#story: mr. death and his black eyed kids

[unadulteratedsoulsweets]

A DC X DP IDEA #25

New Year, New Me?

Imagine dis…

We all know that when Danny died, he changed. From his black hair and blue-eyed kid to a white-haired and green-eyed ghost kid. We also know that ghosts were once humans just misunderstood, had unfinished business, or were just out for the injustice they have faced in the face of death.

But what if Danny is just a baby ghost in every sense and now, he is getting more powerful and more tuned in with his ghostly side that he began to change?

…

Danny knew that there was something wrong with him, not just the fact that he had died and came back alive and well that’s a whole other story. The fact that there is something wrong with his ghostly side, that to the point it began affecting his human side. His jaw began to ache and when he looked into the mirror he saw some of his teeth beginning to sharpen like a canine would, his hair looked like it wasn’t held by gravity as his parents had chalked it up with him using a different type of conditioner to make it more fluffy, his skin began having these weird spams in the middle of the day as well his uncanny need to stay in a cold room Mr. Lancer swore 10 book titles under his breath when he saw him taking a nap inside the cafeteria fridge.

But the worst of it came when he fought Skulker, it was another normal Thursday for the Halfa but as he was fighting off Skulker who was already spewing out his usual rant about mounting his pelt he saw another figure. Behind Skulker is another figure that looked like him more shadowy yet bloodied, covered in rusty metal that he swore he heard it creaking as if two metals were grinding to each other, with each move that Skulker made. Seeing he was distracted Skulker made a lucky hit to him as if he was back in his first year as a ghost. Danny shook his head and immediately souped the ghost and tried to forget the more horrific and unsettling version of Shulker.

Danny tried to hide it but when his friends and sister began noticing his changes, they made him visit the Far Frozen.

Frostbite was confused and worried at his changes and explained to Danny in great detail that what he was going through was a ghostly equivalent to puberty.

Since he had recently died his ghostly side had registered him being a baby despite being in his teens in his human. Normally ghost children would not transition after 5 centuries as they have not only been deemed absorbed enough ectoplasm but also have been mature enough a good example would be Box Lunch who was barely 146 years old while Youngblood was nearing his transition.

Frostbite offered a conclusion that it may be a fact that he slept on top of the active portal which leaks massive ectoplasm radiation and when he fought off ghosts who are centuries older and more experienced than him made his ghostly side mature faster, like how children were forced to mature faster when incompetent parents are around. Now that he has not only become more attuned or in one with his ghostly side, but his ghostly side is also slowly forming his eldritch abomination kinda like human symptoms of puberty like broadening of shoulder, pitch voice…etc, Frostbite explained.

Danny asked about his sight when Skulker visited him as well he felt that time. Danny was still distraught when he went home but when he had the time to process what he saw, instead of feeling scared or deep panic at what he saw instead felt a deep relief at the image.

Frostbite told Danny since he is transitioning to becoming a young adult, what he is seeing is the true form of ghosts.

The citizens of the Infinite Realms are naturally terrifying, gruesome, ghastly, ghoulish…etc for years there had been no problem with their appearance but when the first Ancients went to visit a mortal plane for an official Realm duty, they were horrified to see that not only humans scream with pure unaltered fear but also went brain dead the moment they laid their eyes on the said Ancients as their minds cannot comprehend the sheer true form of the said Ancients. As the said Ancients felt guilty for what they had caused the humans went in a vegetable state and began practicing into shifting into a more humane form, something more modest as to when they visit another mortal world in case of another duty. As the practice was only practiced in a small island that the Ancients ruled it soon spread out to the entire Realms. It spread so far that even other Ancients began copying it and it didn’t take too long for it to become a norm.

So when the Fenton portal as well as Vlad’s portal opened it became instinctive for the ghosts to pass through to where their more “humane” side and only show their real appearance in their haunt or when they have a mate or to their respective fight mates.

Frostbite gave him something for the pain and offered to help Danny with his transition, which Danny gratefully thanked the yeti and flew off.

Since then he slowly yet surely became accustomed to the changes to himself as he felt more him. His friends and sister tried to hide it from the Fenton couple despite being oblivious that they would surely notice the changes. Fake teeth and make-up did their thing as Sam may not enjoy the pinkish/feminine side of her make-up collection courtesy of her parents but sure damn well those foundations are of good quality.

His ghostly companions that came for their weekly brawl began noticing the large shadow behind their local halfa, some were horrified as they thought they were fighting a baby all this time and were just in their transition but others had congratulated Danny for basically growing up. Maturing? Transitioning? They don’t know the right word but hell yeah they are proud.

Add to the fact that he just became the Ghost King, which means that his ghostly side will be more horrific, gory, and ghastly than a usual ghost as their real form reflects their strength.

…

Danny didn’t know but for some reason, Amnity’s CPS launched an investigation into the Fenton couple. Had found out that having a house? Structure? Home? Full of weapons is not a viable home for a teenage boy like himself and was promptly removed from their custody and the premises. Of course, the Fenton couple tried to fight off the verdict, heck even Vlad tried to help the two for the sake of Maddie and even tried to have Danny placed with him.

In the end, Danny is relocated to a far place away from his parents as well as his godfather one of the CPS workers pointed out that Danny has bruises every time, he visits Vlad which puts him under the scrutiny of a different kind of investigation as well.

Jazz was considered out of the hostile environment as she had just moved from their home to her dorm and had just been given a protection order that said that her parents including Vlad were to stay away from her as well as have no contact with the said individuals as it may affect the proceedings.

Danny bounced from one foster to another up until he ended up with the foster parent who had the greatest record, Bruce Wayne himself.

At first, Danny tries every trick he can think of in the book to be removed as well as isolating himself within his room in the manor to be transferred as the moment he went ghost to look at his surroundings and saw the secret basement as well the Wayne family being the glorified furry brigade he wants out! He is not sharing a roof with a fruit loop thank you very much, but as the days went by he began getting used to the Waynes and thought that he may have grown to the Waynes.

Though how come Duke smiled too tight whenever he saw him?

…

Duke knew there was something wrong with the new kid. Don’t get him wrong black hair, and blue eyes alongside a so, so situation with his parents made him the prime adoption bait for the family. They were just waiting for him to discover the cave on his own to be officially introduced to the family. But there is something so wrong with Danny.

Sure, his diet tends to have his meat lean more on the medium rare side or even to the bloody side, and chalked it up to growing up not learning how to properly cook and brushing it off.

Sure he is too quiet to the point he is scaring and surprising highly trained vigilantes which has multiple people being trained by the best in the world.

Sure he tends to go to places which is cold, too cold for his liking, Alfred nearly had a heart attack seeing Danny sleeping in the large freezer which contained the meat and other perishable items that needed to be frozen to preserve.

But the biggest thing that made Duke uneasy was the shadow looming over Danny. It was huge to the point it reached the manor ceilings. Its very green toxic eyes seemed to lock on him every time he entered the room. Duke accidentally made eye contact when he is hanging out with Dick, Tim, and Danny. It practically swallowed him whole with the way it looked at him, it made all of his hair straighten up. Dick who noticed him froze up and asked him what was wrong, he excised himself and ran to the farthest corner of the manor and proceeded to throw up his lunch due to the unspeakable things that things showed to him.

(In reality, Danny’s ghostly side is trying to show Duke what would he do to his enemies as well as to whomever harmed them)

Duke is now contemplating what to tell the rest of the Batclan how Danny is cursed. Haunted? and have them call Zatanna or Constantine to get rid of whatever it is.

…

PS: If someone out there wanted to continue or make a fic about this you are free to do so, don’t forget to tag me though.

PPS: As you can see I cannot write horror to save my life so please pardon me, I tried my best…:-P

[trashmouth-richie]

pt 1: flicker

summary: Hawkins Annual Halloween Festival is in town, and this year you and your friends were lucky enough to work the event. But when some of your co-workers are missing, and a trail of blood leads to the woods behind the festival. Your friends work together to find out what’s going on. A killer is on the loose but who could it be? Or is it the town’s spooky secret of what really happened at Hawkins Lab?

[tickets] [flyer] [clipboard]

pt 2: A SCREAM AND A SLICE

summary: the day is finally here and our joyful crew arrives to get their assignments for the work day.

tw: 18+ only goodbye minors, billy hargrove smut, billy hargrove being a disgusting human being, mentions of drinking and drugs, character death x 3, hallucinations, drunk behavior, etc childhood background stories.

The air is cool and crisp, fluttering an ombré of red and orange leaves all over the carnival. Staff was to arrive no later than 8 o’clock, sporting burnt orange Hawkins Haunted Carnival shirts with red hems on the neck and arms. “STAFF” printed on the back in black bold letters. 

Robin's hair and makeup looked exactly like it did last night, a little smudgy and unkept, the style suiting her personality and image to a T. She was holding onto Steve’s arm while picking gum from the bottom of her dirty converse. 

“Fuck I hate kids,” she grumbled, wiping the last bit of the pink wad of bubble gum on the grass. 

Argyle, Nancy, and Jonathan stood and watched. Nancy with her hair in a perfect pulled back ponytail showcasing her bone structure and light makeup, was wide eyed and bushy tailed, making up for the lack of enthusiasm everyone else brought with them this morning. 

Argyle’s long pin straight hair is braided down his back, and he looks almost half asleep, or maybe he was just high, but more than likely that was just him in general. 

You yawned loud behind your hand for the second time since racing into the parking lot, Eddie poked you in the ribs and shook his head, he had wanted to stop at the gas station for some badly brewed coffee this morning upon finding out that your apartment was lacking any sort of caffeine, but you were already going to be late and Mr. Creel’s speech last weekend about not being on time, would scare anyone straight. 

That is unless you were Billy Hargrove. 

Billy rolled in a full thirty minutes past the time all staff were expected to be dressed and ready to go. A cigarette hung lazily from his mouth and the hickies on his neck were splotchy and fading yellow on the edges. He was clutching a can of beer upon walking over to the group, finishing the contents and tossing it behind his shoulder. 

His chin nodded to Eddie in that douchey dude type of greeting. One he reciprocated with flared nostrils and tense shoulders. 

Billy and Eddie used to be as thick as thieves, running like hellions through the trailer park, with you trailing behind them, trying to keep Eddie out of trouble. They had disturbed any little sort of peace that the tenants ever found there. They tormented the occupants of Forest Hills by egging their houses or lighting bags of dog shit ablaze on their steps.

But the boys were left to their vices much like their parents were. Neil and Al knew each other from high school, oftentimes spending nights at the Hargroves kitchen table laughing after many beers about the cars they’d stolen and the broads they shared. Hands around their chests like parentheses to emphasize the breast size of one in particular. 

Billy’s apple didn’t fall far from Neil’s tree, a ladies man but rotten to the core.  However when it came to Eddie and Al, it was almost as if Eddie’s apple was from a different tree entirely, rough on the edges and a little banged up, but the inside was sugary sweet, much tastier than the sour bite Billy’s had to offer. 

You never forgave the blue eyed boy for pushing you off your bike, a scar still etched into your knees, or for chasing you around with a snake he caught by Coolwater Creek. 

Eddie wiped your tears when you cried to him about how mean Billy was. His own brown eyes welling seeing you so upset. He convinced him to leave you alone. And since that day, you were the driving wedge between them at 8 years old and you stayed there up until last year, when the tie that bound them together was ripped apart.

“You’re late Billy-boy,” Mr. Creel sneered, the pierce of his blue eyes shining like heated crystals, “do you not own a watch?”

“Just got in,” Billy said with a yawn, his muscular arms stretching over his head and showcasing his abs when his shirt rode up. 

“I guess I wasn’t aware you had another job.” 

“Oh I’m not paid for this type of manual labor, I do it for free.” He glances over at you and shoots you a wink. And the shiver that shook through you was anything but pleasant. 

Steve rolls his eyes, pulling Nancy into his front and resting his chin on the top of her head. 

Eddie shifts to the side of you that billy is closest too and blocks his view. He made your skin crawl like it was infested with bugs. 

You didn’t like him anymore than he liked you, Heather Holloway was one of the sweetest girls you’d ever met, and to this day you couldn’t figure out why she fell in his traps. He didn’t care about her, only used her to keep his bed warm when he was out doing God knows what with God knows who. His dick was dirtier than a pile of laundry, and he was out of detergent. 

“Let’s not make this a habit, we have a festival to run, and you,” Mr. Creel says, thumbing through a clipboard, “… are on Corn Maze Duty until sun down, then you’re driving the Haunted Hayride like we discussed last week.” 

“Munson, you and Pebbles? Is that a real name?,”

“no,” you say with a laugh, nudging Eddie in the ribs, he was the only one called who still called you that after your moms had decided to dress you both as Pebbles & Bam Bam for Halloween one year, for Eddie, the name stuck, “it's a nickname from when we were— 

“Don’t care.” 

 “You two are on rides, Hairyten—

“It’s Harrington,” Steve interjects but Mr. Creel doesn’t stop.

“.. will take over for you at sundown and then your ‘band’ takes the stage.” 

Billy scoffs around a lit cigarette and Eddie puts a hand on your shoulder to stop you from reaching around him to slap the mustache off his face. 

“Girl Wheeler and R-guy-el are on games… Buckley, you and Hairytoes will be working the ice cream stand, Byers you’re in charge of taking promotional photos. Please make sure the children are smiling. I don’t need any snot nosed little brats blubbering while getting their face painted like a clown, it will drive down sales.” 

Jonathan nods with wide eyes, checking his bag with fumbling fingers making sure he had extra lenses and plenty of film. 

Nancy stands at attention, flipping through her binder full of the game rules, she had been studying it all week, not wanting to give Mr. Creel any sort of assumption that she wasn’t taking her position seriously. 

“Relax Nance,” Steve purred, a little louder than a whisper, “you’re gonna kick ass at this.” 

You didn’t know Steve Harrington was capable of being supportive of another person until Nancy came along. When they first started going out Eddie and you took bets on whether or not it would last. Nancy wasn’t anything like the other trashy girls at your school throwing themselves at King Steve any and every chance they got. 

She was reserved and shy. Pretty in a classy way, minimal makeup needed on her cherub features. And Steve fell hook line and simp er for her. He lost friends, lost his title at school but he didn’t care. He felt unstoppable with Nancy on his arm. 

It made you wish you had a love like theirs, minus the breaking up part, you had dated before but nothing that would last. 

You remember spending a very drunk night with Eddie once on the roof of his trailer, begging him to tell you who he thought was the hottest girl in school. Going through every grade, every single girl from the mathletes to the athletes, the teased hair of Tina down to the short bob of Barb, but he wouldn’t budge. 

“Come on, Eddie .. that was every girl in the school besides Shit teeth O’Donnell.” you laughed and rolled into his chest, spilling beer onto his shirt, your chin sitting on his sternum as he looked at you with a serious stare.

“Not every girl.” 

“Yeah huh,” you poked at his ribs and his armpits only for him to overpower you completely and pin you down, the ends of his hair tickling your cheeks had you squealing. 

“Say uncle or I’m gonna make you piss yourself.” 

“You wouldn’t dare!” 

The dark glint of mischief in his eye wasn’t lost on you,

“D’ you know me at all?” 

The night ended with your jeans and underwear in Eddie’s washing machine, his boxers on your waist after you took a shower and used all of his conditioner. A $3.00 payback for him actually tickling you until you peed yourself, you were just happy Wayne wasn’t home when you waddled through the Munson trailer with wet pants and a hyena laughing Eddie behind you. 

Diversion was his best game, because he never answer your question. 

“Remember.” Mr Creel said pointing to you and Eddie, “two minute rides if there isn’t a line, one minute rides sounds perfectly fine, three minutes and they’ll puke on the floor, 4 minutes and you’re at Satan’s door.” 

He recited the creepy poem without blinking, simply looking from your face and back to Eddie’s, a grim smile on his Curt lips. When he was through he turned on his heel and walked away, snapping at Heather and Chrissy to get to the face painting station. 

“Well that wasn’t weird at all.” Eddie said, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised into his frizzy bangs, clearing his throat. 

“Yeah no shit,” Steve grimaced, “such a weird mother fucker.”

Nancy shut her binder and spoke to you, “sorry about last night— I think I’m just a little stressed.” 

“No worries, Nance, Eddie ended up staying at my place and we smoked a bit and went to sleep.”

“Don’t forget about that weird shit with the streetlights,” Eddie chimed in. 

“Streetlights?” Jonathan asked you, “what about ‘em?” 

“Nah man it’s cool,” Eddie chirped in, lighting a cigarette and offering it to Jonathan, “Pebs and I smoked a little too much, thought we saw some weird shit, that’s all.” 

“Well, my lights went out last night, went outside to check it out and the whole street was dark.” 

Maybe you weren’t high as fuck lastnight on Rick’s Redrum. What if there was actually something strange going on. 

“Did they turn red and explode?” you ask him, trying not to seem too alarmed that someone else who wasn’t high and on the complete opposite side of town experienced the weird lights. 

He picks a scab on his arm between blunt fingernails, uninterested in the conversation, “no idea, just noticed they were burnt out..didn’t see anything else, but hey, I’ll see you guys later okay, I forgot my wallet.” 

With that he turns and leaves, holding his satchel close to his body so the expensive camera attachments don’t break. 

Steve and Nancy kiss each other goodbye and Argyle steps forward to Steve batting his eyelashes, “what about me handsome?” He laughs before Steve can smile awkwardly and walks beside Nancy, asking about her new Reeboks. 

“Six months since we played truth or dare at Munson’s and that guy won’t let it go,” Steve says, shaking his head, “see ya later, don’t have too much fun,” with that he grabs Robin’s elbow and directs her towards the Scoops Ahoy stand. 

Eddie laughs at the memory of a peachy cheeked Steve leaning in to press his lips to Argyle’s. A dare that had Nancy in tears, and had you comforting her for an entire week. 

It was the same night that you had drunk almost an entire handle of vodka and woke up naked in Eddie’s bed, next to Jonathan. 

To this day you don’t remember what happened. 

You left in a hurry when you woke and realized the sleeping body next to you was not only naked but belonged to Jonathan Byers, and you didn’t have any panties on. 

Grabbing your clothes and shoving your feet into your shoes, you stepped over Argyle’s cocooned form in the hallway— using the bathroom rug as a blanket. 

Tiptoeing over the squeaky parts of the linoleum floor you made a glance to the living room and saw that Eddie was sawing logs in Wayne’s recliner. 

You felt dirty, full of shame and guilt as you looked at him forlornly, not able to nail down why you had felt that way. Eddie and you were friends, nothing more than that. 

The door shut behind you in a quiet creak and you sped home as fast as you could, bleary eyed and confused. 

Thankfully, Jonathan wasn’t upset when you told him the next day that you didn’t remember what had happened, and he was relieved, chuckling with a hand on the back of his neck, because he hadn’t remembered that night either. 

You vowed to never tell a soul about that night, and you waited for Eddie to ask you about it, to make some crack about him finding your panties in his room, but he never spoke a word of it. 

You stifle a nervous laugh, “yeah that night was crazy.” 

“yeah no shit, Wayne’s still mad that I ruined his cowboy boots.” 

You smack his chest with the keys, laughing at the memory of his white ass and wild hair running down the dirt road, wearing only Wayne’s boots and his cowboy hat to cover his dignity, the first dare of the night, “c’mon, Munson, I’ll race ya.” 

-

The day flew by, people came from all around to shove their asses into the metal seats of the rides you and Eddie were in charge of. 

Kids of all ages ate melty ice cream and got their faces painted into princesses, witches, pumpkins and spooky ghouls and goblins. 

Eddie’s little gaggle of DnD buddies from high school ran through the carnival like they owned the place. Hootin’ and hollerin’ making themselves look like a bunch of assholes, and you wondered if he sometimes missed that part of being in school. 

Steve and Robin were fending off Erica Sinclair and her many attempts at getting free samples, but realizing if they did give her what she wanted, they’d run out of ice cream and have to close up earlier than expected. Erica Sinclair would later leave the carnival with a sugar high and a stomach ache. 

Argyle gave away the giant stuffed bear on the first ring toss game, earning him a psychotic look from Creel and whiny kids all day not having anything to look forward to when they won, but nothing a few coupons to Surfer Boy Pizza wouldn’t fix when the parents got involved. Nancy was almost in tears at the way Argyle didn’t follow the rules and his dude-like approach to the day's events. 

—

Robin was in a mood, her normal chaotic rambling mouth self was eerily quiet today. An abnormality for the freckled face girl. And Steve was doing what any normal best friend would; hounding her on what the hell was going on. 

“Drop it pretty boy, I mean it I am fine!” She tossed the ice cream scoop back into the carton container and slammed the freezer door, huffing and lighting a cigarette. 

He saw the way her demeanor changed when Vickie showed up to the carnival with her boyfriend. The same boyfriend who Vickie had promised Robin that she had dumped months beforehand. 

Steve watched as Robin’s eyes flashed with hurt and anger as Vickie sauntered up to the Scoops Ahoy booth, no look of guilt or shame anywhere on her porcelain features, she acted completely oblivious to Robin’s behavior, like she had never even met her before. 

“She’s a bitch Robin,” Steve jabbed, hooking a thumb over his shoulder and wiggling his keys,  "I'll go run her over with my car right now if that’d make you feel better.” 

She had to admit, watching the light leave Vickie’s eyes might make her feel better. The crushing of her bones would play like a symphony in her head. She wanted her to hurt just as much as she was right now. 

“Nah,” Robin says shaking her head, “not worth it, let’s just get day drunk instead, or better yet,” she pushed her ass onto the counter, and swung her hips out to the opening, her long legs hitting the dirt and crunching beneath her converse, “is Argyle still working games with Nance?” 

—

“That’s what I’m sayin’ man, fuckin’ aliens and shit,” Argyle says with blood shot eyes, “this town, it’s crawlin with em, you’re not one of them are you, Byers?” 

Argyle was on one of his many pot induced tangents about aliens and monsters. It was hard to tell if he was just high or if he truly believed in multi dimensional beings that walked the same paths we did but were hidden from us by the government. 

“I think,” Jonathan says, adjusting his camera around his neck and holding it to eye level, “that you spend too much time with Munson,” he angled the camera just right and snapped the shutter button. Capturing candids of kids throwing softballs at steel milk jugs set into a triangle.  

Argyle wipes his upper lip and throws a braided lengthy lock behind his shoulder, “and how do you know Eddie is wrong? M-Maybe Dungeons & Dragons is real. And the dice is like, the days we have left,” his eyes widen further as he licks at his lips absentmindedly, rambling on, “Eddie’s putting us all into little situations, so he’s like a- a god or a master! Like figurines and shit…”

Jonathan tries his best to drown out Argyle’s stoned ‘epiphanies’ knowing all too well the rabbit hole he’d fall down and wouldn't be able to see the light of day until the lasting effects of purple palm tree delight subsided. 

Argyle’s eyes go wide, “…yeah I hope I got a long sword or something, I’ll definitely need it.” 

“DnD isn’t real,” Jonathan huffs in annoyance, “it’s a fantasy game, one designed to make you think outside of normal everyday life, at least that’s what Will says.” 

“Will the Wise,” Robin calls from behind them, her long fingers tangled in her hair, trying to put her short cut into two little ponytails, “isn’t that what they call him?” 

Jonathan nods, “yeah, yeah it is.” A smile of appreciation on his face, “how’s ice cream going? I saw Vickie… sorry.”

“Love that kid, and yeah that’s why I’m here, need to forget,” she says leaning against the softball toss, the toe of sneaker catching the knee of Argyle’s colorful pants, her forefinger and thumb up to her lips, “you carrying today or do I actually have to pay Munson?” 

“Nah little birdy, I’m all out,” Argyle says with eyelids half closed, “but I heard Rick’s runnin’ some new shit, kinda psychedelic like.” 

—

By six in the afternoon, Eddie was crabby and ready for Steve to take over. His hair was sweaty and a bandana was tied around his head. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up, showing off his muscles and the tattoos on his arms. 

“Take it easy with this shit, ‘m serious,” Eddie says passing Robin the joint and pocketing the cash, “we saw some weird shit last night after smoking, just go to the woods or somethin where no one will see you.” 

Robins fingers clasp the paper of the joint and hold it into a loose fist, she bows and salutes Eddie, “Aye aye cap’n, I promise, I’ll be good.” 

He watched her leave and shook his head. He didn’t know the entire ins and outs of Robin’s relationship with Vickie, but he knew enough that Robin was hurt more than she was happy, and he felt bad for her. 

At least Robin was brave enough to be her true self. Eddie couldn’t even tell the girl he had a crush on for years that he liked her. 

“These kids are fucking assholes,” he said to you when you brought him a lemonade and bummed him a smoke, “yeah I’m talking to you Mayfield, shouldn’t even be on this ride with two broken arms but what the hell do I know?” 

The redhead flipped him a double bird and yelled out, fucker! as her basket on the Zipper spun faster and faster. 

“Were we like this sophomore year?” Eddie asks you around a puff of smoke. 

“Oh absolutely not,” you said matter of factly, “we were worse.” A smile breaks from your lips and Eddie returns it, only his crinkled out your favorite dimple. 

“Fuck man,” he exhaled, hitting a random button on the ride, and raising his eyebrows when it beeped back at him and shook the baskets loudly, “this whole town still thinks I did that shit to Higgin’s dog.” 

It wasn’t a secret what had happened. And as much as everyone swore it was Eddie who did that heinous crime, he was with you that night, stealing cartons of cigarettes from the gas station while the attendant was busy trying to get your number and look down your shirt. 

You knew Eddie was innocent but the town wasn’t convinced, even Wayne questioned him for a while about it. But Eddie wouldn’t squeal on you, knowing that you were just as guilty as he was, and he wouldn’t tarnish your squeaky clean reputation. Not even to save himself. 

“We know the truth, and that’s what matters,” you breathe, stealing the cigarette from his hands and placing it into your mouth. 

Eddie shakes his head, “yeah I know, just wish we knew who did do it.” 

“Ri runno Raggy,” you said using your best Scooby Doo impression, “rits a rystery.” 

Eddie chuckles and shows you his dimples again, a pretty blush painted on his cheeks, “you can always get me to laugh, even when I’m pissed the fuck off at some little shits.” 

He plucks the rest of the cigarette from your lips and takes the last drag between his thumb and forefinger before flicking it off into the dirt. 

He brushes an eyelash from your cheek with his knuckle, and he holds it there for a bit, unconsciously licks at his lips,  “That’s why you’re my favorite,” he admits for the one hundredth time, but it still felt good to hear. Still made your stomach somersault and the glittery butterflies flutter. 

Before you can say anything the kids on Eddie’s ride start screaming to get off, having been spinning upside down for over the time limit. Satan’s door according to Creel. 

“Shit,” he mutters before turning the ride down, the heat on your cheeks and the burn from his finger still there. 

—

“c’mon I know you wanna,” the clink of his flask unscrewing followed by the chugging slurp from his throat burned her ears, but not more than the red pock marks on her forearm from his cigarette ashes.

She didn’t want to lose him, she knew how lucky she was that he tolerated her and kept her around. After all he only fucked the other girls to piss off their boyfriends. But she meant something to him. Right? 

“Are you sure no one will see us?” She was used to the thrill of being with Billy, mistaking the fight or flight feeling for adoration, the crazed look in his eye for lust. 

He was everything all the other guys in Hawkins were not. A legendary bad boy. All leather jackets and tight jeans, the prettiest eyes she’d ever seen, a fast car that smelled of musky cologne, cigarettes and sex on Friday nights. 

He had shown her things only seen in movies, hickied her up in spots that only he would see, and fucked her in places that would make Satan himself jealous. 

Heather Holloway was completely wrapped up in everything Billy Hargrove brought to the table, only to be leaving starved for more. 

“Who fuckin’ cares,” he grunts, lighting a cigarette and blowing it towards the orange painted sky, “ain’t nothin’ they haven’t seen before.” 

She obeyed like she always did, a simple okay Billy and she was on her knees in the soft upturned soil, nothing but a single row of pale yellowing corn stalks behind her, rustling against the breeze and knocking against one another in a broken violin screech. 

She adjusts her dark curls away from her face, and waits with an eager mouth for what he has to offer. The teeth of his zipper purr as he undoes his pants, holding a thick meaty cock up to her pretty lipgloss smile. 

He’s putty in her hands, rocking his hips up to shove himself further into her mouth, and he groans when he falls into her wet throat. 

Fuck Heather, that’s it. 

He doesn’t hear the scraping of the corn leaves on a quiet shoulder, or the way the dirt crumbles underneath footsteps. He’s high above it, drunk on the feel of his dick in Heather's mouth, and the slight graze of her teeth against his shaft. 

The blade is dull, taking much effort to slice through the muscles of Billy’s back and angling upwards beneath his ribs into his lungs.

Billy gags and gurgles on his own blood, noises that could be easily mistaken for pleasure. The knife is unsheathed and slid across Billy’s throat in a fluid motion spilling claret colored blood down the front of his shirt, he’s dead before he hits the ground. 

Heather is frozen with fear, she lets out a scream that’s stopped cold by the blade puncturing her temple, her lifeless body falling to the soft ground with a thud. 

The blade is wiped clean. Any blood splatters are left on the mask and hidden in the tree line, their lifeless bodies are stuffed further into the corn maze, vacant expressions on their cold faces. 

—

“… Jesus Christ.” 

“Beautiful isn’t it?” 

Standing 10 feet tall and brandishing slick, gray translucent skin, the flower head shaped monster screeched at the sight and smell of blood pumping, racing.

“Exactly how he described, I can't believe the tunnel leads here.” 

“The tunnels are all over Hawkins, he designed it, just like they said he would. Now c’mon, sun is about to set and I need help figuring out this code, son-of-a-bitch wrote it like a damn puzzle.”

