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she-talks-to-angels-14 · 1 year

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Homecoming Queen: A School Spirits Story.

Wally Clark x Reader

Part 2

A/N:I just finished season one of school spirits and I had this idea I kind of ran with. This is a single part story but I left it open for more parts and i could definitely be persuaded to make more parts.

Split River High Homecoming week 2013

Homecoming had once again rolled around at Split River High and the festivities had just begun. I was sitting in my first period class patiently waiting for the morning announcements. They were supposed to be announcing the homecoming court during announcements this morning. This is supposed to be my year. I had been voted onto the court each year by my classmates but this year was finally the year I could be in the running to be named Homecoming Queen.

“Good morning Bandits!” Assistant Principal Hartman’s voice echoed over the intercom. “Today kickstarts homecoming week and I know we are all looking forward to our court announcement but there are a few things we must announce before then.”

I zoned out while he rambled off the announcements that came prior to the homecoming court announcement. I was lost in thought wondering if they would change things up this year for the 30th anniversary memorial of Wally Clark, our fallen football star who tragically died during this game back in 1983.

The memorial had been the same since I started attending the football games, since 2007, my brother Lincoln’s freshman season the memorial has always been a moment of silence at half time followed by a speech from his parents. It’s sad really reliving the worst moment of your life year after year, replaying that horrible moment every time you step foot in the stadium named after your son. That must be why his dad stopped coming back in 2008.

“Earth to Y/N!” My best friend Bailey snapped her fingers in my ear breaking my train of thought. “You spaced out, he’s announcing homecoming court now!”

“What grade are we on?” I asked my interest suddenly brought back to the announcements

“Sophomores about to be Juniors.”

I listened intently as each Junior Maid was announced patiently waiting for Senior Maids.

“Now for your Senior Maids,” Mr. Hartman said enthusiastically over the intercom. “Haley Johnson, Bailey Lewis, and Y/N YL/N. Let’s give a round of applause for your 2013 homecoming court!”

“We’re both on homecoming court!” I squealed at my best friend and teammate!

“Maybe a basketball girl will finally win Queen!” Bailey smiled back at me.

“Alright girls settle down.” Mr. Anderson called out, “congratulations but we have a lesson to get through.”

We ended our conversation and Mr. Anderson proceeded with his lesson. The rest of the day passed by rather quickly and before I knew it, it was lunch time. Bailey and I were sitting at our normal table with the rest of the team.

“So Y/N do you have a dress picked out for homecoming?” Sarah asked.

“I sure do,” I said showing her my phone with the picture of my dress on it.

“Oh my god you are going to look amazing!” She squealed.

“Thank you, Bailey’s dress is even prettier than mine.” I redirected the conversation.

While the rest of the team chit chatted about homecoming and their plans for the game and dance I was lost in thought about who I would have escort me during presentation at the game Friday night. My dad and mom separated 4 years ago and he moved off to Florida and has since remarried. I could try to have him come in to escort me along with mom but he would likely have an excuse as to why he couldn’t make it. Maybe Lincoln would escort me along with mom. I spent the rest of lunch lost in thought.

The rest of the week went by fairly quickly. It was a blur of dress up days to show our school spirit. Tuesday was decade day, I sported my best 80s get up. Wednesday was twin day, Bailey and I were twins in our basketball jerseys. Thursday was country vs country club and I dressed like a proper country girl. Lastly Friday was spirit day, I went all out to show my school spirit!

———————————————————————

Homecoming game 2013

I stood with my mom and Lincoln on the track as we watched the final seconds of the the second quarter tick by. We were currently winning the game by two touchdowns. At halftime we were lined up waiting to be presented, the presentation was to take place after the memorial. This year Mrs. Clark gave her speech first. The speech however was followed with a slideshow this year, pictures of Wally flashed on the screen below the scoreboard I had never seen pictures of him before, he was a rather attractive young man. The video ended with the stadium name flashing.

“We all knew his story,” Lincoln said to me as we waited for my name to be called. “He was the football teams idol.”

“He was your idol,” I sighed, “but I can’t help but feel sad for him, he had a young life that was cut short by the sport he loved.”

“He was the best player to grace this field Y:N.”

“Yes he was but could you imagine having the future he could have had only to have your life ended by the sport you loved?” I could feel the tears pricking at the corner of my eyes. “Then every year your family has to relive that awful moment over and over?”

Our conversation was cut short by the announcer calling out my name.

“Y/N is escorted tonight by her mother Amber YL/N and her brother former state champion quarterback Lincoln YL/N.” the announcer spoke into the microphone. The crowd erupted into a roar of cheers although I’m not sure if they were for me or for the returning Split River royalty I was related to.

“Give it up one more time for your 2013 Split River Homecoming Court.” The announcer spoke as we all left the field in the choreographed manner we had practiced all week.

We made our way back to the stage set up for the court and we all took our seats.

“Did you hear the way the crowd cheered for you?” Bailey asked, “I’d say based on that you are definitely our Homecoming Queen.”

“You know they weren’t cheering for me,” I sighed. “They were cheering for Lincoln, a part of Split River royalty.”

“You don’t know that!” She scolded

“I do Bailey, he’s a state champion, I’m just his little sister.”

“You are so much more than that.” She said she popped me in the back of the head. “You are literally one of the most popular girls here, you’re friends with everyone and have always gone out of your way to do for anyone who needed a helping hand.”

“You and I both know that that doesn’t hold a candle to being a state champion around here.”

She rolled her eyes at me but let it go. Thankfully the remainder of the game passed faster than expected and I was able to escape the stadium in no time.

———————————————————————

Homecoming Dance 2013

I walked into the gym with my chiffon train flowing behind me. I felt like a million bucks, this was my last homecoming dance and I was determined to have a good time no matter the outcome of the vote. I quickly found Bailey and the rest of our teammates and we proceeded to head to the camera line where we could take one final team homecoming picture together.

Once we finished with the pictures we made our way out on to the dance floor. The DJ had just started playing ‘What Makes You Beautiful’ by One Direction, we all sang in unison at the top of our lungs “baby you light up my world like no body else,” as we danced and jumped around. The song was fading out and the tune to a slow song was fading in when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. Turning around I was face to face with Jax Dawson, our quarterback.

“Can I have this dance?” He asked smiling sweetly and sticking his hand out to me.

“Of course,” I said taking his out stretched hand. He put my arms around his neck and placed his hands on my waste very lightly. We swayed in sync to the music and lyrics of ‘I’ll Be’ by Edwin McCain.

“You look gorgeous tonight Y/N.” He whispered in my ear.

“Thank you Jax.” I could feel my cheeks flush. “You look handsome.”

“Handsome enough I could snag a second dance later in the night?” He flirted

“We might can arrange that.” I laughed.

We danced with each other until the song faded out and a shrill screech of the microphone broke us apart.

“Can we please have our Seniors on homecoming court report to the stage?” The Principal Mrs. Sheridan called out.

I made my way to the stage my heart was beating out of my chest I was so nervous. I could literally hear my heart beating each step I took that got me closer to the stage.

Once everyone was situated on stage Mrs. Sheridan only added to everyone’s anxiety by dragging out the crowning. She started by crowning the Homecoming King, who was none other than Jax.

“No time for your 2013 Homecoming Queen,” she called into the microphone. “Drumroll please, this years Homecoming Queen is, Y/N YL/N!”

The crowd erupted in applause and I stepped to Mrs. Sheridan for her to crown me. Once the crown was secured to my head I turned back to find my best friend Bailey, “You did it,” she smiled, “I knew you had this.”

“Thanks B,” I said hugging her, “finally one of the basketball girls won.” We both laughed.

“Please give it up one more time for your king and queen.” Mrs. Sheridan called out followed by applause.

I had to stay on stage with the court and take pictures for a few minutes after the presentation. Once the pictures were done I headed to the steps of the stage so that I could get back to the dance floor. As soon as I stepped off the first step I felt my dress tug on something causing me to miss the second step and fall down the steps hitting the back of my head on the steps as I fell down them. I could faintly hear people calling my name and I could tell my hair was wet with something, I stuck my hand to the back of my head and brought it to my eyes to see my fingers covered in blood before everything went black.

I’m not sure how long I was out for but when I finally came to I had a major headache and was still on the gym floor. My vision was still slightly blurred but I could make out a male figure standing in front of me.

“What happened?” I asked groggily.

“You fell down the steps of the stage.” A sweet unfamiliar voice responded, “you hit your head on the way down.”

“How long was I out for?”

“Well about that.” The voice responded, I could listen to this boy talk all day,

“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked as my vision finally began to refocus. I was face to face with a face I had only ever seen once before, on the screen at last nights game. “Yo- you’re wa- wa.”

“Wally Clark,” he finished my sentence for me “Homecoming King of ‘83”

“That’s impossible,” I panicked. “I must be dreaming or in a comma because you’ve been dead for 30 years!”

“It’s not impossible cherry pop.” A girl with dark curly hair stated plainly.

“The only way it’s not impossible is if I’m.” I choked on the last word of my sentence.

“Dead.” Wally stated softly grabbing my hand.

“No I can’t be dead!” I whaled, “I’ve got a concussion or something.”

“Im afraid not,” a shorter boy with glasses said pointing off in the distance to a crowd of people around someone.

I pulled myself together enough to get up off the floor and see what was going on. I could see Bailey, Sarah and Jax clearly in the distance. I made my way to each of them touching their shoulders and telling them I was ok but neither of them even noticed I was there.

“They can’t see or hear you,” the shorter boy said.

“This can’t be real.” I real I sobbed, as I pushed my way through the crowd to see what the commotion was I saw my lifeless body laid out on the gym floor as one of the teachers attempted CPR.

“She’s not breathing.” The teacher shouted, “I’m going to continue with chest compressions until the EMTs get here!”

“Dispatch says they’re two minutes out,” another teacher called.

My friends were all a wreck, the sound of their sobs and cries tore through my heart like a bullet from a gun.

“She can’t be gone!” Bailey cried out. Sarah could barely speak she was crying so hard. Jax had his head in his hands and I could hear soft sobs escaping his lips. My friends were hurting and there was nothing I could do.

Within minutes the EMTs burst through the gym doors with a gurney. They rushed to the group of people surrounding my lifeless body.

“How long have you been doing compressions,” one of them asked the teacher who had been working to keep my heart beating.

“Ten minutes,” he responded.

“She doesn’t have a pulse,” the other EMT called out. “Let’s try to shock her.” They pulled out their defibrillator and proceeded to put the paddles to my chest. Shockwaves ripples through my body and I didn’t even move. They tried a second and third time with not a single movement. I was gone and I wasn’t coming back.

“Let’s call it,” one of the EMTs said. “Time of death?”

“Ten o’clock,” the other responded.

They began getting a body bag ready and I felt a hand lightly touch my shoulder. “You don’t need to see this,” the sweet voice from earlier said. I turned around and instinctively buried my head in the chest of the tall brunette football player. He wrapped his arms tightly around me as I sobbed into his chest.

“Let’s get you out of here while this is cleaned up.” He said as he ran his hand through my hair.

“Where could we even go where I won’t see them drag my body out of the school?” I sobbed

“Let’s go to the auditorium,” he started walking while he still held me into his side. “You won’t be able to see anything in there.

I didn’t say a word I simply let him lead me to the auditorium. I wasn’t ready to die. I still had so much life to live. I was supposed to go to college and play college ball. Meet a wonderful man and get married and have kids and grow old with the love of my life, I wasn’t supposed to die at my senior homecoming dance!

By the time we had made it to the auditorium my sadness had turned to rage. I was enraged by what had been taken from me. Once the auditorium doors shut I let out a blood curdling scream from the rage that was coursing through me.

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s ok,” tried to south me. “I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way after reality finally set in. Mad at the world for what has been taken from you.”

“I’m pissed,” I cried. “ I had so much to look forward to a now it’s gone. No college ball, no love, no wedding, no kids, no growing old with the love of my life.”

“I get it,” he said putting his arm around me and pulling me to him. “I watched all of those same dreams I had die when I died on that damn football field 30 years ago.”

“How do you live with it?” I asked leaning into his embrace. I felt like I was safe sitting here with him as if not matter what he would protect me from whatever harm could come to me now.

“It gets easier,” he smiled, “eventuality the sting isn’t as painful as it used to be, that and with Mr. Martin’s help.

“Who is Mr. Martin?”

“He leads the afterlife support group we are all apart of.”

“Oh,” was all I could manage “what’s it like being a ghost?”

“It’s nothing like the movies make you think.” He giggled, “we can’t walk through walls, touch people, talk to them, or possess them.”

“So we’re really lame immortals basically?”

“Basically,” he sighed, “we still have the same needs and wants as we did when we were alive though.”

“So what we can get sick or something?”

“We’ll charley is allergic to nuts, even in death if he eats them he swells.”

“So can we still fall in love or have sex?”

“Yes and yes,” he laughed, “I just said we still have needs and wants like we did when we were alive.

God that laugh, something about his laugh was contagious. Hearing him laugh just put a smile on my pained face and I couldn’t fight back.

