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sgtjbbhasmyheart · 4 years

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Drunk Texting Is(n’t) Bad for Your Health- Chapter Six (part 1)

Series Summary: Talk about your unconventional meet-cute! Bucky receives a text by mistake requesting he prove he's not Reader's sister. The easy dialogue between Reader and Bucky sparks a natural friendship, but could it lead to more? Bucky still deems himself unworthy of any form of affection or love. Reader is hellbent to prove him wrong. With the help of some (meddling) friends along the way, Bucky may get his happily-ever-after after all.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Word Count: 3293

Warnings: ANGST, bad language words

A/N: Tumblr sucks. It forced me to split this chapter up because I exceeded the text block limit. That’s just how I write! Link to part 2 at the end.

A/N 2: Thank you again to everyone for showing this story so much love! And thank you to everyone for your patience and support as I struggled to put this out. As you can tell from the multiple parts, it was a doozy. 🥰 divider credit- @firefly-graphics

In case you missed the update, I will be publishing a new chapter every other Saturday from here on out. Schedule is in the Masterlist in my header.

DO NOT copy or replicate without my permission.

Monday morning rolled around, and your good mood from the weekend followed you into the office. Spending all of Saturday and the majority of Sunday texting James had lent to this early morning cheerfulness. You couldn’t help the smile on your face. You had even managed to arrive before most of your team.

You hummed a sweet melody as you booted up your computer and organized a few files for Timmons to peruse. They were statements intended for the press needing his approval about a particular prominent CEO or A-list celebrity client. The firm was not confirming nor denying any knowledge of said client’s whereabouts the previous week or why there was photographic evidence of them coming out of FlashDancers NYC. Other files included those seeking rebranding approval for existing companies looking to revamp their image.

Most importantly, today was contract signing day for Stark Industries.

You had compiled the document from a generic template the company used for all its clients, manually plugging in Stark Industries’ information in the correct spots and changing or omitting any services rendered or not. E-signing contracts were not only environmentally responsible, but they also saved a lot of your time from printing out numerous copies of a single agreement.

All you needed now was Timmons’ go-ahead to email the contract, and Pepper Potts could plug in her Jane Hancock.

Seeing Timmons enter the workroom, tweed coat draped over his forearm and attaché in hand, you rose from the seat behind your desk. You shuffled into his office after him.

He hung his jacket from the coat rack in the corner near a bank of expansive windows and placed the small, leather case he’d been carrying on the sturdy oak desk. He pulled out a stack of papers and tapped the pile against the desktop to straighten them before setting them down. Looking up at you briefly, he tugged out his laptop next.

You positioned a mug of coffee on Timmons’ desk, turning the handle just so, making it easier for him to grab. You cleared your throat gently. He glanced up at you again.

“Here’s the media statements for today,” you said, handing him a group of manila folders. You smoothed down the hem of your cardigan, smiling at the reminder of Bucky. You wished there had been a way to apologize to him again. He had left your apartment with such a pained look on his face. Maybe you could ask Peter. “And the Stark contract pdf is ready to go. I can email it over to you for final approval.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Timmons replied absent-mindedly, lifting the organized piles on the desk as if looking for something.

“Oh, okay,” you returned, nodding your head diminutively. “Do you want me to forward the contract on to Ms. Potts, then?”

“Ah-ha!” Timmons exclaimed, plucking a pen from underneath a stack of envelopes. He twirled the writing implement in his hand and peered at you, finally taking in your presence for the first time that morning.

An uncomfortable feeling washed over you as he evaluated you from head to toe. What was he looking at? Your hands tensed into fists as you continued to wait for his answer, growing impatient.

“Should I go ahead and do that, then, sir?” you asked, folding your arms across your chest like a protective suit of armor to deflect prying eyes.

“Yes, yes. That should be acceptable,” Timmons answered.

It threw you off balance. What had gotten into him? Timmons always had to have the final say on everything. It was so unlike him!

“Just so we’re clear- I will be sending the Stark Industries contract via email to Pepper Potts to e-sign,” you said, seeking clarification. You wanted to dot all i’s and cross all t’s because you weren’t going to lay your ass on the line for a misunderstanding. Especially not with something as crucial as the Stark Industries account.

“What? No, there’s been a change of plans,” he corrected.

You stared at him dumbfounded. Was he purposely trying to give you mental whiplash?

“Change of plans,” you affirmed. “Has Stark Industries decided not to use the firm, sir?”

“Oh, no. They’re still going with us,” Timmons said, rearranging the clutter he’d made on his desk.

You dropped your arms to your sides, although inside, you felt like throwing them into the air in frustration. Why was he so vague? He was usually wholly transparent with you. “Would you mind explaining it to me, please?” you asked, borderline annoyed. “Last time I checked, Stark Industries’ contract signing was still on the calendar for today’s agenda.”

“And it still is,” Timmons acknowledged. “It’s moved to an in-person signing.”

Your stomach plunged to the floor. Shit! You hadn’t printed out the contract! When was the appointment? How much time did you have? So many questions flew through your head.

How could Timmons keep something like this from you? Your heart hammered in your chest. You practically wobbled on your feet. Were you going to be sick?

I’m going to get fucking fired over this, you thought, trying to steady your breathing.

“Will you be ready to go in twenty minutes?” Timmons questioned, sitting down in the comfy desk chair and opening his laptop.

“Go?” you squeaked, attempting to recall how much you had in savings. You shook your head, trying to understand his words. Was he already asking you to clear out your desk?

“Yes. The car will be here at nine,” he said, keyboard clacking as he typed something.

“Car?” you asked, finding great difficulty comprehending the situation. Your head felt like it was stuffed with cotton.

Timmons regarded you in bafflement. “Have you been drinking?”

“What? NO!” you declared. You didn’t need that added to “the inability to perform required tasks” as a reason for your firing. “I’m-I’m just really confused, sir.”

“About what?” Timmons asked, sitting back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap.

“Well…” you started. “What do we need a car for?”

His chocolate brown eyes shone with what you imagined might be excitement. “To drive upstate, of course.” He smirked as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desktop.

Upstate? What was upstate?

Timmons’ smile broadened as realization crept across your face. “Are we-”

“Yup!” he interrupted gleefully. He was like a child in a candy store. “We are headed to the Avengers Compound with a personal invitation from Tony Stark himself!”

You blinked several times at your boss, not entirely computing what he’d said. You were usually a lot quicker on the uptake than this. Why were you having such an off-day?

“We?” you asked, shaking your head clear of the cobwebs. Why on Earth would he bring you along?

“I need someone who knows the ins and outs of these contract signings,” he said, fiddling with his pen again.

Wasn’t that his job?

“I’m just the schmoozer- the people-person,” he admitted, shrugging. “You’re the real brains behind this whole operation.

You nodded your head in agreement. He wasn’t wrong. The office would collectively collapse without you, and it felt good to hear your actual boss say it out loud.

“You better not forget it, either. Especially when my job performance evaluation comes around,” you asserted.

Timmons swiftly saluted you as if he was the subordinate. You huffed a laugh at him while shaking your head with incredulity. You took a step or two toward the office door before looking over your shoulder at him.

Timmons had turned back to his laptop screen already and started typing again. “So, twenty minutes?” he asked with an air of levity.

You faltered, nearly tripping over your feet. “Wait? You were serious about that?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Timmons wondered, looking up hurriedly from his laptop.

“I need to print out the contract and make copies, for one thing,” you mentioned, almost accusatory. Maybe if he had warned you ahead of time, you wouldn’t be so defensive.

“Already taken care of,” he soothed.

“What do you mean it’s ‘already taken care of’?” you asked, raising your hands to make quotation marks with your fingers.

“I had one of the other grunts do it last night.”

You gaped at Timmons like a goldfish, mouth popping open and closed. Did you hear him correctly? Timmons did something to make your job easier? You could hug him right now! You felt like pinching yourself to make sure it wasn’t a dream.

Once you gathered your wits again, you glanced to your feet bashfully. “Oh,” you spoke, absently fingering the bottom button of your cardigan. “Thank you.” You smiled gratefully.

Timmons returned the smile with one of his own. “You’re welcome.”

“Nine o’clock, then,” you agreed, moving further toward the doorway.

“On the dot!”

Words couldn’t even begin to describe the Avengers Compound. You’d seen it on the news, sure, but that didn’t compare to seeing it in real life. It was grandiose, imposing. You felt dwarfed in size looking up to the high rooftop.

It was almost ostentatious in a way. Much like the man who designed it. Larger than life.

Tony Stark.

Tony had insisted he take you and Timmons around on the tour of the compound. You still hadn’t seen the need for a tour.

“When Tony Stark invites you to tour the Avengers compound, you don’t say no,” Timmons had said in the car-ride up when you questioned why it was necessary.

It was all superfluous, really. Like Tony was trying to woo the firm to sign them, not the other way around.

A headache was forming at the base of your skull as you waited in line at the reception desk to return your visitor security badge.

The tour of the facility seemed to have been drug out longer than it needed. Tony had appeared overeager to show off every little gadget or trinket. Or maybe he just liked to hear himself talk.

When Timmons excepted the lunch invitation after the tour was completed, you felt the urge to run down to the armory, grab a gun, and shoot yourself in the foot. You were kicking yourself for ever agreeing to come on this dumb tour.

As the line slowly dragged forward, the muffled noise of men’s voices caught your ear. It sounded like an argument. Your line of sight followed to where the altercation originated.

Standing twenty feet away was Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, clearly disagreeing.

Your breath stilled as you watched the two super soldiers quarrel in a near-stage-whisper. What could they be fighting about?

From your place in line, you saw Bucky shake his head adamantly, his chestnut hair swishing about his shoulders. He might have even stamped his foot like a child, but you were too preoccupied with the look of abject horror on his face. He turned away as if to flee, but his friend caught him by the shoulder to stop him.

Were you causing this reaction from him?

You looked to your right to see if there was possibly someone else. All you noticed, though, was an empty space. Had you hurt Bucky’s feelings that badly? Your stomach clenched. The last thing you wanted was to be on an Avengers’ shit-list.

Glancing back to the two men, you caught Steve gesturing Bucky forward with short sweeping motions of his hands. Bucky shook his head again, stubbornly.

Even at this distance, you could feel the frustration rolling off Captain America.

Like a sucker-punch to the gut, you suddenly became very aware you were eavesdropping on Captain America and his best friend.

Your cheeks heated instantaneously, embarrassed of your staring. You shouldn’t be spying on them, you admonished. No matter how much your curiosity is piqued.

It was none of your business.

You turned away from them, facing the reception desk again.

As hard as you tried not to pay attention, you could still see what looked like wild gesturing from the corner of your eye.

What if they started fighting? Shouldn’t you be conscious of your surroundings for your own safety? You fidgeted in your spot as you debated your moral compass.

Fuck it, you thought.

As you peered over to the two super soldiers, Steve shoved Bucky forward gently, causing the latter to trip over his booted feet. Bucky glared back at his friend, his hands clenching into fists. Steve shooed him further. You could barely make out the word “Go!” on his lips.

As if in slow motion, you eyed Bucky taking step after step toward you. Was he coming over here?

Once you realized what was happening, your heart plummeted to your knees as your head whipped around to the front of the line.

Bucky Barnes was definitely walking over to you.

Had he noticed you staring?

You tried to stabilize your heart rate with slow, easy breaths, but Bucky was beside you much sooner than you could imagine.

A waft of aftershave hit your nose- woodsy and deliciously masculine. Your stomach swooped.

God, he smelled good.

Without having to turn your head, you could feel his brawny mass hovering near you.

How do you play this?

Perplexed?

“Oh, my gosh! I had no idea you’d be here!” Of course, he wouldn’t believe that. This is where the Avengers lived. He’d probably think you were a stalker.

Apologetic?

“I’m so sorry Peter and I made fun of you! Will you ever forgive me?” Nah, too needy or clingy.

Or--

Before you could think of any other ways to portray the situation, you heard a large gush of air escape from Bucky. Was he nervous?

“Hey-hey, (Y/N),” he said, voice shaky.

You gazed to your left. Bucky looked as white as a ghost. Had his ego taken that big of a hit?

At that moment, you wanted to do nothing more than wrap him in your arms and tell him sorry, and everything would be okay. You couldn’t, of course. You didn’t know the guy. So you settled for the next best thing.

You smiled at him beatifically. “Hello, Mr. Barnes.”

Like a veil had been pulled, his demeanor changed instantly. He returned the smile. “Ja-” he started but scrunched his nose as if he’d made a mistake. “Please. Call me Bucky.”

“Okay, Bucky,” you replied.

Timmons turned around, ahead of you in line, and eyeballed you. You gave him a dismissive look, praying he wouldn’t butt in.

“So, you here visiting?” Bucky asked, observing the badge in your hand.

“Sorta. It’s a work thing,” you remarked, waving the plastic fob in the air. “Stark Industries has hired my firm as their PR representative. It was signing day.”

“Ah,” Bucky said, nodding in understanding.

“And I got the tour and lunch courtesy of Tony Stark,” you added.

“Oh, yeah?” Bucky’s eyebrows raised in interest. “What did you think?”

“Honestly?” You watched Bucky shake his head in agreement. “It was extremely overwhelming. How do you not get lost in this place?”

Bucky laughed. Crinkles appeared in the corners of his eyes, yet he looked so boyish. He was beautiful.

“When I first got here, I did several times,” he huffed. “Every hallway looks exactly the same!”

“Right?!” you exclaimed. “I kept thanking my lucky stars that I had a tour guide!”

Timmons rolled his eyes and pivoted, facing front.

“Steve had to draw me a map to help me find my living quarters after the third time,” Bucky confessed, running a hand through his hair.

“Oh, no!” you empathized, bringing a hand up to cover your mouth. “That must have been so embarrassing!”

“Bird brain caught wind of it and gave me shit for weeks,” he lamented.

You gave him a confused look, not understanding who or what he was referring to.

Realizing his mistake, Bucky corrected, “Sorry. Bird brain is Sam.”

“Because he’s Falcon?”

Bucky bobbed his head yes, looking a little sheepish.

“It’s clever,” you grinned. “I like it.”

Bucky reciprocated the smile, and your chest warmed. It was a feeling you usually felt while texting James. Light and airy.

Finally making it to the reception desk, you relinquished your security badge to the pretty blonde in the too-tight sweater set. She handed you a clipboard to initial and fill out your departure time.

While signing, you surveyed the blonde as Bucky stepped closer. Her eyelashes fluttered rapidly, and she bit down on her bottom lip. Was she giving him bedroom eyes?

A new kind of warmth flooded your body. It felt a lot like jealousy as it snaked its way up to your ribs and circled your collarbones, which was absurd because you had no claim to this man. You’d met him one other time. Why would you feel this way?

Shoving the clipboard back at the receptionist, you spun toward Bucky. He regarded her politely and nodded, “Ma’am.”

Her shoulders slumped, and a frown slithered onto her painted lips. Somehow you felt triumphant, but not sure why. Bucky hadn’t picked you over her.

Your heart thumped harder in your chest as you walked side by side with Bucky, nearing the exit. You were suddenly overcome with the feeling of apologizing. What had you told James if you ever saw Bucky again? Apologize profusely and ask him to coffee.

You smiled at Bucky once again as he rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. The sound of a throat clearing resonated nearby. It wasn’t until you glanced up did you register Timmons standing so close. You had nearly forgotten about him.

Trying to gather your courage, you glimpsed between the two men. Bucky was squinting suspiciously at Timmons, and it made you chuckle lightly. “Easy tiger,” you assured. “That’s my boss, Roger Timmons.”

Bucky’s blue eyes widened a fraction, and he raised a hand in hello. “Sir.”

Timmons raised his chin in acknowledgment before looking down at his watch. You took it as his way of telling you to hurry up.

Okay, it’s now or never.

“Would you like to go to coffee with me?” Bucky blurted out, cheeks coloring pink.

Your eyes roamed across his handsome face. The boyishness was back, along with a touch of uncertainty. He was sweet, regardless of what the media claimed about him. Your lips curled up into a broad smile. “You read my mind,” you revealed, then winced. “That’s not one of your superpowers, is it?”

Bucky tittered. “No, no mind-reading.”

“Good,” you said, relieved.

“Whaddya say? Coffee?”

You dipped your head in a slow yes. “It’ll have to be after work, though.” You motioned over your shoulder with your thumb. “The slave driver over there is taking me back to the office to put me to work.”

Giggling, as you heard a scoff come from behind where you were standing, you reached into your purse and pulled out a pen and an old receipt. You quickly jotted down your work address. Handing it to Bucky, you began moving towards Timmons. “I get off at five,” you called. “I’ll meet you in the lobby.” You waved goodbye.

Bucky smirked. “Don’t work too hard!”

You flashed him one last smile before disappearing through the exit door.

You had a coffee date with Bucky Barnes!

You couldn’t believe it! The giddiness swelled inside you.

You gazed at Timmons’ profile as you walked to the waiting car parked at the curb. He had that look on his face.

It was a long drive back to the city. There was no way you could endure it if he started up now.

You gave a stern look before you stated, “Whatever you’re thinking, keep it to yourself.”

Timmons threw his hands up in mock surrender. “I wasn’t thinking anything.”

“Uh-huh,” you said dubiously. Timmons smiled smugly as you both climbed into the town car.

Chapter Five | Chapter 6 (part 2)

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asimpfor2dcharacter · 3 years

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Note: In this chapter there will mention two of my oc ( original character) their physical appearance will be present in the future chapters.

When you see this sign -- it means a flashback started/ended

Previous chapter Masterlist

Chapter 2: Cafè and tea

In the morning the rain was strumming against the window of her room and she was preparing herself to go into the living room. She decided to wear a light pigiama suited for the weather and thought that it was unnecessary to wear the golden ring she usually uses because no one was going to see it anyway beside her parents. It has already been several days since she came back to Japan and she mostly spent her time with her parents: cooking with her mother, training with her father and beating him in a game of chess. Mundane actions that people usually do with their parents but she can't, due to the fact that she lives far from them.

She decided to join his father in the kitchen who was busy cooking breakfast.

Aizawa noticed the presence of his daughter when she entered the room,

"Goodmorning Y/n, your mom already left this early in the morning to work".

"Morning Dad, are those pancakes?," she asked, setting the table.

"Yes your favourite, you can already eat the one on the table while it's still hot ," he said, pointing at the table where there were several pancakes on a plate.

"Thanks Dad," she glanced outside the window and there was still a drizzling rain, " the weather forecasts show that around lunch time there will be sun for the rest of the day, so me and Yuga planned to meet each other in a cafè nearby,".

"That sounds great," he flipped the last pancakes on the pan and he put it on his plate and then he took a chair beside her daughter.

"Well dad thank you for the breakfast,".

While cutting his food, he asked her, "Y/n in a few days I have the final appointment at the tailor shop for my wedding suit. I wanted to ask you if you can come with me?,".

"Are you asking me that because you genuinely want me to be there or you just don't want to be alone with uncle Mic?," she said while spreading the Nutella on her pancake.

"A mix of both, so are you coming?,".

"Of course I will, it's not everyday to see you in such a formal outfit," he rolled his eyes at her daughter's comment, making her tease her father more, knowing his preference over more comfortable clothes rather than elaborate one's.

"But Dad, one week before I came here in Japan you told me that Nezu offered you the position of UA principal, have you already made a decision?,".

Once he heard the question, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and slowly he put the fork on the table. "Honestly no".

"Why?".

"I thought about it and Y/n I know it's a great honour to be the UA principal but," crossing his arm he continued, " I'm getting older and I don't if I can continue to be a hero for more years let alone be the UA principal," he said touching his left leg. She knew what exactly he meant with those words. "Beside," he added, " working as a principal, sure does take off your free time and I prefer spending my free time with your mom rather than working on paperworks,".

"You really love mom," she said.

"Well yeah, that's why I'm marrying her," he admitted with a smile on his face.

"That's it I'm going to tell mom when she comes back home,".

"Please don't, she will tease me about it for the whole week,".

Both of them almost finished eating their food when her father asked, "Y/n I know you told us you took this vacation for health reasons but it might also be because of those articles about you?".

She immediately stopped eating, her eyes were avoiding his father's gaze, almost ashamed to meet them,"So you saw it".

"Yes I saw them, I read those negative reviews about your latest book so does your mom but don't get down on yourself. I know how negative opinions of others can bring you down but don't forget that you will always have me and your mom support you for everything. Me and your mom just want you to communicate with us when something is wrong," and now it was his turn to avoid her gaze, not wanting her to see his eyes tearing up, "we just don't want to repeat what happened to you six years ago,".

She listened attentively at his words, she knows how both of her parents suffered for the events of that day and she promised to herself that it will never happen again, "I know dad I'm working on it and I promise you, you will never see me again in that situation".

"Your mom and I just what the best for you," he said, patting gently on your head.

"I know dad I know," she admitted, giving her father a reassuring smile.

"Oh wait, you said your meeting Aoyama right," he pulled out from his pocket his wallet and gave her 13,000 yen (99 in euro, 117 in dollars), "here take it,".

"Dad, I'm twenty-six years old, I can pay for my stuff,".

"Just take it ok," He replied while sipping a cup of coffee pretending not to hear the protest coming from his daughter.

After the deep conversation she had with Aizawa this morning, she was now preparing to meet Aoyama. Once choosing her outfit, she decided to wear the golden ring on the fourth finger of her left hand to complete the look. Fortunately the weather forecast was right and it was a sunny day outside and her best friend informed her that they will meet in a cafe. He told her how excited he was to try their famous cheesecake and the way he described the pastry makes her want to try.

It took only twenty minutes by walking from her house to arrive at the cafè shop Aoyama told her. From the outside the wall of the shop was black and it was ornated with several climbing plants, there was also a big wooden door as the entrance and inside the place it was rather a cozy atmosphere.

She was searching for her best friend who was in disguise to avoid fans attention towards him and he told her to be able to recognise him, he was wearing a green merchandise t-shirt of Deku with a pair of dark sunglasses and a dark blue bucket hat. After searching for a couple of minutes she finally saw her friend in the most isolated part of the shop and near him there was a TV attached to the wall. He was sitting in a chair using his phone but she noticed something different from her best friend.

"I can't believe he really did that," she thought.

"Yuga I thought you were joking when you said to me you were going to dye your hair," admiringing his new hair color now similar to the shade of blonde of Lucius Malfoy.

After some years of not seeing her in person, he immediately gave her a warm hug, "Y/n!!! It's so nice to see you again".

"Yuga, you don't know how much I missed you," she said, returning back the hug, "it's been two years since we saw each other and the last time was when you visited me in New York".

"And what were you saying about my hair, for your information," flipping his hair with a hand in a too dramatic way, " these are amazing," he said, not caring too much about him blowing up his disguise.

"Whatever you say Lucius Malfoy. So how is my favourite hero?," she asked once they took their seats.

He confesses to her the struggle of being the number fifteen hero, how the paparazzi each day that pass are becoming more determined to invade his private life and his agency already gave five restriction orders to five paparazzi only this last three months. He can't imagine how difficult it is for higher ranking heroes to maintain their privacy, he admitted, but on a positive note he and his team are working hard to climb higher in the hero rankings this year and they are also trying to sign better sponsorships with other companies' brands.

"So yeah, this is basically what I've been doing in the last months," he picked the menu card, " and you, my favourite writer, keep me updated on what is happening in your life," he asked, flipping the menu card.

"Well first I'm sorry for what happened to you with the paparazzi, at least your agencies manage the whole situation well but don't worry I don't have any doubts that you will achieve the top ten hero podium. So you wanted to know my personal life or my work life?,".

"All of it," He admitted with a devilish smile painted on his face.

"You jerk, so where do I start," taking a deep breath, "let's talk first about work, even though I told my parents it was my own decision to be on holiday, actually, it is more like my agency imposed me to take this vacation, because of the critiques. Although my recent book was a success to the public, the critiques were, well, quite harsh.

I have been working in this industry for a long time to develop a thick skin towards harsh criticisms but my agency didn't take it well, they told me, I should take time off from working before publishing a new book. They don't want to see again what they read about me in those articles written by literary critics, phrases like 'The book is so predictable, 'Has Adrianne lost her spark of writing?', 'The book is not on the same level as the other that she wrote', 'I will not even read to meet pets'.

He put down the menu card in his hands, "Y/n, I'm sorry for what happened to you but don't let those critics let you down. I know your worth as an writer and looks like also my colleagues know it, the way they were down knowing you took half year off from writing, you should have seen their reaction when they red what those literary critics wrote about you they were furious to them and every time they talk about your stories and theories about it, their face are engulfed of joy" he said taking both of your hands in his and slightly squeeze it. "Y/n if you can only see the happiness of my co-workers imagines the joy you bring to others millions of people that read your stories around the globe," he expressed with a smile on his face, after all the years that you know him that smile always brings you comfort. "Y/n remember you are the one who brought that medium company to become one of the biggest and most important company in New York with your amazing works, you are their big fish. Even if those literary critics didn't like your books, what can your company do against you? Fire you? Please they are nothing without you," he added.

Trying to not laugh at his last statement, she dried the tears forming in her eyes for the words of support from her friend, she said, "Ohhh Yuga chan, you really know how to make a woman cry".

He winked at her, "What can I say, it's the charm of being a hero".

"Ok let's stop with these tear-jerking moments and let's order." Playfully slapping his arm and picking up the menu card to choose what to order. "I honestly don't know what to pick besides their cheesecake, there are so many to choose from".

"Well I also recommend you to check their drinks,".

Flipping through the pages of the menu card, she decided what to choose, " I know what to order and you?," He nodded indicating to her, he was also ready to order.

A waitress came towards them after she called her, "Hi, are you ready to take an order?".

Y/n spoke for both of them, " Yeah, we both chose the cheesecake and for the drinks a black tea and a bottle of water".

"I'm sorry to say this but there is only one cheesecake left," the waitress informed them both.

"It's ok Y/n you can take it-"

"You are more excited than me to try their cheesecake, so I will pick the tiramisù instead of the cheesecake," she said to the waitresses.

Once the waitress was gone Aoyama told her best friend, " I still can't believe it, our friendship basically started thanks to cheese".

She laughed at what he said because it was basically the truth, she remembered the day she met him.

Her mother gave birth to her in Musutafu, Japan, but at the age of five her mother decided to move to London. When the young girl asked the reason why they needed to reside in another country, her mother's eyebrow frowned at the question but there was an evident sadness in her eyes and a wounded look she tried to hide under a smile. Her mom lowered herself to approach the same height of her child and with her hand she gently patted the hair of her daughter and with hesitation she answered "It's for the best".

So the single mother and her daughter lived their life in tranquillity, trying to fit in a new community and culture with her mother working as a nurse in a big hospital in London and her going to school and living most of her childhood in England.

Y/n didn't make a lot of friends considering her timid nature until one day she discovered a blog that contains: information, fun facts and new discovery about cheeses. A lot of kids around her age didn't like the smell of it and they always say it because the smell of it reminds them of sticky feet. So when she met on this blog a person around her same age that also has the same passion as her they immediately became friends and this boy's name was Yuga Aoyama.

The young girl and her online friend almost spent their time together, talking about what they wanna be in the future.

"Y/n chan when I grow up I want to be a hero just like All Might," the young boy announced, showing to her the All Might plushie.

"I don't really know what I want to be when I grow up, maybe just like my mama?. I just want one day to meet you in person Yuga,".

Unbeknownst to the ten years old girl, her wish will become reality when her mother informs her that they will go back to live again in Musutafu ,Japan. Her mom receives an offer to work as an assistant for Recovery Girl and to her mother's surprise her daughter was more than happy to go back to Japan because this means that she will have the opportunity to meet her online friend in person.

After five years living in England they are finally back in Japan. Her mother was euphoric for the fact that both of them are finally back in their home country and after a few weeks of fixing their apartment Y/n didn't lose time to meet her online friend in person and they decided to meet near the UA school.

After meeting in person the two became closer to each other and their friendship solidified over the years until they both went to the UA high school with Aoyama achieving his dream to go to the hero course and her simply frequenting the general department.

The first year of UA recently started and Aoyama and her were walking in the hallway of the school to go to the cafeteria during lunch break, their peaceful conversation was interrupted when they heard loud noises coming from their back.

There was a boy with blond hair and a black lightning symbol on his hair that just passed them running from something or rather from someone, "You see that boy his name is Kaminari, one of my classmates but I don't know why he's running this fast".

She was going to tell her best friend something until she heard another loud sound of explosion coming from behind her. When she turned around to see what was the cause of the tumult the girl notice another blond boy running towards them with a furios remark on his face, the boy was clearly using his quirk in the school hallway, even if he wasn't allowed to, a blast of explosion appearing on his hands to be able to run faster and Y/n seeing all of this was already ready to ignore it until she heard.

"SHINE!".

After hearing those words coming from the blond boy, Y/n was astonished by what she realised and she didn't even register that she basically screamed to the boy, "What it's you".

Bakugo was searching for Kaminari trying to teach him a lesson for a stupid prank that him and Mineta played on him. After giving a lesson to Mineta it was Kaminari turns now, he was running to find him until he lost sight of him, the only evidence where to find him was hearing his scream of terror trying to escape from Bakugo. The angry blond male immediately knew where the noise was coming from and it was from the hallway near the cafeteria and of course Bakugo didn't lose time and he instantly used his quirk to run faster towards the hallway where the scream of Kaminari was coming from.

Out of frustration he let out a curse but he didn't know that screaming that word can change his life forever.

In the hallway he saw his classmate Aoyama and a girl near him, he was going to ignore them until the unknown girl screamed at him.

Bakugo was continuously running but eventually lose his balance and control of his quirk when the girl in front of him screamed at him, his pupil become more dilated and suddenly his breath grow shorter until he was a few steps from the unknown girl and at that moment he completely lose track of his footstep making him fell on the ground with the girl under him.

Y/n didn't understand what just happened, her body was lying on the ground and she felt a weight of another person on top of her, when she opened her eyes she was greeted with a pair of carmine eyes observing her movement attentively.

" Fuck it's you then ," Bakugo said.

"Y/n ," he called her, "you were zoning out," he added.

"I'm sorry I was thinking of something," she created an excuse, mentally scolding herself to stop reminiscing about the past with rose tinted glasses.

He was going to say something until both of their attention was now focused on the tv near them.

There was a lady in her thirties announcing that one month from now there will be an annual hero gala and the woman was presenting which heroes will be present that night. The lady was showing pictures of various superheroes which some of them were familiar to Y/n from Aoyama and old UA students but what caught her attention was the remark that the woman said when she presented the pictures of Bakugo and her girlfriend.

