#survived bleeding out only to be caught quivering on the floor in anguish

[the-stove-is-divorced]

What is your favorite scene in Invincible?

Personally, I was extremely hooked by the eighth episode in season one. GOOD LORD I rewatched Mark and Nolan's fight at least 50 times. I love how Mark's desperate denial, anger and slow acceptance of how things actually were is shown on his face the whole time. Everything happens so fast he doesn't have a choice but to react in the moment and process later. The people in the subway die beacuse he wasn't strong enough. His father started this whole mess because he was getting antsy about Mark not getting powers and his mission breathing down his neck. Maybe if Mark had developed his powers faster, he would have been stronger and able to stop his dad. If he had taken his training more seriously, he would have been more capable and less people would have died.

Was his whole life a lie, the years spent admiring his father worthless? The now downturned family pictures a constant reminder of what his life should have continued to be like. How many nights does Mark spend awake thinking about this, replaying his greatest, most painful loss over and over again?

Shower thoughts. They come and haunt me for the rest of the day. Week. Month. Year. Send help-

OH MY?? WHAT A LOVELY QUESTION! ⸜(*ˊᗜˋ*)⸝

But funny enough, that scene is actually one of my favorites! I can confirm it will never stop haunting you. You will be consumed by the pure what the fuckery of that scene and all it's delightful implications forevermore. Like oh my goodness, it is such a good fight scene! It's incredibly well animated, first of all. Like hello, give those animators a raise and a paid vacation. But then complimenting the animation is the VA's and writing! Also deserving of a raise and vacation. They absolutely cooked here, it's so scrumptious it's actually sickening.

There's such a masterful display of dread and horror building as Mark's own world, how he views his father, how he thinks about heroism, his power, his blood, is being completely will forever be changed! The way he views his own father will forever tainted by Nolan's completely willing displays of such egregious cruelties.

Literally everything you said above is something I'm sure Mark thinks about constantly, and how could you not? It's horrific to witness in general, but so insidiously personal as his own father slaughters innocents while insisting it's his fault. The massive amount of guilt that falls upon Mark's shoulders has got to be insane. And he almost died himself! By his father's hand! When the show switched between Nolan beating him bloody to Nolan proudly holding a young Mark up after a home run? Bro, I was sobbing.

And YES! How do you comprehend that the same father who said he loved you, that loved a planet enough to protect it, who saved countless of lives, who was proud of you, raised you, helped you, is also the same person who slaughtered thousands and blamed you for not joining him in planetary colonization, killing with his bare hands and insist it's Mark's fault, all while Mark is struggling between saving the victims, fighting Nolan, and trying to survive Nolan, himself. INSANE!

What makes it so much worse is just before this Mark kinda got what he wanted, if he was fighting side by side with his Dad! He still was feeling hopeless about how impactful he's supposed to be, but in that moment he was helping his Dad fight some beast together. And then it completely unravels.

And speaking of unraveling, the s2 scene as Mark is held by the neck from Nolan, whose screaming at him why he cares about an entirely different civilization being destroyed after just showing Mark he meant every single word about replacing his family entirely? I was gagged. I was screaming at the TV. I was sobbing on the floor. That lives in my head rent free every single second of my life. There is no escape. It felt like looking at a healing, deadly wound that just barely cost a victim's life, one that still aches on bad days and could make one wince if straining, and then tearing it open with a rusty knife. Oh my god. Nolan confirming everything he told Mark in s1 and then holding him by the fucking neck, and screaming at him?

Tysm for the asks!! ( ´ ▽ ` ).｡ｏ♡ I fucking love this show so much. Mark my beloved and Nolan my beloathed.

[kittyanonymity]

Team Miraculous

So uh, this was actually an accident. IDK about you guys, but I cried like a baby writing this. Always Find me Here by Transit was a heavy inspiration so maybe listen to that; also Already Over by Red. Uhhh, sorry for the angst?? 

Also this IS mlb X DC. Also also probably a one shot. 

Nevermind, here’s Part 2 lmao Part 3 

And the Actual Story: Ao3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Ladyblog goes live with a video.

Rena Rouge sits in front of what has to be a go pro, given the video quality; the girl is battered, bruises marring her skin, and tears are running down her face, mixing with the blood leaking from her lip. She takes a shuddering breath.