“I know the night didn’t go how you planned,” he said scratching his neck “but you are still homecoming Queen,” he said pulling out my crown, “and the homecoming Queen does get a dance with the homecoming king.”

“The homecoming king is still alive,” I said quizzically.

“This years king is yes but how about a king from 30 years ago?” He asked as he placed my crown back on my head.

“It would be my honor,” I smiled as I stuck my hand out to him.

“You know I never even made it to accept my crown,” he said as he took my hand in is. “I died the night before they crowned me so I never even got my dance.”

“Until now that is.” I smiled up at the handsome jock who had his arms tightly wrapped around my waist. “We don’t have any music.” I said I we swayed together in silence.

Wally began to hum the tune to ‘Iris’ by the Goo Goo Dolls then began to sing the opening lyrics. “And I’d give up forever touch you, cause I know that you feel me somehow, you’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be and I don’t wanna go home right now.”

I was mesmerized by how good of a singer he was and before I knew it I was lost in the song. My arms around his neck and my head lay perfectly on his chest, this moment eased the pain I felt moments before for just long enough for me to enjoy the dance.

The song had been over for a while but Wally and I still stood in the middle of the auditorium my arms around his neck and his around my waist neither of us wanting to break the comfortable space we were in.

“Wally?” I asked softly “how did you know that song, it came out years after you died?”

“I’ve been to so many of these dances over the years you can’t help but learn the songs.”

“I see well,” I sighed.

“Well what?” He asked concerned.

“You sang my favorite song very well.” I smiled.

“I’m glad I could do your favorite song justice.” He said as he let one arm fall from my waist and moved it to cup my cheek. “Do you feel better?”

“I do thank you,” I smiled as I leaned my cheek into his touch. Being in this moment felt right I didn’t pull my check away from his touch and he didn’t pull his hand away from me either we are just standing there looking into each others eyes. The next thing I know both of us are leaning into each other, within seconds his lips are pressed to mine in softest and sweetest kiss I have ever felt. His lips are soft and they feel like they were meant for mine. Moments later we break the kiss both of us breathless.

“I will never forget this night Y/N,” he smiled as he ran his thumb across my cheek bone.

“Neither will I,” I say as I reach one of my hands up to grasp the hand he has placed on my cheek.

#wally clark #wally clark imagines #wally clark x reader #school spirits #school spirits imagines #wally x reader #school spirits paramount #Spotify

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blithesharem · 6 months

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How does aging work in Obey Me?

This is my personal headcanon for how aging works in the Devildom and Celestial Realm.

When an angel or demon is "born" they don't have an initial humanoid form. They start as an amorphous ball of light or darkness (I SWEAR I read this in a Devilgram but I also could have totally made that up). As these spirits gain a sense of self and identity, they eventually take a shape that pleases them, most often humanoid. This shift from light or darkness into a solid figure is considered their 'birth'. This is why Beel and Belphie being considered twins is unusual. It's not rare for spirits to exist at the same time but it is rare to transition into physical form together at the same moment.

Age from that point on is not based on the passage of time but rather how developed their power is. More powerful demons often gain control over their power more quickly, and so spend very little time appearing as children. The growth from child to adolescent may take decades of Earth time or centuries depending on a number of factors. This is also why the brothers refer to themselves as older or younger, despite the fact that their ranking is primarily power based.

When Angels or Demons reach a certain outward age, they usually choose to linger where they feel most physically comfortable, whether that means the vibe they give off, physical characteristics and abilities, or the age at which they feel the most attractive or imposing.

For example, Lucifer chooses an older visage than his brothers for several reasons. One, he is older than them in the sense his spirit has existed longer. Two, it makes him feel more refined and at the right moments, imposing. Three, he likes to make sure his brothers note how many grey hairs they've given him.

This also explains how Satan's birth worked. When he split from Lucifer and fell with him, he went through several changes very quickly. Even though he was a new spirit, he carried with him an echo of Lucifer's power and experience which enabled him to gain control very quickly and take on his chosen form. If you want for fun HC moments however, you can believe like I do that his first couple months in the castle with the brothers were spent shifting from different ages without much control as he struggled to get a handle on existing. They would be reading a pouty baby Satan stories one night then dealing with a full grown tantrum the next.

I like this theory because it solves several narrative problems for me:

1.The issue of how time passes. I already believe that time passes differently in the spiritual realms than on Earth, but this method of 'aging' allows for some leeway in how we interpret ages and times in the story. Us going back in time in Nightbringing and finding brothers who take the same form makes sense if their physical form isn't entirely based on the passage of time.

2. It makes their birth order relevant in both terms of power and how they as spiritual beings interpret their ages.

3. It gives you an excuse to write all sorts of fics where the boys are kiddos and Lucifer or Mammon (or any bigger bro) is taking care of them. Or excuse to write Satan as a kiddo even if he was considered 'full grown' at birth. That's just plain fun.

4. It explains Luke. He's still learning how to develop his powers, which is why his been trusted to Simeon. As he continues to expand his capabilities, he'll eventually be able to age out of his current childlike form, but it's a passage that may take a long time.

5. It gives you freedom to interpret timeline without getting lost in details.

ANYWAY these are just my thoughts based on hints in the narrative and my own personal theories.

#obey me #obey me hcs

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pessimisticdreamer7 · 1 year

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4:33am

It absolute fucking wrecks me that in the back of my mind I have this terrible sense that you don’t notice my absence in your life. You are the kind of friend I will tell my children about. When my stories begin with “my old best friend” it will be about you. I always get the urge to text you novels about how much I miss you, but I know your response will take business days to get back to me and will be underwhelming and disappointing. I can no longer expect to receive anything from an empty cup. I hope one day I can talk about you without sadness in my voice or tears in my eyes. I hope that one day I can follow you on social media and not feel like I’ve been gut punched when you post a picture with your new best friends.

You used to feel like home to me. Now it feels like that home has burned down and there’s nothing but left ash and memories that make me sob. I know I still have so many friendships to experience but this is one I will never fully get over. A part of my heart will miss you until I die. I have never mourned someone the way I mourn you. another friend like you. Our friendship was one of a kind. I still believe you are my soulmate. I miss you being able to make me smile on the worst days of my life. I miss bragging about you to people. I know it’s selfish, but I hate that it feels like you don’t miss me or our friendship at all. I mean how could you have possibly thought our friendship was fine when we went from seeing each other at least once a week to four times in six months.

I don’t think a day goes by where I don’t think about you at least once. Something reminds me of you/our friendship almost everywhere I go. I envy the friends that get your attention now. It’s even worse I run into them, and they give me updates on you. They don’t know how bad it is. “You guys are just going through a rough patch.” “You two will be fine, you always are.” “She’s just busy”. No one knows how bad it really is except me. Even you don’t notice. You were really the only person I never thought I’d drift away from. I thought you’d be in life longer than most of my own family. Even now I still think about using your name for my future daughter’s middle name. I’ve tried so many times to patch the holes in our friendship. But there are so many now and they’re only getting bigger. I feel like I’m completely under water at this point. I’m exhausted from mourning the best friendship I’ve ever had. I hate that I compare every new friend I have to you. It’s not fair to them. It’s not fair to me. You were my absolute rock through the worst times of my life. I will always view you as a blessing in my life, even now when I look back with so much pain in my heart. I will never want anything but the absolute best for you. You are the epitome of a heart of gold. You will always be considered my favorite and best non-blood sister. I can only hope you’ll think the same about me. I’ve made every excuse in the book for you. You admitted you hadn’t been a good friend to me and then proceeded to do nothing to change it. I didn’t know growing up meant out growing me. I will never understand why God decided to split our paths. I honestly don’t think I ever will. I fucking hate that we have no idea what’s going on in each other’s lives now. I wonder how your parents and dog are. If your parents have moved into their new house yet. You’ve been my other half for almost a decade and now I feel so lost and alone. And I’m sure everyone is tired of my crying and honestly, I am too. I feel stupid for sobbing over you while you didn’t even notice a problem with our friendship. We had the type of friendship people yearn for. I feel like a bad person for not wanting you to have a friendship like ours again. I don’t want someone to experience you the way I did for 7 years. You will always be considered one of the best things I ever had.

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ai-luni · 2 years

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You are everything good in this world - Part 2.1

Peter Ballard/Henry Creel/001 x fem!reader

Series Masterlist, Part 1

Word count: 5.9k

Summary: You’ve finally made a comfortable situation for yourself before things in Hawkins start to get messy again. And once more, the safety and freedom of a young girl is now in your responsibility.

Warnings: Traumatic events, follows season 4 plot line. there’s not a lot of Peter in this part at all.

A/N: Finally I return! I’ve been so busy with work but I’m way too excited to share more of this story with y’all so this part is now split in two so at least one part might be finished before vol 2 is released. Again my writing is purely self indulgent and a little too much of a self author insert but please enjoy anyway. 2.2 is still missing a few scenes, I’m sorry this part may be a bit boring but the next part has a dubious spicy and intense Peter/Vecna scene so hang in there :)

1986

The door clicked open as soon as the clock turned 8, you barely even had your coat off your shoulders. With a sigh, you turned to see who so desperately needed your attention this early in the morning.

“Again Max?” The red headed girl gave you a mildly apologetic look as you ushered her to the sick bay bed. You knew she didn’t like sitting there but as you’ve said it enough for her to lip sync, “You know the drill, take a seat.”

“You’re not feeling dizzy at all? Seeing a funny spot?” You went over all the required questions when a student comes in for aid while you searched your cabinets for an aspirin.

“I just didn’t sleep well, that’s all. I will be fine” She said, her voice scratchy as she pulled her headphones off her ears to sit around her neck. Her leg was jerking where she sat, restless and impatient. You handed her a small plastic cup of water then leaned your arm in to give her the pill in your other hand. Then mid thought, you pulled your hand away before she could grab it.

“I can’t keep giving you these.” You tucked your bottom lip under the top, eyebrows furrowing in thought. Max rolled her eyes, clearly sick of being told she needs to change or constantly receiving pitying looks. You gave her the tablet before letting out a deep sigh, giving in, “There’s an extra bed in the backroom there. It’s not weird, I take naps in there. Go sleep through first period and I’ll let your teacher know you were with me.”

She swallowed and gave you a completely dumbfounded look.

“Before I change my mind.” With that she grabbed her things and scurried towards the door behind your desk. But before she could close, you called out to her again and met eyes. You gave her a defeated but supportive smile to which she actually responded with a thankful one. Though small enough for someone to not notice if they weren’t looking hard enough, you picked up on it. And with that she closed the door behind her and you stood for a good moment in the middle of your office, processing what had happened even before your morning coffee.

You really felt for Max. It was really difficult to lose someone, you knew that just as much as anyone. You lost most of the kids in your care at the first job, and you lost the love of your life who you only got to spend one full night with.

You’ll never forget it, you’ll never forget him. You’ll never forget how you lost him , and though it’s almost been a whole decade and a half since, it still haunted you so vividly in your dreams.

“PETER!” You were still banging on the locked door. It had been a couple hours (or so you thought) since the screams died down. Your throat was completely dried out, face stained in tears and your body couldn’t stop rapidly trembling. Hair was stuck to your sweaty skin, rubbing against the fresh, sore burns on your neck. You were too tired.

You walked to your bed, grateful for a soft surface to lay on. You let your eyes close, just for a little bit.

You were found a little while later (to which you found out you slept for a full 24 hours). Dr Brenner came looking for you after realising you were nowhere to be seen, not you or your body. They took care of you in the lab, he’d often make it very clear his thoughts on Peter, that he was never going to set you free, he never loved you, that he was only using you like a game, like 001 does. He plays with living things and torments them.

You hated every second that man opened his mouth to speak to you. And so you vowed the first chance to leave this building you could find, you’d take it. And that’s exactly what you did. You found some old clothes and your trial period key card stashed in your office and walked out of the building like it was just another day. The reception staff had barely remembered what you look like enough for anyone to notice.

It didn’t feel real. It felt too easy to be true. Just like nothing, you walked out of that building on a 4pm afternoon and for the first time in a good year, you were outside of that terrible building.

You followed the road to Hawkins. Leaving the building was only the first step, making a life for yourself was the next. You didn’t have enough money to leave Hawkins, you didn’t have any money at all. You figured as well if you hid lowkey for a while right under their nose, Brenner wouldn’t find you.

In about a year of odd jobs here and there - some you’re not so proud of but were a means to live - you finally found a sustainable job. You became the new nurse at Hawkins High school and it was very well suited for you. The very first night you got the job, you cried yourself to sleep thinking of Peter and how he would be proud of you for making your own and getting away from the likes of Brenner. For the first couple weeks you slept in the spare bed behind your sick bay, finally getting a break from those ugly motel beds and couch hopping. Every single night when you searched for someone else’s bed to sleep for the night, you thought of Peter and only Peter. You were a fighter, you knew he’d understand.

You were just about to knock on the backroom door after the second period bell rang before Max opened the door in front of you. She gave you a quiet thanks while hurrying out of your office.

“Have you been seeing Ms. Kelley?” you called out and she just gave you the stock standard ‘yes’. Then she was gone. You were worried for her but you knew she was a strong girl. She reminded you of little eleven, who often visited you in your sick bay too.

