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sadaboutniall · 4 years

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something about you;

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Fifteen. May, 2014.

80,000 people.

80,000 people packed into Croke Park—into the place that started it all—to see Niall.

He feels like he personally knows at least a thousand of them. Before the show he’s running all over the place saying his hellos—shaking hands, kisses on cheeks, promises to grab pints later—and it carries on into the actual set as well: Niall feels like he spends half of it waving at familiar faces in the crowd, trying to make sure he doesn’t miss anyone.

But even with all that it’s overwhelming, hard to comprehend where he’s standing, how he got here. It’s a massive, heaving ache in his heart, staring out at 80,000 people who could’ve been him. He knows it’s a feeling he’ll spend the rest of his life trying to describe—a debt he’ll spend the rest of his life trying to repay.

He takes a moment during Don’t Forget Where You Belong, lets himself be still and quiet and tries to take it all in—an impossible task, really, but he does his best. He thinks about four years ago, standing here with his heart in his throat and the rest of his life in four strangers’ hands. He had massive dreams then, sure—sold out shows, red carpets, number one albums—but he never could’ve imagined this. He never would have let himself believe it.

He thinks about all the people here tonight that he knows: his family, his friends, even some of his teachers and neighbors and coaches. The list goes on and on and on and on—he’d almost changed his number last week, he was so annoyed with all the people coming out of the woodwork to ask for free tickets to the show—but it shouldn’t surprise him that he’s only thinking about one. It shouldn’t surprise him that, in a sea of nearly 100,000 people, there’s only one face he wants to see.

She hadn’t asked for tickets but Niall puts her name on the list for every show anyway and he’s sure she’s here—Mully had said they were all coming tonight, and when he’d called earlier to ask about afterparty plans Niall was sure he heard Isla’s voice in the background. They haven’t spoken since the wedding, him and Isla, and he knows that’s for the best—but he can’t help the hopeful feeling that creeps up on him when he thinks about seeing her tonight. It’s a tingle in his fingers, in his belly, in his heart. Maybe tonight, he thinks, stepping back from the catwalk and over toward the rest of his band. Maybe he and Isla can talk again tonight.

‘I just think it’s a bit stupid,’ Louis is saying, passing Niall his third Guinness of the night. They’re leaning against the bar while Niall’s friends and family mingle around them, spilling out of the cozy pub and into the back garden and the warm summer night. Niall likes standing with Louis at times like this—he’s a little intimidating, people hesitate before coming over to chat with him, and Niall’s feeling a little overwhelmed by all the semi-familiar faces trying to pull him aside to talk. Here, with Louis, he has a bit of a barrier at least. Someone who’s not afraid to tell others to fuck off. ‘Like, why would I want to give up red meat? I get what Jarv is saying about it being unhealthy but—oi! Mully!’

Niall follows Louis’ line of sight and there he is, for the first time all night, Mully, looking a little sheepish as he waves at them, a stranger by his side. Niall’d given all of his friends plus-ones so he’s not too put off by the thought of Mully bringing a uni friend along for the night, really—but there’s something about the look on his oldest friend’s face. Niall’s stomach tightens, like he already knows.

‘Hiya, mate,’ Mully pulls Louis in for a quick hug, then Niall, patting him on the back twice. ‘You lot fucking smashed it tonight.’

‘Ah, we always do, don’t we,’ Louis laughs, crinkles by his eyes. ‘Thanks for coming. Your first show, mate? Haven’t seen you around before.’ He turns to the stranger, holding out his hand for a shake. The guy is massive close-up: at least six feet tall and built like an athlete, all lean muscle and toned lines. But despite his size he’s not intimidating, really—there’s a softness to him, a twinge of red in the apples of his cheeks, ginger hair that curls by his ears. He’s covered in light freckles and Niall shouldn’t be surprised that he speaks with a Scottish accent when he opens his mouth.

‘It is, yeah,’ the guy smiles, looking a little nervous, and shakes Louis’ hand. ‘Fucking ace, that was.’

‘This is Jack,’ says Mully, swallowing thick. ‘Jack, this is Louis and that’s Nialler.’

‘Uni mates, then?’ asks Louis, moving aside so Jack and Mully can reach the bar to place their orders. ‘You come down just for the show, mate?’

‘Aye,’ Jack nods. ‘And to see my girlfriend.’

Niall knows. Before Jack even says it, Niall knows. Mully looks like he’d rather be anywhere else on Earth. Louis, oblivious, asks, ‘oh, do we know her?’

‘Think you do,’ says Jack, and Niall feels the ground fall out from under him. ‘Isla Boyne.’

‘Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?’ Niall and Mully are shoved into the back of the smoking area outside and Niall feels like he can’t breathe—the smoke, the humid night air, all the people around him, all the beer in his bloodstream. He wants to scream, but he can’t even take a deep enough breath to do that. This was supposed to be the best night of his life.

‘It’s not my place to,’ Mully looks sheepish, a bit caught out. He has a point, but Niall doesn’t give a fuck. ‘That’s Isla’s decision, not mine.’

‘You’re my best fucking mate,’ Niall can’t even look at him. He trains his eyes up on the sky, on the plane flying overhead, through the thick night. ‘This is exactly the kind of shit best mates tell each other.’

‘I’m sorry, mate,’ Mully sighs, pulls a hand through his hair. ‘It never came up and I knew it would upset you and, look, Nialler. You guys dated for, like, two years in secondary school. That was ages ago now. You haven’t even spoken to her since last year. It’s normal and healthy to move on.’

‘Sean,’ Niall bites the inside of his cheek, steadies himself. ‘You’ve been dating the same girl since secondary school.’

‘That’s different. We never broke up, I never moved away, I didn’t fuck her at my brother’s wedding just to drop back off the face of the Earth and never reach out ever again—’

‘What the fuck do you know about that?’

‘Seriously? You think Isla doesn’t talk to me? To Emilia? We’re her best friends, Niall.’

‘It’s for the best if we don’t talk when I’m away,’ Niall says, robotic, rehearsed. A line he’s told himself a million times, late at night, lonely, desperate to pick up his phone and hear a familiar voice.

‘Then it’s probably for the best if she moves on,’ says Mully, hand coming up to rest on Niall’s shoulder. ‘And you too. Jack’s really sound, you don’t have to, like, worry about Isla or anything. He fucking adores her.’

For some reason, that doesn’t make Niall feel any better.

‘Really,’ Mully carries on, picking up on the fact that Niall isn’t satisfied. ‘I like him a lot. He’s on the rugby squad at King’s, studying genetics.’

‘Oh, so he’s a fucking genius, a rugby player, he’s got the craic, and he’s shagging the love of my life? That’s it, then?’ Niall doesn’t really know where it comes from. He just has to let it out.

‘I mean,’ Mully looks uncomfortable. ‘There’s more to dating than just shagging.’

‘Oh, fuck off, you know what I meant.’

‘Yeah, I do, but your tone and your language and—’

‘Fuck’s sake. I think I’m gonna go home.’

‘Wait, what, no,’ Mully looks genuinely surprised, and Niall feels for a second like he doesn’t even know him anymore. ‘Come off it, this is your party. You just fucking played a sold out Croke Park, mate. You are the most famous person in all of Ireland tonight, and you want to go home and wallow in your self pity? Really?’

‘I don’t want to be here.’

‘You’re throwing a strop.’

‘Yeah, well, I feel pretty fucking shitty right now, so.’

‘Here,’ Mully reaches into the pocket of his jeans, fishes out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. Niall’s stopped smoking for the most part these days—protecting his voice, protecting himself from stupid headlines—but he’s stressed, and sad, and holding a cigarette is a bit like holding armor. Something to do, something to distract yourself with. ‘I’m gonna go get you a drink. Don’t fucking move.’

And then Mully’s gone, disappearing into the throng, back toward the bar. Leaning back against the brick wall behind him, Niall takes a deep breath, lights up. He watches the smoke curl in the air as he exhales, watches it disappear into the night, away from here. He can see them from where he’s standing, Isla and Jack, laughing in a tight circle with Emilia, Deo, Nicky, and Liam. Jack’s the tallest one there by a mile and he’s got his arm wrapped around Isla’s waist, hand resting right at the curve of her bum, and she’s pressed into his side, her face only coming up to his chest. The drink in her hand is the one he’d ordered at the bar earlier and Niall realizes with a sinking feeling that he should’ve picked up on that—gin and tonic is her favorite.

Payno’s clueless but Niall will ask him later anyway, pry him for information on Jack, on Isla. He can already tell he’ll have nothing but nice things to say.

He inhales again, smoke in his lungs, and when he looks up Isla’s got him, dark brown eyes on his, a soft, sad look on her face. She raises one hand in a gentle wave and Niall thinks of that time, a million years ago, when she waved at him from across the football fields on the first day of Year Four. He feels like they’re a thousand miles away, now, from the day they started.

Still, though. The tug in his heart, the butterflies in his stomach, tell him he still feels the same way. Just looking at her makes his breathing stop.

He waves back, because he could never not, and exhales.

By the time the smoke in his face clears, Isla’s looking away.

####

taglist: @stylishmuser @thicksniall @stayclose-holdsteady @niallhoranruinsme @ajayque @flickerswinehouse @1dfangirls35 @crocodileniall @halfpinthoran @awomanindeniall @booksncoffee @edgeofmyniall

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#one direction #1dff #one direction fan fiction #niall horan #niall horan fic #niall horan fan fiction #niall horan imagine #niall #something about you #gaaah #sorry this is so late!#It's been slow going today #anyway everyone say thank you rand for her edits :') they helped a lot

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roadsterguysblog · 4 years

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Dear Yuletide Author

You are amazing, and thank you so much for this!

I have details for each specific request below the general things. So, General Things:

My prompts are just that, prompts to get your brain spinning. If you have a great idea for a fic that isn’t on the prompts, or one of them sends you off on a tangent, write that! The best fics come from what moves the author.

For general guidelines, though - I love plot. I love something interesting and canonical going on that I can really sink my teeth into. If you write that, and you’re not into slash/ship, then that is amazing and makes my Yule. I love writing that fills in the world of these wonderful fandoms. There’s nothing better than a little line or unexpected note that answers a question that canon didn’t - what’s the bathroom like? What do they drink in the morning? How do they get the news?

I like first-time fic. I love a lot of UST and slow burn and people unable to just say what they’re feeling, until something happens and it does.

I’m a physical H/C FIEND. I love some nice bloody hurt and some nice stoic comfort. I love that combined with the above.

I love a crusty old bastard with a heart of gold. Even if they happen to be young (a young person can pull off a Crusty Old Bastard if they put the work into it). It’s my kink.

I love explicit, in-character sex. If you’re feeling sex, bring that on! Bring on every bit of sex, good and bad - teeth bumping, coming too fast because this has been such a long burn, santorum, sweat and hot kisses and oral leading to anal or whatever. Bring it on.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown/Enemy Within (Video Game)

I came to this game as an old-school player of XCom:UFO Defense. I really love the narrative additions that they made, and particularly Bradford as a character. I found Zhang and Durand to be great additions to this game too! I particularly love Durand's dialog on missions. She's such a goofy deadly little kid. I like the vague hints at Zhang's past, and would really love to explore that more.

I couldn't choose 'all of XCom' as a fandom, so I chose EW. My 'stretch' ask, then, is for some inclusion of the Legacy missions, XCom 2, and/or War of the Chosen with Zhang/Bradford slash - I love the development of XCom as a guerilla group, I love the classes (particularly Rangers!). I love that Bradford was a Ranger and that he fought as one in Legacy and 2. I'd love to see where Zhang was in 2, maybe even a reunion after the events of 2 and before/during Chimera Squad.

