#the incognito cap I’m- | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

camatchoum · 4 months

Text

What about us...

Timothée Chalamet x reader

Part 3

Part 1 Part 2

Summary : You and Timothée are dating in secret. You both want to keep the privacy. But what will happen when his PR team has a new great idea?

Words : 6.4K

Disclaimer: Sorry if there are any faults, english isn't my first language. Absolutely no hate to Kylie or their couple. That's just for the story. Hope you enjoy this final part.

My masterlist

You spent a wonderful week with Timothée. There were no fake dates on the calendar. Of course, you couldn’t really go outside, not often at least or not without being disguised, but it was like before, so it didn’t bother you at all. You still went on walks, and you even went to the movies to see the new Hunger games. All you could say is that you weren’t sure if Snow was really that bad after all, but you are afraid it’s only because Tom Blyth is really cute. That didn’t make Timothée happy, so of course you liked to tease mister jealous about it.

You two were currently at the airport waiting for both Tom and Zendaya. Nobody recognised him. I mean, it’s not that hard to hide, and just in case you weren’t cuddling or anything. You did that when you were on the plane. It happened only one time when one person recognised him but everyone thought you were his secretary or someone “not important”.

“Y/N!!!!” You hear someone scream. And you recognised Zendaya and Tom both with caps and sunglasses who were running to you. You are nearly knocked over when she finally puts her arms around you.

“Oh my god, Z!!!” You laugh. You give her a big hug, then you do the same to Tom. “It’s a wonder how we manage to stay incognito with the two of you screaming like this” everybody shares a laugh before you and Timothée take your suitcases and follow Tom and Zendaya to Tom’s car. When you were about to go in, Timothée got a call from his manager, so you waited for him.

“F*ck ! Why right now?!” he swears quietly.

“What? What happened? “ You ask, and all three of you look up at him.

“Jack just told me that I have to go wait for Kylie’s private jet to land.” He looks directly at you, knowing you wouldn’t like that. But he doesn’t like this either. He wants to spend much more time with you.

“Okay you go do that.” You tell him with a smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes. He knows that, he can see it.

“I’m really sorry, mon cœur. I promise it will be over very soon and I’ll join you later so we can visit a little bit of the city.”

“Yeah okay” you mumble, causing him to sigh. He takes you in his arms, and you reciprocate the hug.

“I love you” he kisses your head.

“I love you too”

You don’t look at him when he takes his suitcase and goes back inside the airport, without his disguise this time. People have to see him with his girlfriend anyway. You don’t know if you are overreacting or not. It’s just that you were supposed to spend time with him in Brazil, a country where both of you never went. You know it’s not because last week nothing happened that this PR idea was over. But a part of you wanted to believe it anyway. Just two weeks right? You sigh loudly and then recompose yourself. Two weeks and your boyfriend is completely yours again, and the world will finally know.

You turn around and go inside Tom’s car, with him being in the driver’s seat and Z right next to him. You go on the back seat and buckle your belt. When you finally look up, you see the both of them looking at you with a look between concern and compassion.

“What?” you say. They look at each other before looking back at you.

“Are you okay?” Tom asks.

“Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Y/n...”

“He promised that he’ll be joining me later to visit the city, so that’s fine” you cut her off. Not wanting to talk about it. You have to see the positive.

You then look at the window, silently telling them you are done with this conversation. They look at each other again before Tom starts the car. Zendaya puts on some music. A good Rihanna blasts inside the car, and you get your smile on your face. You don’t want to be too moody and you want to have a good time with your friends. You don’t see them very often, after all.

The three of you first went to the hotel to get rid of all your stuff. You were supposed to take a quick nap after the early morning you just pulled off, but you were too excited to wait any longer. So you immediately changed into something a little more convenient for the weather and went out. You spend the entire afternoon just exploring the city. Of course, you had to try a snack or two, and it was so delicious. You even took a lot of pictures.

You didn’t want to, but you spent a lot of time checking your phone for Timothée to text you that he was coming, which never happened. It was dinner time when you said to Tom and Z that you were going back to the hotel. You wanted to go wait for Timothée so that you could eat together. And you knew that they wanted a little moment for themselves.

And now here you are, sitting on the double bed. Waiting for your boyfriend to come so you can both go out again.

And you wait, and wait, and wait again. When the clock hits 9pm, you decide to stop having hope. You change into your pyjamas and just scroll on your phone. You want to call Z to talk, but you don’t want to be a bother in their date.

It is 10 pm when the door of your hotel room opens. You told him that you would leave a key at the reception for him. You look up from your phone. Timothée closes the door, and when he finally turns around, you can see his guilty face. At least he knows he fuckep up.

“Hey...” He approaches you and sits on the bed right next to your laying form. He lifts his hand like he wants to touch you, but he drops it with a sigh.

“I know what you are going to say. Don’t worry about it.” You say with your eyes down.

“You and I both know it’s not okay”

“Yeah I know. And I’m glad you know too. You promised you will be there. I don’t even understand how it took you so long just to see her at her jet.”

“I really thought it would be just waiting for her and like carrying her luggage while people watched us.” He pauses for a moment. “But Jack had other plans for us. They wanted us to go around a few spots in the city. I suppose you saw my stories on Instagram.” You did. They were of a few places in the city, and in some of them, you could see Kylie’s silhouette. That definitely made the fans crazy. “Since tomorrow is the convention, they wanted us to take a lot of pictures to post later. I don’t even remember how many times I had to change, so people would think we are on vacation.” He looks at you for a reaction. You don’t say anything. He already knows what you are feeling. “I also had a little talk with Jack and Linda that tomorrow we are going official”

“How?”

“After the panel, they want me to like go off stage and hug her. And while doing so, she will say that she loves me and the mic will catch it so everybody can hear.”

“That will make them lose their minds.”

“Yeah pretty much.” He chuckles with a hint of sadness. “I’m sorry for everything. You know if I could I would have spent the day with you.”

“I know that. It’s just so frustrating. I don’t know if I can go on like this much longer.” You say while playing with his fingers.

“I told you that it’s all going to end soon. I don’t think there will be too much left after that. The Wonka premiere is in two weeks, and I think they planned for us just to post the pictures that we took together. And then I’ll delete them all, and people will think it’s over.”

“Okay. I hope you are right.”

And with that, he goes to change before joining you on the bed. He puts on The Lion King because he knows it’s a comfort movie for you. You were cuddling into him when you heard his soft snores. You aren’t feeling sleepy like him. You are too afraid for that. Afraid of what’s going to happen tomorrow. Afraid of seeing her telling him that she loves him and him saying it back. He wasn’t supposed to, but you couldn’t shake the thought out of your head. And what will people think anyway? What if they liked your boyfriend with her and two weeks later he showed up with you at the premiere? You will certainly get a lot of hate for “breaking them”. You finally drift into unconsciousness due to exhaustion.

The next morning, you woke up and got ready to go to the convention. Jack already gave the pass to Timothée yesterday. When he emerges from the bathroom, he sees you waiting for him at the door. He can see that you are lost in your head, probably thinking of what’s about to occur today. Of course, he understands why. He doesn’t need to be a genius to know that this whole situation is hurting you. It all will be worth it when you’ll be on his arm in two weeks.

“Hey Y/n?” You come out of your daydreaming session to see Timothée walking to you. “Do you think you could tell your head to stop saying bad things to you. It’s really pretty, but sometimes it needs to shut up.” He grins and opens his arms. You roll your eyes.

“Well it would stop if my curly head didn’t agree to this thing” you say with sarcasm. Of course you knew that he didn’t have a choice. He stings his tongue at you.

“What’s on your mind right now?”

“You know what. Remember the rule?”

“Yep no kissing on the lips. I can assure you I want yours and only yours” he says and kisses you. “I. Only. Want. Those. Sweet. Puffy. Lips” he says with a kiss between each word.

“Okay okay stop it now.” You giggle. “Come on, I want to see what outfit they prepared for you.”

And you both go downstairs to catch up with your best friends before you go into the cars. Zendaya and Timothée in one and Tom and you in the other one. There will be fans waiting for their entry, and while you couldn’t be seen for obvious reasons, Tom doesn’t like unnecessary attention, so he will stay hidden with you.

When you arrive, you go with Tom to do a little walk before the panel. See the place while Z and Timothée are in the dressing rooms with Florence and Austin. And you suppose Kylie is there too. When it was time for you to go back to the panel, you both took your seats. It wasn’t too far but not in the middle either.

Music begins to be heard, and the people start to scream like crazy. You are really wondering if your ears won’t try to fund a way to fall off your body to survive.

And soon enough, the panel begins with DenisVilleneuve join soon enough by Austin, Florence, and Zendaya. She wears a white dress that makes her look divine. Well, you think that’s a good way to describe her since that’s the word that felt from Tom’s lips when he saw her. Of course, you agree with him. You tease him about it, but shut your mouth pretty fast when Timothée walks on stage.

“Woaw” you whisper.

“Now I think we can both agree that I’m not the only whipped person here.” Tom grins.

“Oh shut up” you both laugh.

You listen to everybody on stage talk about the movie and its production, the process of everything. You, of course, are listening very closely. You are obviously a fan of your boyfriend, but you also loved Dune part 1. It is really the kind of movie you love to watch. You are so excited when they let you watch the first 10 minutes of the movie. I'm so excited that Tom has to use all his strength, so you will stop gripping his arm like a maniac. When the clip is over and the questions from the fans begin to be asked, you remember what was about to happen. The panel will be over soon, and so will the world know about them. You start to feel nervous so you try to relax a little. Everything is going to be okay. Everything is going to go as planned.

The audience starts to clap loudly, and you realise the panel is ending. You can feel your heart beats loudly in your chest. You see Denis, Austin, Florence, and Z walk out before Timothée follows them. From here, you can see Kylie jumping into his arms. They are in the perfect place, hide enough so the fans think they aren’t supposed to see them, but not hide enough so not even one person can’t see them. They both hug pretty tightly, and then they loosen a little to look at each other.

“I love you” Kylie says. And like planned, the mic catches it and everybody starts to scream. They act like they are in shock, but when the screams got louder that’s your mouth that opens wide.

They are kissing. On the lips. They. Are. Kissing. On. The. Lips. The only rule was no kissing on the lips. And yet, right now, her lips are on his. You feel the tears in your eyes, and before you can see much longer, you run to the exit.

What you didn’t see is Timothée pushing her away immediately. He’s looking at her with disbelief. And when they go in the back, he takes Kylie’s hand to take her to his dressing room before shutting the door.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” he screams at her. He is just so angry. He knows you saw it, he knows it was like a sacred rule. And he’s so angry because when he looked for you he only found Tom looking in every directions to find you.

“What the fuck is wrong with YOU?! Why did you do that?! It was all planned remember” Kylie strikes back.

“This freaking kiss wasn’t!”

“Well I was feeling the moment, and I felt like we needed to kiss. What’s the big deal anyway?”

“The problem is that I have a girlfriend, and the only rule that we had was no kissing!” he said and just storms off. He has to talk to you right now. He can’t even imagine what’s going on inside your head. On his way out, he fell into Zendaya. Who seemed to be looking for him.

“Timothée Hal Chalamet, what did you do?!” She whispers angrily at him. “I just saw Tom's text saying that he can’t find Y/N”

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this, I swear.” He says, completely desperate. “We were not supposed to kiss, I promised it to her, and now I just broke another one.”

“You better go fix this” it’s all Zendaya says. She don’t want to be mad at him. She knows how hard it’s for him because he can’t control anything while he’s the one that has to do all the reparations.

He just sighs and goes again to the exit. But unfortunately, now it’s both Jack and Linda who stop him.

“What?!” Timothée asks clearly annoyed.

“”First you calm down, and second, we are going to talk about the panel.” Jack says.

“I’m sorry. Can we talk about this later? I really have to do something very important.”

“We can talk about that later if you want.” Timothée feels relieved, but Jack had to open his mouth again. “But we have to talk about our little arrangement.”

“What about it?” Timothée asks. He knows he is talking about the ending part of the plan. He looks at Linda for an answer.

“We decided that we were not going to end anything before Wonka was out.” She tells him, and Timothée’s face becomes pale.

“What do you mean? We had an accord. Everything is ending before the Wonka premiere. I can’t do this anymore, guys.”

“We don’t understand why we couldn't go any longer. If your relationship with Kylie stops here, you could say goodbye to your career. People will definitely know it was just a PR thing, and we are all going to be affected really badly. You can say goodbye to any more roles because even if you are in a new movie, people won’t want to see a liar. Wonka will be a disaster and Dune 2, too.”

“I don’t care. It has to stop.”

“Let me be clear” Jack puts his hands on his shoulders. “You don’t have a choice here. It’s either you continue or you lose everything.” He says sternly.

Timothée shrugs his hands off of him and storms off. He feels so angry but also so desperate to find you. He met with Zendaya and Tom to go back to the hotel. It feels like the longest drive of his life. When they are there, he jumps out of the car and runs to your room.

He opens the door and when he enters the sight before him breaks his heart. You are fully crying on the bed. Your back facing the door. When you hear the door shuts, you turn around. He can see your puffy eyes. You stand up and whip your tears away before walking up to him.

“You promised.” You say sternly. “You promised you would take me from the airport. You promised that we would spend time together to visit the city. You promised you wouldn’t go that far with her.” You aren’t screaming at him. You are stating the facts. What you are saying is that you are hurt by all of this.

“I know, okay. I messed up a lot for the last few months.” He starts crying. “I know how much I’m hurting you, and I can’t do anything about it. I’m just so sorry. I prom- I swear the kiss wasn’t planned. I immediately pulled off of her and took her away. I screamed at her right away, and then I stormed off to get to you.” He sniffles. “It’s killing me that I have to do this, and now that this isn’t ending anymore like I thought it was I-“

“Wait what? You’re telling me that it’s not over?”

“I- I know I promised, and I was so sure it was the end. But Jack told me on my way out that there was no way that we would stop this. They said that if we stop now, then people will find out that it was pur bullshit and that my career will be over.”

“Okay...” You just say. You turn around and take your suitcase out.

“Wait, what are you doing?” He starts to freak out.

“I’m leaving okay.” You state while you begin to pack. He tries to take your arm away from your clothes, but you yank it back before turning to look at him. “I can’t do this anymore, Timmy. I won’t. It’s hurting me too much. And what about us?! We are not really together since this whole thing started. We are hurting too much to go on like this.”

“Don’t talk like that. I know we are hurting, but we can do this. We just go on a little longer, then when it’s over, we can be like before. Just the two of us. I will end everything. I will tell everyone the truth and everything will stop.”

“You can’t do that. You know how much I want this to be over.” You chuckle sadly. You take his hands in both of yours before looking into his eyes. “You know that if you tell the truth, then people will call you a liar. Your career will be over. And if we add me in the equation, everybody will think that you were cheating on Kylie. We would get so much hate. It’s the same outcome either way.”

“Please don’t do this” he pleas. “I can’t live without you.”

“I’m doing this for me, for you. We can’t go on like this. This is breaking us apart. I can’t watch you be with her and wait for you to be with me.”

“I promise I can change.”

“You and I both know that you can’t. I know you want to. I know that every promise that you didn’t keep wasn’t because you didn’t want to do so. But every time, this fake relationship is going to come our way.”

“I’m so in love with you Y/N Y/L/N” he sniffles. He knows he can’t do anything about it. You are putting a stop to this because it hurts the two of you too much.

“And I’m so in love with you too Timothée Chalamet. I will always love you. This isn’t me falling out of love with you. This is me choosing us.” You finish your suitcase before taking everything and going to the door. You turn one last time around to see Timothée watching you. His cheeks are so wet from all the tears that still fall from his red eyes.

“I’m going to miss you.” He says and takes you into his arms. You put your head on his chest, wanting to hear his heartbeat one last time. You don’t want to do this, but you have to.

“I’ll miss you too.” You stand back and finally open the door. You stop and look back at him when he begins to talk again.

“I love you”

“Really really really?” You smile. That is the saddest smile anyone has ever seen.

“Really really really.” He reciprocates it.

“I love you too.”

And with that, you walk out of the room, out of the hotel, and wait for a cab to take you to the airport.

“Y/N!!”, you turn around to see Z. Maybe if you tell the story, people would say that it is Timothée that should be here, running after you. But you are glad he is not. You need to do this for you, and for him, you couldn’t go on like this. And if it was him, you are not sure that your mind will stay put. “Why are you leaving? Are you okay?”

“I think it’s obvious I’m not.”

“What happened?”

“I just can’t do this anymore, Z. I thought that I could handle it but I realised that I can’t. I’m hurting too much.” You start to cry again, and she takes you in her arms. “I just love him so much, but this is not possible.”

“Oh sweetheart. You know I’m with you in this. But are you sure this is the right choice to make?” she looks into your eyes. She can see that you are sure of your decision, but she doesn’t want this to happen. She doesn’t want to see her two best friends drift apart. Of course, she understands you. She probably would have done the same. Maybe she wouldn’t have lasted as long as you. When you are going to answer back, you hear a car horn. You both turn to see a cab. Your cab.

“I have to do this, Z. I can’t watch the love of my life with a girl that’s not me anymore.” You say then take your suitcase and walk to the cab.

“Don’t be a stranger” she calls out.

“I promise” you scream back with a smile. A smile full of tears but still a smile.

When Zendaya goes up to your room, she sees Tom waiting at the door. He was supposed to talk to Timothée while she was downstairs with you.

“Nothing?”

“No, he doesn’t want to open the door. You?”

“She left. She took a taxi to the airport and she’s not coming back.” Zendaya decides to knock on the door. “Timothée? Please let us in. You need to talk about it.”

“I need to be alone so get the fuck away!” Timothée screams trough the door. The couple look at each other before deciding to leave him alone.

Timothée isn’t really happy that he screamed at them like this. But he really needs to be alone to process everything. And yes, he took the overpriced ice cream that was in the minibar.

You left. You really left. He just lost the most important thing in his life. He didn’t go after you because he knew you didn’t want him to. He understands your reasoning. He isn’t mad at you for not trying any longer. How could he even think about being mad at you? You are right. This situation can’t go on any longer. He knows that you were hurting too much by this. He thinks that the only thing he wishes is that you saw the way he was hurting, too. He knows it’s not the same, but being forced to do something you don’t want to is horrible. He didn’t want to do this. At first, he only did it to protect you and himself from all the hate. Now he knows that it took proportions that were too big because he knows that you didn’t give up just because it was a little too difficult.

Every time he was with his fake girlfriend, he felt bad. He felt trapped. He felt like a puppet on a string being manipulated by the PR teams and his manager and even by the public. He didn’t have a choice about what he had to do or say or even think. Nobody wants to be held against their will. He feels so trapped in all this bullshit that he doesn’t know how to get away from it.

Days begin to pass, Timothée is back in LA, and the Wonka premiere is tomorrow night. The only thing he knows for now is that he needs to get you back. He thinks you both needed a little time to calm down to ease your minds. But now it’s over, and he will make sure you are both together again. He can’t lose you because he needs you in his life. You bring him so much joy and peace. You bring him comfort every day. He can’t lose all of it. He won’t.

He knows that in order for the bullshit to stop, he needs to go against his manager and his PR team. He needs to tell the world the truth. But if he does so, he will probably lose everything. Not everything because you are his everything to him. But he can say goodbye to his career.

Just when he was about to ask himself if it was worth it, he shut himself up. Of course, it is worth it, your freaking dumbass. He would lose everything if it meant he could be with you forever. Okay, he needs to fix everything NOW.

With this new mindset Timothée jumps out of bed. He is so excited to get you back that his foot gets caught in his sheets, and he falls. He stood up immediately. He couldn’t care less about the pain. He needs to move and fast. The Wonka world premiere is tomorrow, and with the fact that he needs to fly to your home first, then he needs to think of the time it takes to fly to London. Not to mention that it’s already dark outside. He doesn’t stress. He will miss the premiere if he has to.