Things in Hawkins started to get wild again - they would every year or so and honestly you felt like this town just couldn't catch a break. First it was the story of Joyce’s little boy who died but didn’t? Then the new Star court Mall fire and all those poor kids who died in it.

It truly made you so grateful that you were able to secure yourself with a comfy job and comfy home you could actually call our own. You never called your parent’s home in fear the lab might find you through them and you were so so certain of most of the trouble in this town was caused by that ugly lab. Especially the cover up story of Joyce’s little boy.

You’ve encountered Chrissy quite a bit, especially in the past couple weeks. She was the sweetest girl you’d ever had the privilege of meeting and you just wouldn’t believe someone would have the motive to do such things to her the way they say things happened. You had barely ever encountered that Eddie kid before and you understood he was a bit of a wild card for some people’s liking but he was just a young kid. You didn’t believe he could do something like this, you believed he was just scared and ran.

The day you really started to get worried was when Max showed up at your door one day on a Saturday morning. She looked anxious so naturally you welcomed her in. She was clearly distressed and you appreciated that she trusted you enough to come to you. You sat her down asking if she would like any tea, she declined.

“Max, you look distressed. Is everything okay?” You gave her wide prying eyes, “I can’t help you unless you are honest with me.”

She scoffed and you could feel her closing off again.

“I know, you know… but that's only because it’s true.” There was a beat of silence. She sat in front of you, twiddling her fingers with something obviously on the top of her mind. “Max, you’ve experienced trauma. And I know for a fact if you keep it bottled up like this, it can be so easily triggered again at any moment.”

You let out a sigh, something in you really trusted this girl and you worried for her so often. Your hand wiped your forehead, wiping sweat that hasn't formed yet from your skin. Max could tell you were starting to get agitated, her eyebrows furrowed at your sudden change in your mood.

“Okay Max. I’m going to tell you about myself. I know I’m not really meant to but you don’t seem to be one who particularly cares about the rules so here we go.” She gave you a small, mildly sarcastic smile affirming your statement. “My first job was at a lab.”

Her head shot up, her eyes wide and it startled you a little but you continued.

“I was a nurse for a bunch of children who desperately needed some love. My boss was horrible.” Your hands flew around, gesticulating your every word to keep you from feeling too vulnerable. “And I met the love of my life there… His name is Peter.”

You bit your lip, smiling for a moment hearing his name leave your lips again after so long. Max shifted uncomfortably in her seat however placed a comforting hand on your chair noticing the tears pooling in your eyes. You felt like your plan was working well enough that you could feel yourself start to close up yourself, not wanting to drag it out too long.

“Long story short, we vowed to get one of the sweetest little girl I’ve ever met out of there and I was locked in a room and never saw either of them since.” You swallowed a lump in your throat, rushing through the end of your statement. Max looked at you in disbelief at the absurdity of the end of the story. You took a moment to compose yourself before just rambling whatever thoughts wanted to come out.

“You that little girl, you remind me of her sometimes. She visited me almost everyday and never slept well like you and - … I’d often have to tell her ‘friends don’t lie.”

You were back to gesticulating with your hands, trying to bring out the fond moments of your past to remember instead. Max’s expression dropped at the phrase. She was already suspicious but this was some sort of confirmation for her.

“I’d like to think you were my friend Max and please believe me, it’s so so hard trying to heal alone-”

“El”

“It was such an ugly experience and everything I-” Your thoughts immediately disrupted, “What did you say?”

“Eleven.” She said softly, just enough for you to hear. It wasn’t quite a question - somehow Max just knew you meant eleven.

“The- the number?” You were confused and unsure if she knew you were talking about the same thing, but tried your hardest to keep your composure. In any other situation, you’d laugh at yourself - the way your voice wavered and you were sweating like it was the middle of a heatwave.

“No,” Max shook her head, voice getting louder and more confident as she spoke, “The girl. Her name is Eleven.”

You audibly gulped, breathing deeply. Your eyes wandered the room then immediately landed on the window facing the road. You rushed to close the curtains then turned to Max almost frantic.

“You know Eleven?”

“So you do mean El?!” She stood up, she was smiling at this whole ‘small world’ situation.

“YES? Yes.” You had to calm yourself. Max gave you a moment to just breathe, she didn’t fully understand the impact all this was having on you but she could tell it was important to you. “How do you know Eleven?”

“She lived here, in Hawkins.”

“iN HAWKINS?! SHE WAS IN HAWKINS AND I NEVER SAW HER?!” You mouth was agape and you were yelling but not at Max.

“It’s a long story,” she waved it off, knowing she’d have to tell you about it later, “But she’s in California now.”

“California?” You repeated.

“With the Byers.”

“thE BYERS!” You cried in pure relief. You knew she was safe. You had fallen to your knees by now, letting the tears fall out of your eyes. This news was so worth embarrassing yourself in front of a student. “Thank you Max, you have no idea how much this information means to me.”

She stood from her seat, contemplating how or if she should comfort you in some way but the moment was interrupted by your door bell. You caught Max’s eyes for a moment before collecting yourself and walking to the door.

“Thank you, wait here for a moment.” You said quietly when passing her. She peaked out of the room anyway. You opened the door to see Steve Harrington and Dustin Henderson standing behind him. The Harrington boy looked his confident self however demeanour started to crack when you just stared at him with furrowed brows and running mascara.

“Nurse Y/n?” He brought his arms to his side awkwardly when you gazed at Max who was now standing beside you.

“They’re with me.” She said and you simply nodded in return.

“Are you okay?” Henderson asked, one eyebrow raised. This was certainly not the scene they were expecting to see when they saw you shut the curtains and scream.

There was an awkward beat of silence before Max shuffled on her feet from a new idea.

“Nurse Y/n, you said I could tell you anything right?” You nodded again, “well we’ve got a lot to tell you.”

With that, the three of them came in and let you fix your make up. They told you everything they knew as quickly as they possibly could and somehow convinced you to help them get into school to look at Chrissy’s files - and although you knew you could get fired from the best job you’ve ever had, Dustin promised to tell you about El if you did.

So you led them into the school, they caught you up a little more about the situation in the car. It was the oddest feeling being in the car with three students, one of which was driving you and another talking to them through a walkie talkie. The whole situation was surreal but you seem to get yourself in these situations pretty easily. At one point you thought ‘what the hell, if anything it’ll only help more’ and you told them as much as you knew about the lab.

Soon enough you had unlocked the school and Ms Kelley’s office for them. Max knew instantly where to look for her file.

“Holy shit.” She let out, “I found it, not just Chrissy’s file. Fred was seeing Ms Kelley too.”

The next couple of moments happened in a flash. The four of you were looking over the files, then Max zoned out and wasn’t responding to your calls, to then be jolted awake and looked so incredibly horrified. You brought her in your arms and held her as she calmed down. She was so restless and antsy, telling you they were waiting for two more people to come before she could explain what happened to her. She sat by you the entire wait.

When two more older girls came - Nancy Wheeler who you’d only talked to a few times in your office and Robin Buckley who would never shy from trying to make your day with a joke - Max led the group to a corner explaining the vision she had then led you back to the office where she explained her big revelation.

“Fred and Chrissy, they both came to Miss Kelley for help. They both were having headaches, bad headaches that wouldn’t go away. And then… then the nightmares. Trouble sleeping.” She looked as though she was going to break down, you gently placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “They’d wake up in a cold sweat. And then they started seeing things. Bad things. From their Past. And these visions, they just… they kept on getting worse and worse, until eventually… “

Max took a deep breath, tears growing in her eyes as the tension in the room got thicker and thicker.

“Everything ended.”

“Vecna’s curse.” Robin interjected.

“Chrissy’s headaches started a week ago. Fred’s, six days ago. I’ve been having them for 5 days. I don’t know how long I have. All I know is that for Fred and Chrissy they both died less than 24 hours after their first vision. And I just saw that goddamn clock, so…” She was distressed and for good reason too. It was radiating off her. You brought her to your side, an arm wrapped around her. She didn’t reciprocate the action but she didn’t reject it. Instead she stared at her friends. “Looks like I’m gonna die tomorrow.”

The group sat in silence for a moment, the grim reality of the whole situation really kicking in. Until a screech in the distance broke that intensity of the moment. Steve looked at me, then the girls beside him. He let out a “stay here.” as he went to leave the room. You only held Max tighter to you, hoping your support was helping at all.

It was the Sinclair boy with news of the basketball kids. The more you hung around these kids, the more danger they seemed to put themselves in and it had only been a couple hours. You were completely baffled by it all.

They took you to the Wheeler’s basement, Nancy was adamant on it. You were too thick into this whole situation to leave them and you weren’t going to leave Max like this so you had to tag along. The kids ran through the house towards the basements while Nancy dragged Robin and soon after Steve up the stairs. That left you alone in the entryway… awkwardly standing at this kids house.

“Hi Mrs. Wheeler!” You heard Dustin yell as he ran past.

“Hi kids,” She said gleefully, very much used to this behaviour. Already leaving her station from the living room to check the front door was closed, she started to yell back, “ Kids remember to close the door-”

Your appearance took her by surprise, as her appearance around the corner even startled you a little. You froze for an embarrassingly long moment, mind in a scramble before finally forming a sentence.

“Hi uh… Mrs Wheeler I gathered,” You put your hand out to shake hers, she gave you a quizzical look before you finally introduced yourself, “I’m Y/N L/N, the nurse at Hawkins High.”

She rested her face only slightly, now that she knew you weren’t some complete stranger. You continued.

“I’m sorry my visit is so out of the blue, Nancy’s doing a whole story about how all the events going on right now might affect young and growing minds.” Your arms flying around like they do when you get nervous, “aaah you know, fancy article stuff.”

You gave a sheepish smile hoping she fell for it all. She did. In Fact she was quite impressed, for her daughter of course, not you. But you welcomed you with a large smile.

“Oh! What a meaningful topic! Please come right in.” And with that you met the children downstairs.

You sat by the boys reading the articles about the Creel family - giving Max her space. There was something so familiar about the story of the Creel’s, there were little things that made you think of what Peter had told you of his childhood. The animals and the strange occurrences while he was discovering his powers, the incident that caused him to go into a coma but he never told you about visions and murders and he sure as hell never mentioned anyone by the name Creel. There was a bit of you that mentally scolded you for feeling yourself starting to always think back to Peter at any chance you could. It was opening up to Max that had ripped this wound back open again.

Nancy and Robin caught you at one moment, asking if you’d like to join them for their scholarly plan but you declined, feeling it was your duty to watch after Max. Steve got very annoyed at being put on ‘babysitting duties’ however, he didn’t feel the same maternal instincts you did and you found it hilarious the way he argued with the girls about it.

It was about an hour after the girls left that you asked Max if there was anything you could do or bring for her, food, water. You stood a little bit away from the chair, you didn’t dare to get too close and make her think you were trying to read what she was writing. She gave you a bigger response than you were expecting and she had quite a lot to ask of you. Your house was only two blocks from the Wheelers after all.

You walked home, your moment of peace and what you felt would be the eye before the storm. You collected your car keys and after a lot of mental debate, you even made little snack sandwiches to pack in your car and headed back over to the Wheelers.

She said to meet back in half an hour, it was a little bit past half past when you heard Steve loud and clear before seeing him chase Max out of the house.

“Seriously, I’m not joking. I’m not driving you anywhere.” You heard him say.

“And who said you were driving me.” She retorted. “If you think I’m going to spend what is likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler’s basement, then you’re out of your mind.”

You had to agree with that last statement. You just couldn’t get used to the funky smell down there in those couple hours. She approached your car, you called “Ladies front!” to which Steve rolled his eyes crawling into the back seat finally.

“Henderson, that super walking of yours better reach Penhurst.”

She asked to stop by her house first, she wanted to leave the note for her mother. She was rattled when she returned but you carried on. During your wait you could see Lucas was getting particularly antsy and you had to reassure him that ‘Max will be okay.’

“YOU DON’T KNOW HER LIKE I DO.” He snapped, coming out of his mouth louder than he was anticipating and he immediately apologised but the silent moment after was still awkward. Steve let out an ‘okay’ under his breath but you know the boy was just anxious. And you very much suspected there was a little more going on between him and Max. It felt like a sore spot to try and question though. You missed having a crush like that.

Max led you into a cemetery, you did as she told you today. Lucas ran out of the car to follow her and when he walked back to the car, the four of you watched as Max walked up to a grave - you assumed it was Billy’s. She sat down and opened another letter. You couldn’t help but feel proud of her. She was a strong girl, you were rooting for her, you always have been and with what she’s gone through, this was the first healthy step to letting it all go. You were so proud of her.

The younger boys spilled out of the car, Dustin finding one of your snack sandwiches and Lucas fidgeting with a watch on his wrist as he sat on the car bonnet. You join him, leaning against the front of the car with your arms folded.

“This is an incredibly difficult thing she’s dealing with.” You didn’t know how else to start a conversation with the boy so you just let out your thoughts.

“I’m worried for her.” He responded, voice quiet and his eyes trained to his watch.