Look at those two our national sweet couple, we all can't wait to see them and in a few months by now there will be their six years anniversary together .

Y/n and Yuga looked at each other's eyes and they cringed at that nickname that the host gave them.

"National sweet couple? Seriously?," she asked, trying to hold her laugh.

A hand in front of his mouth to suppress his laugh, he said, "Believe me there are worse nicknames that I heard about those two. But you know what is more interesting," he suddenly lowered his voice and asked her to come near him, "there are some rumours in the hero circle that say that Bakugo cheated multiple times on Yua".

At his last statement, she looked with sadness at the golden ring present on her fourth finger and thought Well this isn't like the first time that happen.

" but you know, what is the most interesting part of the 'cheating rumors' about Bakugo is that none of it comes out from the public's eyes," he added.

"Well this is strange considering this is the type of news paparazzi and the media will fight to know ".

Suddenly the conversation she was having with her friends was interrupted when a waitress served them their food.

"Y/n let's stop talking about Bakugo love life, tell me about yours-".

"Not existent," she cut him short.

"Oh c'mon Y/n there will be someone who can make your heart beat again- ".

His complaints were interrupted with the ring of her phone.

"Who is it?," he asked.

She checked her phone and told him, " It's Aki".

"Speaking of the devil. You mean that Aki, the son of the president of the company you work for? The golden bachelor of your company and every female tried to seduce but failed eventually?," he said, drinking his tea.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your fantasies but he's only a good friend of mine, probably he only called just to talk about work knowing him," she admitted, answering the call.

"Hi Aki, ohh you're coming to Japan, when?,".

She heard her friend whispering to her, "Interesting," she rolled her eyes at her friend's comment.

"Ok bye Aki,".

"So what did you talk about,".

She told Aoyama what they talked about and it was mainly about work. Aki is the vice president of the company and in a few days he will come to Japan to take over an important project that was to build a new branch company located in Tokyo.

"And he also asked me if he can take me out to dinner when he will be here,".

"Well well well this sounds like a date to me. Do you ever think that he might have feelings for you?," he asked.

She defended herself, "We knew each other for a few years now, if he ever had feelings for me I should have noticed it by now".

" Y/n , I mean you didn't even notice when Bakugo had-".

She knew exactly where he was coming from and she didn't like it. She touched the ring in her finger with her other hand and with a firm voice she said to him, " Aoyama, stop, I might have not noticed in the past but now I will definitely know if someone has it".

Aoyama noticed her discomfort around that particular subject and he immediately tried to ask for forgiveness, "I'm sorry. I should've thought better before bringing it out that subject".

"It's ok Yuga. I shouldn't be angry with you about things that happened years ago," she comforted him, returning to her calm nature.

"No no no I'm on the wrong side this time and I want you to forgive me by going shopping and let me pay for your stuff," he informed her.

"Wait no you shouldn't do it-".

"I insist Y/n and I don't accept no for an answer," he announced, winking at her.

"I mean if you insist….".

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tetrakys · 4 years

Text

I haven’t commented what is going on with the guides and I feel like I should.

First of all, the problem of people taking content from tumblr and posting it on other platforms is old, you probably remember Lilyr95 pretending to play the game and spreading fake news. Personally I think that when it comes to illustrations and screenshots the art belongs only to Beemoov, so I never bothered to watermark these things. However I’ve seen time and time again other people add their own watermark to things taken directly from my own blog.

To have proof of this we added Lance’s face to Ivan’s bad ending illustration, because to this day I’m still the only person in the fandom who has managed to get bad endings voluntarily I knew that my illustration would end up on all Moonlight Lovers pages, and that’s exactly what happened. Then, even better, the instagram page Ivaniel removed our watermark from the illu and put their own, demanding to be credited by anyone who would use the illustration.

That page was closed but the admin is the same as cdm_ml_juegos who has consistently taken our content and reposted it. I want to be fair and say that they add credit in the comments, same thing the page otome_updates does, but what is the point of adding credits in the comments when they cover our watermark from screenshots (like what they did immediately after Crown posted her screenshots of Ivan’s new good ending) or add their own watermark to our guides? And why... because they used google translate on them? We make our own spanish translations, @neilada-d6-meghah is one of the testers and makes sure to respect the language of the game so that people won’t make mistakes while playing, as it has happened with these other bad translations circulating, this whole situation is pretty disrespectful. These two pages have now agreed to stop doing this and post guides correctly. Fingers crossed.

We know that there several other accounts stealing our guides and all our content, we don’t know all of them, so if you do please let us know. Another one we are aware of is the website Escola de El, I spoke to the admin months ago asking them to stop making their own translations of our guides and publish the ones we make, with our own format. They not only refused but also blocked me and made a whole slanderous post about how I am only looking for fame(?)... simply because I want rightful credit for the group hard work. The whole brazillian fandom must think we are all psychos after what they wrote. To these days they are still using our guides but have also completely stopped crediting us, they credit some wiki pages that also use our guides. That website has ads, how do I know they are not making money out of our guides? It’s an absurd situation.

Also, please wiki pages (Brazil, Spanish, Polish etc), the rule stands for everyone, add the guides on our format to your websites. It’s not a whim, we update these guides, I received DMs from people who lost illus because they were still using Vladimir’s answers from November 2019. Also there were fake guides circulating up until recently. Please repost only in our format with link to either tumblr or facebook.

This whole situation is even worse if we add the fact that Beemoov has increased their release pace like crazy, every week at least one chapter comes out, often enough two. Last week we had 3 Raphael chapters + a terrible bug, it took us hours and hours of work to make the guides, we basically did nothing else in our free time up until sunday. To make an example, it took me around 5 or 6 hours per chapter only to go through all our gameplays and make notes. And the other testers replayed lots of times, more than I did. The moment we posted the guides, minutes later could be found everywhere, in other formats and with barely visible credits at best, or with other people credits at worst.

Honestly, we are burned out and disheartened. We even wanted to make Eldarya guides but if this is the situation I highly doubt it. We will keep playing just for fun among ourselves, if the situation improves and the instagram pages, the wikis, the websites and other socials stop the blatant stealing we will probably make guides again, but until then we are back to playing just for us.

#personal #about the guides

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seb-owns-these-tatas · 4 years

Text

Witcher of the Night (Chapter 13.1)

THIS IS MODERN ERA READER WHO WOKE UP IN THE DIMENSION OF THE WITCHER.

UPDATES FOR WITCHER OF THE NIGHT WILL BE PUBLISHED EVERY SATURDAY NOW IN MY TIME (GMT +8)

CHAPTER 13

WITCHER OF THE NIGHT MASTERLIST

Characters: Geralt of Rivia x small!Naive!Reader

Summary: Geralt could feel what you also feel and he was cursing the Djinn for making you both feel this way because it was a feeling that was certainly irresistible for one man to ever control. You were in heat, and it doesn’t seem to be such a good idea for the witcher to try and resist.

Warnings: This is just a filler chapter for the smut in the next chapter. Ahonhonhon! Kind of Jealous Geralt too? Lowkey? Hehehehe. A cute bard and Cirilla having the period-syndrome (I’m having it too rn and I’m thirsty for Geralt or any of Henry’s character. DAMN IT) I’ve given a name to the Djinn they’ve found because I’ve tried searching but found no name for every Djinn they find in the witcher? I think? Reader being so needy and in heat. (The animal type of heat for reasons..) Also, reader is...a virgin.

Words: 4.5k

A/N: You probably want to strangle me so hard right now, bb’s. I’m in the phase of a writer where I’m procrastinating stuff but not exactly a writer’s block. Just want to do things besides writing all day or I’m prolly just sleepy with no damn reason since last week. 😅😒

TAGLIST IS STILL OPEN FOR THIS ONE! Heehee! Don’t forget to REBLOG, COMMENT OR GIVE FEEDBACK IF YOU DID LOVE THIS CHAPTER! IT’LL MAKE ME SMILE! Sorry for the grammatical errors and such because English isn’t my mother tongue!

Disclaimer: PNG’s used in edits are not mine even the GIF’s too. However, the edits and oneshots are definitely from moi. Characters, places and said monsters aren’t from moi as well. GIF’s INCLUDED ARE CREDITED TO THOSE WHO MADE THEM! I DO NOT OWN THEM!

MY WORKS ARE NOT NOT NOT NOT NOOOOOOT TO BE POSTED ON ANY OTHER WEBSITES. My official username in Wattpad is “TATATHEPOTATO” and that’s the only other site I have for writing aside from Tumblr. Thank you, Tater tots!

"Well, you're in a greater bad mood right now, rat." Jaskier frankly stated, wiping his lute with a cloth.

The night was serene with your heart strings balled up in a yarn. Your emotions consisting of woe with a face as if you lost a shit ton of money. You sat together with Jaskier in the middle of the vast leigh, knees touching against each other as the bard quietly sat with you in silence.

A bright purple evenfall draws nigh along the sky, stars finally becoming visible as you admired how beautiful their skies were. Less pollution and more aesthetic, though a lot more eccentricity happening around more than earth.

You've exhaled one last sigh, mouth in a tight frown as you took notice of the moon that was in replete. A perfect shape of a circle as it shines bright.

"Is the witcher being an imbecile again?" the bard ceased his cleaning, giving you his sole attention as he watched your face contort in utmost upset. But, you chose to just let the sorrow go for a moment, admiring the stars and skies like it wasn't laughing back at you from how delusional you were for having strong feelings for the witcher, "Don't start, Jaskier."

"Your cantankerous attitude shown in your cherubic face tells me that you are gradually adapting Geralt's crabbiness because you accepted the position in being his lover---," Jaskier has managed to bluntly say, carefully placing his lute on the grass as he narrowed his eyes at you, "---Though, it does seem like a sacrifice, small rat. Your kindness shall be missed. I would like to see you try and let Geralt adapt to your naivity and sweetness. The vision is pretty hilarious, if you ask me!"

Your frown even grew tighter when he mentioned the word 'lover', shoulders falling from how dismayed you were from hearing it.

"I'm not his lover."

The bard couldn't help but raise a skeptical brow back at you, remembering what he saw last night. He knew he wasn't hallucinating nor daydreaming, "Oh, so kissing under the moonlight is considered as a friendly gesture in my era now? If so, then this means you wouldn't mind kissing me too!"

He puckered his lips, making smooching sounds as slowly tried to teasingly close the gap between you both as Jaskier pouted to act as if he was about to give you a kiss on the cheek when you've yelped and immediately had your palms over his mouth, gently pushing his face away from you, "Jaskier! What are you even---?!"

He comfortably sat back down and had his knee over his chest prior to the position he had now, which was in criss-cross as he playfully shrugged. His pretty baby blues looking at the darkening sky, "A shame. I've been told by countable lads and lasses that I do kiss like I take their breath away,"

You tutted at that, shaking your head from his teasing and tried to send a hostile sally, "You suck then. Do you want them dying because of lack of breath?"

Your animosity has been curved by the bard. He seemed like he was acting like he didn't hear you as he let his eyes flicker to you again; going on with his jests, "Thank you by the way. I've been sleeping much soundly since the couple of days and you seemed to be having such wonderful dreams every night,"

Bawdy indications were hinted in between Jaskier's words; making you give him a glare that obviously made him grin like he won the lottery; thinking that your previous rendezvous back in Geralt's room when he wasn't around had some provocative explanations.

He didn't know your symbol was hurting a lot more on those nights where Geralt wasn't around.

You brush off his ribald comment, "I didn't do it for you,"

"I thought you were actually asking for forgiveness by calling me a horse's arse minutes ago? You're knowing the blasphemy of our language but totally naive of every monsters and places we have here. It doesn't seem to be such a thing to be proud of,"

Jaskier continued his blathers without even letting you talk, freely letting you give him death glares because he seemed to be more mouthy as days go by. You turn a deaf ear to exhale an exasperated breath, "I'm taking it back. You're still annoying as heck," before unabashedly laying your head down on his lap.

His yakking has been brought to a halt when he'd felt your head fall on his lap, the bard suddenly uttering quizzical gibbers that you continued to ignore as you felt the bracing wind hit your body; appreciating the eventide in quietude.

"Alright, alright! I'm not complaining...Ughm," Jaskier cleared his throat, anxiously scratching his head as he tried his best not to look at you.

The fullness of the moon has been drawing you in again. In a tranquil night, it was as if the stars began to whisper sweet nothings, lately realizing that their soft whispers has actually been your wishes; albeit, you've broken them down together, your whims willing and having no desire for you to actually come back in earth.

With only one thing in your mind, it was to stay with Geralt and his family.

But, do you really mean it? If you would choose earth or their dimension, were you serious that you wanted to stay?

Though, for him; you weren't that sure if he also wanted the same thing. If Geralt wasn't around, you were probably already dead, have been sold by noblemen or eaten by their monsters.

But, the stars seemed to jump out of the sky when you've heard a loud thundercrack of a door that came from the inside of their house, snapping the bard quiet as the noise tugged you out of your happy place; a place that you hoped Geralt came with.

The night has went slower, time ticking a lot more deliberately when one person is probably upset with another. Especially, when the person you were upset with lived in the same house as you and even was the owner of the bed you sleep on.

You were beginning to feel rickety as seconds pass by while Jaskier tried worming out whatever he had asked to Cirilla whom was feeding Kolby with a basket full of obsolete bread.

"Tell me why the back door is now broken off its hinges?" he asked in incredulity, hands on his hips as he had seen the brown, wooden door hanging with all its life, trying hard not to fall.

Hence, as they continued their talk; you couldn't help but massage that aching part of your chest, the one where the symbol laid upon the valley of your breasts as you heavily breathed.

It was attacking again.

The weight and fiery phantom of fingers grasping your heart more severe rather than the nights you had it felt like a rabid monster wanted to come out of cage. Their cold weather suddenly all swelter; as if you were walking on burnt out coals with one person clouding your mind.

Geralt.

You needed him, wanted him and yearned for his presence.

Cirilla gave a blatant shrug of her shoulders; sounding completely phlegmatic as she answered, "I don't know, bard. I didn't scream if that will make you any less more worried,"

Jaskier had his eyebrows furrowed as he keenly pondered as to why their door was broken all of a sudden, "Has there been a beast?" his slim, calloused fingers moved restlessly; dwelling onto what has raided their own home. The bard looked anywhere, continuing to be in distress while Cirilla patted the Hirikka's head with utmost care as she watched him devour everything in the basket, "You mean, Geralt?" she gave Jaskier a once over before turning back to look at Kolby, thoroughly undisturbed that it was the witcher's doing, "---He went out for a second and then came back, breaking the door off its hinges. But, he promised to fix it,"

Jaskier's head veered to where she was crouched in the middle of the living room, his baby blue eyes full of concern as he opened his mouth to tell all his inquiries but was instantly shut closed when he'd seen you hunched in his peripheral vision, palms on your knees as you were breathing like you were being chased by another Alghoul.

The latter took heed of those sweat drops falling on the side of your face as you were heaving deep breaths. Your head was darkening in assailing images of those familiar amber eyes you've grown to be thoroughly fond of; longing to be consumed by those glowing golden aureate.

You've heard someone walking closer to where you stood, seeing Jaskier crouch to give you a scrutiny of his baby blues. Bright azures. You didn't yearn for that. All you wanted was golden. His golden and you couldn't help but whimper, your chest has giving you agony as if you were being pricked in the heart by small needles, "You're sweating like a rabid---rat, are you alright?"

Another deep inhale of your breath; you breathlessly muttered, "I am Jaskier---It's just---" nevertheless, those train of thoughts couldn't be completed by the excruciating pain that ignited a troubled mewl. You straightened your back, making Jaskier stand up as well to scan your face for any signs as to what was happening to you, but only had seen your face painfully contorted in a way that tells him you were in agony.

"It's hot. Too hot," pause. You swallowed the tight knot of confining sensations wanting to be let out, "---Abnormally hot. Hot in two different ways; like I wanna be impaled or something!"

At your most forthright honesty, your statement has made the bard blink rapidly from how blunt it sounded, being taken aback by how outspoken you suddenly become; a thorough change of your bashful self, "You're actually revealing lewd facts that should be kept to yourself. You are certainly not alright!"

You could feel yourself grow hotter, the heat being scorching and aching at the same time. Your legs began to weaken and you can't help but fold like a paper, squat down and the position was utmost impuissant; totally vulnerable with your palms on your ears as you tried to shut down the restless whispering that went on and on; ceaseless as you had no power over it.

Jaskier began to panic; his face brimful of dread, "----GERALT? WE HAVE A PROBLEM DOWN HERE!"

The soughing of breathless whispers were relentless, no matter how you tried to cover your ears; they just keep coming. It was incessant, never ending despite of how they were giving your chest a pain that seem to be unyielding as they went on and on.

Witcher. You wanted the witcher. You needed him, you longed for him.

"Stop saying the word witcher, Jaskier!" you abruptly scolded, sounding too jarring and ear-piercing; void of kindness as you could feel the aggravation going to your head with the additional non-stop rustle of voices. The bard eyed you skeptically as he added, finding your rebuke rather surprising and odd because he never said anything about it, "I wasn't even uttering a word!"

Warm, slender fingers fell on your shoulders; trying his best to comfort you while the witcher wasn't coming down from his chambers yet. Nevertheless, from the moment he'd touch you, the toubadour has received a harsh slap of his hand being pushed away.

"Jaskier!" you harshly spat, your nose scrunched from how discomforting you were feeling.

He was quick to haul his arms up in surrender, stepping a foot away as he looked at you in horror, "Alright---I'm not touching you then!"

Another strained bleat left your lips as you were now fully sat on the floor, holding your chest as you continued to heave, shaking your head from the perpetual torment that tries its best to scream blandishments that sounded abridged. Some were incomprehensible and other words sounded lucid.

Destiny has it's price. It sounded just like a rustle of the winds as the shushed voices continued its onslaught. Two souls, together as one. Bound for eternal rest or a life forever. Zephyr shall protect. You cannot outrun death.

Your whimpers started to gradually increase, mewling in the process when you've exhaled a sigh as the needles seem to turn bigger, "It hurts, I swear it really hurts!" you screeched, body feeling like you were dropped in hot, molten lava as you were hearing foot steps treading in haste, "Geralt's coming, don't worry, rat."

Kolby prowled to where you sat; eternal mewls never ceasing as sexual, pent-up aggression was starting to travel to your head, but you tried to fight them off. Though, it ignited more pain as you struggled. Cirilla suddenly snapped her head to where you were, a tight lipped frown etching her face as she jogged to where you sat.

"Is she okay?" the pretty child asked in worry, watching you battle with something they couldn't see nor feel. Jaskier raised a brow; looking sardonic as he acknowledged, "No, she certainly isn't, Princess Cirilla."

She gave him a lour as she snarled; her riposte sounding a lot like the witcher because of how harsh it sounded, "I'm not in the mood for your sarcastic nonsense, bard."

Jaskier was unfazed as he took her retort like it was nothing, "Ooooh, is this how period--is it called period---does to a lassie?"

They're retaliations had them unaware of Geralt's presence who came marching down the stairs with an unfathomable expression on his face; the trepidation never seen in his features as it was emotionless, never giving anybody the panic that Jaskier, Cirilla and Kolby has been feeling when you've suddenly began bawling your eyes out from the thumping pain.

The witcher hurriedly crouched before you, his glowing amber eyes thoroughly scanning your features if there was anything weird happening; but to his discontent, Geralt noticed none.

He felt everything. Your frustration, pent-up aggression; venereal desires or not, the twinge of scorching ache that can't be relieved due to constraints given from the latter himself when he'd chose jurisdiction over his carnal wishes that you also wished.

But, he'd been bull-headed for his reasons; Geralt was not bargained for the repercussions held because of having no permanent proof that you were also suffering every night.

Just like him. Hence, the both of you needed relief. Corporeal appetites released for the betterment of both.

"She's in heat," Geralt rasped, trying to hear what you've been begging for and he sensed that you were hearing voices that continues to assault you, paining your chest as you were unaware of his presence that loom before you.

"What? Oh, Geralt! Cease the utter balderdash!" Jaskier exclaimed, eyeing the witcher who squat down in front of you.

Geralt's amber eyes has been searching for yours, but you've never let him see as you continued your hushed begging. He had his chiseled jaw clenched so tight, every breath he takes was also giving his chest a potent congesting pain that he can somehow resist. His medallion was vibrating wildly, alarming him that there was magic surrounding him.

Therefore, he knew the pain wasn't just one to disregard because he knew your pain has explanations that is needed to foresee.

Was the Djinn still in there? Keeping you as a host?

No. Impossible. The witcher thought at the back of his head because there were times that his medallion doesn't vibrate whenever he's around you, it only happened now and back then when you were possessed.

It was impossible that the Djinn was keeping you as its master as well. You could die if that ever happened. The seal was gone and never found back in the swamps, meaning to say it was already gone; broke free from its confinement because you already had three of your wishes.

Jaskier couldn't help but notice how clean and fixed Geralt's hair was. Hence, he'd started to acknowledge the aesthetic difference he claimed, "Also, did you just braid your majestic chalky white hair all by yourself?! Or did you do it, Princess Cirilla?" he bargained, utterly stunned from Geralt and his hair being braided, dubiously eyeing the lion cub of Cintra.

But, she only gave a nonchalant negation, "No."

"Oh, the rat did! She did a great job at making you look so feminine tonight, Geralt!"

Geralt paid no heed to Jaskier's teasing compliments, wanting nothing but to roll his eyes but ceased to do so as your fingers began to shake, his mind now in a perturbed fret as his gaze shifted anywhere to see what was causing your whole situation because he sees nothing. A tight furrow of his eyebrows tightly creased his forehead, "---The Djinn has given her effects for whatever the symbol does to her, bard."

Jaskier crouched beside where Geralt is, receiving a truculent glare that made the bard move away for an inch because his bellicose aura was radiating off him too much, "Symbol? What symbol?"

"I'm not showing you her chest." he bluntly chided as a low growl vibrated through his chest, giving Jaskier a hostile look in his glowing peepers.

The toubadour did a double-take, his mouth turning into an offended 'O' as he held a palm on top of his chest as he gestured to your squatted form, "I wasn't even asking you if I could see her breasts!"

"Then, shut up and stop asking."

Jaskier huffed, sulking beside the witcher because of how he'd suddenly become such a grump.

You've muttered a soft mewl, tightly closing your ears with your palms as you suddenly talked out loud, "I need Geralt. Where's Geralt?!" it was the only name you could hear, echoing inside your head as the heat traveled through your veins, searing and extremely scorching all of a sudden.

Your heartbeat was loudly drumming out of your chest. Sweat dripping down your face as the pain and heat was starting to make you feel lightheaded, his scent crashing through your senses. Earthy, pinewood and a mix of mannishness.

Geralt.

"Don't touch me!" It felt like you were burning; but also finding some aid to the ache as it soothed your heated skin like ice to the fire. You've felt his thick, rough fingers fall on your shoulder, making you jerk back as you looked at him; completely mortified for a second, "I'm here, midget." before the witcher tightened his hold on you, those fingers clasping around your feeble arm as he gazed upon you in deep concern.

"It's alright. Calm down, it's me." Geralt gently hushed your frantic state, softly grabbing the side of your jaw to make you look at him.

When he did, your eyes were dark and dilated, filled with carnal.

"You're having a hot spell," he roughly forced the words out of him, heavily swallowing whatever you were feeling because he's also having the same problems, but chose to restrain himself; doing a better job than any most men would, "A--A literal spell?" you didn't catch his drift and feel yourself breathing deep, his scent soothing your nerves as it also does the same for him.

Geralt shook his head, his fingers strapped on the side of your neck making his hand feel the pleasuring jolt. You've felt his fingers slightly tremble as your eyes were beseeching, those dilated pupils of yours tormenting him, "No. You're in heat, midget." pause. he lowly growled in displeasure, amber eyes pooling in keen, "---which explains your cravings for touches and the need for coition,"

Your face scrunched in pain and a mixture of pent-up frustration, the voices inside your head slowly dying down as it was now drowning in the witcher's unique, baritone timbre of his that was making you feel giddy before a jolt of pain rose up your chest again, "What am I---an animal?! Geralt, make it stop!"

Jaskier and Cirilla listened in silence. However, the bard fidgeted with the hem of his tunic; his mindless frets seeming to come up with such suggestions that will make everyone's mind boggle.

He raised a hand, not before taking a good look at you who had eyes pure of anguish and need which now focused at Geralt before he'd loudly cleared his throat, turning his head to see the witcher in distress from what other methods he could think of other than the impaling, "I have a proposal and an utterly brilliant idea to make the pain stop!"

Cirilla hushedly snorted, "His ideas are always nonsense. Don't listen to him, Geralt."

Jaskier placed his hands on his hips, pointing a finger at the princess, mouth opening before he was immediately ceased by Geralt himself.

"The princess is right, bard."

The sonneeter noted his lukewarm response, sounding like he actually opposes what Cirilla has reprimanded because all Geralt ever wanted and what clouds his mind is having his way with you, "---Give the small rat what she wants, Witcher. What if the pain carries on as nights go by? Give her the rumpy pumpy since that is always the answer to why an animal is in heat. It wants coitus, or if you've become one soft, romantic witcher; then I suggest to use the word, 'make love'." he emphasized, quoting the word 'make love' with both hands, his middle finger and index one folding as he said the last word with ardor.

Geralt was quick to scowl at that, exhaling an exasperated breath out of his nose as he hummed in protest; giving the bard his meanest glare, "You're saying she's an animal. You want me to take advantage of it?"

"No?" Jaskier quickly shook his head, groaning out; palms faintly hitting his forehead as he tried to act as if he was slapping it from Geralt's unreasonable assumptions. He continued, languidly blinking back at the frowning witcher, "---I didn't even say you would take advantage of the idea, you nincompoop! Then, do you want me to mate with her?"

It took him a second before he'd seen the latter started giving blazing daggers that had fire in it, his words seething as Geralt gruffly barked, "Absolutely not, bard!"

His glowing, amber eyes were boring holes at Jaskier before he lowly rumbled; more so to himself, trying to convince himself that there was another way.

He was dithering the idea of having you; not because he didn't find you pleasant, fetching, alluring or beautiful. Geralt found you in many types of wonderful adjectives he could tell, though mostly was kept inside his mind. The idea of having you, only to himself; ravishing you in ways that he ought to please kept him faltering because of one thing in his mind.

Vulnerability.

The witcher was thoroughly cautious of vulnerability because whenever it happens; once the walls have been broken down, there was always hindrance coming in his way and with the person he'd promised were important, or a person he loved because he knew that once he has you, Geralt was done for no matter how unstable he was.

You'll be seeing things you've never seen nor felt from him as he does the same way.

Especially, that you never came from their dimension and that the feelings he had for you was too strong to even control. But, the voices at the back of his mind was pulling him away from even pouring those emotions down because firstly, he didn't know how to show and second, there was a huge chance that you would also leave.

What if you leave? a person he'd treasured so much begins to leave him again?

Geralt mindlessly gritted his teeth together as he grumbled and grouched, avoiding the bard's eyes as he watched you shakily grab onto his palms that tenderly rested on the side of your face; leaning onto his touch as you looked at him; utterly lovestruck, "We'll find another way," pause. "---There has to be."

Though, it seems like the bard hasn't heard his beseeching and continued with his witful suggestions, "The only way is to impale her to cease the sufferings that the spell has cast upon her by the Djinn," Jaskier promptly stood up on his feet, his anxiety making him blurt out mindless blabbers he could ever think of, "---There is nothing to lose on this one, Geralt. Especially that you're...no offense---"

Geralt cut him off in haste, surly spitting out his words, "There is, Jaskier. Her purity."

Jaskier pointed back at the witcher, completely looking taken aback as he opened his mouth like he was stunned, "Oh." was the only thing he managed to say for the first few seconds before he quietly muttered, "OooooOh. She's a?"

The Ivory haired man gave a brief nod, "Untouched." he frankly informed as Cirilla quietly listened in the background with Kolby howling loudly in the middle of the night like a wolf in disguise, "---Oh! This is an unorthodox for the series of women that you have had, Geralt! Also, she's a rare one indeed!"

Jaskier couldn't help but feel dumbstruck from his suggestions, shamefully scratching the back of his nape as he has given the whole responsibility to Geralt because he could never help. He always never does because of some sorts that he couldn't explain, probably because he wasn't taught with these magical phenomena that Geralt expertly knows.

When the witcher has given you his attention, you've abruptly attacked him in a bear hug, arms tightly wrapped around his thick neck that you wanted to softly pepper kisses. As you were caging him in your arms, his delicious scent wafted through your nose, welcoming how it was indeed mouthwatering for your blazing appetite or carnal greed.

"I want to have you, Geralt. I--I need to have you! These thoughts inside my head...It needs you, I--I need you," you begged, softly pleading like there wasn't anyone around you; not noticing Cirilla, Kolby nor Jaskier as there was only one person in your mind. Geralt of Rivia. Your Geralt. Your witcher. The only person who gives you fluttering butterflies and wild ants inside your stomach and chest.

You've tucked your face in between your arm and his braided hair, breathing the back of his ear like a wild woman as Geralt stood still and heard your whimpers that went straight to his stronghold, his will in finding another method to help suddenly wavering from how soft and provocative it sounded that clouded his mind.

He turned relaxed in your arms, accepting the bear hug and probably loving how close you both were together after hours of not talking to each other. You've felt his calloused palm caress your clothed back, soothing your pained mewls that came after your sensual whimpers as it was unstable. Geralt gently unlatched your arms that surrounds him, his golden peepers meeting your baffled ones before he had no problem in scooping you up in his arms, like newly wed couples.

"We'll think of other ways, midget. Come. Let's help you with the heat,"

Cliffhanger before the smut? I’M SORRY, BB’S. LOVE MEEEE STILLLLLL!

Taglist: @alyxkbrl @himarisolace @barkingbullfrog @ayamenimthiriel @hellodevilslittlesister @vania-marie @spookypeachx @grungelovebug @fangirl-inthe-us @nympeth @amirahiddleston @gabethelobster @dreaming-about-starfleet @uncoolcloudyhead @melaninstylezz @psychosupernatural @missjenniferb @dance-dreamer @marvelousell @kingniazx @angelias134 @tapismyforte @chook007 @covid-donotenter @winter-moons @cheesecakeisapie @silverkitten547 @angelofthorr @carrieannewaywardson @plantingmum, @stuckupstucky, @shesthelastjedi

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2460nodone · 3 years

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Hell is a Relative Term (1/2)

Title: Hell is a Relative Term Category: Plays/Musicals » Les Misérables Author: AliceInSomewhereland Language: English, Rating: Rated: T Genre: Supernatural/Romance Published: 05-21-13, Updated: 05-22-13 Chapters: 2, Words: 9,662

[Part I] [Part II]

Summary: Eponine is one of the few who stand between humanity and hell, sworn to fight evil and protect the helpless, even if it costs her her own life. Vampire slayer!Eponine. e/e. Rated for language/content

Original author’s note: Ok guys, here we go with fic #2 for the Fic War on tumblr! This one was a prompt from tumblr user poeticbibliophile: "Modern AU prompt? One line for you, m'amie — 'Are you afraid of the good you can do?' from Les Miz, V. Hugo. Tag me if you chose this. TY!"