He takes his phone, unlocking it for the first time since he came back from Brazil. He didn’t want to tall to anyone. No, he didn’t post the pictures with Kylie. Yes, his manager wasn’t happy. He will be even angrier tomorrow anyway. He only checked his phone to see if you sent him anything. You sent nothing, and that’s okay.

He is out of the house in one hour. The time he took to clean himself up, bought his ticket and made his suitcase. While he is waiting for the boarding to begin, he calls Jack.

“Mr Timothée Chalamet. I hope you have a good excuse for what you did. What you didn’t do, actually.” Jack answers immediately, clearly angry at the actor.

“I have a really good one, actually.” Timothée answers with a smile a little too big.

“Well my ears are wide open.” Jack says, annoyed.

“I’m just not doing your fake relationship anymore. It’s over Jack. Tomorrow night, I will be at the premier without Kylie, and that’s final.”

“Absolutely not. You are going with Kylie, and you will play loverboy until I decide it’s over. You don’t have a choice.”

“Actually, I have a choice, and I choose to stop.”

“That’s it I’m not working with you anymore, you fucking-“

“Yeah great bye.” Timothée hangs up the phone. He doesn’t need to hear Jack’s annoying voice anymore. Nobody does anyway.

He texts Kylie’s team to tell them that it’s not necessary to come tomorrow. His flight is ready to start the boarding, but he quickly taps something on his phone before putting it in his bag and walking to his flight. Full with confidence.

T- I’m getting her back.

Z- Took you long enough dumbass. Now go get your girl.

Now that he is standing in front of your door, he wonders if he shouldn’t have prepared a little speech. His confidence is long gone by now. He don’t know what to do. Does he knock on the door? Well it’s a stupid question because he will have to do it. Otherwise, you won’t answer. But what if you aren’t answering? Maybe you’ll see his face then decide not to open the door. Maybe you’ll not even hear that he is there. Well, you are a light sleeper, so maybe you will wake up. Are you even asleep right now? Maybe he should go and come back later. Yeah, that’s actually a pretty good id-

“Timothée?” he jumps at your voice. When he looks at the door, you are right in the doorway dressed in your pyjamas with a tired face and messy hair. At that moment he couldn’t find something more beautiful than you.

“Y-Y-Y/n. What’s up?” What’s up?! That’s what he has to say?! What is he doing?!

“Well I just woke up, and I saw you doing circles in front of my house.” He can’t say what you are feeling right now. You don’t seem angry, which is great, but you don’t seem happy either. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to talk with you. Can you let me in?” You ponder for a moment, but let him in anyway.

“Do you want a drink or something?” You ask when you come back from getting a hoodie. It is one of his. He wants to feel hope, but he also doesn’t want to jump to a conclusion.

“A coffee would be nice. I spent the whole night in the airport.”

“Yeah I’m sure it was pretty long. Don’t you have a premiere to intend tonight? Shouldn’t you be in London right now?”

“I couldn’t go without my girl.” This causes you to stop pouring him his coffee. “Y/n-“

“No. You know it’s impossible. We-we can’t.” Your hands start to tremble, so he takes them in his. At this, you look into his eyes. Those beautiful eyes that you missed so much.

“Y/n it's over. I ended it. I came here to take you with me to the premiere tonight. I want to spend this evening with you and make it unique. Because every moment I spend with you is unique.” He says in a sweet voice.

“How can I trust you? Is it really over?” Your eyes are glowing with your tears that are threatening to fall.

“Do you still love me?” He couldn’t help but hold his breath. He knows you said that you will always live him, and you left not too long ago even if it felt like eternity.

“Of course I do. How could I stop?” You smile, and he smiles back.

“I love you too. And that’s why you should trust me when I say to you that there isn’t a fake relationship in the way. And if you don’t trust me with this-“ He lets go of one of your hands to take his phone. He unlocks it, and you cloud see a picture where the two of you make silly faces. He goes into his call app. “-this is how my phone looks right now. And it won’t stop.”

You can see that he got a tone of phone calls. Some are from his manager, others are from his PR team and even some from Kylie’s. And when you see the messages that he got as well. All of them were in bold and with a lot of punctuation.

“I think that Jack isn’t really happy.” You say with a chuckle.

“You really think? Maybe that is his way of telling me thank you for all the great years.” He chuckles too, and this time you laugh. He can’t stop his smile from growing. “So what do you say? Do you want to come with me tonight?”

“Wait. Do you want me to accept a demand so unofficial like this?” You tease. He rolls his eyes before looking inside one of your cupboards and takes something out. He goes down on one knee.

“Miss Y/N Y/L/N, the queen in my world, would you do me the greatest honor to come with me tonight as my most beautiful date to the Wonka premiere in London?” He opens his hands and offers you one of your favourite chocolate.

“Well, you know I’m a very busy woman, but I think that I can clear my schedule for you.” You both laugh.

He stands back up and takes you into a bone crushing hug. You are both laughing before the tears take over. They are happy tears.

“I’m missed you so much. You don’t know how much I’m happy that I got you back.” He mumbles into your hair.

“I missed you too. So much. I’m so glad you came. Life is so hard without you.” You sniffles. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” He slightly pulls away to look at your face then at your lips. And before you know it you are kissing soflty. A kiss full of love. But you pull away suddenly with a gasp. “What? What is it?”

“I don’t an outfit for tonight.” You begin to panic. “And how are we going to be here on time. London is too far you are going to be late for your own movie.”

“If we go in the next hour, we can be on time and all glamed up. I took care of that for you. You are going to make people so jealous, I promise.” He calms you down, and when he finishes his sentence, you run into your house, packing everything.

Timothée watches you doing so. He tries to help you, but you shut him up, so he just sits on the couch until you are ready to go. He can’t stop smiling. He can’t believe he got you back, and this time, he will make sure you don’t even think about leaving him.

Hours later, you are both all dressed up riding in the backseat of a black car that is taking you to the place of the premiere. The outfit Timothée wears is incredible. You are so in love with the necklace. Yours is pretty good, too. It is gorgeous actually and Wonka themed. It is perfect.

“Can you stop with your leg mon cœur? You are making the whole car shake.” Timothée says while putting his hand on your bouncing knee.

“Sorry.” You chuckle. “I’m so nervous. What if people’s don’t like me or throw things at me? And what about the questions?”

“Don’t worry about anything. If they don’t like you it’s their lost. I don’t care because I have you, and I want you here with me on my arm. And can tell you that no one will throw something at you. And if you don’t believe me, I promise I will stand in the way to protect you.”

“You’ll do that for me?” You both laugh before he looks into your eyes.

“I’ll do anything for you.” And you know that he means it.

When the car comes to a stop, your stress comes back up again. Timothée takes your hand and squeezes it, telling you that he was there for you. You nod to him, and he walks out of the car. You can hear the fans screaming like crazy. He goes on your side and opens your door for you before taking your hand in his. When you walk out, you are met with a lot of flashes and a lot of screams as well. People don’t know you, but seeing someone new at Timothée’s arm made them wild. And so the evening begins, you watch the love of your love doing what he loves. He signs pictures, posters, and some crazy things you don’t even understand why, but it makes you laugh. People are asking about you, and each time Timothée answers that you are his real girlfriend. He even goes all to the way, saying that the thing with Kylie was all fake. You were afraid of what people would think, but all the responses you got are pretty great. When you both start to stand on the carpet in front of all the photographs, you are blinded by the lights and slightly put your head on his shoulder. He chuckles slightly before looking at you, is eyes full of love.

“I love you.” He says.

“Really really really?” You ask with a big smile that is contagious.

“Really really really.”

And you knew from that moment that everything would be okay. You both have each other, and that’s all that matters.

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

The end of the series. I'm sorry it was so long, but I really wanted it to be in three parts so that the titles would match.

Hope you enjoyed it.

#timothée chalamet x reader #timothée chalamet #timothée chalamet fanfic #timothée chalamet imagine #timothée chalamet x y/n #timothée chalamet x you

96 notes · View notes

guardian-angle22 · 10 months

Text

Felt like putting together a little themed fic rec list! Here are some coda/missing moment fics for 3.07 Red vs. Blue. If I've missed any, let me know and I can add them to the list!

SOFTBALL FOCUSED:

◆ Win or Lose by @heartstringsduet (Words: 8.3K; Rating: E; d/s elements)

What if the softball game ended with nothing but TK receiving his rightful reward for winning? What if Carlos ever so slightly tweaked his plans?

◆ in your corner by @heartstringsduet (Words: 7.1K; Rating: M; d/s elements; part 5 of a series)

Win or lose, Carlos promises to reward TK after the softball game tonight. But all it takes is a single moment to unravel what they’ve built together.

◆ it's hotter than hell where i'm at by @petalwritesx (Words: 1.3K; Rating: M)

“If I would’ve known a softball uniform did this to you,” T.K. says, breathless between kisses, “I would’ve bought one a long time ago.” OR: Before their little award ceremony, Carlos and T.K. have some alone time.

◆ Sex Drive by @welcometololaland (Words: 3.8K; Rating: E)

Carlos has a thing for TK playing softball and TK has a thing for reflective surfaces, apparently. OR A season 3, episode 7 missing scene.

◆ "You love this, don't you?" by @irispurpurea (Words: 403; Rating: T)

Fictober 2022 Day 28. Prompt: “You love this, don’t you?” Missing scene from Red vs. Blue

◆ Gold name and number by @goodways (Words: 3.6K; Rating: E)

“I’m just saying Carlos, it was a simple ‘talk shit, get hit scenario’, the law has no place getting involved,” TK spoke with a tone like he was explaining simple first grade math. “First of all, that’s not true and second of all… no, no I think that’s it.” * Carlos has some feelings about TK in his softball outfit.

◆ Take Me Out to the Ball Game by @chicgeekgirl89 (Words: 1.5K; Rating: T)

He’s seen his boyfriend’s ass in a lot of outfits; his uniform, jeans, slacks, but nothing, nothing tops this. His boyfriend is hot. He’s so fucking hot. Carlos isn’t sure he’s ever seen anything hotter in his entire life. A follow up fic for 3x07 "Red vs. Blue" in which T.K. wears a new kind of uniform and Carlos likes it. A lot.

◆ your hand under my jacket by @kiras-sunshine (Words: 5.8K; Rating: T)

"You know, I’m grateful you came to watch,” TK hums as he steps into their loft through the door, and immediately turns around to give him one of those wide and brilliant grins, and pokes the peak of Carlos’ cap upwards, “even though it looked like you were trying to be as incognito as possible.

END OF EPISODE FOCUSED (TW: discussions of grief/death/dying):

◆ i can't just bring them back, but darling i can hold your hand by @morganaspendragonss (Words: 2K; Rating: T)

It’s been hours, and TK hasn’t said a word. He hasn’t screamed, or cried, or done anything that Carlos has come to expect from someone who just found out a loved one passed away. He’s just curled up in a ball on the bed, staring blankly at the wall, and that’s where he’s been ever since he walked away from the party like a ghost. * a 3.07 coda/3.08 spec fic

◆ underneath by @kiras-sunshine (Words: 4.2K; Rating: T)

Grief is a powerful thing, and it affects everyone differently, creating unique pain and ache for everyone, and it is always a process, and TK has had his grief only for mere hours. It is still new, growing and invading space in him.

◆ not a victory march by @reyesstrand (Words: 2.8K; Rating: T)

Carlos approaches, still under the assumption that everything is fine because it's supposed to be, and TK feels his eyes start to burn when Carlos asks him to tell his mom he says hi. Because that's something he's never going to do again.

◆ Surrounded by Love by @bluenet13 (Words: 5.8K; Rating: T)

A look at TK in the days, weeks and months following Gwyn’s passing as he processes his grief with the help of his family and friends. A 3x07 Coda

◆ this weight off your shoulders by @marjansmarwani (Words: 1.9K; Rating: T)

When Andrea Reyes receives a call from her son with terrible news, she makes a promise to a woman she only met once but always felt she knew. A 3x07 Coda

◆ may there be abundant peace by @maxbegone (Words: 2.6K; Rating: N/A)

Carlos sighs. “Baby, I’m so sorry.” “Yeah.” “I’m so sorry.” It warrants no further reply, because at this point Carlos is crying along with him, resting his forehead against his temple and securing his hold even tighter. If he didn’t feel so numb, TK would reciprocate somehow. But this day has been simultaneously a blur and the sharpest image, burned red-hot in his brain. He could relive every single moment in perfect accuracy, he swears. __ An introspective episode coda sometime after the events of 3.07 and 3.08.

◆ No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. by @tkstrrand (4 fic series, Total Words: 13.1K; Rating: G)

TK tries to balance moments of joy with grief/guilt following the months after his mother's passing.

◆ sometimes grief is an open wound - it bleeds and bleeds and bleeds by @morganaspendragonss (Words: 663; Rating: M; TW: Self-harm, Suicidal Thoughts)

His doctor puts him back on his antidepressants and he takes them without complaint, even when sometimes they feel like they’re doing more harm than good. The side effects leave him nauseous for a week, his already unpredictable sleep schedule fucked up beyond repair, but TK dutifully swallows them down every morning, because this means that he’s trying, right? It means that… It means something. It has to.

◆ wrap me up, enfold me by @strandnreyes (Words: 2.3K; Rating: G)

“She’s dead.” Those are the last words he has spoken in at least ten minutes. Now as Carlos sits beside TK on the couch, he isn’t sure what to do. His boyfriend is silent and unmoving, almost hauntingly so, and there’s this vacant look in his eyes that makes him look so unlike himself that it jars Carlos.

◆ Before...And After by Mari_Marie (Words: 256; Rating: G)

TK takes a shuddering breath. He doesn’t remember much about last night, except that he was catatonic after the call, then dissolved an hour later into a sobbing, hyperventilating mess. The only reason he didn’t shake apart was because Carlos had held him.

◆ wrapped in a cloak of misery by @pendragonsandbuckleys (Words: 1.1K; Rating: G)

The phone clattered to the ground only seconds before TK’s knees buckled from underneath him. - a 3.07 coda.

◆ silent answers by @blueink3 (Words: 577; Rating: T)

It’s Paul who notices first because of course he does. “She’s dead.” Who clocks the fact that something has gone horrifyingly, catastrophically wrong. “She’s dead.” “Carlos?” Not ‘hey, man’ or ‘you good?’ Not the casual, easy tone Carlos has come to appreciate ever since that night at the club. It’s diffused more than one high pressure situation, but this - Nothing can fix this. A coda to 3x07.

#911 lone star #tarlos #911 lone star fic recs #fic recs #fic rec list #ive been meaning to make some themed rec lists for awhile now #i started with this theme simply because I had a good idea for the gif header lmaooo #btw if any author doesn't like to be tagged in things like this for any reason PLEASE let me know #no explanation necessary #I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable

150 notes · View notes

choco-pudding · 9 months

Text

Space Channel 5 Part 2: Sugoku Sugoi Guide Book p. 160-169 (Translations by @lavoszero and myself. Edits and typesetting by myself)

Last part of Report 6 and the beginning of the bonus content.

Imgur link to all of the Sugoku Sugoi Guide Book translations we’ve done thus far.

Plain text below.

p. 160 Noize's Evaluation: The Curtain Falls on the Rhythm Rogues' Attack

Whereabouts of the Blown-Away Purge Thanks to the Astrobeat Jr., I was able to watch, firsthand, as the dance energy of 86,429 individuals combined into something truly spectacular. But I wonder… what happened to Purge? I don't recall Ms. Pine arresting him… were you content with him being blasted away? I dunno. Looking at the lyrics, "All the whole wide galaxy dances for me; yes, I'll make each one of you very happy," maybe he really thought he was the good guy here. Near the end, I think he said something like, "I won't forget this!" Or maybe it was, "See you next week!" Honestly, I’m a lil' worried. Even Mr. Blank was able to covertly return, so…

Ms. Ulala Marching On Anyway, the last was really cool, wasn’t it. Just wow… The Super Ulala Dimension dance and melody was so powerful I could see and hear it from the outside, too. It felt like something straight out of “Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights.” It was like a holy cosmic showdown! It really was… I wonder if the “power of love” did all that. To cap it all off, everyone joined in to do the Space Channel 5 pose. I was so relieved everything was finally over. After that, as you know, we marched away like it was a regal procession. I couldn’t just leave after Ms. Ulala cheered, “Let’s march to the ends of the galaxy!" so I ended marching about 24 more space kilometers.

That’s where the report itself ended. Ms. Ulala, though, she was still so full of energy, even after marching, that she went off to dance somewhere else (laughs). The day after that, my team had the day off. Not that we had much to do in the first place. By then, the incident became a huge story picked up by all the regular news shows, rather than special report teams. Despite the whole fiasco, the government didn't really give us anymore commendations, and everything soon went back to normal. Ms. Ulala is still being routinely scolded by Mr. Fuse. I don't think that will ever change.

Groove Guru 155

Up Up Down Down Hey Hey Toyota

p. 161

When Mr. Fuse Returned Sometime after I landed the Astrobeat Jr. to watch Ulala and the other’s grand march, Mr. Fuse came down to join me. While we were watching, I said to him "Nice job, Mr. Fuse. I can't believe you're alright." I really thought he met a gruesome fate after the Astrobeat was blasted down. Apparently, he was able to escape unscathed due a number of factors (you can hear the details right outta Mr. Fuse's mouth on the soundtrack CD released on April 24, 2002). I guess it was a traumatic experience regardless, since he went to his usual drinking spot as soon the show was over.

What Did I Do Next? Right now, I'm being interviewed by the Space Police… I don't really mind, they're being nice. But after the incident, I had my hands full! I was involved in the major project to recover all the antennas that had been modified by Purge; it happens when you’re a Technical Development chief with deep connections in the industry. At least the huge dance floor Purge constructed made it easy for all of us to work simultaneously. After about three days, we finally finished and I returned to modifying microphones for Ulala to use while incognito. I made some that look like an ice cream cone, an ear of corn, and a couple of other things.

Groove Guru 156

Up Toyota Up Toyota Down Down Down

p. 162 Fuse's Broadcast Notes

Report 6 & Repeat 6 Last but not least, here are the final instructions prepared by director Fuse for the live broadcast of "Ulala's Swingin' Report Show," presented in an easy-to-read fashion. Its contents show useful tips for succeeding on the secret input locations. Modifications made for the rerun broadcasts for "Ulala's Swingin' Report Show" (Reruns have unique features from the first airing) are also included. Note, the timing and locations of the secret inputs are exactly the same between the main (Lap 1) and rerun broadcasts (Lap 2).

The Hidden Inputs

[1~2] Return of Mexican Flyer It’s finally back, the last "Jan, Jan, Jaaaan!," featuring the fan-favorite second and third beat of "Mexican Flyer." After Report 2,"Mexican Flyer" took a long hiatus, but these "Jan, Jan" timings haven’t changed one bit! Let's go, all together now! "Jan, Jan, Jaaaan!"

Jan! Jan! Jaaan!

Groove Guru 157

Down Down Down Down Hey Hey Toyota

p. 163

[3] Ulalaaa! U! La! La! Purge the Great had overwhelming power in the confined space of Dance Dimension X. Ulala skillfully dodged the volley of beams, but even she couldn’t outmaneuver an all-out attack, and fell unconscious. However, Ulala came to her senses once she heard the rhythm of her friends calling to her in her mind. But, there was only three seconds left before the Ballistic Groove Gun fired! That would've be the end of the report! What was your quote, Ulala? That's right, it was "when have I ever lost at dancing! Get the secret input "pikoon" right after "lost!"

When have I ever lost [beat] at dancing!

[When Ulala's face pops up, that's the signal that she's ready to shout. The ratings are almost at 200%, rise up and give it your all!]