—

Eddie wasn’t kidding, the strain was powerful. Robin was walking in a dream land of brownie covered ground and licorice grass. She was seeing things;  beautiful, ominous, things she wouldn’t be able to describe. 

And she knew she was high when she heard a high pitch scream from the corn field on her right— damn this shit was good. 

Her face was sticky and so were her hands, the sky spun above her as she laid flat on the cake bed ground, watching the tangerine soda sky as it shifted above her like a kaleidoscope. 

But no matter how many times she blinked her eyes, one piece of the dream never blurred away. A figure standing straight in the air below a tree branch. 

Upon further eye squinting, Robin realized she recognized it to be someone she knew very well. 

She had seen those eyes before. She had felt those hands on her skin. And the gold ring on the delicate middle finger looked way too familiar to just be a coincidence. 

But there wasn’t any way that this could be real, just a prop for a good gag right, or the everlasting effect of the funny smelling joint from Eddie. 

Because why was Vickie standing stone still..? With a large knotted necklace around her pretty neck, covered in red paint, and why wasn’t she moving? 

♡ thank you for reading, please consider a rb, or dropping a comment below, I would love to hear from you and your thoughts on this chapter.

♡ currently receiving messages in my askbox on who you think the killer is

part 3: THE ROCKSTAR AND THE REDLIGHTS

♡tag list: @dashingdeb16 @emxxblog @mopeymopeymouse @pretendthisnameisclever @mommybaby-witch @eddies-acousticguitar @tlclick73 @figmentofquinn @eddies-stinky-battle-jacket @whenshelanded @micheledawn1975 @3rd-conchord * @leelei1980 @mopeymopeymouse @browneyes8288 @emilyslutface @mmunson86 @josephquinnsfreckles @eddiesxangel @elegantkoalapaper * @str4ngergirlw0rld * @corrodedcoffincumslut @nailbatanddungeon @katethetank @munsons-mayhem28 * @mandyjo8719 @joannamuns9n @littlebookworm86 @hunnybuns-world @littlegingerbat

[enigmaticexplorer]

I Yearn, and so I Fear - Chapter XXVIII

Masterlist | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

General Summary. Nearly a year since the Galactic Empire’s rise to power, Kazi Ennari is trying to survive. But her routine is interrupted—and life upended—when she’s forced to cohabitate with former Imperial soldiers. Clone soldiers. 

Pairing. Commander Wolffe x female!OC

General Warnings. Canon-typical violence and assault, familial struggles, terminal disease, bigotry, explicit sexual content, death. This story deals with heavy content. If you’re easily triggered, please do not read. For a more comprehensive list of tags, click here.

Fic Rating. E (explicit)/18+/Minors DNI.

Chapter Word Count. 6.2K

10 Kelona

“You’re not staying?”

With a hand on the doorknob, Kazi paused in her escape. A glance over her shoulder revealed both youngling and anooba: the former tucked beneath her dark blue quilt, the latter curled in a ball at the foot of the bed. They stared at her imploringly. 

Kazi shifted between her socked feet. “You asked Mr. Wolffe to read to you.” 

A bashful shrug was Neyti’s only response, and Kazi snuck a look at Wolffe. He stood beside the bed, a small book in his hands, his posture relaxed. Familiar gray sweats covered his lower half. A white shirt revealed the tattoos of his left arm, the material tight across his shoulder and biceps. 

For a fleeting moment, their eyes met. Her stomach twisted. From menstrual cramps, she decided, not longing, though her heart flickered. A dying ember still burning, somehow.

Wolffe arched a brow; Kazi tipped her chin slightly. A perfunctory nod answered her silent question. 

“Of course I’ll stay,” Kazi said, releasing the doorknob. 

Neyti grinned, toothy and dimpled. The little girl snuggled beneath her quilt, a ragged whale cuddled between her arms. Kazi started for the desk—the blood-red succulent recently watered; weathered rocks from the lake piled on a shelf; a black bird perched; the bioluminescent rock from Wolffe placed reverently—but sudden movement made her pause: an earnest wave and eager pat to the mattress.

A furtive assessment commenced. Wolffe had already settled himself on the opposite side. His back was propped against the headboard, socked feet crossed at the ankles. He flipped through the book. A tight grimace contradicted his indifferent disposition. Her own face screwed in a twin rictus. 

She wondered if he felt the same as her. If he felt this emptiness. This…ache. 

Because being near Wolffe hurt.

Like an archaic harpoon—once used to hunt the gentle yet massive seraphicet whales on Ceaia—puncturing her ribcage, tearing flesh and muscle and bone. Shredding her from the inside.  

Another insistent pat from Neyti and Kazi steeled herself. 

The mattress sunk beneath her. Wordlessly, Wolffe offered her a pillow. She accepted with warmed cheeks and a murmured “Thanks.” Once her legs were stretched out, Fluffy rested his chin on her shins, his fur soft against her bare skin. Laying a hand on his spine, she scratched a spot he liked. His tail thumped slowly. 

Neyti beamed. “I like this,” she said.

Kazi peered at Wolffe. As always, he was already watching her. Emotions warred across his face: resignation, annoyance, want. Beneath his shrewd assessment, she could only stare back: apologetic, wistful, ashamed. 

Neyti squirmed, nudging her with an elbow. Kazi tossed the kid an awkward grin. Neyti studied her with curious confusion and then remarked, “Why do you look weird—”

“What chapter?” Kazi interrupted. Ignoring the rushing heat in her face, she pinched Neyti lightly. “Do you remember?”  

Neyti side-eyed Wolffe. “Chapter sixteen.” 

Their silent observer levelled an unimpressed stare on the little girl. 

“Chapter sixteen,” Wolffe said. Undeterred, Neyti nodded. His blink was slow. “We’ve read that chapter.”

Innocently, Neyti shrugged. Wolffe started to shake his head and the little girl squeezed his arm, whispering an insistent “Please.”

A dramatic sigh fell from Wolffe. However, Kazi noticed his guarded amusement. The amusement crinkling his eyes and twitching the corner of his mouth. An amusement that made her smile smally, naturally. 

This back-and-forth was a bit, she realized. A bit that Wolffe and Neyti had developed over the months—a demonstration of their comfortability with one another. For a stilted second, she felt like she was looking at an old film of her and her father. Back when he would orate common legends. Hastily, she shook the unwarranted thought away.

“Fine,” Wolffe conceded with false grudge. He flipped to a page she knew he’d memorized and began. “Once upon a time there was a princess.”

Several minutes elapsed as Wolffe narrated the story, the depth of his voice a caress to Kazi’s tired mind. After the last few days—the intensity of the investigation, her nightmares, the return of her menstrual cycle—listening to him, relaxing in bed with him nearby, soothed her: the long-awaited apricity of spring after the ubiquitous darkness of winter. 

Eventually, Neyti fell asleep, her whale tucked close to her chest, Fluffy a loyal protector at her feet. Marking the last page, Wolffe set the book on the nightstand. Carefully, he extricated himself from the bed and waited at the door. With a kiss to Neyti’s forehead, Kazi followed him. 

They gathered in the hall, the house cast in moonlit repose. Neither moved closer; neither separated first. Below, the main level sat empty, the mezzanine’s doors closed.

It was only them and the peering moons. Them and the snooping stars.

“The meeting’s confirmed for tomorrow,” Kazi said. Her voice was pitched low. So as not to disturb the quiet.

Wolffe took a step closer. The tiny, insistent hand banged against her chest. It was harder to silence these days. “You’re nervous.”

“What if…” Fiddling with the ties of her sleep shorts, she looked away. “What if it’s not enough?”

“Ennari—”

“There are consequences to what I’m doing—”

“And if something comes up, we’ll get you out.” 

“I don’t just mean the Empire.” Her eyes returned to his face. Mere centimeters seemed to separate them, and the urge to press into him, to breathe him in, to find comfort in him, was difficult to resist. “What about the network?”

“Nothing’s gonna happen to you,” Wolffe said firmly. “We’ll get you out. And Neyti and Daria.”

“I still think you need to leave—”

“No.” The vehemence in his tone brokered no room for argument, and Kazi pressed her lips together, her glare reproachful. Wolffe glared back, equally resolved. “We’re not having that conversation ‘til we have the other one.” 

The statement was both a determined conclusion to their conversation and an opening for a different discussion. For it was guarded hope in Wolffe’s countenance—restrained yet present—that spoke of his real intent. An expectation for an answer. 

“I haven’t…decided,” Kazi said softly. Wolffe sagged, disappointment replacing former hope, and she winced. She felt small, cruel. “I’m sorry.”

Wolffe dragged a hand through his curls. He sighed. “I know.”

“I…” Her mouth moved but no words formed. 

“Kazi.” His brows furrowed, and she wanted to smooth the wrinkles from his forehead. Kiss away his reservation. “I thought—” 

A clench of his jaw had him straightening, neutralizing his expression. With a curt nod, he moved past her, and she closed her eyes, hating his distance. Hating the vulnerability she’d allowed herself to fall into. Hating herself for running—

Fingers skimmed hers. A quick brush, so light, so gentle. Her breath caught and she let her pinky curl around his, wanting more. But his hand fell away, and his footsteps faded, and the bookcase opened and closed, and she was left alone in the darkness.

An indiscernible amount of time passed while Kazi stood outside Neyti’s door.

It’s easy, a voice whispered. You know him. Trust him. He’s stuck around this long. Commit.

He could still leave, another voice hissed. You don’t know what he’ll do in a year. Or five. Who would want to stay with—

Kazi started down the hall; her gray socks, bunched above her ankles, slid against the wooden floor. Lost to her thoughts, she didn’t realize her door was open—she didn’t realize a man stood beside her nightstand—until he turned toward her and she stumbled to a halt. 

“Fox?” The name fell from her mouth in a startled whisper. Bewilderment held her tongue but quickly dissolved to irritation. She frowned at him. “What are you doing?”  

Fox was analyzing an object in his hand—an object she soon recognized: the wolf he’d gifted her for the winter holiday. “Thought you threw this away,” he commented.

Her eyes narrowed at his disdainful smirk, and she swallowed her sharp reprimand to get the fuck out of her bedroom. Instead, she held still, appraising him. “I wouldn’t throw away a gift like that.”

“Huh.” He placed the wolf back on her nightstand. His half-grin was disparaging. “Just people, then.”  

Kazi stiffened. “What do you want?”

Fox slid his hands into the pockets of his trousers, an insouciant gesture. A contradiction to the bellicose rigidity of his stance. “I told you to not hurt my brother.”

She couldn’t stop her scornful snort. Of course Fox was inserting himself where he wasn’t wanted. Of course she didn’t have the privacy to determine her own feelings and handle her own insecurities without others interfering in her life. The thought pissed her off enough that she balled her fists behind her back.

“What’s going on between me and Wolffe is none of your business,” she said tersely. “You don’t get to judge me—” 

“You fucked up my plans,” Fox spat. The vitriol in his voice was overt and he bared his teeth. “I was relying on you.”

Angry breaths exhaled and then Kazi reared back, realization widening her eyes. “You were using me,” she whispered.

At his blanked expression, she chuffed a wry chuckle. The pattern was obvious—a neon light glaring on an otherwise dark street—and yet she hadn’t put it together. Until now.

All those times she had seen Fox give Wolffe pointed looks; all those times he had spoken to her about Wolffe. He’d seen the relationship between her and Wolffe developing, and he capitalized on their affection for one another. To achieve his ultimate goal: to get his brothers to settle down. 

“Just a means to an end, yeah?” Kazi said with a goading smile. “I can’t believe that I thought we were friends.”

A muscle ticked in Fox’s jaw. However, his expression remained apathetic, unapologetic. “I made it clear from the beginning,” he said, “that my brothers come first. It’s always been them.”

“That’s why you didn’t want to get close to Neyti.” She took a step toward him, her smile thinning. “It’s a lot easier to justify manipulating an adult than a youngling—” 

“I didn’t manipulate you.” Fox mirrored her step forward, his nostrils flaring. “I took advantage of the situation. I want to see Wolffe happy—”

“You were using me! Neyti—”

“No,” Fox hissed. “Not the kid. Never the kid. I held back from her because—”

“I don’t owe you an explanation about my feelings,” Kazi interrupted. Her hands fell limp at her sides. “Wolffe is giving me space—” 

“You think I don’t get it?” Fox demanded. “You think I don’t understand why you’re pulling away?” 

“You pulled away because you were using us.” 

“I didn’t want to care about any of you. I didn’t want to get attached. The thought of losing another person—” He cut himself off, his pants unsteady. With a roll of his neck, he composed his features, eyeing her. “You were supposed to be better than me. I trusted you with him.”

Kazi gritted her teeth. “I’m not having this conversation with you—” 

“I thought the holofilm would make you understand.” The shake of his head was rueful. “I thought you’d get it.” Her lack of reply went unnoticed for several seconds and then Fox blinked. “You…never asked him about it.”

“I was going to,” she said defensively. He scoffed, disbelieving, contemptuous, and she straightened. “I was. But I didn’t want to push Wolffe—”

“You were too scared to ask him.” He cocked his head to the side, leering. “Not so easy to sabotage a relationship when you learn how much the other person cares for you, huh?”

“Don’t think yourself any better,” Kazi said coldly, crossing her arms. “The only people you have are your brothers.”

“What about you?” He arched a taunting brow. “Your sister will be dead within a year. And you’ll be left with a kid as your only companion.”

Kazi flinched; shock at his abrasive comment rooted her to the spot. Whatever was in her expression must have told Fox he’d crossed a line because he grimaced. He lifted his hands in a placating manner. “Kazi—” 

“I know that you care deeply for Wolffe, and I know that you want what’s best for him,” she murmured impassively. A tear splattered her cheek; she left it. “But I never thought you would be so mean as to throw my sister in my face.” Fox moved toward her but she turned away. “Get out.”

“Kazi,” he said hoarsely. “I’m—”

“Get out.”

An aggravated sigh preceded the soft snap of her door. 

Kazi was left alone with his words scabbing her ears and an empty bed’s perfectly creased lines mocking. Massaging her chest, she secluded herself in her ‘fresher—cleaned her face, washed her mouth, lotioned and oiled her body—and then she grabbed her pillow and left.

The hallway was empty, the house hauntedly hushed. 

Outside Daria’s bedroom, she stopped. Her soft knock was answered a few seconds later. She didn’t bother acknowledging Cody as she peered into the dark room. Her sister had pushed herself upright, her nightgown pale white. At Daria’s blink of surprise, Kazi second-guessed her rash decision. They were adults, and this was ridiculous, and she needed to pull herself together—  

Daria pulled back the sheets. Her gentle smile beckoned to Kazi. 

Briefly, she wondered if she had looked like that once, long ago. When they were little girls and she would let Daria hide from the thunderstorms in her bed.

The memories made her eyes itch. Swallowing the emotion, she approached her sister’s bed, slipping beneath the sheets. Her eyes closed; her body curled near the edge. The dip of the mattress alerted her to Cody’s presence, and Daria pressed closer. Kazi didn’t care. 

All that mattered was her sister. Close to her. Still with her. Alive.

11 Kelona

“My findings conclude that Treasurer Bash is culpable of laundering money from the Elucan government.”

Kazi remained alert—feet hip-width apart, hands behind her back, professionally apathetic disposition—as she observed the recently-hung portrait behind the magistrate’s desk. A portrait of Emperor Palpatine. The emperor’s genial smile effused elderly kindness; his skin glowed healthily. 

A rustle of robes brought her attention back to Magistrate Aro. Seated behind his desk, he appraised the holographic documents she had prepared the last twenty-seven days. Documents detailing unusual identification numbers in correlation to the stolen money—identification numbers Bash had tried to scrub from the system. Identification numbers revealing a pattern of bank accesses by an unknown entity. 

Until one slip-up three months ago. 

One thing Kazi learned through her schooling at University: money always left a trail. You just had to be clever and dedicated enough to find it. 

Weeks combing through clearances, security cams, and identification files revealed the trail. All she had to do was present it in a compelling manner. 

“This is an impressive report, Ms. Lucien.” A minute of thoughtful silence elapsed as the magistrate studied her. A pleasant smile kept his features open. “You are aware that this is a serious accusation you are levelling against one of Eluca’s top government officials?”

“I am,” Kazi said. Her tone was inflectionless; her demeanor remained unaffected. “But you tasked me with uncovering a spy among our ranks. I take my orders seriously.”

“From my recollection,” the magistrate said with a slight frown, “I ordered you to determine a link between the money laundering and the rogue clone operation that destroyed an Imperial medical lab.”

“You did, sir.” Kazi retrieved a datastick from her bag and placed it on the magistrate’s desk. “This datastick contains my analyses of both the attack on the medical lab and the money laundering scheme. My conclusion is that the two events were independent of one another.”

The magistrate considered the ‘stick. An entire minute ticked by—the emperor continued to smile at her—and then the magistrate reclined in his chair. “I find it curious,” he said, “that you discredited a link between these two events and took it upon yourself to locate the source of stolen money.” 

Apprehension spasmed in her fingers but Kazi kept her appearance even. Indifferent to the suggested accusation. “Money laundering from a federal bank is a serious crime. I had access to resources and—” 

“One might assume you are trying to distract me from the attack on the medical lab.”

She brushed a finger along her back pocket. The pocket where the wolf carving hid—a last-minute decision this morning. To remind her that she wasn’t alone. 

“I once told you, Magistrate,” she said calmly, carefully, “that I am dedicated to creating a future of success and prominence for Eluca. Money laundering from our own banks—spies among our ranks—is a direct threat to the vision you aspire for Eluca’s future. I won’t lie, sir: I concentrated my attention on uncovering this rebel because I believed it a more pressing issue than an attack on a medical base outside Elucan jurisdiction.”

Magistrate Aro considered the ‘stick, his tongue flicking along his lips snake-like, and then he pushed himself to his feet. Kazi tensed. Subtly, she reached for her comm.

The magistrate approached the window overlooking Canopis’ stone buildings.

“You must excuse me, Ms. Lucien.” His smile spoke of contrition, though wariness dilated his pupils. “I cannot be too careful these days with whom I trust. The news of Treasurer Bash’s betrayal has…unsettled me.”

Kazi resisted the urge to sigh her relief. Instead, she flexed her fingers behind her back, loosening their stiffness.

“We are being attacked on all sides—traitors, rebels, rogue clones.” The magistrate adjusted the silver collar of his neatly-pressed black robes. “They threaten the peace and stability the Empire is built upon. They threaten my vision for our future. They threaten me.”

Whatever leash the magistrate had maintained on his paranoia the last near-year was fraying. A rope abraded to its final thread: pressure seeking Imperial acknowledgement and support, obsessive mistrust of government officials, greed for recognition and power. 

Soon, he would snap. And Kazi had no desire to be nearby when it happened.

“Your findings of Treasurer Bash are to remain quiet, for the time being.” Magistrate Aro glanced over his shoulder, and Kazi extended her head in acknowledgement. “I shall determine the next step forward. In the meantime”—the magistrate corrected an opulent pin on his robe—“I shall set forth my plan to capture these rogue clones.”

Kazi froze. 

“Three months ago, when my clone assassin failed to report, I devised a contingency plan.” The magistrate continued to stare out the window, seemingly lost to his musings. “Moff Harpy was kind enough to lend me a handful of high-ranking clones. Clones who showed unsavory dispositions toward the Empire and the change in military command.”

Unease twisted in her stomach.

“I have held these clones in a private prison, and I have allowed them to…play.” The magistrate chuckled. “They believe they have worked out a way to escape. This morning, they contacted someone for an extraction.”

The blood drained from her face.

“These traitors will be mine.” Triumph rang in his voice, and he turned around, grinning. “We will have answers soon enough.”

“It’ll be three days,” Wolffe said. The sun in its zenith darkened the brown of his skin. A stark contrast to the lightning-white of his scar. “Possibly four. Depends on what happens.”

Swamped by the afternoon heat, Kazi closed her eyes, rubbing her temple. Not even half an hour had passed since her arrival at the house and her frenetic search for the men.

They were gathered outside: Daria, Cody, and Wolffe were enjoying lemon-colored drinks while they watched Fox and Nova instruct Neyti in a new sparring technique. Easy smiles and carefree postures had greeted her; they faded with her arrival.

“Your friend on Coruscant,” Kazi said, frantically glancing between Wolffe and Cody. Both men regained their feet, their expressions serious. “Did he receive a request for an extraction?”

“Rex?” Cody asked.

“Yes.” She was shaking: a combination of adrenaline and apprehension. “Did he?”

Wolffe studied her with a worried frown. “We haven’t been in contact with him. Why?”

“It’s a trap,” she said hastily. The back porch’s stairs creaked, announcing the arrival of Fox and Nova. “Magistrate Aro has set a trap. He has a handful of high-ranking clones held in a prison and he gave them the means to contact your network for an extraction. He’s waiting for your friend’s arrival.” Reaching into her back pocket, she extracted a datastick. “I managed to copy the prison’s coordinates and schematics. Everything is on here.”

The benefit of the security clearance the magistrate had granted her for the investigation—she could access all information pertaining to the high-security prison. 

Kazi tossed the ‘stick to Fox. He caught it and reached for Cody’s datapad, plugging it into the device.

“There’s a list of the men who are being held prisoner,” she said, rubbing her fingers together. “There’s four of them.”

Fox scanned the attached files. His eyes narrowed. “Neyo’s one of the prisoners.” Wolffe and Cody shared a dark look; Fox straightened. “The others I don’t know.”

“We’ll need to intercept Rex,” Wolffe said. 

“We won’t make it,” Fox argued. “We need to make straight for the prison.” He shoved aside the datapad, running a hand through his hair. “He’ll need all of us.”

It had taken the men less than twenty minutes to prepare their bags and make a plan.

The green of the jungle cracked beneath the sun’s boldness and Kazi squinted her eyes. Near the porch, Fox knelt beside Neyti, murmuring to the girl. Neyti toed the ground, refusing to make eye contact. 

“Be safe,” Kazi said, letting her gaze wander across Wolffe’s face. “Please.”

A finger skimmed the faded scar at the corner of her eye. “I will,” he promised.

Before he could walk away—before she lost the nerve—she pushed herself to her toes. Grasped the armored material of his black suit. Pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek. Smooth skin greeted her lips while long, dark lashes fluttered. Wolffe twisted his cheek against hers, curled his fingers around the nape of her neck, breathed in her hair. Just for a moment. 

With a tap to the underside of her chin and a murmured “Watch yourself,” Wolffe joined Cody and Nova at the edge of the jungle. All three men hefted duffel bags across their backs. The trek through the dense foliage would take another half hour to reach their ship’s hidden location. 

A resolute focus commanded their appearances. However, the standoff between girl and man delayed their departure. 

Fox was still murmuring to Neyti, his gestures urgent. Neyti shook her head. Fox rested a hand on her shoulder but she shrugged him off. He scowled at the little girl and started to speak. Sniffing, Neyti spun on her heel and stomped away, collapsing beside Daria on the top step. 

Fox pushed himself to his feet; he stared after Neyti, his bruised knuckles straining against the strap of his bag. Kazi watched him, curious about the strange interaction, yet unwilling to speak with him. Unwilling to feel sorry for his evidential dejection at Neyti’s dismissal. 

He glanced in her direction. She kept her expression blank. A muscle feathered in his jaw, and heaving his bag’s strap across his shoulder, he strode toward the other men. 

A final nod from Wolffe and the men entered the jungle. The shadows engulfed them.

By the time Kazi seated herself beside Neyti on the front porch’s steps, Daria had returned inside, her presence replaced with Fluffy’s. The anooba sprawled himself across the bottom step. He surveyed the jungle, as if searching for possible threats, his tongue lolling from the heat. 

“I don’t like when they leave,” Neyti muttered. Her gray eyes were fixed on the tangle of elder trees, her arms wrapped around her shins.

“I don’t like it either,” Kazi said, resting her forearms on her knees. “But they’ll be okay. And before you know it, they’ll be back.”

Fluffy’s ears perked at a sound. His teeth flashed beneath the blinding sunlight.

Neyti hugged her knees to her chest. “Was I…bad?”

“No.” Kazi scrutinized the little girl. “Why would you think that?”

“Because they left us.” Neyti yanked on the laces of her mud-stained shoes. A lace came undone and she stomped her foot, retying the string. “Mr. Fox told me they wouldn’t leave. He’s a liar. He’s a bad man!”

Kazi closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Defending Fox after their argument last night was the last thing she wanted to do, and yet she was unconvinced he deserved Neyti’s reproach. 

“Mr. Fox isn’t a bad man—”

“He promised me!” Neyti surged to her feet. “He promised when you were hurt. He promised he wouldn’t leave. And he broke it.” Sullenly, she kicked the banister. Her pained whimper earned her an exasperated look from Fluffy. “I don’t like him,” Neyti muttered. “You can’t make me like him.”

“Neyti,” Kazi admonished gently. “Mr. Fox didn’t lie to you.” Neyti harrumphed her disagreement, and Kazi made a conciliatory gesture. “He thought he was done with these missions. He didn’t know something like this would happen. It was outside his control.”

“I told him…” Neyti sniffed, her eyes downcast. “I told him I don’t want to be left behind. I don’t like it.”

The vulnerability in Neyti’s countenance was difficult to witness. A reminder of little Kazi: the girl who yearned so desperately for companionship while simultaneously isolating herself so that she wouldn’t have to experience such loss again. 

“He’s going to come back,” Kazi said. “They all will.”

“He’ll leave again.” Neyti observed the skies above. “They always leave.”

Lacking the energy to defend Fox, especially after their encounter last night, Kazi left Neyti to her glum musings. The youngling toed the banister, picking at peeled paint, and then huffed her frustration. Flopping onto the step, she scowled at the wilderness beyond, petting Fluffy’s head.

After a few minutes, Neyti muttered, “Steiner wasn’t at school today. Again.”

Exhaustion crept upon Kazi and she rolled her neck. 

The Steiner problem had persisted since the school play a week ago. So far, her attempts to connect with Fehr and Carinthia had gone unanswered, a suspicious anomaly she hadn’t given enough of her attention to. However, the mention of Steiner explained some of Neyti’s discontent with Fox. A pattern.

“Steiner is your friend,” Kazi said, bumping her knee against Neyti’s. “I bet she misses you just as much as you miss her.” Neyti scrunched her nose in thought. “She didn’t leave you. Okay?”

Neyti blew a piece of hair from her face; she perked up. “I wrote my letter. For Mummy.”

The sudden change in conversation allowed Kazi a reprieve. She quirked an eyebrow. “Do you want to read it tonight?” 

A solemn nod was Neyti’s sole reply. Scanning the afternoon sky, as if searching for something—a ship, perhaps—she leaned against Kazi. 

For some time, they sat outside, watching downy clouds laze and black birds soar.

The snapping flames of the small fire kept Kazi company as she shuffled the two flimsisheets. 

Waxy blackness of night enveloped the jungled hills, though Eluca’s three moons provided comfort with their bluish-silver light. A light that limned the teardrops staining the black ink on the flimsi—a scrawl so similar to her mother’s: cramped yet elegant.

Dry wood, leftover from Fox’s canoe, crackled; orange flames swirled a sinuous dance. 

Kazi fed the first letter to the fire. Rearing flames consumed it, black ink melting into smoke, flimsi crumbling into ash. A few burnt pieces from Neyti’s letter remained, welcoming the new ashes. 

A scan of the second letter revealed its lacking sentiment: clean of tears. She fed it to the fire, too.

Settling atop the blanket she’d brought out for Neyti, she observed the stars, musing. She thought…well, she wasn’t sure what she thought. Maybe she would be cleansed and everything in life would make sense? Or maybe a weight would be lifted from her soul? Or clarity would open her eyes to the decisions needed to be made?

Instead, she felt the same: weary, concerned, lonely. 

Sometime later, the back door opened, ferns rustled, and a dimpled grin interrupted her view of the stars.

“Hello there,” Kazi said with a grin of her own.

A small wave succeeded her greeting and then Neyti was lugging Nova’s telescope through the ferns, placing it beside the blanket. Daria soon followed. Seating herself on the blanket, closer to the fire, she passed Kazi a plate of pie. Kazi accepted it with a small nod. 

They ate in silence while Neyti set up the telescope. With a patience that could rival Wolffe’s, Neyti adjusted the eyepiece, comparing the telescope’s positioning to the star chart Nova had gifted her for the winter holiday. After a few minutes, Neyti nodded her satisfaction.

“Any specific constellations you’re looking for?” Kazi asked.

“The panther.” Neyti peeked into the eyepiece. “Mr. Nova said it’s supposed to be really bright tonight.”

“The stars are much brighter on Ceaia,” Daria commented. Contemplatively, she chewed a piece of pie. “Even on cloudy nights, you can see the brightest stars shining through.”

“And that was just in the harbor,” Kazi added. Leaning back on her hands, she inhaled the scent of burning wood. “At the top of the mountain peaks or at sea, there were so many stars it seemed unreal.”

“I never went to the mountains,” Neyti said. A disappointed frown downturned her mouth but she quickly straightened, returning to the telescope. With her tongue poking out, she stared into the eyepiece. 

For a long minute, Kazi considered Neyti and then shifted her attention to her sister. Daria was watching the stars, her silence pensive. Yearning.

A sudden revelation—a sudden want—rushed through Kazi—urgent, insistent, demanding. 

“Hey, kid.” Kazi nudged Neyti’s foot with her own. “Are you happy?”

Neyti giggled and adjusted the focusing knob. “Yes! I like the stars.”

“What about the ocean?” From the corner of her eye, Daria set aside her half-finished plate, her eyes narrowed. Kazi ignored her sister’s shrewd assessment; her heart started to beat faster, fervent. “Did you like the ocean?”