“My name is Rena Rouge, but you guys know me better as Alya Césaire. I… I don’t know why I’m telling you this now. If the code is… correct, and I did this right, then this is broadcasting internationally, despite the media blackout; and I’ll never be Rena again after this.” She sighed, her breath catching, “I just… I wanted the world to finally hear us.” Rena looked back at the camera, her eyes narrowed in rage. “For four years, Paris has been under siege by Hawkmoth, a supervillain wielding a magical broach, and his accomplice, Mayura. We’ve tried contacting the Justice League for assistance, only to be met with scorn. We-” Rena’s voice broke, and she grit her teeth, “We needed the help. Today, Paris burns.” She stands, her legs shaky, and she grabs the camera, turning it to the window of her room.

And Paris is on fire.

The Eiffel Tower is half collapsed in on itself in the distance, and the seine has flooded. Screams are faintly picked up by the microphone, and then Rena sniffles, and the camera comes back to her.

“Ladybug knows who Hawkmoth is. This marks the final battle, and I-” Her voice catches again, and her tears come fresher, more quickly, “I just want my parents to know I love them; my sisters too. I don’t know if we’ll make it out of this.” Her eyes fall, “Chat didn’t. We’re just a bunch of kids, why do we have to stop a madman?!” She’s screaming by the end of it, her chest heaving, and finally, she takes a shuddering breath, and wipes her eyes. Rena’s stare hits the camera hard.

“My name is Rena Rouge, and we have a job to do. Ladybug told me this video was ok; after today, none of us will be active. And if the League is watching…” Her eyes narrowed, “This is what you called a joke.”

The camera turns again, and with a few clicks, it’s secured around Rena’s chest. The heroine opens the window in front of her, leaping out into the dark Parisian morning. She runs across the rooftopss fluidly, until she comes upon a group.

Ladybug, Hornet, Carapace; Ryuuko, Viperion, Squeak; King Monkey, Pegasus, Bunnix; even Tora.

But no Chat Noir.

Ladybug nods at her as Rena lands; their leader is the most beat up out of all of them, her suit torn in places, leaking blood from her various cuts. Yet she stands with her back straight, despite the quiver Rena notices in her best friend’s lips. The camera is staring at Ladybug, but Rena looks at Carapace; her boyfriend hasn’t stopped crying, face set in an anguished scowl.

Alya doesn’t know how they’ll ever come back from this; the team. Her friends.

Ladybug breathes.

“This is it.” She says it quietly, but they all hear her; the world hears her.

Ladybug smiles, but it’s not even close to positive, “You have all fought by my side consistently since we were 13 years old; and I-” Her voice breaks, tears swelling in her eyes, as her hand clutches at something next to her; someone who is no longer there. “And I am honored to have known all of you, both in mask, and out. Hawkmoth has- he’s-” Ladybug grits her teeth, baring her teeth, and biting her lip until she bleeds; her voice comes out choked, “He has taken someone very dear from us; from all of us. Chat- Adrien- he was my best friend. I loved him, just like we all did.” Marinette’s breath caught, “And he’s gone. But we owe it to him to finish this. To bring that man to justice.” Her fists clenched at her side, and Rena watched as Ryuuko held Hornet close to her, the two girls crying; Rena made sure the camera saw too.

Let the world witness what they suffered.

Ladybug sighed, drawing her attention once more.

“And we will. This will end today, one way or another. I…” Pausing, Ladybug’s tears came back with a vengeance, “I cannot promise we’ll survive, you guys. I am… so so sorry.”

Ladybug turns her back, “And if you’re still with me now, then follow.” And then she leapt from the building, her yo-yo swinging out, and propelling her forward.

Towards the Agreste house.

One by one, Rena watched the heroes follow her, until she was left alone on the roof. She watched her teammates, her friends go ahead of her, and finally Alya sighed.

“I’ll follow you anywhere, Bug.”

And then she was off, catching up with her team.

The fight was messy.

Knowing where to find Gabriel was easy of course, and the world watched, horrified, as this man commanded dominion over the citizens free will; demanded they fight the heroes. By the time Ladybug and her team reached Hawkmoth’s lair, the sun had risen.

They’d cornered him in the basement, next to his wife’s coffin.

And Ladybug didn’t hold back.