Flub the Final Finale and Face the Staff Roll Be careful not to miss the final "Chu! Chu! Chu!" mixed in with all the hype. A few mistake here and there before then is fine—reasonable, even—but the ending of the game changes if you flub here. This ending is a not-so-special shortened staff roll against a pitch-black screen, devoid of President Peace’s song. Needless to say, there's no group "March to the End of the Galaxy" either. And on top of all that, Purge won't perform his last hurrah (an input that can increase your ratings by one percent) at the end of the credits! So, if you screw up right at the end, you'll have to redo the entire report again, no matter what! Try again!

[Here’s the rundown on the failure ending; Mexican Flyer plays and the credits roll by super fast. The ratings? 149% at the most.]

[Now, the successful ending. We get to march to the ends of the galaxy and you get to hear the full lyrics of President Peace's soulful song. You get the complete credits roll, too.]

Groove Guru 157

Down Down Down Down Hey Hey Toyota

p. 164 Reference Material Direct Hit Interview with Pres. Peace, Post-incident

~Tachibana, interviewing Space President Peace~ Hey, Texas here. The following is an interview conducted by Tachibana of Channel 01. But really, I’m sneakin' this in 'cause Piney, who was with me during this, was being so adorable and hilarious while we moved through the crowd. After the battle with Purge was over, the press started surrounding President Peace, so the president had to walk with Pine leading the way.

Pine: Attention, all members of the press, Space President Peace is very tired at the moment. Reporters, please get out of the way immediately. Reporter 66: Mr. President, a word please… Pine: Please, move out of the way! Reporter 59: Mr. President, do you have any comments… Pine: Get out of the way! (The press still are pouring in) Pine: I said outta the way! Tachibana: Excuse me, Mr. President, may I have a word? Pine, who's heart skips a beat: Oh my gosh! It's Tachi, (Pine's nickname for him), my ideal man, so full of reason and intelligence aaaah!) Pine: Alright (ba-dump), Tachibana from Channel 01, you may approach. Tachibana: Mr. Peace, I hope you're in good health. Peace: Thank you, I'm as healthy as I can be. Tachibana: Could you comment on the recent disturbance? Peace: I believe I can disclose this now, since the case has been successfully and safely resolved… That being said, please, don't hate Purge too much. I don't think his goal to make the galaxy happy was overtly malicious. I think it was just… over the top? He meant well, but went about it the wrong way. Tachibana: I see, thank you very much. Reporter 21: Mr. President, may we have a comment? Pine: Shut up! Tachi is still talking! Reporter 21: Oh, my apologizes… wait, "Tachi"…? Pine: … (I'm done for, I wanna run away). Tachibana: I can ask the question for you, if that's alright? Pine: Ah, alright. (Angrily turns to Reporter 21) Since Mr. Tachibana also asked, I'll allow you to do so, too. But please, limit it to just one question. Reporter 21: Right. Mr. President, what do you make of Ulala? Peace: When I saw the live report of the "Morolian Incident" I was honestly so moved. The fact there are still youngsters who can deeply inspire others, it reminded me that how much good is still in the universe. Disregarding my presidential status, I cannot help by appreciate the fact she saved so many people, including myself, who were under the influence of dance beam. However, I'm not judging her solely as a reporter, but her nature as a person. That is all. Reporter 21: Thank you very much. Pine: Mr. Tachibana, would you like to ask one more question? Tachibana: Yes. Mr. President, what are your thoughts on the current security? Pine: (ba-dump) Peace: Even though I was abducted, I was saved and guided to safety by Miss Pine here, so I think she gets a passing grade. Aha ha ha ha ha! Now then, if you'll excuse me. (Pine shakes Tachibana's hand and slips him a piece of paper) Tachibana: … A phone number??? Pine: (Tachi…)

Groove Guru 159

Up Down Toyota

[[Translator’s note: I believe it’s implied that Pine’s internal dialogue is all Texas’s interpretation of her sister’s thoughts. Basically, she’s teasing her.]]

p. 165 Bonus

Groove Guru 160

Toyota Toyota Toyota

p. 166 Miss Ulala’s Changing Room

Costumes Cleaning isn’t in Miss Ulala’s repertoire, so the burden of tidying up the Changing Room always falls on us. She'll swear she’ll pitch-in but she never follows through. It’s kinda irritating. Most outfits are returned as soon as the report ends, but some aren’t collected until a few hours after. So, it’s not unusual for some to go missing during that gap. I wonder when we'll have them all again.

01: Channel 5 Retro Gear [Unlock Requirements] Unlocked from the start.

Newly-supplied company reporting fatigues. Made from ultra elastic material for easy movements.

02: Flower Costume [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 2.

Aromatic Multi-Functional Suit. Regulates body temperature and humidity for extra pleasant reporting at all time.

Groove Guru 161

Toyota Toyota Hey

p. 167

03: Gogo Gear (w/o helmet) [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 3.

Designed to protect the human body from space dust at high speeds.

04: Gogo Gear (w/ helmet) [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 4.

Must have for any space-roaming citizen. The helmet can usually be stored in the back.

05: Spy Suit [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 5.

Designed for infiltration. A special wire attached to the back allows the wearer to move like a spider.

06: Old Retro Gear [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 6.

The company-issued suit Ulala used during the Morolian Invasion. It was in her closet.

p. 168

07: Old Retro Gear (Dirty) [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 6 (Extra Mode).

Designed to protect the human body from space dust at high speeds.

08: Super Ulala Costume [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 6.

A super costume that is an amalgamation of dance energy. Rumored to be just underwear.

09: School Uniform [Unlock Requirements] Clear 24 consecutive trials in Ulala's Dance Mode.

A modified version of a uniform from School M. Altered by Ulala herself.

10: China Dress [Unlock Requirements] Clear 100 consecutive trials in Ulala's Dance Mode.

Used for the undercover investigation of the Shanghai Restaurant.

p. 169

11: Woolen Wear [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 1 with the Ratings at 100%

This was a suit that Ulala used to wear for her part-time job a while back.

12: Stealth Suit [Unlock Requirements] Have save data for Rez (PS2). Have save data for Rez (DC).

A super futuristic suit that apparently looks like a wire frame.

13: Pudding Costume [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 2 with the Ratings at 100%

A costume of Pudding. You can also use it to imitate Padding, who is imitating Pudding.

14: Pine Costume [Unlock Requirements] Clear Report 3 with the Ratings at 100%

A costume of Pine, the Eastern Galaxy Space Police Chief. It can also be used to dress up as Texas, of the Western Galaxy Space Police.

Straight Up Filthy Groove Guru 164

Honda Honda Honda Honda

#space channel 5 #space channel 5 part 2 #Sugoku Sugoi Guide Book #noize #ulala #fuse #purge #texas #pine

70 notes · View notes

hebuiltfive · 6 months

Text

Thundertober Day Sixteen: Asteroid

We're in the part of Thundertober where I lost a little steam, and so some of the next few pieces might not make sense or be a bit... meh. Hopefully this one is okay. The idea came from a news report I saw the other week and had me thinking about aliens.

AO3 here

Days: One ~ Two ~ Three ~ Four ~ Five ~ Six ~ Seven ~ Eight ~ Nine ~ Ten ~ Eleven ~ Twelve ~ Thirteen ~ Fourteen ~ Fifteen

Warnings for: None! Human curiosity and exploration is a wonderful thing. It's a shame it can also turn deadly. Tagging: @thunder-tober@skymaiden32@idontknowreallywhy@mrmustachious

“For thousands of years, man has looked up at the stars, dreaming of what it would be like to travel amongst them, of what it would be like to hold such cosmic greatness in one’s hand.

Hundreds of years ago, man began developing technologies that broke barrier after barrier, creating colossal achievements in his wake. These developments consumed their thoughts. What more can we do? Then, the collective imaginations of all the people began to wonder the same.”

The speaker stood proud at his little wooden podium. Bright spotlights were shining brightly onto him and highlighted certain attributes; his receding hairline and his profusely sweaty forehead, the rosiness of his cheeks and the almost amber quality to the man’s eyes.

John had taken note of all the details the minute Professor Yarrow stepped onto the stage. He was an academic he’d been keeping an eye on recently, what with Yarrow’s current collaboration with the International Space Agency. The project the man had been discussing as a potentially fundamental experiment was now being conducted in the vast vacuum of space.

Asteroids had long been marvelled at by scientists. The answers that a ball of ice could hold could be the key to uncovering the answers to our little blue marble. If nothing else, that was worth the years of extensive research and experiments.

Many attempts had been made before. Some had yielded fascinating results. John had studied most attempts when he was a student, and in the years since, but Yarrow’s work was undoubtedly going to end up besides all the previous attempts, perhaps even outdoing them all.

Yarrow’s work, so the professor claimed, had found something priceless. Today’s speech was supposed to be an unveiling.

John, being John, was beyond intrigued to hear the latest, hence his appearance at the lecture.

He’d opted for something incognito. He didn’t go as far as the baseball cap and the sunglasses that his older brothers favoured, but rather an oversized hoodie and joggers. The lecture was taking place in an old hall at Oxford; John figured the student look still suited him. He had hoped it would anyhow. The last thing he wanted was to be noticed. Thankfully, with all his stints in space, he was probably the least recognisable Tracy, and he definitely preferred it that way.

So far, his disguise had been working. No-one had said a word to him and, with the exception of a polite smile exchange with the friendly blonde beside him when he took his seat — thank God he didn’t bring Scott along — John was extremely thankful for the lack of interaction. He was here for one thing and one thing only. He didn’t need or want the social part to ruin it for him.

“Friends, I have come here today to share some exciting revelations.” Yarrow continued, his voice echoing around the old lecture hall courtesy of the microphone on the stand.

“Isn’t it exciting!”

John tried not to roll his eyes as the blonde beside him leant over and whispered her exclamation. Trying to remain polite, John offered her a quick flash of a smile and a nod before returning his attention to Yarrow on stage. He could only hope she would do the same.

So much for wishful thinking.

“I was in two minds to attend the lecture today but I’m so glad I came.”

This time, John ignored her, trying (and failing, thanks to her constant whispering) to focus on Yarrow’s unveiling. John wasn’t the biggest fan of presentations, but he was beginning to wish Yarrow had opted for at least a visual aid for this talk. Hearing his words was becoming increasingly more difficult as he became increasingly more distracted.

“… Emery told me to skip it. She said that it wasn’t necessary, that already know what’s going to transpire and that will be that, but boy am I going to wipe that smug smile off her face once we—”

John gave up. He shifted in his seat, painfully taking his eyes off Yarrow at the front of the hall, and levelled with the blonde. “I don’t care about Emery or about your dilemma, I only care about—”

The blonde blinked as John took his pause, as though she were waiting for him to catch up with her hushed ramblings.

“What do you mean by you ‘already know what’s about to transpire’?”

The words were chilling. John felt uncomfortable even saying them out-loud. Of course, there was a high chance he’d misheard the rambling woman, but from the look in her eyes, he’d understood her perfectly well.

“You’re John Tracy, aren’t you?”

That’s the last time he’ll be using a hoodie as a disguise. Maybe Scott and Virgil were right when they claimed the old-fashioned baseball cap was the best accessory.

At first, John debated declining the fact and pretending to be someone else. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was exactly, but there was something about the woman beside him that unnerved him in a… peculiar way.

In the end, he decided to just come clean. “I am. Why?”

“Yarrow was a great man. He was vastly intelligent and he impressed many of our own scientists. When he first established contact, we believed it was a chance to reach out, but there were some in our governments who disagreed.” The blonde woman cast a glance around the auditorium with a sorrowful look. “Yarrow has no idea what is about to befall this hall.”

John, for all his wisdom and ability to read people, had no idea what the woman beside him was talking about. For the first time in a long time, he felt lost. It wasn’t a feeling he was particularly wanting to remain acquainted with. “What are you talking about?”

Her eyes returned to John. “The minute Yarrow unveils what he thinks is harmless space rock from under that covering… This was a mistake. I have to leave..”

“What are you talking about?” He repeated, but he never received his answer.

The blonde woman grabbed her coat from the back of her seat, apologised for the interruption to the two students sitting behind them, and then bolted for the door at the top of the auditorium.

There was never a question about it. John followed her immediately.

The woman had already made it halfway down the corridor and, once he was confident in the door behind him being closed, John yelled out to her. “Hey! Wait!”

Whilst John may have spent most of his recent years up in orbit, he still possessed speed. It was a fortunate side-effect of his long legs. If Gordon were there, he’d have expected a joke. Given the turn of events, John wasn’t sure if he was happy or lonesome without a brother’s presence.

Within a few seconds, John had caught up with the woman, holding her gently in place as he tried to gauge the situation.

“I had hoped it wouldn’t have come to this.” She was distraught. Years of working as the operator for International Rescue had taught him the signs. The woman continued, “I had hoped he’d have seen sense.”

“Come to what? Who would have seen sense?” John tried again with his questions but the blonde woman was having none of it.

With incredibly strength, she pushed past him and continued her journey towards the exit. “I’m sorry, but I have to go. Maybe you can… Though there’ll be no point.”

John chased after her again until he was blocking her path once more. He refused to allow her to just leave without giving him some sort of answer, so he tried a new tactic. He folded his arms and pretended to look unimpressed, hoping the fear that was still very much real and bubbling away beneath the surface wouldn’t show.

“I know what this is,” he began as casually as he could. “Some sort of student protest, is it?”

“What?” The woman stared at him blankly, clearly thrown off kilter by his accusation.

“Or maybe you’re trying to get a rise out of me, or something? What is it? Attention? God forbid, it isn’t money, is it?”

“What are you talking about?” She repeated his earlier question, though John was certain she hadn’t realised the irony. “This isn’t a student protest, or an attempt to grab money or—this is serious. Those people in there are going to die!”

John’s little game to retrieve information faded away the minute he got what he wanted, or at least kind of what he wanted. “That’s a very serious accusation. What makes you say that?”

“The asteroid Yarrow investigated… He got it wrong, John. He—”

Nothing ever prepares a human being to the pure agonising sound of someone being attacked, of someone dying in the most brutal of ways. The screams that echoed through the heavy duty doors to the lecture hall he’d just left would stay with John forever. Harrowing and painful. His face paled. He forgot all about the woman as he went to dash off, to try and help with whatever the hell just happened, until he felt her arm pull him back.

“We have to go and help those people! Did you not hear?”

“There is nothing you can do for them now but pray their souls find eternal peace.”

He knew she was right. It was the reason he ignored his initial instinct to run into the action to help people and turned his attention fully to the mysterious woman who had… warned him? Saved him?

“What’s your name?”

“There is not a word in any of your earthly languages that would encompass my name. Whilst I am here, I go by Genesis.”

If it wasn’t for the sheer anger he felt at a room full of people allegedly dying, John might have questioned that first part of her reply more. As it was, he didn’t.

“You knew what was going to happen. You knew, and yet you didn’t do anything!” He presented his conclusions as statements rather than questions.

Genesis bowed her head, though he wasn’t sure whether it was entirely out of shame.

“Why?” He followed up, ignoring his sudden urge to leave the place and reconvene with his brothers. “Why warn me? You know who I am.”

“That is precisely why I warned you.” Genesis retorted. She shook her head. “We shouldn’t speak here. Come, I have a more secure place where we can—”

John’s scoff and subsequent laugh was one full of scorn. “You’re mad if you think I’m going anywhere with you after all of that.”

“John, please. You must if you do not wish for this to happen again.”

His brows arched in curiosity.

Genesis noticed and took it as a cue to continue. “Yarrow is no longer a concern, but the government, my government… they will be looking to strike again. Yarrow foolishly had many pieces of what he had thought was an asteroid brought back to this planet and now… Please, we must hurry. You must trust me.”

None of the events made any sense to John. He worked on logical facts, not superstitions or conspiracy theories, but, if his gut was telling him that logical facts had no place currently. His gut was positively for the idea of accompanying Genesis to God knew where.

Facts were his safety net but, in a tight spot, John trusted his gut.

“Okay. I need to make a couple of calls first, but okay. For now, I’ll trust you.”

He just hoped he wasn’t wrong.

#thundertober 2023 #thunderbirds fanfiction #five fics #john tracy #thunderbirds are go

24 notes · View notes

bratshaws · 8 months

Text

through the hourglass 226. brb x oc

a/n: no brad in this one :( but we'll be back tomorrow :> (comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none oop

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

/180/181/182/183/184/185/186/187/188/189/190/191/192/193/194/195/196/197/198/199/200/201/202/203/204/205/206/207/208/209

/210/211/212/213/214/215/216/217/218/219/220/221/222/223/224

/225

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix @lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2

@emilybradshaw @louisahale @leobabbyyy @booklover2sblog @winter-run @ktjmac @graciereads @bigpoppajes @taytaylala12

@caitsymichelle13 @becks-things @caatheeriinee07 @fanboyswhore9 @jesfreedark @katiemcrae @lilmonstrjedi @hobiismyhopeu @teacupsandtopgun @insominac23 @gh0stsgoodgirl @mygyn @chavivaelisheva @kmc1989 @enchantingharmonyalpaca

“Shells.”

“Yeah?”

Beatrice licked her lips, “While I do appreciate you joining me while visiting the twins.” she begins “And Ev…I…why are you…um,” she points to her friend’s getup with a free hand, since the other was holding Nicole up, “Dressed up…like you are in disguise? We-” she looks around, almost worried, “We are in the hospital.”

Shells, dressed in what appeared to be a combination of baggy clothes, a cap pulled low over her eyes, and sunglasses that concealed most of her face, looked like she was attempting to go incognito. It was a stark departure from her usual casual and vibrant style.

Shells fidgeted slightly under Beatrice's gaze, adjusting her cap with a smirk. "Well, you see, Bea," she began, her voice slightly muffled by the cap, "I thought it might be a good idea to, uh, keep a low profile."

Beatrice's brow furrowed in confusion. "A low profile? Shells, it’s…” a nurse walks by them and gives Shells a weird look, “A hospital. We…are surrounded by people here.”

“I know,I know, but-” and her friend holds up a finger, “What if we run into Miranda, she can’t see me!”

Beatrice looked unimpressed, “She has no idea who you are.”

Shells waved off Beatrice's concerns with a casual gesture. "You never know, Bea. She's been acting all strange lately, and I just wanted to be cautious."

“In fact you have no idea who she is,” Beatrice says while adjusting her bag on the opposite shoulder, furrowing her brows whenever Shells appeared to crouch and pop back up while lowering her shades to look around, “Shells, I know you are trying to help,but–”

Just then, a nurse passed by them, casting a curious glance at Shells' unconventional attire. Beatrice blushed slightly, feeling the need to offer some explanation laughing nervously. "Don't mind her, she's just...channeling her inner celebrity."

The nurse chuckled and continued on her way, leaving Beatrice and Shells in their temporary bubble of privacy.

Beatrice shook her head, pulling her to the side. "Okay, enough with the disguise. You're drawing more attention to yourself."

Shells sighed dramatically and removed her sunglasses, revealing her blue eyes, "Fine, fine. I'll behave. But seriously, Bea, keep an eye out for Miranda. She's up to something."

Beatrice's amusement faded as she considered the implications of Shells' words. The mystery surrounding Miranda's odd behavior had been a growing concern for her and Rooster. "I will, Shells. We need to figure out what's going on with her. But I doubt she’s here."

“We don’t know that.”

“Shells.”

“I’m just saying.” she shrugs with a huff, following Beatrice as she walked down the hallway, “What if she’s a nurse,” and she lowers her voice, “And she knows about you because she works here?”

The brunette just gave Shells a shifty glare as she pressed the elevator button, “Really? We are nearing paranoia now.” Bea mutters, moving Nicole to her opposite arm, “Shells, she’s not here.”

While Shells didn’t appear glad with that explanation, she cut the convo and crossed her arms with a small pout as both waited for the elevator to arrive, “When I go to the NICU,” Beatrice begins, “You’ll have to stay with Nikki,alright?” the baby in question looked at Shells with those light green eyes and propping her chin on her mother’s shoulder, “She’ll be okay, you know she’s getting used to you.”

Shells reluctantly nodded, clearly still thinking that her theory was somewhat right. "Alright, Bea. I'll stay with Nikki. But you better keep your phone on, just in case."