If you're looking to write just EW, that would be fantastic too! I'd very much like some in-EW Bradford/Zhang slash. I'm not one for PWP; I love a good juicy narrative. I love the canon, as discussed above, and would really like a fic that builds off of canon. And there's so much! The downtime between missions and the rapid gear-up for them. Bradford trying to figure out anything about Zhang. Zhang and Durand training - Zhang has the experience killing people but no experience with psionic powers, while powers and fighting are both new to Durand, so there's a lot of possibility there. In-mission and/or post-mission fic. Fic during/after the Base Invasion or the Final Mission. Testing out stuff that Shen is making. Being tested by Vahlen. Or anything else you want to explore!

If you're not into slash, that would be fantastic too! I love a good juicy genfic with a lot of great narrative. All of the stuff I mentioned above! If you want to write a fic from the PoV of some random soldier, that'd be delightful too! Or any canon exploration/gapfiller that grabs you that you want to write!

Do Not Want: Durand/Bradford shipping. I just don't see them as a couple at all and the age difference wigs me. I'm fine with them interacting; in fact, one of the things I love about Durand is how much of an Excited Little Kid she is on the missions! So an older battle-hardened dude helping settle her down and give some guidance would be a nice plotline, and platonic affection would be totally good. Ditto Durand/Zhang - platonic relationship is great, just not romantic/sexual.

Too much Commander. I realize that's a little vague, but since the Commander is the headspace of the player, having too much of their thoughts might pull me out? I'm fully there with the Commander being present to direct missions, chatting around with people, being supportive of characters during the fic, serving as Commander Ex Machina to move the plot along, things like that.

Scat/piss play (I'm fine with playing with the blood (human and/or alien) and sweat of battle as being either potentially sexy or a strange counterpoint to sexiness)

Out-of-character-ness

Homophobia/transphobia/racism by the main characters. As a gay trans dude, I am very down with any of them being gay/trans/queer/etc and experiencing it, and I'm even OK if they accidentally find that some of their activities are - but just no overt, knowing bigotry. (Bradford does have xenophobic tendencies, and I'd actually find that a cool angle to explore, as I think he's a fundamentally decent guy who's had a fuck of a time and suffers from some degree of toxic masculinity.)

XCOM 2 (Video Game)

I came to this game as an old-school player of XCom:UFO Defense. I really love the narrative additions that they made, and particularly Bradford as a character. I love the world of XCom2 - they do such a wonderful job of building Advent's Stepford Cities, the scattered resistance havens, XCom as a guerilla group, the Speaker, the various aliens, the Chosen, the classes of warriors, Lily Shen's badassery, Dr Tygan's smooth stoicism, Advent Burgers (ARE PEOPLE!) - all of it!

I couldn't choose 'all of XCom' as a fandom, so I chose XCom2. My 'stretch' ask, then, is for inclusion of some EW plotlines - particularly Zhang, because I loved him as a character. I love me some Braford/Zhang slash, so if you want to pull him in - see what he was doing in parallel at the time, or reunion after 2/during Chimera Squad - I would be just delighted.

If you're not into writing that or didn't play EW, an XCom2 fic would be fantastic! I loved Legacy, I loved 2 (with the missions Shen and Bradford do), I loved WotC. There's so much there! I love that Bradford was a Ranger (I'd be delighted for fics of him getting down and dirty and bloody with a sword), I loved that Tygan had a Thing for Advent Burgers, I loved that Bradford got mad that the wrappers kept getting left around. I loved that Shen and Tygan kept giving Bradford shit for his flying. I think it's interesting that Bradford turned alcoholic after the base invasion, and I'd be interested in explorations of that, and if he started to get control of it when the Avenger took off and things started to go well. I love the Skirmishers, I love Mox - I'd love some more of their backstory, and/or how things go for them after the events of the game. (Generally, any Adaption To Civilian Life And Living Amongst The Aliens sort of fic really tickles me). If you want to write a fic from the PoV of some random soldier, that'd be delightful too! Or even the PoV of a young civilian who has known nothing but Advent and slowly realizes what's going on. Basically, anything that fleshes out/extends/expands the wonderful rich canon of this game.

Do Not Want: Shen/Bradford shipping. I love love love them as a Surly Old Loving Dad and Spunky Smart Loving Kid, so I love that dynamic, and would love to read some of them awkwardly expressing their mutual affection on that level, but just no to romance or sex.

Scat/piss play (I'm fine with playing with the blood (human and/or alien) and sweat of battle as being either potentially sexy or a strange counterpoint to sexiness)

Out-of-character-ness

Ship Series - Anne McCaffrey

What can I say, I'm a Helva/Niall shipper. That being said, I think there's a lot that's dysfunctional about their relationship. The way chastity is valued so highly, the way that she thinks of herself as a chaste armored Valkyrie (the armor protecting her equally from both sex and physical harm). The awkwardness around any thought of physical contact - and yes, it's dangerous for her to be outside of the shell, but there are so many workarounds. Her shell is wired for sensation, after all, there's no reason that creative ways to make love to a ship couldn't be played with. And they never do anything around physical intimacy with their mental connection, even though it's explicitly written that Helva can sense what Niall does.

I'm also very skeeved by the way she turns off his hologram after he's dead. The hologram seems to have some degree of independent thought, the way it's written. Is it a sentient AI, perhaps? Or did he fully transfer to her subconscious after his body died, and this is his way of having some consciousness? None of these issues were explored, and I'd be delighted if you want to give them a go.

I'm also totally down with fics that don't go into the side of things I laid out above. I'd be delighted for mission fics, gapfillers, fics where they have to deal with Central Command. Action and adventure!

I'd love fics that explore some of the issues of toxic straight culture and toxic masculinity. These characters are great and interesting and flawed, and I love fics that acknowledge and embrace the flaws.

Also, I'm fully down with Niall being written as trans and/or bi/pan, if that strikes your fancy (and if you want to put that into the She Can Sense What He Does context). I know he's represented as being with women a lot, but I'd love a subversion of that as being down to some toxic straight culture (already abundant evidence for that in canon!) and/or overcompensation for being the butt of the flavor of toxic masculinity that considers short stature to be a deficit in men.

Do not want: True downplaying of short guys. Niall is sensitive about being tinchy, but I don't want that written as something that's actually, objectively wrong with him. As a short trans guy, I'm on board with him expressing that insecurity, I'm fine with stories playing with that insecurity, I'd awfully like a fic where the insecurity is helped to some extent.

Scat/piss play

Out-of-character-ness

Lucky Starr - Isaac Asimov

What can I say? Never has 1950s sensibility lead to a more homoerotic set of stories!

That being said, I also love how scientifically based it is. That's what I want from this fandom - a true Lucky Starr fic that is solidly grounded in some real science, and has some of the real science come back as part of the Twist Ending. If you want to put some explicit Lucky/Bigman slash in there, I'd be delighted. But if you don't, a gen Lucky Starr story is already pretty damn slashy to me. :)

I love the whole world. I love the Sirians and all of the biological 'lessons' their perceived but not-actual superiority could represent. I love Sten insulting Bigman and Bigman getting his own. I'd love more exploration of Sten's comment about Lucky making an excellent Sirian.

I'd be delighted with a fic that explores the paucity of females in-universe, particularly in positions of leadership. Ditto a fic that explores how white and US/European the culture is.

I particularly love the Bigman/Yonge friendship. Although Yonge is technically the Ideal Tall Strong Man, he'd be a little at sea now that he's left Sirius - he doesn't know the society, the norms, the conventions. I'd love to explore their friendship a little more, with Yonge getting over all he's been indoctrinated to believe about Sirian Superiority. Particularly since that gets at a very valid biological point, to tie into the scientific underpinnings of Lucky Starr episodes!

If you want to write either Yonge, Bigman, or both as gay, I'd find that an interesting fic for sure! Although my preference is Lucky/Bigman, I'm interested in a Bigman/Yonge, especially if it leads to Lucky/Bigman. :)

If you want to write Bigman as trans, I'm totally down with that.

Do not want: True downplaying of short guys. I know there's a fair bit of that in canon, beyond just Bigman's sensitivity about it, but I don't want that written as something that's actually, objectively wrong with him. As a short trans guy, I'm on board with him expressing that insecurity, I'm fine with stories playing with that insecurity, I'd awfully like a fic where the insecurity is helped to some extent. I'm fine with canon-level teasing of him about it, but always in the context of Lucky genuinely caring for him and him bringing real value to Lucky's work.

Scat/piss play

Out-of-character-ness

Homophobia/transphobia/racism by the main characters. As a gay trans dude, I am very down with any of them being gay/trans/queer/etc and experiencing it, and even if they accidentally find that some of their activities are, but just no overt, knowing bigotry.

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thechampagnelovers · 3 years

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camila did you really just say that shjahsjssj It’s so easy to make people fall in love with Niall tho, he’s just such a natural charmer 🤩 Nooo it’s the other way around! For me you are the big blog, you seem to have so many friends here too! Im definitely not big in any way but I have my fun here either way :) Also 🥺 you calling me cool and stuff - I’m so lucky to be your secret Santa 💛 Okay so let’s talk more deeply about Niall! How/when/why did you become a Niall girl? -Santa 🎅🏼

yes I did and I recommend it a lot but you didn’t hear it from me 🤭

Niall really is a natural charmer, he’s just so fresh and unique and so himself, he’s one of the few celebs out there who you can tell they’re genuine and true to themselves and that is so hot, in a world full of fake being real is the bravest thing you can do

djdhdjjd I don’t really care about being a “big blog” but 🥺🤍 yes I have friends I would like to think 🥺🥺🥺 and we have fun and I love them sm. and dear Santa you ARE cool, don’t doubt it 🤍 and I count you as one of my friends I hope u know

AHHHHH I love this, yes let’s do this

I was around 11/12 yo when 1d became popular here. Their video diaries and the rest of (at that time) British youtube squad (zoella, jacksgap, dan and phil, etc) were my main source to learn English, besides Harry Potter (and from here comes my obsession with the UK). I literally used to watch the vd like they were youtubers and that’s funny bc all the charm of them comes from the fact that they’re normal guys, you could see them interacting and making jokes and laughing and it was so captivating. From the first moment I saw Niall my 11 year old brain went “yes, that one is my boyfriend” skdjdj for several stupid reasons I believe: he was blonde (back when I was a kid I had a preference for blondes but now I like brunettes more lol 🤪), he played guitar, he was funny but also a little shy, he was alllllllwaaaays laughing, we both had braces and in my teen mind that meant we were soulmates or something, he was going for the jb look at first (not many people knows this but I was a diehard jb fan when I was a kid, now I just hate who he become sjjdjddjnd but believe still slaps anyways). I can’t pinpoint an exact moment i said “I’m gonna be a Niall girl” tbh, back in the day people were cruel (people still are cruel lol) and many used to look down on Niall and I took it personal ajhsjsjd it became my duty to protect him from the mean 13 yo girls from my school.

What I like the most is that we both grew up, and he went from a boy I really liked to a man I really liked. In essence niall is still the same normal guy, he still laughs and makes jokes, he still plays guitar all the time (I miss his lives, it was just him staring into the wall and playing any random music 😔), he is still funny and a little shy but he gained confidence, he learned to trust himself and to love himself more which is the same journey I went through (it’s something you really never stop learning but yeah). He is still him but now he’s unapologetic about it, he doesn’t have to give explanations, whoever likes it good and the rest can just go somewhere else. I kinda hate myself for saying this but the hiatus did this, he needed to leave the band (although they are his friends and they love each other so much, they easily upstaged him) to see how much power he had in his own hands, to understand that people were there for him. I still remember all the flicker boom and how insane everything felt, his surprise in his face!!! He couldn’t hide it. I remember the Buenos Aires flicker show and I get so excited because it was one of the best shows I’ve seen, if you can handle Argentina you can handle any show in the world.

I really like Niall, besides all the het jokes I make, because you can see how he matured and we matured together in a way. I grew up and I still like him because he also changed as well, he also grew up and became a better version of himself, someone more confident, more happy, less embarrassed of being who they are. And that’s just extremely relatable for me. I always say I relate to Louis bc we come from very similar families and we both have the big sibling rol, but overall him and I are different in personality. If there’s anyone who I feel more close to, it’s Niall. So yeah I guess this is my how/when/why djddjjd but I want to know yours😱 pls

#Santa #nh #ask #personal #also sorry nony it took me so long to reply I fell asleep last night skjdjd

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asadfangirlbitxh · 2 years

Text

I posted 4,093 times in 2021

201 posts created (5%)

3892 posts reblogged (95%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 19.4 posts.

