#tld grey mother

[donner-mathis-official]

Swap AU make my pea-sized brain ping around my head like one of those brick breaker games.

Mathis was on a flight to Great Bear to visit his son in prison. He booked a flight with Archer Remote Transport, flying with a serious woman named Molly who doesn’t seem to particularly like him. Their plane goes down, and he finds himself in a quiet apocalypse.

Molly is a pilot who hunts in her spare time. After her husband died in mysterious circumstances, she’s generally regarded with suspicion by the people around her, and it weighs heavily on her.

Astrid is a doctor in the small town of Thompson’s Crossing. Shes taken over the community centre as a clinic. She would go out and search for crash survivors, but the people here need all her attention.

Mackenzie is a convict who recently got transferred to Blackrock. After one of his guys, a stern man named Jeremiah, got sent here, he got himself sent up to break him out. By the time he reached the prison, that had already happened, so he started searching the island for someone who could get them off it.

Heller takes Jeremiah’s position almost exactly.

Jace takes Methuselah’s position, but isn’t quite as cryptic about it and instead speaks in scientific terms that leave Mathis like “please have mercy I got a C in high school physics”.

Lilith Barker takes Jace’s place, ensuring that Donner doesn’t escape. She was climbing Blackrock mountain when the first flare happened, and when she saw from above what was happening, she rushed down to try to help.

Vachon takes Hobbs’s place but isn’t as obviously dead meat after his cutscene though. Hobbs is the guy who they mentioned got shot with arrows (who is Leclerc in canon).

Mackenzie, in spite of being a convict, isn’t actually a bad guy. He’s exceedingly practical, but he cares for his people, and when he learns Mathis is trying to get to Blackrock, he immediately agrees to help him. Then a faction conflict happens in Blackrock because some dudes are like “hey fuck you and fuck this guy from solitary you’re not the boss of me”. So Mackenzie wrestles with that and keeps them in line while Mathis goes to do all the quests.

The warden and Father Thomas sort of swap places except the warden ends up more in Molly’s position. He went off the deep end a bit with the fire and brimstone and most people stopped attending his services, which he resents them for. He kills the convicts because “it’s the will of the Lord”. Just fully cuckoo bananas with the religion.

Grey Mother is Mackenzie’s other henchman because I think epic gun grandma should get to commit crime and also hang out with Mackenzie more. It’s part of why in this AU, Donner does actually escape; because Lily gets distracted by her mom being there.

Methuselah goes where Grey Mother does. He has the player go look for buffer memories instead so they can write down the story of Milton because he doesn’t want it to die. They need to go to the farmhouse to get the key to the office, not the lockbox.

Father Thomas isn’t locked up (because in this AU, the convicts didn’t murder everyone bc the staff weren’t as horrible to them) but he is completely useless in sorting out the conflict in the prison. Just like “oh no, please don’t— oh no you’re doing it anyways :(“

[utopianoverlord]

Nobody’s coming to save Milton. How can you be so sure?

[gay-little-pride-icons]

OKAY WELL THE OTHER IMAGES JUST DECIDED NOT TO UPLOAD SO. HERES THESE TWO.

(astrid trans lesbian / the grey mother agender lesbian)

[killer-wizard]

it's like the moments before the world goes to sleep... but we're the only ones left awake to notice it

[thelongdork]

Family history

[tldsurvival]

Another long day in Milton, running errands for grey mother

[dangerissweet]

Short video on getting the grey mothers safety deposit box. I played through this part once on my own and it took me an hour to find the safety deposit box key. I knew it was in the farm house across town but for some reason I just couldn't find. This is a much shorter version, lol.

https://youtu.be/ZIpRgZs-u2w

[anchored-in-high-tide]

NEW FIC

LAY IT ON ME

Rating: Teen and Up

Warnings: None

Fandom/Pairing: Sherlock/Johnlock

Chapters: 4/4

Words: 6k+

Tags: Love Confessions, Love Letter, After TLD, The Hug Scene (TM), Repressed John, Establishing Johnlock, First Kiss, Inspired by Song, Romantic Gestures

"Romantic entanglement while fulfilling for other people--" "--would complete you as a human being.”

John is right. Sherlock has no doubt about it at this point. It has taken him long enough to realise and longer still to accept it but, with all the data at hand, there is no longer room for any other conclusion.

Yes, John is right and Sherlock has to do something about it. *Inspired by Vance Joy’s LAY IT ON ME*

CHAPTER 1: Sherlock

There really is no other way, Sherlock decides as he watches John finish his tea.