Beatrice smiled "I promise I won't be far.” As the elevator doors opened, they stepped inside, Beatrice gently rocking Nicole in her arms. The elevator began its descent, and Shells glanced at her friend. "It’s just a little bit.”

“Hm,I’ll keep my eye open in any case.”

Beatrice closed her eyes and just let a tired smile appear on her face as they waited to reach the NICU’s floor. She inhaled shakily, she could feel the bubble of nerves slowly appearing in her stomach, it happened every time she came to see the twins and…she hadn’t told Rooster that yet.

It was…involuntary? It happened even if her mind was at peace, it was just…perhaps the fear of something going bad the second she stepped in. Their nursery was just so empty and she made sure to clean it alongside Nicole’s, to keep her brain occupied and to remember their cries would fill that room soon but…

Nicole,noticing her mother’s turmoil, looked up at her, “Mama,” she holds up her squeaky chicken, it’s wailing cries were both humorous and absolutely terrifying. Maybe she should’ve gotten something less creepy but Nicole often made her mind, “Chikin.”

“She knows those words now?”

“Yeah,”Bea smiles, gently tucking a few strands of golden brown behind Nicole’s ear, “That and…other ones.”

Shells blinked at her, then smirked, “She knows how to swear already,doesn’t she?”

Beatrice chuckled softly, fixing the barrette that kept Nicole’s bangs off her eyes "Not quite swearing, but she's certainly picked up some words she shouldn't have." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I blame Rooster." she doesn’t, not really, she did find it funny and exasperating at the same time.

Shells laughed, leaning her head back on the elevator’s cool walls, looking as the numbers went up "Well, you know, it's all part of the parenting experience. Plus, it'll make for some entertaining stories when she's older."

As the elevator doors opened on the NICU floor, Beatrice stepped out, cradling Nicole in her arms. Shells followed closely behind, her eyes scanning the hallway as if expecting the unexpected.

Beatrice led the way to the entrance of the NICU, where they were greeted by a friendly nurse who recognized Beatrice. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Bradshaw. Here to see the twins?"

Beatrice smiled warmly at the nurse. "Yes, we are. How are they doing today?"

The nurse's face lit up as she spoke about Aurora and Gavin’s progress. "They're doing exceptionally well. Aurora’s oxygen levels have stabilized, and Gavin is gaining weight steadily. You'll be able to hold them for a bit longer today."

Beatrice's heart swelled with joy at the news. She even let out a shaky gasp when she heard that . "Really? T-That's wonderful to hear. Thank you for taking such good care of them."

“You are very welcome,” she looked back at Shells, “Your friend is joining you yes?”

“Yeah, this is um,Michelle.” Shells grimaced when hearing her actual name, “She’ll stay with my oldest for a little bit.”

The nurse nodded and instructed them on the handwashing and hygiene procedures before they entered the NICU. Beatrice and Shells scrubbed their hands meticulously, a routine Beatrice had become accustomed to during her frequent visits. Shells needed a little more time to get used to it.

Inside the NICU, the atmosphere was hushed, and the soft glow of overhead lights illuminated rows of incubators. The twins' incubators were positioned side by side, their tiny forms visible through the transparent walls.

Beatrice approached Gavin’s incubator first, her heart skipping a beat as she looked at her son. He was nestled among blankets and monitors, his chest rising and falling with the steady rhythm of her breathing.

Shells stood by, watching the scene with apure awe “...woah…” she begins, “He’s…really fucking big for a preemie.”and it was true, Gaving had almost doubled in size during his time there.

Beatrice chuckles softly, “Well, you see Nicole’s size now,” she nods to her daughter, who was already in Shells’ arms, “You remember how big she was when she was born.” and she leaned closer to the incubator, “...he looks so much like Rooster.”

“He does?” Shells had no idea, because to her every newborn looked the same “Really?”

Beatrice nodded with a fond smile. "Yes, he does. He has Rooster's eyes, I think. And his little nose, too." She gently placed a hand on the incubator, her fingers reaching through the openings to hover near Gavin's tiny hand.

Gavin squirmed a bit inside, moving his little hands up to his face before he touched the back of Beatrice’s fingers. Her little boy jumped a bit in surprise, only to slowly touch her hand with his. Beatrice sniffled, waving her hand in front of her eyes to not cry, “God,I wish Rooster was here to see this.” she whispers, “W-We’ll be back here by the weekend but, I…I wish he could see it.”

She placed her free hand on Beatrice's shoulder, offering a supportive squeeze. "Relax, he’ll be here. You could just let him know once you get home.”

Beatrice nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, Shells. I just miss him so much right now.”

“Uh-huh.”

She narrowed her eyes towards her friend, “Don’t start.” she says, still rubbing Gavin’s little knuckles, “You know you are the same way with Bob.” and she sighed, slowly letting go of his hand when Gavin went back to sleep, “Aurora is next.”

“I thought they kept twins in the same incubator?” Shells asked, adjusting Nicole on her arms as she followed Beatrice, ‘Isn’t that a thing?”

Beatrice led the way to Aurora's incubator with Shells following closely behind. As they approached, she explained, "Twins are often kept in the same incubator when they're stable and have similar medical needs. But in the early days, especially when they're preemies like Gavin and Aurora, they might be in separate incubators to monitor their progress more closely. It also helps prevent the risk of infection."

Shells nodded, absorbing the information and letting out an ‘oooooh’ once she got everything in. Aurora, like her brother, was a picture of resilience. She was tiny but strong, her chest rising and falling steadily as she breathed. Her tiny fingers were curled into fists, and her features were delicate and angelic.

However, she was…more chaotic.

If you could say that about a preemie. The second Beatrice got closer, Aurora kicked one tiny leg up and started moving her arms, trying to find her mother who just watched with a soft laugh, “Well, she’s excited.”

Beatrice gently placed her hand inside the incubator, and Aurora's tiny fingers wrapped around one of her mother's fingers. She had a stronger grip than Gavin, which wasn’t a lot all things considered, but it was funny to see how their personalities were already so young.

“And…is she okay?’ Shells asked while holding Nicole, “Also, is Nikki able to touch them or…?”

Beatrice smiled warmly at Aurora's enthusiastic movements. "Yes, she's doing well." She continued to let Aurora hold onto her finger, marveling at the tiny, yet surprisingly strong grip. “Much better than last time… As for Nikki," Beatrice explained, "she can't touch them just yet. Premature babies like Gavin and Aurora have fragile immune systems, so we have to be extra careful to prevent any infections.” she smiles “ But she can look at them though."

Shells nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. It must be tough, though, not being able to have all your babies together."

Beatrice's smile wavered slightly, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "It is tough, Shells. I won't deny that. But I know it's what's best for Gavin and Aurora right now. It won't be long before they can all be together at home." she sighs, “All of them.”

Shells squeezed Beatrice's shoulder in a gesture of support. "And in the meantime, you've got your little partner in crime here," she said, nodding towards Nicole, who was gazing at her surroundings with wide, curious eyes.

Beatrice chuckled. "That's true. You’ll be surprised she befriended pretty much every doctor and nurse on this floor.” as if on cue a group of them walked by and Nicole immediately waved with a little grin, “She’s more social than me and Rooster ever were when we were kids.” Beatrice mutters, still playing with Aurora’s fingers.

Time passed quickly, as it often did when you were enjoying good company, she even got the milk ready for the twins! Nicole, in Shells' arms, continued to watch her surroundings with fascination. Her curious eyes took in the soft, rhythmic beeping of the machines and the occasional coos from other babies. Until she started babbling something that just made Shells look, “...what?”

“Aaa”

“What? Girlie,I don’t speak cutie.” Nicole huffed, tapping her shoulder repeatedly ‘...uhhh.Bea? Your kid is doing something here.”

Beatrice, who had been absorbed in watching Aurora's tiny fingers explore her own, looked up in surprise at Shells' words. "What's going on?" she asked,tilting her head at the scene

Shells held Nicole in front of her, and the baby was babbling something that sounded like "Aaa." She tapped her little hand on Shells' shoulder, seemingly trying to communicate something important.

Beatrice approached, her brows furrowed in bemusement. "Nicole, sweetheart, what are you trying to say?" She held out her arms, inviting Nicole to come back to her. She blinked then, suddenly remembering, “Oh, oh she has to eat! Oh baby girl,I’m sorry!”

Beatrice carefully cradled Nicole in her arms and made her way to the designated feeding area in the NICU. Shells followed closely behind, subtly dropping her shades over her eyes, looking like the President’s Security whenever they walked.

As Beatrice prepared to feed Nicole, she looked up in time to see her friend…looking anything but subtle, “Shells,really?” she looked around, “It’s the NICU.”

“You gotta be prepared for anything.” Shells’ tone weirdly sounded like a bad version of Jason Statham. “You never know.”

Nicole, eager to satisfy her growing appetite, latched onto her bottle, unaware of what was happening. Beatrice smiled down at her daughter, her fingers lightly stroking Nicole's soft hair as they settled into a comfortable rhythm before looking back up, “You are being ridiculous. You won’t be like that when we get to Evelyn’s room will you? Remember, we are here to see her and the baby as well.”

Shells gave a dramatic sigh,"Alright, alright, I'll tone it down once we're with Evelyn. But you know how I am, Bea. I've got a knack for sensing trouble."

“Yep.I’m quite aware.”

Once Nicole had finished her meal, Beatrice gently burped her and carefully adjusted her in her arms. "Alright, it's time to visit Evelyn and the new baby," she announced with a smile.

Shells looked down at Nicole with a grin. "You ready to meet your new friend, little one?"

Nicole, who had finished her meal and was now content and slightly drowsy, blinked up at Shells with those beautiful green eyes. She seemed to understand the word "friend" and responded with a soft coo.

Beatrice laughed, her heart feeling lighter despite the lingering concerns about Miranda. "I'll take that as a yes." she pauses, “Or it was a late burp.” they walked towards the elevator, “Anyway, can you open my bag? I got a gift for Evelyn there-”

Shells’ eyes widened, “Wait,really? I didn’t get anything.”

“It’s alright,” she laughs, pushing the bag closer to Shells with her hip, “I’ll say it’s from both of us.”

Shells raised an eyebrow as she opened Beatrice's bag and saw a beautifully wrapped gift inside. "Wow, Bea, you're really on top of things. What did you get for Evelyn?"

Beatrice grinned, pushing the button so the elevator moved. "I found the most adorable baby onesie with a little matching hat. It's in the bag with a card. I thought it would be a nice little gift for the new baby."

Shells nodded in approval as she carefully took out the gift. "That's a sweet choice, Bea. She's going to love it." she did drop the shades down however, “Back to business.”

As the elevator doors opened, they stepped outside and marched to where Evelyn's room was located. The walk was a short one, but it felt like an eternity for Beatrice as her anticipation grew.

When they arrived at Evelyn's room, Beatrice took a deep breath and knocked gently before entering. Evelyn was sitting up in her hospital bed, her face lighting up bit as she saw her two friends.

"Hey…” her brows furrowed, pointing a finger at Shells, “Why is she wearing that?”

Beatrice looked back to where Shells was, still acting like an agent, then laughed nervously, “Long story. Hi Ev.” she slowly approached the bed, “How are you?”

Evelyn sighed, her eyes filled with a mix of exhaustion and happiness. "Tired, exhausted really... And this little one here," she said, gesturing to the bassinet beside her bed, "is worth it.”

Beatrice, still holding Nicole, approached the bassinet with a sense of awe. Inside lay a tiny, sleeping newborn, swaddled in a soft blanket. The baby had a shock of dark hair and a button-like nose.

Beatrice leaned in to get a better look. "Oh, Evelyn, he’s absolutely beautiful. Congratulations."

Evelyn beamed with pride. "Thank you, Bea. He was a little stubborn.” she sighed, ‘He was born around…six a.m. Kind of.” she whispered, “My dad is staying with me while Jake is at work.”

Both women looked at her in surprise, “...your dad??’

“I didn’t believe it either,” she chuckles, “But he took a day off, the first one in ages, to be here with me.” she nervously played with her hands, ‘...didn’t expect him to. Guess the idea of being a grandfather broke some of old Beau Simpson’s façade…anyway, sit down,sit down.” she gestures to the sofa in front of the bed, “We have a lot of talk about and…I wanna know why Shells is acting so weird…weirder than normal.”

“Hey!”

#bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x oc #top gun maverick #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw x female reader #bradley bradshaw x named reader #tgm oc #tgm fic #tgm fanfiction

30 notes · View notes

clairehadenough · 2 months

Text

Who wants more?

So the delulus opened their old files cabinet to try and deflect from all the Ls they’re taking left and right after we exposed their asses. Here they come with the OK/Yoga sign that Alba used in one of her pics to say she meant it as a WP symbol. Sure Jan😂

Now where it gets interesting is that Captdelulu first reblogged this ask from Midwest and answered (graciously as always🤓)

Please check her post, “you fucking child”, “history book”, lots of F bombs…you know an ordinary day at the office for Capt with a T.

Also she left two links from CBS and CNN, to educate us🤣 (of course she doesn’t give a fuck about WP symbols, she’s only using it to ‘expose’ Alba)

BUT THEN….

A certain ‘Anon’ replies to the same Original Anon, telling them they were a fucking child (😉) and to open a history book (😉) all this with lots and lots of F bombs. And more importantly they are advertising Captregina by saying that she shared links about it😂

I’m sure by now you have guessed who that self promoting Anon is😂 but what’s HILARIOUS is that, to make sure we don’t know it’s her, she wrote her blog’s name wrong on purpose, WITHOUT A T! Hahahahha😂😂😂

“Cap regina” so that no one ever guess it’s her who wrote it because of course she would never ever ommit the T, she is CAPT WITH A T afterall…

I was literally in stitches reading this, imagining her congratulating herself for being so clever and so subtle so she could pass the message and self promote herself while staying incognito

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

#captregina #captdelulu #capt with a t #busted😂#againnnnn😂😂😂😂

15 notes · View notes

nancydrewwouldnever · 8 months

Note

Nor have just a regular old Twitter or IG sighting. It's the glasses and cap, they're now his equivalent of a Clark Kent identity. //

Could it be that his it factor is just gone? His appearance now reminds me of a high gym teacher who bores the class with how he almost went pro. I would only know that’s Chris because I’m in the fandom, a regular civilian wouldn’t even look twice.

I think it's more that he simply doesn't look in person like people are expecting. He's really not that big. People who only know him as Captain America are expecting a huge, ripped bodybuilder. He's not, he's more slim, especially now that he's dumped so much weight. There was an old interview where he said most people when meeting him find him a "physical disappointment." I think people's preconceived notions work in his favor for moving around. Now, add a cap and glasses on, and you can see how he could move more incognito.

#ask

22 notes · View notes

dreaminginpastels · 2 years

Note

Hi could I request a spider man x fem!reader? In which she is kind of an adopted daughter to Captain America and has to figh against Peter and Stark during civil war. But Peter can't hurt her because he has a little crush and after the avengers solved their problems Tony encourages him to confess

blink

pairing: peter parker x fem!avenger!reader

summary: peter and reader are on different sides of the civil war conflict, and peter finds that he just can’t hurt the girl he loves.

warnings: none! just soft, adorable, dorky fluff with this cinnamon roll of a boy

reader pronouns: she/her (by request)

word count: 3.5k (I swear I’m not trying to make a habit of this)

*✧ avengers masterlist | main masterlist | ask | taglist ✧*

“Peter, what the hell are you wearing?”

From his crouched position, Peter glanced around quickly before shooting up, glaring at MJ. “I was trying to be incognito. Thanks for ruining it.”

“Uh, you’re literally crouching against a locker wearing all black clothes and black sunglasses in the heart of summer? Pretty sure you were a second away from ruining it yourself anyway.”

“Hey, I resent that-” Peter began, stepping forward as his arms crossed in spite, before his spontaneous attempt to spin back towards the object of his attention caused him to fall flat on his face.

Ignoring the chuckles emanating from the group that Peter was just peering at, MJ shot the back of his head a pointed look, as he remained flat on the hallway floor.

“Just tell me when they’re gone, alright?”

Glancing up at her, and accepting MJ’s outstretched arm, Peter lifted himself from the floor. “It’s not what it looks like.”

Furrowing her eyebrows, MJ retorted, “Oh, so you aren’t dressed as an emo spy, staring at that group of popular kids to get a glance at the new girl?”

A blush coated Peter’s cheeks as his arm automatically raised to rub the back of his neck. “Pfft, that’s uh…that’s absolutely…what I was doing. You got me.”

As he prepared to elaborate on his defeated response to MJ, the bell rang. Thankful for the reprieve, Peter glanced back in your direction, caught your eye from within the group and sent a small, awkward, wave your way. His breath hitched in his throat as you smiled warmly back at him and matched his wave in response, before walking off with the group. His heart soared when you glanced back at him before turning the corner on your way to your next class.

…

Resting his face on his chin, Peter watched you fondly from his regular seat in his physics class. Now, he discovered, one of three mutual classes that you had. You were discussing the work you had to catch up on with Mrs Warren, having transferred to the school part way through the current term, and Peter was mesmerised by your kind smile and glorious laugh.

Suddenly, he was pulled from his reverie by a sudden force, nudging him from his side. Scrambling to sit up properly, Peter turned to Ned, who was now smiling mischievously back at him. “Dude, you’re so smitten. I’ve never seen you like this.”

“Right. Smitten. Yeah.” Peter began, still focused on your conversation, before realising what he was admitting to. “I mean, no! I’m just trying to work out what the new girl’s deal is.”

It was a half-truth. The full truth was that Tony Stark, annoyed that Captain America had a new protégée, had asked Peter to gather intel, to work out what was so special about this girl that the Captain had ignored Tony’s pushbacks and insisted that the Avengers needed her as much as she needed them.

Tony had recounted the conversation to him the day before, with a level of detail that only pettiness allowed.

“She’s a good kid, Tony, and let’s face it - we can use as much support as we can get.”

“It’s not about how ‘good of a kid’ she is, Cap,” Tony began, pointedly. “She’s a kid, do we even know anything about her? Is she even on our side?”

“Our side?” Steve sighed, “Look, Tony, last I saw, she was saving busloads of kids from being crushed by the debris of collapsing buildings. She wants to help, and dammit Tony, she just needs a chance.”

“So you sympathise with her, is that it? She reminds you of how badly you wanted to fight for your country? The scrawny kid that just needed someone to believe in him?” He took a step towards Steve, and locked eyes with him. “You want to give her this chance enough that you’d risk her life for it, then by all means, bring her in. Just know that whatever happens to her is on your shoulders.”

An hour later, Peter had been summoned to Tony’s office.

“-And then he says ‘that’s a chance I’m willing to take, are you?’ and struts out!” Tony had marvelled at a speechless Peter. “I swear, if I have to spend one more minute staring at America’s ass as it walks away from me, I’m gonna lose it.”

Peter had chuckled lowly, unsure of how to respond to Tony’s outburst.

“It’s like, excuse me-” Tony began, spinning to face Peter with a pointed look, “Since when do we get protégé’s, am I right?”

Scrunching his mouth awkwardly as he thought of a way to reply that wouldn’t offend his new mentor, Peter had nervously muttered, “Well, I mean, you have me right, Mr Stark? I guess it seems kinda fair?”

In response, Tony waved a hand noncommittally, “Eh, it’s not the same.”

A little disenchanted, Peter raised an awkward hand to rub the back of his neck. “Uh i-it, it isn’t?”

Tony softened, clearly not meaning to offend him. Placing a hand on Peter’s shoulder, he responded, “Look, kid. I thought long and hard about inducting you into the Avengers, and it’s still something I have my reservations about. I don’t want to risk anyone’s life, but I have faith in you-”

Peter smirked up shyly at Tony’s words, and was met with the face of an inventor at work. “In fact, how would you like a little homework mission?”