Part I

What if I told you the stories were true?

What if you knew that there really are things that go bump in the night? Things that live under your bed and in your closet just as much as they live in your mind, things that stalk you in the dark and prey on your terror? That all the monsters your parents ever promised you were pretend exist? That sometimes, people die, evil wins, and that the light cannot always banish your fears?

The world was hell.

There was no other way to put it.

No one really knew why these creatures existed, but they did. They ruled the night, mauling and feasting and terrorizing the population all the world over. It had always been this way; God had long ago forsaken the world and its inhabitants. Hell had swallowed Earth, and its demons walked with sorry humanity.

But there were people to fight it. Men and women, chosen for their strength, their character, their skill. They were given tasks, they learned the weaknesses of the different creatures, and eventually specialized in one specific type of Hellbeast.

"Eponine!" a voice shouted.

A young woman, olive-skinned, brown-eyed and dark-haired, stopped short, closing her eyes in trepidation before slowly turning.

"I've been looking for you everywhere," the man said sternly. He was middle-aged, with a close-cropped, graying haircut and a beard that matched. "I want you to patrol tonight."

The girl, Eponine, clenched her jaw. "I promised my brother I would be home tonight. He needs me. You have Musichetta, send her instead."

"Don't question me," he scolded. "I'm sending you."

When Eponine opened her mouth to protest, the man cut her off. "You are a vampire slayer, Jondrette. This is your job. This is your duty. You were chosen to protect the people of the world, and you will patrol tonight."

"One of those people I have to protect is my brother, Javert," she snapped. She loved the man, but he so frequently forgot that she was one of the rare slayers who had people at home to take care of. She had yet to lose everything, and she planned on keeping it that way. "I have a duty to him, too. And I promised him I would be there tonight. Send Musichetta instead."

Without waiting for his response, Eponine turned on her heel. She knew that Javert would probably punish her later for her insubordination, but she didn't care. Gavroche needed her.

Eponine was a vampire slayer. One of few slayers, in fact. Most of the women who became slayers died young.

It was not a fate she coveted.

In fact, she hated everything this life. But she had been chosen, as Javert constantly reminded her, by a power bigger than herself. And since he was her Guardian – the Guardian of all the slayers in this quadrant – and essentially her boss, it was he she answered to.

She was on the train, headed home to her brother. The dark world rushed by her, and she wondered how many vampires were out and active tonight.

She hated them with a burning passion. When they Turned, they kept their souls, but the bloodlust was so intense that they rarely heeded what little remained of their consciences. Eventually, most lost themselves in the Hunger or went insane from the guilt of what they did when their urges were unbearable. Most that she had met, however, loved killing. She had yet to meet a truly guilty vampire.

True to legend, they could not be in sunlight, and a stake to the heart or a clean swipe of the head from the shoulders would kill them immediately. Crosses, churches, hallowed ground – all unbearable to them. They couldn't even speak the name of God; that's how damned they were. They were vicious, evil creatures, and she wanted nothing more than to kill them all.

She hated being a killer, but she loved the fight, loved the moment when they lost. She would watch them victoriously, almost arrogantly, as they died in front of her. It gave her a rush, and afterwards, she would run through the streets, high on adrenaline, hungry and horny and happy.

She would find Montparnasse when she could, but otherwise she would grab a burger and indulge at least one of her urges until the high wore off and the real world crashed down on her again.

Several weeks later found Eponine back on patrol and deep in the throes of combat with a vampire. She could almost taste her victory when she felt, rather than saw, the presence of more of the loathsome bloodsuckers.

Panic bubbled up in her; she faltered and was knocked to the ground. She could feel blood trickling down from her brow, and her opponent, standing above her now, bared his teeth menacingly. She was surrounded

"Good job, little 'un," a grating woman's voice cooed.

Eponine felt her insides go cold. From her place on the ground, she stared up into the eyes of her mother.

She had hated her parents when they were alive, and had not been surprised when the police showed up one night, delivering the news of their deaths. She was, however, surprised when she saw them months later, their faces twisted as they sucked a woman dry.

But that was years ago, well before she was a slayer.

"Hello little Eponine," the creature that was once her mother sang.

Eponine pounced, fighting like a madwoman. But she was outnumbered; she only managed to slay the original vampire she was battling before she was repeatedly beat down… by her mother and her father and the rest of their gang.

Her father wrenched her head back by her hair, exposing her neck. This is it, she thought, fighting against those who were pinning her to the ground. I'm about to become another dead slayer.

The vampire broke her skin with his teeth, followed on the other side by her mother, and Eponine heard herself cry out. It all seemed to be happening from somewhere else; she knew and understood that she was dying, but she couldn't feel it, barely noticed it. Heaviness spread through her body, and her eyes began to get heavy.

Just before they closed, she became aware of a movement to her left. Her mother was ripped away from her neck.

Then everything went black.

When Eponine woke, she felt like she had been out drinking all night. Her body was heavy, her head was pounding, and she felt sick.

When her eyes adjusted to the daylight seeping in through a crack in the curtains, she looked around – turning her head slowly so as to prevent the exaggeration of her nausea and headache.

The room was simple, bare. There was some framed art on the gray walls, though her eyes were too weak to make out the pictures. A small flatscreen TV was on a small bookshelf that was packed with more books than DVDs, and even more books were piled on the dresser near the bed, as well as on the nightstand next to her. Those, she could make out: The World According to Garp, an anthology of the works of Sartre, Catch-22.

The bedspread was red, the sheets were white. Thick, black curtains were pulled together, though a ray of bright sunlight streamed through a crack.

Where was she?

Eponine wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she was several pages into The World According to Garp (whoever lived here had great taste in literature – this was one of her favorite books) before a gentle knock rapped on the door and it opened.

A man stepped in. Tall, curly blonde hair, casually dressed in dark jeans, a white v-neck t-shirt (that gave her a peek of just a little hair on his chest below a defined collarbone), and a black jacket. He was like a marble statue come to life. His eyes, she noticed, were impossibly blue, and his face was achingly handsome. A small bit of stubble covered his jaw and the top of his neck. She had no idea whatsoever who he was.

"How are you feeling?" the man asked. Eponine, in spite of herself and the weirdness of the situation, found that she liked his voice.

Instead of answering – Eponine hated answering direct questions, especially when she didn't know the inquirer – she countered, "Who the hell are you, and how did I get here?"

The man perched himself on the edge of the bed, purposefully staying as far from her as he could. Still, he smirked at her. "I saved your life last night, Slayer. You were outnumbered by the Thénardier Coven, and they would have killed you."

Eponine glared at him. "They took me by surprise," she grumbled. Then, "How did you know I'm a slayer?"

The man snorted. "You slayers wear your rank like a badge of honor. It's impossible not to know."

Eponine actually felt a little affronted, even though he had answered the question lightly.

He shrugged, apparently aware of the insult, and added, "Plus I was watching you."

"What?" she asked, dumfounded and staring at him.

The man grinned again. "I was following the Thénardier Coven, and so were you. You fell for their bait, you know. They were planning to ambush you. You should be more careful," he admonished.

Eponine raised her chin indignantly, but said nothing.

"Yeah, you would've died if it weren't for me," he continued.

He was actually fishing for a thank you. She couldn't believe it.

"Slayers are only women," she pointed out, ignoring his comment.

He ignored hers as well. "You're sleeping in my bed, you know. I saved your life, brought you back here at my own personal risk, nursed your wounds. A 'thank you' wouldn't be unwelcome," he said pointedly. It angered her that he seemed to find all of this so humorous.

She sniffed, realizing that he wouldn't talk about anything else unless she voiced her gratitude. "Thank you," she said tightly.

He smiled. Dear god that was a beautiful smile. "Why, you're welcome," he deadpanned.

"Now, who are you? Where am I?" she asked impatiently.

The man frowned. "You may stay as long as you need. At least, until you are well enough to make it home. Get some rest, and I'll bring you some food. You need your strength," he said, ignoring her questions. He stood, reaching the door in two short strides.

"Why won't you answer me?" she asked, before he could take his leave.

He stopped, hand on the doorknob, the door partially open. Then he shrugged, turning back towards her and seriously replying, "This is the last time you'll ever see me, so it doesn't matter." Then he was gone.

Montparnasse was a vampire.

What was worse, he now belonged to the Thénardier Coven. They were the most violent of the covens in this part of the world, and the most deadly. But also one of the biggest.

Javert had lost many a slayer trying to eradicate their ranks, their power.

Eponine was determined not to become one of them. Especially since she was the human daughter of the clan leaders.

But Montparnasse had been her last friend from her old life. He was in love with her, as a human, but he knew she was uninterested in him, even before she had become a slayer. Still, he had let her use him (not that he didn't console himself with some on the side, anyway – he was no virtuous man).

She felt guilty about how she had treated him now, though. He hadn't deserved to be used for sex. He was a good looking guy, and could've found someone who might have loved him back, even if he had some issues with alcohol and was kind of a klepto.

Eponine found that she was crying as she drove the stake into his heart. She hadn't noticed during their fight, as she was far too entranced by their dance to the death. But she would not lose.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him as he died.

This time, she felt neither hungry nor happy, and definitely was not horny.

It was Montparnasse that she had gone to for that reason. And here she was, responsible for his death, in so many more ways than just this one.

When she looked up, tears flowing freely from her eyes, she thought she saw a flash of blue eyes and blonde hair disappearing into the shadows, but she couldn't be sure.

Marius, Azelma, and Gavroche were the only good things in her life anymore.

She had met Marius not long after becoming a slayer, and had fallen in love with him almost immediately. Sometimes when she had gone to Montparnasse, it was because she wanted Marius, and she could close her eyes with the other man and pretend that he loved her too.

The thought caused a wave of guilt to flow through her body. The hurt of Montparnasse's death (by her hand) was still very close.

Marius was kind to her, though. He was a sweetheart, always stopping to chat and inquire after her and her sister and brother, always ensuring that she was uninjured and being safe on her patrols.

She hoped that he might someday fall for her too. Eponine felt less damaged and depressed and hopeless around him. Perhaps he would even be willing to put up with the uncertainty of her life, her future, for a few passionate years by her side.

But one evening he ran up to her, more excited and worked up than she had ever before seen him.

"'Ponine! Oh, 'Ponine, I've fallen in love," he told her dreamily, taking her hands in his and spinning her gaily.

For a fleeting moment, Eponine thought her meant her.

"She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Her hair is long and so blonde, her eyes are beautiful, and my god she probably has a wonderful soul to match."

Eponine gave him a strained smile.

"Can you find her for me, 'Ponine? You know your way around, and you're good at finding people."

Before she could stop herself, Eponine heard herself agreeing to help him.

She found the blonde beauty, all right.

Her name was Cosette.

She was the daughter of Jean Valjean.

Jean Valjean was the patriarch of the Fauchelevent Coven.

That idiot Marius had gone and fallen for a vampire.

Jealousy and contempt bubbled up inside of Eponine. She didn't know what to do with herself. Or with Marius. And when she had told him what she had learned, he had dismissed it.

"Not all vampires are bad, 'Ponine," he insisted. Eponine wanted to punch him for his stupidity. He might as well have been suggesting that he take a leisurely swim in the ocean in the middle of a hurricane. "She's a good one, I just know it. Besides, the Fauchelevent Coven has always been fairly peaceful. They don't attack humans, not like the Thénardier Coven or the Tholomyes Coven or the others."

Eponine stormed out, going on a hunt.

She would kill something tonight. She could only hope that it was a vampire, not that idiot, love struck boy she had left in the bar.

A few hours later, Eponine was on her third kill (she had been on the offensive tonight, though it wasn't strictly protocol to hunt alone and without a secure plan that Javert knew).

That's when she saw him.

When the vampire woman was dead, Eponine spun on her heal, flicking her sweaty hair out of her eyes.

"Why are you following me?" she demanded.

The blonde man regarded her seriously. "You seem angrier tonight than usual."

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you stalking me?"

He gave this some consideration, before replying, "More like ensuring that you don't get yourself into any sticky situations again."

She took an involuntary step closer. His eyes were so blue. "Why?"

He shrugged. "You're not like the other slayers."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

He thought for a moment. "They're all driven by something. You just go through the motions, but you're so talented. What's keeping you from rising to your full potential? You could be the best slayer alive, if you wanted. You could eradicate the entire Bloodluster population if only you tried."

Eponine regarded him incredulously. "I don't even know you, I'm not talking to you about my reasons for slaying!"

He was watching her closely, looking for something in his face. "Are you afraid of the good you can do?"

Her face darkened. "Look, bro, my reasons for slaying are my own, and are certainly none of your business. And, I will have you know, I'm not afraid of anything."

"Whatever you say," he scoffed.

Eponine shoved him back angrily; he grinned, lazily taking a step back to keep his balance. It only pissed her off more.

"You're intriguing, little slayer," he said, quirking a half-smile at her.

Without missing a beat, she replied, "And you're an annoying jackass, mystery asshole."

He laughed at that.

Eponine still did not know his name, but she began to enjoy his somewhat constant presence when she patrolled. Somehow, he always seemed to pop up in time to see her fight, and ended up staying with her until her patrol was finished just before dawn. Then they would go their separate ways.

"Don't you ever sleep?" she asked as they walked slowly together through the empty streets. No one was ever out at this time of night except for the slayers or the occasional other fighter. She often wondered what his specialty was.

"Don't you?" he countered.

Somehow he always kept things balanced between them. She wasn't sure whether he answered her questions with questions of his own because that's what she did or because he wanted to maintain a certain balance between them. She was fine with boundaries, but the more time she spent with him, the more curious she became. She liked this marble man, this beautiful boy that seemed to gleam with the light of the sun even at night. She wanted to be his friend. She enjoyed hearing about his true friends, the ones that knew him as more than the Marble Man, and she found relief in telling him about her own fucked up life.

Rather than taunting her by knowing her name (which she had never actually told him) while she did not know his, he mostly referred to her as "Slayer" or "Little Slayer." She couldn't decide whether the whole thing was creepy and whether or not she liked his nicknames, nor could she decide if, when he did call her by her name, the shiver that went down her spine was because it sounded so foreign on his tongue or if it was because she liked hearing her name on his lips.

They had become friends, somehow. She wasn't sure what exactly had happened, but she truly did appreciate that he had saved her life, and he hadn't left her alone since, for whatever reason, and she had grown to like his company.

He was driven. He talked a lot about his dreams of helping the people, saving them from these circumstances, finding a way to eradicate the violent covens and hopefully rehabilitate the rest.

Eponine was less in favor of rehabilitation, but her Marble Man insisted that not all covens were violent like Thénardier. He told her frequently that she was blinded by her hate for her parents and what they had become. When he said this, she told him to fuck off and mind his business, usually storming off and leaving him behind. And he usually let her go.

It irritated her to no end that he knew her so well – seemingly without even trying – when she knew nothing about him. Was she that easy to read? He always seemed to guess her emotions – which she had spent so many years learning to hide – without any effort at all. He was always telling her about her potential, about how her circumstances could improve if she only tried a bit harder. He knew her name, he knew her story, but she knew nothing about him. Not even his name.

So one night, she asked him. They had been friends now for a few months. He had watched her fight, had even stepped in a few times when she got a little too close to death for his comfort (though she loved the rush that just escaping death gave her).

"What's your name? You know so much about me, but I know nothing about you."

He was silent for a long moment, and Eponine was fully expecting him to change the subject or stay quiet until she felt humiliated enough by her prying to change it herself, just as he always did. But tonight:

"I'm Enjolras," he told her quietly.

She froze in shock, unable to keep walking. He had actually told her. Her Marble Man had a name, and he had finally given it to her.

After a tense moment, in which she stared at him with an unattractively open mouth and he stared back with trepidation and dark eyes, he stepped up to her. She couldn't read his face as he searched hers, slipping his hand into her own.

Eponine wasn't sure what he found in her face, but he must have been satisfied because he was suddenly turning away, tugging on her hand to pull her with him so they could resume their walk.

But she didn't move. Instead, she tested his name, whispering it into the slight wind. "Enjolras…."

He immediately turned when she said his name, cupping the side of her face with his hands and bringing his lips urgently to hers.

Eponine was waiting for him; her lips parted almost immediately against his, her arms wrapped around his neck, and she pressed herself into him just as he pulled her closer with his free arm.

Enjolras deepened the kiss, meeting the tongue that had only moments ago held his name so tenderly. She shivered as his hand traveled down her rocky spine to rest at the slight valley that had formed at the small of her back.

He kissed her passionately, and she rose to meet the challenge, just as she did with her slaying. His kisses moved from her lips to her jaw, to her neck, to her collarbone. His hand preceded the actions of his lips, tracing their route before he made it. Now, his fingertips traveled down her chest, lips following as he unzipped the jacket she was wearing to reveal her cleavage.

Her hands were entwined in his hair and god she had forgotten how good this felt, and his fingertips and lips and tongue had just reached the top of her breasts when he cried out in pain, leaping away from her.

Eponine stared as a bit of smoke rose from his fingers, as though he had been on fire. He was staring at her with a torn, almost heartbroken, and pained expression.

She knew that she was staring back in horror. Her hand found the pendant buried in her cleavage – a silver cross. It was meant to protect her from her foe.

Anger like she had never before felt suddenly overtook her and she wanted nothing more than to kill him where he stood.

He just continued to stare.

"You're a fucking vampire!" she screamed at him. She could hear the hurt and anger and fear in her voice. What had she done?

"Eponine–."

"No!" she snapped, cutting him off. The way he had implored her with her name – without even needing to say anything else – had twisted her heart in her chest. "If you ever fucking come near me again I will stake you through the heart, and cut your head off, and cause you a lot of fucking pain as I do it!"

Enjolras listened to her scream, holding his burned hand in the palm of his uninjured one. Staring at her with almost heartbroken eyes.

Then he was gone.

#enjonine #enjonine fanfic #enjonine fanfiction #enjonine fic #eponine x enjolras #enjolras x eponine #e/e #é/e

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sunny-flower-girl-01 · 4 years

Text

Ohana - A Hawaii-Five-0 fanfic Chapter One

Hey! So please let me know what you think! I have a plan for this story, but I'm not sure how frequent updates will be since school has started back and I won't have as much free time. Thank you so much!

I also have this published on Wattpad and AO3 if you’d like to check it out there! My wattpad has a small character description for both Thea and Nora that I will post later, but for now I will show you their faceclaims!

https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheUnknownSchuylerSister

https://www.wattpad.com/story/239804835-ohana

Thea Kenwood:

Nora Kenwood:

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Thea's POV-

I stared at the clock on the nightstand, watching 5:59 AM turn into 6:00 AM. I sighed as the alarm started blaring and sat up. I whacked the top of it to stop, almost knocking it completely off the nightstand. I caught it before it fell.

"Nice, Thea." I mumbled and walked into the bathroom to start my day. Normally, I would be ready to get up and get going but today wasn't going to be a typical day at the office. Today, I had to face a man I barely knew and tell him I'm pregnant with his child.

After a one night stand with a man that I met in a bar, who I later found out to be Steve McGarrett, the leader of the Five-0 Task Force that my best friend works with, 6 weeks later I learned that I was pregnant. And here I am at 12 weeks and I'm just now telling him. I took the whole day off from work to be able to meet up with him, go to the doctors, and run several more errands that have been neglected in the last month. I run through my mental checklist of the things I need to get done today as I started to brush my teeth.

'Breakfast with Steve, doctors appointment, grocery store, laundry, pay the bills, call Mindy, pharmacy-' A knock on the bathroom door interrupted my train of thought. I spit out my toothpaste and put my toothbrush back in its holder. I opened my bathroom door to see Nora, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her in for a hug. I'm shocked she's up already, usually I have to go get her up. "Good morning baby. Did you sleep well?" I kissed the top of her head.

She nodded, burying her face in my small bump. She was over the moon about the baby. I had to come clean about the baby when I couldn't eat chicken because of the smell the whole first month of my pregnancy. Between that and the morning sickness, the 7-year-old was aware that something was up. Whenever it came to telling people I was pregnant, they would typically guess and ask me before I even had a chance to say anything. Mindy knew before I even knew. She went and bought me some tests and went to the doctor with me afterwards. She has been my biggest supporter through this whole thing. I just haven't told her who the father was yet. I felt like he needed to know before I tell anyone who knows him. When she asked me who the father was, I told her I would tell her after I told the father. She was skeptical but told me she understood my position and respected that I'd tell her when I was ready.

I ran my fingers through Nora's hair to get some of the knots out. "I'm sorry you have to get up this early, but I have an important meeting to get to. So, Aunt Mindy is going to take you to get some breakfast then drive you to school. Why don't you go get dressed and I'll braid your hair before we leave, okay?" She yawned and nodded again.

"Okay, mama." She mumbled and went back to her room. Nora was actually my sister, but after losing our mother when Nora was a baby and our father only popping in and out of my life- he hadn't been around at all since Nora was born- I became her legal guardian. I've been the only parent shes known her whole life, so somewhere in the last year she started calling me mama and I've never felt the need to correct her. I've never hidden the fact that I'm her sister from her. But she always tells me, "But you take care of me and love me like a mommy would." Our mother died when Nora was a few months old. I was 21, so the courts placed her in my custody after I proved I could provide for her. I was planning to start the adoption process soon but given my current situation that might have to be pushed back a little.

I quickly washed my face and put on a little bit of makeup. Once I finished that I ran my fingers through my hair to get the knots out. It was still curly from yesterday, so I didn't plan to waste the time it took to style it.

I threw on my clothes as Nora walked back into the room in her Sacred Heart school uniform. I was blessed with a smart girl who got a scholarship to Sacred Heart. Tuition was still a little out of my price range, but I wasn't about to deny her the education she would get there. I glanced at the clock as I brushed through her chocolate brown hair. 6:34 AM.

'26 minutes. You got this. You're not asking him for anything, you're just telling him you're pregnant with his child.'

"There. All done." I said as I tied off the end of the braid. "Alright, lets get our shoes on and hit the road."

It took fifteen minutes to drop Nora off at the diner with Mindy and get to the shrimp truck. When I finally called him yesterday and told him that it was urgent that we meet up, he sounded rushed. The only time he was able to meet was early this morning. Usually I'm just now getting up to get Nora and I ready for the day.

I went over to the truck and smiled at Kamekona. "Hey Kamekona."

"Hey lil Sista! What can I do for you and the little one this morning?" Kamekona picked up quick that I was pregnant when I came with Mindy for lunch three weeks ago. Three garlic plates all by myself. Now whenever I'm here, he packs me up an extra plate to take with me.

"Just a coconut water. I don't have much of an appetite this morning." I said, having him the money for my water.

After he handed me the bottle, I went and sat down at a table. I grew more and more nervous as the minutes passed. I glanced down at the watch I was wearing. 7:09. I figured he be late. His attitude over the phone yesterday told me that I was calling at a bad time. And the fact that the only time he could meet with me was 7 AM. I slowly sipped my water, trying to calm my stomach. After about 10 more minutes, I couldn't sit down anymore. I got up and paced around the dining area, kind of thankful that it wasn't too crowded yet.

"Woah lil Sista, what you burning a hole on my turf for?" Kame asked me, wiping down a table. I sighed.

"I'm just waiting for someone. I don't think they're going to show."

"Who you waiting on?"

I bit my lip. I know Kamekona is close with Five-0. At least that's what Mindy tells me. "Um, Steve McGarrett."

"McGarrett? Let me make a call, I'll have him here in no time." He started to walk back to the truck.

"No, no. Don't worry about it Kame, I'm sure he's just busy. I asked him to meet me here at the last minute. I'll catch him next time." I said, but I knew if I didn't tell him today, I probably wouldn't have the courage to tell him ever.

Kamekona didn't look too convinced, but he nodded. "At least let me get you a plate to take with you." He said. I laughed a little and nodded.

"That sounds great, thank you Kamekona." I said, going to sit back down.

"I'll bring it out when it's ready." He went back to the truck.

Not even 5 minutes later, the place was packed. Surfers coming before or after they're morning in the water. People stopping by before work.

"You said it was an emergency!" I heard a voice yell over the crowd and break me out of my train of thought. I looked up to find Kamekona, Steve, and Danny Williams standing in front of the truck. That's another thing that made me realize how small our world actually is. Danny is Grace's father, but I've only ever met Rachel.

'Oh god. Did he call him?'

"You got a young lady here waiting on you McGarrett." Kamekona said to him. "It ain't polite to make a lady wait."

"What? What do you mean someone is- Oh shit." He sighed and ran his hand over his face. He turned to look out into the crowd of people sitting and eating. I quickly turned my head, looking out into the water instead. But I could feel the eyes on me. I knew he spotted me.

'Get over it, you have to tell him. You have no choice.'

I sighed and sat up straight and turned my head to see him coming towards me. He looked angry. Great.

"Hi." I said softly as he sat down across from me.

"Sorry I'm late. I got held up at work." He said.

'You forgot.'

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. I called you at the last minute. I just really needed to see you in person."

He nodded, looking slightly confused still. "So, what's up?" He asked.

I was silent for a moment. I had ran through my head several times on how I was going to say this.

"First, I just want to say I'm not here to ask you for anything. You have a right to know so I just, uhh..." I was stumbling to find the words to say. Doing this in front of my mirror was a lot easier than doing this face to face. "I'm pregnant."

Steve was silent and just stared at me. I couldn't read the emotions in his face. Obviously he was shocked, but I couldn't tell if that was anger mixed in or not.

"You-You're what?" He stammered.

"I'm pregnant. And it's yours." I whispered, running my hand through my hair. I leaned my forehead into my palm. "I guess we both weren't thinking about protection when it happened."

"Are you sure it's mine?" He asked, running his hand over his face.

I was a little hurt that he would even ask me that, but we don't know each other. "Yes, I'm positive it's yours."

He just stared at me again. I opened my mouth to say something again about not asking him for anything.

"How long have you known? It's been a while since..." He trailed off. He had his elbows up on the table with his hands crossed. He leaned in closer to the table, probably attempting to make this conversation more private than it was out in the busy morning crowd.

I looked down at my own hands on the table. "About six weeks. I was already six weeks along so I'm at 12 weeks now."

"And you're just now telling me?" He looked disbelieved.

I shot a glare at him. "This is just as shocking for me as it is for you! So far this pregnancy has been nothing but miserable for me so I'm sorry if it took me some time to track you down and contact you."

He shot me a confused look. "Track me down?"

I scoffed and crossed my arms. "Well you didn't exactly tell me your name when you put me in the cab that night. I had to figure out who you were."

He was silent for a moment. "How did you figure out who I was?"

"Mindy. She showed me a picture of you and your team when you went to Side Streets one night. I recognized you instantly." I sighed and picked at a splinter of wood sticking up from the table. "I might have uh, gotten your personal cell number from her phone one night."

Steve shook his head. "Wait, you know Mindy Shaw? One of our medical examiner's?" I could see he was trying to connect the dots in his head.

I nodded. "Yeah, she's my best friend. We went to school together. Elementary through college. Small world, huh?" I laughed softly.

He smiled a little. "Yeah, no kidding."

"Kono and I also went to high school together. And your partners daughter and my sister are best friends." I leaned into the table and rubbed my eyes. "Jesus, this world is getting smaller and smaller."

"So, you know Danny?" He asked, looking back at his partner who was leaning up against the shrimp truck.

"No, we've never met. I've only met Rachel."

He nodded and it was silent between us again. He looked over to the water which gave me a moment to really look at him. He was attractive. Very attractive. Even more than I remember him being that night. But in my defense, a lot of tequila was involved. His dark hair and green eyes were absolutely gorgeous.

'Jesus Christ Thea.'

"Mindy doesn't know by the way." I finally spoke up. "I mean, she knows I'm pregnant, but she doesn't know who the father is. I told her I needed to tell him before I told anyone else. She doesn't know about that night either."

He nodded and looked over at me. "You said this pregnancy's been miserable for you so far. Is something wrong?" I could hear the concern in his voice. It made my heart flutter a little bit.

"No, no. Nothing wrong. The baby is completely fine. It's just, morning sickness for me is more like all day sickness." I smiled a little. "And the baby doesn't like most food right now but seems to already have an addiction to garlic shrimp." I laughed. As if on queue, Kamekona walked over with a to-go bag with two styrofoam containers in it.

"Here ya go sista!" He said and sat the bag down in front of me. I looked at the bag and then up at him.

"I thought we said just one plate, Kame?"

"You and the keiki need to eat! Gotta stay strong for the little ones." He said as he walked away.

Steve shook his head. "So Kamekona knows?" The frustration in his voice was clear. I rolled my eyes before I could stop myself. We were just having a good moment.

"He knows I'm pregnant, just not who the father is. He figured it out a few weeks ago when I was eating like I hadn't eaten in several days. Which wasn't completely untrue. For a while I couldn't keep much down."

Steve nodded. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to wrap my head around it still." He ran his hand over his face again and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I probably don't need to ask you this but... You are planning on keeping it right?"

I just smiled softly at him. "Yeah... Yeah I am." I reached into my bag and pulled out the first ultrasound picture and a piece of paper that had my information written down, as well as the information for the doctors appointment that I had later today.

"Listen, like I said I'm not asking you for anything here. I just know what it's like to grow up without a father, so I thought you deserved to know." I slid the piece of paper and the picture across the table to him. "The choice is yours, but if you want to be involved, there's no coming in and out. You're either here or you aren't."

He picked up the two items and read the piece of paper. "You have an appointment today?"

I nodded, my hand going down to my bump as I thought about the ultrasound. "Yeah. If you're available you're more than welcome to be there. I know it's last minute and that this is all still a lot to take in so if you aren't ready then I understand. But again," I looked him in the eye. "There's no coming in and out. If you want to be there and be involved then do that. But popping in and out just when it's convenient for you is not going to happen. That's how I grew up and I won't allow our child to grow up like that either."

Steve went to say something but glanced down at the picture. I could tell by the look on his face he was speechless the same way I was when I first saw the picture up on the screen in the doctors office. He had a softer look on his face, something he hadn't had the whole time we've been sitting here.