“How could you!” She screamed, grief coating her words as she pulled the yo-yo tighter around Hawkmoth, “He was your son! And you killed him!”

“I didn’t know!” He roared back, and Rena was fast, but Ladybug was always faster. The girl’s fist lashed out, colliding with the man’s cheek so hard he fell to the side; Mayura yelped where Tora had her restrained.

Hawkmoth’s miraculous fell off, and Gabriel Agreste was laid bare before the world. Ladybug’s chest heaved as she took deep breaths, and then she bent down, and collected the broach; cradling it delicately. Like it was reverent.

“You have murdered my master, and your son, Gabriel. What do you have to say for yourself?” The man on the floor sobbed.

“I just wanted my wife back…” And Ladybug’s heart ached for the broken family at her feet.

But it didn’t excuse what he’d done.

Rena watched Ladybug turn to Mayura next, watched her walk over, and remove the peacock pin; Nathalie was let in her place, and Marinette growled.

“You’ll both be turned into the authorities.”

She stepped away, holding the red and black speckled object in her hands; Ladybug sighed, and mournfully, she whispered,

“Miraculous Ladybug.”

The swarm of ladybugs surrounded all of Paris, undoing the damage, the death, and Rena raced to the surface to witness it. Citizens milled about, many shocked and upset.

But there was one person who would not be back.

For when someone dies wearing their miraculous, their soul is claimed by it, and they become a part of it for the next holder.

Adrien Agreste would never wake.

Rena watched from the roof as the police showed up, and Ladybug escorted Gabriel out of the house along with Mayura.

They’d done it.

They’d won.

“Alya?”

Rena turned, and the camera was looking at Carapace as he walked up to her, and then Alya was crying.

“Nino, it’s over. We did it!” She sobbed, her hands coming up to cover her eyes, “But why doesn’t it feel like we won?” Nino pulled her into a tight hug, the camera pressed against the green of his suit.

“We’re all going to miss him Alya. There’s… There’s no replacing him.” Alya shook her head, her cries increasing.

“He didn’t deserve that, Nino! He- he-!” Nino held her tighter, burying his head in her shoulder.

“I know babe, I-I know…”

That was how the others found them, each hero joining them until finally Ladybug did as well. She only nodded, and they all left together, heading for the warehouse district.

Once they were secure, Ladybug turned to them, her expression pained.

“It’s time, guys.”

Rena watched as, one by one, each of them removed their Miraculous.

Kim and Max were first, King Monkey and Pegasus falling away; next was Tora, Juleka taking her place. Squeak goes next, and Rose is giving Mullo a teary good bye. Bunnix sighs, and then Alix is standing there, rubbing at her eyes. Luka hands his over with no preamble, giving Ladybug a small smile, and bidding Sass farewell. Ryuuko and Hornet both go next, and Kagami and Chloe hold hands while they give Ladybug their Miraculous; Pollen hugs her Chosen one more time before fading away. Nino goes next, handing Marinette the bracelet with a sad smile.

“Is… Is his ring safe?” Ladybug bites her lip as her eyes well with tears, and she only nods. Nino nods and moves aside, and now it’s only Ladybug and Rena, the others watching.

Rena smiles.

“You know I love you right, Nette?” And Ladybug’s eyes go wide behind her mask, and then she’s crying again. Alya reaches up, and removes the necklace, the magic falling away from her. The camera continues to roll. She hands over the jewelry, giving Trixx one last hug as they go.

But Alya is crying, staring at the girl who has been her hero and best friend for the last four years; the girl who has literally carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Ladybug finally nods, a pained look on her face.

“I know, Alya. I love you too.”

And then Ladybug is turning, a portal opening up in front of her.

“I’ll… see you guys sometime.”

And then the portal closes and Ladybug - Marinette - is gone; and Alya’s knees hit the concrete of the warehouse as her body shakes with the force of her cries.

The stream ends as the battery on Alya’s go pro dies, and the world echoes with the cries of a broken girl.

It is silent otherwise.

Bruce Wayne clutches the remains of a shattered glass in his hand as the broadcast ends. The blood on his hands has long since dried.

He needs to make a call.

END? NOPE!

Part 1 :HERE: Part 2 Part 3

Ao3

[ashrimpnamedlauren]

10% Left au: Chapter Two

Crowfrost’s eyes shot open.

What happened? 