“Yes!” Lifting her head from the telescope, Neyti looked toward the lake, where the canoe awaited. “I wanted to ride in a boat. Mummy said we could. One day.”

“If you could go back to Ceaia,” Kazi said, her mind spinning, “would you want to?”

A tiny smile lit Neyti’s face. “We can visit the ocean. Like you promised!”

She blinked her bemusement. “When did I promise that?”

“In your note.” Neyti smiled wider and, unbothered with her cryptic response, returned to the telescope. Her next words were hushed, thoughtful: “I miss home.”

A glance over her shoulder and Kazi took in the house. Warm yellow lights seeped from the windows; homey attributes—plants and puzzle pieces, books and wood carvings, paints and needles—personalized the interior. 

And yet the house was just that: a house. Nothing more than a building that provided structure and security. 

“Are you really considering it?” Daria’s question interrupted her rumination, and Kazi turned toward her sister. Daria was staring at her. Eagerness twinkled in her eyes, like stars animating the darkness of night. “Are we going back?”

Nonplussed by the suddenness—by the rightness—of this moment, Kazi stumbled over her words: “Do you want to?” 

“Yes.” Daria laughed with alacrity. “I want to go home.”

Kazi laughed, too—somewhat perplexed, somewhat incredulous. But it was mostly with acceptance, relief. For the last year, she felt like she was looking through the unfocused lens of a telescope, the image of her life blurry, nebulous. Now, the lens had focused, and she could see it with clarity: the apotheosis. 

A smile succeeded her laugh. A smile that displayed her dimples; a smile that her sister observed with a small, bittersweet one of her own.  

Angling her head back to the sky, Kazi breathed in the burning wood and humid air and fresh moss. She closed her eyes. “Let’s go home.”

14 Kelona

“I don’t have much time.”

Tucked among the morning shadows of the nearest stone buildings, Kazi appraised the Square. A cup of Elucan chocolate mush warmed her stomach; a basket of cinnamon bread awaited eating. 

The trickle of water ebbing around the black statue of a prowling panther complimented the chatter of morning patrons. Two stormtroopers stood at alert at the northside of the Square, perpendicular to Kazi. Based on their casual stances and the constant tilt of their heads signifying conversation, they were bored. 

“What is it?” Kazi asked.

A cloak hiding her figure and a hood masking most of her face, Carinthia slid a datastick across the table. 

Courtesy of their position on the outskirts of the Square, the ample cover from the café’s canopied tarp, and the general lack of patrons within their vicinity, they were well secluded from unwanted eyes. Carinthia had chosen the table. Kazi assumed it was deliberate, as was the cloak she too donned: a request by her fellow rebel.

Kazi slid the datastick into her cloak’s pocket. “Is this the banking information?” 

“Yes.” Carinthia surveyed their surroundings. “All the information you need is on there.”

An uncomfortable heat—the combination of post-rain humidity and the thickness of her cloak—sweated her spine and Kazi shifted in her chair. “You could’ve dropped by the house and given this to me. There was no need to meet here.”

“I have three chain codes,” Carinthia said, bypassing her comment. The chain codes passed between their hands and then the woman held up another datastick. Blue eyes pinned her beneath an icy intensity. “This has instructions on it. Use it in one of the Institute’s data chambers and do what you’re told.”

With a frown, Kazi slipped the second ‘stick into her pocket. Carinthia’s brusque manner and hasty movements set her on edge. “Did something happen—”

“Bash personally requested you to investigate the money laundering.” Kazi grew rigid but Carinthia continued, her voice urgent. “He was going to use your data manipulation as evidence of your subterfuge. He was going to reveal you to the magistrate.”

Kazi blanched, and the Square stilled beyond her periphery. For months she’d suspected a betrayal. For months she’d thought she was prepared. And yet Bash’s willingness to oust her as a spy, to threaten her sister and daughter, caught her by surprise. 

“I warned you and Fehr that I was going to reveal him,” Kazi said, fixing her gaze on Carinthia. The thick stone of the table was cool beneath her harsh grip. She forced herself to breathe, to compose her shock into calm control. “I protected you—I protected the network. And now you’re going to betray me—” 

“We’re not betraying you.” Carinthia pushed her mug away and leaned across the table. “We have a plan. You’re safe. Your family is safe. The clones are safe.” 

Kazi scrutinized the perimeters of the Square: an older man with his granddaughter selling flowers, couples enjoying caf or breakfast, a group of mining officials skimming reports.

So close. She had come so close, too close, to being uncovered. Arrested.

Too close to threatening the safety of her family.

“The cams have all been interfered with,” Carinthia said. The hollows of her cheeks were dark; bones pressed against nearly translucent skin. Her eyes remained sharp, though, focused and cunning. “No one saw us meeting. No one will know that we’re connected. Stay here. Act natural. And when it’s time: leave.”

“What’s going on?” Kazi demanded. Her hands had grown clammy and the muscles in her legs were cramped with tension. “What the fuck—” 

A bell chimed, and Carinthia stiffened, glancing at the fountain in the center of the Square.

“I have to go.” Carinthia regained her feet, though she hesitated, eyeing Kazi for a pent breath. Skeletal fingers gripped her cloak tighter and she murmured, “I believe, in another life, we could have been friends.” 

The bell chimed again and Carinthia disappeared down the nearest alley. Kazi was left alone at the stone table, disconcerted: two mugs of Elucan mush unfinished, a basket of bread untouched. 

Stay here. Act natural. And when it’s time: leave.

The warning convinced her to tear off a small piece of bread as she studied her surroundings. Barrels of exotic flowers lined the westside of the Square. Shop windows beckoned attention. Locals breakfasted, chatted, haggled over prices. It all appeared ordinary—

Motion near the panther’s statue caught her attention. A cloaked figure neared the fountain, waiting. The two stormtroopers seemed oblivious. Still bored.

Kazi scanned the nearby alley but Carinthia was gone; consternation slowed her heart. 

Another cloaked figure strolled toward the fountain. Her perfunctory gait and heavy clock confirmed her identity.

Kazi leaned forward in her seat. Bewilderment narrowed her eyes—

“They know about you.” Carinthia’s snarl reverberated among the buildings. The Square fell silent. The stormtroopers hefted their blasters and took a step in her direction. “You’ve endangered us all.”

The other person stumbled back a step, throwing a furtive glance at the stormtroopers. 

Warily, Kazi pushed her chair back from the table. 

Carinthia reached beneath her cloak. The stormtroopers hurried their approach.

The bell chimed again. 

Carinthia aimed her blaster. The figure raised their hands, shouting—

A deafening blast echoed. A youngling cried out. The stormtroopers jerked their blasters forward.

And the figure collapsed, crumbling to the ground, revealing his bloodied face. 

Kazi stared wide-eyed at the body.

For Carinthia had killed Bash.  

Masterlist | Chapter 27 | Chapter 29

[anonymousfiction211]

Meeting Tom Hiddleston

Summary: Meeting Tom Hiddleston for the first time! (A girl can dream...)

Word Count: 3502 words

Warnings: Smut

The line moved slowly. You were already waiting for a very long time, but it would definitely be worth it. Luckily, you were not alone. Your best friends Eline and John were with you, who happened to be in a relationship with each other. This was your fist time at comic con, since none of your other friends ever wanted to go. And you were extremely nervous to see your favourite actor in real life. Finally, the line moved a few paces. The more the line moved the more nervous you got. You were about to be eye to eye with him. With possibly the most charming and handsome men on the planet.

You were wondering if he would be in a good mood, or would pretend to be in a good mood. He had been giving out autographs for a few hours. Since your friends wanted to go to another panel first, you barely made it in time to stand in line. You had thought long and hard about what you wanted him to sign. Eventually you decided on a book about Loki, which you have read quite a few times. It was not about the Loki that he played, the Marvel version, but the one from the Norse mythology. Your thoughts were disturbed when Eline let out a little shriek. ‘I can’t believe we’re finally going to meet him!’ she said excited. The two of you had planned this a few years back, when you both discovered that you were massive Loki fans. The deal was, if Tom Hiddleston ever came to your country, the two of you would go.

‘Oh my god, I’m so nervous. I don’t know what to say’ you replied. From the moment you had tickets to this event you were thinking about what to tell him. Everything you came up with sounded like a cliché, and he sure would be tired to hear the same thing for the hundredth time today. After some sleepless nights and driving yourself crazy, you thought you would come up with it while waiting in line. Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. Now that you were standing in line, you had forgotten every series and every movie you had ever seen him in. You knew he was your favourite actor, but why that exactly was you couldn’t explain if your life depended on it.

The line moved along again and you were now next in line. The two girls before you were giggling loudly and you heard Tom chuckling. You started to feel overwhelmed and thought about backing out. ‘(Y/N), relax. It will be fine’ John encouraged you. ‘I don’t do well with first impressions and if I screw this up I will never be able to sleep’ you argued. Your friend just laughed at you. The three of you had have this argument about a million times when you discovered that you would meet Tom. The girls before you left and now you stood eye to eye to Tom Hiddleston. He made eye contact with you and your mind just lost it. You froze in your spot. John laid a hand on your shoulder and whispered to you ‘This is the part where we walk towards him’. From his tone you heard that he was quite amused by your state and you felt like you had embarrassed yourself already.

The three of you walked towards the table. ‘Hello there’ Tom greeted you. Your friends immediately greeted him back and started to introduce themselves. ‘.. and this is (Y/N)’ you heard Eline say. ‘Nice to meet you (Y/N)’ Tom said to you. God that voice was going to be the death of you. ‘What can I do for you today’ he continued. Your two friends gave him each a Loki funkopop to sign and after that you handed him the book. He eyed the book and looked at you. ‘Have you read it?’ he asked you. When he saw your questioning face he just laughed to himself ‘Sorry, of course you have. Stupid question’. Out of nervousness you laughed too ‘No, stupid questions don’t exist right?’ ‘I have read the book, one of my favourites actually’ you explained. ‘From all the books and stories, I’ve read about Loki, I quite agree’ he told you. ‘So, who do you like better MCU Loki or Norse Mythology Loki?’ he asked you. ‘Not to be insulting, but Norse Mythology Loki, actually’ you said, hoping he didn’t notice the blush on your cheeks. His face looked amused and you saw a twinkle in his eyes that confirmed your suspicion, that Tom and your all-time favourite trickster shared some qualities. ‘And why is that?’ he asked in his low voice while leaning a bit more forward.

‘Well, the Loki from Norse Mythology wouldn’t be stupid enough to try and kill Thanos with a butter knife’ you replied. You were shocked to hear yourself say that. The words had left your mouth before you even registered what was happening. Like you said, you really weren’t good in first impressions. You heard your friends laugh beside you. You were relieved when you heard Tom laugh also. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you’ you quickly added. ‘You didn’t, darling’ he said. Great, if the blush on your cheeks wasn’t obvious, it sure would be now. ‘But remember, Loki does everything for a reason’ he said and gave you a wink. ‘I hope he does, I’m really excited for the series’ you said as steady as you could. Hoping you didn’t show how much that one wink effected you. ‘Glad to hear you say that. Do you want me to sign the cover or the inside?’ he asked you. A bit disappointed that after he signed it and you left this meeting, you would never see or speak to him again. ‘Inside, please’ you replied. Tom wrote something inside, but cut of the view with his arm. He closed the book and handed it back to you. ‘Best not to read it with your boyfriend standing next to you’ he said while handing it back to you.

Eline immediately grabbed John and pulled him closer. ‘Actually, John is my boyfriend. (Y/N) is single’ she said. The meaning behind her words couldn’t have been more obvious. If you could, you would have fainted right there and then, just to escape this embarrassment. You shot her an I’m-going-to-kill-you-for-this-look, but her look said that you would have done the same in her situation. And who were you kidding, you would have. ‘Really?’  Tom asked. The tone of his voice made your knees weak. ‘’Yeah, still wating for prince charming on his white horse, I guess’ you chuckled, not knowing how to respond to this. ‘Not for a skilled sorcerer with a God complex? Tom replied teasingly. ‘If Loki really existed I would take that chance’ you replied in all honesty. At this point the security guard behind Tom cleared his throat. ‘Mr. Hiddleston, we need to get going’ he said. Tom nodded at the security guard before turning his attention back to you. ‘Unfortunately, that is my que to get going. But I would love to explain to you why Loki tries to stab people with butter knifes. If you like?’ he said to you. You nodded quickly, more time with Tom was not something you would turn down. ‘Yes’ you said a bit too enthusiastic. Tom just laughed a little at your energetic reaction. He grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down the address and room number of his hotel ‘Here is the place I’m staying. Let’s say around 10pm if that’s not too late? I think it’s going to be a long day today. We can have a drink and talk more’ he said to you. ‘Your friends are more then welcome to join if they want’ he quickly added. You smiled at him ‘Sure, see you tonight’ you said. With that the three of you left and Tom got up to go to his next event.

‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god’ your friend started to chant once the three of you were in the main hall. ‘I can’t believe that he asked you out!’ she exclaimed. You furrowed your brows ‘Look, I can’t believe either that he wants to spend more time with me. But it isn’t a date. I’m not going alone, you two will be there as well’ you answered. Your friend shot each other a look before the shifted their focus back on you. ‘You’re going alone’ the said simultaneously. ‘What? How about you two come with me for moral support like good friends are supposed to do?’ you asked them. ‘We are making you go alone so you can have some time with your all-favourite actor. Who knows what will happen when you two are alone’ John said to you. ‘That is what good friends are supposed to do’ Eline added with a smile. And you knew it didn’t matter how much you argued, you were going and you were going alone. 

The day passed and you had a blast with your friends. The nerves within you were building up about tonight tough. At the end of the day, you and Eline went shopping for an outfit for tonight. She insisted that you wore a dress, but you had successfully declined that. Dresses weren’t really much your thing and you didn’t want Tom to think that you were expecting or trying something. After all, it was just a talk about Loki, a drink and he even had invited your friends. Eventually, you found a pair of black jeans and a dark green t-shirt. It was a bit Loki styled, but your friend assured you that Tom would appreciate that.

In the evening => You got out of the cab and were more nervous when you saw the luxury of the hotel. Maybe you were a bit underdressed you thought. After a few deep breaths you mastered the courage to walk into the hotel. The man behind the desk eyed you and asked if he could do anything to help you. You knew that he was really asking what the hell you were doing here. You told him that you came to visit Tom in room 325. After a quick phone call, he smiled politely at you, explained how to get there, and told you to have a nice evening. You got into the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor. You took a few more deep breaths. Maybe you should have brought something you started to contemplate. Why hadn’t you thought about that before? When the elevator reached the floor, your breath hitched when Tom was standing suddenly in front of you. Amused by your reaction he greeted you politely. To your shock he even hugged you once you were out of the elevator. ‘Are you alone?’ he asked you while walking towards his hotel room. ‘Yeah, my friends rather wanted a quiet night alone’ you lied to him. I mean, you couldn’t possibly tell him why you were here alone. ‘That just means we have the chance to get each other better’ Tom replied.

Tom’s hotel room was pretty big. It was still a simple hotel room but he had a large sitting area with comfy couch and a tv. He told you to make yourself at home, so you sat down on the couch. ‘Sorry, I didn’t think to bring something’ you said to him. He just told you that you didn’t had to bring something. He asked you what you wanted to drink. Luckily for you he had wine, maybe alcohol would calm your nerves a bit. He poured two classes of red wine and sat next to you on the couch. You noticed that he sat fairly close to you. Something you both love and hated at the moment. ‘I like the colours you’re wearing, very Loki-like’ he said to you. ‘Thanks’ you blushed, not knowing how to take this compliment. Luckily, Tom changed the subject about Loki and the Marvel Universe. After some time, your nerves calmed down and you actually had a blast. It was fun to talk to Tom about Loki, hobby’s, and he even took an interest is your life. When Tom handed you a glass with only a little wine in it he said ‘Sorry, I’m afraid that the second bottle is already gone’. You were shocked ‘The SECOND?’  you asked him. He just laughed at you ‘Time flies when you’re having fun I guess’. That is when you looked at the clock. It was past 1 o’clock at night. ‘Oh shoot, it’s already late. Sorry. I should go’ you stammered a bit. ‘No apologies, I’ve had a great time. And do you really think I’m letting a woman go home alone at this time at night?’ he said while raising his eyebrow.

‘Assuming from your tone, I guess not?’ you replied. ‘You’re staying here. You can have the bed and I’ll sleep on the couch if you want to. But I’m not letting you travel alone at this time’ he said. You saw him think over his words ‘I mean, if you really want I will take you home. I don’t want you to feel forced to stay here’ he added. You already heard your friends voice in your head telling you what an idiot you were if you actually went home right now. And to be honest, you didn’t want to go home. Things with Tom felt naturally. ‘If you don’t mine I’d like to stay for the night’ you said and immediately saw Tom’s face lit up. ‘But either we sleep both in the bed or I’ll sleep on the couch. I’m not having you sleep on the couch in your own room’ you added. It was a bold move, but the alcohol made you forget all your nerves. Tom just gave you a wide grin ‘Bed it is’ he said to you. The two of you talked and laughed more and eventually finished the wine. Tom had put his arm on the armrest around you and you sat to face him. The two of you sat really close to each other. When you put down the glass you looked in his eyes. He met your gaze and there was a long silence. His hand cupped your cheek and he leaned in ‘Can I?’ he asked while maintaining eye contact. ‘Yes’ you replied to give him your consent. You felt his lips on your, it was soft and he kissed you slowly.

When you kissed him back the kissing got more heated. Tom grabbed your waist to pull you closer and you laid your hands around his neck. After a make out session that made you feel like you were a teenager again, he broke the kiss. ‘Should we go to the bedroom?’ he asked you while catching his breath. You nodded and he laughed at you. He got up and stretched out his hand for you to take. You took his hand and he led you to his bedroom. When you entered he closed the door behind you. He immediately starting to kiss you again while walking you back to the giant bed. While you were walking you started to undo the many buttons of his white shirt. Once they were all unbuttoned, your hands roamed his chest and his abbs. You felt Tom slightly moan at your touch. He pulled the shirt of himself and you felt the back of your legs against the bed. Tom laid you down gently and grabbed the hem of your shirt. You moved your arms up so he could take it off you. For a moment he froze and eyed the sight of you laying underneath him on the bed in your bra. You chuckled at his reaction and pulled him closer for a kiss.

You undid his belt and opened his pants. He slides his pants down and was now laying on top of you in nothing but his underwear. You clearly felt his erection against your core, making you more wet. Tom unhooked your bra and started to kiss down your neck. When he reaches your breasts, he took his time. He started to kiss them, bite them, and roll his tongue around your nipples. Your nipples hardened and you moaned shamelessly from his actions. Once he was satisfied he trailed his kissing downwards. He reached the top of your pants. He looked up to make eye contact with you, while he undid the button of your pants. He hooked his fingers from the top and pulled your pants and underwear down simultaneously. ‘I wanted to do this the first moment I saw you’ he said to you. His tongue was circling your clit, but his eyes never left your gaze. The sight of Tom between your thighs looking at you was adding to the intensity of the pleasure he was giving you. When you were starting to pant from his tongue you saw him smile.

He trailed his kissing back upward and reached your mouth. You could taste yourself on him, which was adding to your lust. You took charge and moved so Tom was on his back. You slowly trailed his underwear down and he shuddered in anticipation. He quickly pulled open his nightstand and grabbed a condom. He handed it to you. You grabbed his hardened cock and he moaned immediately when you touched it. Slowly you started to move your wrist up and down and Tom was bucking his hips to create more friction. After some time, Tom was all worked up ‘Please (Y/N), ride me’ he begged you. You opened the condom package with your teeth and slowly put the condom around his cock. You startled his legs, grabbed his cock, and slowly let him enter you. You started out the same slow pace when you teased him with your hand. Tom grabbed your hips to increase the pace. You leaned downwards to kiss his neck and discovered his sweet spot. When you kissed the crook of his neck he almost yelled. ‘Oh god (Y/N)’ he said loudly. You were still riding him and gasping for air. He hit all the right spots and it felt so good to have him inside of you. You felt his hands trail down to your lower back and he carefully laid you on your back.

He was on top of you and thrusting faster inside of you. He tried the kiss you but the two of your were moaning uncontrollably. At this point you were more breathing each other in then actually kissing, but you loved every second of it. The way his breath felt on your skin, his lips ghosting over yours and his tongue occasionally sliding in your mouth. Suddenly a wave of pleasure flooded over you and you came hard crying out his name ‘O god Tom!’ you screamed. You laughed when you saw the smug look on his face. You grabbed his ass and squeezed it. He began to moan out loud again. His thrusts were getting wilder and you knew he was close. After a few more thrusts he thrusted one more time as deep as he could. He grunted loudly and stayed in that position for a few seconds. After that he collapsed on top of you, but supported himself a bit to make sure he didn’t crush you. Once he caught his breath he moved to his side of the bed. He went to the bathroom to get rid of the condom and after that you went to clean yourself. When you came back Tom laid in bed, waiting for you with a large grin on his face.

You crawled into the bed and he immediately pulled you close to him. The two of you cuddled in silence for a while and you felt yourself become sleepy. ‘So, what are your plans tomorrow?’ he asked you. ‘I am going with my friends to a museum, then some sightseeing and at the night we grab a bit to eat and go out you replied. ‘What are you going to do?’ you asked. He sighed loudly ‘Oh, well. I fly back in three days and in the meantime I have time to kill, but don’t know anybody here. It sure would be lovely to spend a day like that in your company’ he said a bit too obvious while pulling you close. ‘Are you trying to invite yourself?’ you giggled. ‘Hm.. maybe I am. Would you mind that?’ he asked you. ‘No, you are more then welcome to join us. I just thought that after tonight you maybe didn’t want to’ you replied. His face nuzzled in the crook of your neck ‘Darling, the first thing I’m going to do tomorrow is ask your phone number, because I really like to see you again’ he whispered. And with that you fell asleep.

Tags: @delightfulheartdream​

If you want to be added to the taglist, you can contact me :)

[striveattemptfail]

for the small overlap of my followers in the centre of the batman/check please venn diagram: take a trip with me to batfam x omgcp hell lol

some prior notes before i get into this:

for my own safety and sanity, i primarily won’t be focusing on the grimdark, death-filled origin stories of the batfamily

i will be fucking around with ages, characterizations, and relationship dynamics from both omgcp and dc bc this is my au and i do what i want lol

there’s gonna be a fuckton more under the cut bc this is all stream of consciousness and i needed to get it down or else my brain wouldn’t shut up about it /);w;(\

oKAY LEGGO /o/

jack zimmermann is The BatMan

broody, black-haired, blue-eyed, soft-spoken giant of a man who can terrify others with a glare

not quite a playboy in his civilian identity as jack zimmermann, but defo a himbo who trips over his own words and generally has no idea what he’s doing if it isn’t about his family or his family’s giant corporation

also pressure to live up to parents’ legacy as positive figures who constantly made changes to the city they loved? trying to follow in his father’s footsteps as an amazing philanthropist and business man?

*chef’s kiss*

he’s awkward and perhaps robotic about it sometimes but he loves his family (old and new) with all his heart and will fight the world to protect them

eric bittle is catwoman the night cat

flirty chatty, sneaky cat burglar who steals to fund his own interests

(it’s baking we all know it’s baking lol. he has a dream to start a career in the food industry but he can’t afford it yet so........ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

bitty’s got soft hands and quick technique—there’s nothing he can’t break into or break out of so long as he’s got the right tools

first meeting with jack zimmermann as the batman was unfavourable for everyone involved. eric was a criminal trying to steal a vintage dining set from the local museum and jack was......very jack about it

their relationship softens as they cross paths more often and they learn about each other’s identities

bitty left home at a young age and never looked back—he may miss his family dearly but it was for the best

besides, if he went back home then how could i run into you, mr. tall, dark, and handsome?

jack is very flustered by him and rightfully so lol

once he’s more integrated into the batfamily, bitty loves everyone just as fiercely as jack does

hops or bully as robin i/nightwing

i can’t decide between the two yet for who i’d prefer for the first robin and eventually nightwing

i love hops for the teasing, pain-in-the-ass robin and eventual titans’ leader, nightwing

but i also love the idea of (canonically second best dancer of smh) bully being an expert gymnast who came from a family of travelling performers, whose acts are tied deeply to their cultural identities

this is up in the air for the meantime, but either of em would be excellent nightwings

whoever’s not robin + louis would also be in this iteration of the titans

dex as robin ii/red hood

now i gotta be honest, i almost didn’t want to have red hood be part of this bc pain but!! i think dex would be an excellent red hood

picked up by billionaire jack zimmermann, dex is a kid from the streets who tragically dies in undisclosed circumstances

his homelife before jack came into it was taking care of his mother and protecting them from an abusive brother

he takes the mantle as robin with some trepidation at first but comes to love it with all his heart

after his death and eventual resurrection, he becomes the red hood: an anti-hero who cares for the underdogs, for the forgotten people of the city, fighting crime in his own way in the alleys where he came from

he goes on his own adventures with his own group of outlaws—nursey, a clever archer with as much dorkiness as he does archery skill, and chowder, a naive but kind and loving alien with godly powers

(no, neither nursey nor chowder were ever part of robin i’s titans bc i have Opinions™ about this and i want them to be their own ragtag group of heroes gdi)

(yes, i am just furthering my polyfrogs agenda. also you can’t tell me polyfrogs as joyfire wouldn’t be the best thing ever 😁😁😁)

ransom as robin iii/red robin

a tired ball of chaos, ransom would be such a good tim drake i can feel it

a bright young man who forces his way into batman’s life after robin ii’s passing and after looking up to both generations of robin growing up

he deduced jack and co’s identities on his own and then studies up like hella to become the next robin

he’s slightly terrified to present his findings to The Jack Zimmermann aka The Batman, but his bravery and thoroughness at the very least intrigues jack enough to take him under his wing (pun intended)

ransy’s parents are not pleased when he announces everything to them

they have expectations of the world from him but at the end of the day they love their son and they love that their son is doing good in the world

he’s a disaster bi btw

one of his bffs is holster aka superboy i, who is his righthand man in their team of heroes (young justice titans)

his other bff is march aka spoiler and basically his first love who is his partner in all things batfamily

ransom has the dick grayson problem of going back and forth between the same two redheads blondes for several years bc he loves them both very dearly

whiskey as robin iv

jack’s son who barrels into his life after years of secrecy

idk who i want to be his ~mother yet

initial instinct says camilla, jack’s ex, a skilled assassin-slash-mercenary with her own moral code

her relationship with jack would mirror that of roy and jade’s and whiskey would be lian.............except instead of lian it’d be damian LOL

camilla kept whiskey as a secret bc she knew who Jack The Batman and Jack The Billionaire was, but she’s forced to give him up when her life comes under threat and she decides he’d be safer with jack

jack and camilla do not have an antagonistic relationship before nor after whiskey comes into jack’s life, but just from the way whiskey grew up he’s got Some Issues to deal with

jack allows him to express/release his emotions with combat and detective training, and eventually he becomes the next robin

ALTERNATIVELY

whiskey is a clone resulting from the success of experimentation combining jack and kent parson’s dna (think conner kent being the result of clark kent and lex luthor)

kent is jack’s old flame and partner

they grew up together and were inseparable for most of their youth until a brutal falling out where jack eventually started his path to become the batman, and kent turned to crime and world domination

whiskey, again, was the result of an experiment studying human genetics that successfully created a clone of billionaire and masked vigilante, jack zimmermann + the head of the biggest crime league in the world, kent parson

whiskey comes into jack’s life after discovering his conception and wanted to learn more about his other father

he also left the league bc i imagine grooming a child to be a murderer in a villain’s syndicate takes its toll and whiskey saw this as his perfect out

cue the same journey to him becoming robin iv

other notes

shitty is alfred pennyworth but not an old butler. he is instead jack’s righthand man and best friend. if it wasn’t kent with jack growing up, it was shitty, and shitty stuck by jack’s side after kent left. they know each other as well as they know themselves, and jack would trust his life and family with shits. shitty’s basically his live-in manager and PA, but he loves what he does and he, too, protects the batcave with a shotgun (as well as a foul mouth lol)

lardo is lucius fox and heads all of zimmermann enterprise’s innovations. she got into a relationship with shitty after years of the two of them dealing with jack’s bs and eventually they two fell in love. she’s a genius and unafraid to put any of the batfamily in their place, especially since shitty won’t. yeeeeeears down the line, once jack puts up the cowl once and for all and she and shitty have their own family, their son picks up the mantle to become the next batman a la jace fox

tater is the superman to jack’s batman. a loud and kind humanoid alien who was adopted by russian immigrants after crashlanding to earth as a baby and grew up to eventually become superman

tango is superboy ii and whiskey’s best friend. idk if i want him to be tater’s son, but i do want super sons, and whiskey needs a sunshine alien just like damian lol

george is wonder woman. i am not taking any questions about this.

also april is wonder girl in young justice a la cassie sandsmark. i will not be taking questions about this either.

if she isn’t whiskey’s mom then camilla is batwoman. no questions here as well.

idk yet who i want as cass and babs but i know want them here somehow. i just dunno yet. maybe farmer as oracle?? ford as orphan?? vice versa??? use jenny and mandy instead???? maybe i should rearrange the whole damn family????? idk yet but don’t worry i haven’t forgotten them~!

[rafesgfs]

i do

Warning: language, major character death, violence, angst

Word count: 3.4k

Summary: Soulmate AU where the last words you will ever hear from your soulmate is written on your wrist so you won't know it's them until you've lost them.

Staring at the words on your wrist, you held back another sigh, tracing the black ink with your finger, dread and sadness washing over you. You shuddered at the words, unable to rid of the lump in your throat.