"Crazy right? One picture and you feel like your heart might explode." I said.

Steve laughed a little and was interrupted by Danny calling his name.

"Steve! We gotta go, babe! We got a suspect!"

Steve looked back at his partner. "Alright!" He turned to me as he started to get up. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head and stood up too, grabbing my to-go bag. "It's fine. I have some errands to run before I head to my appointment. It's okay if you can't make it, really. I figure you guys are in the middle of a case."

He sighed. "Yeah... Yeah and it doesn't look like its ending soon either. Uh, I'm really going to try and make it. Even if I don't, can I call you later?"

I nodded and smiled at him. "Yeah, of course. You have my information so call or stop by anytime. There's still a lot we need to talk about." I said. I moved my hand over my bump, which Steve stared at the whole time.

"Steve!"

"Alright, Danny!" He shot back. But his eyes never left my stomach.

"You better get going." I laughed. I smiled at him again before I started to walk away. "I'll talk to you later."

Steve stood there and watched me walk back to my car.

"Hey, Neanderthal, we got a case!"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first time."

#steve mcgarrett #Hawaii Five 0 #danny williams #danny danno williams #steve mcgarrett imagine #hawaii five o imagine #grace williams #chin ho kelly #kono kalakaua #rachel edwards #mindy shaw #hawaii #pregnancy

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arthemis-forge · 4 years

Text

Chapter 3 Body and Soul (Crimson)

Warnings: None (future nsfw)

A/N: Hello guys! Sorry for the delay, what happens is that I was a little busy with some personal things but I'm back.

I will try to update twice a week and each time as we progress through the story, make the chapters longer. Another thing is I didn't notice that the previous chapter i published the draft instead of the final version. Which had many otorgraphic and writing errors. But it's already corrected. If you find something let me know so I can fix it. Also I am very happy for all the support, thank you for your lovely comments. Another thing, Do you want me to create a tag list?. Please tell me in the comments. That's all I wanted to say. Enjoy your reading! 🖤

Chapter 3(Crimson)

Lost in my thoughts, I walked towards the exit of the building while i was looking at the sky with some concern. It wouldn't be long before the sun rise.

And honestly, I was very scared. I did'nt know anyone in this city and didn't know what time it was in the area. My life was in danger and although I was sure that I still had time based on what the sky looked like.

I was still very worried about not knowing what time it was exactly. Looking at my watch was in vain. It was scheduled for London time not New York.

I was very nervous but I had to calm down. So i calculated that there were 2 hours left until the sun rise. And although it sounds like it's a lot of time, I don't know how much traffic there is in this city. And I needed to be in the nearest hotel as soon as posible.

Again I was so lost in my thoughts that I did not notice that a taxi parked in front of me, it was not until I heard the drivers voice that I noticed it.

—Good night miss, are you waiting for someone else? Or do you need me to take you somewhere? —

Hearing that question made me feel more relaxed again.

—Sure, I actually have nowhere to go. Could you recommend a hotel near here. One with good facilities. The price point doesn’t matter but I really need to get a good place to relax, preferably the closest hotel to the airport.—

I told him as I opened the door and carried my suitcase.

—Of course ma'am, in fact we are close to many good hotels. They are a few streets away. Would you like me to take you to see the exteriors and based on how they look you choose one?. I assure you that they are all very good, some more than others but none are bad. —

The man smiled while he waited for my answer.

I sighed feeling realised.

—Yes please, I would like it very much. —

The man laughed as he drived the car.

—You are not from here are you? I can tell by your accent. —

I nodded as i looked out the window. Analyzing the area I was in.

—That's right, I'm from London. I was transferred from my job. —

—That's so interesting. Sounds like fun to have a job where you travel a lot. —

—Well yeah you're not wrong. But I also needed to start a new life. —

I confessed while we entered to a large avenue with many buildings with hotels and apartments. Some were prettier than others.But nothing look bad about them.

—Is one of you liking? Or do you want me to go further so you can see more options?. —

The truth is that I could already choose one of the many hotels that were on the street. And I couldn't be so demanding, since i needed a safe place away from natural light as soon as possible. But a hunch told me to accept the man's proposal.

—Sure, I think we can see a few more options.—

No matter how much the car moved forward, nothing interested me. It wasn't until we reached the corner of the avenue that a large black building with Victorian architecture caught my attention. On the outside it had an ad with red calligraphy that said "Crimson".

—Stop here, I like this one. —

I pointed to the old building.

—I’m sorry to tell you this, but that hotel is very strict. They do not allow the entry to anyone who doesn't have a membership. It has already happened several times that I leave people here and they end up removing them from the place.—

—Don't worry I will try to enter. If i can´t then I’ll choose one of the hotels that are on this street. How much do I owe you? —

—If you insists, it’s $30 dollars.—

I nodded as I handed over his money.

—Thank you very much, also keep the change. —

I took my suitcase and closed the car's door as I approached the entrance of the building. However I was stopped at the door by a very tall man with brown hair and grey eyes.

— Good night, Miss. Could you give me your membership please. —

Embarrassed, I bit my lower lip and then proceeded to do something I didn't wanted.

—You're going to let me in no matter the rules of the place or what your bosses say. —

I smiled already knowing the results of my action. The man nodded and then open the door for me.

Once inside I noticed that a tall girl with black hair and violet eyes smiled at me as she applauded me.

—That was so wesome, Alice. Just as I expected, James didn't cause you any trouble. —

The girl approached very excited.

—Who are you and why do you know my name?—

I asked very confused and feeling insecure. Since she was aware of what I had just done and the worst thing was that she knew my name. This was getting very strange and I was not liking it.

—I am Grace Crimson. Owner of the hotel and great friend of your Boss Nat. —

—Do you know Nat? —

I said in a very incredulous voice.

—Of course Alice. But hey that is the least important thing right now, let me show you your room and I give you Nats phone number so you can call her.—

While I was trying to process the information, one of the attendants took my suitcase.

—Did Nat tell you in any way that I will come here? —

She just laughed at my question.

— I knew you'd say that. Don't be silly, honey. You are acting like a newborn vampire in the clan. Look dear, I'll explain. I can see the future. Today I had a vision of you in which I saw you giving orders to my guard right outside my hotel. It should be noted that I was concerned, because I didn't knew who you were, so I called all the offices until I found some information about you. To at least make sure that you weren't dangerous to us and to be able to take the necessary measures. By the way, I don't want you to feel bad about what I told you. But these are difficult times and we must take care of each other. —

Of course she was right, what a fool I was. I have been so involved in my personal feelings and problems that I overlook the fact that many in our community have that ability.

—Don't worry, it's okay Grace. I understand. I know how the security protocol works. And I also understand perfectly that you investigated me and that you needed to know who I was. —

I confessed.

—I already knew you were going to say that tho. Hey you are more friendly and understanding than I expected from someone who can control people's minds with their voice. No ofence but your kind is usually a very pretentious. —

I couldn't help laughing at that comment.

—I was like that many years ago, but someone changed me. I try not to abuse my powers too much, only when it’s necessary. —

I lowered my gaze to caress a silver ring with a red diamond that I had on my ring finger.

When she saw how my mood changed, she immediately hug me.

—Don't torment yourself over the past. —

She took me by the hand to walk me through those long corridors of the building. I must admit that I felt a little emotional. The place reminded me a lot of my grandmother's house.

—Here is your room, as you can see it is very spacious, it has a king size bed, living room, bathroom with a bathtub and a beautiful balcony. Also here is Nat's phone number. And don't forget to close all the curtains including the ones on the bed. —

She handed me the keys, a red card and a pos it with Nat’s new number.

—James leave the suitcase on her bed. —

The man obeyed her order and put the suitcase on my bed.

—Sure Grace. Thank you very much for all the hospitality. It has been a long time since I felt welcomed in a place. —

She smiled

—I know we are going to be very good friends. —

After that she closed the door behind me.

It's amazing how someone's life could change in an instant.

One day you are in London crying for your ex and the next day you are in New York and you're dreaming with a man who doesn’t even exist.

Thinking about that, I began to close all the curtains in the room and then i took the phone from the bureau next to the bed.

With some fear I called her, I knew that she would be very upset with me. But i had to do it.

—Hey nat it's me, Alice. —

—You are an idiot, I was so worried! Never do that to me ever again! I thought you wanted to kill yourself or something like that...

You sounded so sad. God you have take some therapy you can't continue living like this...—

I sigh very annoyed.

— Anyway, I already spoke with Bruce and he already gave you permission to work in New York. And before I forget to tell you this. Tomorrow you have a job to do. I need you in a bar, we think we found someone who can serve us for the clan. You will have to go to a concert near a local bar in the town. Grace will leave you the papers with the man's information.—

—Perfect. By the way, thank you very much for the favor. You don't know how grateful I am with you. Anyways, I will leave you, I am very tired and I would like to sleep as much as possible to be in the best possible conditions tomorrow—

—Of course dear. Have a good night. —

Grateful to Nat, I hung up the call and then closed my eyes. But not without first remembering Peter's beautiful green eyes.

#peter #peter steele #type o negative #fanfic #peter steele x oc

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guiltysecretpasttime · 4 years

Text

The Airbender’s Wife (Chapter 5)

Fic update :)

Summary: Korra arrives in Republic City to reside at Air Temple Island to begin her Airbending training. As excited as she was to leave the compound in the South Pole, she was wary of living with her Airbending Master and his mysterious wife. The airbender’s wife, who, Korra realized, she has never met before.

The one where Tenzin throws caution to the wind and chooses Lin over repopulating the Air Nation.

===

Korra disliked lots of things – from the odd (she did not like to brush her teeth before taking a shower – she preferred to do it after) to the passably logical ones (when dining out, she did not like sitting with her back to the entrance door).

But one of the things she abhorred is feeling weak. She hated showing any sign of weakness. For Spirits’ sake, she was the Avatar. She cannot be weak.

(Granted, this was probably ingrained on her based on repeated feedback from the Order of the White Lotus. Despite what her parents say, Korra did not think she had a childhood that was even remotely normal.)

Therefore, her inability to airbend and her recurring Amon nightmare plagued her. It was not right for the Avatar to be weak, to have these insecurities, to have these fears.

Tenzin had approached her already, asking if she was alright – he mentioned having fears and how it was okay. He was there to listen; however, she was unwilling to talk about it.

Korra glumly reflected to herself as she sat at the steps on one of Air Temple Island’s pavilions.

What kind of Avatar was she if she couldn’t airbend? If she had fears? How can she rightly defend the city (or the world, for that matter) if she was scared of Amon? These fears are her blockers from airbending – she just knew it.

She looked across the bay to the large statue of Aang, realizing, not for the first time, the large shoes she needed to fill.

Speaking of shoes…

Korra recognized the metal clicking sound coming her way.

Without turning to face the newcomer, she muttered exasperatedly. “I know, I know, Tenzin already told me. You’re here for me if I need to talk to someone.”

“Uh, actually no.”

The Avatar-in-training swiftly turned around, seeing confusion on Lin’s face. The teenager blinked. “Oh.”

“I mean, I’m here to give you an errand.” The metalbender awkwardly held her own arm, one hand holding what appears to be a carton of something heavy.

Is Lin embarrassed?

“Listen, kid, talking isn’t my thing – that’s more Tenzin’s expertise. I’m more likely to say something wrong, offensive, or abrasive – or all three combined.” That’s for sure, Korra thought with a hint of affection. “So if you’re looking to be coddled or – Spirits’ forbid - cuddled – I’m not the right person.” Lin tilted her head, seemingly trying to make up her mind about something. “But since you opened it up –.”

Oh Spirits, no. I’m not in the mood for a heart-to-heart talk.

Lin probably saw the horror on Korra’s face and held up her hand as though to stop. “I’m not going to be all spiritual or mushy about it but maybe – just maybe –just a thought, you could try and write to your mom?”

Whatever Korra expected, it was not that.

“What – why? Did she write to you about me?” Korra’s eyes widened but the earthbender shook her head. “Did you use to write a lot of letters to your mom when you’re apart or travelling?”

“Huh, no,” Lin released a sigh. “There’s this problem that we have, apart from being emotionally stunted – she’s blind, you see.”

Ah, right. Korra wanted to hit herself; she definitely would not have passed the police department’s sensitivity training.

“But no, while my mom and I aren’t really pen-pals,” Lin continued speaking. “I do know that Katara and Izumi dearly looked forward to hearing from their sons in the United Forces. I mean, sure Tenzin writes to his mother often, but it doesn’t quite have that is-he-dead-or-alive suspense in between.”

Or maybe there isn’t any sensitivity training to begin with at RCPD.

Korra mildly wondered if the eldest Beifong daughter worried the same way of her younger sister, who apparently had travelled prior to settling down. She did not think they were at that level of relationship yet to pry so the Avatar just nodded.

“You said you have an errand for me?”

“Right,” The metalbender thrusted the box to her. “There will be a Southern Water Tribe ship arriving this week in Republic City. Can you make sure to have this box of preserves included in their next shipping? I’d like to send these to Mother, but I don’t think I’ll be able to have some time off in the next few days.”

“Oh sure, no problem.” Korra readily agreed; she also supposed that she would have a letter ready by then for her mother.

Maybe Lin was right – there might be some wisdom to talking to her mom. After all, Korra figured, she did usually turn to Senna when she had nightmares as a child.

Lin must have seen something on her face. The older woman thanked her then quietly added. “But seriously, Korra,” Her eyebrows furrowed. “I know it’s not my place – but if there’s anything really, don’t hesitate to approach - .”

“Tenzin. I know I know.” The teenager interrupted, sensing the discomfort across her.

“I was going to say Tenzin for spiritual stuff,” The metalbender deadpanned. “But if it can’t be avoided, I’m here as well.”

Korra’s mind briefly went to the time that Tenzin compared her to his wife.

The airbender’s wife took a deep breath. “Pretending something doesn’t exist, or rejecting its existence, won’t help you.” Lin chose her words carefully. “You can’t find the solution to a problem if you don’t think that problem exists.”

That made the Avatar think. True – how can she face her fears when she didn’t even want to admit she had these fears?

Belatedly, Korra realized that while the airbender might be speaking of theoretical and philosophical platitudes he read from books – the earthbender before her might be speaking from experience.

Who knew what situations the scarred chief of police has faced – both in her professional capacity as a member of the force and in a personal capacity as the daughter of Toph Beifong and the wife of the currently last airbender?

Her tired green eyes were reflecting some invisible strain. The Avatar could not fathom if there were matters that the city’s defender kept to herself, matters that not even her husband knew.

“Anyway, Avatar, try to think about what I said.” The penetrating voice broke into her thoughts. “Check-in with your mom and don’t forget to send the preserves to Katara.”

Korra peered into the box, curious about the preserves that she recalled were served whenever she took her snacks at Master Katara’s house.

“You and Tenzin have your own stock in the house,” Chief Beifong called behind as she strode off to wherever she needed to be. “You can get some from that stock to send to your parents – so don’t even think of getting one from that box.”

Korra looked up in mild exasperation, catching the smile on the metalbender’s face.

Spirits forbid Lin Beifong would come across as caring.

---

And that was why Korra found herself arriving at city hall late one afternoon that week. After making sure her letters and Lin’s package were part of the Water Tribe ship’s cargo, she figured she had enough time to explore the city before meeting Tenzin. This time she made sure to wear an ordinary Earth Kingdom outfit so as to not draw any untoward attention to herself. Then again, she thought, maybe she should not have bothered as Naga padded beside her, causing people to double-take at them.

Upon entering Air Nation councilman’s room, the Avatar-in-training sensed the agitation from her teacher.

The usually calm airbender was going through books and documents, poring on each text silently with a frown marring his face. Upon finishing each document and apparently not finding the answer he needed, his frown would go deeper (any deeper and the teenager thought his face would collapse in its own) and he would toss the document to a side table that was pulled to his desk for that specific reason.

Korra scratched the back of her head, stretched then placed her feet on the coffee table in front of her. She tossed a look at the Tenzin, awaiting the scolding that she was bound to receive.

Hmm, nothing.

She tapped her pen incessantly on the edge of the book she was supposed to be reviewing today (Air Nomad history, published during the time of the previous Avatar), making sure she was being obnoxious and distracting.

No reaction. Tenzin continued to flip through his files with what Korra deemed as his Resting Frustrated Face™ (scowling lips and reddening ears at the tips).

Thank the Spirits that she did not have any tell like Tenzin that would alert the world to what she was feeling.

Fate was funny in how he married the most poker-faced woman that Korra had the misfortune to have met.

She continued to tap the pen on her notebook.

“Hey, Tenzin?”

No response.

“Tenzin?”

Still none.

“Master Tenzin?”

Why isn’t he responsive?

Korra strode to the door and knocked. “Councilman Tenzin, you in there?! Hello?”

Tenzin was startled, several loose pages fluttering as a gust of wind was produced. “What is it, Korra?”

“Are you okay?” She tilted her head, one hand on her waist, and looked at him questioningly. “You seem…off.” Korra moved her hand from side to side to indicate this.

The airbender ran a hand on his face.

“Tough council meeting?”

He nodded, drawing his hands to his head, closing his eyes in recollection.

---

“I will not be the prized metalbender for your pet project, Councilman – for the reasons I’ve shared earlier.” The caustic tone matched the statement of the metalbender. The Chief of Police stood up, dislodging the councilman’s hands on her shoulders.

“Oh come now, Chief Beifong – I’m sure this would delight the masses.”

“Fortunately for me, I do not care about delighting the masses.”

“Nonetheless,” The Water Tribe councilman smoothly went back to this seat and used the gavel. “All in favor of -?”

As expected, all of them, except Tenzin, approved the creation of a task force to be headed by Councilman Tarrlok and Chief Beifong.

“Any reason for your disapproval, Councilman Tenzin?” Tarrlok eyed the airbender beadily.

Tenzin knew the younger councilman was baiting him. He had to fight this with logic rather than any emotional outburst; otherwise, his credibility on the issue would be shut down as being made by an indignant spouse of the Chief of Police.

“Are we sure that the Chief of Police is allowed – by law – to co-head a task force with a councilman, a task force created by the same councilmember?” The airbender knew it was a risk to bring up, since he did not know if such law exists but he had to try. “Wouldn’t that be problematic?” He pushed forward, seeing the doubtful expressions of the other councilmembers. “Shouldn’t we check first?”

“Very well then, Councilman Tenzin - you now have 24 hours to present the City Council with a copy of that law. Once the time lapses and no documentation surfaces, we will proceed in introducing the taskforce, myself and Chief Beifong to Republic City.” With some final closing words, the head of the council banged the gavel, signaling the end of the session. The Fire Nation councilwoman proceeded to thank the Chief of Police and read out the next item in their agenda.

Tenzin felt sick to his stomach. His wife’s flashing eyes cut to him. Her knuckles were whitening with how tight she held her fists.

The Chief of Police now excused herself from the meeting as the session proceeded to other matters. The heavy metal of her soles clicking ominously on the marble floor, door banging as her metal cable swung it shut.

---

Korra stared thoughtfully at the book she was holding and made her way to the airbender’s desk to help him. “So, what exactly are you looking for?”

“There has to be a documentation here in city hall,” Tenzin replied in a tired voice. “About involving the Chief of Police with Council task forces.”

“There’s none that would help you– Sokka made sure that the laws would allow a councilman to head a task force alongside the chief of police,” Korra snorted. “Primarily because he thought he and Toph as task force leads would be bad-ass.” She continued to thumb through a stack of binders.

Tenzin faced the teenager abruptly. “What did you say? How did you know that?”

“Councilman Sokka told me the day he was going to have the paperwork approved…” The Avatar trailed off, eyes widening as realization dawned on her.

“Did I just -?”

“Did you just -?”

Master and student looked at each other with the same epiphany.

“Korra, is this the first time you’ve have any form of connection to the previous Avatar?”

“I think so…”

The Airbending master’s face lit up. “This is good news!”

“But we didn’t even know what I did!” While elated, the young Avatar was panicking. She did not want to get Tenzin’s hopes up.

“Little steps – but this is a good sign; it’s progress! We can try connecting then entering the spirit world soon.”

Korra tuned out the airbender’s words as he began to talk about all the things that they will do next. She pulled a bound tome from one of the stacks on Tenzin’s desk.

“I think what we need is here.”

Tenzin took the book gratefully and scanned through it.

True enough, as Korra said – there was a section on police involvement with the council task force. The Chief of Police may lead a task force created by the City Council alongside a councilmember or whoever the council appointed as lead.

“Chief’s not going to like this, will she?”

Her teacher shook his head and continued to drag his finger across the page, reading the text line by line. “This must be what Uncle Sokka used to tell Bumi long ago, that he could create a task force and work with Lin. He correctly assumed that Lin would be following in her mother’s footsteps.”

“So Bumi was to be chief of the Southern Water Tribe?” This was news to Korra.

“Well, it was an option – he could be chief and/or the council representative.” Tenzin stroked his beard absentmindedly. “Even Kya could have led the tribe if she wanted to. It was Bumi’s choice whether or not to take the opportunity. He had a choice…we all did.”

Korra felt the subtext was lost on her, the meaning behind it at the edge of her consciousness but still not quite understanding what the last airbender meant.

Instead, she went back to the topic at hand.

“If Chief is anything like her mother, wouldn’t Toph challenge this law or at least make sure that she had an out?”

And there it was on the next page.

---

Within the next hour, the city council re-convened and a phone call was made to the police headquarters.

The ad-hoc meeting resulted in Chief Beifong being granted eighteen hours provide a replacement lead from her police force as well as the names of those who would be serving under the task force. The council likewise could accept or reject the candidate as well as present their own candidate.

Korra made herself scarce at one of the benches at the back of the meeting room, barely meeting Chief Beifong’s tight nod as she left the room with her deputy. Tenzin was about to follow but was intercepted by the Earth Kingdom representative.

Before Korra had the chance to sidle out of the room unnoticed, the Water Tribe councilman she saw on her first day approached her.

“I don’t believe we’ve met yet – I am Councilman Tarrlok,” The braided man bowed. “Head of the city council and representing the Northern Water Tribe. Pleased to meet you Avatar Korra.”

Korra acknowledged him guardedly. There was something about the man that wasn’t quite right but she cannot put her finger on it yet.

Tarrlok eyed Tenzin quickly heading their way. “Looking forward to working with you soon.” With a small bow, he went towards the exit.

“Korra, was Tarrlok bothering you?” Tenzin asked, concern lacing his tone.

She shook her head no.

“Be careful around him.” The airbender said but offered no additional explanation. He looked at the main hall’s clock, indicating the end of office hours, and looked at the documents at his hand.

Both of them knew fully well that Lin would not be joining them at the island for dinner today; the timer has been set by Tenzin and Korra’s discovery of the full implementation guidelines of a city-led task force.

“Korra, why don’t you go visit your pro-bending friends?”

“What?” The Avatar blurted out before she was able to check herself. Don’t get her wrong, she did want to meet up with Bolin and Mako. They still have not resolved the issue about the championship pot.

“To take your mind off things.” His grey eyes peered at her in concern.

The man was more perceptive than she gave him credit for.

“Don’t forget to go home before the last ferry leaves.”

“What about you? Is Oogi with you?”

She noticed him gripping the folder tightly. “I think I’ll stay with Lin tonight at the city house.”

---

While waiting for Lin who was at the shower, Tenzin sat cross-legged in their living room, examining the metalbender’s armor for dents and polishing where necessary.

The strategist that she was, Lin already had a short-list of people from the force who could be leads with Tarrlok. The rest of the afternoon (and early evening) was spent finalizing the plans with her team as well as reviewing the names who had signed up for the task force.

Tenzin did not have to wait long until Lin met him at the lobby of the police headquarters.

She had grumbled on the way home that, as she expected, the benders who disagreed with her non-bending/bending patrolling protocols had signed up. Nonetheless, she would be submitting their names tomorrow to the council and Tarrlok.

Tenzin was pleased to see that they still had time for a quick dinner; Lin, on the other hand, just wanted to go home and rest.

Arriving at a compromise, Lin conceded to taking out dinner but if (and only if) she gets to take a shower first before going out again. Her husband readily agreed – armor or not, that slimy Tarrlok did place his hands on her.

The phone cut through the sounds of running water. Tenzin put the armor down and reached over the table.

“Hello – ah yes, Yao. Good evening to you too – yes, Korra would be having dinner in the city. What – Tarrlok? Did he say why he wanted to cross to the island?” He vaguely heard Lin finishing her shower. “Good, please keep him off the island unless I or Lin were there. If he tries one more time, make sure to call the police station to lodge a formal complaint. Thank you, Yao. Have a good evening.”

“I’m ready, let’s go.”

Tenzin looked up at his wife, who had changed into a simple tunic top and gray pants. He placed the phone back in its cradle. Lin raised her eyebrow in askance as she bent to take her armor.

“It was Yao – no, you’re not wearing your armor tonight,” He pulled the armor away from her arms. The chief of police’s armor weighed heavily on her, both literally and figuratively. He did not want her to be burdened tonight, at least for a short while. He placed it in storage beside the front door.

Lin frowned but did not argue. She put on a coat and helped her husband into his. “What did Yao say?”

“Yao called because apparently, Tarrlok was attempting to board the ferry to the island. He can’t take you saying no for an answer, can he?” The airbender huffed in annoyance, shrugging into the outdoor coat, more to satisfy Lin that any need for it.

Lin locked the house behind them then looped her arm into Tenzin’s proffered one as they strolled.

“It’s not me he’s after now, it’s Korra.”

“Korra? But – why –.” Tenzin sputtered indignantly.

“She’s the Avatar.” The metalbender nonchalantly stated. “What better way to make a statement than get to get the Avatar at his side.”

Tenzin considered. “Well, he is all about reputation and PR…”

The rest of their walk was spent debating on where they were going to pick up their food.

Eventually, Lin recognized that the airbender had led them to Little Water Tribe.

Her husband could feel her looking at him questioningly. He simply patted her hand, still hooked around his arm.

Tenzin could not forget the words that the Northern Water Tribe representative had dropped earlier that day. While Lin Beifong remained impassive as ever during the ordeal, he knew better. He did not want her to wallow in those thoughts alone.

“Here we are.” He stopped at the window of the take-out nook of a noodlery.

It was an affordable place, newly opened under new management in the recent years, offering fare that reminded him of his mother’s home in the South Pole.

What drew him here, however, was not the promise of his mother’s cooking or even the warm atmosphere. It was a sense of nostalgia, of recreating simpler days.

Back when they were starting out, Lin and Tenzin used to frequent food stalls around the city. Most of the places they patronized have either shut down or been upscaled. The experience just was not the same.

They had stumbled upon Narook’s a couple of months back, when Tenzin insisted waiting for Lin to go home after a long shift (never mind that he had fallen asleep in her office while waiting). At two in the morning, Chief Crankypants was making herself known (last meal eaten was a steamed bun at brunch) and a sleep-deprived airbender was questioning each decision that brought him and his wife to this moment: walking around the city in search for any open establishment that could feed them.

It was by chance that they came upon Narook’s Seaweed Noodlery tucked near a dark alley– unassuming and still open. The food was cheap, tasty and filling. It also reminded them of a Water Tribe eatery they used to go to when they were younger.

Needless to say, the place became a favorite between them, particularly on late nights or when they were too busy to cook dinner.

Tonight, however, Tenzin had another plan in mind; something he quickly thought of as he was polishing Lin’s armor earlier.

His wife narrowed her eyes at him as he rattled off their order for their take-away to the staff at the window, trying to figure out what he was up to when a recognizable voice rang out.

“---Pretty boy?”

The two of them rounded the corner to look at the front door and saw the polar bear dog sitting outside, confirming that it was Korra’s voice they heard.

The Avatar appeared to be in an altercation with a group of patrons in the restaurant. No one was attempting to stop them.

“We got to stop them.” Lin was about to head into the eatery but was stopped by a gentle grip on her wrist.

“No, let her handle it.” Tenzin signaled the metalbender to remain unseen and observe.

“But Korra -.”

“Shh, let’s wait what they’ll do.” He glanced at her face, green eyes darting between him and the situation in the eatery. “Also, didn’t you know how Suyin and I felt whenever you or Bumi or Kya would swoop in to protect us from playground bullies?” He got her attention this time. “We didn’t like it.” He had to hide a smile though, for all Lin’s abrasiveness, she truly did care for the teenage Avatar.

“Why not? We were simply looking out for you.”

It’s what siblings do, Tenzin recalled Bumi and Kya telling him again and again. Truth be told, there were also a handful of times that Lin (despite being a bit younger than Tenzin) faced Tenzin’s bullies herself.

“We eventually figured that out, but it made us feel…” Tenzin opened his hands, palms up in vague explanation. “Inadequate, weak. Like we’ll always need someone to bail us out.”

The softening in her gaze made him realize that she never did think of it that way.

“Oh, I’ve never...” She trailed off.

Whack! He should have expected it; her fist hitting his arm.

“Why didn’t you tell me that? That could have saved me a lot of yelling matches with Su.”

“I thought it was obvious!” The airbender rubbed his arm.

They were distracted enough from Korra’s situation but then heard the polar bear dog give a roar in the window and laughter coming from her group.

Tenzin waited a moment to check that there was no ensuing commotion. When the restaurant went back to its usual bustling noise, he led Lin back to the take-out nook before anyone noticed them.

As they waited for their takeaway, he drew his wife close to himself by putting an arm on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you or Su to feel that way,” The earthbender leaned on him and he looked at her. “I suppose it’s part of my nature, you know and…”

He interrupted her with a kiss on her forehead. “I know, dear. You don’t have to explain yourself.” He tightened his grip a bit and ran his hand on her arm, in what he thought would be in an assuring manner.

The staff put out a large paper bag from the window and placed two covered cups of cold barley tea (new on their menu). Tenzin thanked the man and paid for their meal.

Lin reached for the drinks and Tenzin tucked the paper bag under one arm.

---

Lin headed to the direction from where they came from, to go back home.

“Not yet,” Her husband gently guided her to the other pathway.

They walked to the edge of the neighborhood where a small park with benches facing Yue Bay was located.

She smiled as she understood what his intention was.

Selecting an empty bench, apart from the other visitors of the park, Tenzin placed the paper bag and began to bring out their food.

Lin put down their drinks and, using earthbending, made a small table for them, keeping in mind to level the ground before they leave.

Together they moved the food and drinks on the table and sat beside each other.

They ate in comfortable silence, Lin occasionally picking mushrooms from Tenzin’s carton and Tenzin rolling his eyes but letting her get away with it.