I added 268 tags in 2021

#louis tomlinson - 59 posts

#one direction - 37 posts

#zayn malik - 35 posts

#niall horan - 23 posts

#liam payne - 22 posts

#harry styles - 20 posts

#bridgerton - 19 posts

#bnha - 19 posts

#zouis - 18 posts

#sex education - 16 posts

Longest Tag: 66 characters

#they were two boys in love and the industry really destroyed them.

My Top Posts in 2021

Jesy Nelson is the absolute worst..I have lost all my respect for her. Imagine laughing at someone tear down your friend who has just had babies. All for a fake dm after you blocked them. Don't you dare compare her with Zayn.. Zayn never ever let anyone else nsult the boys.

205 notes • Posted 2021-10-12 01:56:33 GMT

After watching season 1 , I never thought Adam and Ruby would end up being my favorite characters but here we are. Ruby and Adam protection squad

303 notes • Posted 2021-09-17 21:15:34 GMT

I miss the Good Place

317 notes • Posted 2021-01-31 09:45:51 GMT

My favorite rom coms for when you want to feel a little better..I haven't watched many. I am person of habit so here's my recommendation from my limited knowledge. I am not a big Notebook fan so that is not on the list..please don't cancel me.

1) 10 things I hate about you

Kick ass female protagonists who don't take shit

Heath Ledger and Josh Gordon-Levitt

It's a feel good rom com

2) Two weeks notice

I love Hugh Grant

Also how well they know each other.

I love the cute little scenes of "only you'll get me"

It's just a cute fun romcom

See the full post

336 notes • Posted 2021-07-07 16:40:49 GMT

Colin Bridgerton is low-key cupid. And I'm obsessed. He knew about Kate and Anthony. And now Michael and Francesca. He and Pen should start their own match maker business.

343 notes • Posted 2021-01-11 19:58:05 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #spotify wrapped feels

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shooter-nobunagun · 6 years

Audio

[I will tear it apart at the seams; if that’s what it takes]

“Commander, there seems to be an object in the air! Headed towards us!”

“Is it an Invasion Object?”

“No—well, I don’t think so...actually, these energy readings...it’s a, holder?”

“What?!”

“Which one? No one’s scheduled for anything right now!”

Their frantic chatter filled his ears, but Adam didn’t really care to listen to any of it. He could have disabled his suit’s radio connection to the main command center if he chose to, but the darker side of him found some sort of deranged pleasure in hearing their confusion and uncertainty.

“Getting a date...coming in, genetic signal traces to 1888...it’s ball #13?”

“Jack the Ripper?! He’s here?”

“Jack, what’s going on? Status report, please! You are currently retired from the active roster; I repeat, status report!”

A worried buzz filled the command room, Saint-Germain exceedingly quiet while Vidocq brooded in his chair, the bags under his eyes even darker than usual. “Strange, very strange...according to Hunter’s last report, the man could barely get out of bed unassisted, let alone suit up and wield an AU ball...!” The blonde nervously chewed the remains of a half-smoked cigarette, casually spitting out the used tobacco. “He’s up to something...”

“...You think he has an ulterior motive?”

Vidocq eyed their stoic commander uneasily. “...Well, given the current circumstances and everything that’s happened—losing Nobunagun, losing his daughter, not to mention his deteriorating health...do you think he is currently in the best of mental and emotional states?”

“Dr. Hunter reported he seemed stable and was convalescing back in his quarters—”

“—oui, that’s what they all say—but I have a feeling...Adam Muirhead, that man...he never has taken anything sitting down, without a challenge...” Vidocq moved from chewing the cigarette to his thumb. “I don’t like this...”

“You aren’t the only one Monsieur Vidocq,” both the tactician and Commander Saint-Germain turned to the new voice of Michel de Nostradame, who had just entered along with William Tell. “Apologies, I meant to tell you earlier but given the recent events—”

“—just spit it out already—it’s another prophecy, isn’t it?”

“...Oui. Oui, I’m fairly certain...at the time the accuracy was only 44%, so I did not say anything until I could get a better reading. But now with this...” The redheaded seer took off his glasses and wiped them on the edge of his jacket, before putting them back on. “He has done something to himself, that man...and it will end up causing great destruction...and much pain.”

“Human pain, and suffering...even now, it is a paradox to me.” Dogoo’s bubbling, disembodied voice cut back in, as it was now sealed back inside its hibernation chamber after the disastrous attempt to use it on another human. “You are implying...Adam Muirhead is now hostile towards us, is that correct?” Nobody said anything for a few seconds, as if afraid that once they voiced it, it would come true.

“...Well, I am not saying he will outright attack us—but, certainly the feelings I sensed in the prophecy, they were...courroux, désespoir—ah, how do you say—”

“Anger, despair,” the Swiss archer translated for the prophet. “Adam Muirhead...even now, some twenty-odd years later, you’re still just a brat that does whatever you want, regardless of how much trouble it causes others...all for the sake of her.” The AU ball gleamed in the dim lights, as if readying itself and its owner for battle. “Tch...how the hell someone like him ended up becoming the leader of the new Second Platoon is still beyond me.”

“Hold on a minute, Tell...you’re not actually going...to confront him?” Even Vidocq seemed shocked at this turnaround, nevermind the fact Adam hadn’t responded to any of the calls, and was still coming closer—and now according to the outer cameras, with his AU weapon fully drawn as well. “Mon dieu...what is going on?!”

“Trust me, the last thing I want is to get in a fight with that idiot—but if that’s what it takes to beat some sense into him, then so be it.” Without another word the archer headed for the gates, stripping off his outer uniform to reveal the undersuit he’d already put on. “Nostradamus, Vidocq, keep me posted—I’ll be out there in a few.”

“W-Wait! Mr. Tell, before you just jump in, please let me take a look!” The Special Squad’s spotter finally burst in, breathless from having run all the way from the other end of the halls. “If it’s as you said Nostradamus, that something’s...changed inside him, maybe my orbs can find the cause and resolve it without having to fight~su!” There was a terse few seconds of staring, but Galileo was determined to not back down, despite Tell’s unnerving glare. The Second Platoon and Special Squad had enjoyed one of the closest bonds between all the platoons over the years; to simply engage in one of their oldest friends without even an explanation was an insult to not only its living members, but Nobunagun’s memory as well.

“...You get five minutes Galileo, and then I’m heading out.”

The spotter nodded, pink hair that still remained in pigtails to this day flying about. “Roger~su! I can do it in four!” And without even suiting up she called out her AU weapon, the orbs all flying out through the nearest open hatch. “Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto! Let’s go!”

The atmosphere was thick inside the command room as all eyes watched the tiny spheres zoom out, while Adam flew closer still. By this point the staff were starting to run through protocols for a possible invasion, even if it was by one of their own and not their designated enemy; the officers and controllers moved about in a daze, as if not really believing that one of their own could turn against them.

“Commander...should we really engage him? He’s not responding, but still...!”

At this Saint-Germain turned his full attention to the screens. “...We must follow the protocol, Vidocq. After all, when Iyo handed the reigns over to me...it became my duty to carry out our mission, no matter what obstacles we might encounter. If we deviate now, it could cause more harm than good.” The glasses were pushed up just a touch further on the bridge of his nose. “I must admit I am a bit surprised Vidocq; that you would go out of your way to defend Mr. Muirhead...”

The blonde heaved a sigh and sank into the depths of his AU easy chair, which itself was sagging due to the holder’s exhaustion. “...Heh, I can see why you would be. I do not blame you...it’s not as if I really got along with either of them...Sio Ogura and Adam Muirhead...and yet...” A finger smudged the stray ashes that were spilling out of the ashtray, staining a greyish streak onto his trousers. “...Call it an epiphany, or perhaps just age; but I think I understand now why he feels this way...although, too little too late perhaps.”

Saint-Germain grew quiet, as if really thinking as himself for once, rather than the mindset of Commander. “To protect that which is precious to you at any cost...that feeling, I understood well...once upon a time...”

“But she is no longer there to protect. So why engage us now?” The clay figure seemed confused, once again reminding them it was not of this planet to begin with. “Human feelings...I know they are complex, but perhaps I underestimated just how much and to what extent they can influence an individual’s actions.”

“Dogoo...what are you insinuating?”

“Perhaps I made a mistake. When I offered Adam Muirhead the option to save Sio Ogura...had it been wrong of me to intervene then?” The bubbles continued to roil amongst the background din of a frantic crew. “I claimed back then human emotions, the ability to feel and love as deeply as he can—as all humans can—is something exceedingly precious and worth protecting. And yet now I can see, those same feelings and emotions...are capable of great and terrible destruction, as well.”

Nobody said a word, only a strained silence as they all tried to justify their actions in their own ways. They knew Dogoo was not wrong—it was correct, this very paradox of emotions that made them human. Love and kindness, hate and despair...

“...You cannot have one without the other, in this world,” Saint-Germain murmured quietly, more to himself than the alien. “Humans are supremely complex; I’m sure you know by now, that not even we fully understand ourselves.”

“But was I wrong?” All eyes turned to the alien figure.

“...Non, Dogoo. For humanity, sometimes there is no right and no wrong; that’s just how life is.” ---- From his viewpoint in the sky, the base was finally coming alive—defensive shields coming up, and the heavy mortars were being uncovered. Though the shells were ultimately useless if the Objects really were to attack, they were at least effective as a buffer—and could more than blow him in half should they land a hit. But that was if they could actually hit him in the first place. Ironically, Adam couldn’t help but think of how excited Sio would be if she saw the heavy artillery being loaded up. Unconsciously his lips quirked into a smile, the memory of when she finally got to command a whole fleet of M1A2 Abrams during Operation Stone Forest bubbling up, so many years ago.

A gleam caught his eye and he stopped suddenly, focusing his gaze on the four tiny spheres spiraling up into the sky... Galileo, of course. No doubt Command was trying to figure out what was going on first, instead of blindly open-firing.

“Hang on, I think I’m getting something~su!”

The spotter’s high-pitched voice cut back into the radio but he ignored their words, much like he ignored Europa and Io—or whichever orbs Galileo had launched in an attempt to try and scan him. Jack’s power meant that he could shatter them in a blink of an eye and render her blind for good, if he really wanted to, but that would just be a waste of time and energy. That, and Niall would never forgive him; despite his animosity towards DOGOO, Adam couldn’t betray the kindness the anatomist had shown him over the years by incapacitating the one Niall truly loved. They would know the truth soon enough anyway, his changes from Jack—there wasn’t anything they could do, except prepare for the inevitable.

“It’s...no way, it can’t be~su! Mr. Jack...”

“Galileo? What are your readings?”

“These numbers, the wavelengths—it’s, they’re not his usual e-gene signal—no, the most I can compare it to is when he forced the two modes to fuse, Jack the Ripper and Nightingale...but it’s not exactly the same...”

“The mode-change fusion?! He can still do that?”

While the staff was trying to make sense of it all, he was busy taking in the surrounding area. The base was currently offshore, but there was land close enough should it come down to a ground fight. But most importantly was the endless expanse of grey clouds and blue sky that rose above him...

He sensed the other one before the jets even came into view. Not even a warning, he simply appeared before him, clad in the green-and-white suit that always covered his mouth no matter how many iterations their armor had gone through. And though his weapon was different, he too, could soar through the skies the same as him—making two of them DOGOO’s most valuable holders.

“Well well...fancy seeing you here, William Tell.” There was no mistaking the sarcasm in his voice, but the other holder acted as if he didn’t even hear it. “Should’ve known they’d send you of all people...after all, takes one t’ get one...”