I do.

Born with the words on your wrist, no one knew when they would meet their soulmates, unknown to who your other half was until they died. It was cruel, knowing the last thing they'll say to you would cause you immense pain. Horror stories stemmed from the agonies of other's pain, movies made out of the tales that would become famous.

Some, those who were protective of their hearts, buried themselves away from others, but fate always led them to their soulmate. No matter how short the time would be stretching from the duration of your life to a single second before you'd lose them. The best outcome to happen was when two lovers let go, and spend their lives together, to die at when they were to, finding out they had spent their lives with their one and only. That possibility was becoming more and more realistic with modern technology and wishful thinking.

Yet, there was some tragedies. The unfortunate ones would have their sentences written on their wrist, knowing they'd only know their soulmate for a short time, or not at all. “It's nice to meet you.” "What's your name?" "Can I get your number?" "Sounds like a date." Not knowing them at all was, to most, was worse than to know them at all.

A few rare situations when your soulmate would die young. Parents told horror stories, reading the words off their kid's wrist. "We're playing dodgeball in gym!" "I didn't do my math homework." "You can come to my birthday party. I'm turning seven next week!"

Then there were the most terrifying stories. They were the ones turned into thrillers, a real life story turned into a disrespectful horror movie. They'd lose each other, aware there was nothing they could do. "I thought you locked the door." "I don't think we're alone." "Behind you!" "Someone's in the house."

Thankful none of the situations applied to you, you still couldn't get the words branded in your wrist out of your head. It lingered, whispering the last words before your heart would be torn, only healed when death came for you. Some looked on the positive side, knowing meeting their soulmate was inevitable.

Natasha broke you out of your reverie as she tackled you down on the mat, leaving you breathless at the sudden attack, confused to how you've become acquaintances with the ground. You spit your hair out, grimacing in disgust as a few strays stuck to your lips. With your hands tied behind your back, and crushed against the former assassin's body, you turned your attention on her smug smile, glaring daggers.

"Okay, get off before Tony pictures us scissoring again." you grunted, too tired to push her off of you. Natasha laughed, letting your wrists go as she shifted her weight off of you, sitting next to you on the thick mat. You rolled onto your back, closing your eyes in exhaustion. "That was unnecessary, Nat."

Spending the day at the gym with Natasha seemed like a good idea after being beaten by Clint the day before. You knew you were getting rusty, without all the life threatening missions and people to save, your skills wasn't needed. Besides, you loved yourself too much for Steve to convince you to join him on his suicide runs. He woke up before the sun rose, and it only took a few runs to realize that even you couldn't keep up with his fast pace. ("Although, I would love to see his fast pace in the bedroom. Ow, Sam!")

After tying the score—despite the lack of training, you and Natasha still tied when it came to hand to hand combat—you had sat down on the bench, which was now sweaty, and sulked, sighing over the words written on your wrist.

Natasha rolled her eyes, leaning on her elbows as she eyed your expression, eyes narrowing when you didn't return her smile. "What's with the sad face? Are you thinking about your soulmate mark again?"

"You know I only allow myself to think about it once every other month." you replied. Natasha made a noise in respond but you ignored it. "Shut up, I know I'm pathetic. No need to voice your opinions."

"You're not pathetic, just compassionate." she whispered, her eyes sparkling with remembrance. Natasha had lost her soulmate on a mission a few years before the Avengers were formed, but it didn't stop her from living her life. You hoped you could follow her path when the horrid time came. "Out of curiosity, if you had to guess, do you think you've met your soulmate by now?"

You've given it much thought, coming up with a good theory that even Tony Stark would be impressed by. Of course, you didn't share it with anyone, giving Nat the simplified version of it. "With the amount of people I've met, I like to think so."

The playful smirk returned to her lips, a wiggle of her eyebrows as she digested your words. "And do you think a certain blond, big-hearted, super soldier might be it?"

You reached for the nearest water bottle, throwing it at her only to have it hit the wall behind her as she dodged it. Natasha laughed, putting distance between you, sensing an attack. You scowled at her but it lacked real annoyance. "Oh my, God. I have, like, the smallest crush on him and you're already planning our children's proms."

"I'm thinking: under the sea." Natasha joked, grinning when the corner of your lips curled up. The both of you burst out laughing, thinking about Natasha in a ridiculous kid-friendly dress as she chaperoned yours and Steve's future offsprings.

As if summoned, Steve chose that moment to enter the training room, freezing in his tracks when he saw you and Natasha cackling. His expression made Natasha double back into another round of laughter while yours subsided in giggles. Steve cleared his throat, looking down as a slight blush decorated his face.

He murmured your name, walking up towards you, his blue eyes eyeing the ground with too much interest. "Did you hear about the party Tony is making all of us go to?"

Natasha stopped laughing immediately, jaw clenching at Tony's betrayal. They had a truce where Natasha would stop hacking into his system to play Spice Girls—with the help of Bruce, of course—and Tony was to stop throwing parties every month. It's been three months since the last party, the one where Natasha has almost killed the billionaire. Tony couldn't hold off any longer. She stood. "I'm going to kill him."

Before either of you could get a word in, Natasha was already out the door, her stance deadly as Tony Stark awaited his death. The door slammed close behind her as Steve sat down beside you on the mat, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

You admired his ruffled hair, blond strands hanging down on his forehead. You had mentioned to him that he looked sexier with his long hair, and it seemed like he was following your advice. Dressed in a simple black t-shirt and gray sweatpants, Steve Rogers was every girl's waking fantasy. It truly was unfair how good he could look in sweats.

"Hey." you greeted, smiling sweetly at him. Being happy around Steve was as easy as giving Pepper Potts presents. He returned the smile, grinning from ear to ear as he looked away, his cheeks reddening even more. "What can I do for you, Stevie?"

"Thor wanted to have some kind of Asgardian contest that may or may not level the top floor. I thought you might want to do something else, have a peaceful night instead of risking our lives to one of Thor's games?" he asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Not letting excitement cloud your senses, you grew cautious, eyes narrowing as you looked around the room, trying to search for a hidden camera that would allow Tony to get you back from ruining his thousand-dollar crocs. Steve Rogers was not asking you out in no way.

Steve saw your expression, quickly backing off. "Only if you want to. I'm sure you missed Thor and all. It's okay, I can suffer a few third degree burns—"

"No!" you shouted, making Steve flinch at the suddenness. You cleared your throat, cheeks heating up. "Uh, I mean, yeah. I wouldn't mind missing the party. Where did you plan on going?"

Slightly surprised, a smile crept on his lips. He ran a hand across his face to hide the cheeky grin. "Wherever you want to go."

You threw him a smile, unhealthily giddy. If Clint were here to comment, he'd compare you to a happy school girl with a massive crush. "Oh. Okay."

A voice interrupted the short silence, scaring both you and Steve. You suspected the AI, Friday, had been invested in your conversation. "If I may make a suggestion, I advise you both to leave sometime in the next hour before Mr. Stark ropes you in. I'm inclined to think Mr. Stark won't be above blackmail."

"Thank you, Friday." you murmured. The AI said it's goodbye, far too amused for your liking.

Steve got up, offering his hand for you. Both of you were smiling like idiots, cheeks hurting from the too-big smiles that adorned your faces. You had a suspicion you somewhat embodied a clown. The super-solider kept his hand wrapped around yours. "Would you like to leave at this moment, or get changed?"

You shook your head, liking the warmth of his touch. "I'm good. Let's leave."

Steve Rogers was a gentleman, that was confirmed by his acts and the influence of being raised right. Despite that fact, he was a savage in the bedroom. Or half the time, out of the bedroom. You had been surprised, yet pleased, when you fell into his bed halfway through the second unofficial date. After that night, Steve finally built the courage to ask you to be his girlfriend—a term he found silly but otherwise a happy milestone.

After years of being friends, Steve was ready to begin the rest of your lives together. No one was surprised, besides you, that he had proposed three months after the first official date. Being head over heels, you excitedly agreed, only to blanch when Tony started a petition to let him plan the wedding with you. Pepper had stopped him.

No one knew what happened the night of Thor's and Tony's party. Though, Steve made a smart choice to ditch it when you both found a floor of the tower littered with blackened metals and slightly burnt walls. The team wouldn't speak of the incident, not that neither you or Steve cared. You had both been too jubilant to interrogate them.

The wedding day came. Steve had been stopped by Thor, failing to sneak into the room you were in. No matter how strong he was, Thor wouldn't allow any bad luck to happen especially after you had lied to him about naming your firstborn after him. Steve tried, and failed, to tell him you weren't going to name his son after the God of Thunder. Bucky was too busy arguing with Sam about the flower decoration to help out Thor.

Dressed in the lavender bridesmaid dress, Natasha burst into the room, a smile adorning her face. She had thanked you multiple times for not dressing her in those ugly dresses she had seen on Pinterest. "You getting cold feet yet?"

"Mine are toasty warm." you mumbled, hands trembling at the thought of declaring your love in front of a crowd. You wondered if it was too late to get ear plugs so no one would hear all the gooey, cheesy vows you would utter to Steve.

"Very convincing." Natasha teased, taking a shot of the wine laid out on the table. Placing the flute down, she eyed the door, prepared to attack Steve if he managed to get away from Thor. "Alright, what're you worried about?"

You bit your lip, messing up the fresh layer of lip gloss Pepper had put on. Glancing out the window, you saw the crowd settling down in there chairs. The anxiety built up inside you. "Um, falling down the aisle. Accidentally saying the wrong name. Messing up in my vows. Dying of embarrassment."

"You'll be great, I promise. No one's going to die. You won't trip because Tony wouldn't let you. You won't say the wrong name because Steve's is practically implanted in your brain and you'll be too busy staring into his ocean blue eyes that you won't mess up. Now, are you still worried?" she asked, laughing when you managed to trip over your wedding dress.

"If anything, Tony's going to purposely trip me." you muttered, tempted to take a swig of some liquid courage, but the fetus in you held you back. The ceremony would start soon, and being too nervous, you hadn't eaten any breakfast. It was probably a good thing considering the nausea you were feeling. Why call it morning sickness when it didn't happen in the morning?

"You're being paranoid, everything will be great." she sighed, turning to the window, staring directly at the green hybrid. The Bruce and Natasha thing was unsurprising but kind of weird, especially with the whole sex thing. You had gagged at the thought of Bruce trying to fit inside of Natasha, and stopped altogether. "I'll be right back, I gotta do something."

She left the room before you could address her, groaning when she left a tiny crack in the door. Natasha knew how much it annoyed you when people left the door open when you originally had it closed. Heaving a sigh, you went to close the door, only to be met by a small force. Steve stuck his head through opening, his worried frown turning into a dazzling grin as he spotted you.

Without a word, he took you in his arms, his hand cupping your cheek as he pressed a quick kiss on your lips. You smiled into the kiss, closing the door behind him as your arms wrapped around his neck.

You pulled away, wiping the lip gloss smeared across his lips. Steve did the same, smirking at his handy work. "Hello, Mrs. Rogers. How do you feel?"

"Like I want to tangle myself around you in every way possible." you whispered, pressing another kiss to his lips. Steve chuckled, his thumb drawing small circles on your back. "How about you, Husband?"

"I've been waiting for this day for a very long time. You can't imagine how jovial I am." said Steve. He gave your nose a quick peck, and you giggled. "I know it's suppose to be bad luck to see the bride before the ceremony but I couldn't bear it."

Giggling, you pulled him closer, your lips meeting his neck as you sucked softly at the sensitive skin. "Hmm, I can't wait until I'm officially yours. Do you think we have time for a quickie? It'd really help with my wedding nerves."

Steve laughed, but the sound came out a little breathless. Even with the thickness of the wedding gown, you could feel him on your hip, smirking when he shifted. "While that's a very tempting offer, both Natasha and Pepper would kill me for ripping apart this beautiful dress."

"But Steve—" your whine was cut off by Natasha pulling Steve out of your arms.

The redhead glared at him, pushing him towards the opened door. "You, out, now."

"I'll see you—" Steve began to say, only to be cut off when the door slammed in his face. Natasha turned to turn her death stare on you.

"Look at your makeup. I can't believe he snuck in here with Thor on his ass." Natasha complained, pushing you towards the vanity, quickly applying the tube of lip gloss on your lips. You blinked back the tears as she practically poke your eye with the mascara wand, trying to fix Steve's touch on your slightly smeared mascara. "You look like you're going to puke."

You shook your head, taking a deep breath. "I'm good. Where's Tony?"

"Right here." he answered, entering with a velvet box in his hand. The billionaire set it down on the vanity before eyeing your stance. "Wow, you look ..."

"Like I'm gonna throw up all over Steve's suit?" you finished, panic rising.

"I was going to say gorgeous but now that you mention it, you do look a little green." he teased, earning himself a nudge from Natasha. Tony rubbed his ribs. "If you want to ditch, I have the car running in case you want to make a quick getaway."

You rolled your eyes, wishing you hadn't let him talk you into such a big wedding. All you wished at the moment was to take Steve with you and elope. "Thanks for the offer but I'm good. Let's get this over with."

"And here I thought you weren't romantic." Tony joked, handing you the bouquet of flowers.

Natasha checked her watch, the music audible. Morgan, the flower girl was already walking down the aisle along with Pepper's nephew on her heels. The former assassin opened the door, grinning. "Wait a few seconds before you follow me."

And with that, she walked down the short hall before stepping outside, the aisle was cleared by flowers adorning the sides. Weeping willow branches hung down from the huge tree, creating an illusion of fantasy, the little arch at the end of the aisle was created of leaves and even more colorful flowers. You were surprised no one was sneezing with the amount of pollen.

You took Tony's arm, taking another deep breath. Looking at him, you swore he was a bit proud. He smiled at you. "I hope you know I take full credit for the union of your two souls."

Ignoring his mini jab, you raised an eyebrow. "And how so?"

"There was never a party." he informed, grinning cheekily. He pulled you towards the opened door, walking down the hall. "I made it all up so Rogers would get the balls to finally ask you out."

"Then what the hell happened to the tower?" you asked, confused. People were beginning to stand but your curiosity became more important than your nerves.

Tony winked. "That's for me to know, and for you to dot dot dot."

"God, you're such a nerd." you mumbled, turning your attention ahead as your feet hit the white carpet that moonlighted as the aisle. The nerves began to bubble, and you gripped his arm tighter in fear of falling face first.

The ceremony was a blur, Steve just as nervous as you had been, becoming more and more braver as he spoke his vows. By the end of it, you could barely see him through the tears brimming your eyes. If it wasn't for the waterproof makeup, you were sure you would've cried your face off.

You had just finished your vows when the priest had asked if you would gladly wed the man in front of you for the rest of forever. You whispered a soft "I do."

The priest turned to Steve, the super-soldier happy beyond belief. He asked him the previous question he had asked you. Yet, Steve, being eager, had almost cut him off near the end.

His eyes bored into yours, filled with love and warmth. "I do."

Then everything turned black.

You awoke in the Medbay, needles puncturing your arm, a tube tied to your nose. Every single inch of your skin hurt, your eyelids heavy as you opened your eyes, only to close them once again when the bright fluorescents shone. You felt someone squeeze your hand, a finger brushing along your wrist.

Turning your head, you glance at the person, finding out it was Tony. While he was relieved you were awake, something in his eyes made you believe he wished he had more time to prepare you for the worst. At the moment he uttered those words, you wished your ears had been damaged in whatever hell Hydra had dropped on your wedding.

"Steve's dead."

[remosdeerica]

Batshit AU Part #1: The Bio Kids

(Yes I have actually decided to call this the Batshit AU. I already have a series of one shots [there is only one so far, lol.] called Assorted Batshit on Ao3 so I figured I'd just keep going with the name.)

I have been posting a lot of stuff to do with "my Batfamily" or "my version of events" so I figured I'd go ahead and make some long ass posts about what I would love to see in the Batfam's future but know I will never get (but that's why fanfic exists so I guess I'll live)

Now there isn't going to be any clear timeline to this because I plan to write different fics in regards to these particular chain of events and when or how things happen might change depending on the plot. But it starts with the question asked by Random Joe many posts ago:

How many kids do you have, Mr. Wayne?

Well to answer that question:

Legally: 7

Biologically: 5

Emotionally: Anyone under the age of 25 that is within a 50ft radius (I'm mostly kidding but lets be honest, it's kinda true).

Now if that math doesn't make sense to you (as most math doesn't make sense to me), fear not! I shall explain!

So Legally we have as follows: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, Tim Drake, Duke Thomas, Damian Wayne and Helena Wayne.

These are the obvious few.

Now we get into Biologically and things get a bit more complicated. For this category we have: Damian Wayne, Terrance McGinnis, Athanasia al Ghul, Matthew McGinnis, and Helena Wayne (I put them in order of their ages and added colours if you wanna skip my ranting and get to the goods).

Now for those of you who may not be as obsessed with Batfam lore as I am; yes all of these characters are canon (in some timeline anyway) and you are welcome to google them. But just be warned that I take canon and make it my bitch so almost nothing you read about them on their wiki-pages or wherever you look for your info will really matter (besides Damian but even then I take creative liberties). But I love Easter eggs so there will be plenty of those.

Damian and Helena are pretty straightforward. We know where Damian came from and Helena is just the result of Selina and Bruce finally getting their shit together.

Terry, Matt and Athanasia are a bit more complicated.

Terry & Matt: These two cuties were the unfortunate victims of an experiment called the Batman Beyond project. A project that was put into motion by A.R.G.U.S. after Bruce "died" (was lost in time) as a way to make sure that the Batman legacy lived on (as if he doesn't already have a million children for that).

Warren and Mary Singer were lead scientists on the project but after finding out what exactly it was that A.R.G.U.S. was doing with the "failed attempts" (they were killing them) the couple stole the toddler subject BN9-12 (Terry) and infant AC7-30 (Matthew) and fled (I made the numbers up on the spot don't read too much into them). They changed their names to McGinnis and raised the boys in Gotham City (cause that was a good choice...).

Unfortunately, their old lives eventually caught up with them and Mary and Warren were killed. Terry (around 10-11yrs old) took Mattie (around 7-8yrs old) and ran, his parents having taught him some skills in case something like this ever happened. The boys lived on the streets for many months before running into Tim Drake (i.e. Batman) who later adopted them (because when faced with black haired blue eyed orphans there is only one thing for a Batman to do).

[Side note: Tim doesn't know the boy's origins at this point.]

Athanasia: After Damian's death at the hands of the Heretic, Thalia went insane (more insane?) with grief and as a result decided to have another child with the left over.... substance.... shall we call it.... that she had acquired from Bruce all those years ago. However this time she intended to keep the child safe where they couldn't be hurt by either the League or Bruce (as if Thalia wasn't the main reason Damian was dead... but whatever. I have mixed feelings about Thalia).

When Athanasia was "born" (taken from her birthing pod, as one is) Thalia locked her away Rapunzel style in a secure location. Never allowing her outside for fear that she would be discovered by Ra's spies and killed.

For 8 years Athanasia grew up in relative luxury inside her bedroom, learning history, politics math, writing, and anything else Thalia thought she needed to learn. But Thalia never taught her how to fight (haven't quite decided her reasoning for this so just go with it) and as a result Athanasia is a very quiet, gentle child (basically the opposite of what Damian was like at her age).

Thalia never told Athanasia about Bruce. Since she wasn't created with the intent of being the heir to anything, Thalia saw Athanasia as only hers and therefore deemed it unnecessary for Bruce to know of her existence.

But she did tell her of her older brother; Damian (what Thalia told her is still undecided and will probably depend on overarching plots).

The rest of Athanasia's story is still in the works but essentially Damian eventually finds her and brings her back to Gotham with him. But although she acknowledges Bruce as her father, she lives with and defers to Damian (and Jon depending on the situation) as her caretaker.

So here is Part #1 of the Batshit AU!

Next Part will probably be about Dick and Jason's child situation that I've hinted at. I'll link it once it's done. :)

[tinyboxxtink]

"Doppelganger" *Part 12*

I give you this my babies, because tomorrow I have tons to do and I don't know if you'll get a chapter during the day, it might just be tomorrow night after most of you are asleep. So enjoy the plethora when you can!

Also, I hope you're not getting whiplash from the twists and turns. I'm just making it as dramatic as possible, apparently.

Please still read my stuff.

Part 11

Part 13

Tag List

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@lolliepopsicle

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@word-scribbless

@gibbs274

@sassyada

@aprildecker-blog

@bookishfanfic

@stars-in-the-skies-world

@stars-trash-18

@omgsuperstarg

@objection-argumentative

[Once again top is Nevada as 'Rafael', Bottom is Rafael]

---------

You walked silently through the park while crying. You were fuming, you felt guilty, but mostly you were heartbroken. You knew Rafael didn't mean what he said, he was just hot headed. But you did mean what you said. You didn't know if he could ever get past what happened, and you weren't positive you could either.

You wanted to, but just knowing the damage was done to Rafael's heart killed you inside and how you could spend the rest of your life just feeling guilty?

You were so lost in your own thoughts you didn't notice cops running through the park towards the cave.

-------

"FREEZE!!!!" An NYPD officer yelled at Rafael as several more surrounded the cave and him.

"Okay gentlemen, I try that you're doing your job but there's been a mistake--" Rafael put his hands in the air.

"Save it, Ramirez. Barba told us everything,"

Olivia had told him over the phone that Nevada had gotten to the people at Ryker's and they had alerted the NYPD but he didn't expect them to be this fast.

"Look if you go into my jacket pocket you'll see my wallet with my ID," He assured them.

"Yeah how dumb do you think we are?" One cop scoffed. "Even my fifteen year old sister has a FAKE ID,"

"Fair point," Rafael nodded.

"Now where's the girl?" Another police officer barked.

"Girl?" Rafael’s brows furrowed.

“Barba's girl. You know it takes some balls to kidnap the ADA's fiancée, I'll give you that,”

“Wha---he DID! I just rescued her!” He insisted.

"Yeah, before you got what you wanted?" The cop asked him suspiciously.

"And what did I want?" Rafael asked.

“You wanted your boys free,” he replied.

“No HE did. That's why HE was there. Come on guys you're smarter than this,” Rafael started to take a step forward.

“DON'T move,” The cop cocked the gun closer to Rafael.

“Really then how did he explain why he was there breaking them out and not me?”

“He said you had the girl and when he brought you the boys you'd let her go.”

"What would be the point of that if we look identical?!" Rafael exclaimed in exasperation. This was ridiculous.

“You think we're gonna buy you're that stupid to walk into Ryker's completely unarmed, just because you look like the ADA?”

“No he's just that cocky,” Rafael rolled his eyes at Nevada’s ego.

“Alright enough, where is she?” The cop ordered.

“She just ran away….” Rafael realized this didn’t look good.

“Oh really? She just ran away from the love of her life, who just rescued her from an evil man?” The officer asked sarcastically.

“Yeah she--we--- it's a long story,” He sighed. If he had just kept running after you, you’d be together right now. God knows what was happening to you right now.

“Right, well you can tell it downtown,” One cop nodded to the others to handle him.

“Well fine, Olivia Benson will vouch for me,” Rafael was talking a tough game, but secretly praying he was right. Olivia would know he was himself, right?

“Whatever you say Nevada,” Two cops grabbed by the shoulders and dragged him out of the cave.

---------

You suddenly realized as you reached the end of the park that you had no cell phone, no money. You didn’t even have shoes. You really didn’t want to continue to fight with Rafael, but it seemed you had no choice in the matter at the moment. You started heading back to the penguin cove when you saw a bunch of NYPD officers surrounding the place, and after a few minutes they were dragging Rafael out in handcuffs.

You were just about to run and tell them there was a mix up, when a hand clamped over your mouth. And then everything went black.

When you woke up, you were back in Nevada’s limo.

“Are you fucking kidding me…” You muttered to yourself, but you quickly realized you were not alone. Two more of Nevada’s men that you had never seen before were sitting across from you, huge evil grins on their faces.

“Hola, mami,” One rubbed his leg up and down your bare leg but you kicked him away.

“Now that’s not very nice, mujer,”

“Especially when we brought you refreshments,” The other one pulled out the champagne bottle of mind serum Nevada had on him the last time you saw him.

SERIOUSLY?

-------

Rafael was dragged through the precinct, glares from every single cop and detective, finally reaching the squad’s room. Olivia rushed over, trying to help Rafael out of the cuffs.

“What are you doing? THIS is Mr. Barba!” She exclaimed.

“No offense, Ms. Benson, but this man is very good at fooling people, you’re no exception,” One officer told her.

“Then why did he have Mr. Barba’s phone?” Olivia asked them with an attitude. The officer’s looked between each other, not really having an answer for that. Maybe they had been mistaken.

“.....Because I dropped it when I was running for my life with my fiancé,” A voice came from behind them. Everyone turned to see ‘Rafael’ with you draped on his arm.

“No….” Rafael whispered. This couldn’t be happening again.

“Ah, Mr. Barba,” One of the cops nodded. “Thank you so much for helping us catch this guy. That’s a decade of fine police work’s worth,” He shook ‘Rafael’s’ hand while Olivia circled around them to talk to you.

“What are you doing?!” She hissed.

“What are you talking about?!” You hissed back.

“Why are you vouching for Nevada?”

“What are you talking about? This is Rafael,”

“....Seriously?” Olivia was taken aback.

“Yes Olivia, SERIOUSLY. Don’t you think I would know my own fiancée?” You gave her an offended look.

“Yeah well from what I heard, you’re not that great at it,” She smirked.

“OLIVIA,” ‘Rafael’ suddenly stepped in between you two. “This vendetta you have against Y/N has got to stop, I thought we talked about this,”

“I...she...you…” Olivia looked from him to you, her eyes searching both of your eyes for anything telling.

“Do you have any idea what she’s been through?!” ‘Rafael’ barked, you laid your head on his shoulder looking very scared and traumatized.

“Yeah, I don’t know why you’re so mean to me,” You pouted, making Olivia gag.

“Oh my god, there is no way you are--”

“We’re done here, Olivia.” ‘Rafael’ shut her up. “If you can’t tell the difference between a hardened criminal and your ‘best friend’, then clearly we’re not as close as I thought we were.”

-----------------

Inside your mind prison, you were watching all of this go down with absolute horror. How could this be happening again? How did you do this to yourselves AGAIN? What is WRONG with you? And now, now it was worse than ever because now Rafael was actually in trouble, and it was your fault.

“OLIVIA!!!!!” You screamed. You couldn’t believe out of all people, you would need her help. But here you were.

Olivia watched in shock as you and ‘Rafael’ walked arm in arm out of the station, leaving ‘Nevada’ in cuffs, with the most pitiful look on his face.

“Alright Ramirez, you can drop the act. It’s gonna get you nowhere, the jig is up,” Olivia sneered at him, with a wink.

“Olivia,” Rafael looked at her sadly. “I know you know me better than that. You know about….things that would convince Y/N that Nevada is me,” He muttered softly, looking around them.

“I know,” Olivia pressed her forehead to his. “I never doubted it was you, Rafa,” She smiled; now that you were completely out of the way, and turned against him, he needed her. For the first time, he needed her. And she was going to take every advantage of that.

“But they’re not going to take my word for it,” She sighed. “You might just have to wait it out in Ryker’s a bit while I sort this out,” She shrugged apologetically.

“Oh no, he won’t be going to Ryker’s Detective,” The mayor had entered the station, and heard the last part of their conversation.

“...Excuse me?” Olivia asked worriedly.

“For all the bad things this man has done-- murders, rapes, pillaging, for a DECADE now. No for that he’s not just going to ‘wait it out’ in a cell, wasting our taxpayer dollars. He’s getting the chair as fast as I can sign the release,”

Both Olivia and Rafael’s faces went white; Oliva fell back as if she was going to pass out.

“Mr. Mayor, please-- I understand this is a serious manner but this is a man’s life here. Don’t you want to make absolutely sure that you have the right man?”

“I’m pretty sure Miss Y/N knows her own fiancée,” The mayor pointed out.

“Well no offense to Miss Y/N but that’s how she got herself kidnapped, sir. By NOT recognizing her fiancé,”

“....I’ll take that under advisement,” The mayor nodded.

“Liv,” Rafael looked at her seriously. “Look whenever someone’s under….the influence,” He whispered looking around the both of them.

“They are still ‘there’. I know it. I know Y/N is there, she's just...trapped,”

“...I’ll see what I can do,” Olivia nodded. “Don’t take him anywhere until I come back,” She instructed a cop, before running out of the station.

---

“Nev---Rafa!” Liv came running out of the station where you and ‘Rafael’ were waiting on an Uber.

“Liv,” He nodded curtly.

“Look you’re right, I need to talk to Y/N, give her a proper apology,” Olivia looked between the two of you. ‘Rafael’ eyed her curiously, but then addressed you: “Go on baby, I’ll wait here for the car,”

Olivia took you to the side and lowered her voice so ‘Rafael’ couldn’t hear.

“Y/N, Look--” She put both hands on your shoulders. “They are going to put Rafael to DEATH,”

Inside your mind prison you let out a blood curdling scream, making ‘you’ wince in pain. Olivia stood in front of you so that ‘Rafael’ wouldn’t see, but she tried to talk to you.

“Yes, exactly. You should feel bad, because we both know that that--” Olivia pointed to ‘Rafael’. “That is NOT our Rafael,”

“Okay, ‘our’ Rafael is pushing it, Olivia,” You rolled your eyes. “But whatever-- this, this cannot be happening. My body cannot be this vulnerable. I have GOT to love Rafael more than this, GOD DAMMIT!!!!!”

You pulled at the bars until your arms felt like they were going to fall off, you sobbed until no water was left in your body. How could this be happening? How could you be failing him this hard? How could you keep hurting him like this, and now you were going to get him killed!