The meal was reminiscent of the times that they would head to the docks when they were younger, looking over the same bay with Air Temple Island at the horizon. Many late afternoons were spent there, feet dangling above the water as they ate questionable street food. They talked about everything and nothing; both of them enjoying these moments when they could get away from their responsibilities and their parents’ names.

Tenzin leaned back on the bench, sipped his tea and enjoyed the play of the moonlight on his wife’s hair.

“He’s right, you know.”

Tenzin’s gaze moved from the moon to the earthbender, who was calmly poking her noodles with the chopsticks.

“I did end it.” Lin focused intently on her food carton; it had been at the back of her mind the entire day even as she was strategizing with her team about the task force. “What if I did let you go – what if we let each other go all those years ago?” She faintly heard him placing his cup on the table. “What if, instead of being stuck with me – maybe you should have gone around the Air temples and selected perfect mother of the Air Nation?” She flicked a chopstick at him. “Then maybe, just maybe, you would not be dealing with this.”

“Lin – no.”

She pushed on, swallowing tightly. “You probably would not be having difficulty teaching airbending to the Avatar as you would have likely taught your children ahead of Korra. By now, you wouldn’t be the only airbender. You might have, I don’t know, four or five kids? Maybe even more.” Her husband took the utensil and carton from her hand, transferring them to the table as she became agitated. “Then, you wouldn’t have to deal with the likes of Tarrlok using it as leverage against you.”

He pulled her in his arms, embracing her tightly, her protests muffled against his chest. “Don’t say those things. And Tarrlok, pfft, never mind him – it’s not the first time he did that.”

“And it certainly won’t be the last.”

“He had no right to bring that up – that was between you and me.” He sounded as though he was more offended for her than for himself.

“Tenzin, I’ll never be enough.” For the Air Nation was unsaid.

“But you are. You are who I need and who I want.” He attempted to raise her head, still hidden under the flap of his coat. “My father -.”

“Your father’s time has passed; it’s yours now.”

“Lin – even if I ended up not being an airbender,” He pulled away, tilting her face to his; one hand holding hers. “I don’t think my father would have left my mother.”

“You can’t know that.” The metalbender stubbornly stuck to her statement.

“Though to be fair, I don’t think my mother would let him leave him either.” Tenzin stroked her cheek tenderly.

“Yes,” Lin released a choked laugh, a cross between someone trying to stop from crying and laughing. “A water whip would probably hit his behind faster than he can say monkey-feathers.”

Her husband acknowledged with a nod. “And, of course, they loved each other.”

She looked pitifully at him in the eye, communicating wordlessly.

What if love wasn’t enough…for them.

Times change after all. It was no longer the early post-war era where rebuilding was the main priority. Today was about marrying tradition with modernization to ensure progress.

Lin Beifong knew how much preserving the Air Nation’s culture was to her husband. Everything and anything he did likely had a link to the Air Nomads, to his father.

They both knew that he would need to ensure his political viability – otherwise, it would be fairly difficult to carry out the restoration for all the air temples, what more of reviving the expertise of the culture, drawing in more Air Acolytes and maintaining all the heritage projects.

Lin was not simple-minded. She figured out what the major attraction was for some of the Air Acolytes; her mother-in-law did repeatedly point out in their youth that the acolytes started as Aang’s fan club.

While most of the Air Acolytes truly wanted to promote and live out the tenets of the Air Nomads, there were those which were impelled by less than altruistic motives (oh, several names instantly came to Lin’s mind…). Sometimes, Lin questioned herself if preserving the culture and traditions would have been easier if Tenzin had married one of them (and she always ended with a resounding ‘yes of course’). She was sure that there were those who would be interested in being the mother of the Air Nation (she was also aware that there were also other willing volunteers outside of the Air Acolytes, if Kya’s accounts from the Water Tribes were to be believed).

Even Tenzin’s duty to training the Avatar was a tad strained by her association with him. The Order of the White Lotus had been put off by anything Beifong ever since her mother vocally opposed their decision.

(“What? You’ll lock her up – in a compound in an isolated icy tundra?! I don’t think that’s what Aang had in mind in letting her have a childhood and preparing her for the world.” The great Toph Beifong had yelled at the meeting where the Order had insisted that protecting Korra would mean training her in the South Pole. This was contradictory to how all the other Avatars had travelled to hone their skills with the elements. It also heavily grated on the first metalbender, who spent the first years of her life isolated from the world. “Oh yeah, sure – who am I anyway to voice my opinion? I just was the former Avatar’s earthbending master. What do I know?” She had scoffed and proceeded to tear apart what she could of the frozen ground of the meeting hall. Needless to say, the Order of the White Lotus selected another earthbending master for Korra.)

Even before the breakdown of the relationship during Korra’s childhood, Toph had not been cooperative with the White Lotus, particularly after the passing of all the members during Iroh’s time as the Grand Lotus. She did not see the point sometimes of their directives. The animosity of the White Lotus carried over to Lin, seeing that she was following her mother’s path (disrespect for tradition, disrespect for the way things are done, disrespect for the continuity of the Four Nations – they had written to her then father-in-law-to-be, in an attempt to dissuade him from letting his only airbending child from marrying the metalbender; said man scratched his head, lit the paper in flames and winked at her).

She knew that they will be checking in on the progress of Korra’s airbending training soon. More pressure would be added on Tenzin’s already weighted shoulders.

Looking straight at his concerned grey eyes, Lin Beifong knew she would do anything to alleviate her husband’s burdens; all and each one of them, especially those which would not have been there if it were not for her.

===

Previous chapters linked below:

Prologue (Contentment) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Cross-posted in AO3 - same title :)

#linzin #lin beifong #tenzin #linzin fanfic #legend of korra #cross-posted on ao3 #toccatina's fanfics #toccatina wip #toccatina airbender

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letspurpletogether · 5 years

Text

Out of the Void || BTS

↳ Summary: The one where the boys stumble upon that one fic and they all end up reading. (This is a crack fic inspired by @btssavedmylifeblr’s Void, because my own words are not enough to describe how an amazing story Void it is, and what a outstanding writer Bee is).

⇢ Warnings: BEWARE OF SPOILERS!! This things should be full of them so I suggest you to read all of Void before reading this just in case. Also, for those entitled rude anons: stop demanding updates from the fan fiction writers like they owe you shit, cause they don’t! And stop coming at them to complain about their publishing schedule. This is done for fun and for free, if you can’t be patient and respect their creative process then fuck off!

A/N: Also, I had so much fun writing this. I wanted to keep adding and adding stuff. However, since english is not my mother language i had some trouble describing the scenes the way I pictured them in my head. Therefore, I decided to leave it like this for now.

(TT-TT) Im sorry, Bee! I did try my best, I know it doesn’t do Void justice. But I still wanted to write it for you because Void is such an amazing story!

That’s it! Please,enjoy!

→ 01

[...]

He shouldn’t be doing this.

Hoseok checked over his shoulder again before turning back to the phone in his hands. It wasn’t like if someone were to come into his studio right now and catch him watching porn.

Hell, this was so much worse.

Especially considering how he was supposed to be working on the rap arrangement for the new song, and not checking out a piece of fan-fiction... If Namjoon were to catch him he was going to give him hell for days.

He had strictly advised the six of them against it several times, but to be honest Hoseok was to eager to find out what happened next to actually acknowledge the suggestion. Besides, he was he eldest of the two and it wasn’t like he had to listen to his band member. Joon was only the leader when the cameras were out. Inside their dorms he couldn’t even remember to wash the dishes when he was supposed to or take the clothes out of the dryer so they wouldn’t end up a crumble mess the next morning.

Also, it was all Jimin’s fault.

His dongsaeng had sent him the link without any explanation last week. It was a silly thing they did to each other trying to make the other cringe with whatever weird-ass story they could find, mostly on Twitter. It was all for the laughs but they had stopped doing it when Hoseok had accidentally send Seokjin a rather explicit piece that involved Jimin and Yoongi in a threesome with some kind of catgirl trying to get her pregnant. It was meant for the young boy, of course and that slip of hand had resulted in a hysteric Seokjin exposing them right in front of the others.

Hoseok has been so embarrassed after that he couldn’t even look at Yoongi in the face for a whole ass week. Even though his hyung had said it was fine. It didn’t help that Taehyung and Jungkook wouldn’t let the topic die either. Those rascals, he made sure to make them wore their asses off in the following dance practices.

But anyways, he and Jimin had agreed to stop.

So it was a surprise to receive a new link from him after a couple months. He’d ignored it at first, being too busy with practice and rehearsals to bother with checking it up. But yesterday while waiting for his appointment with the cupping therapist, he’d absentmindedly opened it and was actually surprised with what he’d found. Written in English, it was a space story... and they were astronauts!

At that moment he been too oblivious to care and read the warnings or summary on top of the post. For a moment of innocent wonder he actually got caught up in the first scene. He was a scientist in space, it couldn’t get any cooler than that! But of course, he had soon realized what type of story it was.

The problem was that it didn’t start right off with the porn part like most stories he’s found while browsing the darkest depths of the ARMY’s fandom. He’d read some weird shit himself, demons, half-animal people, male pregnancyㅡHell! even tentacles once. The kind of things his fans could come up with was exhilarating, and it blew his mind that the weirdest and kinkiest were for some reason the best well-written of allㅡ.

But this story was different.

It had a storyline, an actual estructure, inciting incident, clear stakes, the whole pack. Years listening to his father reviewing novels and short-stories had resulted in him developing an appetite for well-written stories. And even though the main character was that Y/N type their fans where so keen about, she wasn’t plain at all. She struggled, and that was nice to read. Besides, all that astronaut stuff sounded so legit that he almost consider the possibility of the author being an astronaut herself. He’d always been a fan of fantasy and sci-fi since he was child and his father brought him the entire collection of Jules Verne’s novels for his eleventh birthday. Stories about voyages to far and unknown places were his guilty pleasure, so of course he got hooked up with this piece faster than he’d ever with any other he’d read so far.

But he couldn’t finished the chapter that time because the masseur was already calling his name. The scrolling bar told him he wasn’t even half way through it, so he’d copied the link for later and went to the therapist office. So now there he was resuming his reading with renewed eagerness.

The main character had just arrived at a green house inside the ship. And there was Yoongi.

Hoseok huffed and raised an eyebrow when he realized this scene focused all on his elder. Wasn’t he supposed to be the main character here? Not that he complained, though. Yoongi’s fingers where indeed nice after all and wouldn’t blame the girl for obsess over them. But in most stories he’d read there was always a lead, and he assumed by the first scene it was going to be himself. Maybe this was a threesome?

He quickly scrolled back up to the story information, searching for the pairing section where he knew his questions would be answered. /OT7 x reader/

He flinched.

“All of us? What...?”. Did that mean everyone was a love interest? Or that the main character was supposed to screw all of them at once? How was that supposed to work if there was just one woman in the whole crew?

Oh wait...

The realization hit him. Of course, that was the whole plot. Seven guys and one girl, and they had to fight for her love? It was something like that for sure, wasn’t it? She would pick one of them and then they’d have sex. He kept reading—

«Your deepest darkest fantasies- the ones you always turned to on your most stressed and anxious nights - were the ones involving the entire crew. The idea of them finding out what a slut you were for them and passing you between them filled you with an embarrassing level of arousal. You would imagine them taking turns filling you until all your thoughts of loneliness and emptiness had been fucked out of you. And you would sleep like a baby.»

—or not...

He scratched his chin, a little confused now. Was this actually going to be gangbang? Or more importantly, was he actually going to read this till the end? He did like threesomes, not that he’d been in one... Yet. Their schedules hardly ever allowed them to properly date someone, and hooking up with a random stranger was way too risky with the level of fame they’d reached at this point. But the idea of threesomes was very appealing, although he’d never actually consider having a gangbang with all his members. However... he wasn’t going to cross off reading about one just yet.

Just as he was about to resume his reading, the door flew open and Jimin‘s face appeared. “Hyung!”

Hoseok jumped in his seat, his phone fell on his lap.

“Shit...!”, he took a deep breath and glared at his band member. “You almost gave me a heart attack, Jimin!”

A sly grin appeared on the youngest face.

“Why? What were you doing?”

Hoseok cleared his throat. Had he been discovered?

“Nothing”, he lied so poorly he wanted to smack himself on the face.

“You were totally reading it, weren’t you?”, Jimin chuckled. “Did you get to the video part already?”

“No, what video part?”

Jimin raised both palms.

“Sorry, not going to give you any spoilers”

Hoseok rolled his eyes. “Anyway... Why did you send it?” He asked, retrieving his phone and unlocking the screen again. “I thought we agreed on not doing that anymore”

“Yeah, but Taehyung send it to me”

“What?” Hoseok frowned, and turned around in his chair to face the boy. That was a surprise. “Why would he...?” He shook his head, sometimes Taehyung needn’t a reason to do the most random things.

Jimin simply shrugged.

“He also sent it to Jungkook and Namjoon-hyung”, Jimin ran his hand through his hair and giggled. “I think everyone is reading it now”

“Wait- What?!” Hoseok chuckled and raised an eyebrow. “Are you for real?”

“Haven’t you checked the group chat?”

“No, I was...” Hoseok pressed his tongue against his cheek. “-reading”.

“Huh”Jimin wiggled his eyebrows. “Is cool isn’t it?”

“Well, it’s ... interesting”, he conceded. Jimin let himself in and plopped down on the spare chair he kept in his studio in case he needed to work with the senior producers.

“Who do you think she’ll choose?”

“For what?”

“Come on, hyung.” Jimin snickered, “You know what I mean”

“Are you sure she is supposed to choose one of us?”

“What-? Obviously...”, Jimin shifted on the sofa, his face stared confused at Hoseok for a moment. But then he gasped, suddenly realizing what he mean. “Do you mean-? All of us?!”

“Why not?” Hoseok shrugged. “It’s just a story, anyways. You know some of our fans like kinky stuff and there’s nothing wrong with that”

“I mean! I know that! Its not-”. Jimin’s face turned a bright shade of red. “W-we shouldn’t be reading about that. What if they get... ideas!” He brought a hand to his forehead and looked back at him with a worried expression. Hoseok spluttered in a laugh, but it soon dwindled when he realized Jimin was actually serious about his concern.

“Jimin...”

“Goddamnit...!” Hoseok observed as his younger member stood up and facepalmed himself “I’m an idiot! I bet that was Taehyung’s plan all along”

“Taehyung’s plan was to have us... read fan-fiction?”

“About a gangbang!”

Hoseok rolled his eyes.

“It’s just fan fiction, Jimin. Not a proposition”, he said, but Jimin wasn’t paying attention to him anymore.

“The others can’t read that. I have to stop them”, and he was about to storm out the door, but Hoseok had to stop him.

“Hey, hey!”, he grabbed him by the elbow. “Now you’re just exaggerating”

“No, I’m not”, Hoseok couldn’t comprehend why Jimin was so scandalized. “We can’t have a gangbang, hyung!”

“No, no, no!”, he “First of all, no one is having a gangbang. Second of all, why does it bother you so much?”

“It doesn’t!”

“Really?”

“I just don’t want to be... I don’t want to share a partner with the six of you”

“Why, you’re worried she might like it too much and dump you?” Hoseok teased. However, upon seeing Jimin getting all self-conscious, the smile was erased from his face.

“Jimin, come on. You don’t really think that would happen”

“I don’t know, you are all good looking and mature, and more talented that-“

“Stop it. You are not less than us, stop beating yourself so much specially over a fictional situation. Do you forget who has the third largest fan base among us?”

“It because ARMY likes when I act all cute and pretty, and want to baby me like a child. I’m the cutie, the tiny one...”, his voiced turned into an almost whisper at the end. “I’m never the big... manly man...”

“Jimin...”

“What?”

“This isn’t about the story, is it?”

“No... yes- well, not this one...”, he paused, looking at his feet, bashfully. “It’s just the other stories...”

“What other stories?”, Hoseok asked, but Jimin just shrugged. “I don’t get it...”

“Ugh- hyung it’s nothing really”, he was quick to reply, standing up again. “You are right, I’m so over-reacting... it’s just a story”

“Okay...”, Hoseok leaned back in his chair and looked again at Jimin who was standing next to the door. Hands behind his back, like a child waiting to be scolded. “You sure that’s all?”

“Yep”, that extra ‘p’ sound at the end was enough evidence that he was lying. But he was also aware of Jimin’s uneasiness so it was probably better to let him off the hook for now.

“Well, then...”, Hoseok rubbed his neck. “I really should get back to work then”

Jimin gave him a short smile and left without saying another word. Hoseok turned around in his chair to face his computer and actually get some work before the day was over.

But maybe...ㅡHe glanced at his phone next to the mouseㅡ, just maybe... one more chapter wouldn’t hurt either.

[...]

It was past three am when he arrived back at the dorm. He usually wasn’t the one to stay overnight at the studio like Joonie and Yoongi-hyung. But time flew from his grasp like an oiled rope after he finished the first chapter and he had to stay late to finish his assignments. He didn’t want Pdogg-hyung to yell at him in their next briefing. However, the pull of the story was too strong for him to resist.

He had gone to sleep right away, and with the first light the next day he was already reaching for his cellphone and logging into the Tumblr account he had created just for this. He needed to know what happened next, story-Jimin had to be out of his mind to give the main character a video of him masturbating. It was a risky move, he wouldn’t think Jimin was capable of it in real life... Maybe Seokjin-hyung was shameless enough to pull that one out, and Taehyung...

“Yeah, probably Taehyung...”, he mused to himself as he propped himself down on his elbows.

“Probably Taehyung what?”, Jimin’s sleepy voice asked from his side of the room.

“Oh! Jiminie, did I wake you?”, Jimin shook his head and asked again what he meant by ‘probably Taehyung’. Hoseok sat on his bed and stretched his arms. “Nothing, it’s just this story...”

“Why do you keep reading it, hyung?”, Jimin groaned and covered his face with both palms in exhaustion. Hoseok simply chuckled, Jimin’s concerns where silly. Plus, he wasn’t going to deny himself the pleasure of a good story just because his roommate thought his best friend was trying to get them to have an orgy.

“We are not having a gangbang, just relax”

Jimin huffed but didn’t argue further.

A sudden nasal shriek shattered the morning’s quietness and reached their ears through the door. Hoseok almost jumped off his bed to Jimin’s, what on earth was that? It sounded like some kind of hysteric bird .

“First you send me that porn thing and then you wanna talk about gangbangs?! Gangbangs!!”

Okay, that hysteric bird sounded like Seokjin now. And by the volume of it, it was coming from the kitchen.

“It’s not like that, hyung! You don’t even listen!” And that was definitely Joon’s.

Hoseok exchanged confused glances with Jimin that soon turned into curious ones. As if on cue, both of them got up their beds and ran into the kitchen to check on their band members.

Namjoon was leaning on the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee in one hand, the other scratching his forehead. Meanwhile Seokjin was beating some eggs in a plastic bowl, ranting about how much porn was acceptable in a household.

“It’s not porn! It’s basically literature!” Namjoon sounded as much fed up as he looked embarrassed. Seokjin let out a sarcastic chuckle.

“It’s porn! And you are a pervert!”

Namjoon rolled his eyes.

“If you could just read it-!”

“I have enough with the viruses that keep popping on the computer because of you shady search historial!” It was hilarious just listening to them arguing back and forth like and old married couple. But Hoseok was more curious about whether they were talking about what he though they were.

“Is this about the space story?”, he chimed in, resting his elbows on the marble island across Seokjin’s cooking station. Jimin climbed on a stool next to him.

“You too, now?”, Seokjin huffed, giving him and Jimin disgusted look. “Not that I’m surprised, considering your fascination with breeding cats”

“It was a cat-girl! And that was a mistake!” Hoseok’s ears suddenly burned. “But whatever...”

“Wait- So did you read it, or not?”, this time Namjoon was the one to speak.

“I am reading it, I’m on chapter two”, he replied and Jimin nodded along.

“Did you get to the video part right?”, Joon asked and before Hoseok had a chance to speak, Seokjin’s loud huff cut him off.

“Can I cook in peace without having to hear about how much you want a gangbang, pleaaaaase?”

“Com’on, hyung! I never said I wanted a gangbang!” Namjoon shot him a glare before turning back to Hoseok. His hands came to fondle with the fruit bowl in front of him. “What I was trying to explain to this hyung is that I do think it’s an interesting guessing exercise for figuring out the extends of human behaviour in such adverse conditions”

“But you said you wanted to do it!”

“No! I said to explore it as in talk about it! WITH WORDS!”, Namjoon glared at their hyung, as a faint blush covered his cheeks. It was clear that “If you could’ve just listened for a moment instead of acting like a scandalized prude!”

“Yeah, hyung. It’s just a story, you are over reacting”, said Jimin, taking Hoseok by surprise considering all he had to say about it last night.

“Well, forgive me for not wanting a gangbang!”

“No one’s having a gangbang, for God’s sake!”

“I wouldn’t mind”, a fifth voice joined the conversation out of the blue and all the heads turned in the direction of the hallway.

Yoongi-hyung was leaning against the wall, arms crossed and messy bed hair. A slight frown hardening his features. He’d most likely woken up because all of the noise.

Seokjin let out a sarcastic chuckle.

“You too, Yoongi?”

“How long have you been standing there?”, Jimin asked. Yoongi shrugged off a yawn and walked over to grab an apple from the bowl Namjoon was holding.

“It’s hard to keep sleeping with this hyung nagging so loud this early in the morning”, he pointed to his eldest and bit on the fruit.

“You know what?!”, Seokjin scoffed, and put aside all his cooking implements. “Y’all can make your own breakfast! Seriously...”

And walked away.

“So noisy...”, Yoongi mumbled as he munched on his apple.

“You read it too, hyung?”, Namjoon asked. Yoongi turned to him, leaning on his elbows. Hoseok’s eyes betrayed him as they followed Yoongi’s movements and the way he arched his back, lifting his ass in the air so subtly.

“Since Tae shared it in the group chat I figured I should give it a try”, he shrugged seemingly desinterestedm, but Hoseok knew him better than that. Yoongi liked to pretende he didn’t care about stuff other that making music, but it was clear to him by the way he was behaving, that the older rapper had enjoyed the story a little bit too much. “It was good”.

“You’re only saying that because you are not the main character”, said Jimin.

“At least I’m not the character that gave the girl a video of me jerking off”

“First of all, she asked! and second, you messed up big time keeping that memory card, hyung!”

Yoongi sneered at the younger boy.

“I got her off, you didn’t”

“Wait, what are you-?”

Jimin’s face turned a bright red, his nosetrils flared. Namjoon just chocked a laugh, almost knocking off the fruit bowl. For a moment, Hoseok only stared in confussion at them. He couldn’t recall something like that happening in the story yet and he realized they were probably far ahead of him.

“Hey! Don’t give me any spoilers! I haven’t reached that part yet”.

But Yoongi and Jimin just ignored him, continuing their teasing banter.

“I don’t think she’ll forgive you. EVER!”

“She was thinking of me while fucking you”

“At least I got to- to... be with her!”

“You can’t even say fuck without blushing. Space-Jimin is lightyears ahead of you”, a smug grin appeared in Yoongi’s face, clearly pleased with his joke and Jimin’s fuming face.

“That’s a bit rich coming from you, hyung”, Namjoon said with a smirk. “I mean, last time I checked you couldn’t even look at Halsey in her training clothes without turning red as a beetroot”

“That’s-!”, Yoongi coughed, a bite of the apple going the wrong way. Suddenly matching Jimin with his red cheeks. “That’s different!”

“Neither one of you would ever dare to act like the way the author portraits you. Just admit it”, Namjoon snickered. “You don’t have what it takes”.

“Oh, and you do?”

“I’m just saying if the seven of us where trapped in a spaceship and there’s just one woman for miles and miles...”, He crossed his arms, chin raised proudly. “I’m guessing you’d be too shy to get her attention”.

“It’s not a competition, anyway. It’s a story and it has already been written”, argued Yoongi. “And I was her first choice”.

“Technically it was Hobi”, Jimin pointed out. “She was so ready to throw herself over him in that lab scene”.

“Well Hobi doesn’t count here because he did nothing”

“Excuse me?”, Hoseok scoffed. “Clearly I’m the best character, unlike others I’m actually being professional”.

“Yeah, right. Professional until Yoongi-hyung tells you he screwed the main character”, Taehyung popped up from behind him making Hoseok shriek in surprise, followed closely by a sleepy-faced Jungkook.

“You little-! You almost killed me!”, Taehyung only laughed, joining the his chuckling hyungs.

“And he didn’t screw anything- anyone!”, said Jimin.

“Well, his fingers did”.

“Stop talking!”, Hoseok shoved Taehyung aside and shook his head. “You’ve already spoiled the story for me enough as it is! At least let me finish the chapters before we talk about this”.

“Yeah, maybe we shouldn’t talk about it before breakfast”, Namjoon scratched his chin. “Gguk, go tell Jin-hyung he can come back now”.

“Why, was he here?” asked Jungkook.

“He left because he didn’t what to have a gangbang”, Yoongi answered, almost offended, like he was telling Jungkook his hyung had turned down some fishing trip.

Jungkook’s eyes where suddendly wide open.

“What-?!”

“It’s the story, nevermind!”, Jimin waved a hand in the air in dismissal.

“Wait, so we can’t have a gangbang?”

“Are you serious right now, hyung?”, Jimin gave Yoongi the side eye. His hyung response was simply shrugging.

“I like to keep my options open”.

“Yeah, maybe one thing you shouldn’t keep open is your mouth”.

The group erupted in laughter at Jimin’s witty comeback. Yoongi raised the hand that held half an apple and pretended to throw it at Jimin’s head, only to join the laughter when the dancer fell from his chair by his motion.

Hoseok chuckled and shook his head.

What a way to start the day.

. . . .

#void #btssavedmylifeblr #space au #bts reaction #bts scenarios #jung hoseok #pov #bangtan smut #crack fic #bts crack #fic inside fic #fanfiction #bts fanfiction #bts reacts to fanfiction #yoongi #bts smut

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shnuggletea · 4 years

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Omg, omg, omg I LOVE this chapter. I'm so excited that we are finally at this one! I think you guys will love it too. Here's hoping!

Thanks for all the love and support for this fic! Makes me wonder though, do you prefer an AU or cannon based? I used to think cannon was more popular, still kinda do. But then I'll have an AU do crazy well so IDK anymore! If you have the time and interest, I'd be curious to know. My own personal satisfaction.

Also, my keyboard is working! It's magic... or something my hubby did yesterday cause he 'looked' at it, so my own personal form of magic ^_~. I'm afraid it's going to stop again though! And there's seriously not enough time in a day to get everything I need to get written done while it works (sighs). I've been focusing on my originals as of late, almost finished with one and I'm super excited about it. Thinking about taking a small break when I have it out to publishers for consideration to work on fanfics. So if you're waiting for something to update, it may be another week or two. Daddy Issues for example. It has one chapter left. Or rather I'm finishing it and however long it is, I'm posting it all in one chapter! Updating this and Infinity for Narci6 since I don't have an update for Enchanted ready for them.

Fanfiction link HERE!

AO3 link HERE!

Chapter 16

He cupped her face, brushing her tears away with his thumbs. Then he pulled her to him, leaning over and pressing his lips to hers. Warm, pulsing, tingles traveled down her body, the sorrow she felt from her memories steaming and evaporating from it. Not a bit of it was tinged with anger or fear. He was neither angry at her for his deaths nor scared of them. Her plan had failed.

Pulling away, her eyes were sluggish, wanting to stay closed and relish the moment. When she did get them open, she could see nothing but the stormy ocean of his eyes. He watched her, waited for her to pull away or show her dislike of the moment they had shared. But he could find none, as it did not exist. She wanted more.

So she didn't resist, letting him kiss her over and over and over again. Each time he pulled her in closer until she was pressed tightly against his chest, her feet off the floor. Her arms had found their way around his neck, holding his head securely in place against her mouth. Her love for him was alive and well, knowing full well he could feel it as they pressed together. Try as she might, she could do nothing about it. She couldn't pull away from him and she couldn't stop her racing heart that was overflowing with heartbreaking wanting.

And he felt that too.

He pulled away roughly, both of them panting from the will it took to stop, but he didn't release her. "Why? Why won't you let us be together?"

This connection that they shared made it hard to hide anything from him. "I can't stand to see you die again."

"Then let me awaken."

She shook her head, their noses brushing together from still being so close. "No. I can't ...I won't."

He rested his forehead against hers. "Usako ...why? I want you, only you."

She pressed sharply against his shoulders, gaining her release from his arms and the onslaught of emotions he was sending through her. "You don't know what you want Mamoru. The person you want is not me, she is a dream. And you forget, I already belong to someone else."

He tensed, his hands making fists at his sides. "You don't care about him, you feel nothing for him. Not like you feel for me."

"Doesn't matter. He is strong and he will come for me. What do you think he will do to you? If he finds me with someone else?"

"If I was at my full capabilities then it wouldn't be an issue now would it?"

She shook her head. "You don't know that."

"And neither do you! You know nothing about him, your husband, and you don't know me, what I am capable of."

"And you do? You saw, you died at the hands of others, and from what I have heard, they are nothing compared to Endymion."

His face went slack, "What did you say?"

"I said, I have been told he is stronger than…"

"No, not that. His name. Say it again."

"His name is Endymion."

His eyes went wild like they were trying to focus but couldn't find what they needed to focus on. Then he grabbed his head as if it would fall off. "Mamoru?!"

It was like before, during their spar, he was spiraling. She moved towards him, trying to get to him, but he held up a hand, a pulse of energy coming from it and knocking her back. Getting up as quickly as she could, she went for him again. This time she made it, grabbing onto his shoulders. He had her blocked completely again, feeling nothing from their touch.

The ground was starting to quake under their feet and she moved around to put her face before his. His eyes were squeezed shut tight. Pushing his hands away, she took his face in her hands again and called out to him. But it didn't work like it did last time. Cracks were forming in the cement under them and she went for broke, slapping him hard across the face.

Everything stopped. It was eerily silent and she waited for him to fully recover. His face was turned away from hers but she could see that his eyes were now open, staring blankly across the warehouse. Several seconds passed and still he was silent. She could feel him now, when she placed a hand on his shoulder, so that was a little reassuring.

"Mamoru...are you alright?"

He blinked for the first time it seemed and then shook his head, turning it back to her. Confusion, fear, and frustration ran through him, but none of it was placed towards her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I need ...I need to rest. That's all."

"Are you sure?"

He gently removed her hands from him and stood up straight. "Yeah, I'm sure. Come on, I'll walk you home."

~*O*~

The grass was tall and golden, waving in the cool breeze. Winter was just around the corner, he could feel it in the air.