And so here he was, sitting in his math class, trying desperately to find a way to talk to you, to find out literally anything about you. Partly for Tony, but mainly because he found himself drawn to you, and was unable to tear his eyes away.

…

Before he’d been able to report back to Mr Stark his findings, lacking as they may be, Peter had been alerted to a crisis that required immediate attention. Suiting up and swinging to his local bank, he was surprised to find the three bad guys already tied up and police sirens on their way. Standing in front of him, however, was a true sight to behold.

There you stood, beaming at him in an electric purple bodysuit. As he took the sight of you in, you walked towards him, placing a hand gently on his chin before whispering, “Looks like someone needs to work on that spidey sense, hmm?”

He barely had the time to regain regular brain functioning for long enough to formulate some semblance of a response before you were gone, vanishing as quickly as whatever witty remark he’d hoped to impress you with. Feeling a sudden emptiness without your intriguing presence, he came to and swung to his regular rooftop pondering space.

…

He could feel your presence behind him before you even said anything. He turned slowly to face you, relishing the moment of suspense as you approached him where he sat, legs dangling over the roof’s edge.

“Mind if I join you, Spider-Man?”

He shook his head, probably too eagerly, but you didn’t seem to mind. As you sat to his right, Peter blushed at your proximity, noting that with the whole roof at your disposal, you bunched up next to him.

You playfully nudged him with your shoulder, “So, what’s a sweet guy like you doing on top of a place like this?”

He chuckled, “Honestly? Trying to process how I’m supposed to feel about my job being done for me, and in such an effortless way.”

You smiled, eyes lighting up beneath your mask at the compliment. “Aww shucks, I’d say I feel bad, but I figure the quicker I am, the less risk there is to you. I’d hate to see you hurt because I didn’t get there fast enough.”

“I do, uh, I do have super healing, ya know?” He felt sheepish trying to impress you in such a boastful way, “-but I appreciate the sentiment.”

You smiled warmly, just as you had done in class earlier that day, and his worries disappeared. “So, uh, what are your powers?”

You laughed at his bashful curiosity, leaning towards him until your faces were mere inches away, before vanishing before his eyes.

Letting out a shocked gasp, Peter’s eyes widened, before he felt a gentle tap on his left shoulder. As he turned, he was met with a coy smile before you muttered, “Teleportation mainly.”

His jaw dropped in awe, “That’s-wow, that’s so cool.”

“Teleporting myself and small objects comes naturally but I’m still working on teleporting others,” you smiled warmly before adding, “-and don’t get me started on time travel.”

He audibly gasped, causing a fond chuckle to escape your lips. Just as he was wracking his brain for some topic to keep the conversation going, you stood up. “Well, this has been lovely but I have to head home. Hopefully I’ll see you around?”

He stood up, running a hand through his hair as he regarded you. “Yeah! I’d-uh, I’d like that.”

You seemed to consider him for a second, before quickly leaning in and placing a kiss on his cheek. When he looked back up, you were gone, and he found his hand automatically reaching up to where your lips had been, his cheek still tingling.

He was doomed.

…

Blink.

That’s what they’d called you. The week after your official meeting on the rooftop, the tabloids had been almost as fascinated with you as he was.

He had to admit, it was the perfect superhero name for you. Every time he saw you, whether in class or fighting crime, he was always terrified that he’d blink and miss you. In fact, all of your encounters since that day had been brief. And he hated it.

In painful irony, his meeting with Tony the next day had been agonisingly long.

“Alright, kid, what can you tell me about y/n?”

Peter had sighed dreamily. “She’s amazing, Mr Stark. She’s kind, smart, she smells amazing-”

“Woah, Underoos, got anything actually useful?”

Peter had snapped out of it, then, a furious blush radiating from his cheeks. “Oh, sorry Mr Stark, uh, well she can teleport herself and small objects, and she’s working on time travel. And uh…she…”

Tony’s eyebrows had raised in impressed shock, then anticipation as Peter fumbled through the rest of his sentence. “-she may or may not have gotten to a crisis call faster than me.”

“Now that’s something,” Tony pondered aloud, “Good job, kid, proud of you.”

Peter smiled at the ground, “So, are you thinking that she can join the Avengers? because that, gee, that would be-”

Tony rolled his eyes before sighing, “Teenagers.”

…

If there had been any sign that Tony had softened and was genuinely considering inducting y/n into the Avengers, as Peter so desperately hoped, it had vanished as quickly as she could, when the news of the Accords broke out.

Tony wasn’t acting like himself, at least from what Peter had witnessed. He was emotional, more unpredictable than usual, and worst of all, resigned. Peter barely knew the man, but he knew that one thing Tony Stark did not do, was give up.

And so, when Tony summoned him for the fight at the airport, Peter had no choice but to go. What he wasn’t expecting, however, was to see you. He would’ve been delighted, had you not been standing next to Captain America, and therefore, out of his reach.

Determined to prove his worth to Tony, and, though he hated to admit it, you, Peter seized the opportunity to make his presence known by disarming the Captain, using his web shooters to seize his shield.

“Nice job, kid.”

“Thanks! I could’ve stuck the landing a little better it’s just-” Peter was suddenly thrown off-balance as you suddenly appeared behind him, stealing back the Captain’s shield.

“You’ve been busy.” The Captain addressed Tony.

“So have you.” Tony gestured to you, now returning to Captain America’s side and handing him his shield.

Tony turned to you. “Look, kid, I’m trying to keep this guy from tearing the Avengers apart. It’s not personal, but I don’t want to have any more casualties on my shoulders.”

You nodded, respectfully, before retorting. “Is that why you’ve recruited a teenager to fight your battles?”

Captain America smiled proudly at you then, placing an approving hand on your shoulder.

Tony wasn’t having it, however, and the tense conversation quickly devolved into a full-blown fight. As Tony flew away in his suit, he assigned his team fighting partners. Peter, devastatingly, was assigned you.

He groaned, begrudgingly, as he sprinted towards the spot you had just been, gaining momentum to swing himself higher into the airport where he thought he noticed you re-appear. As you appeared before him, he waved, awkwardly. “Hey, y/n.”

You smiled, “Hey, Peter.”

“I hope you weren’t offended by what I said down there, I just think it’s a bit hypocritical for Mr Stark to say that he doesn’t want to take any more risks when he’s throwing you in the firing line whenever it suits him.”

Peter softened, “Ah, yeah. I appreciate you worrying about me, I really do, y/n, but Mr Stark’s a nice guy and he believes in me, I know he wouldn’t risk-”

“Less talking, more fighting!” Peter could hear Tony through his suit, “You can get your flirt on later, kid. I need you now.”

Peter turned to you, thankful for the suit covering his blushing cheeks. “Look, I don’t want to fight you, would you mind maybe teleporting around the airport and I can just give chase? I don’t want to let Mr Stark down.”

You smiled at his loyalty, and winked before vanishing and appearing on the tarmac, next to where Natasha and Clint were fighting. As Peter swings down, you vanish and appear behind him, tapping him on the shoulder. Peter notices your rhythm, however, and just before you attempt to teleport again, he catches you with his web fluid and pulls you towards him, holding your body against his own. He smiles down at you, “Hi again.”

You giggle, “Nice one.”

Before you pull away, Peter feels himself thrown to the ground, ears ringing, and notices Wanda chastising you. As Wanda goes to intervene between Natasha and Clint, you suddenly appear on your knees over Peter. He looks up at your concerned face, and his heart melts. “Are you alright?”

He smiles up at you, “I am now.”

Peter notices your blush at his sudden courage, and feels his heart swell, until he notices a trailer flying towards you and quickly leaps up, holding it above the two of you. “Are you okay?”

Your eyes widened with shock, you nod. “Let me help you with that.”

Peter watches you grimace under an invisible pressure before suddenly feeling a lightness above him. He notices the trailer, slightly bent, appear behind you on the tarmac.

He steps towards you, looking deep into your eyes, “I thought you said larger objects were hard for you?”

You smiled at him bashfully, “I guess this time it was worth the risk.”

Before he could reply, he heard Tony in his suit again. “Kid, I need you inside!”

Apologetically sighing at you, he latched onto the airport hangar and swung himself inside, stopping Bucky and Wilson, before moving back outside to help Tony attempt to subdue Ant-Man, who had now grown to enormous proportions.

Finally finding his groove, Tony praised Peter for his fighting spirit, but at the most crucial moment, Peter distinctly heard a yell coming from the tarmac. It was Captain America attempting to warn you about Ant-Man’s enormous shoe that was seconds from crushing you, but you were too busy disorienting Natasha to hear him.

Peter had a split-second decision to make. The Captain was desperately sprinting towards you, but he wouldn’t make it in time. Similarly, Tony couldn’t hold off Ant-Man on his own, and they really needed to stop him. Staring into the face of the man who’s opinion mattered most in the world to him, Peter muttered an apologetic, “I’m sorry, Mr Stark” before swinging himself in record speed, clutching your body to his as he swung you out of harm’s way just in time, the two of you rolling to a stop further along the tarmac.

The fight seemed to stop in an instant, each Avenger in shock at the sight of their two youngest and most recent recruits in a dizzy haze, milliseconds away from tragedy. Tony and Captain America stopped everything, rushing to your sides. Peter looked down at you, desperately, shaking you as your eyes fluttered open and shut. “y/n? oh God, please tell me you’re okay. Hey, look at me.”

Peter rolled off you as you moved to sit up, glancing around you as the Captain reached your side and cradled you. He looked up at Tony, “I hate to say it Tony, but you were right. This is foolish. We need supervision, I was an idiot for bringing y/n into this without proper training. I know we never got a practice run but, for God’s sake, they’re kids Tony. What was I thinking?”

Tony shook his head. “You were thinking that every kid, especially those as brave as these two, deserve the chance to do what they were born to do.”

He turned to Peter, with a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so proud of you, kid. You know so much more than me, and you’re still a teenager. Imagine what you’ll do for this world as you get to my ripe old age.”

Peter chuckled before turning back to you solemnly, he looked at the Captain for permission before offering you a gentle hand to lift you up. “Thank you for trusting me.”

You smiled, “Thanks for having my back.”

…

A week later and Peter was standing in Tony’s office, having been summoned. He was pacing back and forth because, of course, Tony had decided to go and get some water for the two of them, leaving an anxious Peter to overthink whether Tony’s battle panic had worn off and he was about to get chastised for sacrificing the mission for a girl.

Rather, when Tony re-appeared with water and snacks for the two of them, he tried a different tact. “So, Baby America, hey?”

Had he not been so shocked, Peter would have absolutely lost it at the sight of Tony Stark - genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and above all, his mentor - wiggling his eyebrows excitedly like a schoolboy.

Instead, Peter, quite embarrassingly, choked on his water, spluttering onto the table before him.

Tony looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “Gross.”

Peter wiped his mouth, “Oh God, I’m so sorry Mr Stark!”

“Never change, kid.” Chuckling, Tony pat his protégé’s shoulder affectionately. “But seriously, you’ve got the hots for her, right?”

Peter shook his head in disbelief, “Uh, yeah? I do?- I mean, she’s just amazing and honestly really inspiring, I mean, she literally saves lives every day, and she’s beautiful, and she actually laughs at my jokes! Can you believe that? and-”

Smiling fondly at the rambling, lovestruck teenager, Tony couldn’t help but interrupt. “-And so you’re going to tell her all this right?”

Peter’s eyes widened in mortification. “Oh God no! I’m lucky she even wants to spend time talking with me, I’m not going to ruin it by telling her that she’s the most beautiful girl on the planet.”

At that, Tony leaned towards Peter. Peter matched him, leaning forward in confusion. “Uh, kid? I think you just did.”

Slowly turning around as he did that night on the rooftop with you, Peter was met with your gorgeous face once more. Only, this time, the furious blush was for him, and him alone.

As you looked up and met his gaze, you offered him a small, awkward wave, and he was sure that you were meant for each other. He stood up and walked over to you, raising a nervous hand to his neck and rubbing gently - by now an endearing habit of his. “Uh, hi. I’m assuming you heard all that.”

You giggled, shuffling your feet nervously as you looked up at him, “Sure did.”

He grimaced, “Well, that’s embarrassing.”

You smiled warmly, “I think it’s sweet.”

His eyes widened in shock. “R-really?”

A step forward. “In fact, I think you’re sweet, and I’d kinda like to test that theory, if that’s okay with you?”

He looked down at you, eyebrows furrowed as his brain tried to connect the dots. Instead, he noticed you leaning in and realised what was happening just in time to process your soft lips on his. He closed his eyes, gently cupping your face with his hand as he returned the kiss.

When he opened his eyes, he felt a cool breeze, and realised that you’d teleported the two of you, locked in a kiss, back to the very same rooftop you’d first officially met. He looked at you with such longing as he whispered against your lips, “God, please be mine.”

You smiled at him, eyes crinkling in the corners as you whispered back. “Always.”

He let himself blink, knowing that you weren’t going anywhere.

a/n: hello lovely nela! thank you so much for this request, it was such a cute one to write, and I hope that it’s everything that you wanted it to be 🥰 I’ll be honest, this one got away from me a bit, I got super caught up in their meet-cute and the exposition but hopefully that’s alright! I’m super excited to write more peter parker, and I’m really grateful that this was my first request for him. please feel free to request again, but also I’m really keen to hopefully get to your other request soon!

#peter parker x reader #peter parker x fem!reader #peter parker x avenger!reader #peter parker x fem!avenger!reader #tom holland peter parker #tom holland peter parker x reader #tom holland peter parker x avenger!reader #tom holland peter parker x fem!avenger!reader #marvel x reader #avengers x reader #very subtle rogers!reader #peter parker x rogers!reader #requests open #daniella writes 💫

309 notes · View notes

dimeurz · 1 year

Note

for the lyric thing on twitter

“"Do not enter" is written on the doorway

Why can't everyone just go away?

Except you, you can stay”

hiiiiiiiiiiiii (with rizz)

Head low, worn-out thrifted baseball cap tipped down, long sleeves and gloves to hide the titanium attached on his left side despite any weather.

Bucky tries so hard to stay incognito, and though Bucharest is a long way from Washington, he knows that his profile is plastered all over the internet ever since the HYDRA files were leaked by Romanoff.

He doesn’t mind it, really. Good for her, good for the so-called Avengers. But, every so often, he gets the stares from people thinking they might’ve recognized him from the news.

The Winter Soldier is no longer a ghost story, after all.

More like a nightmare.

Bucky tucks the bag of groceries into his chest as he takes the stairs up to his apartment. A tenant who he isn’t familiar with passes by and stops, making him walk faster to avoid any confrontation.

“Hey!” The old man yells two flights below, “Where have I seen you before?”

Bucky pauses and turns his face away. They talk to you in their language, you answer in their language. That way, you can pretend to be a local much easier. “I’ve been living here for eight months now.”

The old man reconsiders, then opens the door to his apartment. Bucky exhales deeply and continues to jog up the stairs, hoping to get there without anyone else bothering him.

See, this morning, the landlord was already up in his ass about his apartment’s conditions. She didn’t like the newspapers taped on the windows, but Bucky reasoned out that he didn’t have enough money to get some good curtains or blinds for privacy. He couldn’t possibly tell her that he didn’t like the lingering feeling of somebody looking at him through a scope, taking him out in his sleep because he broke HYDRA protocols.

Arriving at his door, Bucky notices the damage on tape he put at the bottom. He stares at it and clenches both his jaws and fists. Someone broke in. He doesn’t have anything with him to make-shift as a weapon, unless he throws this dollar store chocolate bar as strong as he can. He thinks about the arm, but he decides against it. He hasn’t used it as a weapon in a while, not even towards the men who attempted to mug him while walking home from his part-time construction site job.

He was begging for a peaceful day. But then again, when did God ever take mercy on him?

With a quiet attempt, Bucky twists the door knob and enters his apartment. He’s fully prepared for an ambush but there’s a man cooking in the kitchen, humming a familiar tune he must’ve heard from the radio once. He’s wearing a costume — no, must be a uniform — and some sort of a jetpack on his back. Bucky feels like he recognizes him, but he doesn’t know how and where.

The man turns around, jumping at the sight of Bucky that he almost burned himself on the stove. “Jesus fuck! You scared me!”

“How did you find me?” Bucky asks with a frown, not moving an inch from where he’s standing. He remembers. He is the Falcon. He’s Steve’s friend. “Are you going to kill me?”

The Falcon’s shoulders droop at the question. “No. No, I’m not here to kill you. I’m just... cooking some pancakes. See?” He turns around to flip the pancake. There’s a whole stack ready on the kitchen island already. Bucky didn’t have the ingredients for this, so Falcon must’ve brought them in.

“Why?” Bucky asks once more. There’s no reason for somebody to be nice to him, especially if they’ve fought before. Especially after ripping his wings off. Did he get new wings? Is he allowed to ask? It’s not like they’re friends.

The Falcon turns the stove off and settles the last pancake on the plate. He brings it over to the dining table, swiping the journal and the banded newspapers to the side. “I’m tasked to bring you over. Steve, your friend, he’s been looking for you.”

“I’m not coming with you.” Bucky says firmly.

“I know.” The Falcon says. He picks apart a pancake piece and tosses it in his mouth. “I won’t force you. I’m not gonna get myself into a pointless fight with a super soldier. That’s why I’m proposing a deal.”

Bucky stares at the Avenger. This man barged into his apartment and cooked for himself. He doesn’t know what to feel. He’s not scared, not because the Avenger isn’t powerful enough to take him down. He looks well-equipped, way better than when they first fought. The Falcon just has this aura... Bucky feels lighthearted around him.

The Falcon continues after getting no response from Bucky. “Stop running away. Just stay here and I’ll visit you from time to time. Don’t worry, it won’t be too often. At least bi-weekly. And then when you’re ready, I’ll take you with me, back to Steve.”

“Sorry about your wings.” Bucky says randomly, finding his posture more relaxed now. When did he relax? “I’d give you a new one if I could.”

The Falcon chuckles — wow, his smile is really pretty — and shakes his head. “All good, man. I got new ones. And don’t worry, I won’t carry you all the back to America. We have a Quinjet.” He stands up and walks up to Bucky, holding a hand out. “So, do we have a deal, Barnes?”

Bucky stares at Falcon’s gloved hand and gulps. He shifts his groceries to his left arm and shakes the hero’s hand with his real hand.

“Great. Now eat up, the pancakes are yours. I’ll see you in a few weeks.” The Falcon grins and opens the door to the balcony, activating his famous carbon wings.

“Wait.” Bucky calls out, placing his groceries down on the table. He gathers his thoughts for a second. “What’s your name?”

The Falcon beams. “It’s Sam. Sam Wilson.” He then nods his head at Bucky one last time and soars to the sky.

Bucky watches Sam until he’s too small to see.

Somehow, Bucky wishes that Sam had stayed longer, and he hasn’t felt that about someone for a while now.

send me a lyric prompt and i’ll write a sambucky fic!

#asks #sambucky #bucky barnes #sam wilson #captain america #winter soldier #the falcon and the winter soldier #lyric prompts #fic prompts #sambucky fic

32 notes · View notes

coraliix · 1 month

Text

North Wind | Lloyd x OC

Chapter 7: Collision pt.1

13.2k words (split in two posts)

Summary: Mari and Lloyd spend the day together. Tension snaps and confrontation occurs.

A/N: Jeez louise y'all. I did not expect this chapter to take so long nor the sheer size of it, but here we are.

Fun fact: chapters of this length cannot physically fit on a post (at least how I'm posting), hence why it's split in two.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

——————————

“Checking your phone every five seconds won’t make them get here faster, Mari.”

I looked up from my screen, where I had indeed been checking for any new messages from Lloyd. “I know that,” I scoffed at Skylor’s words. “I’m just making sure they get here alright.”

Skylor’s lips curled up in an amused grin as she continued closing the restaurant and got ready to head out. “They’ve come here a lot, you know. They’ll be okay.”

“I know that too,” I replied, an exasperated but affectionate smile gracing my features. Taking a seat at a table, I waited for Lloyd and his friends to arrive, leg bouncing rapidly.