They are both sitting in their chairs, a fire happily crackling beside them, filling the flat with dancing, golden light. Rosie is perched on John’s lap, her little fingers reaching for his face and teacup. John dodges them expertly and bounces the leg she’s on. At the movement, Rosie lets out a high-pitched giggle, her mouth opening in rapture and revealing soft, pink gums. John chuckles and settles his arm more firmly around her, tugging the little girl closely to his chest.

The sight warms Sherlock more than the fire.

Rosie is growing so fast, he thinks as he watches her clap excitedly. Every time his gaze falls on her, she seems to be bigger by an inch at least, with more golden hair curling on her little head and a new sense of understanding in her round, blue eyes.

He can’t believe it’s been only a few months since her mother died. Rosie seems to be doing just fine now, but Sherlock can’t help but wonder if she notices the sudden gap in her life, if her brain can fathom the loss she has already suffered. Hopefully, she is too young to comprehend it.

John seems to have come to terms with it, at least. Ever since that fateful day at the hospital, when John had hit rock bottom as his fists and feet had met Sherlock’s body, ever since he had broken down later, on Sherlock’s birthday, at this very spot, his reins slackened enough for once to grant him weakness and vulnerability, he seems to be doing better every time Sherlock sees him.

His face tells of more sleep (even when taking the strain of being a single parent to a baby into account) and his hands disclose that he has widely given up on drinking. When he’s taken Sherlock to his check-ups at the hospital, and now, when he’s monitoring Sherlock’s recovery himself, John is calm and collected, a little more solemn than he used to be maybe, but he looks relieved, freed from a burden, as if it had taken this violent thunderstorm to finally wash off some of the dust and guilt that had settled on him over the years.

Sherlock has thought about this afternoon for the past five weeks, has replayed it in his mind palace second by second more times than he cares to count: the way John had cried in his arms. Sometimes his skin still itches with the memory of John’s soft skin under his fingers. The scent that had wafted off John’s hair, familiar and yet overwhelming, seems to linger in the air and re-enter his nose when he least expects it.

But that’s not all Sherlock thinks about.

Most of his considerable mental energy he invests in examining their conversation that day.

The words John had said to him are forever imprinted on the walls of his skull, an internal tattoo covering the grey matter Sherlock is so proud of. 

“Romantic entanglement, while fulfilling for other people...”

“...would complete you as a human being.”

Sherlock has mulled over these words, has stretched and turned and compressed them until he had wrung the last bit of meaning from them.

John is right. Sherlock has no doubt about it at this point. It has taken him long enough to realise and longer still to accept it but, with all the data at hand, there is no longer room for any other conclusion.

“Do something while there’s still a chance, because that chance doesn’t last forever. Trust me, Sherlock: it’s gone before you know it. Before you know it.”

The words had shaken something loose in Sherlock’s chest, something that had been stuck in a dark corner, eschewing the light of consciousness.

Sherlock had looked up, one of his eyes red with blood, the cut on his brow stinging as he frowned, and had wondered how John couldn’t know, how he could say these things and look at him and still don’t know.

Sherlock shifts in his seat, the teacup in his hand uncomfortably fragile. He sets it down just as John sighs with a familiar air of termination.

“Well, I best be going now. Rosie is overdue for a nap and she gets unbelievably cranky when she falls asleep on the tube,” he says and heaves his daughter into his arm as he gets up.

Sherlock ducks his head. “Yes, of course.”

“I’ll just quickly use the loo if you don’t mind.”

“Go ahead,” Sherlock waves and, as a matter of course, he reaches out to receive a wriggling Rosie.

Sherlock’s eyes follow John as he heads down the hall. Rosie takes advantage of this momentary inattentiveness and dugs her little fists into Sherlock’s curls. He gently untangles them and, as the door to the loo shuts behind John, Sherlock rises to his feet, adjusts his grip around Rosie and quietly walks over to the window. Looking back over his shoulder to check the bathroom door is really closed, he pulls open a drawer on the little cabinet next to the desk.

From underneath a smorgasbord of documents, he retrieves a tightly folded piece of paper. The edges are slightly worn already from having been handled so many times by tentative fingers.

Sherlock looks at the letter for a second. He’s written it weeks ago, has been poring over it ever since—and still can’t shake off the doubt.

“Is this a stupid idea?” he murmurs into Rosie’s silky hair but, in lieu of an answer, Rosie only gurgles wetly, a string of spit dropping onto Sherlock’s shirt. He gives her a fond smile and a little peck on her forehead.

No, he can’t go on like this, having only bits and pieces, the odd afternoon and a case now and then. Rosie is growing up and the thought that he could be nothing but a peripheral spectator makes Sherlock’s stomach clench painfully.

There is no other way. He has to act now.

Before he can lose his courage, he swiftly tiptoes over to where John has hung up his coat on the landing and slides the letter into his pocket.

In the bathroom, water is running, and Sherlock hurries back to his armchair before John opens the door again.