“I’m rather proud of her,” You said, finally catching the boy’s attention. His expression is almost angry at the idea, you only let out a little chuckle, “I can tell you now, after what has happened today, I would not be keeping it together as well as she is if this were happening to me.”

“Well you haven’t been through this before like we have.” The tension in his face finally dropped, only slightly but it was enough for him to stop fidgeting. The confusion swapped places, now your eyebrows are furrowing in his place.

“This?” You glanced at Dustin who was busy with a sandwich, he didn’t tell you this has happened before.

“No okay, not this exactly like this but we have been through some weird stuff before.”

“With El?” You asked. He raised his head to face you, truly confused now.

“How do you know about…” He turned to Dustin with a ‘Why would you tell the school nurse?!’. Dustin only took another bite.

“I knew El before you did. My first job was at Hawkins lab and I looked after Eleven amongst other children.” Lucas was truly shocked, he was too worried this whole time to ask why you were still with them, perhaps you already knew about the upside down. There was a moment of silence again.

“Her name is Jane now.” He politely corrected you to which you responded with a growing large smile.

“Jane.” You repeated, testing out the sound of it. The more and more you found out about her new happy life, the more and more all of this felt worth it, “It’ll suit her well.”

“MAX!” Steve yelled, he’d walked up to check on Max a little bit before but now we were all worried. We ran to join him. She was having another episode, her eyes bloodshot and flung back into her head, your heart was pounding in your chest for the safety of this girl in front of you. As much as you hated to admit, you were convinced you may have just seen her final moments alive if her theory was true.

We kept yelling at her, it was all we could do to try to get her to snap back to reality. You barked at Dustin to call Nancy and Robin with the walkie and he immediately ran to your car. You were holding Max by the shoulders to your chest at this point, Lucas with a hand on her knee and Steve closely behind.

“Please. Oh lord please wake up Max.” You’d whimper to her knowing - though currently not on the forefront of your mind - you’ll be in a lot of trouble if this girl doesn’t wake up.

“MAX” “ YOU GOTTA WAKE UP MAX!” “CAN YOU HEAR ME MAX” “MAX”

Dustin ran back to us now, finally dumping all of Max’s tapes and her Walkman in front of us.

“WHAT IS THIS?!” Lucas was clearly not having it with Dustin and you couldn’t blame him.

“SONG? WHAT'S HER FAVOURITE SONG? Robin said if she listens to- It’s too much to explain right now. WHAT’S HER FAVOURITE SONG?!”

The boys scrambled around with the tapes as you placed the headphones on to Max’s head, finally picking up a Kate bush tape and putting in the player. Now all you could do was wait and pray and keep calling Max in case you get a response.

“Guys…” Your face dropped when you felt Max slipping from your hands… but she was slipping upwards? The boys didn’t hear you, they kept yelling out to Max, “GUYS!”

It was at that moment the boys stopped talking, Max had floated out of your arms and into the air. You've never seen anything of the soughts and every muscle in your body tensed.

“Holy fuck.” you mumbled to yourself, finally joining the boys to your feet and calling out for Max. You kept your arms out at all times, trying to prepare yourself in case she fell at any moment. But she kept going and going and,

“MAX PLEASE!” The group of you kept yelling for her. You’d had enough and let out the loudest scream, reminiscent of a time you’d rather forget. You couldn’t lose another child in your care, you just couldn’t.

She fell. Sinclair caught her in a tight hug. We surrounded her as she freaked out and tried to clean herself and calm down from all the shock and adrenaline.

“I thought we lost you.” Lucas cried to her.

“I’m still here, I’m still here.” You felt yourself wiping a tear from your eyes, placing a comforting hand on Max and Lucas in front of you.

You took the kids back to your house, it was the least you could do at this point - and you sure as hell weren’t going to spend a night in the Wheeler’s basement where they originally wanted to go. You’d set Max up in the guest bedroom for some privacy. With the door open, you could just peek through from the living room so Steve, Dustin and Lucas took turns watching her from a distance over the night. You welcomed Robin and Nancy to sleep in the master if they need sleep at any time and you set yourself up in your office where you spent the night quietly sobbing yourself to sleep. Since opening up about Peter again after such a long time and going through these bizarre and terrifying events, you just needed some time alone to process what was happening. You never wanted to get caught up in the business of that lab again but you also can’t leave these children to face things alone now.

After a couple hours of sleep, you decided to make breakfast for these kids. Again the least you could do is actually feed them. At about 5 in the morning, before the sun had risen, you got yourself dressed, cleaned your face and fixed your makeup and hair. You figured if there was a possibility you were going to be found dead sometime today, at least you’ll look good. Also the usual routine and smell of it all took you out of the whole crazy situation for a couple minutes, finding comfort in the simple mundaneness of it all.

You walked past the boys fast asleep in the lounge and met Max who was already sitting at your kitchen dining table. She had paper and coloured pencils sprawled out all over the table.

“I found some pencils, I hope you don’t mind.” She pulled one headphone off her ear as you passed her to your fringe.

“Absolutely Max, I don’t use them anyway. There should even be more paper in that drawer over there if you need it.” You pointed off behind you as you assessed what you had. Luckily you do your grocery shopping Friday evenings after work. You finish early when the school gathers for a pep rally before a game. The perfect time to shop while everyone is busy.

You began to cook breakfast, making a pancake batter and even chopping some veggies for little omelettes. You were the school nurse afterall, you would make these kids eat something good at least. The smell was a little intoxicating after the long almost sleepless night and your stomach growled. You filled a small plate for Max and sat it down next to her on the table, being sure to miss all the sheets of paper. She quietly thanked you and a moment of silence passed before she spoke what was on her mind.

“I think he let me go.” You stopped what you were doing and turned to hear her better.

“What was that?” Leaving your station, you walked to sit next to her at the round table. She was interrupted before she could explain further.

“MAX?!” It was Nancy's voice coming through the hall.

“Oh what’s that smell?” It was Dustin’s following behind hers until they appeared. Nancy gave a sigh of relief when she spotted Max at the table.

“Everything alright?”

“Yeah, yeah.” She sounded almost out of breath.

“Something’s burning.” Dustin said, sitting down and starting to pick at Max’s breakfast plate.

“Oh!” You ran up from your seat to the stove to which Nancy took your place at the table. You provided more plates of food for them as they spoke. You listened while you began to prepare more snack food for the day to come.

“Is this what you saw last night?” Nancy asked, picking up a piece of paper.

“I mean, it’s supposed to be. I thought it’d be easier to draw it out than to explain it but… not so much.” Max explained, tiredness clearly in her voice, she took a sip of water as Nancy brought forward another piece of paper, “It was like they were on display or something. And then there was this red fog everywhere… It was like a dream. A nightmare.”

Dustin had gotten up from his seat with the plate to investigate further and returned to the table with a cup of orange juice now as well.

“Do you think Vecna’s just trying to scare you?” Nancy asked.

“With Billy? Yeah. But when I made it here… I don’t know, something was different. He seemed surprised, almost. Like he didn’t want me there. And then he heard you guys scream and it was like he just let me go.”

“Maybe you infiltrated his mind.” Dustin said, now situated at the table, “He invaded your mind, right? Is it that big of a leap to suggest you somehow wound up in his? Like Freddy Krueger’s boiler room! Just think about it. What if you somehow unlocked a backdoor to Vecna’s world? Maybe the answer we’re looking for is somewhere in this incredibly vague drawing.”

Nancy turned to the kids as they bickered further, Nancy catching your attention as she folded the paper and brought it all together.

“It’s pieces of a house.” Max said, you were behind her chair now looking on.

“Yea but not just any house. It’s Victor Creel’s house.”

Nancy woke everyone up explaining about the Creel house and where it was. You gathered your things into a bag including first aid supplies, snacks and what nots. You advised the kids to use your extra hygienic supplies stashed in the guest room including toothbrushes and deodorants before they left.

You were waiting by your car, making sure everything was in order and letting it warm up before the kids came out ready to go. Robin was the first to meet you out the front.

“Damn, even in a crisis, your hair is perfect?” She whispered to herself, you heard it but pretended you hadn’t. That still didn’t stop the smile growing on your face. One by one the rest of them started to file out and find what seat they were going to sit in. Nancy sat in the front with you so she could guide you. And soon enough you reached this run down blue house in the middle of nowhere.

Read also at AO3

Law blinked slowly, taking a long, sluggish moment to register the familiar metal ceiling of the Polar Tang’s infirmary, as consciousness returned. As the world took shape around him once more, he recognized sounds and smells that he knew like the back of his tattooed hands.

He inhaled and then assessed his condition; his entire body felt weighed down by a bone-deep exhaustion that only came from overusing his fruit, and his chest ached—scratch that, it burned—with every breath. He glanced down to see crisp white bandages enveloping his chest, and he exhaled shakily with a pained grimace as he remembered Doflamingo’s Fulbright impaling him. Right.

The exhaustion he felt was so profound that he was tempted to let it pull him back under; his eyes blinked heavily, but a familiar voice pulled him back to the waking world.

“Captain?”

Law grudgingly turned his head to see Bepo hurrying over to his side from whatever he’d been doing across the room. Law opened his mouth to reply but only managed a cough—which, in turn, jarred his chest, and he winced at the jolt of pain that went through him.

Bepo hurried back to the sink and filled a glass with water before returning to Law’s bedside. Law tried to reach for the glass, but his hands shook badly enough that he was forced to let Bepo help him sip until the disuse was washed from his throat. Once Law nodded that he’d had enough, Bepo put the glass down on the bedside table and pulled a chair up to Law’s side.

“How long?” Law asked once Bepo had settled himself.

“You’ve been out for three days,” the Mink replied.

Law’s eyes widened. “Three days?”

Bepo nodded, his expression going distant. “After the fight, your body kind of just… shut down. We got you back to the Tang, but your… Your heart stopped beating,” Bepo said shakily. “Using your awakening when you weren’t recovered put too much strain on it. And one of your lungs was punctured.” The Mink’s voice dropped to a near whisper. “You could have drowned in your own blood, Law.”

Law blinked at his friend. “I…”

But Bepo rallied and added, “Thankfully, Doctor Chopper arrived just as we were getting you to the ship, and he helped stabilize you. He’s been checking in on you. Everyone has.”

“I’ll have to thank Tony-ya,” Law murmured absently, turning over what he’d learned.

“Captain, this was…” Bepo shook his head. “We almost lost you right after we got you back.” Bepo’s voice cracked, and something behind Law’s breast twinged.

“Bepo—”

“I’m just glad you’re here now,” Bepo said, bottom lip trembling.

Law raised a shaky hand toward his friend, and the Mink’s fuzzy paw enveloped it immediately, squeezing lightly and helping ground Law in the moment.

“Me too,” Law said honestly. He’d been completely isolated in his captivity, forced to rely entirely on his captor for human connection—and Law did not doubt that was intentional.

But even before that, he’d isolated himself; he held himself apart from his crew as he plotted his revenge for more than a decade. When he’d split from them at Punk Hazard, he knew the likelihood was small that he would see them again. It had been a calculated risk that he had been more than willing to take at the time.

Then the Straw Hats burst into his life and, in the span of a week, changed everything. But despite the joy of reuniting with his crew at Zou, they’d gone right to Wano and immediately fallen into their roles to prepare to take on an Emperor—and Law had been taken shortly after Kaido’s fall. There had been almost no time to appreciate being with his nakama or to think about the future.

Speaking of…

“What happened to Doflamingo?” Law asked around a yawn. He could feel his eyes growing heavy once more as his body demanded more rest.

“He’s locked up in a cell in the palace. I think Jean Bart and Zoro are guarding him right now. We’ve had a rotation.”

Law nodded tiredly, feeling his eyes drift shut as something loosened in his chest with relief. He thought Bepo might have continued speaking, but the words were lost as he let himself slip back into the darkness.

-----

Sleep receded, and Law opened his eyes, blinking up at the infirmary ceiling once more. He was drowsily wondering how long he’d been asleep for this time when a familiar face entered his vision.

“Is Torao awake?” Luffy asked, blinking down at Law.

Law merely grunted in response, but Luffy grinned before moving out of Law’s sightline. Law followed Luffy’s movements with his eyes as the younger captain settled into the chair at Law’s bedside.

“What are you doing here, Straw Hat-ya?” Law asked, suddenly reminded of waking up from a nightmare in Luffy’s comforting embrace. He felt his cheeks warm and cleared his throat in a feeble attempt to banish the embarrassment.

“Hm?” Luffy asked, seeming unaware of Law’s reaction. “Oh, the bear said you woke up earlier, so I wanted to see you.” He pulled a face. “It’s been days, Torao.”

Law huffed a small laugh. “So Bepo told me.”

“Chopper said you were hurt pretty bad,” Luffy added, his tone becoming more serious, and he studied Law with one of those disconcertingly attentive looks of his. Law efforted not to squirm. After a moment, though, the spell was broken, and Luffy grinned again. “I’m glad you’re doing better.”

Law opened his mouth to reply, but he paused when Bepo peeked through the doorway. “Straw Hat, they’re here—” he started before he noticed Law. His features lit up, and he stepped fully into the infirmary. “Oh, Captain! You’re awake!”