She sat across from him, her legs pulled up under her while he laid back looking up at her, propping himself up on his elbows. She had the hood of her cloak pulled back, letting her golden hair rival the field they rested in.

A cloth beneath them, she chucked another grape into her mouth, dancing slightly as the sweet juice covered her tongue. He could feel all of it, every sensation, even eating. The only time he couldn't was when she returned to the Moon. Something she did far too often in his book.

She smiled, her face brightening even more from the gesture, and turned her head to the four who loomed too near. "Thank you Zoicite, I love these."

He leaned up slightly, swatting her knee gently. "And just how, pray tell, do you know I did not bring those to you?"

She grinned, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Because everyone knows Zoicite is the considerate one."

"You mean the rake!"

She giggled, "I am fairly certain that is all of you."

He sat up, grabbing her thigh and tickling her, earning him a beautiful laugh and a sharp smack to his hand. When he laid back down, she threw a grape at him, which to her shock and dismay, he caught in his mouth and ate.

"Thanks, I have been waiting for you to offer all day."

"To offer what exactly?"

"To feed me grapes. But I prefer them peeled, thank you."

This time, she got him in the eye, but the two of them just laughed. He could feel his joy mirrored in her, doubling on the warmth in his heart just by being around her. It propelled him to his feet, even though he would have stayed there with her forever, he was on a mission that day.

He held out a hand to her, which she took without hesitation. "Let's go for a walk, shall we?"

Little sparks of pleasure raced up his arm from her touch, but she soon released it, standing to brush the grass of her skirt and fluff her dress. He offered her his arm, which she took again without hesitation, letting him lead her away. His men already knew their role in all of this, but he glanced back at them to make sure they kept their word and their distance. They still stood where he left them, not moving in the slightest, letting him lead his Moon Goddess away on their own.

They had insisted on being with them every time she was near. Even after she managed to win over each of them. Even Kunzite cared for her. So much so, he was certain they insisted for her safety, not his, wanting to make sure he did not make any unchivalrous advances on her.

Once they were a safe distance away, she began to giggle to herself, humor filling her head to toe. "What has the lady so tickled?"

She shook her head, looking off into the distance. "I was just thinking about the first time we met. And the few after where we despised one another. How different things are now."

"Ah, so the lady hated me?"

She turned, facing him with mouth wide open, a smile hiding behind her shock. "I did not hate you, you hated me! And it was because of that that I found you barely tolerable. Even you have to admit you were a brute!"

A laugh bubbled out of him, her cheeks turning red. "Can you truly blame me? You show up and ruin everything we had with the relationship with our people, causing them to distrust us…"

"Your people already felt that way long before I arrived."

She had sobered significantly and so had he. "You are right. We were fools to think of it any other way."

She smirked, holding her head up with an air of haughtiness. "Fortunate, you had me to show you the error of your ways!"

"That I am."

A giggle came from her again, and he could hear the wickedness of it, knowing she had some sort of mockery in mind. "I still cannot believe you tried to strike me with lightning."

"I did no such thing!"

"The ground still bears your mark!"

He stopped, spinning her around to face him. "I would never have hit you. Give me some credit Serenity."

She just laughed, loving getting a rise out of him, and shaking her head. "You Earthans and your powers. Nothing but destruction. This is why I will always be stronger than you."

"Excuse me?"

"Your gift doesn't create! What good does it do? No, it is meant for wars and battles, not love."

He raised a careful brow at her, but she held no fear of him. That had passed long ago. "Doesn't create huh?"

A small white flake fell before her eyes and she just barely caught sight of it. Confusion on her face and in her brain, she looked back at him. But he remained silent as he filled the sky with more. The once sun-filled day was now grey as snow fell heavily from above.

Her face brightened as her eyes grew wide. Spinning away from him, she looked out across the field, watching as the frozen crystals fell. Lifting up a tentative hand, she caught a few, then held both hands out wide beside herself, spinning slowly and dancing in the snow.

His heart swelled at the sight of her, beating painfully. She felt it, stopping and turning to him, concern brimming over. "I am fine Rena."

The mood ruined, she lowered her eyes to the ground, and now her grief washed over him. "There is something I must tell you."

Fear squeezed his heart at her tone, wind picking up from his tension. "What is it?"

She waited a beat, summoning the courage, which only had him struggling to breathe as he waited. "I don't think I can come visit you. Anymore."

"What?"

She turned, forcing herself away from his stare. "The ritual for my marriage will start soon…"

"You are engaged?!"

The wind howled around them, whipping their cheeks. Anger burned through him at an uncontrollable rate, the thought of her with someone else causing rage to spark in an instant. She turned on her heel and took several steps towards him, careful not to touch him. "No! No, I am not. Not yet."

He calmed at her words and at the salve she washed over him through their connection, the blizzard he was about to start calming down. "What do you mean by 'not yet' then? You will be engaged soon?"

She stepped away from him again, moving like a pace, gentle snowflakes catching in her hair. "We Lunars have a tradition. A ritual of sorts in which a husband is selected for the Lunar heir next in line. For me."

"Do you not get a say in all of this? Can you not pick your man?"

She shrugged, picking at a tall weed and pulling it asunder. "Even if I did, he would still have to participate, prove his worth in a sense."

"And what is it one must do? To prove their worth that is?"

She shook her head at him, but still did not look at him. "I cannot tell you. It is law that no one knows what trials the men will face. I only know of legends, what men have had to do in the past."

"Then why not tell me those?"

Now she looked at him, confused. "Why?"

"So that I can go. Compete and win."

She stared at him, completely blank, and his heart raced. Until she frowned, then it stopped, and she turned away to walk as quickly as possible away from him. "You mock me, sir."

He chased after her. "I do not!"

"I understand, we jest, that is what we do. And I enjoy it, I enjoy coming to see you and spending time with you. I treasure our friendship. But today sir, you push me too far."

"Serenity wait! I love you!"

She froze, allowing him to catch her and spin her around. As soon as he did, he took a step back, angry tears raging down her face as she was now filled with rage like never before. She had never been angry with him, not like this.

"You do not love me, sir!"

"Yes I do, and you know this! You feel it just as I feel it from you!"

Tiny fist wiped futilely at her cheeks. "I know what love feels like and I feel nothing of the sort from you!"

Jealous anger sparked in him again, focusing so he did not spend valuable time raging. "Who?! Who do you know that has shown you what love feels like?!"

"Luna! And my Guardians! My mother! All those who work in the palace and my people. Your people as well and the Shitennou! Others within the Silver Alliance. Plenty of people have shown me what love feels like because I feel it for them, just as I feel it for you. But you...I feel nothing like that from you."

He couldn't help it, even though he knew it would cost him, but he laughed. Her grimace only grew and she turned on her heel again, making good time away from him. "So you love everyone in the Galaxy?"

She didn't even turn, yelling at him over her shoulder. "Yes, I do. Not that I would expect you to understand such a notion!"

"But you have never loved anyone the way I love you or the way you love me."

Yet to stop, he began to follow after her, his words causing her to slow at least. "And how is that? The way that you love me?"

"Romantically." She froze and he slowed, making his way to her one step at a time. "The kind of love that is all-consuming. It is forever and binding. Serenity I want you to be my wife. To rule together, to have a family, to always have you. You are the first thing on my mind every morning and the last thought I have before bed. I could fill a room with my thoughts of you. Hell, my entire kingdom!"

He grabbed her gently and turned her to face him again, finding her with tears on her face again. But the way her heart pounded in her chest, he knew they were not the same tears as before.

"I love you, more than anything. And so, I am going to go to the Moon and win your hand if I have to. I refuse to let you go to anyone else."

His hand shook as he raised it, wiping away a few of her tears for her. She was silent, silent for too long and he began to fear he had misunderstood the feelings she had for him.

A smile broke on her face and she leapt on him, her arms wrapping around his neck. Surprised, she almost knocked them over, but he recovered quickly, wrapping his arms around her waist in return. Her lips pressed to his, warmth spreading all over him like a night of too much ale. He drank her in, a giddiness filling him as he tasted her for the first, and hopefully not the last, time. Having ached for her for so long, he found it impossible to get enough of her, caressing her lips over and over again with his own.

She pulled away but he continued along her jaw, wanting to get his fill of her. Something he was sure he would never complete in this lifetime. She leaned her head back, giving him access to the skin he craved, traveling down her neck.

"I love you, Endymion."

~*O*~

He sprang up, the smell and taste of her skin lingering, but most importantly her voice as well. His brain was on fire, grabbing it hard, he tried to keep it from splitting in two. Trying to get up, he fell to the floor, his vision blurry and his body weak. He couldn't tell, but he was pretty sure his building was shaking, that he was shaking it.

Taking a deep breath, he did his best to steady himself, trying to calm down and focus. After several deep breaths, the pain slowly subsided and the burning turned into something else entirely. Flashes, images, his memories all flooding back to him at once. He took one more deep breath and forced them to slow down, to look at them one at a time.

It all came back, his first and second life, leaping through the night sky in search of a Princess and the silver crystal. Finding her again only to lose her, and himself to darkness. He remembered his deaths, both of them from his last life, and how Usagi had saved him the first time, giving him a part of her crystal to do so. Essentially a part of her own heart. He remembered the parts she so skillfully left out, like how she killed herself after he died the first time and how each time, she wept bitterly over him. But most importantly, he remembered his first life and exactly who he was.

He was Endymion.

Don't hate me, don't hate me, don't hate me... I mean...come on how could I NOT leave it there?

#sailormoon #sailor moon fandom #sailor moon fanfiction #usagi tsukino #mamoru chiba #usagi x mamoru #endymion #serenity #endymion x serenity #sil mil flash backs #doom tree arch #faulkner writing #fluffy #angsty #a nice combo of both #i am endymion #past lives revealed

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mymelodyheart · 4 years

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Highland Destiny Chapter 21 ~Faith and Hope~

"Jaaaa-mie, breakfast is ready!"

Jamie smelt burned food as he came out of the shower and walked into the adjoining bedroom. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he sat on the slipper chair to check his phone. Burnt waffles! He smiled. This was Claire's third attempt in the week in making waffles after revealing that he loved them.

"Jamie, is there really a need for Angus to drive me to the doctor's today? Surely, I can go by myself. My car hardly gets used, and really, it needs a run." Claire ambled into the bedroom with a mug of black coffee, wearing a short silk floral blue robe loosely tied around her waist, her stomach protruding at the opening.

Jamie sighed, looking up to his wife. "Sassenach, we've been through this before. I can't have ye walking around on yer own in town while I'm away in Paris. I can't take any chances with all the headcases crawling out of the woodwork."

The news of Jamie's marriage had spread like wildfire when they returned to Inverness three and a half months ago. He hadn't liked the intrusion on Claire's privacy as the press found out the identity of his wife. There were several candid pictures taken of her in town and unscrupulously published in a tabloid newspaper. The last straw was when Jamie's representatives had intercepted hate mails and messages on his public social media accounts. Although most were petty and seemingly harmless, one message was traced to Laoghaire MacKenzie's brother with death threats. The threats came after it was revealed that the MacKenzie/Christie case may be taken to the Scottish High courts.

Fearing for his wife's safety, more than his own, Jamie had ensconced themselves in his penthouse apartment with the round the clock security surveillance. He loathed leaving the cottage since it was the first place Jamie had felt at home since leaving Lallybroch, and for the most part, Claire loved it there. Jamie was aware it would have been a matter of time before the media discovered their hideaway, and he was mindful that Tom Christie knew the address of the cottage.

Claire stood in front of him with an exaggerated pout as she handed him the coffee. Jamie knew his wife was restless after being relieved from work after a photographer had nearly hampered an emergency case Claire was working on; moreover, there was the doctor's warning about stress because of her high blood pressure.

Jamie took the coffee off Claire's hand and placed it on the table. He undid her robe to kiss her belly before pulling her down onto his lap, her legs straddling him. "Now Sassenach, ye promise me ye'll not try to lose Angus this time. The poor man was almost out of his wits with worry the last time ye tried to abscond. I know ye don't like the security and the fuss, but we have the baby to think about now, aye? And I'm so sorry I cannae be with ye for the doctor's appointment." He leaned forward for a kiss, his large hands firm on her hips. "Mmm, ye taste of hazelnut chocolate spread."

"I promise." Claire sighed as her arms snaked around his neck. "Besides, I have a project that I'm working on, and I'll need Angus' brawn with the shopping, so I need to stay on his good side. Shall I message you later when I find out the gender of the baby?"

"Ye can call me anytime, Sassenach, but no... I want the gender of our baby to be a surprise. But keep me updated what the doctor says about yer health." Jamie's first and foremost concern was Claire's well being as he tried to push away thoughts of how his mother had died, giving birth to a stillborn child. He didn't want to leave her, but he needed to sort out some paperwork in Paris concerning Château Cheval Blanc.

"Alright then, if you want it to be a surprise, the baby's room is off-limits to you. I plan to decorate it while you're away, and Geillis and Gail promised to come around to help with some ideas."

"Mmmm...off-limits. Got it. Now let see what delectables you have for my breakfast," Jamie breathed nuzzling her neck as he slipped off Claire's robe down her arms.

"Jamie! We just did it this morning, and you have a plane to catch!" But his warm breath against her skin was already sending tingling sensation down her spine.

Jamie ignored her remark. "Christ Sassenach, yer tits are so massive, and yer arse is so plump and round." He nibbled her earlobe delicately, one hand cupping the weight of her breast and another squeezing her arse, as he pulled her closer to his hard arousal. "Feel that Sassenach, that's what ye do to me when ye walk around half-naked. Damn, ye're so bonnie...so sexy," he whispered in a ragged voice.

"And you're so ravenous and insatiable...how are you going to survive a few days in Paris, huh?" Claire whispered as her hips started to move against him, pulling his head down to her breast. She smiled as he groaned, his hip movements matching her own.

Impatiently, Jamie raised Claire by the hips to pull down her panties and whipped off his towel before lowering her down to his cock. Then he reached down to their adjoining nakedness and stroked her sensitive spot. "Weel, ye just have to talk dirty to me tonight on the phone. They call it in French, en libre service ." He chuckled softly as he heard her gasp, knowing she was shocked and roused at his suggestion.

Claire's head lolled back as Jamie bent his head to tease a nipple. " En libre service? Alright Jamie, tell me more about it...what would you like to hear as by way of example..." she whispered as a whimper escaped her lips.

Jamie raised his head from her breast, and with one hand behind her neck, pulled her closer. As Claire began to rock more frantically against him, he whispered all the naughty things he intended to do to her once he was back from Paris.

.........

Joe had suggested accompanying Claire to see the doctor, which he had done on previous occasions as Jamie had been very busy with work. He had recommended as soon as she was back from Lallybroch to make an appointment for a screening test, acknowledging that there was a high probability of abnormality with her baby after she had ingested ketamine a few weeks back. Joe had voiced his concern to Claire, but she had been adamant that whatever they find wrong with the baby, she refused to terminate her pregnancy. Joe knew if Jamie had found out that there was a risk of developmental challenges, disability or risk to Claire's life, he would have had wanted a say as Joe had known how his mother had died. Stubborn as Claire was, she had prohibited Joe from voicing his concern to Jamie, thinking this was probably the only chance she'll ever be pregnant. As it turned out and much to his relief and surprise, and after a series of doctor's appointments, Claire and her baby were in perfect health. And today they were about to find out the gender.

"Are you excited, LJ? I'd say though, you look massive for 21 weeks," he chortled as he looked her over on the examination bed and held her hand. "Importantly though, I'm glad that you're passing through all examinations with flying colours and you're positively glowing."

Claire's face turned a shade crimson as she thought of Jamie, secretly attributing her glow from their lovemaking earlier in the day. "You know, as much as I'm enjoying this pregnancy, I can't wait for the baby to be born. Jamie is driving me nuts with his worry. He has enough on his plate already, and he still insists on cooking when he comes home from work. And for crying out loud, he even hired a cleaner to come twice weekly. And he's so paranoid with the trial, he had the cleaner screened thoroughly."

"Well, after what you've been through, coupled with being a first-time parent, I can hardly blame him. And you missy, knowing how stubborn you are, you tend to do as you please which makes all the more difficult for him. Go easy on Jamie...you know how much he loves you and with his mother's history..."

Claire sighed. "I know, I know. It's just so difficult not doing anything but I guess, I'll be busy enough doing the nursery."

"Mrs Fraser, Dr Abernathy, hello, are we ready for the scan?" Claire and Joe turned towards the door as her doctor, Dr Grant, a woman in her fifties and a female sonographer walked in. "We've done this before, and it shouldn't take long, so whenever we're ready..."

Indeed it was all very a standard routine test, and Claire only felt the mild discomfort of the coldness of the lubricating gel slathered onto her belly, and the handheld probe pressing near her full bladder, making Claire want to burst. When the first images appeared on the screen, she could hardly make out any semblance as the monitor was not in her direct vision, but she could hear soundwaves coming from the ultrasound probe. But when Joe's head tilted funnily and his brows furrowed, Claire became worried.

"Joe, what is it?" Trying to suppress a rising panic, she tried to turn her head around to her side to take a look at the screen monitor, but she couldn't make out the images.

Joe's eyes were about to pop out. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked nobody in particular.

"Joe!!!!! For fuck sake Joe, what is it?!?"

Dr Grant smiled. "Congratulations Mrs Fraser...it looks like you're expecting twins."

"Twins? There was no mention of twins in Claire's previous examination," Joe said with utter disbelief.

"Well, they call it the hidden twin and sometimes they're not detected until later. See here?" Dr Grant pointed, "There's the second baby. And it's quite clear from here the twins are girls."

"Sweet Mother of Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ! Jamie wanted a surprise... well... he's definitely in for a surprise."

..........

"Och twin girls, Claire, double the trouble an' double the fun. Ah bet Jamie nearly had a heart attack," Geillis smirked as she danced around the nursery, not really concentrating in measuring the walls for wallpaper.

Claire was sat in a reclining chair she had recently bought, sipping cold lemon water as she watched her friend. "Jamie doesn't know."

"What? Why didnae ye tell him?" Geillis stopped mid-twirl.

"Well, I did ask him before he left for Paris if he wanted to know the result of the scan and Jamie said he wanted it to be a surprise. And surprise he will get." Indeed a surprise considering Claire was still in a state of shock. She had yet to wrap her head around the prospect of having twins, let alone the impact it would have on their lives and her career as a doctor. She had wanted, after her maternity leave, to complete her residency at the Northern Royal Infirmary, instead of continuing to work at the Scottish Ambulance Service. Murtagh had thought too that it was for the best as he didn't want any more press lurking around the emergency department.

"But Claire, he was probably talkin' aboot the gender. Surely he would want tae ken how many mouths he has tae provide for. No' that he cannae afford it,"

"Good Lord, Geillis, it's bad enough him knowing I have a baby...imagine what he would be like when he finds out we're having twins. So promise me that you'll zip your mouth, alright? The only people who know about the twins are Jenny, Joe and you. So not a word!"

Geillis made an action of zipping her mouth, her cheeks dimpling wickedly. "That wee secret of yours will be hard tae keep an' surely, Jamie will start to wonder you're unusual size at yer next stage of pregnancy. An' how about the bairns' shower? An' the nursery? How will ye keep that all a secret from Jamie?"

Claire waved the key to the nursery room. "The nursery is off-limits to Jamie, and he knows that too, but as a precaution, in case he does get tempted to take a peek, the door will be locked. And Jamie will be too busy at work in the next few months...he said so himself as he planned to have paternity leave. And as for the baby shower, Jenny had already offered to organise it. That woman is truly a wonder."

"Speaking of the wee fox cub, there are pictures of him in Paris hittin' the news already. The press in France sure loves him. Ah wonder how the public took the story now that he's nae longer in the single market."

"I don't want to know Geillis, and I don't read news about Jamie. I just hope he doesn't blurt out that we're having a baby because he does have that tendency. Thank God the press doesn't know about it yet, and I guess, having Angus around to drive me about and accompany me, has its perks."

.........

October

Jamie noticed his godfather came more often to the gym than he used to. Usually taken to running to keep himself fit, he had been doing a lot more strength building and trained more often with Jamie. And the change didn't stop there. Ever since Jamie was a wee bairn, he'd always only seen Murtagh with a full beard, so it was a shock when his godfather walked into the gym with a clean-shaven face.

"Dare I ask what's with the sudden change in your looks?" He tried to suppress a smile, but Jamie had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with his aunt Jocasta. Ian had already informed him that his aunt will be flying back to Scotland soon and visiting Inverness and apparently, to be there when Claire gives birth to their baby.

"Dinna bother and one word about my beard, I'll wallop ye," Murtagh warned in a gruff voice as he started his warm-up exercises doing arm swings and standing-trunk-twists next to his godson.

Jamie didn't say another word, and Murtagh only broke the silence as they went on to their next warm-up on the stationary bicycle. "How's Beauchamp?" Despite Claire not working for the Ambulance service anymore, Murtagh continued to call her by her maiden name.

"Aye, she's braw." Jamie paused, hesitating as he pedalled vigorously on the bike. "Say, what do ye think about Claire's size? That bairn she's carrying looks massive in her tummy."

Murtagh glanced at him as if he was asking a stupid question. "Weel, with yer muckle size, what did ye expect? Obviously, the baby must take after ye...size-wise that is."

"Hmm, I've never seen a pregnant tummy that huge. I'm just worried about Claire...she can hardly get off the chair, and she tires easily. Do ye think that's normal?" Jamie asked, reflectively.

"I dinna ken. Why ye asking me? Ask yer sister," Murtagh muttered as he doubled his efforts on the bike.

"I did. I know Jenny has more experience when it comes to pregnancy, but she just dismissed it as Claire being a tall lassie. She said, the taller the lass, the bigger the tummy. That doesna make any sense at all."

"When is she due?"

"In two months...December she said. But the way I see it, she looks like she's about to pop."

Murtagh just mentally shrugged, not really interested in pregnancy talks. "Jamie, I've meant to ask ye something..."

Jamie got off the bike and waited for his godfather. When Murtagh finally finished, they walked over to the rowing machine. "What is it?"

"Aye weel, I was thinking..."

"Aunt Jocasta?"

"Ye're very perceptive! How dae ye ken?"

"For fuck sake Murtagh, I saw ye fondling my aunt's arse back in Lallybroch as both of ye dancing to slow music during the party...the whole hamlet knows," Jamie pointed out laughing, as he settled down on the rowing machine.

Murtagh's face turned red, and it was even more evident without his beard. But Jamie couldn't tell if his reddened face was down to being found out or exertion from their warm-up.

.........

November

Claire was doing some finishing touches to her hair, and as usual, her locks refused to cooperate, so she opted to leave it loose around her shoulders instead. It was aunt Jocasta's birthday, and she had the whole French restaurant booked for the venue. As Jamie was going to be late for the dinner, Murtagh and Jocasta had offered to pick Claire up on the way.

Claire was slightly worried about going to the party as she knew pregnancy with twins means she can go on to labour before the nine months term. She was already on her 37th week, and Jamie had no idea she was carrying more than one baby. Dr Grant had informed her during one of her more regular visits that at 38th week they would have to induce the birth, assuring her everything was perfect even if she had been complaining of sharp back pains. Twice, Claire had gone to the hospital with Geillis thinking it was time and each time it had been a false alarm. Despite the possibility of complication, Claire had insisted on keeping it secret, knowing Jamie was too busy with work. She wished now she had confided to more people, but Geillis had promised all will be well and to stop worrying as it was not good for the bairns.

When the doorbell rang, Claire waddled to the door, feeling slightly out of breath, as she felt shooting pain in her back. It was Murtagh on his own as he had left Jocasta in the car.

"Christ lass, are ye alright? Ye looked a bit flushed," Murtagh asked with concern in his voice.

And just as Claire had feared and of all days to happen, her water broke.

"Oh...ahh...I think I'm about to give birth," Claire breathed heavily, holding onto the door. As she felt herself sway, Murtagh, caught her in his arms just on time.

..........

Jamie was just finishing some paperwork when his godfather had called to inform him Claire was taken to the hospital. At the mention of the word hospital, he didn't let Murtagh finished his sentence and was already on his feet, dropping everything he was doing. His heart was hammering as Jamie weaved through the traffic, willing his car to go faster, cursing himself for working late. All sorts went through his head and the one memory he didn't want to think about kept resurfacing in his mind: his mother's death giving birth. Dear God, please let her be safe.

When Jamie reached the Northern Royal Infirmary, Joe was already there to greet him. "C'mon buddy. You're about to become a da! Claire's in labour. I think the babies are too eager to come out," Joe announced calmly as he led Jamie to the lift that would take them to the maternity ward.

"Babies? Da? I thought she wasn't due until December. Murtagh only said Claire was taken to the hospital, so I presumed it must have had something to do with her high blood pressure..." Christ, what the fuck is going on...why is Claire having the baby now?

Joe caught himself. "Erm, I mean Claire and the baby are ready. It happened so quickly, and we didn't think...Anyway, she's fully dilated and is on active labour now. The contractions are so close together...so you'll be a da anytime soon."

Fully dilated? What the fuck does that mean? Jamie had attended only a couple of Lamaze classes with Claire, and he remembered the breathing techniques.

Joe looked at Jamie oddly. "What are you doing, Jamie?"

Jamie was doing rapid, short breaths. "Practicing for the birth? Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Christ, am I doing it all wrong?"

Joe smiled and slapped Jamie on the back. "That's Claire's job. You're only there to assist her with the breathing. C'mon, calm down. Claire's doing wonderfully, and Gail is there with her."

"Oh Christ Almighty, I'm really going to be a da. Oh God...oh God. Christ, can't this lift go any faster?" Jamie was impatiently moving around and fidgeting in the lift much to Joe's amusement.

When the lift finally opened, Joe guided Jamie through the corridors of the maternity ward, and Jamie grimaced inwardly as he heard birthing screams and moans at each door he passed by. "Right buddy, do you want to be in the room with Claire, or do you want to wait until it's over? You don't have to you know...Claire's in good hands."

Jamie didn't hesitate, as he removed his tie and stuffed it in his suit pocket. "Aye, aye. I want to be there. I'm ready." He slammed a fist on his hand, puffing big breaths out as if he's about to enter a boxing ring.

"Right, you need to wear scrubs as we're going to the operating theatre."

Jamie's face turned white. "What? Why the operating theatre? Are there any complications? I thought everything was going well?"

"Standard procedure buddy just in case the doctor deems it necessary to perform caesarian..." In actual fact and what Joe didn't tell Jamie was that most twin or multiple births are done in the operating theatre in case one of the babies refused to come out of the womb and the doctors are forced to perform a caesarian.

"Caesarian? Th-they'll cut her open? Claire had always wanted a natural birth...is it truly necessary?"

"Not necessarily...like what I said it's all precautionary. Calm down now...Claire needs you, remember that. "

A few minutes later, dressed in scrubs, a very nervous Jamie was led into the operating theatre. He stood there for a minute, dumbfounded taking the whole scene in, thinking what a pair of healthy lungs Claire had, and the sounds she was making made him tremble on his feet. Jamie saw his wife surrounded by medical staff, and there were monitors and bright lights everywhere and not the birthing room he had expected.

"YOU BEASTLY SCOT, WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?" Claire screamed as soon as she realised Jamie was there, to the astonishment and shock of the doctors and nurses. Ever since she was wheeled into the hospital, Claire had been shouting all sorts of profanities that would shock a naval officer. Even Jenny and Ian, who were attending Jocasta's party, and were immediately on the scene, was shocked but amused at Claire's very colourful use of the language.

"Mr James Fraser?"

"Aye?" Jamie's eyes darted from the doctor's face to his wife, who had a look as if she's about to commit murder, her riot of curls wild if not plastered to her perspiring face.

"Yer wife is about to give birth, you can stand here or take a stool next to her."

Jamie didn't need prodding and immediately went to Claire, nearly slipping and sliding under the operating bed from his awkward and shaky movement. As he caught himself, Jamie leaned over his wife, one arm around her head and the other, taking her hand in his. "Ssshh Sassenach, so sorry...so verra sorry. I'm here now, and I love ye...love ye to bits. And ye're so beautiful...and I love ye..." He regretted holding her hand after realising what a strong grip she had, her fingernails digging into the back of his. He winced but kept his hold firm, as his other hand stroke her hair, keeping it away from her face.

Claire let out another howl as she pushed with her back. "I FUCKING HATE YOU JAMIE FRASER. LOOK AT WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME. WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOUR BALLS.....AAAAAHHHHHH!"

Jamie swallowed audibly as he felt Claire's body convulsed with pain. He closed his eyes, wishing he could take the pain away from her, and for once, he felt utterly useless.

"I can see the head Mrs Fraser, just a little bit more," a gentle voice reminded Claire, as she prepared to push, her face contorted in pain.

Jamie's face was as white as the hospital's bedsheets, as Claire grunted and his heart thundered between his ears. His wife's nails, earlier digging painfully into the back of his hand was no longer felt as he heard the sound of a baby's wail to rival his wife. The room suddenly spun, and Claire's cries and the medical staffs' mutterings became distant. "Congratulations Mrs Fraser! Looks like this wee one inherited your pair of lungs," he heard one of the doctors said before he succumbed to the oblivion.

A couple of minutes later, a nurse hovered over Jamie, and he came to his senses immediately as something pungent and strong was waved under his nose. Realising at once what was happening, he quickly got onto his unsteady feet, breathing as many big breaths as his lungs can muster. He leaned over Claire, who was sobbing uncontrollably. Taking her into his arms, he looked around to catch a glimpse of the baby, but he couldn't see it. "Sassenach, shh...it's over now, the baby is here. Ye were so brave...so incredible, and I love ye so..."

"Right, Mr and Mrs Fraser, are you ready for baby number two? This next one is very impatient to come out, and we don't need to wait," announced a doctor with a smug smile on his face.

"W-What?? Wait a minute...what ye mean number two?" Jamie's voice faltered before he fainted once again for the second time, his head making a resounding thud on the floor.

It was too late for any of the nurses to check on Jamie, as the second baby came out without a hitch and with less push required from Claire.

Once the babies were safely delivered and taken to be cleaned, the bewildered staff looked at Jamie's immobile body, still on the floor and then Claire, who was wildly dishevelled and wet from perspiration and exertion.

"Well, my darling husband wanted a surprise, and I merely obliged," Claire shrugged with a smile as she leaned back against the pillow, feeling all of a sudden tired and spent; nevertheless relieved and ecstatic that their baby girls were safe, whole and healthy.

..........