“Please,” You looked up to the sky, whimpering softly.

“Please, I don’t know-- I don’t know who or what is up there, I’ve never really believed in a lot. Hell I’ve never even believed in myself. But I believe in Rafael, and I believe in our love. I really, really do. And I believe that our love can beat anything, I just-- I need, help.”

Suddenly a blinding light appeared, and when you adjusted your vision, you were back in your body. You looked up at Olivia, who was apparently comforting you from another ‘migraine’. Before you could say or do anything, ‘Rafael’ came walking up to the two of you.

“Carino, our ride’s here,” He smiled at you sweetly. You wanted to vomit; But as long as he thought you were under his spell, you were safe.

“Coming baby,” You kissed his cheek sweetly, over exaggerated. You know his ‘version’ of you was over the top, like a freaking trophy wife stereotype.

“You have to get him out of there, Liv,” You whispered, tears in your eyes. "This is all up to you now,” Then you turned and followed “Rafael” to the car.

Olivia stared at the car as it drove off. How had you just...woken yourself up like that? But you were right. It was all up to her now. She bolted back into the station where they were processing ‘Nevada’.

“Ahem, gentlemen,” Olivia nodded to the officers, then the mayor. “Sir if I might have a moment,” She motioned him to the side.

“Sir, like I said you want to be absolutely sure you’re going kill the right man. And I have a way,” She told the mayor.

“Which is…?”

“Let me take him and get a DNA test,”

“A DNA test? Right now?” The mayor laughed.

“The lab doesn’t close until eight, it’s six now,” Olivia looked at her phone. “I can get to the head of the line, and you can get your results instantly. Then if it turns out this is indeed Nevada Ramirez, then you can execute him tomorrow,” She explained.

“....I suppose that is the best course of action,” The mayor nodded. “Do you think you can handle him all on your own?”

“Trust me sir, I’ve handled worse,” Olivia shook her head, showing her gun.

“Alright,” The mayor walked over to the men holding ‘Nevada’.

“Men, Detective Benson will be taking Mr. Ramirez to a genetics lab to get a DNA test, to make sure he is in fact Nevada Ramirez,”

“Seriously? Sir, come on--”

“Did I stutter, Donahue?” The mayor narrowed his eyes at the cop.

“Alright fine,” The officer shoved ‘Nevada’ towards Olivia.

“Let’s go, Ramirez,” Olivia grabbed ‘Nevada’ roughly and dragged him out of the station to a squad car. She threw him in the back and got in the driver’s side.

“Liv, I appreciate you getting me out of there, but we need to go to Nevada’s place and get Y/N,” Rafael instructed.

“Screw that, I’m proving your innocence before anything,” Olivia scoffed as she drove towards the lab.

“OLIVIA,” He emphasized.

“RAFAEL.” She emphasized harder.

“Come on, Liv I know you don’t like her but--”

“Nevada’s not going to hurt her, you know that. I know that. She’ll be fine,” Oliva rolled her eyes.

“She won’t be FINE,” Rafael pounded on the glass between the front and the backseat.

He thought about your last conversation-- your last fight. He had told you that you hadn’t been ‘assaulted’, that you ‘enjoyed’ being basically raped. And now, you were back there.

You were probably just thinking how he’d be upset, how he’d react, when really he was just scared for you. He realized none of the other bullshit mattered. All that mattered was you, and him, and the love you both shared. And that had to pull you through, didn’t it?

------------

Back at Nevada’s place, ‘You’ changed into a see-through red teddy, and waited on Nevada. You knew that you were supposed to be under the elixir, so you had to act obediently, at least until Olivia showed up. She’d show up, right?

She had to show up.

[automaton-otto]

Monster or Man or: A drabble where Otto almost kills a man

‘Vaalbara…the literal center of the world, the first city, the birthplace of order. A city based not on the man but on the arcane. Magic, a power made from chaos and freedom themselves. A power limited only to your imagination. A power that makes the impossible possible. A power that can make a man think himself more than a man.

A young woman dressed in purple and gold enters the crime scene and crouches down to examine the bodies, ‘This is where I usually step in. I’m Jeanne Acier, paranormal investigator. I’m an agent working for the International Police Organization, The Court of Tarot. Think of us as a nightlight that bump back the things that go bump in the night.’

‘It’s a tough job but then again, I’m a tough gal. Some people don’t like an audience when they work but me? Let’s just say I’ve grown accustomed to having that sickly feeling of being watched by a bunch of spooks who think they found another sap to prey on. Tonight, was different though. I wasn’t dealing with a spook. What I’m dealing with is just a man.’

“Two victims, a man and a woman…both killed with no visible punctures wounds or bruises. Magic was used on them…but what kind?” Jeanne cogitates as she continues to look over the bodies, “The man looks well off but he still has his wallet and watch. The woman also looks to be of high affluence. A designer bag and fine jewelry but that wasn’t stolen either. This wasn’t a robbery.”

Jeanne removes the tarps from both victims and examines them more thoroughly. Spotting slight scorch marks on both their chests and back, “This is…”

“…I know these people.” Another voice says somberly.

‘Oh right, I forgot to mention my partner. The wide-eyed ginger dressed in black and green? That’s Otto von Braun, He’s an odd kid with an even odder story but that’s for another time. Otto has a face that made me think someone upstairs had a weird sense of humor…but thinking about how similar our stories are, I guess you could say the same thing about me. All in all, we hit it off pretty well. You could even say that we’re kindred spirits.’

‘It was odd seeing Otto so silent and serious looking. You could even say it was downright unsettling. I knew Otto and keeping a mouth like his shut isn’t what I could call an easy task. Whoever these people were, their deaths got to him and got him good.’

“This is Marco Vera. He was a defense attorney that Opa knew.” Otto explains before turning to the woman, “This is Elma Brandis. She was a philanthropist and activist. She and Mr. Marco were gonna get married in a few weeks.”

Jeanne furrows her brow at that fact. Not just anyone would have known that. Why does Otto know? He must have known them before all this had happened.

“…I see.” The detective says simply, “There are Lichtenberg dust figures on each of their chests.”

‘For those of you not in the know, think of dust figures as a scar or mark left behind by an electrical discharge on insulating materials. In less verbose terms, they were both struck by lightning. The scar is small so whoever did this had little to no experience with magic but it did the trick. It doesn’t matter how weak the spell it is, lightning is still lightning, and being struck directly in the chest with it is still fatal. Judging by how Elma’s scars are less significant than Marco’s, she was shielded by her fiancé in order to protect her. The lightning spell went through both of them at the same time. Death was instantaneous.’

Otto slowly shuts his eyes as he puts the tarps back over the two before opening them now full of determination, “Can we figure out who the killer is?”

“Naturally, give me a second.” Jeanne nods as she puts her hand on the ground and starts to focus,

‘With the rise of magic, came the rise of magic based crimes. Most dirty crooks think that using magic instead of conventional weapons makes them untraceable but that’s where they’re wrong. People not skilled in magic usually don’t know about Arcane Footprints. You see, when magic users use magic, they leave a small imprint of themselves whenever they cast anything, which can be identified and traced. Whoever did this had no idea what they were doing. They put everything they had into that little bolt spell. They didn’t even try to hide it, mere child’s play.’

‘It takes a second of concentration but I managed to find the fingerprints and face of the man responsible. When I was told I had a case, I didn’t think I’d be dealing with a case myself. Sure, I’ll admit, he was good looking, well dressed, a real butter and egg man…but he also looked to be the pushy controlling type. The kind of man that would break your face if you broke his heart and make it sound like it was your fault.’

Upon seeing the man’s face, Otto would put on a look of surprise before slowly turning his face into a grimace, “I know who did this…” He mutters angrily, and without another word he flies off in hot pursuit.

‘That was a red flag if I ever saw one. Otto could be hotblooded when he needed to be but this was different. If he really knew the two victims than he was acting out of vengeance not out of justice. I didn’t have time to conjure up Otto’s connection to the two so I decided to follow my instincts and follow the blue trail painting the night sky. If I follow Otto than I can find the perp.’

‘I decided to call up one of Otto’s siblings with what little time I had. His older brother is a mechanical genius named Jiro Yamada he didn’t look it but he had a head for machines and building. A real don’t judge a book by its cover kind of guy. Who’s the other sibling you ask? Well…let’s just say the other sibling is a dame that not even I would want to mess with.’

“Hey Jeanne I was about to call you. What’s going on over there? Otto’s heart rate and stress levels just skyrocketed!” He asks in a panicked tone.

“I’m trying to figure that out myself.” Jeanne replies, “What do you know about a man named Harrison Noble?”

“Harrison Noble?” Jiro repeats, “Yeah, I know him. He was some wealthy blowhard aristocrat. His parents knew Grandpa and Grandma, I think? I remember him being thrown out of events and parties a lot for being a drunk asshole. He used to obsess over this one activist lady named Elma Brandis. He isn’t bothering her again, is he?”

“She’s dead.” Jeanne answers, “And so is her fiancé, Marco Vera.”

“…Shit.” Jiro curses, “Now I can understand why Otto is on the warpath.”

“Jiro, I know Otto values life and hates seeing people die but why are these deaths getting to him so badly?”

“…Marco Vera was Otto’s lawyer back when he first got his body.” Jiro answers, “He defended Otto in court and gave him his human rights back. His name, his citizenship, his right to be considered a living being with rights and not just some weapon. He gave that all back to him. Elma gave Otto emotional support and set up campaigns to spread the word about The Grand Councilmen’s abuse and careless actions.”

“Oh dear…” Jeanne mutters cursing herself for being so clueless, “Otto must have been close to them both If he knew about their marriage.”

“Considering all that they did for him. Otto was eternally grateful. They were some of the few people besides family that he could talk to without feeling nervous. Otto continued to stay in touch with them years after the trial, even started referring to them Uncle Marco and Aunt Elma after a while.” Jiro adds.

“That makes it even worse. I have to stop him before he does something he’ll regret. I’ll keep you posted on what’s going on. I’ll call you back when it’s over.” Jeanne says.

“Right, let me know when things go south. If I have to, I’ll force his body to shut down. I won’t like it but it’s gotta be done.” Jiro sighs ending call.

‘Thanks to Otto’s trail of vengeance, I managed to find Harrison Noble’s estate. Otto’s the careful kind of guy, always taking constant care not to break something, to break someone. Never allowing himself to lose control even for a moment. Makes sense for a guy who can turn the whole world on its head with just a simple thought. Judging by how the front door was ripped off its hinges and halfway across the block, this is one of those times where he didn’t care for such things. He knew what his goal was.’

‘I stepped into the not so humble abode and took a good look around. Either Harrison had a psychotic decorator or Otto had ransacked the place in a big hurry to find him. I’m counting on it being the latter rather than the former.”

‘As I walked through Noble’s estate, I couldn’t help but notice the unconscious goons that had been splayed throughout the halls. Still alive but they’ll be feeling it all in the morning. Otto always did pull his punches. He knew where to hit and he knew how hard to hit. I’m almost jealous, not everyone has that sort of luxury.’

‘I notice the sound of groaning as a few of the guards made of tougher stuff started to come to. I didn’t have time to talk about the finer things and decided to introduce the thugs to a dear friend who always has my back…on my back and a little on my shoulder to be specific. My friend’s an eloquent speaker. He proceeded to make a few sharp and stabbing arguments that convinced them all to rethink their life choices. He always did have a way to make people see the point.’

‘The click of a hammer and the sound of gunfire focused my thoughts and pulled me back into reality like only a .44 magnum can. This wasn’t the time for quips. I put my friend away and continue my pursuit.’

As Jeanne made her way to the bedroom, her eyes widen at the sight of an absolutely livid Otto using both of his hands to hold Harrison Noble up by his throat, “W-What do you think you’re doing?!  Do you know who I am?!” Harrison says in a panicked tone.

“I know exactly who you are…You’re the slinking coward who killed two good people who did nothing wrong!” Otto yells tightening his grip, “You couldn’t accept being rejected! You couldn’t accept not getting what you wanted for once!”

“You’re…choking…me!” Harrison pleads, “Please…I can’t…!”

“You didn’t do it for money! You didn’t do it for love! You didn’t even do it out of jealousy or anger!” He roars baring his teeth at the man, “You did it because you’re a pathetic worthless blue blooded-!”

Jeanne puts a hand on Otto’s shoulder and walks beside him. Now wasn’t the time monologuing. She had to be genuine this time. Something she never saw herself being good at even to herself, “It’s over, Otto. You beat him. You have to let him go.”

“…..” Otto didn’t answer his grip only continued to tighten around Noble’s throat.

“Otto.” Jeanne says more firmly, “This isn’t what Marco or Elma wanted. Do you really want to ruin all their hard work and disrespect their memory by proving everything they said about you was wrong?”

The automaton’s face began to contort the more he heard Jeanne speak. He shut his eyes as tears began to sting at his face and he lets the murderer go so that he can fall to his knees and cover his face. Jeanne lets out a sigh, relieved that it was all over,

‘I kept a supportive hand on Otto as I checked Noble’s body. He lost consciousness but thankfully he’s still alive. The hand marks on Noble’s neck made me realize just how close Otto was to breaking his no killing rule. I look over at my dear friend who’s now sobbing his poor heart out. As invincible as Otto is, this man hurt him more than any other opponent he’s ever faced. Noble was done and I can say with certainty that he’s going to pay for his crimes but his actions would leave lasting scars on the people he’s affected. Before we left, Otto asked me what kind of monster would do such a thing? My answer? A monster didn’t do this, a man did. A man who thinks himself more than a man.’

[flowesona]

The Midnight Channel [1/2]

Yandere ??? x reader

Inspired by Persona 4 (2008)

“Have you heard about the midnight channel?” (Y/N) dragged her attention away from the rain drumming on the window of her classroom to see her friend leaning over to talk to her. 

“What?”

“If you look at the TV at midnight on a rainy night, you’ll see your soulmate.” Jungkook rested his chin on his hand as he spoke wistfully.

“Come on. Don’t tell me you believe in that nonsense? Sounds like someone made it up when they were bored.” (Y/N) snorted, but ceased her laughter when he didn’t seem to waver. 

“You’re kidding me?” Now, their friend Taehyung, who’s been quietly eating his lunch and enjoying their company joined the conversation to take (Y/N)’s side.

It was ridiculous to say the least. Jungkook was a reasonably intelligent guy. There was no way he could think all that soulmate hokey-pokey was legitimate, right? 

“Well, I know a friend who tried it, and he said it worked. We should try it tonight!”

“Yeah, right.” Taehyung raised an eyebrow, his lunch now forgotten as he dragged his chair closer to (Y/N)’s to help defend her side of the argument.

“Who do you think you’ll see?” (Y/N) humoured, only for Jungkook to shake his head somberly.

“Not saying. But we have to try it, I trust Namjoon to tell the truth-”

“Hey, (Y/N)!” Her friend was cut off by a sudden voice. A young man was standing next to her desk, rocking on his heels. Lunch was coming to a close and people were starting to reenter the classroom and take their seats, yet this pupil was drawn to stand by her desk instead.

“Hey…” She felt guilty for not remembering his name, letting her voice trail away.

“I heard that you’re single. And I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me?” The boy had such a giddy smile on his face it unsettled her to no end. 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know you well enough.” (Y/N) tried to reject him as politely as she could, but he seemed adamant. 

“Just give me a chance? Please? I know I’m not the best looking guy around, what with that idol back in town, but I promise I will treat you like a superstar!” The raising of his voice was starting to draw attention to the duo, people even peeking in from the corridor to get a peek at the drama going down. 

(Y/N) felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. Sure, this boy seemed nice enough, but there was something about his smile that was so forced it hurt to look at.

“Leave me alone, I said-”

“Mr Kang, I don’t believe this is your classroom. Get out.” Before the situation could escalate any further, the student was grabbed by the scruff of his collar and pushed towards the door without the chance to say another word. The onlookers dismissed themselves, their chatter filling the halls.

───── ⋆⋅ ☂  ⋅⋆ ─────

If having to deal with one clueless boy was bad enough, (Y/N) found herself being plagued by another before the day was through. Whilst Jimin had an undeniably kind heart and his softly spoken words were often what she leant on when times were tough, she wasn’t in the mood for company.

“You’re sure that you don’t want to come to my place? You know my mom’s an amazing cook, and I rented that new movie just in time for-”

“I’d rather just go home, Jimin. It’s been a tough day. Maybe another time.” (Y/N) gave her friend a reassuring smile before leaving, droplets of rain making her shiver lightly and clutch her parka over her body just a bit tighter.

Even so Jimin trailed after her, hoping to change her mind by gently pushing his umbrella into her hands so she wouldn’t get as soaked as she first expected and whilst the heartfelt gesture was appreciated, she was exhausted and not ready to deal with another person snapping at her heels.

After two minutes she stopped to talk, turning briefly to address the student, whose gaze resembled that of a kicked puppy more than anything.

“Go home, Jimin. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She plugged her earphones into her ears and let herself finally breathe as she heard his footsteps slowly fading, the light rain tapping against her umbrella in a soothing manner to 

Distract her from the embarrassing scene from earlier in the day. She became so caught up in her music she ended up colliding into someone’s chest. 

“Watch where you’re going, idiot.” The stranger spat at her. His blonde hair was becoming matted with rain and his clothes were barely protected by the heavy leather jacket as the downpour became heavier by the minute.

“I’m sorry. Here, do you need my umbrella?” 

The boy grimaced before reaching out to take it. Before he turned away, (Y/N) heard a quiet ‘thank you’ from under his breath as she took off in the opposite direction to get home before she became fully drenched.

Unbeknownst to her in her panic, the boy was staring after her, fingers clenched so tightly around the flimsy plastic handle that it was starting to hurt.

───── ⋆⋅ ☂  ⋅⋆ ─────

Rumours were quick to spread in the usually sleepy town. With its only claim to fame being the birthplace of a famous idol, people clung to whatever excitement they could find, and (Y/N) had already had several people texting her to ask about the dramatic event and offer words of comfort.

As she desperately tried to cheer herself up with a cup of cocoa and the warmth of her blanket, (Y/N) was still restless. She glanced over at the TV in her room, a big enough flat screen she’d weedled her mother into buying with her only child privileges. 

“If you look into your TV at midnight on a rainy night, you’ll see your soulmate.” 

She let out a chuckle at the thought. Yet, she couldn’t help glancing out the window to see the rain pelting down, nor checking her alarm clock to see it was three minutes to midnight.

There was no harm in giving it a try, right? After all, she could shove it in Jungkook’s face when she could conclusively say it was a stupid legend.

Suddenly, as she was caught up in her thoughts not even realising that she’d been staring into the screen in her daydream, the TV crackled to life. Through the heavy static she could see a figure. 

As shadowy as it was, she could somewhat make out Taehyun’s figure, seeing as his visage had all but plagued her for the day. (Y/N) shook her head, trying to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating but the image was gone as soon as she opened her eyes, leaving her kneeling in front of a blank TV screen.

Trying to erase the questions that plagued her mind (Y/N) crawled into bed, closing her eyes to rest for a while.

───── ⋆⋅ ☂  ��⋆ ─────

(Y/N) felt completely disgraced the next day. She could hear people whispering all around her about what had happened yesterday, how she’d rejected someone in such a cold manner. The story had flown around the school overnight, much to her dismay.

“Taehyun hasn’t turned up at school today. Do you think he’s heartbroken?” (Y/N) overheard a couple of her classmates gossiping.

“Poor guy. He just wanted a chance but she’s humiliated him in front of everyone.” One of the other girls replied. (Y/N) stood up abruptly, letting her chair fall onto the floor with a loud clang.

The noise drew everyone’s attention to her, but she just walked out trying her hardest not to burst into tears.

“(Y/N)!” She heard someone calling her name but it was white noise.

It wasn’t until there was a hand on her shoulder to stop her in her place that she snapped out of her hysteria.

“(Y/N), are you okay?” Through her slightly blurry vision she could make out Jimin, his face crumpled with concern.

“I-I-I’m fine!” She choked out.

“Is it that guy who was bothering you yesterday? We can just bunk off school today and you don’t have to see him. How does that sound? Let’s-”

“Leave me alone Jimin.” (Y/N) finally said with a heavy sigh. He was sweet, and she could tell he cared, but she just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

“You don’t mean that, right?” Her friend was shocked at her abruptness, when she would normally find a much sweeter way to reject him.

(Y/N) didn’t reply, turning to walk away and her herself in the library only to have her hand snatched back.

“Whatever is wrong, you know you have me, right? If you want me to fight that Taehyun boy to the death I’ll do it to make you happy.” Jimin was almost pathetic in how he was pleading for her company. “Just let me help you.”

(Y/N) just slapped his hand away.

“Leave. Me. Alone.” She snapped, leaving the rejected boy to wallow in pity as she stormed off. Once again all eyes were on her, and regret was starting to build up, but she brushed it off in her pursuit of some serenity in the library.

The library, whilst still crammed full of students studying for their exams, provided some solice. The kind eyed library assistant had led her to a corner amongst the history books, and whilst he opened his mouth to say something - presumbaly to suggest a book, or offer her a drink - he closed it again upon seeing her stormy expression, and left her in peace.

───── ⋆⋅ ☂  ⋅⋆ ─────

Feeling more isolated and hated than before, (Y/N) spent the evening in bed with a book Jungkook had lent her, trying to immerse herself in the fictional world rather than facing the real one. However, the rain pattering against her window reminded her of last night. Was seeing Taehyun on there a trick of the eye? Was he really her soulmate? Or was there something more to it?

With her restless mind she was still awake as the clock crept towards midnight and, unable to quell her mind and knelt in front of her cold black television screen.

Once again, it flickered to life. But this time, rather than just showing a silhouette, there was something happening.

It was Taehyun, and he was crawling away from some other shadowy figure, obscured by the strong static.

“No… you’re not… I  love…” Through the muffled sound she could hear his voice, crying out as if he was witnessing a monstrosity. Her hand almost wanted to reach out to touch him, but she was frozen in place, only able to watch. She saw a flash of his face, terrified beyond all else, before the image cut out entirely.

She leant forward again, trying to see if it would come back, but the TV stayed black.  Switching it on only showed a late night horror movie, not the scene that she’d seen before. 

Was Jungkook’s friend right about the Midnight Channel showing your soulmate? Was she mistaken to reject the eager boy? And more importantly, what was happening to him? Was he in trouble?

Trying to erase the questions that plagued her mind (Y/N) crawled into bed, closing her eyes to rest for a while.

───── ⋆⋅ ☂  ⋅⋆ ─────

Maybe it was the caffeine from doubling the espresso in her usual coffee, but (Y/N) knew from the moment she stepped out the door that something was wrong.

The fog was so thick that (Y/N) could barely see ten metres in front of her. Still she persisted, hoping that by being early she could get an extra hour of studying in before someone would bother her. There was the occasional passerby - one of the school librarians hurrying past with a heavy book bag weighing down his back, a shopkeeper with their keys in hand to open up in time, and a leather-wearing stranger on a noisy motorbike. Even with these small reminders that civilization was alive and well amidst the weather, there was still an eerie atmosphere.

And (Y/N) was right to be afraid. The fog’s density was not enough to hide the secret waiting for (Y/N) as she turned the corner. When her eyes landed on the sight she staggered back, the urge to puke stronger rising up.

There was a corpse dangling from the telephone line.

Everything seemed to blur together, from her screaming for help to one of the passersby calling the authorities in the place of the shell shocked (Y/N), to someone finally pulling her away and covering her eyes.

Her mind was static as she felt someone comforting her, pressing her face to their hard chest. The regular heartbeat helped soothe her breathing, and the scent of cologne enveloped her sense to numb the pain. 

She didn’t question the comfort for a second, relishing the warmth and protection from the sight that was sure to haunt her for the rest of her life. The sight of her former admirer, a sweet innocent student, hanging from the telephone pole.

“You’re okay, (Y/N). Don’t look. You’re safe.”

───── ⋆⋅ ☂  ⋅⋆ ─────

“So you’re telling me prior to yesterday you had no contact with Mr Kang at all?” For what felt like the hundredth time that day, (Y/N) shook her head.

“Well, as soon as you sign your statement you’ll be free to leave. Take care.” The detective didn’t offer her any consolation as (Y/N) attempted a signature with her shaky hands.

She was so ready to collapse into her bed, but there was still something tugging at her.

“Do you know about the midnight channel?” She spoke up, her voice slightly hoarse.

“Is this related to the case at hand, Miss (L/N)?” The detective had a sour grimace, his forehead creased with the stress at hand, and (Y/N) felt slightly worried about poking the bear.

She shook off the feeling.

“I’m not sure. But thank you, I’ll go now.”

It couldn’t be just a coincidence. There was some connection, and (Y/N) wanted to seek the truth even if the police force could not.

Stepping outside, she felt a weight on her chest as heavy as the fog. Somewhere in the sleepy town was a murderer. They were perfectly blended in, you could see that much. Life was going on, people briefly discussing the murder under hushed breath before discussing the more conventional gossip aloud.

Even with some unknown guilt burdening her mind, (Y/N) could slip into life again as she found her friends waiting outside for her, Jungkook giving her a warm hug and Taehyung offering her a bottle of water seeing how wearing the morning had been. 

Even as she walked home with her friends, there was still something amiss in their sleepy town. And the trouble lay closer than she could possibly imagine.

Part 2/2 coming 11/09/20

[partnersatfazbear]

Fazbear Frights: What We Found Analysis

Here’s my analysis for What We Found, the third story in Gumdrop Angel. I wrote this as I read so it may be a little different than my previous analysis where I read the story first and went back.

If you’re a Michael Afton fan I highly recommend this. Also, there’s possibly some insight into William Afton, Mrs. Afton, and Henry too, so it’s worth a skim.

Pg 144 '...a place thirty-some years forgotten' Just reconfirming FNAF 3 is 30 years past *one* of the FNAF closings, presumably FNAF 2 location.

Pg 145 "The whole building was giving him [Hudson] a headache." FIX THE VENTILATION BRUH

Pg 148 '...they were able to use salvaged derelict equiptment original to the old pizzerias.' Another confirmation of something we heard from Phone Guy.

Pg 147 "How old are you?" "Twenty-three, same as you." I think this gives us Michael's age during FNAF 3.

EDIT: This kept me awake last night. Obviously this is impossible because he has to be alive for at least 10 years before 1983, BUT maybe its just reconfirming FNAF 3′s year? 2023?

Pg 149 "Hudsan's dad died and his mom married Lewis, a ridiculous balding man who wore plaid vests and smoked a pipe" Did... Did this book just seriously imply Mrs. Afton left William for Henry? Really? (Yes, there's differences; the husband is dead and the man wears plaid 'vests' but it seems very odd to include that detail. This could just have been the writer's own imagination, though.) I have seen this as a fan theory and 100% explains the jealousy aspect of William, but I can't help but kinda hate it. I think this is very important, though, and probably Scott's intention. "This horrible little man [Lewis]... would make Hudson's next ten years a living Hell" This REALLY intrigues me given the context I just went over. The text implies Lewis was fairly neglectful to our main character / Michael stand-in Hudson. Maybe I'm wrong and for some reason Mrs. Emily left and went to William? XD Haha, I'm reading too much into this page. Maybe I'll come back to this later. I figure it's more of Scott possibly including double-details (contradicting stuff with the same character that really applies to two, which has been something I heavily pointed out in previous anaylsis on this blog) Having said that, I'm going w/the former because I can't imagine Henry being abusive (neglectful yes, abusive no) and he's never been portrayed that way in official works like William has in the novels.

Pg 150 "Hudson began to screw up in class...a product of spending the night in fear that his stepfather [Lewis]... [would] beat him just for the fun of it." Ooof. Big confirm on William actually being abusive. Unless we stick with the Henry theory for Lewis (combined with Midnight Motorist Henry theory / alcoholic). "...near-daily beatings..." "his mom started taking pills to get through the day..." So, whoever Mrs. Afton is, she was definetly not paying attention. But then, most people married to serial killers either don't notice because of denial (like this) or because the killer is so manipulative / careful they can't notice.

"Barry, who had red hair and freckles..." Yo?! Is that a description of Fritz?! These friends in the story could be the other kids Michael knew's stand-in's, aka the two gravestones with names he used (Fritz and Jeremy), as shown in the checks for the games and FNAF 6. I've long figured Michael was probably friends with the victims--it makes them easier, although riskier, targets [for William]. The two friends are male, too, like Fritz and Jeremy. If you're curious about Duane's description (our stand in for Jeremy), it's "tight black shirt... muscles... black hair long enough for a glossy ponytail..." I'm not sure if this matches anything found in the novels or contradicts them, though. (The novels = TSE trilogy)

"And so it went... until the night of the fire." For context, this is before FF burns down. We're learning of Hudson's life from his close friends in childhood, his father's death, his mother remarrying, to his abusive stepfather, to his grades slipping to this line. This would be a new fire not seen/mentioned in the games...

Pg 151 "...go to Charlie's for a sundae..." Really. Really Scott. Just gonna use this name again. OK. I'm not even gonna discuss this because it's probably irrelevant. *This is confirmed on pg 158 to be an ice cream shop. No lore relevance aside the annoying name coincidences Scott loves to troll with.

"This is not... an advance into enemy territory, a fight with demons, or a descent into Hell..." Uh, what? What is Hudson talking about? XD I'm only noting it because it seems so out of place. He's probably talking about video games or something.

Another note, although I don't have a specific reference since it is mentioned off-hand many times, is that Hudson keeps referring to his "history" which is implied to have kept him from getting a well-paying job and a girl he's crushing on doesn't know this "history" which is good for him. Seems good old "Michael Stand-In" has done some jail time or something. Edit: On pg 154/155 the girl asks Hudson, "Did you do it?" Seems he may have killed his stepfather or been involved with something else just as bad. Edit 2: No, I was thinking too deep into it. This probably refers to Evan's death at Fredbear's. DUH.