“Who’s here, Bepo?”

Bepo’s ears wilted, and he glanced to the side. “About that—”

Law’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Bepo.”

“It’s Smokey and the old gambler,” Luffy piped up. “They’re here for Mingo.”

A pang of alarm went through Law at that, and he made to sit up, but his body spasmed painfully in response. He fell back into his pillows breathlessly. Bepo chewed nervously on his bottom lip while Luffy made a worried sound and stepped toward Law’s bedside. Law waved him off as he got his breathing back under control.

“You know what happened last time,” Law finally managed to grit out. “The Marines let him go.”

Bepo’s ears flattened against his head. “I’m sorry.”

Law immediately felt a pang of guilt at taking his worry out on his best friend. He sighed and held out a hand, which Bepo recognized as an invitation. Luffy stepped aside as Bepo made his way to Law’s side. Law patted the fur on Bepo’s cheek in apology, and the Mink leaned into the touch appreciatively.

“Fujitora said the Gorosei’s orders to leave Doflamingo alone have been rescinded,” Bepo explained. “They wanted him back in custody after the news about you came out.”

Law’s arm dropped from Bepo’s face, his arm starting to shake with exertion, and considered this. In that case, it seemed that revealing himself had been the right idea after all. He gave a curt nod, and Bepo let out a relieved sigh.

“I want to be there,” Law said.

Bepo’s eyes widened as he glanced at the various machines around Law’s bed. “But Captain—”

“Bepo,” Law said, softening his tone a bit. “I need to be there.” There was no way he would miss Doflamingo being taken into custody—for real this time.

“Okay,” Bepo replied quietly, clearly recognizing the truth in Law’s words—he’d been with Law the longest, after all—and set to unhooking the various leads connected to Law. Once the final lead was unhooked, Law tried to sit up but pulled up short as the world around him started to spin. He squeezed his eyes shut to ride out the dizziness.

Bepo tsked disapprovingly as he pulled Law up into his arms. “Idiot captain,” the Mink muttered fondly.

Law snorted as he felt himself being lifted from the bed. He opened his eyes and was met with a sea of white. Bepo’s fur. He blinked the fluff from his eyes and shifted to see Luffy standing on the other side the bed, a look Law couldn’t quite place on his face. The expression shifted into a smile as he met Law’s gaze.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Luffy said before slinging himself toward the door.

Law rolled his eyes as Bepo sighed and followed the echoing sound of Luffy’s laughter down the halls of the Tang at a more deliberate pace, considering Law’s wounds.

When they emerged onto the Tang’s deck in Luffy’s wake, there were calls of greeting from his crew, but Law only had eyes for the large Marine ship that had docked next to the two pirate ships. There was something about seeing a Marine ship on the shores of a country whose population they’d help wipe out that made Law’s skin crawl. But, he supposed as Bepo helped him sit on upturned crate at the Tang’s bow, it was a necessary evil as neither the Hearts nor the Straw Hats had the means to hold Doflamingo long-term.

It wasn’t something Law had ever considered; he’d always intended to kill Doflamingo—and likely die alongside him—so he’d never thought about needing more than the Tang’s basic brig (which mostly doubled as storage). After Dressrosa, Law had thought the choice taken from him entirely, but when afforded the chance himself…

He shook his head to clear the thought. There was no point in second-guessing himself now. He’d made the decision that felt right at the time, and he would live with the consequences.

Law started as he felt something drape over his shoulders but sighed in relief when he recognized his captain’s cloak wrapping around him. He gripped the fabric and drew it tighter around himself as he realized he was, in fact, a bit chilly with only bandages keeping his chest warm.

“Thanks,” he murmured to Shachi, who offered a cheeky salute in response.

“Torao, you shouldn’t be out of bed!” Chopper called as he switched forms to jump from the Sunny’s deck, where he’d been standing with the other Straw Hats, to the Tang’s before turning back to his regular form. He hurried over to Law, pulling out a stethoscope.

“Tony-ya…” Law’s protest was cut off by the small doctor checking his vitals while Luffy, who had moved out of Chopper’s way, chuckled.

“Shishishi, there’s no stopping Chopper in doctor mode, Torao.”

Law rolled his eyes in response but didn’t argue as Chopper continued checking him over. He answered the reindeer’s questions and let him poke and prod him until he was satisfied Law wasn’t going to keel over on the spot.

“But you need to keep resting after this,” Chopper said, gesturing meaningfully with a hoof. “Your heart…” he trailed off.

“Thank you, Tony-ya,” Law said, meaning it.

Chopper blushed. “T-that doesn’t make me happy, you asshole!”

“Trafalgar! Straw Hat!”

Luffy’s laughter at his little doctor’s reaction was cut off by the growled yell of their names. The captains shared a glance before peering over the Tang’s railing. Fujitora and Smoker stood on the dock next to the Marine ship. Smoker radiated tension, chewing on his cigars like they had personally offended him, while Fujitora stood loosely at his side, deceptive in his nonchalance.

Luffy waved. “Thanks for coming, Smokey!”

Smoker scrubbed a hand over his face, clearly ready to be anywhere but in the presence of two pirate crews. “Don’t act like we’re friends, Straw Hat. You’re still pirates,” he said, practically spitting the last word.

“Aw, don’t be like that,” Luffy pouted.

“Trafalgar Law.”

Law started and turned toward Fujitora. The admiral had turned his sightless gaze in Law’s direction, and not for the first time, Law felt like the man was seeing him despite being blind.

“Admiral,” Law said carefully. While he knew what the others had told him about Smoker and Fujitora making a deal with the crews to stop Doflamingo and rescue Law, he remained wary.

Fujitora suddenly bowed in Law’s direction, and Law’s breath caught in surprise.

“What are you doing?” he hissed. He knew all about what the man had done on Dressrosa, of course, but bowing to an ousted ruler was one thing. Why was a Marine admiral bowing to a pirate?

“I am sorry the Heavenly Demon was allowed to leave his imprisonment,” Fujitora said. “He did not belong out in the world after his arrest on Dressrosa, and you did not deserve what he did to you.”

Law stiffened, and he balled his hands into fists. He knows, Law thought painfully. Smoker knows. They all fucking know what he did for all those months… The very idea made him ill.

He hadn’t considered—or perhaps hadn’t wanted to consider—that anyone outside of the two crews and Doflamingo’s people might know what had happened to him for all those months. But now on top of Law’s history, Law’s status as Doflamingo’s toy—his test subject and his whore—would be known.

“Why are you apologizing to me?” Law finally grated out in response. Anger had always been a favorite defense mechanism of his. “I’m just a pirate, right?”

“A pirate,” Fujitora agreed, unoffended. “But also a man. One who, I dare say, has seen more than his share of horrors.”

Law flinched back, his reaction immediate and uncontrolled. “Don’t—” he choked out weakly, but Fujitora kept talking.

“Every man deserves justice, Trafalgar Law. And what has happened to you was not justice.” Fujitora’s careful phrasing made it clear he meant more than just Law’s captivity. “For whatever it is worth, I assure you that we will not be letting the Heavenly Demon out again.”

“The pink bastard’s lost his protection from the Gorosei,” Smoker added around his cigars. “He’s going into the deepest pit we can find in Impel Down to rot.”

“Is that what you think, Smoker?”

Law, still shaken by Fujitora’s words, recoiled at the new voice. When he looked up, he saw Doflamingo being wheeled in a wheelchair toward the docks. The former Warlord had a cast on the leg that had broken when he’d fallen from the sky. An unfortunate Marine had the duty of pushing the chair while Jean Bart, Zoro, Tashigi, and a small battalion of other Marines flanked the prisoner as an escort. Doflamingo was thoroughly wrapped in Seastone, including the very Seastone collar he’d tried to snap around Law’s neck.

Law felt a spike of vindictive pleasure at that. Served the son of a bitch right.

“That’s exactly what I think,” Smoker snapped in response.

The procession stopped in front of the two Marines on the dock, but besides a smirk for the fuming Smoker, Doflamingo held little interest in them. Instead, he turned his head to peer up at the deck of the Polar Tang. Law felt Doflamingo’s gaze hit him like a physical blow.

Enough.

Refusing to be cowed by this man any longer, Law grabbed onto the railing with both hands and pulled himself shakily to his feet. His legs trembled with the effort of holding him up, but he willed himself upright. He needed to stand in the face of the man who’d done his damndest to tear him down. As he met Doflamingo’s gaze, he lifted his chin defiantly.

Doflamingo’s expression was unreadable for a long moment until he broke into a rather unhinged grin. “I told you to finish the job this time. Your heart will be the death of you, little bird.”

Law’s grip on the railing tightened as he shook his head. “My heart is my strength. Thanks to Cora-san.”

Doflamingo’s expression went blank for the briefest moments before the grin returned, and he chuckled. “Fufufu.” Tashigi snapped something at the Marine behind the wheelchair, and he started pushing the chair again. But the movement didn’t deter Doflamingo. “See you soon, Law,” he called as he was wheeled away.

It wasn’t until Doflamingo was wheeled aboard the ship that Law allowed his legs to give out, and he dropped back to the crate he’d been sitting on. Bepo fussed at Law, but Law just waved him off. He, along with the Hearts and Straw Hats, watched silently as the Marines finished their preparations to take their prisoner to Impel Down.

“Law.”

Law started at the break in the quiet and peered down at the dock once more to see Smoker looking up at him. “What, White Chase-ya?”

Smoker tossed something in his direction, and Law caught it on instinct. It was a rolled-up piece of paper. “Seems you caught the government’s attention with your stunt in the paper. Watch your back.”

Law raised an eyebrow. “Is that a threat?”

“Call it a friendly warning,” Smoker said before turning his back and boarding the Marine ship.

Law snorted—he supposed that did pass for friendly when it came to Smoker—before unrolling the paper. His eyes widened as he registered what he was looking at: a new bounty poster. After Wano, his bounty had been 3 billion berries alongside Luffy’s and Eustass’s.

“Four point three billion,” Bepo read in shock. “Captaiiiiiiin.”

“Wow, Torao!” Luffy whistled, looking at the poster over Law’s shoulder. “That’s even higher than mine!” He grinned. “Shishishi, I’m going to have to catch up.”

Law stared at the new poster, now with his full name emblazoned on it, and wondered what his parents would think. What Cora-san would think. All this fuss over an initial that Law still didn’t understand…

Hey Cora-san, I’ve made up my mind. I want to know the meaning of this checkered fate.

Now… Now, Law supposed, he could continue the search that had started all those months ago in Wano.

Penguin came up and pulled the poster from Law’s loosening grip, turning to show it off to the other Hearts on the deck. They made celebratory noises, much like they had after hearing about Law’s bounty after Wano. He felt his lips twitch in amusement—and more than a little embarrassment—at their pride.

As he watched the Marine ship pull from the harbor and sail off into the setting sun, Law’s nightmare locked away below deck hopefully to never see the light of day again, Law suddenly felt drained. Merely holding himself upright seemed a herculean task, and he felt himself sagging, until a familiar pair of fluffy arms wrapped around him. Law blinked up tiredly at Bepo.

“You should rest, Captain,” the Mink said.

Law merely nodded and pulled his cloak more tightly around him. His body was making its demands clear after Law had pushed it past its limits.

“Wait!” Law and Bepo both looked over in surprise at Luffy. The younger captain held his arms out. “Let me take him.”

“Straw Hat—” Bepo started worriedly, but Law interrupted him.

“It’s okay, Bepo.”

Bepo frowned, clearly not liking the idea, but when Law raised an eyebrow, he relented with a put-upon sigh. He deposited Law in Luffy’s arms, and the younger captain took Law’s weight easily.

“Be careful with him, Straw Hat!” Bepo admonished.

“Shishishi, of course!” Luffy replied before launching himself and Law onto the Sunny’s deck. Law, reminded of his time being carted around Dressrosa like a sack of potatoes, just gave a resigned sigh and turned his head into Luffy’s chest as they moved.

“That’s not being careful!” Bepo called exasperatedly after him.

Law could feel Luffy’s answering laugh vibrating through his chest. When they landed on the deck of the Sunny, Luffy immediately started walking toward the bow of the ship.

“Where are we going?” Law asked, glancing at the Straw Hats giving them a surprisingly respectful amount of space.

“To Sunny’s best place,” Luffy replied without breaking stride.

With a bit of maneuvering, they both ended up settled on Sunny’s figurehead, shoulders brushing in their proximity. Law leaned back against the mane and let himself look over the view of the setting sun spilling watercolors onto the ocean surface. It was beautiful, but Law still felt his eyes drooping shut.

“Hey, Torao,” Luffy said after several quiet moments. Law blinked his eyes open and hummed questioningly in response. “You let Mingo live.”

Law frowned at the unexpected statement, coming a bit more awake. “I did,” he said slowly, not sure where Luffy was going with this.

“Torao was mad when I didn’t kill him in Dressroba.”

“Dressrosa,” Law corrected absently, his mind going back to their argument in Kyros’s cabin while they’d both been recovering from their injuries.

