll meet again this afternoon.  Dismissed.  -- @amberlilly  [AGAIN WITH YOU AND YOUR PERFECTION. The “weakness for understanding homosexual motivations” and calling out The Butch Squad made this TRANSCEND.]

~~

*  The smoke poured over Tokyo in slips of purple and black, twisting around the buildings, as Usagi Tsukino pulled herself up from between the fallen stones. In the clearing, there was...a woman. Nothing like a youma, or some fallen queen, just a woman, laying waste to Tokyo, brown peppered hair shining the fires of all she had brought to bear. "What do you want??" Cried out Usagi, tears of fear and rage cluttering her vision. "The reboot.." The woman turned toward her slowly, dark storms in her eyes, "No. More. Classic." "BUt--But--" Usagi stood on shaky legs, "The Dark Kingdom has--" "OH MY GOD FUCK THE DARK KINGDOM!" Lightning and thunder clashed into the skies, bringing down a ray of destruction to what was once a giant Sega arcade. In the background, a man howled. "I want," she bared her teeth, "Fresh. Senshi. Adventures." "The new merchandise..." "How many times are you going to release the same figuarts in new colors? How many goddamn fucking heart compacts are you and bandai going to shove down my throat!? Another moon stick--well I do want the moon stick. BUT STILL!!" USagi's lip trembled. "My name is Usagi Tsukino, I'm 14 years old, and--" "Bitch you're over forty!" "What is this?!" The buildings glowed brighter as the flames in them grew, kindled, "Who the hell do you think you are??" The adversary turned. Rei Hino stood behind her, hands on hips, glowering. She advanced, slowly, and the woman who had destroyed a very particular subsection of Tokyo was forced to take a step back. "You think you can come here--and TELL ME??" Rei had a certain way of ignoring that anyone else might have been troubled or bothered by events, for she personally was affronted, "What the new anime is going to be like?? What story *I* can tell?? YOU DARE TO TELL ME--" "No, of course not!" the woman fell to her knees, "Of course not, esteemed fire maiden!! I love you!" IN the rubble, a small redhead crawled out of a hole in the wall, grasping plates of conveyor-belt sushi in her arms, an eel roll hanging out of her mouth. "Gotta say this trip to Tokyo was different than I thought it'd be."  -- DOC DOC [You were here when I read it and so heard for yourself, but I laughed SO HARD at this. BITCH YOU’RE OVER FORTY]

~~

*  Jet is after potatoes and her power is her army of clever black creatures. Namely her murder of crows always quick to summon and her shoulder void cat man who is helpful up until the vault of potatoes are found whereupon, one fears he might suddenly become Jet's rival   -- Furi  [OH MAN I WOULD WANT THE POTATOES GOOD CALL GOOD CALL]

~~

*  Jet Wolf did not start out evil. No, once she was a mild-mannered blogger, commenting on various properties with enthusiasm and passion. But then came The Erasure. Jet Wolf was halfway through a particularly interesting episode of PGSM. Rei was doing something particularly Rei-like. Jet was pontificating on the Rei-ness of Rei. When the power flickered, there was a surge of electricity up Jet's arms, and when the power returned, her screen was free of any sign of Rei. The episode was still there, but Rei was not. No Sailor Mars at all. Jet checked the previous episodes; no Rei there, either. She checked her copies of the anime: No Rei. Jet was frantic. "Hey, Doc," she called across the room, "What happened to Rei?" "What?" Said Doc. "You mean that character from the manga that they thankfully left out of all the other versions? Why do you care? She sucked." "But I love her!" Replied Jet Wolf. "No you don't; you've always loved Seiya best," was the response. And this is why Jet Wolf now haunts the internet, spoiling any media she can, exposing plot holes and character inconsistencies, pointing out exactly why your fave is not awesome, until she is able to get her precious Rei Hino back. Be careful. You never know when she will jump out from behind a comment and attack. -- @incorrecttact  [All of this is amazing, but I so very much want the backstory on Who Erased Rei Hino. WHO WOULD HATE THE WORLD THAT MUCH]

~~

*  You're just here to stomp the village. You have no power, just size 23 heels. You will not be defeated  -- Isa  [The purity in this is unparalleled.]