Pg 156 describes an actual "prize corner" in FF! What am I even reading? IIRC this is in FNAF 3, too. So they just hand out these scary gift boxes to people that complete the attraction? (Hudson says he *would* have fun handing out the scary toys to kids when this location opens--kind of a bully thing to do, eh?)

"[Hudson] avoid[ed] glancing in any of the mirrors..." I'm only pointing this out because it could be reference to one of two things. 1) We know because of one of UCN's music tracks, William has a fear of his reflection. Michael probably shares this trait, especially since 2) after Ennard and all... and later on pg 157 it also says, "he never wanted to face: himself" Sounds like guilt, my guy.

Pg 157 "blonde hair... blue eyes..." Hudson shares an eye color with Michael. It's possible Michael had blonde hair as a child and it changed to brown (it's common, something I personally went through being technically blonde/ blue eyed myself)

"He [Hudson] knew from personal experience that toys could turn from fun...to torture ina heart-beat" Fairly self explanatory. Either Hudson's worked at a creepy location before or he doesn't like remembering Fredbear's.

*checks how much is left.* There's still 35 pages (not counting back/front) left of this... This is gonna be a lot of notes.

Pg 158 Hudson doesn't have a car. Poor Mike, probably having to walk everywhere. Especially as a corpse.

Pg 160 This page describes many physical issues Hudson has that prevents him from entering the Navy, all from the abuse of Lewis. Obvious paralell to Michael becoming an undead [because his father sent him to CBPR indirectly causing his condition]

Pg 161 "How's your granny, Hud?... ...Is she still alive?" "I don't think she can die." Does anyone in the Afton family really 'die'? XD

Pg 162 These few pages discuss Hudson's grandmother. She's described as "a seer who claimed to know the future... ...wore big men's plaid flannel shirts with baggy jeans" Um, more plaid / flannel? AGH. STAHP. Lowkey, I would totally headcanon my Aunt Jen like this, though.

Pg 163 "Hudson's mom... the way she was before Hudson's dad had died... never... particularly warm and fuzzy... but... effiencient and responsible..." More about Mrs. Afton, so that's kinda neat.

"Hudson's dad was fun and attentive." There's a good Dad in this series?

"Unfortunetly, he also struggled with mental illness." "invisible low points" (Pg 164) Kinda reminds me of how Henry is described after Charlotte's death in the books.

Pg 164 "When Steven got himself into a bad deal that cost him his small business... he'd taken his life." Oh, it is Henry! SMH. Way to use confusing paralells. So, from our understanding thus far, Hudson's real father, Steven, is our Henry stand-in. His step-father despite being described similar to Henry, is actually our William stand-in. Fair game, Scott.

Pg 164 "...he [Hudson] was locked into a supply closet..." Oh shit, you guys. So, let me go on a tangent here, because this IS important! I just watched a retrospective on Sister Location and FNAF 6 earlier and one theory for Midnight Motorist was the person in the chair was the mother and the kid was Michael. I think this little line may confirm that. In fact, the story may be the key to figuring things out. Obviously, the line is a paralell to FNAF 4's scene in which Crying Child was locked in the supply closet of Fredbear's. I know some people, including Matpat, believe[d] CC was Michael, and in this book's context, it sort of works. This does contradict Step Closer and 1000 other things that make Michael the older brother, but maybe it's hinting at MM? Abusive stepdad (possibly Henry... maybe William is gone at this point), checked out Mom (hey, grey couch lady with Foxybro's font). IDK, but its definetly something to think about.

Pg 165 Lewis is mentioned as calling Hudson "nothing" and saying "you're nothing" on several occasions on this page. Just more abuse, for those accurate fanfic writers like me. Also I kinda wanna watch Morel Orel again. Yall know my fav character is Clay. Yall know.

"You're smoke." <-- Lewis / The text later reads, "...there was some irony, given what eventually happened." BRUH. Why did your stepdad die in a fire? :V TELL ME.

"When his family's house burned down at the end of his senior year..." Huh. Is there a fire we don't know about in the game-verse? Could this explain what happened to the FNAF 4 house before MM house?!

"...it purged Hudson of Lewis and his mother." MRS. AFTON BURNED ALIVE, TOO? Bruh. I can't with this story.

The text later describes the fire is concluded to be man-made and Hudson was blamed for it. Can't say if this ties to Michael, but it IS interesting... TBF, there is a small paralell to draw between Henry in FNAF 6 and his history of suicide in the books, too.

Pg 166 "...this place's [FF] busted thermostat.." I just find this line funny.

Pg 167 "...after three weeks of keeping an eye on the place" Some more timeline context for FNAF 3. We know that Michael worked there a little while before we start playing the game thanks to one of the phone calls, IIRC, so this makes sense. If Michael was accused of [something] and also wanting to hunt down his father, then it makes perfect sense why he's working a dead end job at Freddy's over and over and over. Fun fun fun.

Pg 169 "He hated to think about a functional character [Foxy]" This line is in regards to Hudson not liking the set up of Pirate's Cove and Foxy's hook to scare people. Sounds familiar, don't it? (For Michael anyway.)

Pg 173 "Some big find is arriving tomorrow." SPRINGY BOI! COME ON BOOK, get on with the show?

Pg 176 "Granny was wearing a red-and-green plaid shirt and her baggy jeans." Nothing special, but it was specifically brought up twice. I'm kind of racking my brain trying to understand what the point of this character is outside of "woooo everything is haunted don't you know that" kind of character.

Pg 180 "...dropped the crate on the linoleum with a resounding thud." HEY. Poor Springtrap, just gettin' tossed around like the trash he is.

Pg 186 "If you weren't so stupid, I'd tell you more about it." Springtrap bringing the burn. =:)

"A voice with a burr-like rasp...hint of a Southern accent" I'm going to assume this is because it's Lewis probably in the suit in this story and not our old British lad.

"It's was Mr. Atkin's voice." THE MATH TEACHER? *goes back to check* 'The algebra teacher'. Okay...

Pg 190 Okay, so Hudson hear's Lewis' voice this time. Okay, I get it now. Springtrap in this kind of imbodies all of Hudson's old bullies, including the teacher. He also has PTSD, just FYI. IDK if anyone finds that important, but it's fairly obvious by the line "He wasn't in his bedroom. Lewis didn't just slam his head into a desk; his head had been slammed into the [arcade] game."

"Why did he hallucinate a scene from his childhood?" Oh, it's not PTSD, then. It's just the VENTILATION ERROR. lol Okay.

Just a note, as I'm reading through the more action-based stuff, I kind of feel bad for Michael if he had flashbacks like this guy. They're intense.

So, Lewis' voice finally comes out of Springtrap on Pg 213. There's that.

Pg 220 "You can just stay there [in his room]" Kind of a paralell to Midnight Motorist. Lewis is saying it to Hudson. I really feel like the kid in the MM game is Michael because of this story...

Pg 223 "Heat purges. Fire heals." I'm sure that's Henry's life motto.

The ending was stupid, but most in these stories are. Hudson is hallucinating and is implied to have burned himself alive in FF's oven. Meh? The first half of this one is A TRIP and a little insight into what I 100% believe is Michael's childhood. I think the saddest part of it all is that we never got Springtrap speaking to Michael in FNAF 3--and if it's ever remade I hope we get more of them interacting.

[oh-for-fic-sake]

Ace In The Hole

Masterlist

When the team decides to bring back Superman Wonder Woman agrees but on one condition she can bring someone in to help in case he goes rogue. Bruce agree just for a quiet life however no one was quite expecting a tall pubescent teen.

Warnings:Swearing, sort of angsty, bit of fluff

A/N: This was a request from priestess-of-death for a Scarlet witch type Shy Teen reader x Motherly Wonder Woman helping to defeat Steppenwolf. I used a mix of comic and movie abilities and got a little creative with the back story. This was the first heavy action piece I have done I tried really hard to make them believable and I hope it lives up to you expectations xx ps its looong!

Dividers are made by wrightyourmindaway

Ace In

Diana smiled in encouragement as she lead you down into a...warehouse? You looked around slowly as you both breezed through some heavy looking security. You moved closer to her trying to calm your breathing."You'll be fine... They are children really, nothing to be frightened of I promise" you nodded to the woman fully trusting her, she had never lead you wrong before and was unlikely to stat now. Quickly scurrying up behind her your shaking hands clutching as her forearm in a white knuckle grip as she made it into the huge warehouse where there was a group of people waiting....

"Whats Mr Wayne doing here?" You tilted your head a little to her she smiled at you patting your hand but ignored the question as Bruce moved forward holding a hand out to her exasperated.

"Diana...What? I thought you said you had someone who'd help with-" he stopped when she shot him a look holding a hand on your shoulder she pulled you around her pressing insistently so you stood forward. Almost as if trying to show you off to the group rubbing your back as your breathing hitched. The others glowered at the woman behind you instantly making assumptions about you already. It was clear to them that you had no idea what was about to be asked of you.

"Why have you returned with a kid? I thought you were going to get someone who could actually help! We have a crisis on our hands here-" Diana growled moved stepping away from you making you panic a little just sort of hovering there alone as the other three analyzed you. Each eyeing you intently weighing you up, judging you. You wanted to melt into the floor you trusted Diana you really did...But this was big...or you thought it was, it must be she hadn't shared the details but for her to pull you out of school; And your attendance was something she was very strict with .It must be a big deal. You shifted from one foot to the other well aware of the men in the room outright staring at you. You took a deep breath trying to focus on anything other then the situation you found yourself in.

"She is here to help Bruce..She's something else powerful and I know shes going to be a great help." You moved pulling on the sleeves of your knit sweater the cuffs loose from the way you bite and pull at them from anxiety, you twisted the soft wool through your fingers looping and unlooping the hanging stitch around the tip of your finger, you looked around. She turned to you holding out a hand and you all but ran at her pinching at her jacket. Bruce wasn't convinced peering at you with a huff.

"I met her a few years ago, she helped me save a lot of people and is definitely someone we need on the team." You took a deep breath as Mr Wayne gave you a sharp look.

"Soo she has abilities? What are they?" You looked wide eyed at Diana as Bruce stood over you and flinched trying to tuck yourself into her.

"I...er...There’s lots...hard to explain..." you spoke quietly almost frightened of being heard by him...He seemed very strict. He sighed realizing he wasn't going to get very far in the way of answers from you, turning on his heal he threw Diana a look tilting his head at her.

"Right...okay so in other words not a clue.." Diana growled at him moving to shield you as you bit your lip looking at the floor. You could see the man was stressed you took a slow step back not used to being this close to strangers....you didn't like strangers. They were...unpredictable.

"How is she gonna be help if she is to scared to even speak?"

"Bruce! She isn't scared she is just shy... She has what we amazons call chaos magic...Its an ancient gift! One that is coverted by ancient beings....It proved very useful in fighting him last time!" You closed your eyes cursing yourself for being so shy, but you were surprised when the frighteningly tall long haired man stood from his seat on the desk looking to Diana then you staring holes into you.

"Chaos magic? As in the gods sealing disgraced gods magic inside a mortal? That Chaos magic?....Isn't that supposed to be a fairy tale? Legend or something? yadda yadda all that shit?" You looked at him as he watched you intently...Gods? You looked to Diana for help you don't know what the huge man meant but it frightened you.

"Not legends Arthur...They were real...For generations these bloodlines held some magical abilities...But as time grew on the blood thinned going from incredible abilities to clairvoyant falling further and further until finally the gods interference was... effectively bred out and they became normal humans again... She is a matriarch of a new bloodline... She has to be! Her abilities are far to similar to those of the first generations. She has Chaos magic and its strong...stronger than anything the amazons have seen in nearly two and a half thousand years" The man; Arthur nodded to you and huffed

"I know what they are... But You really expect me to believe that all that power is in this lanky pipsqueak that speedy Gonzalez over there could snap like a twig?" He laughed shaking his head scoffing.

"Sorry but I just don't see it" he walked passed you and leaned on a metal beam still eyeing you.Diana was quick to jump at him, hell bent on protecting you from his seemingly harsh words. The others stood back as she got irritated with Arthur and Bruce's attitude.

"Trust me on this she stands more of a chance against Superman then the five of us together" you looked up at her startled. Against Superman? Wasn't he dead? Unless he never died but something else happened to him something sinister?...And what did she mean against. Did they want you to fight superman. Fuck no. You pulled at her arm making her look at you softly.

"What? but I thought he was... I...Is that what you need? For me to...To what exactly? Fight him? I don't think I can-" She moved over to you leaning down, tho not to far considering you were very tall for your age having your teenage growth spurt a tad early and settling at a firm 5 foot 4 inches and still growing. She gave you an apologetic look.

"We are bringing him back...And we want...Need all the help we can get...We don't know what's going to happen, if he is going to be the same..." you hugged yourself tightly shrugging her off a little shaking your head.

"B-but you said...I'm not...What you saw me do could...I could change him, fuck him up so bad and then what?" She sighed looking down she knew full well you didn't have much confidence in yourself but the others? your outburst hadn't helped convince anyone. She knew you wasn't ready but she didn't have a choice, no one did not anymore. She moved back to face you smiling softly.

"Your strong, I've seen some of what your capable of and I feel like that was just the tip of the iceberg...I’m sorry for doing his to you, so young...so much to loose and If I could keep you out of this I would...I know I said that I would call on you when your ready...when you have grown into your powers...But we don’t have time for that we need you now...there is an enemy...Steppenwolf he has tried to end this world once before over three thousand years ago the three races of men thwarted him then... but he has come back with a vengeance and is here already days away from destroying this planet and we need to put and end to him. To do that we need as many meta-humans fighting this battle and we need Superman back... I promise that I will protect you even if it costs me my life...But please please we need you with us." You looked down at your feet and nodded.

"Okay...I will help...Can you just give me a sec....need to go home and get changed" you heard Bruce and Arthur sigh and start complaining they didn't have time, but Diana ignored them nodding to you. You smiled and closed your eyes vanishing in a cloud of bluey purple fog like haze, teleporting from the warehouse.

Diana smirked as the moaning men stopped their bitching as the tall teen disappeared. She moved slowly to the desk leaning on it crossing her arms and frowned at the team."I expect you to be much kinder to her. There’s no need for you to go at her like that! She is young and shy and what I've asked from her has probably terrified her, but she is here and she is helping, that is my compromise on bringing him back. She stays, I'm taking full responsibility for her, you upset her or scare her away and there will be hell to pay! Understand?" The four men gulped each nodding slowly, Barry looked ready to piss himself. It took a lot for Diana to get defensive like this and none of them had ever seen her in the almost hostile state. She meant business. She nodded after meeting everyone's gaze. it was clear that Diana was very protective of you and none of them doubted she would rip them a knew one if they upset you.

"Remember be nice... This was the compromise and you agreed Bruce" Suddenly you were back in the room this time in a pair of thick black leggings and long sleeved blue top with tiny white anchors on it much easier to move around in...its not like you actually had a super suit. Blinking shaking your head a little you smiled shyly as everyone looked at you closely the silence was broken by Bruce who began to fill you in on The plan.

You moved cautiously around the ship as Bruce and Viktor moved Superman's ...corpse? Body? Into the pool letting him sink a little. You looked from one to the other as they all began discussing how this was gonna go, for the mos part you tried to keep out of everyone’s way but as they deliberated amongst themselves emphasizing how this had to be executed so precise to the second you spoke up.

"I-I'll hold it.....If Barry is late I will slow it down....So it hits...The water thingy...on time." They looked to you, Diana smiling happy that you was willing to help it had been the first time you'd tried making yourself heard...So far you'd only spoke when directly asked something and even then it was one word answers if you could get away with it. She probably should have shed some light on you for the others and filled them in on your story but she was hoping that you would open up to them, she supposed it was her...Motherly instinct towards you she was trying to she was trying to use this situation as a learning curve to pry you out of your shell with the group so they would help you over your shyness...It was holding you back and she could see the others didn't really understand they didn't see anything but a silly little girl who didn't belong here mistaking your shy nature for fear ,Barry sighed placing hands on his hips taking a dismissive tone with you.

"How its not like you can see me when I'm moving that fast-"Diana frowned going to scold Barry for trying to dismiss you so rudely but was cut off by you speaking up for yourself, seeing a glimpse of the fiery girl behind the shy exterior.

"How can you say that when you've never seen my powers..." He scoffed shaking his head at you then turned to the others

"I'll get into position count me down" Before you could reply to him he was gone. you looked down to your sleeves again tugging on them. That was why you didn't bother with people, you were mature and quiet which was strange for a thirteen year old you knew that, but it never got easier having people always underestimate you for your age. Victor sighed looking at you he could see your dilemma to an extent you were much like him, you had low confidence and being shy wasn't doing you any favors he still didn't think you belonged there but he could see how crushed you was being shut down by Barry when all you wanted to do was help.

"You really think you can?..This has to be spot on there can't be any mistakes" you looked to the water again then nodded.

"I've stopped trains and stuff.." Viktor blinked at you.

"This is going to be faster than a train maybe you should step back on this one..." he frowned noting his comment had come across almost as dismissive as Barry's and you heaved a slow deep breath looking to Superman , he could see you fidgeting with your fingers again. He sighed and looked towards Diana flinching when he noticed her dark look as she shook her head at him then spoke on your behalf.

"Is it faster then lightning?" You turned to Diana who spoke for you and smiled at her as Viktor turned to you shocked,.

"Lightning? You’ve stopped lightning?" You nodded shrugging slowly twiddling the threads on your sleeves which by now everyone knew was a habit, something you did when your anxiety spiked.

"Ugh well yeah it was gonna hit the tree in my garden....It'd make it fall on my dads car and he'd get mad soo....So gave it a nudge... it was pretty fast so a box shouldn't be so hard to stop." He nodded with a small smile trying to reassure you. You guessed it was a good thing as he told you to be ready. Then it happened, the box began to fall and Barry ran...It was..he was to slow,well not slow but they would be off by a second or so and quickly raised your hands, your power lunged out in one short millisecond burst of bright blue making the Motherbox's descent stutter then it hit the water just as Barry Passed it. There was a bright light and a huge noise like a crack then you looked up noticing a hole in the ceiling, then to pool it was empty...Superman was alive!. You grinned excited that he was back! you felt a flood of relief as you realized the plan had worked but any joy was quickly replaced by a stomach churning uncertainty. You looked to Diana asking her what to do and she just smiled nodding for you to follow.

You found yourself standing in line with the others looking up as Superman paced slowly across his own monument, like a predator.....A confused dangerous predator finally he looked noticing you all. That was when your stomach dropped, something was wrong, seriously wrong.

"Diana! I-I can see....He's not right! He-hes confused angry, the memories are there...but-but not in order! Fast flashing even I cant make sense of them...there making me dizzy!....they are confusing...it looks...Feels painfull" Arthur looked down the line at you wide eyed.

"You can see in peoples heads?! Fuck me!" You winced and gave him a quick glance not really wanting to take your eyes off the frantic Alien. You looked back at Superman trying to tap into him. He was angry anxious worried...confused all in one yet above all he looked determined. Whatever he had just decided was definitely going to happen. You gasped seeing him turn for the worst.

"Diana...He remembers Bruce trying to kill him." At those words Diana realized how bad this was and watched him ready to strike. He zeroed in on Viktor who was loosing control of his arm. You quivered not wanting any part of this, terrified as Viktor fought with his defense system.

"P-please sto-op it ple-please I don't w-want to fight him pl-please" your words were barely a whisper, more breaths to be honest

"I cant..I'm sorry" it was to late, Viktor had fired. You watched in horror as the newly revived very volatile kryptonian swerved dodging the blast. Suddenly all hell broke loose.

You froze gulping physically shaking as the others dived at him each having a go at him each failing. You watched as Barry made his move but faltered slipping and scrambling out of the way. In moment of panic you moved, wanting to to help Barry who was still scrambling trying to get his legs underneath him to get away. Suddenly you were between them moving your hands up in a defensive move and stretching them pulling a think wispy cord of your power between them screaming throwing everything you had at the man? Alien? Your power erupted around him in a burst of purples and blues moving in an enraged roaring fire centering around him and tapered off into slow tendrils moving in a smoke like fashion. you grunted as he pushed against it. Cringing when he nearly tore himself free from it, you almost collapsed as he beat at it swiping this way and that. You glanced down seeing Barry sitting there stunned as you pushed back against Superman panting and grunting as he thrashed wildly at you.

"Barry! Move get out of here! I can't hold him for long!" you trembled body beginning to ache as your energy was pouring out towards him trying to fully ensnare him. There was a spark and Barry was gone of to the side. This was much harder then you'd thought it’d be and that was saying something. You coughed as he made a particularly well aimed heavy hit, the ricochet almost winding you making you draw back for a split second. Seeing you falter Arthur was quick to charge at him only to be batted away being sent flying as Superman man a bee line for you, he had decided to take you out first it seems. How you managed to throw out another wave towards him you didn't know but you had slowing him when he was a hairs breath away from you. You stumbled back quickly this wasn't working you couldn't hold him off for long. It was meant to fully subdue him! you panicked this was the first time someone had broken through it and you didn't know what to do. you looked left and right still trying to get as much distance between the two of you as he managed to land another hit momentarily breaking you down. you scrabbled back as the others lunged for him again all being strewn across the area as he still gunned for you. You struggled to keep him at bay it wasn't working as intended but it slowed him down significantly, his lunges and punches were more like a mortal man. Slow enough to dodge you cried out moving and dodging him as best as you could then you screamed seeing the red of his eyes. He was going to?!

"NO STOP PLEASE!" He didn't listen you could see it in his face, you were an enemy something to destroy. You pulled back quickly switching from slowing him to attacking him throwing a wave of fire? Energy? You didn't know what it was but it destroyed things and right now it was your only chance at survival. You didn't hesitate. You couldn't! It was wrong, felt wrong but you attacked him just in time his lethal eyes released their heat you felt it as it hit yours causing an almost sunburn like feeling across your uncovered skin. You heard Diana screaming out at him the moment he unleashed his red gaze at you but it didn't gather his attention.The impact threw you both back, he was up quicker then you. He got up and regarded you for a second trying to figure you out then rushed at you once again, you caught him again slowing him. He looked around and fought batting at your hold of him, trying to find that weak spot again. You moved deciding to read him, it was risky and if it didn't work you were dead but...But if it did? he would be back...properly. steeling your nerves you twisted ducking dodging his fist sidestepping him spinning and throwing up a hand just catching him with your fingers hovering them at his temple and pressed one smoky glowing tendril into his mind you followed him forward maintaining contact watching as his eyes shone a bright color somewhere between purple and blue.

That was all it took to completely stop him, he was under....Sort of he was fighting you inside he felt lost and frightened, you ventured deeper projecting your self to him trying to show him you wasn't going to harm him.

"I-it's okay...I'm not gonna hurt you I just wanna help....Just helping okay...Please please don't hit me" The others held their breath not quite sure what you'd done to stop the raging kryptonian. Whatever it was working as he stood stock still his arms dropping by his sides looking off into space. Once you felt him relax you spoke to him again

"I'm going to help..Just try to stay calm okay?" he didn't really reply just let out a breath his shoulders slumping head dropping to the side pressing your fingertips to the flushed skin on his temple. You smiled letting out a shaky breath and began weaving through his mind giving gentle tugs here and there pushing the images,his memories together into something he could hopefully understand. You felt his mind loose the frantic undertone as you moved them into place and let out a breath moving your other hand to his other temple. he grunted softly moving his eyes trying to peer at you they were softer then before.

"Err what is she doing?" Diana smiled at Bruce who had just showed up with a car pulling up behind him, a woman got out and ran towards them all .

"C-clark?" Diana had to grab the woman from running to him.

"No...Not yet, he is confused he is...attacking everyone he see" the woman looked on tearfully watching the teen with glowing hands do something to him she glanced at Diana worried

"Y/n She's....helping him she said his memories were confusing him, they were jumbled...He couldn't remember who he was...What he was it wad causing him pain trying to make sense...I'd bet shes helping him remember slowly...So it doesn't hurt him" as Diana said this the woman gulped looking frightened. Diana cast a smirk over to Bruce 'I told you so'.

"So she can manipulate minds?" Diana nodded

"I told you she is powerful she has an arsenal of abilities at her disposal....And as she gets older she will get stronger...She could get more abilities to but for now she is stable." Everyone seemed to take a deep breath as they watched closely. You slowly began to retreat from the kryptonians mind, he felt better calm and collected. You pulled your hands away completely but held them in front of you still, ready to attack if need be. He blinked once twice then a third and final time and looked at you clearly moving a had to his head rubbing at his temple.

"A-are you alright now? Please tell me your alright I don't want to fight you again..." he offered a small smile to you nodding slightly.

"I'm...Better thank you" you nodded and stepped back still wary of him. Your body trembled as adrenaline rushed through you still. Going up against him was terrifying and you never wanted a rematch You flinched when he suddenly turned as a red haired woman ran up behind him he grabbed her tight in a hug seconds later the pair were flying off...He wont be helping then? Shit. You watched as they disappeared only looking down as Diana had run up to you holding your arms twisting you this way and that checking you over."Are you okay? Your not hurt are you? He didn't hit you or-or" you shook your head as she fretted over you. You flushed as the others watched as Diana moved smoothing back your hair to look you in the eye, then ran her gaze across you again in frantic zig zags.

"No I'm fine...Didn't get hit, he will be back to normal soon...I put it back together again..." she grinned at you and hugged you to herself tight.

"I'm so very proud of you...You pulled through even though you were frightened and you did it! You were very brave" you looked at the floor kicking the ground.

"Y-your proud? No ones ever been proud of me before" She smiled pulling back from you.

"Of course I am! You were scared but had a job to do, you stopped him like I knew you could and you helped him come to his senses!"

"But he left! That wasn't the plan"

"It doesn't matter...You did it...You and I hope its proved to yourself that you are in control of this, that you can help" you nodded then snapped your head over to the ship, there was a portal opening up on the other side you saw steppenwolf in it holding the box. The Motherbox was gone...He had all three.

Since the whole incident with superman the groups seemed more tolerant of you. You'd proved your usefulness to an extent so they were more receptive to you still tho they was finding it hard to see past you shyness and the fact your were a thirteen year old. But things were slightly better in the team.there was low morale they were irritated.

"Sooo? Y/N what was that back there? it think its time you told us just what you can do." the others nodded at Bruce’s statement. you took a breath and nodded to him swallowing looking him in the eye

"I-I can do lots...telekinesis moving stuff... The beamy fire thingy...That’s err w-well I’m not sure Diana calls it energy manipulation...I can sometimes make force fields and barriers....Teleportation then I can read people...Like look in there heads ...its what I did to him mindreading sort of and recently I’ve noticed I can twist thoughts...That’s what I did to him to but I swear I was just helping his thoughts were all over the place, he really really wanted to kill us..." Arthur wriggled his fingers in the air

"So that glowey eye thing you did to him makes him what? exactly." you swallowed

"I-I was..well... its hard to explain, he was angry, confused and in pain so i looked through...I put them in order;his thoughts...Just gentle tugs so he would calm down....The only other thing I have realized recently" you glanced warily across the room everyone was watching intently Diana was nodding to you she knew as you got older you’d gain more abilities.

"What is it?”

"Peoples perceptions I can change it as I see fit...Make them believe things...Make them see things.... Hallucinations and stuff... Make them experience their darkest fears of wildest dreams." there was a breath of silence Viktor smiled at you

"And it worked...Thank you I..We could all see how hard it was for you but you really pulled through" you smiled wide at them

"Really? Your not..not mad he left I mean I know that could have stopped him and dragged him back but I didn't wanna hurt the lady..." Bruce spoke up next shaking his head.

"Honestly if it wasn't for you doing what you did...We would all be dead...I'm not sure even Lois would have been enough to stop him. And you made the right call not pulling him back..Yo-you did good kid you did real good...But no pokeing around our minds you here me?" You giggled relaxing for the first time around them nodding

"I-I wouldn't do that anyway...I don't make a habit of it sometimes what you see can...Hurt" your voice trailed off and the room fell into a deafening silence everyone knew there was a story behind it but didn't press further. Barry noticing the tension spoke up.

"Soo is this a bad time to bring up my blood sugar?" Bruce sighed waving him off just before Barry left he asked you to join him. He had been much more approachable since saving him in the battle. You smiled gratefully as you knew he was giving you and escape from the 'adult talk' and followed him out of the bat cave.

This was it, you'd found him the ride over here had been...Tense and embarrassing for some...Namely Arthur who had inadvertently had a heart to heart with everyone after he'd sat his ass on Diana's lasso of truth. Yet during his funny rambling he had admitted that the thought you was 'kick ass' and that he'd been to quick to judge you, which had made you beam at him. But now as you stood with the others overlooking the chaos being unleashed upon the people you shivered, those fear demons were swarming the place and they will pose a problem for you.You were scared. Scared of the fight, scared of loosing a member of the team. And most of all scared of failure.

You watched as large mineral like pylons arched in and out of the ground causing craters into the ground, they all moved faster spreading out from the center of all the chaos. You looked towards the others as they to peered down at the town. Bruce had dropped you off and was making his way towards it. There was a massive dome covering the town that was protecting it from any outside interference. You watched as a huge swarm of those..Fear demons swirled around inside that is what you were worried about. This was the first proper full scale battle you were going to be in and you were scared so they were going to go to town on you. You held your breath when Bruce got closer and closer.

"Sh-should he be doing that alone?" You asked to no one in particular they all watched humming then turned to Diana.