They’d been left alone while others had gone out for food and medical supplies. Luffy had still been in bed while Law sat on the floor with his back against the bed. Law, after gritting out thanks for Luffy defeating Doflamingo when Law couldn’t, had demanded to know why Luffy hadn’t killed the former Warlord.

“It’s better this way,” Luffy said, which sent a surge of hot anger through Law’s veins. He twisted to look at Luffy, but his wounds protested, and he shut his eyes as a bolt of pain went through him.

“Better how?” he demanded when the pain receded a bit. “He’s killed so many people, ruined so many lives—”

“Like yours?” Luffy interrupted, turning onto his side to look Law straight in the eye. There was an intensity in his gaze that set Law’s teeth on edge. “And Cora-san’s?”

“Yes,” Law gritted out, anger still flowing beneath his skin. “He deserves to pay for what he’s done.”

“He’s going to,” Luffy replied simply. “He’s not a Warlord anymore. He’s not a king anymore. And he gets to be locked away knowing he doesn’t have any of it anymore.” Luffy paused for a moment then added, “And he doesn’t have Torao anymore either.”

That brought Law up short. “What?”

“Mingo wanted Torao to be like him, right?” Luffy asked. Law nodded, his throat suddenly tight. “If you’d killed Mingo, you’d be doing what Mingo wanted you to do. You’d be like Mingo, but Torao isn’t like Mingo.” Luffy poked at Law’s shoulder. “Torao is good.”

“You were going to let me kill him,” Law pointed out, rubbing the spot Luffy had poked absently. “With Gamma Knife.”

Luffy nodded, rolling onto his back again. He looked up at the ceiling as he said, “Because I thought that’s what Torao wanted.”

“It was—” Law snarled.

But Luffy kept talking. “But Torao wouldn’t have been free.”

Law felt like Luffy had slapped him in the face. “What?”

“Being like Mingo always would have haunted you,” Luffy replied, shrugging and turning his head to look at Law.

Law’s mouth worked for several moments before he swallowed and turned away from Luffy’s uncomfortably knowing look. “He’s going to haunt me now that he can escape at any time,” he muttered, but Luffy just chuckled.

“Then we’ll kick his ass again!”

“I was,” Law agreed.

“You were right,” Luffy said. Law frowned, but Luffy kept going. “Mingo got out and took you. He hurt you. If I’d—”

“You were right, Straw Hat-ya.” Luffy cut himself off and gave Law the most surprised look that Law couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips. “You were right that killing him is what he wanted. It’s not what Cora-san would have wanted—for him or for me.”

Luffy made an encouraging sound.

“Cora-san died so I could live,” Law said, dropping his head back against Sunny’s mane and looking out over the water. The sky was darkening as the final rays of sun spilled over the horizon and the first stars were starting to spark to life. “But what I was doing wasn’t living. Not really. I realized as I stood over Doflamingo that the only way I could truly be free like Cora-san wanted was to let the past go. Killing Doflamingo would have done the opposite.”

Law doubted he’d ever be able to let Doflamingo go entirely—the man he was today was far too influenced by the man—but a good first step was releasing the man’s insidious hold on his heart. Maybe now he could finally, after all these years, start living the type of life Cora-san had wanted for him all along.

“Torao.”

Law started, pulled from his thoughts, and turned to see Luffy’s face suddenly very close to his. His breath caught in his throat as Luffy slowly lifted a hand to Law’s face. He moved slowly, and when Law didn’t make any move to pull away, he cupped Law’s cheek, his touch soft like Law was something precious. Law briefly felt lost at the gentleness.

“Is it okay if I kiss you?” Luffy murmured.

“Yes,” Law whispered, and his eyes fluttered closed as Luffy’s lips found his.

Luffy’s lips were soft with a lingering sweetness from lunch, and Law’s skin felt charged everywhere it met Luffy’s. The kiss was hesitant at first, but then Luffy gained more confidence and deepened it. Law’s stomach swooped, reminding him a bit of the sensation of Shambles, before he responded in kind. And then Luffy pulled back, resting his forehead against Law’s, while Law let out a shaky huff of laughter.

“Torao?”

Law opened his eyes to find Luffy looking at him curiously, but all Law could think is that Luffy’s eyelashes were longer than he thought. How strange.

Law shook his head lightly, forehead still touching Luffy’s. “It’s nothing.”

“Are you su—”

“It was perfect.”

Luffy’s concern morphed into something much brighter. “Shishishi. Hey Torao, can I kiss you again?”

Instead of answering, Law reached out for Luffy’s collar and pulled him into another kiss. Luffy grinned against Law’s lips, and Law felt his own lips turn up in response.

Once they broke apart, Luffy rearranged them so Law was curled up against his side, his head resting on Luffy’s shoulder. Luffy curled an arm around Law’s shoulders, and Law entwined his own fingers with Luffy’s. In the background, Law could make out the sounds of their crews preparing for dinner while next to him, Luffy hummed happily. The familiar sounds of his nakama, his allies, and his… whatever Luffy had become settled something deep in Law’s chest.

Hey Cora, he found himself thinking as he settled more comfortably against Luffy. There was a bang in the distance and some responding shouts, and Luffy chuckled at the antics of their crews next to Law. I think I finally understand what you wanted for me.

I think I finally understand what you meant by freedom.

#This is the last full chapter y'all #the next one will be an epilogue #I can't believe it's almost done #Trafalgar Law #Monkey D. Luffy #Lawlu #One Piece #One Piece fic #One Piece fanfiction #Caitlin's fic

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valandhirwriter · 5 days

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Lost scenes/Fics Game!

@tigerlyla-of-metinna, @regis-favorite-raven, @do-androids-dream-ao3acc, @andordean, @ginstermoff, @lohrendrell, @tumbleweedtech, @round--robin.

We all probably have them, those scenes that never made the story, the stories that never went anywhere, all those small and larger bits of love we wrote and still hoard on out hard drives. So now - let's share!

The Rules are simple: 1. Share a piece of fic that you cut out for some reason, or a piece of a fic, that you began and never continued, some lost piece of your writing, be it long or short, prose or verse. Unfinished Art and Illustrations are also welcome.

2. Tag five or more people or about everyone where you are curious for them to share a piece of their writing. Specific questions are welcome, but don't need to be adhered to.

3. Be kind. Let's spread positivity. Show support for your fellow artists and writers. Laughing along is great, mocking is not welcome.

4. Tagging someone back is totally fine, if the person doesn't want to share anything else, or anything at all for that matter, that's fine too.

And as it was my stupid idea, I'll open it with a piece of Bear-Witcher goodness, meant to introduce the secret new Bear Hideout, in a story that went a totally different way ultimately.

If anyone had told Ivo that there was a place even colder than Haern Cadurch, he would have told them to go and howl his woes to some Griffin, they had to be good for something, did they? But Solyóm Vár was exactly that: cold. Situated in the Northern Kestel Mountains the cold was fierce and intense. It was only October and the world outside had sunken under snow and ice. Ivo would not have come up to the tall Watchtower, had not Ravin, their lookout, reported that someone was still making it up the pass. Holtak Utja was an ascent that put the vaunted Killer of the old Wolf fortress to shame and should not be risked in this weather. But someone was trudging up the slopes.

Ivo squinted to see more, he could barely make out the figure in the heavy snowfall. Blast it, it could not be a coincidence. When they had vacated Haern Cadurch many years ago, vanishing into the night, they had left the world to believe, that they just had split up, not caring what happened to anyone. Instead, they had slipped north, towards the castle that Arnaghad had considered from the start, and only not made use of early on, because of the relative closeness to Morgraig. By now, with all Witcher schools razed off the ground, raided, raped and destroyed, the Bears actively encouraged the illusion that nothing of them was left, except a few antisocial loners, who walked the world, caring less about anyone around them. They usually even sent one or two of theirs to winter in Kaer Morhen, so the old Wolf would not get smart and ask questions.

Anyone who risked Solyóm Vár pass at this time of the year and in this weather must have a reason, and the only reason there could be was someone knew they were here. Not a good thing. “Could be someone who escaped the eruption,” A deep voice stated beside him, as a huge man ducked under the roof of the Watchtower. Axios had come up to join him. “That Volcano has a lot of people scrambling for shelter, might push a few even onto our doorstep.”

The Eruption had been felt, Ivo would agree, the western dragon mountains were the worst affected, even Solyóm Vár had felt a few tremors. “I doubt even people fleeing would come up here,” he replied. The fortress was ancient, even the elves had only found it and abandoned it soon enough. Tarach Vyar, Garden of the Dead, it was called in Elder. If someone found them - other than by accident - it would be worrying. They had managed to hide their school for decades now, and Ivo had no intend to change it.

Again he peered through the veil of falling snow, there also was a measure of ash on the wind. The man down there had made it round the steepest bend and climbed upwards vigorously, now and then resting and leaning on his left side. A posture Ivo recognized. “Damn, that’s Arnaghad,” he growled. “And if he is going that slow, he is injured,”

“He said he wouldn’t be here this winter,” Axios rumbled, his deep voice betraying more worry than Arnaghad would let them get away with, could he hear.

They both had read the same letter, but it seemed things had changed. “The eruption could have cost him his winter hideout.” Ivo descended the tower’s stairs swiftly, “or he moved, ere he could be accused of witchcraft and be blamed for the volcano.”

Axios had followed him down to the main yard of the castle. “You want to get him?” he asked, there was no disapproval in his voice, nor approval either. Bears were survivors, and they relied on themselves to get them out of shit. It did not mean they did not help each other.

Ivo had already whistled for one of the younger bears to bring him a coil of solid ropes. “You stay up here, I might need you on this,” he said, as the narrow dark gate of Solyóm Vár opened.

He slung the rope through the steel ring in the wall and went. Right before the gate was the worst part of the climb: a steep frozen ascent that was murder, even in high summer. Now with snow drifting through the air and fell wind driving at him, Ivo need all of his preternatural balance and strength to not be simply thrown off the track. It took him only a few breaths, to notice it - there was ash in the air. Fine grey flakes dancing down with the snow, mingling and mixing, forming a grey sheen of sleet on the ground, making walking all the harder. Ivo skidded down parts of the climb, cursing, steadying himself against a rock and on he went.

Arnaghad came up, trudging towards, him, he moved slowly, like every step took more willpower than the one before. He was wrapped head to toe in furs and clothes, trying to stave off the icy wind. “What’re you doing here?” he growled at Ivo.

“Getting you home,” Ivo replied, he knew his reputation as a hard bastard had been taking a dent lately, but who cared? Wordlessly he handed Arnaghad the rope, helping it to secure it. Even that short contact alerted Ivo to how much dirt, ash and caked mud covered Arnaghad’s armor. Whatever had happened to him? He did not ask, that would have to wait until they were up in the castle.

The climb back was brutal, in spite of being short. They had to fight for every step up towards the gate, and even with Ivo’s help Arnaghad barely made it halfway up, where Axios found them. With his help they made it to the courtyard, the gate closing behind them. Ivo was glad that Axios read the situation much like he did and helped him to guide Arnaghad inside the main building. Inside the stone halls were illuminated by slightly eerie lamps cut from smoke crystal. None of the Witchers knew how those lamps worked, except that some underground gas was fed into the crystal to achieve luminescence. Their dim light was more than bright enough for the witchers.

In their pale shimmer Ivo truly saw Arnaghad, he was leaning against a wall, his entire body was dirty. Caked blood and mud, ash and a sheen of frozen snow and ice formed a kind of second skin, it did not need a guess to see that Arnaghad was exhausted. “Good mother of the forests,” Ivo growled, “what happened to you? No, don’t say. Let’s get you down to the baths, and let me check you over. Axios - run ahead, and find some clean things for him.”

Ivo put all the authority he had behind those words. He usually was in command when Arnaghad was not here, but ordering the old bear around was always a dangerous endeavour. But the big man did not even respond, he allowed Ivo to grab his arm, drape it over Ivo’s shoulder and slowly walked, leaning on him.

The baths of the castle were down in the belly of the castle. The Gnome’s who had built this place - according to some scholars - had left surprisingly large baths. The stone tubs were lowered into the ground and each was linked to a constant stream of cool water which was in turn drained at the other end of each tub. For some reason there was no warm water - maybe Gnomes disliked it - but the Witchers made use of their own magic to heat the water to a point of comfort.

Ivo helped Arnaghad sit down on one of the stone benches that lined the hall, to help him get out of the armour and slowly dismantle the outer shell of cloak, fur, snow and ash, that was wrapped around his body. It helped somewhat - Arnaghad’s skin was also caked over with mud, blood and ash, there was no part of his body that seemed to have escaped that dirt, snow and sweat had helped it to bake together. “Gods above, what did you roll in?” Ivo grumbled and cast a sharp igni at the tub to heat it up. “Into the water with you, the warmth will do you good.”

Arnaghad sank into the huge basin, black traces rising from his skin almost at once. He leaned back against the side of the tub, leaning on his arms and exhaled deeply. “Lindworm pit,” he rasped, “the volcano broke one open. Six of them, plus the brood mother.”