“Are you still on for watching her on Tuesday?” John asks as he re-enters the kitchen and picks up Rosie’s diaper bag, unaware of Sherlock’s doings.

“Sure. I can pick her up from daycare, too, if you want to,” he says, pleased to find that his voice doesn’t betray the jumble in his head.

“That’d be great, thank you.”John picks up his daughter and straps her to his chest. She struggles a little against the wrap but ultimately accepts her fate and leans her head against John. Sherlock follows them to the door and watches anxiously as John puts on his coat. “And you text me if anything interesting pops up?”

“What?” Sherlock asks absentmindedly before his brain comes back online. “Um, yes, of course.”

“Okay then.” John straightens his shoulders and gives Sherlock a soft smile. “This was nice.”

It is this smile, this fond and somewhat sheepish expression that flashes over John’s face every now and then that is driving Sherlock insane, that makes watching and waiting and wishing just not good enough anymore.

“It always is,” Sherlock replies in a low voice and swallows as John’s tongue darts out to wet his lips.

For a second, the urge to just grab John, to pull him and Rosie close and never let either of them go again is irresistible, burning in Sherlock’s muscles like wildfire.

But then Rosie whines disgruntledly, her little limbs struggling against the wrap, and John diverts his gaze.

“See you on Tuesday,” he says, adjusting the diaper bag’s position before he walks down the stairs.

“Tuesday,” Sherlock confirms a little late and John, already half-way gone, turns around and gives him another smile. It looks a little sad but maybe Sherlock’s just projecting his own sense of loss onto the familiar face.

The next second, John has vanished around the corner.

The door falls shut downstairs and Sherlock is left alone, his heartbeat echoing in the empty flat. TAGS: @itsalwaysyou-jw​ @carbonated-queer​ @benzedrine-calmstheitch​ @sarahthecoat​ @barbsiebabe​ @alexangelscuddles​ @lsop712​

[usopp-writes]

I went shopping and came home with more than was on the list

Tagging @one-piece-26 since it’s basic a MaTch story, but with a twist.

Also, Marco is a female in this story, as I wanted to try something else. Still spelled Marco, the explanation for this comes in the story.

Marco looked at the shopping list, frowning. It was a rather long list, but they had run out on so many things, as Thatch hadn’t had much time lately to do the shopping. It was why Marco had decided to do this for Thatch. However, it wasn’t an easy task, as Marco didn’t know where half of the things on where. A sigh was heard, before the blonde went to ask an employee for help.

“Oh that’s a really long list.” A freckled young man grinned, seeing Marco’s list and then he took it. “Come, I’ll help you with it. It’s a slow day anyway.” The freckled male started to walk and Marco followed him. Ace was his name, according to the name tag. “Usual Thatch does the shopping, but he’s been busy lately and I decided to help him out, yoi.” Marco felt the need to explain why she didn’t know where half of it was.

Ace was still grinning. “Ah so you’re pomp’s girl?” Grey eyes eyed her shortly, before he put some stuff into her cart. “He’s a lucky guy. Told me how you disliked shopping, so that you do this, is a big thing. He’s going to love you more.” Ace continued the conversation.

Marco was a little surprised, but then shrugged it off. Thatch shopped in this store regulary and he was a social and bright person, so that Ace knew him wasn’t that surprising. Now that she thought about it, Marco could recall that Thatch had mentioned Ace a few times too. As an adorable young freckled male and Marco had to admit that her boyfriend was right. Ace was cute.

“I would like to think I’m the lucky one. He can have just anybody and he want me. I’m not good in a kitchen or at shopping and he does it with pleasure, yoi.” She smiled happily. Ace’s grin never faded from his face, as he walked around with her, filling her cart more and more.

“Anyway, I was starting to get worried about him, as I haven’t seen him in a while, but then I thought he went shopping when I was off, as my shifts has changed. Seems he just have been busy. A shame, as I enjoyed talking to him.” Ace had crossed out the items on her list. They were almost done and she thanked God that she liked to work out, because it would be heavy to bring into their house.

She looked from the almost filled cart and to Ace. “Why don’t you just give me your number and I can see if I can talk him into hanging out with you after work? He loves getting new friends, yoi.” She wondered why Thatch hadn’t long ago done this. After all, it seemed that Ace liked to see Thatch around.

Ace blushed lightly and turned to get some cans for her. “I shouldn’t...” He mumbled and Marco was curious what that was about. She tried to remember what Thatch had tld her about Ace, but couldn’t recall anything else right now. Well, she wouldn’t mind Thatch hanging out with Ace, so she would give them a chance.