She took note of that; I could tell. “You seem nervous to meet with them,” Skylor remarked, amusement filling her voice. “Or are these nerves directed more to a specific person?” she asked. Her eyebrows waggled suggestively, and I snorted at the sight — and at what she was implying.

“Definitely not in the way you're insinuating,” I quipped, feeling a slightly embarrassed flush rise on my face.

That did not help with deterring Skylor from thinking what she currently was, but that was fine. I didn’t care too much about explaining.

Truthfully, there was some merit to her idea, but it was simply that I found Lloyd attractive. I wasn’t necessarily attracted to him. Underneath the affection I held for Lloyd was a sense of understanding for his situation. It felt more like I related to him and empathized with him than held particularly romantic feelings.

(At least, that was what I told myself. To be completely honest, there was some attraction, but definitely not enough for me to act on and risk jeopardizing our friendship.)

There would be time later to reflect on those feelings. Probably.

Silence filled the restaurant’s calm atmosphere as I dwelled on these thoughts. Skylor didn't say anything to break it, and I thought back to a few days ago, when she had started asking me about the ninja. Her words about being honest and opening up echoed in my head.

“Oh, here they come,” Skylor said after a minute. We walked to the doors, stepping out and locking them behind us. “Hey guys,” she greeted, tucking her keys into the pocket of her coat.

They greeted the rest of us as well. Lloyd, sporting a ball cap under his green hood and a face mask, sidled up next to me and leant in to whisper, “Hi.”

My eyes dropped to his incognito attire, sadness flickering in them as I realized what their purpose was. “Hey,” I whispered back, unsure why we were being quiet but following his lead. Tracking Lloyd’s eyes back to Kai and Skylor, I soon understood why.

“Hello, handsome,” she said as she stepped closer to Kai and laced their hands together.

“Hey, beautiful,” he replied, eyes softening in a strange sight. Strange to me, at least. I’d only been around Kai once — certainly not enough for me to judge his character — but this soft side of him was starkly different from the sharp, defensive side of him I’d seen weeks ago that it gave me whiplash.

Everyone else rolled their eyes at the sweet exchange, but it was all in good humor.

“Ready to go?” Kai asked her, shivering slightly when a chilly gust of air swept through the streets.

“Mhm,” was Skylor’s answer. She turned to me, fixing me with a look that communicated the instructions she’d given me before we left. Behave. Be back home by midnight. Have someone drop you off. “Have fun,” was what she said out loud.

I gave her a smile and a nod in reply.

Satisfied, she hooked her arm through Kai’s, starting to turn away. “Have fun, you guys,” she repeated to everyone else. With that, Skylor and Kai headed off to who knows where for their date.

Everyone else turned away to quickly discuss the plan, but my eyes remained on the couple’s backs as they walked away.

Learning that Skylor had been dating Kai could have easily been one of my top ten most shocking moments — I’d almost thought she was joking when she’d casually mentioned it to me. But seeing their interactions made me realize that they really did fit well together.

“Everybody ready to go?” Jay rubbed his hands in excitement, clearly eager to head to the arcade the group had picked as the activity today.

Beside Jay, Cole shuffled closer to nudge him with an elbow. He gave Jay a pointed look.

“Oh!” Jay exclaimed, eyes widening in realization. He turned to me. “I forgot— I never really introduced myself. I’m Jay,” he said, offering me a wide smile.

I chuckled softly. “I figured. Nice to meet you, Jay,” I replied, returning his smile. “I guess I don’t have to introduce myself.” I sent Lloyd a grin, and he looked away with a bashful smile, scratching the back of his neck.

Jay laughed, glancing over at Lloyd with a smile full of mirth. “Nope. Lloyd’s definitely been talking about you enough to— Hey, ow!” His teasing was cut off by another elbow to his side; the offense came from Nya this time.

The action had me sending her a surprised look, eyebrows raising. No qualms about teasing Lloyd herself but stopping Jay from doing so?

Nya glanced at me, meeting my curious stare and seeming to read my thoughts. “It’s different when I do it,” she explained to me, to the confusion of everyone else.

A snort escaped me at the words, but I nodded. Part of the sibling experience — teasing them relentlessly but stepping in when others did it too.

It reminded me of Hideo and how sometimes I’d tease him about him having crushes or other unimportant things. The corners of my lips pulled down in a small frown.

Somehow Lloyd noticed this, and he lightly bumped his shoulder against mine. “You okay?” he asked in a hushed tone, brow knit with concern — though it was barely visible from under his cap. “Is being around all of us too overwhelming? I know you said you weren’t used to large groups. Do you want to go somewhere else?”

I glanced up at Lloyd. His concern warmed me. A small smile made its way onto my lips, and I shook my head. “No, it’s not that,” I reassured him. “Just remembering someone.”

He frowned at my vague answer, confusion seeping into his eyes. “Alright.”

“Are you guys ready to go?” Nya called over to us, linking her hand with Jay’s and stepping closer to him.

I blinked at the sight. “Uh, yeah,” I said. “I’m ready.” They nodded and led the way down the sidewalk to the arcade nearby. Turning back to Lloyd, who now walked beside me, I leaned in closer, lowering my voice. “Are Nya and Jay dating?”

Lloyd glanced at me when I leaned in closer, and he chuckled at my question before nodding. “Yep. For around two and a half years now,” he told me, matching my low volume.

“Aw, that’s nice. They look good together.” I glanced at them as they walked ahead of us, smiling at their joined hands. Lloyd nodded in agreement.

“So, have you been to this arcade before?” he asked after a minute of silence — between us, that is. The rest of the group chattered about anything and everything, though I hadn’t really been paying attention.

I shook my head. “Haven’t really explored the city at all, to be honest,” I admitted.

Lloyd gave a small gasp in faux indignation. “We can’t have that,” he said, putting on an affronted expression and placing a hand on his heart. “This must be remedied.”

I snorted at the posh tone he put on. “And how do you propose I do that?”

He shrugged casually. “By hanging out with me.”

His answer made me blink. My lips curved into a wide, amused smile. “Oh, really? You know all the good spots in Ninjago City?”

“The best spots,” he nodded solemnly.

Laughter bubbled from my lips at the sudden serious expression he put on. “Alright, I think I can clear my schedule for that,” I said. He smiled, looking at me through the corner of his eye.

——————————

Crossing the street, I saw the arcade just ahead of us. We entered the building and the dim lighting immediately washed us in electric blues and greens. There were a variety of games to play: driving simulators, shooting games, air hockey, wheels of fortune — you name it.

“Meet back up in an hour?” Zane suggested.

Everyone agreed, and soon we all went our separate ways. Lloyd stayed with me, which I was grateful for. We made our way to the counter to pay for card passes before strolling around the edge of the arcade, exploring the options.

“Any preference?” Lloyd asked beside me once we each got our own passes.

I surveyed the games available, spotting a flashy electronic dart board on one of the back walls. “I think I’ll take a crack at these,” I mused with a grin, striding over to confidently pick up a couple darts, weighing them in my hands.

“Darts.” Lloyd raised an eyebrow in question.

My grin turned roguish as my fingers felt around the small projectiles. Of course, they weren’t actually sharp — this was an arcade, after all, and there were kids around — but they felt hefty enough to be properly thrown.

“Just an old hobby of mine,” I replied. Another vague answer.

Maybe Lloyd would think I was weird by being so cryptic, but I couldn’t tell him the real reason why I wanted to start my game off strong by choosing darts. Maybe it was unfair to be playing a game I had an advantage in from illegal practices. Maybe.

Positioning myself just shy of the line, I steadied my stance and lifted my hand. The dart flew from my fingers as I whipped my arm down in a fluid arc.

It found its target. “Bullseye,” I declared with a grin, grabbing another dart. Sure enough, my next two throws were solid as well, soaring through the air and hitting the board with a thunk. A strip of tickets came out of the machine. I leaned down to pluck them out, proudly waving my reward to Lloyd.

His green eyes lit with amusement and slight surprise. “Impressive,” he remarked. “But you’re gonna have to do more than throw a few darts to beat me.”

I laughed. “I wasn’t aware this was a competition. But don’t worry about me,” I assured. “I’ve got more than one trick up my sleeve.”

“Hm,” Lloyd hummed, not looking worried.

We walked over to a racing game and swiped our passes over the machine, sliding into the seats.

“Interesting choice,” I commented casually.

Lloyd shrugged. “I like driving. Speaking of,” he said as the game started up. “I heard from Nya that you’ve driven a motorcycle before. What’s that about?”

“I could ask you the same,” I pointed out, setting my hands on the wheel and starting to steer my simulated racer down the track while I pressed a foot down on the pedal.

He laughed, shaking his head. “That’s fair. I learned when I was around 16, I think,” he told me, glimpsing at me through the side of his eye before returning his gaze back to the screen. “It was easier to get a motorcycle than a car.”

I gave him a perplexed look at that. Although that was the same as in my case, it was still unusual to hear about someone getting a motorcycle before a car. “I learned when I was 15,” I replied. “But I didn’t really start driving out in public until I was 16, too. License and all that,” I explained, turning the wheel sharply to the left.

Lloyd hummed in acknowledgement, making the turn with ease. “I guess we both grew up a bit different than most,” he said. “Teenagers don’t typically— dude, what!” he suddenly interjected. “How did you get ahead of me?”

A laugh burst from my lips and I peeked at him through the corner of my eye. “Guess you’re not— wait, how—” I cut myself off, gaping at the game.

The screens displayed a checkerboard finish line, reading ‘Winner! Player 1.’ On my screen, I was shown as placing second. Lloyd had somehow pulled ahead of me at the last second.

“What was that you were about to say?” Lloyd asked coyly, eyes gleaming with victory. If his mask wasn’t on, I would definitely see the smug grin he wore.

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. “Yeah, yeah, whatever. Good game,” I said with a huff.

He chuckled to himself, grabbing the tickets that appeared on his side of the ticket machine. One lone ticket came out of the machine on my side.

“Wow,” I laughed, head tilting back as giggles slipped from my lips. “One ticket! That is actually so hilarious.” I couldn’t stop laughing at the sight, the singular ticket compared to the 20 Lloyd received filling me with such bizarre amusement.

“A pity ticket,” Lloyd agreed solemnly with a nod. “What a shame.”

His serious expression did not help my laughter calm down. My stomach hurt from how hard I was laughing — it was strange. It wasn’t even that funny, yet I felt myself loosening up and relaxing.

Lloyd joined in my laughter after a second, eyes sparkling entertainingly. “Come on, second place,” he said after another minute, earning another chuckle from me, and rose from his seat. “Your pick this time.”

The laughter died down on my lips as I stood up. Deciding to just leave the ticket, I joined Lloyd at his side, scanning over other games we could play.

After another three rounds of me choosing a game followed by one of Lloyd’s picks — somehow, we were almost neck and neck with our amount of tickets, but Lloyd had slightly more — we spotted Cole and Zane at a boxing game and decided to join them.

“I hardly count this as fair,” Zane was saying to Cole as we got closer.

Cole shook his head, grabbing his tickets from the machine. “No way, man. I’m not even using my full strength right now. This thing would break if I did,” he teased, patting Zane — who didn't look pleased but conceded — on the back.

He looked like he was about to say more, but stopped when he saw us approaching. “Hey guys,” he said instead, smiling. “Having fun? Not beating Lloyd too hard at the games, are you?” he joked, aiming that last part at me.

“Ha-ha,” Lloyd deadpanned. “I’m actually in the lead with tickets right now.”

“Right now,” I repeated, sending him a side-eye glance. “We’re having fun, though.” Lloyd met my eye then, and smiled.

Cole nodded. “I’m totally beating Zane, too.”

“By a slim margin,” Zane corrected, raising his eyebrow. “And only because you’ve picked games that play into your skillset.”

Cole’s head tilted. “Isn’t that the whole point of this?”

A soft laugh left me at the exchange. “He’s not wrong. I’m doing the same,” I agreed with Cole. “Yet somehow, Lloyd is still beating me,” I huffed in faux annoyance.

“I’m just using the same strategy,” Lloyd shrugged, amusement playing on his features.

A round of laughs went around the group.

Taking a look at the clock on the wall, Cole nodded to the boxing game. “You guys gonna take a shot? Our passes are almost up, so you better hurry,” he said, stepping aside to make room if either of us wanted to play.

Lloyd glanced at me. I tapped a finger on my chin in thought. “I’ll have a go,” I replied, handing Lloyd the loops of tickets I’d amassed.

Scanning the pass on the machine, I waited for it to light up before taking a stance. A part of me was hesitant to take a punch. I didn't want to reveal my strength and raise any questions, but…

Oh, screw it. If I was being honest, I wanted to show off. Years of intense conditioning and training hadn’t made me weak, and if playing meant I’d beat that smug boy wearing green, I’d do it.

My fist cracked into the small speed bag. The screen displayed a number, which increased as I threw a few more blows onto the punching bag. The score racked up until the timer ran out, and I stepped back.

Although I didn't beat the previous high score — I imagined that one was Cole’s; it was too high for a buff guy like him to not have gotten it — I was pleased with my score. My lips curved into a small, proud smile.

“Not bad, kid,” Cole appraised the score. “You work out?”

“Something like that,” I answered, reaching over to get the tickets I earned. Another vague answer. I had to stop doing that.

Lloyd chuckled. “Full of surprises, aren't you?” he teased, crossing his arms. I sent him a playful wink.

“Are you gonna try, Lloyd?” I asked him as he handed over the rest of my tickets. “Because if we stop now, I’ll have beat you.” My lips spread in a smirk at the challenge, daring him to try.

He scoffed, crossing his arms again. “I don't want to show you up,” Lloyd taunted.

“Oh, really? You think you’ll do better than me? How about we make a bet?” I suggested. “If you get a higher score than me, I’ll give you half my tickets. But I bet you can’t,” I challenged, tucking my tickets into the crook of my arm as I crossed my arms.

Lloyd laughed. “You don't want to make that bet,” he promised. “Back me up here, guys.” He turned to Zane and Cole for backup.

“I don't know if you have what it takes, Lloyd,” Zane murmured, giving him a skeptical look. Cole snickered beside him.

“What? C’mon, guys,” Lloyd huffed.

My lips parted in a wide smile. “See? Not even they think you can beat me,” I teased. Zane and Cole chuckled, shaking their heads. “I’m just too strong.” I placed a hand atop my heart playfully.

Lloyd scoffed. “Watch this,” he announced, handing me his tickets and stepping up to the boxing game. The screen lit up as soon as he swiped his card over the scanner. Placing his foot slightly behind the other in a boxing stance, he swung a fist toward the bag.

The smirk dropped from my face, lips parting in surprise.

His fists pounded onto the speed bag. A right hook, left, uppercut — his hands moved almost too fast to perceive.

“Uh oh,” I laughed weakly as the scores on each of his hits added up for a total score surpassing mine.

The timer finished with a beep, and Lloyd stepped back from the machine, glimpsing at his score before his mouth curled into a smirk. He glanced at me, smirk growing when he saw the blatant shock on my face. I snapped my mouth shut.

“Looks like I owe you half of my tickets,” I managed to say after a second.

He laughed, eyes sparkling mischievously. “Keep them. Seeing that look on your face was all the reward I could want,” he teased, gently peeling his tickets away from my frozen hands. “I’ll see you at the ticket counter,” he said with a wink, walking away smugly.

Zane and Cole chuckled as he walked away, and I shot them an affronted glare. “You knew, didn’t you?” I accused them.

“I didn’t know he’d try that hard,” Cole defended with a laugh, lifting his hands in a placating gesture.

Zane nodded. “I didn’t anticipate it, either. I thought he’d go easy on you and let you win the bet,” he agreed.

My brows furrowed. “What? Why?”

The two shared a look.

“No reason,” Cole replied.

I squinted at them. I knew he was lying and that they knew something, but decided to drop it. It probably wasn’t too important.

“Alright,” I said, making sure I sent them a look that communicated they weren’t fooling me. A glance at the clock on the wall revealed that we had about a minute left of our passes. “We should probably group back up with the others,” I suggested, already starting to trail after Lloyd.

They followed behind me as I weaved through people, until I spotted Nya and Jay standing at the prize counter. I stepped up to them, feeling like I had forgotten something. Hm.

“Hey guys,” I greeted them. “Did you two have fun?”

Nya turned around to face me, a relaxed smile on her face. “Yeah! This was pretty chill. I’m glad you came with us, Mari.”

My lips curved into a smile. “Thanks, Nya. Me too. Cashing in on your prizes?” I asked curiously, glancing to where Jay was surveying the reward options.

She nodded, looking back at Jay to see him pick out a few pieces of candy and what looked to be a stuffed pickle. “For you, my favorite sea pickle,” he offered it to her, holding it up like it was the most precious thing in the world. It very well could’ve been, judging by the reverent expression on his face.

Nya burst into laughter, using a hand to cover her smile. “Aw, thank you, Jay,” she said, accepting it and giving it a hug.

My smile softened, heart throbbing at the two of them. They were so cute.

At that moment, someone stepped up beside me. Lloyd stood to my right, watching them with a fond smile. “They’re cute together, right?”

“The cutest. I think I’m going to faint over how cute they are.” I placed a hand over my forehead, pretending to look faint as I leaned onto Lloyd’s side.

Lloyd chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’ll catch you,” he promised me, hand gently circling my upper arm.

My heart skipped a beat at his touch, and I sank further into him. “I’m not worried,” I teased with a light smile, dropping my head back onto his shoulder.

He seemed to freeze at that, and I worried I’d made him uncomfortable. But then he cleared his throat. “That’s good,” he said, glancing away.

Was I imagining it or did his face redden a bit? It was hard to tell with his mask still on.

Zane and Cole joined us shortly after. They stared at how I leaned on Lloyd, and I straightened, pulling myself away.

Nya turned away from us to watch them approach. She glanced at the small pieces of paper in their hands — receipts, I realized. Then she looked to my hands, where I was still holding rows of tickets. “Did you forget to count your tickets?” she asked, a small smile on her face.

I blinked. “Oh.” That was what I was forgetting. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll come with you,” Nya said, and trailed after me.

Striding over to where the ticket counter machine was, I started inserting the various strips of bright orange tickets. Nya stood beside me.

“So,” she started, “that was something.”

I didn’t look up at her, instead keeping my focus on entering the tickets into the machine. “What was?” I asked innocently. Maybe if I pretended I didn’t know what she was talking about, she wouldn’t bring it up again.

Nya hummed skeptically. “That little display. You know, when you practically fell into Lloyd’s arms?” she said.

Inserting the last of my tickets, I let out a snort. “I didn’t fall into his arms. It was nothing. Just… lighthearted banter.”

She hummed again.

“Seriously, Nya. It was nothing,” I repeated.

“It didn’t look like nothing to someone,” she countered slyly, examining her fingernails.

I stared at her. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” she parroted my words, giving me a cheshire grin. “Just that a certain someone seemed to be a little flustered and flushed after a certain other someone leaned on them. But maybe that could be because the first certain someone was actually feeling warm. All those layers…”

She was starting to confuse me. “Okay, Nya,” I huffed out a laugh, shaking my head. We walked back to the counter, where Lloyd was conversing with the others. It looked very hush hush.

Jay spotted us approaching and jolted upright, arms flailing as he struggled to look nonchalant. “Oh, Nya, Mari. You’re back,” he said. “We were… doing nothing… important.”

I glanced at Lloyd, silently asking what was going on. He shrugged, looking away as if to say ‘nothing.’ My eyes narrowed in confusion. “Yep,” I told Jay. “We’re back.” Striding to stand next to Lloyd again, I turned to him. “What did your total ticket count end up being?” I asked him.

He coughed, glancing at the slip of paper. “455,” was his strained answer.

I tilted my head to the side, frowning with concern. “Are you okay? You sound a little… choked up.”