He sat up, his sight dizzy as he felt like his head was being ripped apart by foxes. Did.. Did we win? Is Blackstar okay? Is- He stopped, breathing heavily before closing his eyes. Is Dawnpelt okay? Are.. are my kits okay? 

He tried to get up, but he felt weak; it was as if his body was ripped apart from the inside out. He groaned in pain as he tried to take in his surroundings. He instantly started gagging a bit as he was whacked in the face with the scent of death. 

He instantly shot up, looking around with pure horror in his eyes as he realized what was going on. Bodies.. So many bodies.. Rowanclaw.. Toadfoot.. Starlingwing… So many dead.. 

He started slowly walking to the nursery. Dawnpelt.. She- He stopped at the entrance, his legs shaking before he almost collapsed on the floor.

Dawnpelt’s body was laid out in the nursery, her throat ripped to shreds. Kinkfur was next to her, her stomach ripped open and her guts spilled all over the floor. Ivytail was gone too.. Her head looked almost crushed. 

“Dawnpelt..?” His voice had become nothing more than a meek whisper, his front paws forcing him over to his mate. “Darling, please.. Don’t leave me.. Please, please don’t leave me..” He let out a loud choked sob as he crumbled into his mates fur. 

The first day he joined Shadowclan, a small, shriveled loner begging for help.. Nobody liked him, except for her. She helped him hunt, teached him how to fight properly, and always stayed by his side when others bullied him.

The warriors ceremony.. They got their names the same day. Even Blackstar was proud of him, when he caught a rook straight from a tree. Dawnpelt’s technique, of course, but they never told anyone. He remembered the days they spent together, rolling around in the grass and leaves, laughing and goofing around like they were apprentices again. 

Flametail’s death.. Dawnpelt’s grief and hatred for Jayfeather, blaming him for her brother’s death.. He was beside his mate always during that time.. Even if he thought she was wrong. 

Dawnpelt, telling him she was expecting his kits, just one moon before the battle. The tearful conversation afterwards. Wondering what the names would be.. Dawnpelt wanted to name one Juniperkit. He loved the name.. 

Hopeless futures, their kits growing up and becoming great warriors. One would be Juniperkit, of course, but the other names randomly generated in his mind. Bugkit. Gorsekit. Magpiekit.

He would never know that future now. His kits were dead. His mate was dead. Everyone he loved was gone. 

The grief overcame his mind so much, to the point that he didn’t even register the movement out of the corner of his eye. But he finally noticed when he felt something plop down next to him. 

He turned, and saw a shivering, grey and brown kit, that was bleeding from the right side of his face. It’s tufted, spiky fur gave away who the kit was. 

The tiny tom looked up at Crowfrost, and said something that made his heart melt:

“Papa..?” Crowfrost quivered up a small smile as tears welled up again in his eyes, leaning down and licking Spikekit’s head. “Yes, Spiky.. I’ll be your new Papa, okay? I won’t ever let you be hurt.”

The little kit purred loudly from the lick and smushed his face against his leg. “Papa.. fuzwy Papa..” 

The senior warrior’s heart melted almost instantly at this. He’s so sweet.. So innocent. I’ll never let him be hurt. Ever.

Nobody will hurt my son. 

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

“Podpaw, hold your ground!” 

The small Riverclan apprentice was fighting for his life. 

The Dark Forest was much, much more than anyone ever thought. Mistystar had been killed at the start of the battle, by a cat he didn’t know, and everything had fallen into mayhem. 

His mentor, Grasspelt, was by his side, helping him fight and making sure that he wouldn’t fall. He was thankful for her… He was bad at fighting. Without her, he would probably be dead right now.

But he was getting so tired.. He couldn’t even see his mom anymore, or Curlpaw. All he could do was keep fighting, but.. It was so hard. It was so hard to keep going, to keep fighting. It hurt to swipe, the soreness in his paws was becoming almost unbearable. But he couldn’t stop. He had to keep going, or else.. What was the point? 

“THE NURSERY! THEY BROKE THROUGH!” Podpaw’s whole body stiffened as he turned to see several cats breaking into the nursery. The yowl seemed to have come from Robinwing, who was valiantly protecting a bleeding out Dapplenose from the spirits. 