~~

*  You are strong and powerful, capable of sending your void man minions and excessively loving underdogs to attack others. Babies cry as you steal their candy. Lesbians moan as you punch their toilets. Doc screams in horror as you take not 1 but 2 desserts. Your goal is to take over the town, nay, the world. All shall tremble and cower before your feet, all shall--wait, is that a Rei&Usagi cell? Is that SOCKS? You let the void man take over while you immediately go investigate. That's fine, though. that's exactly how the void man had planned it.  -- @kumeko  [HOT POCKET HOW COULD YOU BETRA-- oooo, socks!]

~~

*  TOWERING GODZILLA STOMP. The mighty Jet Wolf careens through the town like a drunken tornado, causing furniture to spontaneously explode just from being nearby, on a quest to find the PERFECT CHEESE. the mighty jet wolf is eventually defeated by a small tortoiseshell kitten whose adorable mew causes the jet wolf to freeze in place to avoid upsetting it further.  -- nerdy-flutterings  [Every word of this sounds like it was pulled from my dearest dreams. DO I GET TO KEEP THE KITTEN I NEED TO KNOW]

~~

*  The answer to all three: ~*~INSIDIOUS~*~MISANDRY~*~  @rasiqra-revulva  [MY TRUEST NEMESIS]  (I’d somehow forgotten INSIDIOUS MISANDRY thank you for reminding me that the world can always be just a little bit sillier.)

—

I’ll be drawing for the bonus liveblog around the start of THE GIFTENING 2020 (which will be Monday, 11 January 2021). Each bonus question is another chance to earn an entry! AS WE SEE I CAN ABSOLUTELY AND SHAMELESSLY BE BOUGHT.

[flyinbanachab]

Comfortember 23: Exhaustion

The desert had no roads, no landmarks, not even any scenery. Just an unending expense of yellow under an unending expense of blue.

As such, it took Rebecca longer than it should have to notice the growing hole in the center of her vision. It's just glare. It's just afterimages from the sun. It's nothing. It's fine. She blinked furiously and kept driving, willing it to go away, refusing to give in-- until phantom fireworks started flickering across the sky.

Read on AO3 or...

"Fucking hell," she spat, stomping on the break. The truck lurched to a stop and Rebecca dropped her forehead to the steering wheel. A fucking migraine. A fucking MIGRAINE. It had to be NOW, of all possible fucking times. Was it the brightness of the sand? Maybe the lack of sleep, as hard as they'd been pushing since they'd received the call. Or maybe it was just the general stress of, you know, plotting to overthrow the government. The irony of the stress-triggered migraine... 

...could suck it.

"FUCK," she said into the steering column. It had been years, literal years, since the last one, so long she thought she'd outgrown them. Now maybe, maybe she'd get lucky today: her vision could clear after a few minutes and that would be that. No pain, no nausea, just feeling a little out of sorts for the rest of the day. But... that hardly ever happened. More likely she was ten minutes away from fighting not to puke all over the truck. And that could last all. Fucking. Day.

Best to wake Maria before she was completely incapacitated. On the off chance it was a false alarm, well, she'd understand. Rebecca hated to do it--Maria was only 3 hours off a 10-hour stint--but they couldn't afford to stop. No telling what was going on at Central. Every minute counted.

Rebecca looked for the door handle and saw only a vaguely swirling mass of darkness. Goddammit. Finding it by feel instead, she stumbled across the sand--already hot, god the desert sucks--and somehow fumbled open the latch on the trailer. A blast of cool air greeted her and she eagerly climbed up into it. This refrigerated truck had cost more than she would ever admit, but during this crossing it was literally a life saver. 