“Jack the Ripper. Or I should say, Adam Muirhead...you’re a goddamn pain in my ass, you know that?” The archer’s words were harsh but his expression was neutral. “I wondered if you’d end up learning some empathy for others after you got married...but I guess my expectations were too high. Always doing your own shit...with total disregard to the one who has to clean up your mess. I don’t know why Command has always put me in the role of being your nanny...but perhaps it’s only fitting, that the former head of the Second Platoon shall face off with its current head. Or no, my mistake—that’s Newton’s role now, since your ‘retirement’.“

Despite everything, Adam couldn’t help but bark out a laugh. “Nanny? I always pegged you as more of a guard dog. But that’s your fault, isn’t it? After Columbus died...”

There was an unmistakable pulse of anger in the other’s eyes, but to his credit the archer did not say anything. Before Sio or Adam had joined DOGOO or even awakened their e-genes, there was the holder of Christopher Columbus; who, along with William Tell and Robert Capa, comprised of the original Second Platoon. To this day Adam still didn’t know the whole story; the only dark stain upon DOGOO’s otherwise illustrious history, until that ill-fated mission that lead to Sio’s eventual death. All that ever came trickling out, despite late nights in the document library and casually asking around the senior staff, was somehow Columbus had lost control of his e-gene—an incident dubbed the ‘runaway e-gene’—that resulted not only in enormous casualties, but the holder’s untimely death, as well. And though the old man never stated it, Adam suspected it was what forced an otherwise-healthy holder into a wheelchair and why Tell gave up leading an assault squad, instead being relegated to sniping missions as part of the Special Squad. For, despite how hard the organization tried to wipe the details of what went wrong, still bits and pieces leaked out, and all of them pointed towards the failure of then-leader William Tell to prevent the incident in the first place. Whether or not Tell resigned or they transferred him was never known, but what mattered was to this day, he hadn’t forgotten.

“Since you seem to know everything, then you probably already know what the spiel is: Adam Muirhead, stand down right now, or I will not hesitate to use force to subdue you,” the archer warned, and the arrows were pulled back, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. “I’m not going to give you a second warning.”

“Wasn’t expecting you to even give me one in the first place.”

Tell’s eyes narrowed in disgust. “Hmph. I promised Galileo I’d give you five minutes to speak your mind...and it seems, those minutes are up.” Without even another signal or glance the arrows fired, but Adam easily weaved through most of them, parrying the last few with his newly-formed blade. It wasn’t as massive as its normal form, instead curving similarly to the claw but it was still wicked-sharp and able to slice through Tell’s arrows with ease. The rush of power at each slice, each swing and blow...even with all the battles he’d been through, the high that comes from dancing the line between life and death took him by surprise.

‘But of course; you’ve always fought to win, for survival. But fighting to destroy, for revenge...it’s delicious, isn’t it?’

Jack’s voice laughed gleefully in his mind as Adam continued to match Tell. Fwwap! Two arrows turned into splinters while a third was dodged; another twist in midair as he moved to block Tell’s multi-shot barrage, the metal feathers liquifying into darts that fired into his own hail of metal shards, the archer hastily pulling back into evasive maneuvers.

“Tell! What are you doing?!”

“They’re seriously going at it...”

No amount of pleas from the ground control, Galileo or otherwise, could sway either man. It was as if they were possessed by some force greater than themselves: Adam fueled by a combination of primal rage and Jack’s darker influences, while Tell met him blow-for-blow with a cold precision that was uncanny of any human, e-gene holder or otherwise.

“Adam! Stand down, for god’s sake!”

“Adam! Don’t~su!”

Back in command, even as the two men continued to clash the ones that remained behind begged futilely for them to stop. Galileo was near sobbing at this point, her voice growing hoarse as she cried while the data from her orbs came in, each data point creating a fresh wave of tears. “Oh, Adam...what would Sio say if she saw this now...you’re only hurting yourself more...”

“Is there really no way to stop him, except by force?” Vidocq threw his half-smoked cigarette to the ground in frustration. “Surely it can’t come down to something as crude and primal as—this—!”

“Non I’m afraid, Monsieur Vidocq,” Nostradamus sighed, already resigned to watching this aerial duel play out. “This, too...was part of my visions. A swath of destruction, though the outcome...I know not.”

“Wonderful.” Vidocq rolled his eyes, the gears of his AU weapon turning with greater urgency. “So not only do we stand to lose two holders, but the base as well?”

Nostradamus looked almost abashed, if not for the gravity of the situation. “...Oui. There is a high chance we may have to evacuate...”

“That’s part of the standard procedure and things are already underway,” Saint-Germain interrupted, “though from the looks of things, we may need to leave soon as well.”

“You’re joking—and just, what, leave those two like this?!” Vidocq sputtered. “I have known Adam Muirhead during our entire careers together at DOGOO; and though we may have never truly seen eye-to-eye, there isn’t...non, he cannot possibly lose his mind like this—”

“—Nay, but then again, all of this, and the events before...were unprecedented as well, werennae they?” As the regular staff were streaming out in an orderly fashion, Hunter walked in with Adam’s son in tow. “So, ye really did it, ya fuckin’ bastart...bloody hell...” Those tired eyes were still red from tears, but his face was now set in a serious mask of grim defeat. “I tried stoppin’ ‘im, but ye know how he gets...tried talkin’, tried beggin’, hell I tried every single reason I could think of...” Hunter didn’t finish his sentence, only shaking his head very slightly as he clenched his jaw.

“Tou-san! Please, don’t—just stop all this—!”

“Don’t bother; nothing we say seems to be getting through to him, regardless of whether or not his radio’s still connected,” Vidocq sighed heavily, eyes still unable to tear away from the two figures on the screen, who were now weaving in and out around the main armaments. “You should evacuate with the rest of the staff, and let us handle this...”

“—What! But I—my father—”

“Guards, please escort him out to safety with the remaining crew.” Ignoring the teen’s cries, Vidocq rose up from his easy chair, taking over the main control panel as most of the operators left. “...I understand your feelings; however, at this point having you here may well put you in danger...and if there’s anything we cannot afford, it is to lose anymore lives.” With a final nod, the guards forcibly carried him away, the teenager still screaming at his father to stop, pleas that fell on deaf ears and hardened hearts.

“Well, now what? Any more brilliant plans, Vidocq?” Hunter asked sarcastically, though everyone remaining knew there wasn’t much they could do, at least not indirectly. “Adam...what are ye tryin’ t’ prove with all this...?”

“H-He, he’s...oh Adam, don’t do this...no more, please~su...” A tearful Galileo was still combing through the data even as Tell and Adam continue to tear each other apart, both holders now visibly bloody as pieces of their armor started to break away. “Y-You...you won’t survive like this...”

“What’s going on exactly, Galileo?” Despite the overwhelming shock of the situation, Vidocq still maintained his head as their lead strategist. “You mentioned he performed the mode-fusion...”

The spotter nodded slowly. “Yes, at least that’s what I think...the data, it’s not like anything we’ve seen before~su...my best guess, is h-he somehow...forced Jack the Ripper and Nightingale modes to fuse simultaneously, again...but, the numbers...they’re all so, extreme...” A tear slid from her eye as data streamed continuously across her goggles. “His energy levels are way off the charts, even higher than when he was in his prime...but the toll it’s taking on his body...I, I don’t what he did to gain this power—but, eventually...it will kill him...”

The remaining holders glanced at each other warily, their attention still half-focused on the aerial fight. Vidocq’s easy chair was once again spinning its gears, even though its holder was already exhausted.

“...Dogoo, is there something more about the e-genes themselves that might trigger this? Especially in the case of Jack the Ripper and Florence Nightingale...it would not be inaccurate to say, that technically, Adam Muirhead is a holder to two e-genes, would it...”

“...No, I suppose not. When I met with Nightingale all those centuries ago, we were aware and did agree upon, that both her own powers, and that of ‘Jack the Ripper’ would be necessary for the planet’s future; however the risk it might pose. Just as the ‘Voice of God’ can never be fully controlled...we knew, there would be a possibility that Jack the Ripper could become more powerful over time, a chance he could influence a holder independently from Nightingale.”

The creases in the strategist’s brow grew deeper as his AU weapon calculated furiously. “...If so, and given the data Galileo’s collected...I wonder, is it possible...that Adam is no longer in full control...let alone Nightingale...”

“Wait a minute, ye cannae mean—” Hunter’s eyes widened in shock as the pieces started falling into place, little by little. “My god...are ye insinuatin’ tha, that...his e-gene has somehow...possessed him? Is that even possible?”

“Wasn’t there one recorded incident, of something similar a long time ago?” Nostradamus’ quiet voice spoke up at last. “With the e-gene holder of Christopher Columbus...the ‘runaway e-gene’ incident, I believe it was called? An e-gene who had become corrupted and in turn twisted its holder...”

“You are correct, Nostradamus. Christopher Columbus was one of the first e-gene holders we recruited, and formed the original Second Platoon along with William Tell and Robert Capa. But eventually, the corruption overwhelmed him and he lost control to the e-gene—either voluntarily or involuntarily, we don’t know—but it became a mindless, destructive force, so we had no choice but to stop him. Permanently.” Saint-Germain’s voice carried no trace of hesitation, even as he looked away. “Which means, if the same thing has indeed happened, and Adam is experiencing another ‘runway e-gene’ through Jack the Ripper...”

“We must stop him. No matter the cost.”

At this statement however, Hunter could bear it no longer; instead slamming his fists against the forcefield, the bubbles around Dogoo boiling more than usual. “That’s complete bullshit! So Adam loses control to Jack the Ripper, because yeh sure, who wouldnae be tempted to make a deal wit’ the devil after all the fucked-up shit he went through—and yur only response is to murder him in cold blood?!” Even Vidocq and Saint Germain seemed unnerved by Hunter’s rage, given the anatomist’s usually conservative attitude. “Fuck this! Fuck you all t’ hell!” Slamming the consoles one last time, before he stormed out in a fury. “I’m through wit’ all ‘f you; I dinnae care if it’ll cost me my own life, but I am not going to let you just kill him like this!”

“Hunter, wait~su!” Galileo tried to stop him, but even she was pushed away coldly. Tears ran unchecked down her face, and now she was truly questioning, for the first time, if they were still doing the right thing. “V, Vidcoq...are we, really going to, have to...”

“...I, Saint-Germain, the executive commander of DOGOO, will take full responsibility for any and all actions committed by any other members of DOGOO. As such, William Tell...you are authorized to use any means necessary to prevent another runaway e-gene.” Saint-Germain paused only for a moment, before nodding in slight agreement with Dogoo.

“Even if it is through lethal force.” ------ “Adam! Call it off! We’re both wasting our time and energy—I know you know this! Adam!” Tell grimaced as he dodged another strike from the winged holder, but not without adding another red streak to what little of his face that remained exposed. “God dammit...! You can’t be serious...”

The other said nothing, only rushed at him with a speed Tell hadn’t thought possible anymore, except back in the days when both holders were in their prime and fighting the Objects. Saint-Germain’s authorizations for lethal force had come through minutes earlier, but the Swiss marksman couldn’t bring himself to do so...yet. Even though he knew full well the risks of a runaway e-gene, and the certain consequences it would bring if Adam was not stopped soon...

‘It’s not even about Adam’s feelings at this point—it’s the e-gene itself wrestling control from its host; whether through false promises or else strong-arming...’ As it had been in the case with Christopher Columbus, decades ago; even before Adam or Sio had joined DOGOO he’d led the Second Platoon then, with Capa and Columbus. He should’ve known then as the leader, when Columbus started exhibiting strangely anti-social behaviors, but put it down to just ‘stress’.

And then...

“Oy! What’s the matter, the guard dog realizing he’s all bark and no bite?” The archer swung back right before the claw carved an actual hole into the armor, instead cleaving a large gash in Tell’s hoverboard. “Tch, sneaky bastard...” The fight was dragging longer than he’d preferred, but Tell was no slouch—not that Adam expected the match to be easy. In truth, had both men been at their optimal peak, they would be evenly matched: both holders were capable of flight, and while Adam specialized in melee combat versus Tell’s long-range arrows, their power levels were on equal footing. Even with the boost he’d already sustained a couple wounds, though nothing too serious yet. ‘Jack, you’d better be sure about this advantage...!’