 “MOM!” Duskfur was in there! With his little siblings! She just gave birth yesterday.. She couldn’t fight! He had to help them! He started pushing through the cats, only to be held back by Grasspelt. 

“It’s too dangerous!” She yowled, kicking back a dark spirit as she spoke. “You can’t go in there!”

“Mom is in danger! I-i- I have to help her!” Podpaw wailed, swatting his mentor away and rushing to the nursery, despite his mentor running after him and screaming for him to stop. 

He rushed in, and his eyes widened. Icewing! Did the warrior chase them off? Was Duskfur safe..?  But as he looked closer, his heart crushed as he saw that the white she cat was covered in blood.. 

And was standing over his mom’s body. 

“YOU KILLED HER!” His wail echoed with anguish, as he stared at the warrior.. No… traitor. “YOU KILLED MY MOM! HOW COULD YOU?” 

Icewing turned, and Podpaw’s anger overwhelmed him when he saw the look of victory on her face. She was happy that Duskfur was dead! Her own Clanmate, his mother, was dead because of her! 

Podpaw’s entire body became fueled with pure, unbridled hatred. WIthout thinking, he yowled and launched at her. 

Icewing snickered, and instantly dodged, turning around and slamming the apprentice into the wall. Podpaw’s entire vision went white as his head crashed into the bracken of the nursery walls, pain filling his head and causing him to cry out. 

Icewing let out a growl of victory, and slinked forward, her mouth opening to try and take a killing bite to his neck. 

Podpaw backed away, but he couldn’t, and he yowled out in agony as Icewing slammed a paw into his chest, making him almost vomit from the force.

No! I can’t die! Not here, not now! I can’t let Mom down!

“Time to die, foolish little apprentice! Just like your mother.. You are weak!” 

Icewing’s words, combined with his sheer determination to live, sent a burning energy through his veins, and he yowled, his left paw striking up and cutting a wound into Icewing’s belly, and ripped her stomach open.

He gasped, eyes wide with horror as the she cat instantly started shrieking in agony, collapsing to the ground. He didn’t mean to do that! It looked so painful.. 

But she deserved it. She killed Duskfur. She deserved to die. 

He watched Icewing’s last struggles for life, before she collapsed, her eyes glazing over and she was gone. He.. killed someone. 

But it was right.. Right? She killed his mom.. She killed his baby siblings. She tried to kill him. 

His thoughts were interrupted, and his eyes widened when he heard a loud squeak coming from his mother's body. He instantly bolted over, eyes full of horror at the sight of the small kit.. Surrounded by his siblings' corpses. 

He gagged, almost vomiting but held it back. He had to get out of here.. He had to protect his little brother. He picked the small baby up, walking outside. 

He didn’t think it would be so.. Quiet. 

Where was everyone? Did.. did nobody survive? Did he leave Grasspelt to die? Is Curlpaw dead?

Podpaw’s entire body started shaking. He couldn’t.. He had to leave. He couldn’t stay here, surrounded by his Clanmates' bodies.. He had to find shelter. 

He turned away from the dead remains of his Clan and walked out of camp with his little brother. 

[saadiestuff]

This is Going to Hurt (prompt - Malex)

Here’s my first answer to the prompts I received last week after putting out the call! Thank you all for the lovely prompts - I’m working on them, but work is annoying and busy so it takes some time. Also this turned out longer than I intended for these prompty things!

Prompt #22 “This is going to hurt” - from anon

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, mentions of alien torture, happy ending

“This is going to hurt,” Kyle warns Michael, like he's not already been writhing in intermittent pain the last half hour, though Kyle's only been present for the last five minutes.

“Just hurry up!” Michael groans at him, “I could have had this out--”

“I told you,” Kyle starts repeating what he’d said on the phone when Michael and Liz had called him for help, “If you move the bullet out with your mind and don’t follow the exact same path it went in, you could do more damage; damage I may not be able to fix without a proper O-R and team of doctors!"

Michael can only whimper in protest, his eyes going wide as Kyle nears with sharp, shiny, medical instruments.

“It’s going to hurt,” Kyle says again, “but not nearly as much as that bullet seems to be hurting you when you use your powers, okay?”

“You’re going to be alright Mikey,” Liz says soothingly, rubbing his shoulder, “Try to stay calm and still,” she continues, stating the obvious, but feeling it needs to be said for how sweaty Michael is getting, and the frequency with which he’s quivering under the palm of her hand. She glances nervously at Kyle.