"....No not alone lets go" you nodded watching as Bruce broke through the dome hitting it full speed creating an opening then slowly the dome shattered falling to the earth in huge chunks causing the ground to tremble below your feet as you all made your way down to the town. You watched intently as Bruce continued his kamikaze mission luring the fear demons his way with a loud irritating sound blasting from the batmobile. Somehow you managed to keep pace with them only just reaching the town before the fight began.

In the panic you got separated from the others but you knew what you needed to do. You moved fast doing small teleporting 'jumps' here and there using the energy around you to attack the stragglers that Were to slow to catch up to Bruce. You moved with ease as you burned and disintegrated the fear demons one by one then as you go more confident you stretched out hitting more and more with each attack slowly getting the hang of it. You stopped on top of a low building trying to work out your and the others positions. They were all scattered but Bruce was coming towards you fast but he was smothered! The demons were attacking the batmobile in one quick move you made the leap as he tore down the road like a bat out of hell. By some miracle you landed on it as you did Bruce. Began bitching at you

"What the?.....Kid what the hell are you doing? Get down from there!" Rolling your eyes you pushed on all sides creating a deadly barrier around him instantly killing anything within a nine foot radius.

"JUST KEEP GOING!" You could feel his exasperation threw the metal of the vehicle, but he continued moving using your barrier to take out more and more of them hitting right threw the main swarm leaving dust in your wake as you tore through them.

"Okay kid good job....Now off I'm about to make a quick exit" you smiled happy that he had finally acknowledged you...Praised you. You moved to the side and off quickly pulling the energy that was clogging up the air around you, using it to make a safe landing as you saw the Batmobile jump and Bruce pop out of it kicking ass.

You looked towards the huge nuclear chimney in the distance. That was your target, you began running making your way towards it, by now all your fear had died out. You'd found a new confidence, you could do this. You could help them save people. Save the world, and it was a good feeling. You moved your hands in a huge circular motion then pushed forward defeating large amounts of fear demons with larger blasts as you move further towards the epicenter where the boxes were clearly being held. Around half way Diana and Arthur caught up with you.

"Kid! Ease up!" You blinked confused as Arthur pulled your arm down.

"What? But I?" Diana cut you off.

"Y/n Steppenwolf cant know, we cant let him know what you are he will kill you...Its clear he learned his lesson from last time, he isn't fooling around one of your kind brought him down last time nearly killed him and he thinks that your all gone..." Arthur patted your shoulder

"Your our ace in the hole pipsqueak! We need you to tone it down so he don't get any ideas, you need to be up by Viktor when the boxes can be separated you have to be there and help pull them apart." You looked from one to the other.

"Clark is a no show and we still don't know how deep Viktor’s going to go...your the next one who can do it...I know I'm asking a lot but could you-" you interrupted her with a smile.

"You can count on me... I'll do it!" She smiled pulling you to her giving you a hug you missed the severe look the two shared over you.

It wasn't long before the team found itself facing of Steppenwolf himself. You and Barry got into position being put on what Barr called 'bug duty' you each moved around one another disposing of the bugs around Viktor as he worked. You flinched as the platform shook with a hit from the fight below. You whimpered frightfully feeling just how heavy the hits were.

"Y/n your okay...your okay alright! Just stay with me! " you looked to Viktor even when trying his hardest to work he was trying to calm you down. You ignored what ever doubts were in your head and pulled yourself together.

"I-I'm alright just ...Don’t worry about me I'm fine!" attacking the few bugs that your momentary fear had called over, dealing with them quickly.

That was when it happened, you saw it Diana leapt down over Arthur protecting him from falling debris. For a split second your heart stopped as you couldn't help panicking. No one should survive a direct hit like that, forgetting that they wasn't ordinary humans you feared the worst and screamed out to them. As you thought you'd just lost the closest thing to a mother you'd ever known. The thought made you loose control the blast you sent out came in two shock waves, the first quick and violent making the earth tremble and the second a rolling wave of raging fire like destruction , you didn't know how far it went but it felt much bigger than anything you'd achieved before and brought you to your knees leaving you weak.

The you gasped when you looked up seeing Diana throw the debris away and you smiled nearly sobbing as you shook on the floor. The relief was short lived as Steppenwolf's eyes locked on you, within seconds you were held by your throat he hoisted you up to his face.

"Chaos? I thought you were all dead...pity" you struggled against him, weak and unable to anything more then scratch at his hand that covered front the base of your neck all the way to your face covering your mouth and nose. He moved kicking Viktor with all his might sending him flying then he moved arm stretched out over the platform. You panicked you needed some time to get your energy back, you were exhausted drained and the fact you could use your powers was making you panic even more. You bit his hand but to no avail he was slowly suffocating you, you tried kicking at him but it didn't work.

Suddenly you could breath! As you began falling you saw Arthur’s tridents protruding from the arm that held you. You dint have time to scream as you fell feeling a strong cable loop around your ankle. Bruce had caught you and heaved you up to the platform where Viktor was. You panted trying to ease your lungs

"You alright?" You calmed yourself down nodding to him then scrabbled to the motherboxes you needed  energy and there was a perfect source right in front of you one quick swipe across it and you had taken some fro yourself, like charging up a battery.It was lucky you did as steppenwolf was coming up behind you fast you moved just in time rolling away and threw a blast at him but it didn't do much damage you were still very weak. You moved changing tactics pulling the objects around you trying to impale him or something. You landed a few hits on him as you ran around frantically dodging him. Diana got between you jumping and attacking him getting him off your back for a few seconds.

It was then you heard it, the sonic boom that was the tell tale arrival of Superman you looked up trying to spot him. But in looking up you failed to notice steppenwolf stalking towards you he had beaten away Diana and was coming for you again he raised his weapon and struck the platform making it smash and you screamed as you began falling still to weak you use your teleportation. Your descent was cut short as you were caught all you saw was a flutter of red, you looked up seeing Clark holding you gently.

"Please pay more attention...people like him wont play fair now where do you need to be?" you nodded to Viktor as he hovered for a few seconds

"Right" he nodded then flew higher you squeaked as he moved fast twisting around steppenwolf as he lunged for you both with ease and placed you next to victor.

"Stay on your guard... I mean it" he pointed a finger at you as he spoke, you gasped as you saw a huge fist flying toward him but he knew quickly dodging it then punching steppenwolf in the face sending him into the chimney , he followed him beating the crap out of him. You moved to Viktor  and placed a hand over the boxes letting some of their energy flow into you, you noticed Viktor’s quick questioning gaze.

"Its energy....And I'm low so just...Charging?" He gave a subtle nod and continued.

"Good you’ll need it" You felt your power flooding back slowly you stayed still taking as much as you could. Only stopping when you felt a shift behind you. You turned seeing Arthur Bruce and Diana battling steppenwolf but try as they might he was gaining on you and Viktor the battle naturally veered towards you. You wasn't sure what happened but something must have as Barry and Clark were no where to be seen.

Taking one last surge of energy from the boxes you pivoted throwing it to steppenwolf blasting him back down to the floor below giving Arthur the perfect opening to strike from above the others following now keeping him occupied down there. You sighed they could hold him off for a while longer.

"Is he still bothering you?" You watched as Clark dive bombed him into the floor leaving a huge crater, as the huge alien tried to sit up Clark hit him again keeping him down.

"QUICKLY THERE READY!" You held your breath as Viktor shouted this. It was time. He called Clark over and explained what had to be done.

"And fall out from these?" You and Viktor shared a look and he nodded to the kryptonian.

"Err yeah big boom." You added he nodded as you all got ready, you couldn't worry about the others now you had a job to do.

On Viktor’s signal and three of you pulled. You quickly realized this was going to hurt, you held your breath pouring everything you had into prying the boxes apart. Your body shook as your muscles ached and pulled trying to cramp as you pressed on. You screamed out i agony when you began moving them away, it was working but at what cost? You could feel your power waning fast quickly being drained. Tears streamed down your face as you tried pushing harder taking it up a gear. Your palms stung and it was getting harder to breath, the high raw power off these things made the air thick and hot it was burning your throat and lungs. Finally with one more heave they seemed to snap away from each other. The blast was something else it didn't hit you more like went through you. Hitting your insides just as hard as your skin.

You were thrown off the platform and hit the ground hard. Your back took most of the fall you wheezed trying to catch some breath. You could hear the other two laughing and joking...You didn't understand how tho didn't they just feel that? You tried moving only to cry out slightly it would have been louder but you couldn't move not even your jaw. Diana heard you tho and ran kneeling next to you.

"Y/N! Oh my god! Are you alright?" You looked at her panicked you wanted to tell her you couldn't move, but you could only lay there moving your eyes. You winced as something built up inside of you, moving...Bubbling almost you could feel it in your nerves biting at them with a sharp sting. It was quickly moving to the surface what ever this was it wanted out now! Your skin prickled hair standing on end.

"Can you? GUYS SHE-SHE CAN'T.. I DON'T THINK SHE CAN MOVE HELP! DO SOMETHING!" You watched as Diana's face went from worried to panicked making you worry more, you heard the others moving over to you but you managed a slight shake of your head. No get back! You screamed in your head for them to back away but it was to late Diana had leaned over you and moved a hand to touch you instantly she was blasted back from the contact, you felt heard her land hard a few meters away. Releasing the small blast had revealed some pressure and  was now letting the energy escape from you. In a few seconds you was able to move albeit you were stiff and slow in getting up. Your body was jerking and shuddering twitching as the your powers swirled around uncontrollably below the surface.

"Y/N what the? WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!" You flinched and turned to an irate Arthur who was helping up Diana the woman placed a hand on his arm stopping him from shouting at you. Viktor to held up a hand trying to calm him.

"She couldn't help it.... The blast hit us...She absorbed it, she was using the energy earlier charging herself fro. It...she's must have absorbed to much and its trying to escape" you looked to Viktor in thanks standing slowly you could feel it the raw power ghosting the skin of your palms the bright blues and purples coiling off of you into tendrils of smoke.

You caught from the corner of your eye steppenwolf rising enraged he moved aiming his weapon for Barry. One blast was all it took for you knock the others away , steppenwolf  took most of the blast but you hit your target shattering his weapon the ricochet sending him into the thick concrete behind him. You looked to the others although they were scattered on the floor they were fine. You called all of the excess power fro. the boxes, it needed to be used and you had just the target, you felt it rise as you molded your own around it to keep control. The others watched at

"Wh-what no! NO THIS CANNOT BE!" He charged at you but you stood your ground the others watched as you became engulfed in a swirling mass of dangerous power. This is what Chaos truly looked like steppenwolf looked frightened and he had a right to be, none of them wanted to be in his shoes at that moment. You thrust both hands out hitting him directly he screamed still trying to rush forward but you pushed harder. It wasn't long before everything stopped. You let the last of the borrowed power rush forward from your palms and sighed.

Finally you was back to normal...Exhausted but normal, you dropped your hands slowly as everything retreated there was just a scorch mark where steppenwolf had stood. He was dead, you panted and wobbled a little unsteady on your feet that had really taken its toll on you. Diana ran up to you hugging you tightly supporting you as you dropped, you were dead on your feet.

"You-you killed him? How? not even we could all those years ago."you smiled then coughed a little

"Those boxes are...something else" you said chuckling you groaned as she held you tighter

"I'm so proud of you! You did so well I cant believe you did that, but don't you ever frighten me like that again you here?!" You nodded slowly to her as she pulled back holding you at an arms length you could see tears in her eyes.

"I thought I'd lost you! That I'd dragged you to your death!" You chuckled at her weakly

"Makes us even then?"

"Don’t you get cheeky with me!" She gave you a stern look then quickly smothered you with a bone crushing hug again just glad you were safe. None of the others knew where you had come from, or how you met Diana but what they did know that she had a bond with you that was not to be trifled with as they watched her dote on you who was very flushed and trying to pry her off of you.

"Dianaa stoopp! Their staring!" They chuckled at your whining and Diana's blatant ignorance to your embarrassment it was clear she was taking on the mother hen role as she licked her thumb and began wiping at a mark on your cheek making you wriggle and whine louder. The team looked to one another nodding making a silent vow to help protect and look after you. God help anyone who upsets this kid.

[forthelanterns]

tag game: penguin classics game

penguin classic game! // from @hekteros and @whimsyqueen (who started this iteration of the game, I believe.)

Under The Rainbow -

Between city lights and traffic, there is magic in the mayhem.

genre: urban fantasy // PNR // relationship studies // healthy kink & polyamory // magic in the cracks of the world // your kink is not my kink (and that's okay) pov: multiple third-person pov, depending on the story. status: cobbling it together with spit and spite Pre-planning and semi-drafting link

Mr. Death and his Black Eyed Kids -

Here are things out here, things bigger than we'll know or ever understand but we have love, we have logic, and we have Death himself.

Genre: contemporary fantasy/horror // character studies // new adult college fun! // eldritch horrors and cults in there, just cause. pov muli third person POVs, depending on the story. status: living rent-free in my head and threatening to remind me that it knows where the knives are. plotting, structuring, and doing test drabbles link

[twoidiotwriters1]

Written In The Stars CXLI (Harry Potter xF!Oc)

A/N: That’s right PoA gifs are making a comeback -Danny

Words: 3,121

Series’ Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Chapter Three: A Brief Talk.

Mel was packing up the stuff she'd taken to the mission when someone knocked on the front door. 

She heard Erick said he'd get it a second later. Mel put everything in her bag and hung it over her shoulder, rushing out of her room. Dumbledore stared at them with a smile.

"I must say you worked faster than expected."

"We did our best — Oh!" Erick went to the living room and grabbed his bag, drawing out the men's wands. "These are from the death eaters — maybe you'll be able to track them down?"

"I could, if Ollivander hadn't gone missing," Dumbledore said sadly. Mel didn't ask about it, she wasn't ready for any more bad news. "Anything I should know?"

"Yeah," Mel approached. "I'm upset."

Dumbledore gazed at her quietly.

"I said I'd tell you everything and I will, but you must wait a bit longer. We'll visit Harry's house tonight, and pay a visit to Slughorn."

"You said we couldn't talk to him."

"This time will be different. This time I'll go with you."

"How wonderful," Mel said sarcastically.

"I'll get my stuff," Erick gave her a look that was meant to stop her rudeness.

"Very well," Dumbledore nodded, "do close the door on your way out, Mr Flint."

She followed him out in silence, her uncle approached the entrance of the Dursley's house and knocked on it.

"Were you in danger?"

"No."  

"Then you know I didn't lie."

"You didn't tell us everything," She replied. "You keep withholding information and I'm not some disposable thing you can use as you please —"

"That was never my intention," Dumbledore interrupted. "By the end of the year you'll know all, and you'll understand why I've acted this way."

Mel seriously doubted that but she'd been proven wrong before, she was willing to hear his side of the story.

Mr Dursley complained all the way to the door, he opened it abruptly, freezing at the sight.

"Good evening. You must be Mr Dursley. I daresay Harry has told you I would be coming for him?"

Harry rushed down the stairs and stopped at a considerable distance from his uncle. He looked torn between amusement and panic, holding a pair of trainers in one hand and a telescope in the other.

The young witch eyed Mr Dursley up and down and held back a smirk. He was wearing a reddish dressing-gown. The last time she'd been standing this close to the man he'd looked gigantic, now he was barely able to reach her nose.

"Judging by your look of stunned disbelief, Harry did not warn you that we were coming," Dumbledore said happily. "However, let us assume that you have invited me warmly into your house. It is unwise to linger overlong on doorsteps in these troubled times. It is a long time since my last visit, I must say, your agapanthus are flourishing. What do you think, Mel?"

"Oh, it's been years," Her voice trembled with contained laughter. "The house looks exactly as I remember, though. Is your chimney still the same after the Weasleys burst through it?"

Harry snorted at this, and this caught the old man's attention.

"Ah, good evening Harry... Excellent, excellent."

"I don't mean to be rude —" Mr Dursley spoke.

"— yet, sadly, accidental rudeness occurs alarmingly often. Best to say nothing at all, my dear man. Ah, and this must be Petunia— Albus Dumbledore, we have corresponded, of course. And this must be your son, Dudley?"

Mel looked at the boy, it had been almost two years since she'd last seen him: He was muscly big, with the body of a trained wrestler. She didn't like that he'd be able to kill a child with his bare hands and call it a sport.

"Shall we assume that you have invited us into your sitting room?

Dumbledore crossed the hall and she followed, Harry jumped the last steps and approached them.

"Aren't — aren't we leaving?" He inquired.

"Yes, indeed we are, but there are a few matters we need to discuss first. And I would prefer not to do so in the open. We shall trespass upon your aunt and uncle's hospitality only a little longer."

"You will, will you?" The Dursleys were all glaring at them.

"Yes, I shall."

He drew his wand so rapidly that Harry barely saw it; with a casual flick, the sofa zoomed forward and knocked the knees out from under all three of the Dursleys so that they collapsed upon it in a heap. Another flick of the wand and the sofa zoomed back to its original position.

"We may as well be comfortable."

"Sir," Harry started anxiously. "What happened to your — ?"

"Later, Harry. Please sit down."

The boy looked at her searching for an answer, but she had none. It was her first time seeing Dumbledore's injury as well. She walked up to the armchair and stood next to where her uncle had seated. Harry sat in front of them.

"I would assume that you were going to offer me refreshment, but the evidence so far suggests that that would be optimistic to the point of foolishness."

A third twitch of the wand, and a dusty bottle and five glasses appeared in midair. The bottle tipped and poured a generous measure of honey-coloured liquid into each of the glasses, which then floated to each person in the room.

"Madam Rosmerta's finest oak-matured mead," said Dumbledore.

Mel took her glass and inhaled the sweet scent before drinking it, hiding her grin. She was starting to feel less annoyed now that Dumbledore was torturing the Dursleys with his displays of magic.

"Well, a difficulty has arisen which I hope you will be able to solve for us. By us, I mean the Order of the Phoenix. But first of all, I must tell you, kids, that Sirius's will was discovered a week ago."

"Oh. Right..." Harry muttered.

"This is, in the main, fairly straightforward. You add a reasonable amount of gold to your account at Gringotts, and you inherit a few of Sirius's personal possessions. Emily knows this of course, but Sirius left the other half of his gold to you and your brother, Mel. As well as the rest of his belongings, which you'll be able to use once you're of age."

It was obvious Leon was going to inherit stuff from Sirius, the man was eager to provide for his new family, he wanted to be there, make sure his son would never be left to his luck.

"The slightly problematic part of the legacy —"

"His godfather's dead?" Mr Dursley interrupted. "He's dead? His godfather?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore without further explanation. "Our problem is that Sirius also left you number twelve, Grimmauld Place. To the three of you."

"He's been left a house?" Mr Dursley questioned.

"He's not done talking," Mel snapped, Mr Dursley turned purple at her statement.

"You can keep using it as headquarters," said Harry. "I don't care. You can have it, I don't really want it."

"Me neither," Mel accepted. "I don't need it, nor I think my brother will want to use it once he's old enough."

"Brother?" Mrs Dursley asked in bewilderment.

"That is generous," said Dumbledore. "We have, however, vacated the building temporarily."

"Why?"

"Well, Black family tradition decreed that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next male with the name of 'Black.' Your brother should be the one to take it, but we can't be sure if the rules apply since Emily and Sirius decided to use her last name. While Sirius' will makes it perfectly plain that he wants you to have the house, it is nevertheless possible that some spell or enchantment has been set upon the place to ensure that it cannot be owned by anyone other than a pureblood."

"I bet there has," Harry lamented.

"Quite. And if such an enchantment exists, then the ownership of the house is most likely to pass to the eldest of Sirius's living relatives, which would mean his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange."

Harry stood up in distress.

"No..."

"Well, obviously we would prefer that she didn't get it either. The situation is fraught with complications. We do not know whether the enchantments we ourselves have placed upon it, for example, making it Unplottable, will hold now that ownership has passed from Sirius's hands. It might be that Bellatrix will arrive on the doorstep at any moment. Naturally, we had to move out until such time as we have clarified the position."

"But how are you going to find out if we're allowed to own it?"

"Fortunately, there is a simple test."

"Will you get these ruddy things off us?" Mr Dursley yelled.

Harry looked around; all three of the Dursleys were cowering with their arms over their heads as their glasses bounced up and down on their skulls, their contents flying everywhere.

"Oh, I'm so sorry... But it would have been better manners to drink it, you know."

Mel left her glass on the coffee table and waited.

"You see," Dumbledore continued, "if you have indeed inherited the house, you have also inherited..."

There was a loud crack, and a house-elf appeared, with a snout for a nose, giant bat's ears, and enormous bloodshot eyes, crouching on the Dursleys' shag carpet and covered in grimy rags.  Aunt Petunia let out a hair-raising shriek; nothing this filthy had entered her house in living memory.

"Kreacher," said Dumbledore.

"Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't, Kreacher won't! Kreacher belongs to Miss Bellatrix, oh yes, Kreacher belongs to the Blacks, Kreacher wants his new mistress, Kreacher won't go to the brats and the Black bastard! Kreacher won't, won't, won't —"

"As you can see," said Dumbledore over the yelling, "Kreacher is showing a certain reluctance to pass into your ownership."

"I don't care," said Harry with repulsion. "I don't want him."

"Won't, won't, won't, won't —"

"You would prefer him to pass into the ownership of Bellatrix Lestrange? Bearing in mind that he has lived at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix for the past year?"

"Won't, won't, won't, won't —"

"No," Mel replied, "we need him far from them."

"Give him an order," said Dumbledore. "If he has passed into your ownership, he will have to obey. If not, then we shall have to think of some other means of keeping him from his rightful mistress."

"Won't, won't, won't, WON'T !"

"Kreacher, shut up!" Harry demanded.

It looked for a moment as though Kreacher was going to choke. He grabbed his throat, his mouth still working furiously, his eyes bulging. After a few seconds of frantic gulping, he threw himself face forward onto the carpet (Aunt Petunia whimpered) and beat the floor with his hands and feet, giving himself over to a violent, but entirely silent, tantrum.

"Well, that simplifies matters," said Dumbledore brightly. "It seems that Sirius knew what he was doing. You three are the rightful owners of number twelve, Grimmauld Place and of Kreacher."

"Wonderful, I own a haunted mansion," Mel sat heavily on the armrest of Dumbledore's chair.

"Do we have to keep him with us?" Harry asked.

"Not if you don't want to. If I might make a suggestion, you could send him to Hogwarts to work in the kitchen there. In that way, the other house-elves could keep an eye on him."

"Yeah," said Harry, "yeah, let's do that. Er — Kreacher — I want you to go to Hogwarts and work in the kitchens there with the other house-elves."

"You're not allowed to leave your duties unless we ask you otherwise," Mel added.

Kreacher, who was now lying flat on his back with his arms and legs in the air, gave Harry one upside-down look of deepest loathing and, with another loud crack, vanished.

"Good. There is also the matter of the hippogriff, Buckbeak. Hagrid has been looking after him since Sirius died, but Buckbeak is yours now, so if you would prefer to make different arrangements —"

"No," said both of them, then Harry added, "He can stay with Hagrid. I think Buckbeak would prefer that."

"Hagrid will be delighted. He was thrilled to see Buckbeak again. Incidentally, we have decided, in the interests of Buckbeak's safety, to rechristen him 'Witherwings' for the time being, though I doubt that the Ministry would ever guess he is the hippogriff they once sentenced to death. Now, Harry, is your trunk packed?"

"Erm..." Harry blushed.

"Doubtful that I would turn up?" Dumbledore smiled.

"I'll just go and — er — finish off," said Harry, picking up his telescope and trainers.

"I'll help," Mel said.

It was the first time she'd ever been in his room. The only time she'd managed to look around was when they rescued him on the Ford Anglia. It was evident this was the only place in the house Harry was allowed to exist freely: A bit messy from running around and packing everything in a hurry, but she didn't mind it at all.

"Cozy," She teased.

"Shut it," He replied, hastily picking up his stuff. "I should've known... of course he wouldn't leave me..."

"You had your reasons to doubt," She shrugged, then added. "We both do..."

Harry stopped and looked at her, but she wasn't in the mood to talk. Mel helped him pack and soon enough everything was in place, she grabbed Hedwig's cage and smiled at the creature.

"Hi there..." She looked back at him. "I'll never forget the look on your uncle's face when we arrived, he looked so frightened!"

"I'm glad I don't have to stay," He picked up his stuff and guided her out. "Because he would murder me if I did..."

Mel snorted, following him to the hall. However, Dumbledore hadn't moved.

"Professor?" Harry spoke. "I'm ready now."

"Good. Just one last thing, then... As you will no doubt be aware, Harry comes of age in a year's time —"

"No," said Mrs Dursley.

"I'm sorry?" said Dumbledore.

"No, he doesn't. He's a month younger than Dudley, and Dudders doesn't turn eighteen until the year after next."

"Ah," He smiled, "but in the Wizarding world, we come of age at seventeen."

"Preposterous," mumbled Vernon.

"Now, as you already know, the wizard called Lord Voldemort has returned to this country. The Wizarding community is currently in a state of open warfare. Harry, whom Lord Voldemort has already attempted to kill on a number of occasions, is in even greater danger now than the day when I left him upon your doorstep fifteen years ago, with a letter explaining about his parents' murder and expressing the hope that you would care for him as though he were your own."

Dumbledore's air changed, and although it wasn't obvious, he was once again emanating power, now more than ever he looked like a man no one should try to upset.

"You did not do as I asked. You have never treated Harry as a son. He has known nothing but neglect and often cruelty at your hands. I'm thankful Emily agreed to move in next door all those years ago and relieved a bit of Harry's misery. The best that can be said is that he has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you."

"Us — mistreat Dudders? What d'you — ?"

"The magic I evoked fifteen years ago means that Harry has powerful protection while he can still call this house 'home.' However miserable he has been here, however unwelcome, however badly treated, you have at least, grudgingly, allowed him houseroom. This magic will cease to operate the moment that Harry turns seventeen; in other words, at the moment he becomes a man. I ask only this: that you allow Harry to return, once more, to this house, before his seventeenth birthday, which will ensure that the protection continues until that time."

Mel would've loved to add a few insults of her own, but she knew there was no use, they would never learn, would never feel guilty for treating Harry the way they did and to be honest, Dumbledore was right, Mel and her mother were his real family.

"Well... time for us to be off," said Dumbledore, standing up. "Until we meet again."

Mel looked at them one last time without saying anything, something in her felt different, there was a bittersweet emotion that kept her from enjoying herself, and at the same time stopped her from snapping.

"Bye," said Harry shortly.

"We do not want to be encumbered by these just now," Dumbledore said, pulling out his wand and pointing it towards the boy's trunk and owl. "I shall send them to the Burrow to await us there. However, I would like you to bring your Invisibility Cloak... just in case. And now, let us step out into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure."

Erick was waiting patiently against the front of her mother's car. His backpack was hanging from one shoulder, and when he saw them he quickly approached.

"All good?"

"Yes, we just wanted to chat a moment before leaving."

"Chat?" Erick raised a brow, he knew the Dursleys weren't friendly people.

"We'll explain later. C'mon, time to go."

"We're not taking the car?"

"No," said Dumbledore. "It'll be faster if we use magic. Keep your wand at the ready."

"But I thought we're not allowed to use magic outside school, sir?" Harry asked.

"If there is an attack," said Dumbledore, "I give you and Mel permission to use any counter jinx or curse that might occur to you. However, I do not think you need worry about being attacked tonight."

"Why not, sir?"

"You are with me... This will do."

He stopped at the end of the street.

"You have not, of course, passed your Apparition Test," he said.

"No," said Harry. "I thought you had to be seventeen?"

"You do," said Dumbledore. "So you will need to hold on to my arm very tightly. My left, if you don't mind — as you have noticed, my wand arm is a little fragile at the moment."

Erick looked down briefly at his hand and paled.

"Professor, I passed my apparition test last month, I can take Mel so you don't tire yourself out."

The idea of Dumbledore 'tiring himself out' was laughable, but Mel didn't want Erick to feel stupid, and it appeared that Dumbledore was of the same mind.

"Very well, Mr Flint, if it's not much trouble..."

"It's not."

"You know where to go."

Erick offered his arm to her.

"Ready?"

"Like we have a choice," She groaned, firmly holding onto him.

Next Chapter —>

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[trophywifejimgordon]

It’s over. 

Just as soon as it started, almost, except for the part where it took an eternity. Except for the part where, though Daniel actually has experienced being pitted in a fight to the death before, and this was nothing like that, he just relived the past 35 years of his life, not “flashing before his eyes” so much as being jogged into his memory in chunks, hit by overwhelming hit. Every decision he ever made, and every one that was made for him, brought Daniel here, to this moment, to… victory?

Daniel LaRusso has won every most important fight in his life, and this one is no different; Johnny Lawrence now lies on his back, pinned there by the weight of Daniel’s foot resting on his chest. He’s not struggling anymore, just breathing hard and looking, really looking, at Daniel. Daniel’s not really so sure that he likes it.

He’d been face down, last time. Something like that. Daniel’d hardly had attention to spare on the disarmed bomb, not when his whole world was relief and agony and celebration and Miyagi and the sweeping crowd roaring his name and Ali. He had only even been distantly aware of Johnny handing him the trophy, and had, at the time, actually just assumed that he had been forced to by the bounds of tradition--after all, what did Daniel know, then, about the way of things at tournaments like these? It was only after Mike Barnes neglected to be the graceful loser that Daniel had even started to wonder… but Johnny had been long gone by then.

He’s here now, though. And there’s none of the rest; no roaring crowds, no debilitating pain in his knee, no Ali, no excitement, no relief. No Miyagi, either, but that’s kind of been the problem. It’s all over, and here, in the aftermath, there is only Johnny and Daniel, as there ever was, and looking down at Johnny’s wide eyes, Daniel is hit for the first time by the notion that, for you to win, someone else has to lose.