It seemed the spirit heard, or at least was telling the truth. Three parries and a counterstrike against the barrage of arrows Tell was raining down on him—in one swift movement, his blade caught the tip of an arrow and he flung it back, the explosion nearly knocking the archer from the sky as his board swung wildly, Adam moving in for the kill. “You’re dead—!”

A sharp pain pierced his chest, and at the last second the blade swerved to the left, missing Tell’s artery by inches. “Urgh—wh-what th...” Another convulsion of pain wracked him, forcing Adam to circle back, while Tell looked on in confusion and amazement.

‘Jack! Th’ bloody hell is going on?! My heart...’

‘...Ah. It seems our time is nearly up.’

‘What?!’

Before Jack could respond however Tell was rushing towards him again, taking advantage of Adam’s momentary weakness and pinning the holder in a vice, unable to fly away nor draw his blade close enough for a swing. “Listen Adam, I don’t know what the hell’s going on in your head, but you need to calm down and stop this at once—”

“Get...off!” Adam struggled, but Tell’s hold was firm. “Ugh...” His heart was pounding like a machine gun as he spat out a mouthful of blood, and Adam knew he didn’t have much time left.

‘I granted you power, yes, and you saw its strength firsthand. But that power only applies so much as your body can take it...and you, as one who has already done so much to yourself...’

Emeralds narrowed into slits at those words, as Adam vainly fought for breath while his chest grew tight. ‘In other words...I’m dying, aren’t I?’

‘...Eventually, yes. This power isn’t meant for humans, even a genetically-enhanced one such as yourself. You are already breaking down on the genetic level; unless you can overcome William Tell before then, you’ll quite literally fall apart.’

Even Jack’s tone was grave for once, Adam stilling for just a second as the realization slowly sank in.

So, Nightingale was right...of course she would be. How many times had she begged him to not listen to those honeyed words? No, not just his e-gene—but his friends, family...

Niall’s pleas to not leave his son to fend for himself. Mahesh and Jess’ sorrowful looks each time they tried to coax him into joining them for one thing or another, instead of shutting himself away. The sympathetic glances from all the staff and crew, and even the random, sometimes-anonymous messages sent from well-wishers across the globe.

And his own son...

‘What am I supposed to do?! I don’t know anything—how can I make your name heroic if you’re just going to run off like this?! Please father, you can’t leave me! I can’t lose you too...’

Those memories and words pierced him, even more strongly than the pain now radiating outwards across his entire body. He vaguely heard something from Jack warning him about his DNA unwinding, but even that felt like a faraway dream. Was this really all worth it? Had he made a mistake when that first notion of revenge reared its head, long before Sio and his daughter died—in fact hadn’t he grappled with whether DOGOO was doing the right thing once before? Why had he been able to rally himself then, and not now? What had changed...except everything?

No. No no no; they took everything away from him; his family, life, and a beloved sniper with maroon eyes and a smile that often seemed too big for her face...

“Adam—!” Tell let go in shock, unable to grasp the metal shards that were now sprouting along the other holder’s wings. “Stand down, you’re badly injured! I know your heart can’t take much more; you need to stop this nonsense and get treatment—”

“Shut up!” The claw thrust forward, but even Tell could see his power was waning, only leaning back slightly to dodge the half-hearted attack. “What...would you understand about loss and suffering...Xhavit...” Tell’s real name ground out between gritted teeth, as Adam forced the metal shards to fire, only to nearly fall from intense pain that followed as his heart seemed to squeeze until it was fit to burst. “Aauugh! Fuck...this...!” It was all he could do to even remain in the air, struggling to prevent the AU weapons from vanishing as he fought wave after wave of agony. Blood seemed to be seeping out everywhere: his eyes, nose, coating the inside of his mouth with the vile scent of warm copper as he barely resisted the urge to heave.

“Tell! Now’s your chance. If you can’t restrain him, then finish him. That’s an order,” Saint-Germain’s voice cut in coldly, as Tell attempted to grab the other holder, but still he couldn’t get close enough beyond the rows of spiked feathers, nevermind Adam’s sword that was still attempting to decapitate him. “What are you waiting for? If you let him continue, there’s no telling what he’ll do!”

The arrows pulled back but Tell hesitated; his target was right there, a mess of blood and metal wings but he was weakening; he could see the tremors of pain running through the other man’s body, hear the pained wheezing as Adam struggled for breath while still attempting to lash out.

“Adam...please, that’s enough. Don’t make me do this,” Tell warned. He could fire right now and end the battle—he should, and yet... An image from thirty-some years earlier came flashing forward, a towering abomination of limbs and flesh-fused metal that was only barely human lunging towards him and Capa, screaming at them to end its life...

“If...yer really not just all bark...then why don’t ya do it?” The archer startled out just in time, narrowly avoiding another slash while Saint-Germain barked at him to stop stalling, that Adam was very likely beyond saving at this point. “I know you want to...and they’re tellin’ you...so just end it already.”

“Adam...!”

“Unless, you want to die—!” Despite his own pain Adam surged forward, literally knocking headfirst into the archer and sending him swerving across the sky to regain his balance. There was no point in holding back now; whether by Tell’s hand, or his own body’s degradation, Adam knew his time was up. Everything was coated with a haze of pain, from simply drawing a breath to to forcing his wings to continue flying. If it weren’t for Jack’s power holding him together, he was sure his heart would’ve burst by now.

“...No!” In one moment, and with total disregard for his own safety, Tell let the claw pierce his side. A gush of blood went flying but Tell ignored it, ignored the searing pain as he finally grappled the other holder, this time determined not to let go, feather and blades be damned. “No, Adam. Death and killing...they’re not always the only way out. I know this. You know this. Mindless destruction...we’ve both had enough, haven’t we?”

“Nnngg...! No...stop!” Adam tried to reach behind for Tell, but suddenly everything seemed so weak, so tired...he doubled over as pain pierced his chest again, so strong that he couldn’t help but cry out.

“Adam! Command, we need a medical evac—!”

“...No...don’t, bother...” His vision blurred and sounds were all strangely muddy, even Jack’s voice nothing more than a faint whisper. “I’m dying, and they know it...all, I want now...is to just see her again. Just do it, Xhavit...kill me, and let me rest...please...”

“Nay Adam, I willnae allow it! Xhavit, you’d better not try anything stupid!” Hunter dashed out among the concrete pillars, grappling to the highest point of the command center he could reach. “Dinnae you listen to those orders Xhavit! Adam, we can still help you! I can still help you! Adam!”

Niall... Why was he still continuing to fight, to struggle when Adam himself had already long given up? What was it about Niall that allowed him to continue holding on to hope, however false it may have been? Perhaps it was proof then, proof that people like Niall and Xhavit and even Henri were better than him, more capable and worthy of life compared to him. After all...how could a the embodiment of humanity’s worst fears ever be worthy of true happiness... A surge of pure despair and hatred towards himself rushed through him, overcoming even the pain as Adam felt his mind fall into an unknown haze as a feeling of disconnect from his body numbed all other senses.

‘There’s no going back at all from this. You cannot ever be considered human from here on out. And it should go without saying, but you definitely will not survive.’

‘Yeh, I know. That’s fine. It’s something I’ve wanted...for a while now.’

‘...Heh, you surprised me Muirhead. Perhaps even...impressed me. You an’ me, we might’ve actually gotten along...had we met under different circumstances.’

Jack’s voice seemed to fade away into a void too, after that. And then there was nothing more, no other voices telling him what to do or how to do it, no more phantoms or pleas from his memories, or even the soul whom he was supposed to be the reincarnation of. Only a lingering feeling of sadness, or maybe it was regret, but he was too tired to figure out which one it was...

“Adam—!”

“What th—oh, jesus fuckin’ christ...!”

It grew, the metal melting and oozing like a hideous slime as the AU weapons distorted before their very eyes, covering Adam until he was barely visible as the goo seemed to grow and reshape everything. Long, twisted spikes shot out from all angles to what could only be assumed as ‘limbs’, while feathers seemed to grow and disappear at random, as if the being was trying to figure out how to even structure itself. Something akin to blood kept dripping from cracks and gashes, only the color and viscosity seemed closer to an oily sludge. A monstrous, half-formed wing made up of both organic and metal feathers shot out suddenly, precariously held in place by sinewy strands of muscle, and the whole thing seemed to quiver as a rumbling noise vibrated from deep within the creature, as if moaning in its own agony.

“It’s another runaway e-gene! Commander, what should we do?”

“Oh no...! No, no no no...this can’t be happening~su!”

“Tell, Hunter—if you aren’t prepared to stop it then retreat immediately!”

Tell let go but hovered a short distance away, too stunned by the awful metamorphose before him as Hunter could only watch in growing horror from his position. “By th’ name of all that is good and holy...Adam Muirhead, what’ve ye done...” A monster, that was the only word left to even begin describing the...thing, or creature, that was now lumbering in front of them. Nothing remained that could even vaguely be described as human, except for a continued, echoing moan that sent a shudder of despair down both holder’s spines. “Adam...! Oh no, please mate, ye cannae—tell me yur still in there!”

“Niall!” In a split-second the remaining holders tumbled against the ground, Tell tackling the anatomist just before giant shard of metal pierced the very spot he’d been standing. “C’mon, we can’t stay here any longer! When a holder turns into a runaway e-gene...there’s nothing more we can do for them. Trust me, I know...from experience.”

“But—”

“—No time for ‘buts’ Niall—oh shit get down!”

First came the wave of metallic feather shards, raining in every which direction and seemingly capable of piercing through several inches of solid concrete. Shouts were heard from the command center as a metal tendril whipped through the control tower, sending glass flying every which way as the unluckier members of DOGOO were flung into the cloud of smoke as debris rained from the sky.

“Commander, we need to get out here!”

“All remaining DOGOO personnel evacuate immediately!”

“Adam! Stop this, ye gotta come t’ yer senses! Please!” But even Hunter could only watch in shock as what was left of his friend, now a grotesque, swollen abomination of alien metal and human guts, barreled towards them with a primal roar before everything seemed to implode and explode at the same time.

Oh Sio, I’m so, so sorry...

Sorry...

So— ----- “C—mander—py? I r—eat does an—opy?”

Smoke and ash were falling in a quiet hush when the anatomist regained consciousness. Next to him, the archer was also stirring, as the emergency broadcast continued in their radios.

“Bloody hell...wha happened...Adam, he...!” Niall looked around in shock, surveying the damage and destruction, most of which was unfortunately centered around DOGOO’s main command center. “Oh no...”

“He couldn’t live with it. Either with his fate...or himself. And so he was determined to bring us down with him...” Xhavit sighed heavily as he pulled the other holder up from the wreckage. “Fucking hell, I shouldn’t have hesitated...should’ve just ended it in one, clean shot, like he wanted...”

“No need for such self-deprecation, William Tell.” Both holders spun around as Commander Saint-Germain picked his way through the rubble, glasses cracked but still sitting on the bridge of his nose. “You were under immense pressure...everything that happened today, shouldn’t have in the first place, had we been more careful...”

“Tch, oh yeh, now ye fools start thinkin’ ‘bout what ye could’ve done? Load a good that’ll do...” muttered Niall, but without any viciousness. “What ‘bout the others? Henri, Valentina...”

“Vidocq and Galileo are both unhurt, along with Nostradamus. They managed to evacuate with Dogoo and the last of the controllers...though as for the base itself, I cannot say the same...” The three men stared silently at the smoldering wreckage. “This will set us back quite a bit...”

“Somehow, I cannot help but feel it was intentional,” a French accent chimed in, as Henri arrived with Dogoo in tow. “As Nostradame said, Adam’s feelings of frustration and vengeance...” The strategist only shrugged but didn’t finish his sentence.