Jamie looked down at his wife, the twins nestled against her chest. After Claire and the babies were cleaned, they were rolled into their own private room in the hospital and were given an hour of family bonding. The bairns have latched on immediately as Claire breast-fed them and now slept contentedly. Jamie wasn't ready to share them to the world just yet even if he knew friends and family were waiting outside. Taking off his shoes, he slid into bed next to Claire, putting his arm above her head as he laid on his side, watching his bairns sleep.

He leaned towards his wife and kissed her on the forehead. "Ye were so incredible, Sassenach. The birth...ye...and everything has been a miracle. I dinna ken how ye've done it, but ye were so brave and strong." Jamie contemplated for a bit as he leaned to kiss the babies' head, inhaling their clean smell. "Ye've given me so much...yer love, our babies. I have so much joy in my heart that I feel I'm about to burst anytime soon."

Claire smiled, tenderly at her husband. "And I love you, Jamie Fraser and I'm sorry for shouting at you. How's your head?" she croaked hoarsely as all her screaming from earlier started to take its toll.

Jamie chuckled. "Och, it's fine. I dinna mean to faint like a wee lassie on ye, but it must have been all yer screaming that did it to me. I couldna bear the pain ye were going through. I wanted to take all yer pain, and I would have gladly suffered it for yer sake."

Claire was just lifting her face to kiss Jamie when the door to their room suddenly opened.

"Right, ye two, that's enough. Ye have plenty of time for cuddles later. We want to see the baby!" Jenny announced as she burst into the room, followed hesitantly by friends and family.

"Jenny!" Ian tried to pull back his wife, shrugging apologetically, but Jamie signalled them all to come in with a nod of his head, not moving from his position.

Jenny and Geillis were immediately leaning over Claire's side, crooning at the sight of the bairns as the rest congratulated the new parents.

"Och, they're no' identical... one's got dark hair an' the other lighter," Geillis chirped excitedly as she gently touched each baby's head.

Everybody crowded around the bed to have a better look. "Do we have names for the bairns yet?" Aunt Jocasta piped in as she stood by his nephew's side, one hand on his shoulder.

Jamie straightened up from his position. "Weel, everybody, Claire and I'd like to introduce ye to our beautiful lassies, Hope and Faith Fraser...our wee bundles of joy and miracle..."

"Hope and Faith...how fitting after what both of you have been through," Joe said, smiling.

"Aye, Claire and I have talked about names. We have already decided on the name Faith awhile back if the bairn is to be a girl. But my wife never told me about a second girl," he laughed, lightly tapping Claire on her nose.

Claire looked at Jenny, smiling. "We thought too of the name Brian after your father, if the baby was a boy."

Murtagh peered his head to take a look. "So which one is which?"

"Well, Hope is with lighter hair and Faith is with the darker hair," Claire explained, her tired face breaking into a contented smile as she leaned her head towards Jamie's shoulder.

Jamie felt Claire's head bobbed up and down, trying to keep lucid in front of their friends and family. To his relief, the nurse came in to take the babies and announce visiting hours were over. By the time all of them left, Claire was already sound asleep, weary from all the excitement and effort of giving birth. Jamie remained where he was, holding his wife tight against him, thinking of the future for his young family. He said a silent prayer of gratitude as he stroke Claire's hair, and for the first time that day, Jamie allowed tears of happiness to flow freely until he too eventually fell into a peaceful sleep.

#melodyheart #highlanddestiny #Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser #outlanderfanfic

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tuxiedjabberwock · 4 years

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The Centurion and the Black Angel - Kid Icarus one-shot

When Pit gives his life on the battlefield to save Dark Pit's, he decides to look into a new Mirror of Truth in order to bring him back. ...He really should have thought things through better.

Category: Games » Kid Icarus Author: Sqydd Language: English, Rating: Rated: T Genre: Angst/Tragedy Published: 11-04-20, Updated: 11-04-20 Chapters: 1, Words: 11,074

Fanfiction.net

AO3

Quotev

"Pittoo?"

A dream. A bad, horrible, dreadful, unthinkable dream, that's what it was. After all, it was too improbable to be the real deal, wasn't it? To see that insufferable mouth sealed shut, a deep crimson staining his lips; those blue eyes which always sparkled with energy and life gazing blankly to the sky.

"Pittoo? What's the situation? Where is Pit?"

I'm wondering that too, he thought, slipping a hand under dampened hair and lifting his head from where it fell into the shallows. Pit's laurel crown was buried in the pond's muck; Dark Pit pulled it free with his other hand and replaced it where it belonged.

"I'm coming down there to check on you. Don't move, especially if you're badly injured; you can bleed out."

Blood… That was a funny thing. Humans bled profusely when struck by divine weaponry. That blood was almost scalding until it began to cool against the lukewarm swamp water, and it congealed at Dark Pit's ankles where they rested at the shoreline. The shadow of his Silver Bow fell over them from where it stood impaled in a soldier's chest with the setting sun's rays falling over them in gentle reds and purples. His hands began shaking and his vision blurred with tears.

"Pit…you…damn…idiot," he whispered, bowing his head against the original's. His whole body was shaking and he couldn't stop it. Maybe it was compensating for his original, who could no longer tremble in fear. "Fucking…idiot…why did you…why did you even…don't you know…?"

A soft musical tone began behind him before something fell into the mud. Palutena gave a surprised cry, then she said tentatively, "Dark Pit? Are you alright?"

That was it. Those words severed the last bits of self-control Dark Pit held. The Goddess of Light asked if he was alright, and he was. I'm alright, he thought as tears poured down his cheeks and dripped onto Pit's face, cutting through the caked-on grime. His shoulders bowed and he gritted his teeth against the wails erupting from his throat.

I'm alright because your stupid angel gave his life for a copy.

There were a lot of tears shed in the heavens for the next week. Palutena did most of the crying, albeit out of sight, but Dark Pit could hear her moans in the middle of the night. Viridi saved hers until the golden tablet was placed over Pit's mouth, and Dark Pit turned to see her staring with wide and wet eyes. Phosphora retreated once his body was buried among the grass and fields, her cheeks already glistening, and Phos and Lux brayed in mourning.

Dark Pit had no tears left, but he made sure the Palutena Bow was clenched in Pit's hands before he went under. In case Hades tried to screw with him in the afterlife…or so his justification went. Mostly it made his heart ache to see the blades even after the human blood was meticulously scrubbed away.

"What happened?" Palutena's voice was soft and motherly as it always was, no trace of accusation there, but Dark Pit felt like sinking into the deepest hole anyway. He averted his eyes and stared at his fingers wrapped around the grip of his Silver Bow.

"It was a human army versus Hades' army running 10:1. The humans had the advantage, but the dark energy produced by the monsters made them wilder, more unpredictable." He spoke in a detached voice that kept him grounded; he stated the facts as telling a story, not reliving the worst day of his short life. "Not only did we have to fight back the monsters, we had to save them from themselves. Pit did, and he tried his damn hardest like always. Didn't let a single human die."

Not a human died. Not one human died under Pit's watch.

"And then?" Viridi, standing off to the side, looked on with an unreadable expression as Dark Pit's fingers tightened. He fought the urge to retreat into himself.

"One of the humans snuck up on me." Stupid him for not sensing the man's presence. Stupid him for being so slow to react. Stupid him for— "Pit covered me. A—…And it was the last thing he did."

She should have shouted at him. He wanted her to rebuke him for the worst mistake of his short life. Instead, she sighed and gave a little chuckle. "Heh. That's our stupid angel, alright."

He wasn't proud of it, but he took the holy weapon forged by the Goddess of Light and speared the human through the heart. He shoved the blades in with so much force that several ribs were also broken on impact, and the momentum carried the grown man deep into the dirt. He wasn't proud of it because he knew Pit would hate his weapon being sullied like that, even if it was in his name. Especially because it was in the name of revenge.

Pit suffered a painless death; before he hit the ground, he was gone, the sword's handle still protruding from his back like some sick joke. Dark Pit removed it with the utmost care and set him down in a more comfortable position, as if such a thing mattered in death, before taking up the Silver Bow. He couldn't recall much of what transpired after—it remained a stubborn blur in his mind to date—but his memories afterwards began with him standing amidst a sea of carnage. The Underworld Army, of course, left no trace, but human corpses decorated the ground around him.

He couldn't bring himself to care.

Subsequently, he spent a lot of time in Skyworld, ignoring Viridi's calls to lounge around in Pit's old hangout spots. He had a private hot spring not far from his quarters, shaded by white marble pillars holding up an arched roof and surrounded by lush green grass and wildflowers. Dark Pit enjoyed sitting at the shore, nude ankles submerged in the warm golden water.

"Viridi was asking about you." The grass crunched behind him before Palutena sat primly beside him, legs folded and dress fanning out around her. Dark Pit kept his gaze on the small waves.

"Viridi has hordes of acolytes to do her dirty work. I'm allowed to take a break. Let them scare off whatever human stepped on a sapling this time."

"That's not what she was asking about." Palutena's delicate hand landed atop his on the grass; he quickly pulled it away and she didn't react. "She and the rest of us are concerned. No one was closer in mind and spirit as you to Pit."

"Well don't be concerned. I'm fine." He spat the word like bitter poison, not at all helping his case, but he hated it. Hated being treated like paper, hated knowing Pit died for a stupid copy, hated knowing the only person who related to him in the world was gone and he was alone, would live alone for an angel's long long life and die alone…

"I didn't say you weren't," she said smoothly, "but that doesn't make me any less concerned for you. I care about you, Pittoo. And by the way, you've been brooding in this spot for five hours—that's not what fine people do."

"So what if I have been brooding? Aren't I allowed to grieve in my own way? You've been moaning up a storm like a ghost." He could hear her affronted gasp. "You may have been Pit's goddess, but I am not Pit. You don't need to give me your concern, nor do I need it. The only thing I need is for you to let me be, Palutena."

"…As you wish, then. But you know where to find me." She stood up, dusted herself off, and with a smile in Dark Pit's direction, she took her leave.

"The same goes for you, Viridi."

Puh-lease, Viridi said, voice echoing out from his fibula. The tough guy act may work on Palutena, but not on me. You're hurting.

"Aren't we all? Leave me alone."

Fine then. Don't do anything stupid. And she left with a poignant huff.

"Don't do anything stupid, huh…" He chuckled mirthlessly. His stupid acts only happened around Pit, though another person would call them selfless. Things like helping him fight the Chaos Kin to revive Palutena, and journeying to Hell to save Pit's life, destroying the gates to the Underworld and helping to weaken Hades. Yeah, when it came to Pit, he didn't think too rationally, and only now when it was too late to say so, he realized it was more than just an obligation to the "original." He cared deeply for Pit…and now he was gone forever.

"Dammit!" he roared, kicking the water at his feet. His reflection distorted before resettling, revealing the tear tracks running from his scarlet eyes. He hissed and threw an arm over his face, falling back onto the grass. "Stupid, stupid, why did he take that hit, why did he have to die…?"

He took longer than he wanted to calm down, and when he finally sat up again he felt drained, physically and emotionally. He knelt and lowered his face to the water, splashing the warmth across his splotchy cheeks to clean them up. He sighed when the soppy feeling left and glared down into his puffy-eyed reflection.

"Just a stupid reflection, is all I am…why did he have to—"

Dark Pit stopped cold and stared harder, digging his fingers into the soft dirt. "I'm a reflection," he breathed, eyes wide. An imperfect one, but a reflection nonetheless. If he could look into the Mirror of Truth again, another opposite would be created—a Pit would be created. It would fix everything!

But the Mirror was shattered when he was "born." He clearly remembered shattering it. But…but…Pandora had been revived in the Rewind Spring as Amazon Pandora. If she was still hanging around, perhaps she created another Mirror. It was a hell of a long shot, but honestly, what else did he have to lose?

The issue was locating her now. He would have to ask around on the surface, preferably not where they were last time. If only he had a contact…suddenly, Dark Pit recalled a story Pit told him of a human associate. Perhaps he did have a contact?

Vigor renewed, Dark Pit yanked on his sandals and raced to the edge of Skyworld, throwing himself into the cold clouds below. "Viridi, grant me the Power of Flight!" he shouted.

Someone's pushy about it, she grumbled, but her earthen energy filled him all the same. Where's the fire, angel boy?

He ignored her and folded his wings back in a dive, cutting through the air like a spear and towards the mountainous ground. Here's hoping he wasn't getting his spirit worked up for nothing.

In an out of the way town that reeked of danger and blood, Dark Pit walked into a bar. The decidedly unfriendly looking patrons turned to sneer at him, but his responding glare turned them right back around. He had eyes only for the broad leather-clad back sitting at the bar counter.

"Magnus?"

Said back turned, revealing a scruffy middle-aged human holding a cup of ale. He looked Dark Pit up and down and remarked, "Unless you've turned emo since I last saw you, which I somehow doubt, you must not be Pit?"

"Dark Pit," he said. "Pit has…Pit died in battle."

Magnus' previously lax expression turned blank, then he raised his ale. "Here's to him, then." He slammed back the alcohol and dropped the cup on the counter. "Terrible thing. That kid had a lot of fire."

"He did. Which is why I want to bring him back. Have you heard anything about Pandora?" Magnus raised an eyebrow.

"The goddess Pandora, I'm assuming? Yeah, I've heard a few things here and there." Dark Pit took a seat next to Magnus and waved down the bartender, holding up two fingers. The bartender set two glasses of ale down for each of them. Magnus looked on curiously as Dark Pit downed it in one gulp. "You two aren't the same, that's for sure," he remarked.

"Well, spill what you know."

"Normally I'd charge for my information, but call it a freebie for an old friend." Magnus took a few swallows before speaking again. "Heard she was seen on the outskirts of that huge forest where the town was, way up north."

Reset Bomb Forest. Viridi didn't keep tabs of the area anymore, so it was reasonable to assume Pandora was hiding out there. Dark Pit slapped down a few coins and slid off the stool.

"Thanks. I'll be heading out."

"One more thing." Magnus finished his ale and levelled a sober look at the dark angel. "Whatever you got in mind, don't let it be the death of ya. I barely knew angel-face and I could tell ya, he wouldn't like that."

"Trust me," Dark Pit muttered, turning away and sidling to the door, "I know."

Outside he took to the sky in one big leap. He had already used his Power of Flight, but this time the winds were in his favor; he glided across the small dilapidated buildings until they turned to naked rock, then lush pink foliage. He flapped his wings to gain some altitude as purple crystals jutted from the earth like spears, but very soon he was forced to land. The thick forestry cut the wind and he could glide no farther.

The forest was so thick only the barest lines of sun made it through; it was all he could do to see his own two feet as he fought not to trip and fall on a bed of random barbs…again.

"The things I do for this angel," he grumbled, picking a thorn out of his cheek. He tried not to think too hard about what he was doing, because then doubts would surface. What if the Mirror didn't work? What if there was no Mirror? What if he looked into it and nothing came, because…what if he didn't have a soul? He waved the thoughts away and moved a little faster, stumbling over a gnarled branch.

"Hey Pittoo, guess what?"

"Buzz off," Pittoo grumbled, not opening his eyes. "And don't call me that."

"It's my birthday!" Pit continued undaunted.

"Great. So what?"

Dark Pit was grabbed around the shoulders and pulled up from his lounging position. He growled and opened his eyes, watching Pit prance excitedly around on the green grass, wings stretched high and flapping madly. "Think about it," he said with a wide grin, coming to a stop a few feet away.

"The only thing I'm thinking about is kicking your ass and continuing my nap."

"Come on, don't you get tired of being a grouch all the time? Well anyway, this'll cheer you up." Pit suddenly thrust a messily wrapped brown package in Dark Pit's face. He took it with no small measure of confusion.

"Um. Thanks? What?"

"It's my birthday," Pit repeated, "and since you're me, it's your birthday to. So…happy birthday!"

Pittoo was absolutely floored and watched Pit gesture excitedly at the present. Haltingly, he pulled apart the thin paper to reveal a small cardboard box. He pulled the lid off and saw a small doll that sort of looked like him if he squinted. "Did you…make this?"

"Yeah. Um, I'm not too good at knitting, but Lady Palutena said it's the thought that counts." He laughed awkwardly and rubbed his neck. "And, uh, it's filled with your and my feathers? I'm thinking about it now and it seems a little creepy…"

"No, it's…uh…" He ducked his head a little to hide the flush creeping up his neck. "Um. Thanks, Pit."

Dark Pit gritted his teeth. That doll was still in his little alcove in Viridi's world. When he revived Pit—because he definitely would—he would come up with something equally as nice to give him.

He heard the faint sound of mumbling and picked up the pace as much as he could, flapping his wings to get the slightest bit above ground. He felt like a damn chicken without the Power of Flight.

He felt a thick branch sloping upwards and scaled up, avoiding the little thorns until it begins to level out. He peered through a break in the violet leaves and saw one of the old human structures, a large two storied building with crumbling walls interwoven by thick branches and curling ivy. Sunlight shone through the canopy above and coalesced on something at the tip of the structure.

"Why is Hades ignoring me now? Stupid bloathead," Pandora was saying as her back floated into view. Dark Pit leaned forward with a grimace. "I thought we had a nice thing going…and the Hearts he paid me were delightful." She rose higher to the ceiling of the building and glanced his way; he ducked his head. "Well, at least I managed to create this beautiful Mirror."

Mirror!

He leapt through the leaves and into the clearing. Pandora spun around and her face twisted in anger. "You stupid angel, you aren't shattering my Mirror a second time!"

He scanned the area until he spotted the Mirror on top of the building. The frame was made of twisted branches and the glass was reflecting the sunlight from the open canopy. He just needed to look into it and—

He dodged to the side as one of Pandora's heart missiles struck the ground where he was standing. He whipped out the Silver Bow and fired a volley of arrows; she twirled and vanished, avoiding the attack before reappearing above his head and dropping a large purple bomb. He fired an arrow and the explosion released a cloud of pink smoke, obscuring his vision.

"The last I heard, the cuter angel kicked the bucket. Is that true?"

Dark Pit growled and spun, not before taking a kick to the shoulder and falling in the dirt. He rolled out of the way of another projectile and to his feet, jumping above the smokescreen and onto a beam jutting from the building. Just one look, just one look and everything will be fine—

"No, don't look in the Mirror!" Pandora launched another heart right at the glass, then her eyes widened in shock. He was still too far, he had to stop it somehow; he couldn't let her shatter the mirror!

"No—!" Dark Pit launched himself in the air and intercepted the projectile, which slammed him in the gut like one of Pit's clubs. The air left his lungs in a pained gasp and his wings seized up, leaving only his momentum carrying him backwards into the Mirror of Truth. He felt the coldness of the glass for a mere moment before it shattered against his back, peppering his skin with tiny shards. He fell through the emptied frame and to the hard-packed dirt below.

"No…no!" He shot into a sitting position, eyes wide as he beheld the frame full of broken shards. Tears welled in the corners of his eyes and his fists balled against his aching stomach. "D—Dammit…!"

Plunk.

"What? No!" Pandora's disbelieving shriek caught his attention. He looked past her floating form to the source of her ire…a small white-clothed form balled on the ground. Could it be…no…no, it had to be.

Pain forgotten, Dark Pit lurched to his feet and leapt forward, past the enraged goddess and to the prone form in the dirt. Pit was exactly as he had been, down to the untamed bedhead, though he was completely unconscious. A relieved, borderline dopey smile crossed Dark Pit's face, and tears did run down his cheeks, happy ones. He lifted Pit's face to press their foreheads together.

You're back…

Pandora's continued screams reminded Dark Pit there was an urgent matter to attend to. Glancing around, he quickly spotted his Silver Bow poking out from the mud nearby. He threw himself into a roll and snatched it up, notching an arrow and taking aim at Pandora. She looked down at him with an expression of pure fury.

"Do you know how hard I worked to revive that Mirror? You're dead!" She sent a flurry of purple hearts towards him and he released his arrow into the center of the storm before taking to the air. Pandora disappeared with a twirl and Dark Pit didn't have time to react before a slim hand latched around his neck. Her momentum carried him backwards into a pile of brambles; the thorns tore into his back and he gritted his teeth against the scream of pain that wanted to rise.

"You're the one who will die, Pandora." He broke the bow into swords and cut her hand at the wrist. She pulled away with a scream, her handless wrist streaming golden ichor, her wristless hand dripping onto Dark Pit's clothes like acid. He tore the hand away and righted himself, landing on his toes on a branch and launching himself up again. Pandora pulled her unharmed arm back for an attack and he tossed the sword like a knife. Another shield appeared, and her expression turned panicked when he broke the shield with his body, jabbing the remaining sword into her gut.

They fell back to earth and her face was frozen in shock even in her death. He leapt backwards before her body melted into ichor, scoffing quietly before turning to Pit. He hadn't moved and Dark Pit couldn't hide his concern. Collecting the Silver Bow, he returned to Pit's body and cradled him to his chest. "Palutena?" he called.

"Dark Pit, what's going on?"

"Take me to Skyworld, please."

She hesitated and he heard her swallow. A…Alright. Light surrounded him and lifted his wings; Pit's fluttered weakly but otherwise he didn't respond. Dark Pit's brow furrowed and his anxiety grew.

"What's wrong with him?"

Palutena and Viridi were waiting for him in the main hall. Palutena's eyes widened and she dropped her staff; Viridi's jaw dropped quite unattractively. Dark Pit stumbled his way to Palutena, whose arms raised automatically to catch Pit when he was all but dropped. "Help him," Dark Pit whispered before he hit the ground.

Dark Pit woke in a room unfamiliar to him. The bed was large and soft, made of down feathers and silk sheets rather than Viridi's rocks covered in leaves. He blinked groggily and looked around; a window looked out to the cover of clouds and there was a steel basin at the side of the bed. He peered over the lip and realized it was full of hot spring water.

Dragging his legs over the side of the bed, he forced them rigid and stood up, falling over and grabbing the nightstand before he faceplanted on the marble. His boy felt numb and heavy altogether and he kind of just wanted to lie down and die, but he had to make sure Pit was okay. He glanced around and saw his Silver Bow leaning against the wall; he took it and braced his boy against it with two hands, keeping his shaky body upright. His burnt robes were gone, leaving him only in his shorts and rings of slightly spotted bandages around his stomach and back. He gritted his teeth and pulled the door open.

He stumbled around blindly for a bit before catching wisps of Palutena and Viridi's voices. He followed the sounds down a branching hall and found them arguing softly in front of a door. Viridi was facing him and spotted him first; her hazel eyes narrowed slightly and she smirked.

"Well, let's let Pittoo clear up the details," she said. Palutena turned and Dark Pit was alarmed to see her eyes so bloodshot. It was like she was grieving a second time. His heart fell. No, don't let him have died a second time because of me…no, no way…

"Dark Pit?" she said softly. Dark Pit made his ambling way over until Palutena's hands laid on his shoulders, keeping him upright. "Please, can you tell us what happened?"

"First, I want to see Pit," he gasped. The goddesses exchanged a look and Viridi's smile soured.

"Why not?" she shrugged, passing Palutena to open the door. He caught a glance of Pit among a blue-sheeted bed and piles of stuffed animals—must be the idiot's bedroom—and he was no more awake than before. The door shut again and Viridi folded her arms across her chest. "Okay, explanation time."

"The Mirror of Truth," he said softly. Palutena gasped while Viridi gritted her teeth.

"Dark Pit," Palutena said urgently, "tell me you didn't create Pit using a Mirror." He hesitated before nodding and all the color left her face. "This is…oh, no, this can't be…"

"Why?"

"Because you're damaged goods," Viridi said bluntly. Had he possessed the energy, he would have lashed out, but so far it was taking everything he had to remain upright. "When you were created, it was with Pit, who has a complete soul; the Mirror was shattered halfway through and your soul wasn't completely formed. It's incomplete. Now you took that and made another half-copy."

"Are you saying there's something wrong with me?" he growled. Palutena huffed and turned his head back to her.

"It's just unnatural," she insisted. "In the first place, the Mirror is not meant for beings with souls; that's why it only worked on the Underworld Army. Pit's energy allowed you to be created. We just…we don't know what this can mean, especially since Pit is still unconscious. If he wakes, he could be what you were meant to: completely evil."

"Of course, if he wakes up," Viridi added casually. "The vegetable-hater could end up being a vegetable himself."

"Viridi!" he snapped, then groaned at the ache it left in his stomach. Palutena hushed him, running a hand through his hair. He hated how pleasing the gesture felt.

"Let's get you back to bed first. You're still too weak to be up and about."

He didn't have the energy to fight as Palutena took one of his arms and led him back to the room he woke up in. She laid him down and took a cloth from the basin, wringing it out before setting it on his forehead.

"You're a bit feverish," she said as way of explanation. Viridi sighed and sat in an ornate chair.

"There are many things that can go wrong, Pittoo. Don't you think we knew that Pandora had the Mirror? Why do you think we didn't try it ourselves?"

"Who's to say it will be 'Pit' in the end?" Palutena said softly. "Maybe he won't have any memories, maybe his personality will change… It was all just one big risk. It still is until he wakes and we can know for sure."

"So what if he doesn't remember? So what if he's a little different? He'll still be Pit," Dark Pit said. Palutena sighed.

"It's not only about that… We've moved on, we have accepted his death. It was a very terrible thing and we wish it didn't happen, but it did. He died protecting you, and we know he would be happy with that fact. You're the only one who isn't."

"Don't make me out to be in the wrong here," he muttered. "If you had a chance to bring Pit back, you would have too."

"Did you hear what she just said?" Viridi said derisively, then groaned. "It doesn't matter. It's already been ten days; Pit has no injuries but he won't wake. It's not looking good for him."

Dark Pit fought down his rising despair and scowled. "Just wait."

"And for how long exactly? We're immortal, but things can still be pointless."

"What Viridi is trying to say in her own tactless way," Palutena said, "Dark Pit…"

"I know what she's trying to say," he interjected. "I don't care. Let me be responsible for him then, however…he may come out of this." If at all. "I'm the one who made this decision, I will be accountable."

Palutena chewed her lower lip, then set her hands between her legs. The fabric couldn't quite hide their trembles. "Let's see how things look in another fortnight, then. It will take about that long for your injuries to fully heal."

"I can take care of myself," he said. Viridi rolled her eyes.

"And then he goes and throws himself through another magic mirror…"

"Viridi!" Palutena chided. Viridi threw her hands up placatingly with a shrug.

"Just saying."

Palutena appeared at least once a day to look over him and make sure he was healing properly. Once he was well enough to get around, he spent his evenings in Pit's hot spring, relishing the soothing heat against his torn back. The delicate bones of his wings had thankfully survived the fall, but some of his primary feathers were ripped out. They were already partly grown back.

When he returned to his unofficial room on the fourteenth day, he found new black robes neatly folded on the sheets that smelled like cow manure. He was already tired of Pit's white clothes, but he couldn't say the fertilizer smell was better. He slipped on the familiar colors and sighed, turning to his Silver Bow.

"Now or never…"

He slung the weapon across his back and relished the security it brought. He would need all his nerve for this.

Dark Pit had memorized the short journey to Pit's room in his convalescent time and made not one errant step on the way. He pushed the door open a crack and peered at the bed; he hadn't moved an inch same as before. He stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

"It's now or never, idiot," he said, walking up to the bed. Floor to ceiling windows lined the adjacent wall, facing the gardens where centurions practiced their moves. The courtyard was empty now, leaving only the sense of what was once there.

Dark Pit sat in the chair at Pit's bedside; still, the angel did not stir. "I knew what I was risking when I went for the Mirror, but I did it anyway. So you can't just not wake up—you can't just not be Pit. I…I haven't moved on and I know it. I feel empty without you around, and it's ridiculous; since when have I needed your inane jokes to fill some void? But the fact is, Pit, I just…I j-ju…please, wake up already."

No movement on the bed. Dark Pit lowered his face to his hands, gripping it so tightly he felt sure his fingers would leave bruises. Good; he wanted his face to be different, wanted to look and see something other than the useless copy that not only killed Pit once, but twice…! Gods would he hate himself for this; he would curse his own name until the day the breath left his body.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "So sorry, so so sorry…"

When he raised his head, Pit was sitting up in bed. Dark Pit nearly fell from the chair in shock.

Pit's eyes were fuzzy with sleep as they roamed the room. Dark Pit held his breath, waiting for something, anything. They finally landed on the black angel and no kind of recognition showed. He wondered if Pit really had lost his memories, or worse, as Viridi predicted.

"Pit?" Dark Pit hedged, leaning forward slightly. Pit blinked slowly, scanning his face for what felt like an hour. His white wings flapped with unease before curling around his skinny torso. "Do you…understand what I'm saying? Not that you really did before, moron," he muttered under his breath, more to soothe himself with some familiarity than actually throwing a jab out there. Then, to his utter shock:

"Not a moron!"

His head snapped back to Pit so quickly he nearly got whiplash. Pit's brows were drawn into a frown and his eyes were alight, polished by indignant anger. Dark Pit lunged onto the bed with one knee, grabbing Pit's cheeks and staring him down.

"Pit, is that you? For real?"

Pit fell silent again, eyes scanning Dark Pit once more, and he wondered if he imagined things. He didn't respond as the seconds ticked on and Dark Pit made to move away, but Pit's hands snapped up and gripped his wrists tightly. A tiny smile crossed his face.

"Hey, Pittoo, are you crying?"

His excitement overweighed his resentment at being caught teary-eyed—which he absolutely wasn't, by the way. His arms went around Pit and Palutena's angel let out a little surprised squeak. "You're okay," Pittoo said into his wing. Pit gasped, then relaxed into the hold.

"I'm okay," he repeated.

Palutena cried a lot. So much that Dark Pit felt awkward being there, but Pit didn't want him to leave. She held him close and sobbed and he nuzzled into the side of her neck without a word.

Viridi wasn't nearly so emotional. She looked Pit up and down with a derisive snort, nodded, and left. Dark Pit did catch an unnatural glisten to her eyes though.

Pit spent a lot of time asleep, but when he was awake he was very cognizant, albeit sluggish when it came to expressing his thoughts. Palutena wanted Dark Pit to monitor him since he hung around so often, but so far Dark Pit thought things worked out. There were no apparent drastic consequences apart from the lethargy—which he assumed to be temporary—and Pit was becoming more expressive by the day.

"Pittoo," he said, drawing him from his thoughts. He was hugging a star-shaped pillow to his chest and staring through the window at the clouds beyond. "D'ya think Lady Palutena would be okay with letting me fly?"

"Dunno, it's only been a few weeks—she's just barely managed to stop bawling her eyes out when you took a dump on your own."