Lloyd cleared his throat again, scratching at the skin below his eye. “Yeah, no, I’m fine,” he assured me, but his reply was still a little forced.

Why was everyone being weird now?

“Right. I only got 421,” I told him, rereading the ticket receipt with a wince. “I don’t understand how you’re so good at these games.”

He seemed to relax at that. “Practice,” he revealed. “Lots and lots of practice.”

I chuckled. “Did you play lots of arcade games when you were younger?” I asked, staring up at him.

“Yep. It was the way I spent most of my time,” he explained.

“Then I never stood a chance,” I said, putting on an exaggerated expression of defeat. Lloyd laughed and apologized, but I smiled at him, shaking my head. “Today was fun, though.”

“For sure,” Lloyd agreed, looking down at me with a soft smile. “I’m glad you came.”

I returned his smile. “Me too.”

“Are you going to pick out any prizes?”

I brought my attention back to the various items held on display. A silver pegasus plush toy caught my eye, and I was tempted to get it, but held back. I noticed a bright green dragon plush next to it, and decided to get it for Lloyd.

“Could I get the stuffed green dragon?” I asked the person standing behind the counter. She nodded and handed me the plush after I gave her my receipt. I extended it to Lloyd. “For you. My favorite green dragon,” I said, giving him a wink as I mimicked Jay’s words from earlier.

Lloyd’s gaze dropped down to the stuffed toy in my hands before he accepted it with a soft laugh. “Thank you,” he smiled warmly.

Sometime when I had been choosing my prize, he had taken his face mask off, so now I could clearly see the warmth in his eyes and smile — as well as the barely-there dusting of pink on his cheeks. The sight made my knees weak.

“You’re welcome,” I replied, a similar smile gracing my lips.

“You guys are still here?” Jay asked suddenly.

I whipped around to look at him. “What do you mean?”

“Dude, we already left. I came back when we realized you hadn’t followed us outside.”

Pressing my lips together, I simply said, “Oh.”

“We’ll be out soon,” Lloyd told Jay, shifting the plush dragon in his arms. “I just… need to go to the bathroom.”

Jay gave him a look, but nodded. “You couldn't have gone earlier?” he mumbled under his breath as he left the arcade.

Lloyd turned back to me. “You can join the others. I’ll be right out,” he said.

“Okay.” I nodded, and made my way through the doors. It was starting to dim outside, sunlight gradually fading. The rest of the group stood a few feet outside of the arcade entrance, and I hurried to join them. “Hey,” I greeted them again.

“Sorry about that,” Cole apologized as I approached. “We didn’t realize you two were still inside.”

I waved his apology off with a hand. “It’s okay. We didn’t realize you left.”

“Where is Lloyd?” Zane questioned.

“He’s in the bathroom,” I replied, tucking my hands into my pockets. Zane nodded in acknowledgement. “Are we going anywhere after this?” I asked, making idle conversation. While talking about this hangout with Lloyd, I’d failed to ask if we were going to eat after or not.

“Probably just somewhere to eat,” Nya answered. “We were thinking some street food. Does that sound okay, Mari?”

I blinked, but nodded at her question. “Yeah, that sounds great!”

Nya smiled.

After another few moments, Lloyd came barreling out of the arcade, holding a plastic bag as he came to stand with us. “Sorry ‘bout that,” he apologized quickly, stuffing a hand in his pocket.

A chorus of accepted apologies sounded from the group.

“Are you coming to eat with us?” Lloyd turned to you, eyes lighting up in a hopeful expression.

“Yup,” I said, giving him a smile.

“Cool.” He nodded, returning my grin.

Everyone else started to lead the way to the street vendors we’d most likely head to, while me and Lloyd walked in the back.

“What’s in the bag?” I asked while the group was busy talking about something. I had a certain feeling Lloyd hadn’t brought it up while everyone was still looking at him because he didn’t want to bring everyone’s attention to it.

He glanced at me, before shuffling slightly closer, never once missing a step as we kept walking. He opened the bag to reveal the green plush I got him, as well as the silver winged horse I saw earlier. “I saw you were eying that silver pegasus earlier, so I wanted to get it for you. Y’know, since you got me that dragon toy. I didn't know whether to give it to you now or later,” he admitted, scratching at his cheek.

Warmth billowed into my face as I took in the bag that held the stuffed pegasus he got me — as well as how close he was standing. “Thank you, Lloyd.” I sent him a bright smile. “If you want, you can give it to me later, before I go back home.”

“Alright,” Lloyd said with a nod. He hooked the handles of the bag over his elbow and kept walking.

He didn't move away.

I hid my blush by keeping my eyes on the backs of the group.

Eventually, we arrived at a little plaza that held various street vendors selling all kinds of food. Some sold hot dogs, others had noodles, or sliders, falafel, tacos, etc — I surveyed the options and took my pick.

Once everyone else had their food, we found a little park bench tucked to the side of the plaza and sat down.

Lloyd sat to my right, his back facing the entrance of the square, while Nya was on my left. Jay sat across from her, with Cole next to him, and Zane was across from Lloyd.

No one really said anything, which was expected. We all focused on eating our own food.

It was a quiet moment, with everyone basking in the sun’s dimming rays, even as the fall weather beckoned a crisp wind to swirl around us. It was quiet, until it wasn’t.

“Is that Lloyd Garmadon? Look, it’s the Garmadork squad!” someone suddenly called behind us, to which others around them laughed. Everyone at the table stiffened. “Hey, who’s that with them?”

I was about to turn around to face them, but Lloyd stopped me by placing a hand on my back.

“Don’t,” he warned, glaring at them through the corner of his eye. “They’re from our school. If they recognize you, they’ll post about it online.”

“I don’t care about that,” I retorted.

“You will.” His voice was firm. He didn’t pull his hand away from my back. “Trust me.”

The corners of my lips pulled down into a frown, but when I looked to the rest of his friends to see what they thought about it, my heart dropped. Matching expressions of frustration and resignation weighing down their features.

“Seriously?” I stared. “You just take it?”

“There isn’t anything else we can do,” Jay mumbled. “At least anything that won’t prove the city right about Lloyd.”

Nya nodded, her eyes shifting in that same storminess from the first day of school, when she’d talked about how Lloyd was treated. “If we fight back or call them out, we prove everyone right. We prove that Lloyd is someone to be feared and cast out,” she said, anger making her look downright scary.

Silence followed from the rest of the group, but no such kindness was given from the other group of kids. They jeered at us, but didn’t come any closer. Lloyd’s hand tightened on my back at their insults.

The harassers saw this, and took no small amount of delight in calling it out. “Shit, that freak’s got a girlfriend,” one of them said to the others. “What kind of idiot would fall for him?”

Lloyd recoiled from me, pulling his hand away to stuff it in his pocket. Not much of his face was visible behind the golden strands of his hair, but I could still see the anger and shame burning in him at their words.

A similar pinprick of fury lit in me then, when I noticed the way Lloyd tensed beside me as they continued spewing their hurtful words.

“Look at him,” another person sneered. “He’s so ashamed. You should be! Tyrants don’t deserve to be happy!” they directed at him.

The words struck a chord in me, and I snapped.

Ignoring everyone’s shouts, I rose from my seat, pushing past Lloyd’s outstretched hand and making my way to the group of teenagers.

Look at her. Can you believe the audacity of a criminal to be out in public? She and her brother deserve to be outcasts — they’re dangerous.

Quiet fury burned in my veins, stirred hotter by the insults hurled my way as I approached.

“Damn, looks like the freak’s girlfriend is mad,” one of them snickered. As I got closer, one of the girls leaned closer to her friend to whisper, “Hey, isn’t that the new—”

All of them recoiled from me as I suddenly cracked my fist into one of the guys’ nose.

He crouched away from me, cradling his nose as blood gushed out of it. “What the hell?” he shouted, blood dribbling down his chin.

Around us, phones whipped out to record the fight, but I just shook my head in distaste. “Don’t be an asshole if you don’t want to get hit like one,” I told him, not bothering to hide the venom dripping from my voice.

The girl who’d recognized me whirled her phone toward me threateningly. “Stop! Go away!” she yelled. “You’re the new kid at Ninjago High, right? We’ll get you expelled!”

I scoffed out a dry laugh. “For what? Defending a friend from being harassed? I’m not on school grounds, and I could threaten you with the same,” I retorted before turning away.

A brief whistle of air was the only thing to alert me that the guy I’d punched was swinging at me. I veered to the left, feeling the air from his punch graze my arm as I dodged the blow. “You don't learn, do you?” I scowled, turning back to face him.

The guy shouted angrily before swinging again. His punches were messy, anger clouding his thoughts. I sidestepped them with ease.

“Just stop, before you hurt yourself,” I warned, grabbing his fist and spinning him around to fall onto the floor.

I crouched down next to him, not worried about being hit since he was out of breath and limp on the ground. “And just remember, your threats don’t scare me. Come after Lloyd again, and you don’t need to worry about fearing him — it won’t be Lloyd who will come after you,” I whispered next to him, my voice low enough that only he could hear.

With that, I rose from my feet and walked away. I ignored the looks on everyone’s faces as I got to the bench and swiped my food wrapper from the table. “Thanks for today. I had fun,” I said and turned away without meeting their eyes. “And I’m sorry.”

I left before they could stop me, grimacing at the silence as I walked off. I’d definitely wrecked whatever friendships I was starting to have with them.

“Dammit,” I cursed myself once I was across the street from the plaza. No one had followed me. I didn’t know whether to be glad or feel miserable because of that fact.

“Things were going well, but you had to screw that up, didn’t you?” I muttered under my breath, frustration and shame heating my face up and bringing stinging tears to my eyes. “You got a brand new start, and you just had to ruin it.”

Even though it was only around five, it was getting increasingly darker as I made my way back to the apartment, one hand clenched around the key in my pocket while the other remained free, in case something happened.

I was breaking one of Skylor’s rules; no one was walking me home. Then again, I’d already broken the “behave” rule, so it wasn’t like this was my only transgression.

Nevertheless, I found myself keeping a watchful eye on my surroundings. I would not let my emotions make me an easy target.

A rustle came from behind me, quiet enough where I wouldn’t have heard it if not for the heightened hearing my whisps allowed. It was a human, by the sound of it. Male. Tall.

“Hell no,” I grumbled under my breath, walking faster. Hell if I was going to end up kidnapped or killed because I had been stupid enough to let my emotions get the better of me earlier and effectively cut off the friends that could’ve dropped me off.

I crossed the street suddenly, testing to see if I really was being followed. A few seconds passed and the man didn’t cross over to my side. I was ready to dismiss it as paranoia, but then he crossed, subtly. Pulled out his phone as if looking at directions. I scowled.

Okay, time for test number two.

These parts of Ninjago City, the parts not as close to Skylor’s apartment building, weren’t yet familiar to me where I was comfortable enough to split off public roads into alleys, but there didn’t feel like much else of a choice. I had to shake him.

Keeping a careful watch on the man with my whispers, I headed down a tight alleyway that should’ve still led to the direction of the apartment.

It felt like the man finally realized I was aware of him following me, because his pace sped up, anxious to catch up to me. My heart started beating faster, but I forced myself to keep calm. Panic would not help me now.

Walking wasn’t proving to be enough to shake him off, so when I spotted a wall I could climb up, I quickly hoisted myself onto a ledge and pulled myself over to lay flat on the connecting roof.

Placing a hand over my mouth, I waited for the man to pass the wall I’d scaled, tracking him with my whisps until he was far enough away where he wouldn’t find me again. I slid down the wall, landing silently. Skylor’s apartment wasn’t too far now, and I hurried to get there.

Once I reached the familiar glass door, I breathed out a sigh of relief. I buzzed myself in and climbed up the steps to get to our floor. Now safely inside the locked apartment, I strode over to the couch and collapsed on the cushions.

“That was way too close,” I mumbled into the cushions. If I had been any more distracted, something bad could’ve happened.

I silently resolved to explore more of the city. That would never happen again. Not on my watch.

Exhaustion suddenly came over me, weighing down my eyelids. I let them drift shut, feeling my muscles go limp as I sank further into the couch.

——————————

It was a fitful nap. No dreams or memories, but rest was elusive as smoke.

The sound of a lock being opened and a doorknob rattling open stirred me awake, and I squinted as I slowly lifted my head from the couch to peer at the sound’s origin.

Skylor walked through the door. Light from the hallway backlit her as she entered, laughing softly.

Kai trailed in after her. He was leaning in like he was about to kiss her.

I coughed loudly, clearing my throat to announce my presence before I witnessed something I’d want to burn from my memory.

The two startled at my cough, with Skylor staring at me as Kai frowned.

“Mari? What are you doing here?” she asked, peeling herself away from Kai — who’d started to take off his jacket — to walk over to the couch. “It’s still early, why aren’t you with the n— with your friends?”

I tilted my head at her slipup but looked away when I processed her question. “No reason,” I lied, tucking my knees to my chest and leaning against the couch’s back.

Skylor frowned at the obvious lie. “Did someone walk you back home?”

“No,” I murmured, already feeling tired of where the conversation was going.

“Why not? Did something happen?”

At that, Kai looked up from where he’d been kneeling to take his shoes off. Suspicion and mistrust flared in his eyes as he stepped closer. “What did you do?” he demanded.

I bristled at his words. “I didn’t do anything,” I scowled, but then my anger faded away as quick as it had lit, replaced by shame. “Not to them.”

Alarm flashed in Skylor’s expression. “What happened?” she repeated. I didn’t miss the way her eyes carefully scanned my person for any injuries.

“I…” Hesitation made the words drift away.

“Did you hurt them?” Kai butted in again, still not letting it go.

Skylor turned to him with a disappointed frown. “Kai.”

“No, I want to know,” Kai whipped to face her, anger burning in his eyes. But underneath that anger, some other emotion was present. It looked like panic, or protectiveness.

“I didn’t hurt your friends,” I told him firmly.

Kai looked back at me, doubt permeating his expression. Skylor’s slight worry turned into concern as she noted the way I called them Kai’s friends, not mine.

“Mari, what happened?”

I sighed, looking away as guilt displayed itself on my face. “Some jerks were harassing Lloyd while we were out eating. I… punched one of them.”

The two looked taken aback. Slight respect cut through the fog of Kai’s mistrust, but it was quickly replaced by frustration. “You punched someone?” Kai hissed. “Why would you—” He took a moment to calm himself. “Look, it’s great and all that you wanted to defend Lloyd, but you do know that you’re just proving to the whole city that he — and everyone he associates himself with — is violent, right?”

“I know!” I snapped. “I just— maybe you didn’t know before, but I know what it’s like being an outcast in society. So when those assholes started spewing their crap, I just lost it, okay? I didn’t mean to hurt Lloyd more by punching the guy. And it won’t happen again.”

Kai barked out a laugh. “Believe me, I know about you,” he said. That made me narrow my eyes. “I know all about how you were shunned because you were related to a criminal. That means you should’ve known better,” he reprimanded harshly. My blood went cold when he mentioned my past. “Because guess what? If those people post about what you did online, Lloyd’s reputation is gonna be even worse!”

“You think I don’t know that?” I retorted, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I can’t go back in time and stop myself from doing it, but I promise that it won’t happen again.”

“Oh yeah?” Kai scoffed. “How can I trust the promise of Ikarashi’s niece?”

Once again, my blood froze when Kai spoke.

“How do you know that name?”

My voice was barely audible to my own ears, so it was a wonder Kai heard it. However, it seemed he hadn’t meant to say those words out loud, because he slammed his mouth shut when he realized his slip.

“What name?” He put on a look of confusion, one that I didn’t buy for a second.

“Don’t play dumb,” I snarled. “You just said you knew that I was related to a criminal, but you shouldn’t know who.”

He didn’t answer, but his face said it all.

“You looked into my past, didn’t you?” I breathed out, laughing dryly as I looked away from him. “You… What are you gonna do now, huh? Now that— now that you know Lloyd’s friend is the niece of a yakuza crime boss? Are you gonna banish me from seeing him? Report me to the police?” I goaded him, eyes glinting with dark amusement, daring him to try something.

Kai’s face darkened with barely concealed rage. Skylor’s silence during our discussion didn’t go unnoticed by me.

“Whatever you do won’t be more than I’ve already gone through, I can assure you of that,” I told him, wiping the bitter smile off my face to scowl at him instead.

Sudden understanding dawned on Skylor’s face.

Kai sneered, fists clenching at his sides. “Maybe I will! You’re more of a danger to Lloyd than I thought,” he muttered quietly, his threat making a small pinprick of fear pierce my heart.

“No, you won’t,” came Skylor’s firm reply.

Both of us whipped around to stare at her.

“Why not?” Kai argued. “Do you see her right now? Did you hear her? If she keeps being around Lloyd, she’ll bring more of the police’s attention onto him when he’s done nothing wrong!”

“Have you forgotten who your girlfriend is?” Skylor countered. “I’ve done worse than what she did. Chen was my father. Do you think I deserve to be in jail because of that?”

Kai sighed, almost running a hand through his hair, but stopping just shy of the brown locks. “That’s different!”

“How? How is it any different?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“You’re didn’t— you were never—”

“Yes, I did, and yes, I was,” Skylor interrupted. “I was completely complicit in his illegal fighting arenas and in his other crimes. I was fully aware of it and didn’t feel any remorse.”

Silence met her words as Kai begrudgingly accepted her argument.

“I don’t know if Mari was involved in her uncle’s crimes, but regardless, she left that part of her past behind. She came here to get away and have a fresh start at life,” she finished.

Surprise lit my eyes at her words. Skylor glanced at me, nodding her head in understanding. “I know, Mari. I figured it was why… I see myself in you, you know.” Guilt suddenly washed over me, the memory of my hidden mask burning me with shame.

Turning back to Kai, Skylor jutted a finger into his chest. “And damn it if I’ll let her second chance be taken away from her. I got my second chance — do not take away hers.”

No one said anything after that last line.

“Fine,” Kai eventually huffed. “I won’t report her to the police.”

Skylor raised an eyebrow at him.

He sighed, grumbling under his breath and reluctantly turning to face me. “And I won’t banish you from seeing Lloyd. But I’m warning you: do anything to hurt him, and you’ll wish you never came to Ninjago City.”

Skylor didn’t look too happy with the second part of Kai’s sentence, but she nodded. She was probably thinking the same thing as me: that it was Kai’s way of protecting Lloyd. The same way she was protecting me.

“Thanks,” I said to Kai, making an effort to meet his apology with less hostility. “But I doubt Lloyd wants to be my friend anymore, anyway.”

“Fine by me,” Kai muttered. He yelped when Skylor elbowed him.

“Come here,” Skylor said to Kai, pulling him by an arm to the kitchen, out of my earshot — or at least what it should’ve been if I’d been a normal person. But I had no desire to listen in on their conversation, so I ensured the whispers stilled around them so I wouldn’t overhear anything.

Without my enhanced hearing, I could barely hear the hushed tones they spoke in. But watching them was enough to gauge what they were saying.

As they came to some sort of an agreement, Kai leaned down to peck Skylor on the lips before he pulled his jacket and shoes on and left. As the door clicked shut, Skylor sighed before turning to look at me.

“Me and you are going to have a talk,” she said, her tone leaving no room for debate. But with a glance at the clock on the wall, she sighed once more. “Tomorrow.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

Skylor nodded at my agreement and turned to head into her room. “Goodnight, Mar.”

“Goodnight,” I replied, watching her enter the room and shut the door. With a sigh, I eventually got up from the couch to walk into my own bedroom, closing the door with a click and collapsing onto my bed. I didn't bother changing out of what I was dressed in — it wasn't uncomfortable enough to be a priority, not when the day’s exhaustion had worn me down so easily.

My phone buzzed with a notification from where I’d placed it on the nightstand. I turned on ‘do not disturb’ and flipped it over. With my luck, it’d be a text from Lloyd, either saying he didn't want to be my friend or asking me to talk to him about what happened.

I couldn't deal with either of those things right now.