“Even though he was aware that DOGOO is the Earth’s last and only line of defense against the Invasion Objects? And that hurting us will only hurt those he cared about?” The bubbling voice of Dogoo was accompanied by the creaks as it struggled to move itself over the debris. “Once again, my limited knowledge of human nature shows itself...”

"Forget it, all this...in the end, I can’t tell if fate just had it out fer him, or we just got unlucky.” Niall sighed heavily, too tired to shed anymore tears. “At least, ye can finally rest now, Adam...you and Sio both, together. It’s what ye wanted fer so long...”

“Human emotions...or rather, the human capacity for love. Perhaps its true force can only be understood by that of a human, and not an outsider...” The others gave the alien a questioning look, but said nothing else.

“All this time we have labelled the Evolutionary Objects as monsters without peer, yet now I cannot help but think, perhaps the darkness that resides in all of humanity...may be just as monstrous.”

There was no answer.

#documentation #to the beginning #cw!death #cw!body horror #//aaaaaayyyyyy #//i rise from my super busy life to update this #//after like...a year #//wtf has it really been a year since i last updated #//shit #//BUT I SAID I WOULD FINISH IT AND BY GOD IT DID #//MOSTLY #//just...some small wrap up left

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canyonemoon · 4 years

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☕️ niall squad (i’m on anon bc i am scared to show who i am)

yeah i do understand, i'm very intimidating

but niall squad is the best thing i and [redacted for protective purposes] did, and our minds really snapped that day, and have every day since because we are always right 😌

send me a ☕ and a topic and i'll spill the tea!

#ask #anon #in quotation signs

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wotnahq · 4 years

Photo

Congratulations, Logan, Artemis, Elise, Ren, Selena, Tristan, Lianne, and Brees! You have been accepted into WOTNA.

Welcome, KARA BROOKES, to Pansaw, CA! She is a 28 year old FEMALE METAHUMAN with the power of HYDROKINESIS. She’s a CIVILIAN who is CEO OF WARZONE AND A FORMER REBEL NOVA. She can best be described as LOYAL, PROTECTIVE, and STRONG-WILLED, but also STUBBORN, SHORT-TEMPERED, and NAIVE. Some say she looks a lot like ASHLEY BENSON. (Logan, 28, EST, She/Her)

Welcome, FINN WINCHESTER, to Pansaw, CA! He is a 27 year old MALE METAHUMAN with the power of TELEPORTATION & ENHANCED AGILITY. He is in the vigilante HERO SQUAD and goes by PHANTOM. He can best be described as WITTY, ROMANTIC, and RESOURCEFUL, but also RUTHLESS, SARCASTIC, and IMPULSIVE. Some say they look a lot like NIALL HORAN. (Logan, 28, EST, She/Her)

Welcome, SALVATORE BRADBURY, to Pansaw, CA! He is a 43 year old MALE HUMAN CIVILIAN who is a POLICE OFFICER. He can best be described as CUNNING, AMBITIOUS, and DRIVEN, but also HOT HEADED, VENGEFUL, and STUBBORN. Some say he looks a lot like JON BERNTHAL. (Artemis, 28, EST, she/her)

Welcome, ELISABETH SINCLAIR, to Pansaw, CA! She is a FORTY year old FEMALE METAHUMAN with the power of STORM MANIPULATION who is the COMMANDER at C.A.R.M.A. She can best be described as STRATEGIC, MATERNAL, and COOL UNDER PRESSURE, but also DECEPTIVE, OVERPROTECTIVE, and INTIMIDATING. Some say she looks a lot like CLAIRE HOLT. (Elise, 24, CST, She/Her)

Welcome, FELICITY LOCKHART, to Pansaw, CA! She is a TWENTY-SEVEN year old FEMALE METAHUMAN with the power of COSMOKINESIS. She is in the vigilante HERO SQUAD and goes by NEBULA. She can best be described as WARM-HEARTED, CURIOUS, and PERCEPTIVE, but also SOLITARY, DISTRUSTFUL, and CYNICAL. Some say she looks a lot like ELIZABETH OLSEN. (Elise, 24, CST, She/Her)

Welcome, MILO FITZSIMMONS, to Pansaw, CA! They are a 22 year old DEMI-GIRL METAHUMAN with the power of MATTER ABSORPTION. They are a CIVILIAN who is a MECHANIC/STUDENT. They can best be described as INDEPENDENT, LOGICAL, and CREATIVE, but also ABRASIVE, IMPULSIVE, and STUBBORN. Some say they look a lot like MAIA MITCHELL. (Ren, 21, CST, They/Them)

Welcome, ALICE RYBAK, to Pansaw, CA! She is a 28 year old FEMALE METAHUMAN with the power of TECHNOKINESIS. She a CIVILIAN who is a FORMER REBEL NOVA AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. She can best be described as INTELLIGENT, PRACTICAL, and HANDY, but also HARD-HEADED, SOCIALLY DISTANT, and SCATTER-BRAINED. Some say she looks a lot like EVANGELINE LILLY. (Selena, 24, CDT, She/Her)

Welcome, KELLI BYRD, to Pansaw, CA! She is a 24 year old FEMALE METAHUMAN with the power of PYROKINESIS. She is in the vigilante HERO SQUAD and goes by FIREHAWK. She can best be described as STRONG-WILLED, BRAVE, and RESILIENT, but also HOT-HEADED, IMPULSIVE, and RESENTFUL. Some say she looks a lot like HAYLEY WILLIAMS. (Selena, 24, CDT, She/Her)

Welcome, TANNER BROOKES, to Pansaw, CA! He is a 31 year old MALE SUPER SOLDIER who is a FIELD AGENT at C.A.R.M.A. He can best be described as CHARISMATIC, RESOURCEFUL, and CONFIDENT, but also IMPATIENT, MISCHIEVOUS, and SELF-CENTERED. Some say he looks a lot like ZAC EFRON. (Tristan, 25, GMT+2, He/Him)

Welcome, ALESSANDRO VALENTI, to Pansaw, CA! He is a 25 year old MALE METAHUMAN with the power of ANGER MANIPULATION. He is a CIVILIAN who is a DISHWASHER (AT STARLIGHT DINER) AND FORMER NEPHILIM MEMBER. He can best be described as INQUISITIVE, PERCEPTIVE, and RESOURCEFUL, but also IMPULSIVE, SELFISH, and VINDICTIVE. Some say he looks a lot like LOGAN LERMAN. (Tristan, 25, GMT+2, He/Him)

Welcome, SCARLETT VALENTI, to Pansaw, CA! She is a 27 year old FEMALE METAHUMAN with the power of LUST MANIPULATION. She is a CIVILIAN who is a FORMER NEPHILIM MEMBER & UNEMPLOYED. She can best be described as DETERMINED, SMART, and RESOURCEFUL, but also SELFISH, IMPULSIVE, and IMPATIENT. Some say she looks a lot like MEGAN FOX. (Lianne, 28, GMT, She/Her)

Welcome, HAYDEN REES-SMITH, to Pansaw, CA! She is a 28 year old FEMALE HUMAN who is HEAD OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT at C.A.R.M.A. She can best be described as INTELLIGENT, DETERMINED, and LOYAL, but also JEALOUS, STUBBORN, and AGGRESSIVE. Some say she looks a lot like NINA DOBREV. (Brees, 33, Mountain, She/Her)

Welcome, HOPE RAMIREZ, to Pansaw, CA! She is a 26 year old FEMALE METAHUMAN with the power of GENETIC MIMICRY. She is in the vigilante HERO SQUAD and goes by MIRROR. She can best be described as WITTY, LOVING, and SUPPORTIVE, but also SECRETIVE, CLOSED-OFF, and SELF-DESTRUCTIVE. Some say she looks a lot like SELENA GOMEZ. (Brees, 33, Mountain, She/Her)

#superpower rp #appless rp #oc rp #literate rp #mumu rpg #accepted

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ktrsss1fics · 7 years

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What's your favorite characteristic of all the squad members???

Jamie Robinson: The Party Guy. Jamie is a good time. Whether it’s a night on the town or a weekend at the beach, he always finds a way to bring the fun. Everyone in the group loves being around him. He will never turn down stout beer, a game of golf, or a dance-off. Being the eldest of the group, he’s taken it upon himself to look after the others. If Keith is fucking up, he’ll pull him aside and talk to him about it. If Jenna is stressed at work, he’ll pop in with lunch and let her vent the entire time. He is very similar to Niall, which probably why they get along so well.

Margaret “Mags” Fairchild: The Mother Hen. Mags is the mom. She knows everything that’s going on in everyone’s life. She’s a good listener but isn’t ashamed of giving someone a talking to if they need it. She knows how each member of the group reacts to different situations and supports them in the way they need. She’s the oldest girl of the group and has made a point to take the others under her wing just like a mother bird would.

Keith Miller: The Pervy Friend You Love to Hate. Keith is Keith. He’s just one of the lads. He’s always down to have a pint at the pub and will try his best to pull any girl he sees. He’s not the biggest hit with The Hen House but he’s a loyal friend and would do anything to protect them.

Jenna Stark: The Chatterbox. Jenna is a ball of energy. Technically, she is the baby of the group but the fact that she comes from a large family makes her feel so much older. She’s the girl you get drinks with at the sushi bar on the weekend after doing some retail therapy. She is Mags’ partner-in-crime when it comes to teasing Fergie about Niall.

David “Davey” Watson: The Dopey Big Brother. Dave’s a bit of a goofball. He’s almost like a puppy in human form. He’s the guy who’s down to grab a drink at the pub and play a game of footie at the park. However, if someone fucks with any member of the group, he’ll fuck them up ten times worse. He might not say the right things all the time but he means well. He is the one person that Niall has been able to count on for the past five years. Whenever Ni needs him, Davey is there.

Brittany Fletcher: The Problem Solver. Brittany is a force to be reckoned with. She leads with quiet confidence. Most of the group come to her with their problems because she’s got a rational way of thinking. If there is an issue, she’ll do her best to fix it before any damage is done.

Georgina Ferguson: The Blunt One. Georgina is the one who says it like it is. If you ever need someone to tell you the honest truth, she’s your girl. Some might see it as a bit harsh but every group of friends needs a person like this. Before she joined the group, they didn’t have one. She’s asset. She also brings great balance to the group. She can spend a day at the pub with the boys and then head over to Jenna’s for wine night with the girls.

Niall Horan: The Glue. Niall is what holds this group together. He is the one with the worst work schedule so he has taken it upon himself to keep everyone connected. He plans game nights, pub crawls, and other activities for them to do as a group. He makes a point to spend time with each member individually when he’s home. One of his main goals in life is to make sure all of the people he cares about are taken care of.

Marco Lennox & Ashlee Williams: The Disappearing Act. They come in and out of the picture as they please. They are usually the butt of Jamie’s jokes but no love is lost between them.

#fergie and the gang #pints and plants

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toobadforthefacts · 7 years

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@ Niall stans anon, what are you talking about? Nobody stalked her? Mostly because nobody had to because she flaunted everything.. People found out she had a boyfriend through her IG, which is where she posted things to bait/attract Niall's fans anyway. Big whoop. The reason Niall stans didn't like Melissa is because she was manipulative, she used Niall for attention/followers and she toyed with the fandom multiple times through her own IG. But sorry Niall stans want better for Niall, I guess?

Anon, Anon, all the love here. All the love, from the bottom of my heart, but I don’t think you understand how weird it is to want to protect someone you don’t know from someone that’s actually in their lives.

Like, I understand this “protection squad” thing intra fandom, because there’s a lot of nastiness from one section of fans to another and their faves, but defending the actual people from their own decisions? Because it’s not that Niall was twelve and didn’t know what he was doing. And he probably did it regardless of all this, because, you know, human beings sometimes make poor decisions, but they’re absolutely entitled to even make mistakes, because that’s how life is, that’s how human beings learn their lessons.