Kyle gets the hint. “Rosa, maybe you could help us out over here for a minute… How’s Isobel doing?”

“Still breathing the way you said she should be, pulse the same - still out cold,” Rosa says from across the bunker.

“Okay, good, come over here, help Liz…” hold him down, “...keep Michael distracted…”

It does not go well.

The second Kyle’s instruments touch Michael, he feels his barely-there grip on his powers begin to slip away, and at the first hint of pain Kyle causes, he loses it. Liz, Rosa, and Kyle end up tossed on the ground.

And that only causes Michael more pain.

It’s blinding, worse than the last hit - he's screaming so loud he can’t hear himself. As that pain triggers his powers again , something shatters across the room. Michael scrambles desperately to get a hold of himself before it snowballs too far - before he’s lost forever in this vicious cycle until put out of his misery.

But he can’t breathe for how much it hurts, pain radiating from the bullet to the tips of his fingers, toes, ears - for the feeling of his world closing in on him, his powers causing such anguish - a deep betrayal. It’s different than all the times they’d made him feel like death and puke. No, this, this is forming new pathways, new connections in his brain that make him feel sick with loss in way he doesn’t have the strength to examine now. Powers equal pain.

“NO!” Michael shouts at the invisible enemy, wracking his whole body with the effort.

“Michael, you need to breathe!” Liz calls out, having gotten up off the floor and taken a step towards him.

“Don’t!” Michael whines to keep her away as he curls in on himself. Under the fog of pain and his tenuous hold on control, he subconsciously contemplates rolling off the table, because much as that would hurt, he really doesn’t want to be splayed out on a fucking table right now, especially with Kyle’s shiny tools aimed at him.

Kyle groans on the ground, having been thrown the hardest. Rosa offers him a hand up.

Kyle shakes his head, “I need a minute,” he says a little hoarsely, “but bring me a phone.”

Liz knows who Kyle is calling. There is only one other person on their side who knows about aliens and who isn’t currently present in the bunker or dead in a pod.

“Are you sure?” Liz asks quietly, turning away from Michael, “He’s still pretty upset at Michael I think…”

“I know. Who do you think he vented to,” cried to, at least twice, “while Michael and Maria were together?”

“But then... is Alex going to make him calm, or worse?” Rosa asks, handing him her phone she'd retrieved.

“They have a connection, Alex was always babbling about it,” Kyle explains. He's only flippant to diminish the weight of what isn't his to tell.

“He’ll calm him,” Liz says knowingly in answer to Rosa’s question, while feeling a sharp pang of loss for Max.

“Manes, pick up your damn phone,” Kyle hisses as the line rings, then, “Alex! Listen, Liz, Isobel, and Michael were doing some investigating of their own and got into some trouble with a recon. Michael got shot with a-- yes he’s-- the bunker-- Michael’s bunker. We need--” Click.

"Did he hang up on you?" Rosa asks.

"He’s coming,” Liz and Kyle say together.

Alex opens the lid of the bunker to Michael’s choked-off yelling. He half falls down the ladder in his rush to get in, close the lid, and get down.

"I gotta! I can't take it! I'm doing it myself!"

"No! Guerin-- Michael, listen to me! You have to let me do it!” Kyle pleads from several feet away, afraid to set Michael off again.

“What the hell is going on?” Alex shouts as he turns into the room, spotting Michael, blood pooling at his side on the table, gripping the edge of it, puke on the ground below.

“Alex?” Michael croaks out questioningly between panting breaths.

Alex is at his side in seconds. He finds Liz smoothly tucking a chair under him as he crouches to Michael’s eye level.

“Hey, hey,” Alex says softly, one hand going to stroke Michael’s hair, the other taking a white-knuckled hand from the table’s edge into its grasp, “I’m here. You’re okay.”

“Alex--” Michael starts.

“Shh,” Alex hums, and dips to kiss Michael’s forehead, “Someone else can fill me in, huh? Just breathe. You’re going to be fine. Right?” he quickly looks over his shoulder to Kyle for reassurance. He's scared. Michael looks really bad, can't seem to stop shaking, and Alex gets the impression Michael is about ready to crawl out of his skin.