Axios pushed a small basket towards Ivo, it held several huge tree sponges, and an assortment of bottles and soap. He arched an eyebrow, that wordlessly asked whether Ivo needed help. Ivo shook his head, as he shrugged off his tunic, and easily slipped into the water beside Arnaghad, grabbing one soft rag to start the washing process. “A lindworm pit with a brood-mother?” he asked trying to assess the situation. “We haven’t seen one of those in how long?”

“Two-hundred-and-sixty-one years, the red brood-mother on Skellige,” Arnaghad replied, he had his eyes half closed and barely reacted to Ivo, as he swiped the soft rag over Arnaghad’s skin, prying lose an entire layer of dirt and blood. “This one was black, huge beast, and her worms were bad news. Had it all - tar pits, acid pools, did I mention huge…? Hungry too.”

Six plus a brood-mother… that was bad news indeed. “We’ll need a hunting group,” Ivo said, the water was getting grey, and was luckily washed away, as fresh water was pressed into the basin. He cast another igni, to heat the water up again. “No less than six people, eight would be better.”

“No need,” Arnaghad blinked at him, slowly coming out of his stupor. “You don’t have to wash me,” he growled, trying to sit up. “And no hunt.”

Ivo ignored the growl. Arnaghad needed help, he could see that and a bit of care had not harmed any tired bear as of yet. “Lean back and relax,” he said, tossing the rag out and going for another one. Arnagahd must truly have rolled in the worst shit. “And why no hunting party? We cannot have those beasts for neighbours. Or do you think we’ll nilfgaard’s forces up here soon? Then we might just leave them to it.” The Lindworms would probably eradicate a few regiments and drive the price for their removal up.

“They are dead,” Arnaghad rumbled, he pushed away from the edge of the basin, leaned back and dunked is hair into the water, releasing a huge stream of black dirt. “All dead, brood-mother too.”

“You went after six worms and the brood mother?” Ivo couldn’t help, he almost shouted. “Arnarghad, have you utterly and completely lost your mind?!”

“Didn’t mean to,” Arnaghad replied, dunking his hair in again, before allowing Ivo to nudge him again to sit, and relax. “Birdie had already jumped in, when the worms attacked the refugees from Elos Exar. Had two worms down and the third one almost when the ground gave in and the brood caves opened. He was already injured and still dishing out punishment, but he could not have lasted against them all. So I jumped in. Killed the worms first, then took down the brood-mother.”

Ivo and Axios exchanged an almost panicked glance. They both could translate the name ‘birdie’ easily enough. Erland. “I had no clue he was still alive,” Ivo said carefully, and untruthfully. “If you saved his sorry hide, where is he? Might be a good chance to… y’know?... work out your differences.”

He knew he was on dangerous grounds now. Arnaghad was very complicated when it came to a certain Griffin. “No,” Arnaghad rumbled. “Leave the past to die. He’s moved on. He has the little Griffin now, no need to dredge up the past. He was wounded, badly. I couldn’t carry him up here. Hid him in the ridge caves, his healing will repair the worst damage and the little Griffin was close, should find him. He’ll help him… get him through.”

Arnaghad probably did not know it, but there was a softness in his voice when he spoke of them. Ivo closed his eyes, centring himself. Coën was out there, alone in that storm and with who knew what else had been woken by the earthquakes that had followed the eruption.

At the benches Axios rose to his feet, his hands moving through a series of fast signs. I’ll go get them. Both of them? Think we can trust them? The gestures asked.

Ivo nodded, and added a swift Please find them. Just outside of Arnaghad’s eyesight, before placing his right hand against his chest, indicating that this request was important to him.

Axios grinned and headed out, without losing any time. Worry and relief warred inside Ivo. Axios was strong, he had once carried a wounded Arnaghad all the way up here, he could handle one wounded Griffin, but in this weather? He had to hope that it was possible. Coën, please be safe. Ivo thought, before he turned his attention back to Arnaghad. “Let me guess, you rolled in the worm’s tar pit?”

“Was thrown in the first time, then Erland had to use aard to blast it all across the cave.” Arnaghad said with a scoff. “The ashfall did the rest. Now stop fussing, I’ll live.”

“I am not fussing, you are being difficult,” Ivo replied, he could see half-healed injuries that now became visible as the layers of dirt, soot and grime had come off. If Arnaghad were not a witcher, or anything less sturdy than he was, he’d be dead.

Ivo had Arnaghad clean, out of the water and his injuries tended to, when he heard familiar steps approaching. Axios. Could he be back so fast? Cave of ridges was several hours downhill. “Steady, not much further,” he heard Axios’ deep rumbling voice. “Mother of the Earth, I can really claim your grandmaster is a stink, and I’d not be lying, Coën.”

Ivo’s heart skipped a beat, when he heard the name. However Axios had pulled this miracle, he’d be grateful for it. Looking up he saw the huge bear witcher walk in, along with Coën, between them was a third man - just as dirty and exhausted as Arnaghad, supported by both to somehow keep walking.

A deep growl emerged from Arnaghad, as the giant rose to his feet. “Didn’t say invite strangers into our hideout, Axios,” he said, but his voice wasn’t half as hard, as it used to be in the past.

“It was my judgement call, Arnaghad,” Ivo said firmly, squaring his shoulders. “Them dying out there will cause more questions than us taking them in.”

Before they could debate it - and Ivo was willing to stand up to the big bear on this one - Erland collapsed, crashing to his knees, his body finally giving out under the strain. Arnaghad forgot the discussion, Ivo and about everything else as he hurried over, kneeling down beside the exhausted man. “Damn it birdie, your healing should have handled the worst already.” He growled, both hands grabbing Erland’s shoulders to steady him.

“Won’t work, brood-mother poison, you know how that one goes,” Erland rasped, his eyes were glazed over, he was just barely keeping himself from passing out.

“Ivo, get one of those tubs warm, we need to get that grime off, before we can check the injuries,” Arnaghad said, eyes finding Axios. “Go to my quarters, bookshelf - the torn one in green leather, pick it up and bring it to Junod. Somewhere in the middle he will find the recipe for something called Blue Winter Tears, and no matter how weird the brew will sound to him, I need a batch, as fast as he can make it.”

“You still have it?” Erland’s voice was very low when he asked, he had managed to settle on his knees, but his body was shaking with exhaustion.

“‘Course I do,” Arnaghad began to help Erland take the armour off, the metal pieces had been heated by the fire of the lindworms and baked together with the ash and the tar, the burn marks beneath were also drenched with blood and grime in equal measure. “Not like I can find notes on what potions work on you anywhere else.”

Ivo had chosen the lowest tub to heat, still as exhausted as the wounded man was, it would be a risk leaving him alone in the water. He’d probably just collapse and go under. Before he could voice his worries, Arnaghad cast him a sharp glance, before looking to Coën. “Little Griffin?”

“He needs some bath too,” Ivo interjected. “And rest. He doesn’t look much better than you two. So I fuss over him and you can fuss over Erland.” His voice was a bit more forceful than he wanted to, but right now he needed Arnaghad to forget his stupid ideas about Coën.

Tagging: @regis-favorite-raven, @tigerlyla-of-metinna @lohrendrell, @queenofyumcha, @inexplicifics

#Snippet sharing #deleted scenes #lost on the floor #fics never quite started #story sharing #good time

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deasbanker · 22 days

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Weekend treat: try to have a tour of Toyosu Market and revisit the place where I stayed before my study abroad at age 16 on our way to the temple and an aquarium shop in Tsukiji!

4/5/2024（Day3 during the Golden Week）

Having walked from the subway station to Toyosu Fish Market in the blazing sun despite May, my parents and I were already exhausted even before we arrived. However, I found the sky this area grander for some reason and felt refreshed myself. Even though I've lived in Japan since I was born, I had never been to Tsukiji nor Toyosu Fish Markets, which I had been feeling sort of inferior to. That was why I came here. Yet, unfortunately, the market was being closed on the day; I should have confirmed its opening time beforehand. Collecting myself, I decided to explore a newer facility next to the market called Senkyakubanrai（千客万来）, a seafood and hot-spring complex themed Edo period, instead.

After we split up for their lunch at a certain restaurant, I hung around the facility for an hour alone. It was really packed to the brim with people from around the world inside, and every single restaurant including a food court had a huge line; I speculated that most of the people lining up in there had to wait more than an hour. The proximity in terms of space and relationship between customers and shopkeepers did bring about a lively atmosphere like I expected the fish market to throughout this complex. I totally enjoyed that although I didn't eat there.

No sooner had I met up with my parents around noon than we headed over to an area which I had been keen to revisit. This waterfront relies on many bridges, which I regard as one of the charms. Dad and I were pleased with the view from Toyosu Bridge and had fun waving people on deck.

The accommodation above is mostly for training sessions and little known; but I still do remember the few days when I stayed here for the pre-departure orientation in my high school days（almost a decade ago）although that turned out a nightmare. At any rate, it was so satisfactory that I could recall how hard I would exert myself to pursue my dream then and feel the days glorious enough to make me energetic again.

In addition, I asked my folks to accompany me there. This place is a mere mall next to the accommodation, yet also one of my retrospective spots in Tokyo regarding my study abroad. Before heading to the hotel for the orientation, I said farewell to mom at the mall. Once I entered the building, all my fragmented memories as to this were put together, and feelings that I couldn't name were evoked. Compared to the touristy spot I mentioned first, this local shopping place wasn't that prosperous, but I took to the quietness, a mix of a metropolis and a suburb, and its European design including a garden, which I could see a strong commitment by everyone involved through.

Next up, I went to Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple, a Buddhist temple belonging to the Jodo Shinshu, founded by the monk Shinran, located in the heart of Tokyo since 1679, because I was curious about its famous architecture. At the time, the event featuring Tibet was being held.

In place of Toyosu Fish Market, I managed to feel a certain atmosphere and make the best out of a fish market through Tsukiji Outer Market. There seemed chaos in a good way, and all my senses were vigorously activated like catching fishy smell while passing through the streets to the point where I felt like I wasn't in Japan anymore.

After that, we bumped into a kind of religious parade/festival and its participants carrying a mikoshi, a portable mini shrine that houses a god, on our way to an aquarium shop in the neighborhood. Actually, that was my very first time to see a mikoshi in person（side note: according to the official website, the festival was held by Teppozu Inari Shrine）.

Last but not least, I finally arrived at Paupau Aqua Garden（パウパウアクアガーデン）, a large-scale aquarium shop in Ginza. I've been fond of goldfish since I was in high school somehow and tend to be more excited at tropical fish than penguins of some kind in aquariums. Then, I learned several species through its display, such as celestial eye goldfish and humpback grouper. Overall, I think I did experience Toyosu area to the fullest by walking across bridges, looking out to the ocean, feeling the light breeze, smelling fish or monja, and encountering the so-called matsuri.

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another-random-object-show · 7 months

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ANOTHER RANDOM OBJECT SHOW

SEASON 1, EPISODE 9 — Splitting My Sides!

“Penta! House! I need you two to get my makeup!” Heart commanded. “Sigh, which color, Madame Hearts?” House said. “Red! Get to it! and Penta, get my blush!” Heart yelled.

“She can't get away with this…” Penta said, looking through a purse of Heart’s. “Exactly! She’s taken away Cuby, Lightning, Flower, and Triangula! We already got Star out, we just need HER!” Penta advocated. “Yeah!” House agrees. “HURRY IT UP!” Heart claps as Penta and House grab the Blush and Lipstick and give her the makeup, to which she said “Great work, servants~!” before applying the make-up.

“Now, like, shoo shoo! I’m gonna go take my skincare routine using my MIRROR that I oh-so deserve!” Heart said, waving House off. “Whatever… hm…” House looked around, and was surprised when he saw Starry and Moony chatting as Mime, PaperPlates, Period and Sunny played. “...” he looked over at Lunartic and realized he was busy arguing with Hangman, who was getting ready to beat his ass. House walked over, and said— “You two finally talked?”

“Huh? Oh, yes! We have. I’ve… missed Starry, y’know?” Moony said. “We’ve been separated for nearly a decade now, so this means alot to us, I’m sure you could guess.” Starry said, sheepish. “That's great! I’m sure you two will reconvene in no time!” House said. “What about Lunartic?” Starry asked. “What is there to say about him? Some people refuse to change, and that's okay. We just gotta leave him behind, y’know?” House sighed. “...I guess… yeah… yeah! Thanks House!” Moony said. “No issue! Just… holler for me, alright?” House requested. “Will do!” Starry said as House walked away.

As Hangman and Lunartic began to box each other, Question Mark came over to Phantom.

“Want me to watch him?” Question Mark asked. “...why should I trust you?” He raised an eyebrow. “I’m not going to hurt him, y’know.” Question Mark said. “plus, I’d LOVE to see you beat the fuck out of Lunartic.” Question Mark now snided.

“...alright. Just make sure he's resting well.” Phantom stopped watching Tragedy, and left him with Question Mark as he beat Lunartic.

A few 10 minutes passed before The Gourd broke up the fight to announce the next challenge.

“CONTESTANTS! Today’s challenge is a Comedy Show!” The Gourd now reveals a theater stage. “The team with the highest ranking wins! When you're ready to present, then do so!” The Gourd explained. “NOW GO!”