At the end of the day, Niall was able to deal with the situation according to his interest, without having to turn to fans to do what he needed to do. Do you understand what this anon is saying, and what we’ve been discussing lately? That it’s irrelevant for fans to come up with all these reasons, even if it’s the truest truth, as it’s sounds more like a tantrum from another room for celebs, in this case? These receipts people pulled up were more to soothe themselves and rationalize how Niall shouldn’t be with this person, than for Niall himself, because he’s not even listening. This conversation doesn’t even include him. So this “stans want better for ___” is sort of useless, and quite entitled, and even toxic, as it’s used by most people as a prop to actually set up a with hunt against these people. You are supposed to stan these celebs… Why don’t you give them credit? Why don’t you give them wings and room for them to learn by themselves what’s better for themselves? Because that’s actually the support they need. Are you like this in your everyday life? With your friends? With your family? I don’t think the idea of thinking we somehow know what’s better for someone is the right way to face life in general, because 1) we don’t have the right perspective, as we’re not directly involved, and 2) even in the case we’re right, they’re entitled to do what they want, even if means making poor decisions.

I’d say Niall is old enough to make his reasoned decisions, and you should support him, even if you don’t particularly like them. And if one day he crosses a line that’s your ultimate boundary, maybe you should consider unstanning instead of blaming someone exclusively for something (a kiss, a relationship, a fling,) as you need two people to tango.

Put a hand on your heart and remember the times you made poor decisions, the times you hated when people judged you and the people you decided to have something with, the times you poorly judged a situation because you didn’t have all the facts. This has to be the onset of every stanning situation. Self-awareness and honesty, so one doesn’t end up becoming someone we don’t want to be. Especially with real people stanning. These are real people’s lives we’re talking about. Please, re read what you wrote for my previous anon, and just think about it.

All I listen to in fandom is “I don’t like this particular one. I’ll like next one,” but as far as I see, and it seems in this case Niall perceives it like this too, when the next one arrives nothing changes, and again people go out to find receipts to dislike the person. And that’s how it seems to play ad eternum. This is the clearest pattern I’ve found in fandom so far, and you have to understand why people find it problematic.

Lots of love to you, Anon.

#nh #niall fandom #fandom entitlement #fandom misogyny #Anonymous

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lirrynouis · 7 years

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Who are the best blogs you follow?

All blogs I follow are the best blogs so you should check my blogroll >:) but here i just wanna give an honorable mention to my favorite group aka the Bestest group ever bc they deserve all the love and care:

@cupcakelirry (queen of memes, cutest bean in t world)

@childlikemperor (king of ART, by art i mean actual art and his royal highness himself)

@liampayneappreciation (queen of sarcasm but is actually the most precious flower)

@letpaynelive (queen of making the BEST manips and is too good for this world)

@intoyoump3 (softest little princess but got a fire for a heart, will probably die for ariana grande)

@rainbowgucci (an actual ray of sunshine that will always make your heart warm, purest ot5 stan)

@zeddftpayne (an angel that will make you feel blessed with your dash, your heart and your soul)

@alienwitchstyles (sweet talented little bud, soft on the outside but will have you shook with her witchcraft)

@nliallofficial (kneel before her bc she’s the queen of everything, will die for niall and niall will die for her too)

@gigglynarry (soft & sweet & pure, as beautiful as her own url)

@liamismyhome (will fight you but also will fight for you, is chilled until you mention liam payne and BOOM)

@paynesenterprise (queen of liam payne defense squad!!! once she decided to protect you you will never be hurt again)

@stylishirish (beautiful sweet angel, queen of making *deep* *meaningful* *aesthetically pleasing* lyric edits)

@liampaynetbfh / @brucewanye (the biggest bae ever!!! only post quality content such as liam payne, batman and herself)

@sunnylesbian (all the love for the girls!!!!!!!!! occasionally post about harry styles cos he alright i guess but GIRLS???? GIRLS!!!!)

@aradicalinterpretationofthetext (*real estate commercial narrator* need a chill place to love harry styles?? then SHE is what you’re looking for!!!)

@soloharrles (*lady gaga’s voice* talented brilliant amazing showstopping spectacular…. if she’s not on your dash then you ain’t doing it right!)

Also last but not least:

@liamshands (don’t ask, just go check it yourself)

#Anonymous #answers

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trazskil · 5 years

Text

The Boy at the Barrier

(The Land Between Worlds Anthology: Issue #3)

“… and that’s why lava is liquid fire!” Galen shouted triumphantly. Pounding the table with his fist making the mugs of mead shake and spill.

Groans and shouts of discord were heard throughout the tavern as three men shot up from the round table, now drenched in the frothy alcohol. Two of them left huffing to themselves but one of them, a soldier, stayed behind.

“You daft brute!” the soldier shouted. “You’ve soiled not only my trousers but my mind as well!”

“What do you mean, I soiled your mind?” Galen asked, feigning offense.

“Lava isn’t ‘liquid fire,’ you ninny!” the soldier exclaimed, his face growing redder by the second. “It’s molten rock.”

“Oh?” Galen said, paying little attention to the insults battering him from this puny man. “And how’s the rock got so hot it’s turned to liquid? What do you think’s heating the rock?”

The soldier gaped. Not quite sure how to answer such a ludicrous question. Galen’s lips spread into a smug, victorious smile and smacked the soldier on the back laughing. He laughed hard and long and when the soldier thought he was done, he laughed some more! So the soldier began to laugh, too, thinking maybe it was all some joke and he was the butt end of it.

“So,” the soldier said, a nervous chuckle caught in his throat. “You don’t believe that lava is liquid fire?”

“What?” Galen asked incredulously. “Of course it is! It was just terribly funny to see you get so hot and bothered about your ‘opinion.’” He laughed heartily.

“I don’t believe this!” The soldier threw up his arms and stormed out of the tavern.

Galen chuckled to himself and sat down at his table again, took his tankard in his hand and drank the last gulp before signaling the barmaid for more. She came over in a hurry and filled his empty container.

“Send Miss Tabin over, will you?” he asked the pretty, young brunette.

She smiled politely at him, nodding and went to her mistress.

Miss Tabin swung her hips maddeningly on her way over to him. She wasn’t gorgeous by any means, but she wasn’t ugly either. She was somewhere in between, but to Galen she was perfect. He couldn’t seem to ever take his eyes off her unless he was otherwise occupied and even then, he often stole a glance. He grinned into his tankard of mead and gulped a number of times before the woman of his dreams stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her breasts.

“Miss Tabin,” Galen said, still grinning. “I suspect that my service was to your expectations?”

“Aye,” Miss Tabin said, her long red curls bobbing as she nodded. “It was. I know I can always count on you to ruin the evening of the uninvited. They always hate hearing your ridiculous theories and always want to leave shortly after.”

“They wouldn’t dare stay in the same place as some daft brute,” Galen barely contained his chuckling and raised his tankard. “Afraid they might catch my stupid!” He burst out laughing so loud the entire tavern seemed to shake and more tenants shot glares toward him but he just raised his mug higher at them and smiled a toothy grin.

Miss Tabin smiled crookedly, giggling a little herself, and shook her head at him, her red curls framed her freckled face and emerald green eyes, then looked back at Galen. Those eyes pierced his very soul and for a moment he was sure that she could tell him all his secrets he’d kept to himself—along with all the secrets of the world. The kinds of secrets only gods would know or perhaps the leviathans which swam deep in the ocean below. And with this power, it would be impossible for her to not know his feelings for her and… and what would she do exactly?

But those eyes, gods those eyes! Her gaze on him made it difficult to breathe and he refrained from clutching at his chest even though it felt like his rib cage was slowly collapsing in on him. He hoped dearly that she would let him come up for air! That she would show him some mercy! Just as he was sure he might faint from asphyxiation, she turned away from him to look around the room and Galen gasped silently.

“You don’t have to call me Miss Tabin, Galen,” Miss Tabin said, looking back at him. “You know my name, you may call me by it… at any time.” She winked at him, smiled, and walked back toward the bar.

Galen’s heart jumped to his throat, chills ran through his body and before he could get another word out she was already back at the bar and was serving soup to those who had paid for it.

He did know her name. He had only said it once. It tasted better on his tongue and sailed effortlessly through his lips like home-brewed honey mead. Which is damn good as it is. But her name meant so much more to him than all the money in the world and he would only utter it when he was absolutely sure he had no other option. He shuddered again, chills running up his neck, all around his skull, his eyes rolling back… If he ever got to kiss that woman’s lips it would be the end of him. By the gods, it surely would!

“You wanna hear one of my theories?” said a familiar voice, breaking his reverie.

He looked up to see a skinny frame that matched a thin face and long blonde hair. “I dunno, Konnor” Galen said, smiling at his old friend. “Do I?”

“If you don’t act on that soon,” Konnor began, gesturing back with his thumb at the bar where Miss Tabin stood, now cleaning mugs, “Then someone else is gonna come and sweep her away. Someone like me.”

“Nah,” Galen groaned. He knew that she would never go for some scrawny welp like Konnor. But still, he worried just a little. “What do you know?”

“I know,” Konnor paused to drink, “That Niall feels similarly as you for her, but about you.”

“Shhh!” Galen said, waving frantically. “Don’t say her name!”

“Why not?” Konnor asked, then paused with his fingers on his chin. “Ooohhh! Right. You get all weird when her name passes through your ears.”

“She has some sort of spell on me,” he said, wistfully.

“Oh, gods below!” Konnor cursed, rolling his eyes. “Would you get a hold of yourself, you big, ugly brute!”

“Hey, it’s alright when a stranger calls me names but coming from a friend, that’s just not right. Not right at all! And besides, it’s daft brute. You could at least get it right.”

Konnor held up his hands as if surrendering.

Just then another mug slammed down onto the table, spilling liquid over its edges. The two friends looked over as a grey-bearded man sat down. Konnor and Galen looked at each other then back at the uninvited elderly guest.

“May we help you?” Konnor asked the man.

“I heard that you’re the man to theorize with.”

“Could be,” Galen said, slowly.

“Well, I’ve got a topic for you. If you think you can handle it.”

“How about you tell us your name first,” Konnor said, folding his arms.

“Ah. Of course! My name is, Golden.”

“Golden?” Konnor asked, raising an eyebrow. “You mean, like of gold?”

“Yes.”

Konnor looked at Galen, maintaining his previous expression, but Galen continued on.

“Alright then, Golden,” Galen said, spreading his hands over the hardwood table. “Welcome. I’m Galen and this is Konnor. Let’s hear this topic.”

“The Barriers,” Golden said, cocking his head.

“Really?” Galen asked, raising an eyebrow himself.

“What’s so special about the Barriers that we should spend our time conversing about them? And with a stranger no less?” Konnor asked. His tone was like a grindstone across a newborn’s cheek.

Golden paused before answering. He took a long drink from his mug and swished his gaze back and forth between the two friends, contemplating his answer. He did this for what seemed like a long time before speaking again.

“Who put them there?” he finally asked, pointedly ignoring Konnor’s abrasive nature. “Why are they there? And most importantly, when will they be taken down?”

“Easy!” Konnor said, now fully annoyed. “The gods put them there. They’re there to protect. And they’ll never be taken down. Now if you’ll excuse us, we were having a drink… between friends.”

“Your friend doesn’t seem quite so convinced,” speculated the old man.

He was right, Galen’s face scrunched up like a rag being rung out as he thought about the questions.

“You’re drunk!” Konnor said, pointing a finger at him. “Galen’s obviously got to sneeze or thinking too hard about Niall. Now, I think it’s time for you to bugger off.”

“Peace. Golden isn’t doing anything wrong,” Galen said his tone calm. “And don’t say her name, please, Konnor.”

Konnor shrugged, as if indifferent.

“And I wasn’t thinking about Miss Tabin nor did I have to sneeze. His questions are interesting, don’t you think?”

“No,” Konnor said sighing. “But I’ll indulge you. What do you think, then?”

“I don’t know,” Galen said, honestly. “I’ve never really thought about it so much. They’ve always just been there. Ever since I was a little boy I’ve known about them.”

“And they were there centuries before either of you were even born,” Golden pointed out.