"Yeah, but…I miss the air." Pit opened his mouth as if he had more to say, then shut it again. He didn't need to explain, Dark Pit understood. And, well, who was he to deny the one who rose from the grave anyway?

"Alright then. Let's go." Pit's head snapped back to his double, eyes comically wide and feathers askew.

"Right now?"

"I thought you meant right now. Cold feet?" Dark Pit smirked as he slid an arm around Pit's bony back, gripping him firmly on his ribcage. With his help, Pit slid to his feet and remained standing, although his wings fluttered reflexively to maintain his balance. Together, they ambled their slow way over to the gates of Skyworld, which parted in their presence and left them to face the great beyond.

"Palutena?" Pit said softly.

I don't think this is a good idea, Pit, Palutena responded, her voice ringing through Dark Pit's head as well as Pit's. You're still recovering, and I don't want anything to happen to you.

"Palutena, please. For a week all I've done is lie around and have people worry over me. At first, I was happy to have Pittoo at my beck and call," he sent a small smile in Pittoo's direction despite his scowl, "but I…I want to fly. I can't explain it."

"Remember it's my job to keep an eye on him," Dark Pit said. She was silent and he moved Pit forward. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," he said. Dark Pit wrapped an arm around Pit's waist and they fell forward into the endless sky.

"Viridi, grant me the Power of Flight!"

Ya know, it'd be nice if you did me some favors once in a while, she said mockingly, but gave him the power all the same. His wings spread overhead, bathing Pit's face in the greens and golds as he looked at the clouds below in wonder.

"It'll get cold," Pittoo warned before they dove into the cloud cover. Pit's hair was plastered to his forehead from the damp and he shivered a bit but the grin never left his face.

"I missed this." The clouds passed and they were soaring over a human town. Pit frowned at the sight as a dark cloud passed over his face. "Dark Pit…you never told me how I came back."

Dark Pit sighed. Pit eventually recalled his death, though he never described it—not that the dark angel wanted to hear it—but no one really told him how he'd revived. Palutena mentioned Dark Pit was the cause but that was about it. "Well, before I begin, remember that you've done far stupider things."

"That's a good sign," he said with a little smile.

"It… I used—"

An arrow suddenly flew inches past Dark Pit's nose. They looked down to see a small portion of the Underworld Army at the outskirts of the town; the humans were fighting valiantly, but Twinbellows was heading the attack and they were losing ground.

"Let's get down there," Pit said immediately. Pittoo's face went cold.

"We…can't. As your goddess said, you're still healing." Pit was already shaking his head before Dark Pit finished speaking.

"Pit," Palutena interjected, anxiety clear in her tone.

"Lady Palutena, please," Pit said when Pittoo made no moves to lower them, "the Power of Flight."

"We can't lose you again. It's far too risky. You shouldn't have come out at all—"

"Palutena!" he shouted, startling even Dark Pit. "The Underworld Army is there!"

"…Dark Pit?"

"I won't…" Pit gave him a scathing look and Pittoo matched it. "I won't allow it."

"Fine then!" In an alarming show of strength, Pit ripped Dark Pit's hand from his side and began to plummet. Dark Pit folded his wings back and dove after, but Pit had already begun to glide. Dark Pit was shocked to see Pit had grabbed the Silver Bow from his back.

"Dark Pit!" Palutena cried.

"I know!"

Their midair chase continued until they were low enough that Dark Pit could see the humans' bloody and bruised faces. Truth be told, after what had happened, he cared much less for what became of them; something Viridi appreciated as her ecological escapades could be callous at best towards them. But if anything was an indication of Pit still being Pit, this was it: throwing himself headlong into the fray with a half-functioning body and non-functioning brain. Gods, he hated that kid sometimes.

Pit's first three shots were wobbly and terribly off-mark; he missed the Monoeye by a longshot, and that thing was the definition of a target. He didn't react initially and alighted directly behind them, stumbling a bit on weak legs. Dark Pit followed right after and seized him by the forearm, causing Pit to cry out in pain.

"I'm going to kill you," he ground out between his teeth, "if these damn demons don't do it first."

Pit yanked his arm free and scowled, hiding the fact he was struggling to get another arrow ready. "I appreciate your concern, Dark Pit, but—"

"—but you're going back to Skyworld yesterday." Pit narrowed his eyes; Pittoo narrowed his eyes as well.

"Make. Me."

"Is that a challenge?"

Pit's scowl deepened, then a wicked smile crossed his face, something that sent a chill down Pittoo's spine. "No," he said, and leveled an arrow at Dark Pit's heart. "It's a threat."

…

…Shit.

Is this guy serious?

Robotically, Dark Pit raised his open palms and took a step back. "Pit. Pit, you're not serious."

"No, I'm not." His face dropped into a grin and he leapt into the air, gliding above the fight with arrows flying like clockwork. He was still off mark but visibly improving by the moment. Dark Pit was rooted to his spot, eyes on the white angel.

"Hey, Palutena…"

"Pittoo?"

He didn't respond, the words stuck in his throat as enemy after enemy dropped steadily. Pit had taken up a rhythm: glide, shoot, land, and over and over again. His face was focused, a look he wore many times before, but Dark Pit couldn't help remembering the expression when he threatened to shoot.

Pit's efforts were small in the grand scheme of things, but the little aid he provided allowed the humans to gain a fighting advantage. Soon enough, it was down to them and Twinbellows. It growled, huge ropes of acidic drool falling to the earth and sizzling on contact. Pit's back was straight as he faced the flaming mutt, but Dark Pit could see the tired slump to his shoulders. Pit looked up to the sky for a moment, then the familiar light of extraction surrounded him. Without missing a beat, he ripped the fibula from his shoulder and tossed it into the dirt, cutting all contact with Skyworld. Dark Pit felt like ripping his hair out.

"Pittoo, please, at least give him this." The blue light shone down on him, bearing with it the Palutena Bow. "And watch his back."

"Tch. I already know." He took the bow and whistled sharply; a flaming head turned in his direction. "Hey, you overgrown mutt, how about you chew on one of these?" Twinbellows opened its mouth for a roar and Dark Pit fired an arrow right inside. Its jaws clamped shut and it stumbled backwards with a loud whine. The humans scattered to avoid being trampled but Pit was much slower; Pittoo lurched forward and grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the way before he was squashed.

"Thanks," Pit said, holding out the Silver Bow. Dark Pit snatched it with a glare.

"We," he said lowly, tossing the Palutena Bow over, "are going to have a talk later. But for now—"

"Duck!" he cried and pushed the dark angel's head down, narrowly avoiding a flaming claw swipe. Dark Pit grabbed Pit's hand from his head and made sure he was making eye contact.

"For now, don't die. Again."

"Will do." Pit gestured to the human warriors backing away from Twinbellows' advances. The dog was leaving flaming trails wherever its paws landed; soon the blaze would reach their city. "We have to get them to safety first. Back to their city."

"Okay, but—" Dark Pit paused and his eyes narrowed at the entry gates. The wall was made of thick stone slabs, but the top seemed hollow… "That's an aqueduct." Pit followed his gaze and grinned.

"Wash out Twinbellows?"

"Get them in the town first."

"I'll distract Twinbellows," Pit said, and before Pittoo could protest he was running back into the fray, firing at its massive paws. This time, Dark Pit did yank a chunk of hair out. He tried to calm down as he faced the townspeople.

"Retreat! Retreat!" he called, then felt a blaze of heat prickling at his feathers. He turned and began spinning his bow at top speed, dissipating the massive fireball that had been sent their way. The townspeople needn't be told twice; they turned tail and ran back to their gates. Pittoo brought up the rear, redirecting any stray bolts of fire.

Pit was holding his own as well as he could. He alighted on rock outcroppings to give himself a bit of a height edge as he fired volleys of arrows, but they didn't shine as brightly as they ought to. Pit's next landed resulted in botched footing, and his wings flapped uselessly as he tumbled onto his stomach. Twinbellows roared and his rightmost head snapped out and gobbled him in one bite.

"Pit!" Dark Pit shouted. Twinbellows whinnied in pain and shook its heads; he realized Pit was using his bow to keep its jaws propped open. Pit was clinging for his life but he was slipping towards its throat. Dark Pit glanced over his shoulder; the last man was just making his way through the gates. He notched another arrow and let it fly. The arrow sliced a massive chunk through the gate, letting the heavy flow of water gush across the dirt. He raced ahead and soared into the air, landing on Twinbellows' nose. In the seconds before it was swept away, he grabbed the Palutena Bow and yanked it—along with the idiot clinging—and flew forward. Twinbellows was knocked off its feet and into the flow, its fire dousing in a massive puff of steam. Dark Pit landed several feet on a low cliff.

"Are you okay?" he asked Pit, who was kneeling on the ground. He dragged himself up with a weak chuckle.

"My clothes aren't," he said, indicating his heavily charred robes. They looked out when Twinbellows moaned and found it trying and failing to rise to its paws. Pit suddenly let out a little noise. "This. This is." Pit's eyes roamed the battlefield constantly like he was caught in some sort of dream. "I'm unsatisfied."

"You're what?" Dark Pit wanted to give Pit a break, he really did, but the kid was grinding his nerves and he was two seconds away from plucking him. "I've already put my feathers on the line taking you out here against your goddess' wishes, and you have the nerve to be unsatisfied? Sorry, did you want me to throw you into Twinbellows' maw instead?"

"No, that's not…it…" Pit trailed off and didn't continue. Dark Pit stepped closer, frustration melting into concern, and Pit suddenly pitched forward; Dark Pit glided the remaining distance to prevent him from face planting on the ground.

"Pit? Pit!" Pit remained unresponsive for several seconds, and just when Dark Pit was really beginning to freak out, Pit's eyes fluttered open.

"…Why are you holding me?"

Dark Pit dropped Pit, who hit the ground with a little oof. "She was right, you aren't well enough to be doing this," he said flatly, touching his fibula. "Palutena, take us back."

The extraction light surrounded them and lifted their wings to the heavens. Pit rolled over in midair and Dark Pit stared at his skinny back, the wings struggling to keep him aloft. "You really think this was a bad idea?" Pit said without looking at him. Dark Pit sighed.

"Yes, I do."

"I saw the fight, I had to come help."

"Pit—" He paused and looked harder at Pit's wings. A few of his underfeathers were black. Before, he would've thought it an insignificant side effect, but after the way Pit had acted… He hated it, but he had to speak with Palutena and Viridi. "Yeah, I understand, birdbrain."

Pit gave Pittoo a cross look and folded his arms. Then he smiled. "I forgot to say it earlier, but thanks for bringing me back."

Yeah, just hope it's not gonna bite me in the ass.

Palutena and Viridi were both waiting for their return. Palutena looked Pit over worriedly before sending him off to the hot springs. Dark Pit waited until he left hearing distance before facing the two goddesses.

"I'm guessing from your face that things didn't go all peachy," Viridi said. "Palutena doesn't want me to say I told you so…but I don't care. So. I told you so."

"Next time you want a bomb dropped on some playground, you do it yourself," Dark Pit said. Viridi huffed and turned her head.

"Dark Pit, please, what happened out there?" Palutena asked. He shook his head.

"I don't know… He was just, just weird most of it. If I had to describe it…I'd say he was more like me than anything." A little more caustic, certainly more forceful, and…Pit would never threaten another person's life. No way. But neither would Dark Pit—at least, he wouldn't do it unprovoked. He certainly wouldn't have threatened Pit in such a way. But if he had to say that Pit was even worse than him…no, he couldn't. He shook it off and pulled his wings tight against his shoulder blades. "He's more blockheaded than before, but he still went and stuck his neck out to fight the Underworld Army. He's fine, just a little different than expected."

I'm damaged goods, they said. What happens when half a soul is split in two?

"I'm going to go find him, make sure he's alright." Dark Pit dismissed himself and turned away, ignoring their whispered conversation behind his back. Things would be okay…they had to be.

Pit was at his hot spring stripped down to his short, drifting lazily on his back in the golden water. His eyes were lidded as they focused on Dark Pit. "Whatcha got there?" he asked, looking at the bundle in his hands.

"I couldn't find any of your robes, so here's one of mine." He set it on the grass and sat down. Pit hummed appreciatively.

"Don't you wanna soak?"

"Nope."

"Well suit yourself." Pit rolled over and ducked his head beneath the surface. Dark Pit stared at his wet wings and the stark black feathers stared back. Maybe it was the lack of adrenaline in his veins, but he could count more now than there were before. His mouth skewed and he looked at his feet. He had spent far too many hours sitting in this same spot mourning Pit; it was foolish to do the same when Pit was there in front of him, alive and whole.

"Actually…count me in." He shrugged off his robes and arm bracers. He kicked off his sandals and stepped into the water, pumping his wings to propel himself closer to Pit. "I didn't tell you how you came back, did I?"

Pit raised an eyebrow. "No, you didn't get to." Dark Pit told him about Pandora and the Mirror of Truth. At the end of it Pit let out a long breath and shrugged. "You're right, that was pretty dumb. But it worked out didn't it? I'm here, Lady Palutena's happy, Viridi is as happy as she'll get…I think it worked out."

"Yeah." They floated in silence for a few minutes, just feeling the healing water, until Dark Pit moved to the shore. "I'm feeling like a game of Smash."

"Sure." Pit stepped onto the grass and went to one of the supporting columns where a store of towels was sheltered inside. He dried his hair and flapped his wings a bit to get them fluffed up; several feathers came free and the black ones were more obvious than ever.

"Pit, did you notice you have some black feathers?" Dark Pit decided to address the elephant in Skyworld. Pit blinked and pulled the tip of his wing around with his fingers, examining the underside.

"…Yeah, I guess you're right." And that was that. He picked up the robes Dark Pit brought and slipped them over his head. "Hey, how do I look?"

Dark Pit frowned and grabbed a towel of his own. "Don't know, don't care."

"Hey, don't be like that." He looked up to see Pit had already moved ahead of him. "Come on, last one gets the beat-up Joy-Con." He turned and raced forward, flapping his wings for a little speed, and Dark Pit's frown deepened. There definitely were more black feathers than before. But what did it mean?

"That Palutena's Guidance stuff was really on the nose," Pit remarked as the GAME screen appeared. "Whoever wrote the script really knows his stuff."

"Says you. I only had three lines." Pit laughed while Pittoo kept his eyes on the results. His Bowser lost to Pit's Little Mac. The odd thing was Pit never played Little Mac before. Now, he'd never played Pit in Smash beforehand, but for all the challenges Pit gave him, he only ever swore by Yoshi and Olimar—Palutena, too, said Pit was atrocious with those two yet he never tried another character. So how was he suddenly an expert in an entirely different class of a character? And it wasn't a fluke either; he'd been losing for the last four hours. The sky had long since turned dark from when they began.

"Also, definitely my best voice acting," he continued. "You sounded a little gruff."

"Shove it." Part of his surliness arose from the fact that in giving Pit his last clean robes, he had nothing to wear but the centurion tunic. He retaliated by plucking one of Pit's black feathers. Pit yelped in surprise.

"Hey, you shove it!" He shoved Pittoo off his bed and he hit the ground in a heap. He grabbed one of Pit's pillows and threw it at his face. He stood up and went to the television.

"Anyway, I'm going to—"

He froze, and the Palutena Bow embedded itself into the screen blade first, shattering it into hundreds of tiny glass bits. A little piece cut his cheek and he touched the wound in surprise, turning to Pit. The angel in question was frozen as well, eyes wide and wings on end, then he sat back and curled them in tight.

"I just," he paused, "Don't do that again."

The pillow or the feather? he thought, but just as with Palutena, he couldn't vocalize. He nodded and left without another word, and as he trekked back to his unofficial room, he was forced to face facts: something was wrong with Pit. Now, how was he going to explain it to the goddesses?

He was lying in bed mulling it over when Palutena's frantic voice suddenly filled his head: "Pittoo, Pit just ran off!"

"He what?" he said, flummoxed at first.

"He took his bow and just left through his window. I didn't give him the Power of Flight and neither did Viridi. He also took off his fibula." He ground his teeth—was Pit trying to run away? "I'm begging you, please go after him."

"On it." Dark Pit got up, laced his sandals, strapped on his bow and was already heading to the exit doors. He could hear Palutena's faint cries in the back of his mind and grimaced. This whole thing was turning into one massive shitshow. He should have thought it through better. For now, he had to rectify the problem he created.

He leapt through the doors and with the Power of Flight he was cutting through the starry night sky. He had always had a faint sense of Pit's location, and though Pit never said as much he assumed it was mutual—this time, he sensed Pit farther to the east than he had ever been. He followed his instincts and shot across the sky.

"Soo," Viridi said, "what's the plan, Inkling?"

"The plan is to get Pit back."

"And theennn?" She sounded far too amused for the situation and he snapped at her. "Well, bringing him back is short-term, isn't it? Whatever's going on with him will still be there when you get back."

"I don't know. Shut up. I'll figure it out."

"I hope you do." And she left with that.

The pull between the angels grew stronger and Dark Pit's Power of Flight was down to less than a minute. Luckily it didn't seem to matter much, for the land ahead was wrought with massive brambles shining a sickly greenish grey in the moonlight. Another Reset Bomb Forest, it seemed, but even older than the last one; there wasn't even the tiniest hint of human interaction.

As he lowered himself to the earth he spotted strange shadows scattered across the dirt. The moon brightened and he realized they were the fresh bodies of Underworld enemies peppered with arrows; they had already begun to dissolve into Hearts, but it meant Pit hadn't gotten there too long ago. He hit the ground as his wings returned to normal size and tripped over something surprisingly corporeal. He rose to his rear with a groan and looked over what he fell—and his heart stopped cold.

T…That's a human.

Granted, a human speared through with a Monoeye like a kabob, but a human nonetheless. He slowly rose to his feet and looked around the battlefield more closely. There were some more humans, less than a dozen who appeared to have been caught in the crossfire. He swallowed and stepped carefully around their bodies to the cluster of forestry. There was a small entry point close to the ground; he lowered himself to his belly and crawled through.

The same as before, barely any light could shine through, just enough for him to see his fingers right in front of his face. His bow caught on a low hanging branch and he suddenly wondered why he brought it. He didn't expect to fight Pit…did he? Sure, if it came down to it, he would bonk some sense into that empty head, but a real fight—no, he couldn't. He couldn't. Everything had just become so terrible so quickly and he couldn't handle it.

He continued crawling until more light was shining through the small tunnel. He could make out a clearing at the end and picked up the pace until he could see into the forest. There was a large mossy rock at the center where Pit was perched, his wings folded in tightly and his head down. The bow was dangling loosely from his fingers as Dark Pit came into view.

"Pit, what happened?" He jumped a little in surprise, eyes wide in the moonlight. Suddenly Dark Pit realized they weren't quite blue; there were some flecks of red in there that made them more lapis colored. "What are you doing? What happened out there?"

"What, the Underworld Army? I destroyed them. That's what I do."

"But there were humans too."

"They were in the way," he shrugged. "I didn't want to, but they were." Pittoo's eyes narrowed.

"Pit wouldn't do that."

"So what, you're saying I'm not me?" He laughed aloud until he realized Pittoo wasn't following along. Pit stood up with the bow clenched tightly in both hands. "I am Pit," he said, glaring down at the other. "Servant to the Goddess of Light."

"Then why did you run away from her?" he challenged. Pit started to avert his eyes, then he raised his chin.

"I had to fight. It was…I just had to."

"Like you had to throw that blade at my hand, or had to threaten my life if I dragged you back to Skyworld. Do you see yourself, what you're doing? It's pretty messed up from my point of view."

"Who are you to tell me wrong from right?" he continued.

"Don't know, really. All I can say for sure is things aren't the way they're supposed to be. Here I am, dressed like a centurion, and there you are…the black angel."

A shadow passed over Pit's face as his wings stretched overhead. They were thickly mottled with black, so much that the white feathers were more like accents. "Leave," he said, raising the Palutena Bow, "or else."

"And there you go again with the threats. Don't worry, I'm not here to threaten you." Dark Pit split his bow into blades. "I'm bringing you back one way or another, and that's a promise."

Pit unleashed a volley of highspeed arrows that would've sent any human soldiers running for their lives. Pittoo deflected them smoothly with his two blades before lunging forward, tackling Pit from his rock and to the grass below. Pit gained the upper hand and Dark Pit struggled with his blades to keep the Palutena Bow from plunging into his ribcage; he brought up a foot and dug it into Pit's gut, sending him flying backwards with a heavy whump. Pit rolled to his feet instantly and launched an arrow with a massive energy trail. Dark Pit launched an arrow of his own and their collision led to a huge burst of wind which flattened all the surrounding trees. Leaves filled the air and rained down on them.

"What's the point of this?" Dark Pit said. "We are copies, even matches to one another."

Pit didn't respond, instead launching a blade of the Palutena Bow like a javelin once again. Dark Pit's left wing was pinned to the rock and he bit down a cry of pain. He yanked the sword free when Pit rushed him and slammed it against his intended swipe, cracking both blades. He twirled the Silver Bow in his free hand and cut a clean line of Pit's fringe before he managed to leap backwards. The lack of hair bared his raging expression to the moonlight.

Dark Pit loosed several tracking arrows that Pit easily avoided, circling the clearing before scaling the rock behind him. Dark Pit stumbled backwards when Pit pounced on him, his blades cutting into the dirt, then he threw himself up and forward in a wild flurry of disorganized slashes. Dark Pit struggled to parry with his own swords; this sloppy style was nothing he was used to, and he was being forced backwards. His heel caught on a rock and he tripped backwards, narrowly avoiding a slice that would've taken his head. Then, as his back hit the grass, he watched Pit's swords coming for his heart. He didn't think, didn't look who he was facing; he turned his blade out and struck.

Pit's blade slid heavy into the space between two ribs, just barely missing his lung but causing a few fractures. He missed Dark Pit's heart from the impact of the Silver Bow plunging into his gut. His eyes bugged.

"Pit—" Blood gushed from the point of impact, staining his hand and face before Pit fell forward onto the grass adjacent. Dark Pit struggled to sit up past the burning agony in his chest and rolled Pit onto his back. His face was screwed in pain and he was pressing both hands into the wound. When his eyes focused on Dark Pit he exploded into a wild series of expletives that would've made Viridi blush. It lasted for all of fifteen seconds before he ran out of breath and passed out cold.

"Pittoo?"

"Pittoo? What's the situation? Where is Pit?"

Déjà vu, Dark Pit thought with a sick laugh. "Palutena, take us back."

"Us?" she repeated, then fell silent as they were extracted.

They landed on the floor of Palutena's Temple with a whump. Centurions immediately rushed in, picking up Pit's still speared body and rushing him outside, presumably to the hot spring. Palutena knelt at Pittoo's side and helped him sit up. Her face was ashen and he gave her a small smile. "He's back. E-Excuse me if he isn't wh-whole." She helped him up and he pushed her away, pressing a hand to his damaged ribs. "I-I'm sorry. Th-This is all my f-fault."

"Pittoo—" She exhaled hard and wrapped her arms around herself. "I have to check on Pit. I just…we'll talk about this more when he's stable."

She turned away and hurried in the directions of the centurions. Dark Pit brought his knees up to his chest and bowed his face into them. His wings shielded him from the world when hot tears poured down his cheeks. "D-Dammit…dammit…"

Palutena was…occupied, so it was up to Viridi to get Dark Pit's side of the story, so she said. Dark Pit was content to just stay under the sheets and avoid the world.

"No one's blaming you for anything, ya know," she said with a sigh. "We just want the full story."

"Yeah, well, I don't want to talk. So beat it."

Viridi gave a much more dramatic sigh and Dark Pit's ankle was suddenly trapped in some thorny vise grip. He was yanked upside-down via a thick piece of ivy that had grown through the window and onto the ceiling. Viridi tapped his nose with her staff, eyes narrowed. "We dropped it before when you claimed Pit was fine. Now your sword's getting deeply acquainted with his insides. Something's missing here and you're the one that needs to clear it up."

His ribs felt like rolling hot coals in his chest and he was having some difficulty catching his breath. He might have cried if he felt like he had any tears left. "He tried to kill me."

"What? I couldn't hear you."

"He tried to kill me!" he shouted, looking Viridi right in the eyes. "He tried to kill me three times—this time, if I hadn't stabbed him, he would've done it. I saw in his eyes, he would've done it."

Viridi's eyes widened and for once the goddess was completely speechless. The vine unraveled and Dark Pit hit the bed in a heap; he groaned at the spike of pain from the impact. She sat heavily in a nice chair and brushed her hair from her eyes. "So," she said at length, "what shall we do?"

"I don't…rrgh…know."

"Actually, I was giving the illusion of choice. I know what I'm doing." She mimed slicing her throat and Pittoo growled.

"No, you're not."

"And if I don't then what, he'll come in for lucky try number four? Well, whatever; I know Palutena will want him to talk when he's well enough, and I'm sure as hell gonna be there to see it. Have fun writing your will." She stood and twirled her staff before disappearing in a flurry of leaves and a gust of wind.

Silence. A world of silence.

Days, weeks, perhaps even months later, Dark Pit woke in the dead of the night to see a winged figure crouched on the windowsill. Luminescent violet eyes turned to meet his.

"Hey," Pit said softly. Dark Pit nodded but couldn't find his words. Those black and white wings fluttered uneasily before wrapping around his bandaged torso. "I'm…sorry for trying to stab you."

"Are you really?" he snapped without thinking and hated himself for doing so. Pit frowned in the moonlight, eyes lowered.

"I don't know, but it seems the right thing to do. Apologizing."

Dark Pit sat up from the tangle of sheets. "Apologies mean nothing unless you understand what you did wrong."

"I do. At least, Lady Palutena told me. Something's…I'm not right, am I? I'm not the Pit you guys knew. I can see it in your eyes…you're disappointed." Dark Pit shrugged a shoulder, fighting to keep his face blank. Pit sighed. "I want to ask something." His eyes returned to Pittoo's, searching, wanting something. "What's wrong with me?"

"Who knows?" It was painful to admit, but there it was. Pit's wings tightened around himself. "But, Pit, running off isn't an answer."

"'Else what? I stay and endure this…these looks you guys give me?" he spat. "I'm not who you want me to be. No one ever went around forcing you to be Pit, right?"

"Well no one went around trying to impale me." His fists, previously knotted in the sheets, balled against his sides, and he threw the blanket aside to stand on his feet, wings taut against his back. "Pit—and that's who you are, you are still Pit—I don't care if you're a walking talking eggplant. What those goddesses were saying before…they said you might not have a soul at all. But they said the same thing about me, and look! I would risk my own life to save yours, because you went and did so for me. Your light is what sustains my shadow."

"So what do you expect me to do? Change to fit your mold?"

"Pit, I want to ask you something. Why did you try to kill me?" He struggled to maintain eye contact and so did Pit, but Pit was the first to look away, turning until he could sit with his back to the window. With his face in the shadows Dark Pit couldn't be sure, but it seemed his eyes were glistening.

"I'm sorry."

"Pit. Answer."

"I ju—I don't know! I was upset…every time, you'd upset me, and I j—I just wanted to cause some damage. Burn off steam."

"Even if the thing you're damaging is me?"

He turned his head away. "Made no difference to me. I guess that makes me depraved."

"It wasn't right," Pittoo agreed.

"Therein lies the problem. I don't know right from wrong, not anymore. Is this what it's like, lacking a soul? Feeling empty and lost all the time? Is this what you felt like, Dark Pit?" He looked at Pittoo again and this time he was certainly crying. Dark Pit smiled bitterly; at least he had some emotional capacity.

"More or less."

"…Can it really be fixed?" His voice was as soft as a breeze. Pittoo sighed and moved to sit next to Pit.

"You won't be the same. None of us will be, I guess. But it can be fixed, and you will be fine. And if not…well, I'll always be here. You'll have to try a lot harder to kill me, birdbrain."

"Promise?" He didn't know if Pit meant promising to fix him or promising not to die; either way, he had no plans on reneging on either. He set a hand on Pit's forearm, squeezing hard.

"Promise."

Pit stared at Dark Pit's hand for a long moment, lost in his thoughts. Then the corner of his lip twitched. "Should we hug now?"

"I'd rather not."

"But," he said sagely, eyes shining, "it would be the Pit thing to do."

He rolled his eyes so hard he thought they would pop out. "If it makes you feel better—"

He couldn't speak when Pit trapped him in a tight bear hug, his multicolored wings wrapped around Pittoo's head. He wanted to complain, but…his scent. Pit always sort of smelled like freedom, if he had to put it into words; a combination of sweet wild grass, tangy hot spring water, lemony laundry soap, and the clearness of the open sky. Though they said this Pit didn't have a soul, the smell was still there, and it was so poignant it made Pittoo's eyes cloud with tears. He sniffed as subtly as he could, but being next to Pit's ear, the boy noticed.

"Hey, Pittoo, are you crying?" he asked.

"I'm—shut up. Hug me."

"I am already," he said smartly, but complied anyway.

Pit was training on the grass, effortlessly sliding through various combat maneuvers with the Palutena Bow. It would have been nothing out of the ordinary if his wings weren't mottled black and his eyes shone violet in the sunlight. Palutena gripped her elbows and hummed with disconcert.

"Are you sure about this, Dark Pit?" she said softly, though he wouldn't be able to hear them from the gates of the palace.

"Not particularly," he said, seated on the windowsill and polishing the Silver Bow. "But I don't plan on offing another Pit."

"That may be so, but…"

"I believe things'll work out. I may not be an all-seeing goddess or whatever, but I'm walking proof." He slid to the tiled floor and strapped the bow across his back, joining Palutena in the doorway. Their shadows fell across the grass, not equal in size nor status. "Pit's the one who made me more human. The least I can do is return the favor."

She still seemed doubtful but held her grievances and tongue. Viridi, however, had so such qualms. Should he become a threat, he'll know the power of nature, she said with no traces of her usual dispassion or sarcasm—it was nothing short of a promise. So make sure I don't have to, Dark Pit.

"Put a seed in it," he replied, stepping onto the grass. "Gods and goddesses, you get hung up on the wrong things. That kid is no less an annoying pest than he was before, 'cept he's almost good enough to beat me in a swordfight. But he'll come to find," he grinned darkly, drawing the bow and holding the blade out, "a centurion is no match for a real black angel."

He ran out onto the green calling, "Yo, Pit, right here and now!" Pit, a bit out of breath from his training, nodded, and with a mutual grin, the two angels descended into a match of blows. Evenly matched, a show with no end in sight, a dance of two halves struggling to reform. But they would reform, that, Pittoo was confident in, for there was no shadow that could be without a source of light.

#kid icarus #kid icarus fanfiction #Kid Icarus Uprising #angst #tragedy #fanfiction

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