GyroGyro began to dance around, trying to speak to Sunny. “Oh! That's kinda dark, think The Gourd would like it?” Sunny seemed concerned, as GyroGyro did a Sun Salute.

Starry began to think, before snapping her fingers. “Mime! Paperplates! You two are REALLY funny! Think you could do it?” Mime and Paperplates nodded, meanwhile Hangman went towards Team “What?”.

“So, Penta will be a clown, and I will throw a flaming arrow at him!” Heart said. “but I’m—” Penta was shushed. “SHUT! Just… SHUT!” Heart said.

Eventually, in unison, all 3 teams buzzed in. “Already?! Alright, TEAMS! GATHER ROUND! TIME TO PRESENT! First up… Team FUN!”

Sunny walked onstage with GyroGyro, who began dancing, to which Sunny translated as Cloudy died in the audience. “Uhm.. alright AHEM; Why were the twins sad?” Sunny paused. “One of them got struck by a plane.” Sunny finished, The Gourd snickered, getting down. “UHM. I’LL GIVE THAT A 9/11— I MEAN 6/10.” The Gourd buzzes. “BIT TABOO BUT I LOVE IT— OHMYGOD” The Gourd sighs. “NEXT! The Masquerade?” Mime walks onstage, and transforms into Star, before saying “Hi! I’m Star! Did you know I had sex with Heart in the bushes?” Mime said before turning back. “...that wasn't even a joke.” The Gourd gave them a 4/10. “FINALLY! TEAM WHAT?” Heart came onstage, shot an ablaze arrow at Penta, who was dressed like a clown, and burnt the curtains, resulting in a fire. “AUUUUUGHHHHHH—” Lunartic howled as he ran from the fire.

After a few moments of The Gourd making it rain heavily, the fire was put out, he turned to Heart, sternly, before laughing. “GOD, I LOVED THAT! 8/10!” Hangman seemed confused. “Hold on, how the FUCK does that make sense?”

“Simple ! I love seeing things go up in flames.” The Gourd snapped to make the stage go back to its original state before stating— “MASQUERADE. Because your team has the LOWEST score, you're all up for elimination.” The Gourd told them. “Damnit.” Phantom said.

“Phantom?” Cloudy said. “Not now.” Cloudy sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m on YOUR side tonight.” Phantom now turned. “...you don't mean..?” Cloudy nodded. “Hangman, here we come.”

AT THE CEREMONY…

“The Masquerade! You guys lost, so you know the drill! CAST A VOTE!” The Gourd pointed to the new elimination shack.

Tragedy, Phantom, Mime and Paperplates voted for Hangman… and Hangman fired back at Phantom… but Starry and Cloudy turned, so…

“HANGMAN!

YOU.

HAVE.

BEEN.

ELIMINATED!” The Gourd decrees.

“...wow. I guess I'm leaving. Just know that I TRIED to help, you guys do realize that he only cares about those three and not you, right? It’s—” Hangman was turned into a sheet of paper with a game of hangman on it.

“That's all for now… see you next time.” The Gourd cackles.

END.

AROS was written by TheWiseGuest.

All characters' voices, present or not, were acted out by L. Alberto S.

FIN.

“Reiner Grieves, for the crime of defiance against the church, we hereby hang you.” They hung him, but… he survived. Hangman had survived and now he was going to defy them. He was going to prove he is STILL alive.

#another random object show #aros season 1 #aros #object shows #season 1 #thewiseguest #episode 9 #season 1 episode 9 #another random object show season 1 episode 9

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idkmanfuckthisall · 10 months

Text

Life on Mars

Tracy K. Smith

Tina says what if dark matter is like the space between people

When what holds them together isn’t exactly love, and I think

That sounds right—how strong the pull can be, as if something

That knows better won’t let you drift apart so easily, and how

Small and heavy you feel, stuck there spinning in place.

Anita feels it now as a tug toward the phone, though she knows

The ear at the other end isn’t there anymore. She’ll beat her head

Against the rungs of her room till it splits, and the static that seeps out

Will lull her to sleep, where she’ll dream of him walking just ahead

Beside a woman whose mouth spills O after O of operatic laughter.

But Tina isn’t talking about men and women, what starts in our bodies

And then pushes out toward anywhere once the joy of it disappears.

She means families. How two sisters, say, can stop knowing one another,

Stop hearing the same language, scalding themselves on something

Every time they try to touch. What lives beside us passing for air?

Last year, there was a father in the news who kept his daughter

Locked in a cell for decades. She lived right under his feet,

Cooking food, watching TV. The same pipes threading through his life

Led in and out of hers. Every year the footsteps downstairs multiplied.

Babies wailing through the night. Kids screaming to be let outside.

Every day, the man crept down into that room, bringing food,

Lying down with the daughter, who had no choice. Like a god

Moving through a world where every face looked furtively into his,

Then turned away. They cursed him to his back. He didn’t hear.

They begged him for air, and all he saw were bodies on their knees.

How close that room. What heat. And his wife upstairs, hearing

Their clamor underfoot, thinking the house must just be

Settling into itself with age.

Tina says dark matter is just a theory. Something

We know is there, but can’t completely prove.

We move through it, bound, sensing it snatch up

What we mean to say and turn it over in its hands

Like glass sifted from the sea. It walks the shore,

Watching that refracted light dance back and forth

Before tossing whatever it was back to the surf.

How else could we get things so wrong,

Like a story hacked to bits and told in reverse?—

He grabbed my blouse at the neck.

All I thought was This is my very best

And he will ruin it. Wind, dirt, his hands

Hard on me. I heard the others

Jostling to watch as they waited

For their turns.

They were not glad to do it,

But they were eager.

They all wanted to, and fought

About who would go first.

We went to the cart

Where others sat waiting.

They laughed and it sounded

Like the black clouds that explode

Over the desert at night.

I knew which direction to go

From the stench of what still burned.

It was funny to see my house

Like that—as if the roof

Had been lifted up and carried off

By someone playing at dolls.

Who understands the world, and when

Will he make it make sense? Or she?

Maybe there is a pair of them, and they sit

Watching the cream disperse into their coffee

Like the A-bomb. This equals that, one says,

Arranging a swarm of coordinates

On a giant grid. They exchange smiles.

It’s so simple, they’ll be done by lunchtime,

Will have the whole afternoon to spend naming

The spaces between spaces, which their eyes

Have been trained to distinguish. Nothing

Eludes them. And when the nothing that is

Something creeps toward them, wanting

To be felt, they feel it. Then they jot down

Equation after equation, smiling to one another

Lips sealed tight.

Some of the prisoners were strung like beef

From the ceilings of their cells. “Gus”

Was led around on a leash. I mean dragged.

Others were ridden like mules. The guards

Were under a tremendous amount of pleasure.

I mean pressure. Pretty disgusting. Not

What you’d expect from Americans.

Just kidding. I’m only talking about people

Having a good time, blowing off steam.

The earth beneath us. The earth

Around and above. The earth

Pushing up against our houses,

Complicit with gravity. The earth

Ageless watching us rise and curl.

Our spades, our oxen, the jagged lines

We carve into dirt. The earth

Nicked and sliced into territory.

Hacked and hollowed. Stoppered tight.

Tripwire. The earth ticking with mines,

Patient, biding its time. The earth

Floating in darkness, suspended in spin.

The earth gunning it around the sun.

The earth we ride in disbelief.

The earth we plunder like thieves.

The earth caked to mud in the belly

Of a village with no food. Burying us.

The earth coming off on our shoes.

Tina says we do it to one another, every day,

Knowing and not knowing. When it is love,

What happens feels like dumb luck. When it’s not,

We’re riddled with bullets, shot through like ducks.

Every day. To ourselves and one another. And what

If what it is, and what sends it, has nothing to do

With what we can’t see? Nothing whatsoever

To do with a power other than muscle, will, sheer fright?

#poetry

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dzpenumbra · 1 year

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5/10/23

I was woken up again. At 9AM again. It's been like 4 consecutive weeks in a row now, I'm afraid it's becoming a ritual for these people. I did the whole go downstairs, get a bowl of cereal and then pass out in the chair thing again. It just really puts a damper on the whole day when I do that. I never feel fully rested, I never get right to sleep... so I end up finally starting my day way later. It's very frustrating.

I finished the ink drawing. Here, I'll post it.

I like it. I've been kinda... letting these improvised pieces inspire the next one, so it becomes... almost like a flip book. Each one taking the last one and iterating on it. This one brought in a lot more of these blobby shapes that have dominated a lot of my abstract work over the past 20+ years.

There was a big gamechanger that came into the day today. A YouTuber that I've been following since... probably 2015? The one who introduced me to RimWorld. The one who really inspired me to get into streaming at a serious level. Whose VoDs I have used to help me sleep for several years because of his thoughtful and comprehensive narration. He released a video today that... I have never seen any work of his at nearly this level. It was over 3.5 hours long. It was a deep-dive video essay on the incorporation of story in survival games, done through the lens of the game The Forest. It was... spectacular. I couldn't walk away, I couldn't even pause it. It pained me to pause it to even go pee, I was sitting squirming in my chair trying to watch and draw for at least 20 minutes before I caved. It's a really good video essay. Well researched, extremely well edited, fair and generous to the developers, yet... he stands his ground on his point and his perspective.

What kinda shook my foundation with it? He took the end of the essay as an opportunity to do a face reveal. And... it was a strange experience. He... looked like he could be a relative of mine. Like... he looked like a version my dad's younger brother... but my age. (I look more like my mom.) It... was a strange experience. To finally have a face to match the voice that has been setting the background when I went to sleep for years, that I've had on in the background while gaming since... at least 2017. Whose Project Zomboid streams I watched on the last night I spent with my terminally ill dog, and watched in bed while grieving her passing when I couldn't sleep. I have his Banished playthrough that I've been listening to fall asleep to this week, last week it was Planet Zoo. I can't even do the math on how many of these streams I have absorbed. Every Stellaris playthrough he's done, every Space Engineers stream I could find, X3, Kerbal Space Program, Rimworld (of course), good lord his playthrough of Subnautica was one of the most compelling playthroughs I've ever watched. Years and years of material to drift off to sleep to. It had been my routine for pretty much the whole pandemic... to play his streams when going to sleep, and somewhere along the way I started putting music on too so that once the stream ended, there was some sound on so it wasn't just silence.

Needless to say, it's very odd to finally get a face to match the voice. Like finally seeing the person who voices a cartoon character for the first time. It's just... my brain didn't really want to process it. But like... the most unsettling and weird part... is how... familiar he looked. And he, of course, is the one I gravitated towards because we have a ton in common. Though, over the past few years, we have split ways on stuff - lifestyle, entertainment preference, etc. It's just... odd. And it's still sitting with me.

What scares me a bit... I'm afraid it might be a sign he's getting ready to step away from YouTube. He might not, I might be reading into it. I mean, it's been his entire life for a decade. I dunno. Maybe he's just... transitioning? It felt like a big moment. He was always very against the premise of doing face reveals, always felt they were tacky. It validated me a lot, because I never really saw the point of taking up what we called in video and graphic design class "screen real estate" with a static box that just has your blank stare at a computer screen. I feel like it doesn't... contribute anything, it always felt really... vain. And he always echoed the same sentiment, and it gave me a lot of validation in an ocean of carbon copy streamers. And yet... here he is. So, idk. I've gotta get back into his livestreams soon. He's just... he's in UK, so... it's hard to get my schedule to overlap well.

I was so enthralled by the video that I skipped a shower. I ordered a pizza. I ate a bunch of it and then started working on the skull. The skull is in pretty rough shape. A lot of the bone is... nature got to it. It's not bad, it's just... porous and discolored in places. I did my best to get the debris out of the cavities, got most of it. I started to sand it, and it actually helps the look a lot. I might leave it on the windowsill to sun bleach it a bit, in addition to the sanding and polishing I'm doing. I have no clue what to do with it. There aren't really a lot of flat spaces. So... I'm probably going to treat the design work like... like face tattoos or something. I honestly don't know. But I think sanding and polishing it first is a good idea, it'll be an easier surface to work on. Then I can choose whether I even want to carve it, or if I want to just go ahead and ink/paint right on it. Now that it's out and sitting in my workspace, it freaks me out a lot less.

I tried polishing some stones too, some of the ones from the National Park. I just... wasn't really feeling it. That used to be go-to work for me in the past, and now? Now it just felt forced. So... I kinda took it easy today. I guess. I mean, if you want to call working on 3 separate projects "taking it easy".

I'm a bit depressed tonight. Probably the sleep deprivation affecting me. And the whole... not having a big super inspiring "super excited to work on it" project. Despite my anxiety about design elements and the permanence, I was always really excited about working on the hoodie. And the desire path project, I loved it. This skull? I'm just not there yet. I'm sure once I get the surface prepped and start sketching it will get much more comfortable and enticing. I guess it's just the sanding and polishing that I'm just... not really into right now, just in general.

I think I'm going to take this opportunity to head to bed a bit earlier than I usually do. Fingers crossed I don't hear another vacuum or whatever at 9AM, because if I go to bed right this second? I'm only getting 6 hours of sleep.

#diary #journal #stream of thoughts #online journal #stream of consciousness

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