“I haven’t been able to get a great look, but if he’ll let me take that bullet out - the way it came in - and stop the blood loss soon, I think he’ll be fine even without a hospital.”

“Good, that’s good,” Alex says, really to himself, but his concern only grows, “Then what are you waiting for?” Surely they hadn’t been waiting for him to arrive. Alex knows Michael can take some pain, and Alex hadn’t been around to see him through most of it. Michael certainly doesn’t need Alex to hold his hand to get a bullet taken out of his side.

“We tried already, just before calling you. He threw us all onto the floor,” Liz explains.

“Okay… well, did you give him some acetone? Help with the control and the pain?” Alex suggests.

“Of course, but it’s not that simple,” Kyle explains, shaking his head, “He’s freaking out, Alex - the bullet is some kind of smart bullet? Like a shock collar for alien powers.”

“What?” Alex says, eyes wide.

“It seems to cause him pain every time he uses his powers. Then the pain - it's intense enough to trigger him to lash out with his powers again - an involuntary survival instinct I guess?”

Alex shudders, swallowing hard. He has to wonder if Michael wants him anywhere near him, even though Michael is clinging to him like the last port in a storm, because no doubt this fancy bullet torturing him is something his father cooked up - his brothers even. Alex feels ill at the thought, but he buries it - the last thing they need is another one of them throwing up. Rosa is looking a little green over the blood as it is.

“He's gotten caught in it three times already. First when he used his powers to move Isobel and get us into the bunker. Then when Kyle tried to get the bullet out,” Liz explains.

"And just before Kyle got here he lost it out of nowhere," Rosa adds.

“Alex," Kyle says, gulping, "I don't know if he has it in him to pull out of the cycle another time… If he gets trapped in it..."

“We should-- We should take him to a pod while we--” Alex’s mind reels for solutions, and finally, frustrated, he snaps, “Why didn’t you take him straight into a pod until we could figure this out?”

“He was fine until-- well, shot and bleeding a little, but fine, until we got here and he went to move Isobel and the airstream,” Liz tells him, “But I don’t know if we can move him now without setting him off.”

“Not an option. We need to do this now. The blood loss is getting too bad and we can only transfuse so much from Isobel. You said she’s a match Liz?”

“If my alien blood typing is right?”

“And what’s wrong with Isobel?” Alex asks, realizing he hasn’t even been brought fully up to speed, “What were you even doing?”

“We were trying to get our hands on some research, hoping it would help Isobel and Michael figure out how heal like Max, so they could bring him back,” Liz looks ashamed, feeling it’s her fault, though in truth she knows Isobel and Michael would have done it with or without her, “And Isobel, she had to mess with a lot of people’s mind to get us out safely when it went wrong. After a lot of vomiting she passed out cold.”

Alex shakes his head, because none of that information helps Michael right now. He turns his attention back to him, stroking over his face, then back into his hair.

"Michael, Michael, look at me, you're going to let Kyle take it out. You're going to take a deep breath and hold it, and you're going to squeeze my hand, and focus on my voice, and not use your powers.”

“I can’t-- I don’t-- have-- control--” Michael sobs out.

“You can. You just have hang on for two minutes while he takes it out, okay?" Alex promises him.

"I might need more--" Kyle starts, but, Alex shoots him a look over his shoulder that shuts him up.

“And it's going to feel so much better when it's out. Then it’s just a regular old flesh wound needing some stitches, right?" Alex soothes.

Michael shakes his head. “Knock me out," he whimpers, “Please.”

"I don’t know if the sedative I have would work. And between the blood loss and your alien biology it could be dangerous without monitoring--"

"Hit me-- over the head,” Michael rasps out.

"No!" Alex and Kyle say in unison.

Michael groans, resigned, and pulls Alex’s hand closer to his chest.

“Valenti, do it,” Alex orders.

“Alex... you need to keep him from--”

“I’ve got it,” Alex assures him, though he’s not so sure himself. Michael is strong, but he must feel so trapped, and there's only so much Alex can do to help him through.

“Should we help?” Liz asks.

“No, I think-- I think give us space,” Alex says.

“Roll back on your stomach Guerin,” Kyle instructs.

Michael moves gingerly - Alex helps him. They arrange themselves so Michael is gripping Alex’s left hand in his, while Alex’s right hand dances from Michael’s shoulder blades, over his neck, then dragging into his hair, over and over, with his face hovering close to Michael’s.