And of course, that should be no great surprise, no world shattering revelation--that is, after all, the business he’s in. Both karate and cars; it’s cutthroat, and it’s a competition, no matter how much he might preach otherwise (lie) to his class at Miyagi-do. But it is. A revelation. Daniel has spent the past year learning about Johnny Lawrence as a human being, more human than it ever felt comfortable to consider him, seeing him struggle and reach out and lash out and, admittedly, grow. There were times when Daniel had hated him, times when he almost thought they could be friends. But it is only now, staring defeat down into the waiting--not angry, not guilty, just… expectant--expression of his opponent, that it hits Daniel: there is a side to their story, and maybe there always was, where Daniel is the villain.

This breaks the man. That’s not him; he’s never been that. Daniel, growing up, had been friends with action comics and superheroes more than actual people--he tried, of course, but could never quite get anyone to stay. (Anyone but Mr. Miyagi, that is, but Daniel is old enough by now to suspect that he might have had his issues, too.) His mother--always a Daniel fan, as a rule--had encouraged him, told him he was too good for those other kids, anyhow, and he sort of believed her. Then he got older, and there was Kreese and Johnny and Chozen and Silver and Barnes, and the world was black and white, just like in the pages of his comics--there was a lesson in Daniel’s final two years of high school, and it was that his childish worldview had essentially been correct, that there was a good guy, and there was a bad guy, and most of the time, the role of the “good guy” fell to him. Growing up, if it could be called that, had done him no favors; while Daniel as a child had been (okay, he could admit it) a bit obnoxious, he had also been fresh and impressionable and wide eyed, ready to learn, always. Ready to shift his viewpoint. Age, as it does with all, or at least most, had made the walls around his worldview a little more stiff, while trauma (for that’s what it was, he realizes now, Trauma, with a capital T) had cemented them in place. The final, glancing blow to Daniel’s ability to bend before he broke was the death of the man who had taught him to do so in the first place; after he lost Mr. Miyagi, that had been it for him, the nail in the coffin. He was stuck. Unalterable, unchangeable. Bitter, and stiff, and unyielding, and more than any of that, completely unable to see it.

Because, who had time for self-contemplation when you were successful? Who had space for introspection when you were busy and moving up and, by all rights, happy? Daniel didn’t need to look inside or better himself; he was the good guy. He was a g-d damn heroic archetype, baby, and he helped people see the light, not the other way around. 

And that mindset had lasted, it had served him, for the better part of eight whole years, or maybe a lifetime. It kept him going, affirmed his choices and supported his self-righteous streak, for all this time, and it was maybe going to keep powering on forever, through the very end of Daniel LaRusso until

       suddenly

                       it didn’t.

And so he gaped down at Johnny Lawrence (old hat, by now, at being typecast as the villain in Daniel’s personal morality plays) and met his sad, blue eyes with sad, brown ones showing--though he did not know or altogether intend it--pure, abject terror right there on his face.

For the first time since Mr. Miyagi died, Daniel feels a shift, uncomfortable and alien and wild, and so all he can say, deer in the headlights wishing the car would come sooner, is, “My knee.”

He thinks about letting Johnny up, or at least removing his own personal peine forte et dure and making it an option. Daniel thinks about it, he hesitates, but he doesn’t move in the end.

Can’t.

“What,” Johnny says cautiously, expression still indecipherable, or maybe that’s Daniel. Despite the weight on his chest, he pushes himself up a little, halfway into a sitting position and resting on his elbows, and Daniel lets him. Can’t do anything about that, either. 

“You didn’t go for my knee, you never did, even though you knew it was my weak spot. I must’ve left it open about a hundred times, I was stupid--but you didn’t take advantage. Why not, Johnny, huh? What did you get out of that?”

Johnny, like, licks his lips a little, probably (probably?) in contemplation, and his gaze flits between Daniel’s face and his leg, the one that’s still pinning him, the one that he and Bobby Brown but John Kreese most of all had done irreparable damage to 35 years back. He almost seems to challenge Daniel (though it’s probably just his keyed-up confrontation brain talking)--like, oh, you mean this knee?

Daniel isn’t sure what the look in Johnny’s eye means--he’s starting to figure out that he doesn’t understand Johnny Lawrence half as well as he’d prided himself on knowing him before--and there’s a second when half of him thinks Johnny’s about to lick a stripe up the surgery scars he caused and the other half thinks that Johnny’s about to strike first, strike hard, strike one last time and show no mercy as he shreds the tendon with his teeth, finishing what he started 35 years ago and ruining the leg for good. 

Of course, he does neither of these things. All he does eventually is bring his gaze back up to Daniel’s eye--expression steel, more sober than Daniel has ever seen him--and say, “I keep telling you, man, and you don’t listen--that’s not who I want to be. I want to be better than I was taught. And you’re never gonna hear it.”

The truth of Johnny’s statement strikes him--in that moment, Daniel knows that Johnny’s strides toward redemption, his constant game of two steps forward, one step back, have not been petty or self-serving or convenient in the least for him; they’ve been genuine. Johnny has been struggling since their childhood, since he fell in with Kreese, and he’s still struggling right now; struggling to unlearn all the bad, three decades of toxic crap dumped on him and into him, because Johnny sees his faults and sees his failures and he wants to be more than the sum of them. It might mean (and just watch, this revelation is earth shattering) that Johnny is a better man than Daniel, who has never once looked in a mirror to do anything more than adjust his too-expensive tie before heading out on the sales floor. Who would Johnny be if he’d had someone like Mr. Miyagi for a mentor? Who would Daniel be if he hadn’t?

His breath, finally calmed down from the physical exertion, starts to speed up again, heart pounding in his chest, and oh, sure, why not, Daniel thinks he’s going to have a panic attack. The least he can do is free Johnny from the pin before he does so; things will probably get really, really strange, if not.

Shaky, trying to control his limbs and remember--well, pretty much anything about the simplest breathing techniques, Daniel lets him go. 

After another second’s deliberation, he reaches down a hand.

“You’re wrong, Johnny,” he says (because nothing between them can be without petty disagreements, not even this), eyes focused on something he couldn’t name if his life depended on it, a spot on the floor just behind Johnny’s shoulder. The floor, the hardwood floor he’d installed himself, even after Amanda had dropped several hints that she wanted it done professionally, because he could handle it, and he had; his floor, in his house, because--oh, right--they’re in his house, his house in Encino, and this whole thing should reek of normalcy, and yet. “I hear you.”

The fight drains out of him entirely, and all of a sudden, Daniel is nothing so much as he is tired. Johnny takes his hand and lets himself be pulled up, and they’re both left standing, shells of men, hollow. Nothing inside. They look at one another and the reflection of their nothingness, and Daniel….

Well. Daniel, is broken.

And then, in a perspective shift like an earthquake, like a typhoon off the coast of Okinawa, like a crane kick in the fucking head, he just may be reforged.

[betweensceneswriter]

Island Hopper-Chapter 17b: Sugar Sickness

Brand new chapter, but out of sequence.  Posted 10-16-2020

Previously Chapter 17: Bitter Jamie and Claire have different ideas about what being back together should look like.

ISLAND HOPPER Table of Contents

Back to work, we meet someone important, and an illness leads to an early parting.

    “Thirsty.  Lukkuun thirsty.  Alap awa.”

    Perkaj’s mother wiped her son’s forehead with a cool washcloth, looking at me with concern.

    “Lukuun kilep.  Now, bery skinny.”

    A group of children—siblings, cousins, and interested neighborhood kids—crowded around the mat where the little boy lay, feverish and unresponsive.  It had taken me several tries to say his name correctly.  Finally a patient cousin had grabbed my hand to get my attention.  “Him name Purr Gus” the little boy had said clearly, smiling as I repeated it.

    My heart had sunk at her first words.  Perkaj was thirsty all the time?  Just that one word had given me a preliminary diagnosis.  I was almost positive it was type I diabetes.  And how was a person to manage type one diabetes out on an outer island?  Spare insulin needed to be kept at a moderate room temperature. Since it didn’t often get above 85°F in the islands, it wouldn’t have to be refrigerated, but it would last longer if kept cool.  And if he ever ran out of it, he could quickly slip into a diabetic coma from high blood sugar.

    That was what appeared to be happening right now.

    I spread open my black bag—an iconic black leather satchel like the doctor’s bags of olden days.  I located the supplies I needed and pulled out the blood sugar monitor from its protective plastic bag, unwrapping a stiff testing strip and slipping it in the slot in the tester, then twisting off the plastic tip of the lancet.

    I heard the intake of breath as the children saw the gleam of the sharp lancet tip and sensed them all bending closer as I picked up Perkaj’s small hand and firmly pricked his fingertip.

    Watching his face for a response, I was grateful to see a shadow pass over his features at the pain.  At least there was a little consciousness still.

    Turning back to my task, I squeezed his finger and watched as the burgundy swell of blood appeared on his skin.  I gestured with my head toward the tester on the mat, and several pairs of small hands reached for it, one child passing it to me so I could meet the testing tip to the droplet of blood.

    A chorus of “ohhhs” was the response as the absorbent testing strip slurped the droplet of blood off Perkaj’s fingertip.

    “I need to be able to see,” I said, hoping my voice wasn’t too sharp.  I didn’t want to hurt their feelings, but all the little heads were blocking the light from outside.

    “Move,” ordered one of the mamas.  “Etal,” she added in Marshallese.   My little audience backed away reluctantly and I breathed a sigh of relief as a gentle breeze of cooler air from outside swept through the small house.

    My fears were confirmed when the tester flashed Perkaj’s current blood sugar level.  615.  Six hundred and fifteen?  Healthy was under 120.  Elevated was anything over 200.  Four hundred was seriously high.  Six hundred?  No wonder the boy, his features slack in unconsciousness, was so feverish.  Perkaj had indeed slipped into a diabetic coma.

    Although my medical bag held a multitude of items, insulin was not one of them.  The small stock of insulin I had was kept in the clinic in a brick enclosure. There may have been no means of refrigeration, but whoever had built the clinic had realized that caves tended to be cooler than the surrounding area and had created—in essence—a small root cellar for storing medicines that were sensitive to temperature.

    “I have to go get medicine,” I said, my Marshallese failing me in the moment of stress.   “Kottar jiddik—wait a little bit—and I’ll be back.”

    Perkaj’s house was in the town of Ine, just a half mile or so from the clinic.  I broke into a jog, trying to ignore the sensation of sharp rocks under the thin rubber of my flip-flops.  The sooner I got some insulin into him, the sooner Perkaj would recover and the fewer side effects he would suffer.

    “I’m not enough,” I panicked as I jogged.  “I don’t know enough.  I recognize diabetes, but I’m not an endocrinologist.  I need a doctor.  Perkaj needs the hospital.”

    The plans for the coming days swirled in my head.  Jamie and John were working on the solar still.  John would be leaving on the Jolok boat tomorrow—he needed to be back to Majuro on Thursday. Jamie and I had planned to ride the fishing boat with Kona on Thursday evening, knowing that our flight didn’t leave until Friday.  We had scheduled a little time for shopping on Majuro Friday morning.  We wouldn’t need a hotel;  Jamie had mentioned our need of a place to stay Thursday night to Mr. MacKenzie before he left on the final leg of the field ship voyage, at which Dougal had grinned and said Revka would be happy to sleep at a friend’s house so we could have her room.

    I was trotting past the Iroij’s palace when I realized I should call the hospital, remembering that the Iroij had one of the two satellite phones on the island.

    I smiled shyly at the man sitting on a chair by the gate into the Iroij’s property.   “Is the Iroij here?” I asked.  My brain scrambled for the words in Marshallese. “Iroij ijin?”

    He nodded toward the house with a low “Ayet, ijo,” and I walked up the white gravel pathway to the Iroij’s door.

    I’m not sure why I was surprised when the Iroij himself opened his door, but I smiled at the stocky man with salt-and-pepper hair cropped short, wearing a sarong and an embroidered island shirt, his outfit completed with bare feet.

    “Miss Beauchamp!” he exclaimed.  “I mean, Mrs. Fraser.”  His smile was warm, and he urged me into the large open room lit by electric lights.  It was a simple building, but in comparison to most of the dwellings on Arno it was lavish.

    “Thank you, Iroi… Sir… Your honor?”

    “Call me Mayor Timisen,” he urged at my apparent discomfort.  He had gestured for me to sit in one of the chairs in the main room, and he leaned forward once we were both seated, urging me to speak.

    I was grateful he spoke such fluent English as I explained to him what seemed to be ailing Perkaj. Although it wasn’t going to cause an instant death, high blood sugar meant that glucose wasn’t getting into the body’s cells, and organ failure was a possible consequence of elevated blood sugar left too long without treatment.

    “Perkaj needs to go to the hospital,” I said.  “Can we use the satellite phone to contact them and ask what we should do?”

    He nodded slowly, then got up and went to his desk, coming back with the chunky black satellite phone. I eyed it with mixed emotions as I watched him dial a number and then hold the phone to his ear.  Just seeing the phone brought back a flurry of remembered events that had led to my first satellite call out here—

    That dark night after my trip to Matolen with Sharbella, I had ridden with Jamie on his bike back to the clinic… later, lying next to him under our makeshift mosquito-net tent—after he'd said it would be inappropriate to hang out in my apartment after dark —we had been looking up at the stars and talking when I’d accidentally called him Frank…

    I remembered the sinking sensation in the pit of my stomach when Jamie pulled away from me, and the deepening discomfort a few days later when Angus confronted me about my behavior towards Jamie, when he told me the engagement ring on my finger was about the only part of me that was engaged…

    My heart sank at the memory of the night I took care of baby Maxson when he  was sicker than I could deal with in my primitive clinic, waking the next morning to find that the infant was dead.

    I remembered the pain of Jamie discovering me on the beach and trying to comfort me, only having to force him away.  I could picture him seated on a mat with Rupert and Angus across the gravel-strewn yard at Maxson’s funeral, and I remembered trying to convince Anni and myself that I truly didn’t want him.

    I chuckled as I recalled Anni and that crazy midnight run to the fishing dock on the ocean side to see the miracle of the full moon.  But that joy was followed by Frank’s letter—familiar handwriting crushing my soul as he told me he didn’t want to wait for me, that he was breaking up with me.

    That pain had been followed by the comfort of Jamie’s arms, by tender murmured reassurances and his touch when I went to him in the darkness, desperately needing to not be alone.  And later, I had slept in his bed with him, curling in the hollow of his form, reassured by his even breathing, his warmth, and the solid substance of his body behind me.

    The comfort of Jamie's kindness was replaced by Angus’s disappointed, bitter voice the next morning, accusing me of sleeping with—not just ‘sleeping with’—Jamie, telling me that since I wouldn’t stay away from the young man on my own, he was going to have to take more drastic measures.

    And then I could vividly picture the Iroij standing outside my door, handing me a black phone and telling me the person on the other end was Mr. MacKenzie— that I was being summoned to UniServe headquarters.

    Now I looked at the white gold circle on my right hand for a moment and then back at that boxy black phone held by the Iroij and found myself shaking my head, gratefully astonished at how that story had ended; hoping that this sequence of events would have a similarly positive end.

    Mr. Timisen held the phone out to me then, lifting me out of my deep deja vu.  After taking a breath, I quickly explained the situation to the emergency room physician on the other end of the line.

    “We could try to catch the Jolok boat tomorrow,” I said.  “I have some insulin.  I could administer it and try to monitor his blood sugar, but I’m concerned that if I gave him too much, he could die.  And he has a high temperature and is almost unresponsive—he can’t stay at this blood sugar level without doing drastic damage to his organs.”

    There was static on the line and I wondered if the connection had been severed, but then the doctor’s calming voice came back on.

    “We can’t do much until you get the patient here, unfortunately,” the physician said. “Administer insulin and monitor his blood sugar. Perhaps the Iroij could charter a private flight so you could get here sooner.”

    The conversation was loud enough that the Iroij heard the request.  He nodded to me reassuringly, reaching for the phone and bidding the physician farewell, then dialing another number and having a brief conversation in Majel.  I assumed he was calling the Majuro airport.

    “The plane could meet you at the landing strip beyond Jabo.  Are you able to transport the patient there by truck?”

    I nodded, then told the physician that we could get him to the landing strip within an hour and a half.  Mayor Timisen smiled reassuringly at me, going into the hallway and calling out into one of the other rooms.  In a few moments, a young man entered.  At Mr. Timisen’s terse command, he quickly trotted away, I assumed to go locate the island truck.

    “Can you travel with him?” the physician asked me over the phone.  “The plane has room for the patient and a parent, but a doctor or nurse should go along as well.”

    “Don’t you send a nurse or EMT out on the plane?” I asked.

    “Not unless it’s a heart attack or severe injury.  We’re understaffed as it is,” he responded.

    With a few last directions, the doctor and I hung up, and Mr. Timisen assured me that they would bring the truck to the clinic to pick me up and then take my patient to the air strip on the way towards Arno Arno.

    As anxious as I was feeling, I was actually grateful to run the rest of the way home. I felt calmer knowing that I would soon be getting Perkaj to a hospital where he would have the round-the-clock monitoring I was incapable of providing on my own.  

    After unlocking the clinic, with shaking hands I removed the vials of insulin from the medication locker.  Making sure I had syringes and a few glucose packets to counteract the effects of accidentally giving Perkaj too much insulin, I locked up the clinic and entered the apartment.

    What was I supposed to take with me?  I hadn’t yet packed my big suitcase for Guam, so I threw a few dresses, bras, and pairs of panties in a backpack, along with my conditioner and skincare bag. Then I pulled my larger suitcase from under the bed and loaded it as quickly as I could, though I couldn’t tell if I had what I needed for our trip.  I’d been planning on a leisurely evening of packing once I had been done for the day at the clinic. An evening of packing, followed by some more quality time with my husband…

    My heart sunk at that thought.  My memories of those days of sadness without Jamie had made me long to be close to him again.  As I remembered that night when Frank broke up with me, I could almost sense Jamie’s warm comfort next to me in his bed.  And today, helplessly looking at Perkaj lying limp and unresponsive on the mat on the floor had brought back those feelings of powerlessness I had felt with baby Maxson.  I could feel my need for Jamie in the pit of my stomach, but I steeled myself. This was a time I was going to be strong without him.

    But I couldn’t just leave without telling Jamie where I was going.  I went out to the side yard where I discovered him and John working, the two men standing in remarkably similar positions with arms crossed, heads cocked to one side, looking in puzzlement at the structure in front of them.  It looked a little like a terrarium or sunroom, with a slanting glass roof on top of an enclosed wooden box. As I watched, they each moved a few steps to the right, resuming the same quizzical posture when they stopped. I chuckled at their incidental resemblance, the tall, broad-shouldered, auburn-haired Scot and his slighter, dark-haired Marshallese friend.

    “Claire, come see,” Jamie said, ushering me over and pulling me under his arm.  “We put an inch or so of well water into the reservoir there,” he explained, drawing me toward the structure and pointing at the shallow pan that stretched the entire length and width of the base of the still.  “The water soaks up into the black cloth draped over those blocks, which heat in the sun and then the water evaporates from the fabric, traveling upward as the heat rises.”

    “But the sloping glass ceiling traps the moisture inside the still,” John continued as he came close on my other side, “and as the air outside is cooler, it condenses on the inside of the glass.”

    “We’re trying to figure out the right angle for the glass,” Jamie said, “so that the water doesn’t drip back into the pan but instead dribbles down the glass and finally into this channel,”—here he pointed at a sloping half-pipe near the lowest part of the glass, cupped upward underneath a line of something that looked like clear caulk, where the droplets of water that had snaked their way down the glass-collecting surface were stopped from sliding further, growing into larger and larger reservoirs until their weight overpowered the surface tension and gravity forced them to fall.  I could see a thin stream of water in the bottom of the pipe, slowly flowing toward the place where the pipe exited the still and entered flexible tubing threaded into the top of a large water jug on the ground.

    “It looks great babe,” I said, finally grabbing Jamie’s arm to stop him.  “But I don’t have time right now.  I have to take a plane to the Majuro hospital,” I said quickly, before he could speak.

    “What?” he exclaimed with an involuntary squeeze closer to him, looking me up and down as if I were the one injured.  “Have ye been hurt?”

    “No, it’s Perkaj,” I said.  “You’ve mentioned how Rupert said he’s been losing weight the last few months and hasn’t had much energy at school.  Well, there’s a reason for it.  I’m almost positive he’s diabetic!”

    From the look on his face, I could see it hadn’t completely sunk in yet, but when the truck pulled up in front of the house at that very moment, Jamie questioned me again.  “Truly?  You are leaving now?  You are going to Majuro? Today?”

    I nodded quickly, slinging the strap of my backpack over one shoulder. “I started packing my suitcase for Christmas, but I’m sure I’ve forgotten something.  Can you finish packing for me?

    Jamie had his hand around my upper arm, a grip that expressed what he couldn’t seem to be able to say.  His forehead was wrinkled, his face clearly communicating that he objected to my departure.

    “I’ve gotta go, babe,” I said, beginning to move toward the truck. “I’ll see you tomorrow evening when you get to Majuro on the fish boat?”

    Jamie still looked bewildered, but a sudden certainty flooded over his face and he took two quick steps to me and crushed me in his arms.

    “Be safe,” he murmured into my hair. “I canna believe I’m losing ye again so soon.”

    Gently pushing me out to arm’s length, he met my eyes.  “I love ye, hen,” he said, stooping to firmly kiss me on the lips once more before urging me toward the waiting vehicle.  John and Jamie followed me as I went to the truck, and Jamie offered a hand as I climbed up into the bed of the pickup.

    “I love you too,” I mouthed, blowing him a kiss as the truck drove off nearly before I’d settled myself on the truck bed.  He watched, waving until I couldn’t see him anymore.

    Once at Perkaj’s house, I waded through the crowd of concerned well-wishers, thankful for Mayor Timisen’s ability to translate and explain to Perkaj’s family what we were doing.  The biggest challenge was determining which family member should travel along with the boy.  Perkaj’s mother was eliminated as a good option because the boy had several younger siblings, one of which was a nursing infant.  I couldn’t follow the entire conversation, but Mr. Timisen also explained to me that Perkaj’s father was out fishing and wouldn’t be back until dark.  After some rapid fire conversations in Marshallese, it was determined that his auntie Maria—a lovely girl of around twenty—would come along with Perkaj so he had family to watch over him.

    As the family had debated who would travel with Perkaj, I had re-tested his blood sugar.  Finding it still over six hundred, I gave him eight units of fast-acting insulin, hoping that each unit would drop his blood sugar by about 50.  I knew the ride to the air strip would take a half hour or so, and expected the helicopter ride to Majuro to be about the same.  I would continue to monitor Perkaj’s blood sugar level as we traveled, but I could feel my agitation easing at the promise of a more updated facility and an ICU where my young patient’s progress could be closely monitored.

    The process of transferring Perkaj to the truck was accomplished by a group of four young men who gripped the corners of the woven pandanus mat on which Perkaj had been sleeping, and using it like a stretcher, carried him out to the truck and unceremoniously slid the mat into the bed of the truck. I had grabbed a blanket from my house so we could cover him and then his auntie and I sat on either side of him to keep him from rolling as the truck drove down the bumpy island road.

    When we reached the air strip, I got out of my cramped sitting position.  I tested Perkaj’s blood sugar again and was pleased to see that it had dropped, but not with such rapidity that I would have to worry about his sugar level getting dangerously low..  

    I’d traveled over the air strip several times since my arrival on the island.  Each time we’d gone on the Jolok boat, the time I’d heading out on the Field Ship trip, and then returning back home again all necessitated driving through that narrow stretch of the island.  But this time it wasn’t as green as I remembered from my first arrival on the island.  The grass on either side of the wide-open swath of land was yellowed, a sign of the continuing drought.

    Maria smiled at me as I stretched and bent over to touch my toes, preparing for another half hour or more of sitting in a cramped position before arriving in Majuro.  She was patting Perkaj’s hand gently, her forehead wrinkling as she looked at his expressionless face.

    “He will be okay?” she asked.   “Ejjab mej?”

    “Ejab malele,” I said sadly, shaking my head.  “I really don’t know if he will die.  But I hope not.”  I tried to smile for her.

    By the time we had been loaded onto the plane with Perkaj strapped onto a gurney that was then locked into place, he was moaning.  Though it sounded worse, and though his face wrinkled more furiously when I again pricked another finger to test his blood sugar, I was relieved to see the gradual signs of a return to consciousness.  

    Before we landed at the Majuro airport, Perkaj’s blood sugar had dropped to 420, which although still horrible, was a significant improvement.

    There was an ambulance waiting for us on the runway. As we rode the twenty minutes to the hospital, I briefed the EMT on Perkaj’s symptoms.  He tested Perkaj’s blood sugar again and I was glad to see it had dropped yet a few more points.

    By midnight I was beyond tired.  I had sat, holding Perkaj and Maria’s hands, trying to understand the Marshallese explanations given by the medical professionals, trying to reassure the young Marshallese girl that her nephew was going to recover.  I was weary but grateful that Perkaj’s blood sugar was at a reasonable level.

    “Lass, why dinna you come to our house for the night,” said a familiar voice.

    “Mr. MacKenzie?” I asked.  This time Dougal seemed completely unsurprised when I stood and hugged him.  In fact, he even patted my back gently before releasing me and picking up my backpack. Speaking briefly to Maria, he took me by the hand and led me from the hospital.

    I was so exhausted I refused the offers of food made by Moneo.  I simply slipped off my sandals, lay down on the couch in the living room, pulled a light blanket over myself and fell asleep.

    Something about being on Dougal’s couch brought back such intense memories that all night I dreamed of cuddling next to Jamie the night after we got engaged.  One dream-memory was so vivid that it startled me awake.

    In the middle of that night after our sudden decision to get married I had found myself tossing and turning on the mat on the floor in Revka’s room. You’re an impulsive idiot, my brain told me. This is a rebound.  You don’t really want to marry Jamie—you just didn't want to lose him as a friend.

    I had gotten up as quietly as possible and slipped through Revka’s door, standing in the darkened living room trying to let my eyes get used to the darkness.

    “What’re ye doin’?” a deep voice murmured from the couch.

    “You’re awake?” I asked, moving a few steps forward.

    “Canna sleep,” he responded.  I could see a faint movement as he scooted over on the couch, and I tiptoed to him, finding his hand reaching out to me to guide me around the coffee table.

    “Here,” he said, drawing me down to lie on the edge of the couch in front of him and covering me with the blanket. “Though I dinna ken whether having ye next to me is going to make sleep come any more readily.”

    “I’m not out here to make out with you,” I said bluntly. “I’m just… having second thoughts.”

    “Ye dinna have to marry me,” he said without hesitation, though his muscles had tensed at my words. “Dinna feel guilty if you’ve thought better of it and have changed your mind.”

    “Are you having second thoughts as well?” I asked him.

    He hesitated.  “No,” he said calmly.  I could feel him shaking his head behind me.

    I scoffed in disbelief.  “Why not?” I asked.

    He sighed, and I could feel his chest expand against my back. “Do you believe in providence?” Jamie asked slowly.

    “Providence—like a good coincidence?” I asked.

    “Not exactly… Providence—as in, an act of God.  Something that canna be explained away with logic.”

    “Maybe,” I responded.  “I’m not sure.”

    “In the month before you came to Arno,” he said, his voice a husky rumble in my ear, “I found a letter from my ma.  She had tucked it inside the Holy Bible she gave me on my first confirmation.”

    “What did it say?” I asked, curious.  I knew his mother had passed away when he was a teenager, so I knew her words would matter to him.

    “She told me that while I should have in mind the things I wanted in a wife, that I might be surprised at what God provided. But she also told me that she had prayed for the partner of my future, and that I should do the same.”

    “And did you?” I asked in surprise, turning my face to look at him over my shoulder.

    “I did,” he said simply.

    “You started praying for your wife a month before I came to Arno,” I repeated, stunned.

    “Aye,” he said. “Every day.” I could see the smile on his face despite it being dark in the living room.

    “So I appeared, and you saw an answer to your prayers?” I asked, amusement edging into my voice.

    “No, actually.  I thought he would choose a local girl for me,” Jamie explained.  “When you arrived, I mostly saw a kind nurse who was clueless about island mores and desperately needed a friend.” At that, he leaned in and kissed me on the tip of my nose.

    I pushed him away in mock disgust. “You pitied me?"

    “Ye didna need to be pitied?” he asked, pulling me closer.

    “Well, I was clueless,” I agreed, settling into his arms again, only slightly perturbed at him.

    “And engaged,” Jamie added.

    “That too,” I said. I felt a sudden ache in the pit of my stomach. “Unavailable, as far as you were concerned.”

    “Well…” Jamie continued, “As for that, I wasna exactly convinced.”

    I remembered the way he had asked me about Frank on the ocean side dock the day we did laundry together… And how I couldn't answer him, how I couldn't bring myself to say that I loved my fiance.

    Jamie caressed my arm, running his fingers lightly from elbow to shoulder to neck.  When he brushed my hair aside and leaned forward to press his lips beneath my ear, I shivered.

    “Dinna fash,” he said.

    “What does that mean?” I had asked, turning to him again.

    “Don’t worry yourself,” he answered.  “Trust.”

    “Trust?” I had asked.

    “Providence doesna always make sense, but I believe this has all worked out as it should. And it will continue to work out because He is in it.”    

    With that reassurance again running through my mind, a ghost of his kiss on my neck, I wrapped myself in my blanket and slept the rest of the night.

Next chapter is officially  Chapter 18: Hopping to Guam Jamie loves plane trips about as much as he loves boat trips.