Maria lay on the makeshift pallet at the front of the trailer. The past months had sent them all over Xing, from lavish mansions to shadowy alleys, finalizing deals brokered from an unremarkable general store in east Amestris. Maria's Xingese had been a real asset-- hell, Maria had been a real asset. Smart, capable, determined, eager...

        Jean leaned forward in his wheelchair. "Ross isn't just another piece of cargo to pick up. She's your partner on this operation."         "You're seriously going to make me work with a stranger on this? It's just gonna slow me down."         "Don't worry," he said with a wink. "You'll get along great."         "Listen, just because YOU get along with everyone--"         "Becca. Trust me on this one."

For once, Jean had been right. The more Rebecca got to know her... the more she wanted to get to know her. Maybe once this whole thing was over... if they survived... and weren't in prison...

"Becca?" a groggy voice sounded from the haze.

"Sorry- it's only nine am. But we've got a situation." Before Maria could leap up with gun drawn, Rebecca hastened to add, "We're safe. But... I've got a fucking migraine coming on. I can't see to drive."

She was rubbing at her right temple, she realized. Yeah, it was starting to throb. And her ears were starting to ring. Suddenly she found herself sitting on the floor of the truck. 

"Woah, hey! Here." Maria's arms were around her shoulders, helping her up, guiding her to the pallet. Rebecca flopped onto it like a fish and threw an arm over her eyes. Here came the nausea.

"What can I do?" Maria asked, concerned but not panicky.

"Nothing, unless you've got migraine meds on you." Easy to get at any drug store. Not so easy to get in the middle of a giant fucking desert. "Can you drive?" A pause. She'd gotten, what, three hours of sleep, after ten hours behind the wheel? It was a terrible idea. Maria should be sleeping. But what choice did they have? Every minute counted.

"Of course." There's that steel. Rebecca nodded minutely. But the doors didn't close. "There's really nothing else I can do?"

"Just gotta--" deep breath-- "wait it out now. No time. Drive!"

A hand on her shoulder. "Ok."

Then the doors slammed shut, agonizingly loud, and a moment later the truck roared to life, choked into gear, and lurched into motion.  Time blurred into a haze of misery. She focused on her breathing and hoped Maria was staying awake up there.

At some point the truck jerked to a stop and the doors opened. "Becca? How are you?" 

"Extremely fucking bad," she groaned, making Maria laugh sympathetically.

"Have you had any water lately?"

"... no." Definitely hadn't thought about that. Who could think? A canteen was pressed into her hands. 

"It's open," Maria said. Rebecca grunted and managed to drink without opening her eyes.

"Still ok to drive?" Rebecca asked. 

A pause. A long pause.

"I'm starting to doze off," Maria admitted.

"Shit."

"Yeah." Another pause. "I just needed to get up and walk around, I'm sure it'll be--"

"Too risky. Come on." Rebecca scooted as far as she could to the edge, gingerly turning her back to Maria. Even moving slowing, the world rushed and swirled around her like it was made of water, and she had to take three deep breaths before she could speak again. "Naptime."

"But we can't afford to--"

"We can't afford to crash either." They both knew it was true. They both knew it sucked. But. Sometimes you don't have a choice. Bodies give out. "Come on. The sooner you sleep the sooner we'll be back on the road. Or the. Whatever the fuck. Back on the sand."

"I don't want to bother you, I can sleep in the cab." Rebecca tried to keep her reply professional. "It's a hundred degrees in there. It's fine." Better than fine. "Come on already."

"If you're sure..." Maria carefully sat down next to her, gently stretched out next to her, back to back. Oh, she was sure.

And then-- it was quiet. And still. And dark. And Maria's back pressed warmly against hers, breathing softly. Hardly how she'd imagined their first time in a bed together. She didn't even have time to enjoy it; Rebecca dropped to sleep almost immediately. Central would just have to wait.