Besides, tomorrow was Sunday. I still had a day to think through what happened and process how I was feeling before I dove into a big discussion with Lloyd and his friends.

But you and Skylor are going to talk tomorrow, too, I reminded myself. Ah, yes. Another thing to add to my laundry list of handling the mess that was my life.

Thankfully, sleep came easily this time. It only took a few seconds to drift into unconsciousness.

——————————

Previous | Next

#lego ninjago #lloyd garmadon #lloyd garmadon x oc #ninjago fic #lego ninjago fanfiction #ninjago x oc #coracal's fics: north wind

6 notes · View notes

best-underrated-anime · 7 months

Text

Shows that may still be removed from the tournament

Copying the shows under Pending from this list and pasting them here to highlight them.

If these shows don’t remove their pending status before October 16 8pm EST, they will be removed from the tournament.

If no reason is stated, then that submission simply had insufficient/unconvincing propaganda.

Crossed-out items are those that have been edited and nothing else needs to be done. They are now allowed into the tournament.

Astra: Lost in Space

Cap Kakumei Bottleman DX - Propaganda contains too many spoilers and needs revision. Also lacks triggers

Charlotte - Putting this back in pending after reviewing the propaganda—it’s too short and not so convincing

Hinamatsuri - Propaganda tells too much about what happened in the show, and I can’t tell if they’re considered spoilers or not.

Kemurikusa - Propaganda may contain spoilers (To submitter: The last part about Earth seems spoilery)

Kyousou Giga - I had initially accepted the propaganda despite it being too short, but since the show also lacks any statement on trigger warnings, that makes it have two deficiencies. Might as well move it to pending.

Meganebu - insufficient/unconvincing propaganda and lacks triggers

Planetarian - Propaganda too short. Also lacks triggers.

Plastic Memories - There is enough propaganda for it to be included, but I’m still waiting for someone to submit something more substantial about it. Also lacks triggers.

Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live - Submitter might’ve shared too much about the drama in the show, spoiling it for others.

Requiem of the Rose King - I initially accepted this despite having such short propaganda, but then I realized it would be unfair to make an exemption for it when I didn’t for the others…

Sora yori mo Tooi Basho/A Place Further Than The Universe - To submitter: Is the part about one character grieving (implying that someone died) something we should know? Or is that a spoiler?

Vatican Miracle Examiner

Propaganda that needs revision can be edited by the submitter on the GForm. Others may also make a new submission with their own propagand for it to be accepted.

If, for some reason, the original submitter cannot edit the GForm, then the updated propaganda may be sent to me here via ask or DM.

Pasting this from the FAQ as well:

Should I submit an entry or submit an appeal?

Submit an Entry

for shows not yet submitted, as listed on the Tentative List of Submissions

for shows that are already on the Tentative List of Submissions but you want to add your own propaganda for it. (Multiple submissions for the same show is okay!)

for non-submitters wanting to edit propaganda of shows under the Pending category in the Tentative List of Submissions due to having unconvincing/insufficient/spoilery propaganda. Your submission will be counted as a propaganda revision in this case.

Submit an Appeal

only for shows that have already been submitted, as listed on the Tentative List of Submissions

when you disagree on an Accepted/Pending show being included in the tournament

when you disagree on a Pending/Rejected show being excluded from the tournament

in reply to another user's appeal.

If you want your appeal to be anonymous, open the link below in an incognito tab:

https://best-underrated-anime.tumblr.com/submit

#updates #astra: lost in space #kanata no astra #astra lost in space #cap kakumei bottleman dx #kemurikusa #kyousou giga #meganebu #planetarian #plastic memories #pretty rhythm: rainbow live #pretty rhythm rainbow live #sora yori mo tooi basho #a place further than the universe #vatican miracle examiner #long post #requiem of the rose king

3 notes · View notes

louwhose · 1 year

Text

louwhose art masterlist

Instagram | Drawing tag

Commissions

STUPIDLY PRETENTIOUS

The Legend of Zelda

Fable/Legend DTIYS, Idiot hair Link, Heaven's DTIYS, Twi's Skyrim AU, Minish Cap Beginnings, ALBW Rumors, ghost link/ witch zelda, LU camping, ladye’s daybreak, lively bunch, LOZ sketch dump

Breath of the Wild

Zelda in Shining Armor (my comic)

Zelink Week 2022: One Last Look, Age, Rainy Day, Statue, Sparring, Rituals, Healing

Swords and Storms Cosmere Inktober: Puppet, Weapon, Glass, Chains, Flame, Miscreant, Lantern

Link, Link but in a cool pose, March of the Koroks, Zelink Reunion, Zelink braids, Divine Zelda, Champions meme, Zelink in Gerudo outfits, Calvin and Hobbes Zelda and Link, Zelink kiss comic, Tebasaki Tackle, You are my Sunshine, "Pure" friends, Stained glass monster, Speedrunning a century meme, Anne AU, Swords and Storms AU, S&S incognito, Zelda pixie cut, Zelink reunion redraw, Witch Zelda, Fall Under Your Spell, Battle & Overgrown, Halloween Scholomance AU, I’m Not That Girl, Link would be best dad, Christmas zinc, link_inofficial, The Fallback Plan DTIYS, Physical Touch for Keik, Redraw, Loftwing Letters Zelink, Down Bad Christmas Link, OoT Parallels, Written in the Stars, chrsmsmsmss, Redraw (again)

Tears of the Kingdom

"BotW 2" with BACKGROUND, Dramatic BoTW 2 Link, Feral Link BoTW 2 prediction, BotW 2/ LOTR animation, After the announcement, Ghost, After February Trailer, Journey, Save Him, B’s DTIYS, fond goodbye

Ocarina of Time

Starting struggles, Zelink meet CUTE

Play-by-play sketchdumps: first, second, third + Shink, fourth, final

Expression meme: Link, Sheik, Golden Trio

smol zelink, Ending sad, OoT/ Stormlight, OoT 24th anniversary, 100% cannon secret marriage mistletoe kiss, Skipping Stones | Zelinktines Day 20: Meet Cute, OoT Zelink flangst, Zelink/Deku Mountain Greek inspired, Impertinence, BoTW Parallels, butch impa, wedding shink, magical girl, shink kiss, 200 DTIYS, masks, Sheik-xedo mask, fireboy and water girl

Skyward Sword

Zelink at the start of the game, Groose on the surface hehe, Link with Nightblood, Loftwing Sunset, Sky sandals, Zelink hug, Play with Me, angy link, sweet DTIYS entry

Wind Waker

telink redesign, ocean adventures, Watery Smile, fancy goth vibes telink, recruit uniforms

Spirit Tracks

Hand holding, birds

Dwight in Shining Armor

Expression memes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Shining Smooch Week 2023: Yesterday, Marigold, Crown, Gothic, Heart, Wanderlust, Hero

Dwetta, A kiss like fireworks, Dwetta christmas, Baldric’s Koi fish, Sir Dwight, gotta kill this guy meme, Cow Advocate

Cosmere

Swords and Storms Cosmere Inktober: Puppet, Weapon, Glass, Chains, Flame, Miscreant, Lantern

Rithmatist characters, Vin, Fancy Vin, Vin and Elend flirting, Melody + Icecream, Link with Nightblood, Miraculous / Stormlight Crossover, Swords and Storms AU, S&S incognito, OoT/ Stormlight, Soaring through the mists

Other

Hamin's Flower (Seasons of Blossom), Totally not a king Hesho (Starsight), That dallymart scene in turning red, Yona and Shirayuki, The spy family!!, Anya Smirk/punch (SPY x FAMILY), Anya Peanuts (SPY x FAMILY), Scholomance The Last Graduate vibes, Sesshomaru, TwiYor snuggles, Goblin, El and Orion <3 (Scholomance), FMAB Expression meme, Cecil (Answer Me, My Prince), Edwin, Defiant, slugs and delvers, Wonka, Volo and Akari, Ides of March, Apothecary diaries, Normal jk mafuyu, sketch dump

My Stuff

Fantasy OC???, Witch, Villainess Idiots (OCs), Mermaid Unicorn, Villainess Expression Meme OCs, sky island dragon

#masterlist #lou draws #for the record my distinction between botw 2 and totk is whether it was drawn before the trailer or not #you may laugh at some of these names but believe it or not I put more effort into these than my file names #note to self: last updated 04/12/2024

15 notes · View notes

sitting-in-the-corner-i-haunt · 1 year

Text

so if everyone’s dressing as taylor for her shows can i go as joe alwyn (incognito version) ???

i’m a man on a mission and i just need a cap and a cup 🫡

#i just need a taylor by my side #literally me and who #the eras tour #taylor swift & joe alwyn adopt me please

11 notes · View notes

lothirielswan · 1 year

Text

"Your Cold, Black Illidad Heart"

Continue Dear Prince Dandelion here.

Quest Objective: Don't break Time.

— KHADGAR’S QUARTERS —

“You won't be joining us tonight?” Khadgar and Kalec wore matching looks of disdain. They seated themselves at a round table dominating Khadgar’s lounge. Lavender and rosy candlelight dyed the room in cool tones. Neat stacks of chips and cards magically arranged themselves before the mages, specially prepared for our beloved Poker Night.

“She’s ditching us. For a date,” Kalec mused.

Khadgar sighed heavily. “They grow up so fast. Thank goodness you’re not going anywhere, Kalec. Are you sure you’re going out in that, dear?”

“What’s wrong with this?” I looked down at my clothes. Unlike the two mages adorned in bathrobes and matching slippers, I didn’t wear Poker Night garments. A black trench coat with thigh-high boots made of onyx serpent scales completed my incognito look (all items hand-picked by Wrathion; he prided himself on dressing the family to perfection).

Khadgar bit his lip. “For a first date—”

“It's not a date, Khadgar.” I corrected, hoping my voice was more convincing than my thoughts.

“If it's after seven, it's a date. And you put on lip gloss.” Khadgar’s eyes narrowed.

“Chapped lips are an enemy of us all.” I countered, smoothing my coat down for the third time.

“Regardless, be careful at night. Hooligans are always abound,” Khadgar sighed as he plucked his flask from his breast pocket. “And tell Anduin I say hi.”

My eyes widened in dismay. I hadn't mentioned Anduin’s name.

“Ah, yes. This family’s obsession with blond humans continues.” Kalec’s voice was dull now that he was condemned to a low-attendance family outing. “Speaking of, I wonder if Wrathion will show.”

Wrathion hadn't shown his face yet tonight. I doubted he would after his spat with Illidan. The possibility of Illidan’s appearance was also low. Chromie, however, had yet to arrive.

I passed a bookshelf full of Khadgar’s steamy romance novels on my way out. The books levitated, cataloging themselves in order of Khadgar’s progress with them. I frowned as I caught the glint of empty stamina elixir bottles behind the shifting books.

“I’ll be on my way,” I called out as I clasped the doorknob. I looked over my shoulder at Kalec, hoping he would monitor the Archmage’s cravings . “If Khadgar falls down, please call for help.”

Khadgar groaned at the old man joke as I opened the door. “Have a good night—”

“Hi there!” I looked down just in time to spot Chromie in the doorway. She was the mastermind of our poker nights. The bronze dragon usually adorned herself in a bathrobe printed with colorful murlocs, a green cap and goblin shades (Chromie had a flair for the dramatics). Unease fell upon me as I noticed these items missing from her person.

“I’m so glad I got here in time to run into you, Eona! May I…speak with you?” Chromie’s smile flickered. If the woman who knew the future couldn't fully smile, something was terribly wrong.

I glanced back at Kalec and Khadgar. They hadn't noticed the tension in the air. I kept my voice light, “Outside, or here?”

“Let’s step out for a minute.”

Red alarms wailed in my head. I nodded, softly shutting the door behind me. I dreaded whatever news Chromie carried tonight.

The halls of the Violet Citadel were empty, save sighs from the endless spiral staircase of the tower of the hiss of hearthstones behind closed doors. Orbs of arcane magic flickered in their wall sconces, allowing flashes of the burgundy wallpaper. Shadows danced across Chromie’s face.

“How bad?” I asked warily. I had assisted Chromie in the past with tending to time anomalies. My mother had left the red dragonflight to join the bronze dragons, but I didn't pursue the Timekeepers for her legacy. My allegiance was to Chromie, who helped me escape the soulless abyss that lurked beyond the Dark Portal. I owed Chomie my life.

“Stratholme.” Chromie whispered. I flinched at the term. Our code word for the very worst.

“The Caverns of Time were raided recently…” Chromie’s light, fairy-like voice was void of the bright assurance that always laced her words.

A break-in. Someone took an important relic, perhaps? Changed the course of history? I glanced down the hallway, confirming it was empty before we continued to trade whispers, “What’s the damage? Was something stolen?”

“More like…someone.” Chromie shuddered at memories I couldn't see. “We’ve never had an instance like this before. Usually intruders go for artifacts or seek to alter an event, but this time…I’m coming to you with this problem because I know you’re the only person who won't kill him on sight.”

“Who?”

Chromie’s small fists clenched at her sides. “You’ll know him when you see him. He’s not from…around here.”

Him? I wondered why Chromie wouldn't dare speak the name of who was kidnapped from time, but there was no guarantee who was watching. Someone could travel back in time to witness this very moment that we shared. I nodded obediently without further utterance.

“There’s something else,” Chromie said quietly. She was wringing her fingers as she spoke. She had never done so before. “I sense something big. Someone else has entered the fray. Their presence makes the future…wobbly. Unpredictable. I’m not going to be a lot of help, I’m afraid, but keep an eye out for whoever might be tampering with things.”

“It will be taken care of.” I assured her. My words were stronger than my resolve. Two new threats loomed on the rise, and I didn't know a single thing about them. Not even a name.

“Thank you. Be careful, please! I’ve got a terrible feeling about all of this.” Chromie stepped to the side, allowing me to pass. “Enjoy your outing, Eon. Hopefully it all goes according to Time itself…”

“Thanks, Chromie. Be merciful on them tonight,” I bowed my head in the direction of Kalec and Khadgar.

The playful light in Chromie’s eyes reappeared. “Mercy is not the trait of a winner!”

I left Chromie behind and finally began my trek to Anduin. Our chosen meeting place was Antonidas’s statue. The rendezvous ahead would be a delightful distraction from the dark objectives of the future.

Regardless of night’s reign, Dalaran was awake, stretching its many white chocolate limbs towards the stars. Silhouettes gathered on rooftops to throw fireworks at the jeweled sky. Bards roamed the streets in lamplight, strumming a tune as they traveled from inn to inn. Every tavern I passed teased me with the scent of roasting meats and sweet wine. It really is a nice atmosphere for a date—which is completely irrelevant…! But it would be wonderful.

I passed a row of closed shops when a hand covered my mouth from behind. They pulled me into the shadows.

Hooligans are always abound, Khadgar’s voice taunted in my head.

Foreshadowing hardly registered from the swift assault. In a smooth motion, I pulled an electric crystal from my coat and jabbed it against my attacker’s chest. Sparks crackled in the night.

“Play nice,” A deep voice murmured in my ear.

I stopped struggling. The kidnapper removed his hand from my frowning mouth. I huffed as I turned to face him, “Khadgar was right. You really suck at parenting.”

Illidan ignored my comment. We stood alone in the narrow street between closed establishments.

“I require your assistance,” Illidan said. His voice was the embodiment of night; each word was a velvet purr like the ruffle of silk sheets in a dark bedroom. There was a subtle growl beneath the sultry; a predator stalking slumbering prey.

“Sorry, I’m not available tonight. Someone’s expecting me,” I started to turn from him. There had been enough obstacles on my way to see Anduin tonight.

Illidan’s claw fell upon my shoulder. Against my will, I faced the demon hunter once more. His wings fluttered with irritation. “This is not a request.”

I glanced back down the road. Guards were coming around the corner. They were ordered to retain Illidan on sight for escaping the Purple Parlor.

“Is there any way to postpone this?” I pleaded.

“No.”

“Is it quick?”

“It would be quicker if you put an end to your queries.” Illidan snapped.

My shoulders slumped. The urge to see Anduin was ebbing to disappointment. What would happen if I didn't show? Would Anduin assume I ditched him? Pain racked my chest at the thought.

Something in my face must’ve altered Illidan’s approach. The edge in his voice had lessened, “I made a discovery that might thwart the Legion’s progress across the cosmos. Their demise is still a desire of yours, I assume.”

My nails dug into my palms at the mention of the cosmic terror. I witnessed Illidan battle the endless army of demons throughout my childhood. The Legion had drained the life out of my homeland and consumed my father. Hatred for demons had a special place in my black heart, but I didn't let it control my life like the former night elf before me.

“What did you find?” I said.

“Join me,” With a gesture of his claws, a portal burbled into existence.

Footsteps of guards beat upon the cobblestone around the corner. Illidan looked at me. I was to go first.

I sighed and stepped forward. Fel energies curled around my body, eating at my skin like acid. I’m sorry, Andy.

The fel portal groaned as I emerged on the other side. The bitter magic lingered on my flesh like an unwanted touch. Rain tapped my nose from above.

I squinted up at the steel wall of clouds. The green of the trees was a dull olive without the presence of an astral body in the sky. Rainfall dripped from thin branches, sloped into submission against the constant downpour.

Illidan appeared behind me. A cold separate from the climate settled under my skin as I recognized our surroundings. “Why are we in Gilneas?”

With a single step of Illidan’s hooves, ravens fled the branches above us. Most animals regarded Illidan as a powerful predator not to be crossed. Black feathers and rain cascaded from the sky as Illidan stalked through the woods.

“Because no one else is. It was deemed unsafe by the summit from use of toxic chemicals,” Illidan’s lip curled in amusement as if such harmful substances were child’s play.

Toxic chemicals. The invasion of Gilneas. Sylvanas released the blight. My hands instinctively wrapped around my throat.

Illidan paused to look back at me and glare. “The fumes have long died off. Fel poisoning on Outland was a far greater threat than an over-glorified pesticide.”

“In the scenario you just created, the pests are humans!” I hissed.

“I stand corrected.”

Slowly, I unclasped my hands from my throat and inhaled deeply for the first time. Wet moss and fresh downpour were all I could detect.

Illidan waited until I had caught up with him to continue our brisk hike through the forest. He lifted one of his wings, shielding me from the sky’s tears.

“So, how does…whatever this is stop the Legion?” I asked him.

“He’s strong.” Illidan was reluctant to utter the compliment. “He also has intelligence that no other being possesses.”

“He? ”

The trees gave way to a clearing. At the center, an abandoned hunting lodge was buried in overgrowth. The roof slouched against the onslaught of droplets and flourishing silverleaf. A chicken coop squatted in front of the house, the rusted iron netting overrun by weeds.

Mud sucked at the soles of my shoes as the grass kept its distance from the property. I glanced at Illidan as we passed the chicken coop. “You’re not nesting, are you?”

“You are one of the few that I allow to give questionable commentary.” Illidan remarked.

“Because it warms your cold, black Illidad heart?”

“Never refer to me with that putrid term again!” Illidan flashed his teeth as he sneered in disgust. “I hold sentiment for no one. But you’re the last remnant of my most trusted and powerful allies from Outland.”

I swallowed a lump in my throat. It was rare for Illidan to speak of our past on Outland. Few beings were left from that part of our lives. And those that died were nothing but monsters from a nightmare long past to everyone else.

“You’re father’s betrayal aside,” Illidan added.

“You had to sneak that in there, didn't you?”

We stood at the entrance to the house. Illidan’s brows furrowed, “I take no joy in this. Your assistance is necessary for his livelihood…you are the only one who won't kill him on sight.”

My head snapped towards him. Hearing Chromie’s words out of Illidan’s mouth had the sinking feeling of a prophecy. Unavoidable. Set in stone.

“What did you do?” I whispered.

Illidan pushed the door open. My eyes fell upon the face of my mother’s best friend. A man that I had killed years ago. Another monster from a living nightmare.

Arthas.

Continue Dear Prince Dandelion here.

8 notes · View notes