"I can't take more," Michael sniffles out quietly, so only Alex can hear.

"I know, I know," Alex whispers back, "But you've gotta keep holding on for me, alright? You're doing so good."

They succeed, but just barely. In the end, Michael has done more damage to the bunker, he’s screamed enough to wake Isobel, Alex is in tears, and Kyle ends up knocked on his ass again - but with the bullet safely in hand.

After getting through the stitches, they all head to Alex’s cabin for much needed rest, and to monitor Isobel and Michael closely.

“Presumptuous of Kyle to put me in your room,” Michael says from Alex’s bed when Alex appears in the doorway, Michael's blood freshly showered off him.

Alex huffs a nervous laugh, “Yeah. Um, do you want me to stay or…”

“Stay,” Michael stays without hesitation, then adds, “I mean, if you want…”

Alex bites his lip as he steps into the room and turns to close the door. Michael beats him to it.

Tears burn in Michael’s eyes to find that using his powers doesn’t cause him excruciating pain. Though logically he’d known the bullet was gone, he’d been waiting to screw up his courage to test it out. He’d been waiting for Alex to be near, just in case.

Alex gives Michael space to settle into his relief, which is palpable from across the room. Alex makes his way around the bedroom slowly, in silence, as he changes into pajamas and takes off his prosthetic. Only then does he lie down next to Michael.

“I hope these aren’t your favourite PJs,” Michael says, gesturing to the borrowed garments he’s wearing, “I may bleed on them.”

“It’s fine,” Alex says, taking a deep breath and letting it out as he rolls closer, onto his side, “I want to kiss you, but I understand if--”

Michael puts a finger to Alex’s lips to hush him. “You didn’t make those bullets. You didn’t torture my family.”

Alex takes Michael’s hand and moves it away. “Maybe I would have, if my father didn’t hate me. If he’d brought me into his work, told me aliens were dangerous--”

“No--”

“I’m capable of things Michael,” Alex admits, flopping onto his back and staring at the ceiling, “Things that--”

“Alex, stop,” Michael pleads, turning his head to the side to watch Alex, wanting to move off his back, to close the distance between them, real and imagined, but it hurts to shift. The best he can manage is to sling his arm out for his knuckles to brush up and down over Alex’s chest.

“I can’t ever make it right,” Alex says softly, a tear rolling down his cheek as he catches Michael’s hand in his and holds it against his heart.

“Listen to me. You are not your father. And I'm saying that even while I can still feel the ache from that bullet in every inch of my body, knowing that it’s hardly a fraction of what your father probably put my mother through, for years. No, you’re the man who held me, who talked me through something I thought was impossible, who cried because I was in pain. And did all of that even though you’re probably still pissed at me and have every right to be.”

It feels wrong for Michael to be the one comforting him in this moment. Alex wipes his hand over his face, and sniffling, pulls it together, managing to meet Michael with a smile when he rolls over and into him, claiming his lips in a softly desperate kiss. It’s been many long months.

“Is this--” Michael stutters out between kisses.

Alex stops and pulls back an inch.

“Is this just…” Michael gulps, “I-almost-died and you-were-scared sex?”

“Yes... and a lot more...” Alex says tenderly, “But we’re not having sex.”

“Oh,” Michael says, sounding disappointed. Everything hurts, and he wouldn’t mind feeling something else.

“Not that I don’t want to,” Alex clarifies, because he would, in fact, love to get as close to Michael as possible, “But you need to sleep. Plus... if we rip your stitches, I’ll have to call Valenti in here and neither of us will ever hear the end of it.”

“I can handle Valenti,” Michael smirks, and trails his fingers over Alex’s jaw.

Alex grins and strokes Michael’s face in return, then looks away, “Yeah, but I don’t know if I can handle watching you in pain again while he sews you back up.”

“Oh,” Michael says again, “Maybe something less vigorous then…” He leaves the joke hanging there, waiting for Alex to decide what to do with it.

Alex responds by kissing him, slow and deep and gentle, in a way that’s been all too rare for them in the past. He pauses. “You sure?”

Michael nods, “I want...” he kisses Alex mid sentence, “...you to touch me. I want--” he gasps, words and aches forgotten as Alex sees to answering his request.