“So what?” Konnor asked. “My answers are still the same to your questions.”

“Your answers may be,” Golden countered smoothly. “But I’m interested in what Galen has to say about the matter.”

Galen was silent for a long time before speaking. The air was still around them, filled by nothing more than the distant music which played in a corner on the other side of the tavern. Everything else, even the drunken laughter and playful shrieks from the barmaids seemed dull to his ears. He took a long drink then set his tankard back down on the table in an almost reverent manner. All the while, Golden and Konnor watched patiently.

“When I served in the King’s army,” Galen began, his tone almost somber, “I was set with a squad, out patrolling the Northern Barrier. I hated that job, Konnor knows that. I never understood why we needed to be out there. Nothing has ever broken through that isn’t meant to and so there is never any danger. But there we were, the six of us marching every day between twelve and sixteen hours. One week from east to west, the next from west to east. We never saw another being of any kind; not one single crone, highwayman, wendigo, vampire, banshee, changeling, nary even a sprite. Thinking about it now, it’s as if the Barriers ward off anything, even humans. Unless the pay is good.” He said wryly.

“But on our last day out just hours before we were to switch turns with the next squad, we found a boy. Just a single lonely boy. He didn’t seem lost or hurt or scared. Rather, he was determined, anyone could see that. He had a pile of various sized rocks next to him. Each he took in hand, tossed it in the air a couple of times, then hurled them one by one at the Barrier. Each one deflected off at such speeds it might have killed anything that was unlucky enough to catch the ricochet.”

Galen paused to take another drink of mead and signal for a barmaid to refill his tankard before continuing. He smiled only slightly and only to himself as his mouth disappeared once more behind his drink. He took a breath and continued.

“I marched up to the lad to tell him he needed to leave, that he was trespassing on dangerous land. But just as soon as I was no more than two steps from him, his head jerked up at me and locked the deepest shade of gaping violet eyes anyone has ever seen, with mine. It was so unnatural for a human to have that shade of eyes. Perhaps not for a pixie or even a dark elf, but for a human? Anyway, the look was so intense, it stopped me dead in my tracks. Eventually, I crouched down to his level to speak with the boy more cautiously.”

‘What are you doing, boy?’ I asked, now curious.”

“‘Throwin’ rocka at this here magica,’ the boy answered in a most particular accent. One that bounced and rocked like a canoe down a mountain slope. He must’ve been from Yamilla, I’m telling you, they’ve got quite the accent there.”

“‘Why?’ I asked him.”

“‘There’s somethin’ wronga with it. Gots’ta breaka it to fixa it.’”

“He turned from me, all casual like, and started throwing rocks again. Each one exploded off with a funny twang that came from the Barrier itself. I watched as he threw a few more and noticed that when the stones made contact with the invisible wall, there was a sort of ripple. I felt it, oddly enough, crazy even to think about it. I felt the quick and almost invisible, but very present, ripple in my chest as it did on the Barrier.”

“‘What do you mean, it’s broken, boy?’ I ask him. It was odd, but I swear I felt something pushing me to press him for information. Curiosity had taken me.”

“‘It’s not right,’ he said. ‘It’s all wronga.’”

“‘What do you mean, boy?’”

“But the boy just said that same thing over and over. ‘It’s not right. It’s all wronga. It’s not right. It’s all wronga. It’s not right! It’s. All. WRONGA!!!’”

“He launched the last rock so hard I could have sworn I heard something crack, perhaps from the Barrier itself? The rock ricocheted and launched at the boy’s head, cracking his cranium in two. His skull had opened up like a melon and he was dead within a matter of seconds, if not instantly.”

Galen stopped speaking. This time, he took an even longer drink and tried not to spill all over himself as he shuddered a little from the memory. It had been a long time since that day, and he had never told anyone about it. Not even his captain. None of his squad had, in fact.

They buried the body and decided that it was better that no one ever heard of the boy and his violet eyes. No one would believe them anyway. A boy at a Barrier? How preposterous! Sure, some sort of malicious thing, but never such innocence. Even if they wanted to tell someone, it was as if there was something there in the thickness of the trees, or perhaps the roots of the mountain, that held their tongues behind their teeth.

Konnor never pressed him about his weeks at the Barrier. His friend only knew that he didn’t like the Barriers, nor did he like to talk about them. Something kept his jaw clenched shut on the matter, not that he had a choice. That something never really left him. Until tonight that is.

Dreams had often brought visions of the violet-eyed boy who always repeated his last words to him. “It’s not right. It’s all wronga.” And sometimes, he wondered if what the boy said—those six simple words—had any meaning or if he was just touched in the head. He always waited for the boy to say something else to him in his dreams, to explain his claims, but he never did. Galen had begun to think, in the last few years, that there might be something to what the boy said. There was something disturbing about the Land Between Worlds and its Barriers which held the continent and its inhabitants in for hundreds of years or more. Maybe it really was “all wronga.”

He looked up and saw that Konnor was staring at him wide-eyed and jaw dropping to the floor. Golden sat as silent and calm as a lamb, smiling knowingly as if he had already heard this story one thousand times or more.

Konnor’s mouth gaped and he waited for some laughter to erupt. Or even the slightest hint of a smile from his friend. He looked between his friend and the stranger and when he found no signs of some ludicrous joke, he threw his arms in the air and let them slam down on his thighs, making a loud slap.

“Oh my gods!” he exclaimed. “You’ve gone completely mental!”

“I don’t think—” Golden started.

“Oh you don’t, don’t you?” Konnor interrupted. “Listen, pal, I don’t know who in the hell you think you are, but all I smell is trouble. You come in here, prattling about the Barriers like they’re some grand spectacle and proceed to ruin the night of my dear friend by bringing up memories. Memories, by the way, that I’ve never been able to get him to so much as a whisper! I think we’ve had quite enough of your company for one night. No, make that a lifetime! Now get out. Get the hell—”

Konnor felt a large hand on his shoulder and turned his head slowly to see Galen looking at him tentatively. The look told him that it was time to stop and so he did. His anger didn’t flush from his face, however, and it stayed hot for a long time after. But he took a drink anyway and kept his mouth shut.

“Konnor has a bit of a temper,” Galen explained to Golden. “You’ll have to excuse him. He simply has his friend’s best interest at heart and doesn’t want me to get hurt.”

Golden simply nodded as if he understood. “This place is called The Land Between Worlds for a reason. Have you ever thought about that, Konnor?”

Konnor shrugged and scowled.

“The Barriers are to keep us safe. To protect!” Galen said. Though they all knew who he was trying to convince.

Konnor just harrumphed.

“Is that right?” Golden asked. “What of the boy throwing rocks who haunts you so? What had he said? ‘It’s all wronga.’ Do you still think the Barriers are there to protect us?”

Galen raised an eyebrow at him and opened his mouth, but before he could speak Golden was already there. “No, no. You’re probably right. He was just some lost, lunatic child who killed himself,” the bearded man sighed and rose from the table. “Gentlemen, I best be off. I see that this conversation will go no further tonight and I have a great many places to go.”

“Go?” Galen asked. “Go where? You’re in Nükta. In the middle of nowhere! Moreover, it’s the middle of the night. Too many dangers on the roads when the sun’s not up! Stay the night here, I’ll have Miss Tabin make you a bed.”

He started waving over the beautiful woman, but before she had the chance to see him Golden stood, and waved off the large man’s offer. Generous as it was, he did have a great many other things to attend to and not much time to do so. He set a buckle down on the table to pay for their drinks, tipped his hat to them, disappeared out the door and into the night.

“What. The good. Hell?” Konnor sighed, completely baffled.

“You should really watch that mouth of yours, Konnor,” Galen scolded. “It’s gonna get you into trouble with someone, if not Miss Tabin, first.”

Konnor rolled his eyes at his large scarred friend then excused himself and swiped the buckle off the table, pocketing it.

“Hey!” Galen said.

“What? We drink for free here, mate. One of the King’s currency from some vagabond ain’t gonna be missed.”

“That’s honest tipping money, at the least!” Galen said, pointing at his friend's pouch where he had so deftly pocketed it.

“So tip her!” Konnor said, then made a kissy face at him.

Galen grumbled to himself but pulled out one of the rectangular coins with the middle cut out and placed it on the table and made sure Miss Tabin saw it before he went up to his room for the night. Gods how he wished Miss Tabin would go up with him! Not necessarily for sex, but just to have her company. To be the one that holds her and loves her exclusively and forever.

In his room, he undressed and hopped into bed, pulling the covers up to his chest then blew out his candle. He lay there in the dark and thought about the boy at the Barrier and the Land Between Worlds and what the gods had intended to keep them safe from. Or was it the other way around? What were they keeping them caged for?

With eyelids weighing down, and before this thought could carry any further, he closed his eyes embracing the darkness. Sleep came quickly and just before his subconscious took him, a knock on the door started him awake. He huffed, deciding that it was better to just wait until whoever was on the other side of that door was gone, then get right back to sleep.

A second knock came, as expected but then a third, a fourth, a fifth! Then silence. Finally, came silence. Galen knew that if he just waited it out, whoever it was would get the hint and—a sixth knock came so loud it nearly knocked him out of bed. He felt a thudding in his chest and not just from his heartbeat.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

“What?!” he growled.

A soft knock this time, as if the someone outside had switched from the flat of their palm to the tip of their finger. Tap. Tap. Tap.

“Konnor,” Galen said, throwing the covers off his body and marching to the door. “I swear, if that’s you out there, you’re gonna end up with a fist in your gut and your lungs knocked out onto the floor.”

Galen swung the door wide open only to find that there was no one on the other side. Taken back, he craned his neck out and looked to both sides of the hall to see if anyone was maybe trying to get the jump on him. But no one was out there. Not a single soul. So, thinking maybe someone had the wrong room and realized it almost too late, he closed the door, inviting the dark of the night back into his room.

He turned and tried unsuccessfully to rub the sleep from his eyes to no avail. When he opened them again, just before reaching his bed, he saw a child-sized, silhouette perched there. It faced away from him, on his bed frame. Galen’s heart skipped a beat and a cold chill ran down his spine. Trying to regulate his breath was impossible and it came out shaky as he stepped cautiously around the bed. When he got closer he heard whispering from the figure. It was slow and somehow familiar.

“You gave me a right scare,” Galen managed despite his growing fear. “Now, why don’t I show you out? Maybe we can go find your mum?”

The figure didn’t respond. It didn’t turn or even look at him. It just kept whispering the same rhythmic sentence and he inched forward ever so slightly to find out what it was saying.

Three feet from the bed and it was still nonsensical susurrus.

Two feet from the bed and still gibberish.

One foot from the bed and still the same. Damn. Gibberish!

Finally, Galen was no more than six inches away from the dark figure who, he now realized, was a small boy. The boy was whispering the same thing over and over and over again. He realized that it was not one sentence, but two.

“It’s not right. It’s all wronga. It’s not right. It’s all wronga. It’s not right. It’s all wronga…” The boy stopped finally and turned his head to Galen’s gaze, revealing doe-like, violet fires for eyes. The flames swirled and danced in a shadowed face. Like Miss Tabin’s dress, they spun wildly as she danced to the fiddler’s music. Light beamed from them, making the dark room dim and beautiful.

It was just a dream, though. Soon he would wake up, just like he always did in these visions. Yes. He would wake up to the smell of breakfast and go down and wish Miss Tabin a wonderful morning as he set about his chores. He would daydream about her and in the night he would rid the tavern of silly men and drink just until he got tipsy and then go to bed and start all over again. Yes. Just a dream. It was only a dream.

But this time Galen didn’t wake up and now he understood what the sentences meant. The boy at the Barrier wasn’t insane, he was right! It wasn’t right. It was all wrong! He understood. And as he did so, the boy disappeared from his sight like smoke in a starry sky and soon, all he saw was the Northern Barrier where he had been, all those years ago.

“It’s not right,” Galen said, picking up a stone and testing its weight in his hand. “It’s all wrong.”

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