Ripping off some paper from the noteboo she always had on her, she wrote down her number, as she wouldn’t give Thatch’s number to anyone without his permission. “What about this? I’ll give you my number and if you want to hang out, you can write me, yoi.”

Hesitantly Ace took the note and Marco noticed the smile and grin had faded. She just smiled and looked at the list that was all crossed out. “Thank you for your help, Ace. I would be in here for hours if it hadn’t been for you. I’ll leave a review on the website, yoi.”

-x-

“I love you so much.” Thatch smiled, before pulling Marco close, giving her a deep kiss. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. For a moment all that excited, was them and their bodies. As the kiss broke, Marco’s eyes shined with pure happiness. Thatch gently caressed her cheek, love shinning in his eyes.

A soft chuckle left her. “Thought I would do something nice for you, since you’re always so nice to me, yoi.” She didn’t let go of her, loving to hold him close. “Also, I met Ace. Really a lovely young man. Why haven’t you befriended him outside work, yoi?” Her eyebrow was slightly raised.

Thatch scratched the back of his neck. “I tried, but we had a misunderstanding and I think he’s feeling awkward about it. You see, he thought I was flirting with him and was confused when I mentioned you and tol dme straight out that he didn’t want to be a secret fling.” He chuckled lightly, making Marco snort.

“Told you enough times that you’re a big flirt.” She gave him a soft kiss. “Anyway, I gave him my number, because I’m sure you two will hit off well. He did say he’d missed you, yoi.” Her arms left his neck. “It’s up to him now, yoi.”

Thatch took her hand and kissed it lightly. “You are the most wonderful girlfriend a man could ever have.” Smiling, Marco went back to the couch and Thatch headed to the kitchen, where he would make a wonderful dinner for her.

-x-

A week later, a text from an unknown number came to Marco. She frowned lightly, but smiled brightly when reading it. It was from Ace, saying that if Thatch wanted to hang out, he wold be in the Rip-Off bar Friday from 9 pm. Marco texted back, writing she will tell Thatch that. Short after, another text popped up, Ace giving her thumbs up.

-x-

After the first evening out, Thatch and Ace son became good friends. Marco didn’t feel left behind, as Ace was just as charming and friendly as he’d been the first time she met him. He started to hang out with her too and both of them at the same time.

“... That is how Luffy got his scar.” Ace laughed, as he poured his fourth portion of food onto the plate. By now, both Marco and Thatch had gotten used to how much Ace ate. Marco suspected a high metabolism, but was still not that close with the younger male to ask him about it. She knew he had narcolepsy, after he fell asleep while taking on his boots.

“Your brother sounds like he’s a danger to himself, yoi.” Marco chuckled. She loved to hear Ace talk about his ‘brothers’. It was so clear that Ace loved them dearly and that they would always be part of his life. She looked forward to meet them one day.

Ace snorted. “He’s a walking disaster, but always have the Devil’s Luck with him. Besides great friends, who keeps him at bay most of the time. The group he’s frends with are the oddest group I’ve ever seen, but thhey fit together with Luffy there.” Ace shrugged. “Anyway, why is your name spelled M-A-R-C-O? Isn’t it a man’s name?”

“It’s because the nurse and doctor messed up when I was born. Not that they thought I was a boy, but my mother said Mako and they heard Marco and wrote it like that, yoi.” Marco shrugged. She was used to people asking her about it and it didn’t really bother her. In fact, employers often thought she was a man, even if she had a picture on her applications, so she was called for an interview more often than others, when she needed a job after school.

Ace laughed at that and Thatch smiled softly. He’d heard the story many times, but it was funny though. What doctor and nurse would make that mistake? He didn’t mind how her name was spelled or pronounced. Some said Mako, others Marco and as long as she wasn’t bothered, neither was he.

-x-

“Marco...” Thatch looked at her, as she sat next to him, cuddled up against his side, while they watched a movie - one they had seen a dozen of times, but it was just background noise to their cuddling session. She hummed, inidacting she was still awake and listening.

“About Ace... I don’t know how to say it, but .... Well ... Remember when I said he thought I was flirting and turned me down because I had told him about you?” Thatch sounded a little uncertain and insecure, something that he rarely was and Marco titled her head to look at him, before shifting her position, sitting on his lap.

“Spit it, yoi.” She looked into his eyes, demanding he said what he had to her face. Thatch bit his lip lightly, before speaking his mind. “I felt a little upset, because I ... uhm ... felt attracted to him and while I could never dream of cheating on you, I ... I still feel that way around him and lately ... Marco I love you and you know me, but ...”

He was cut off by her lips against his, hands slowly going under his shirt. “I would lie to say I didn’t feel the same around Ace. Want him to join us? Or do you want him alone? If it’s the latter, I only wish the same, yoi.” She spoke against his lips, while she teasingly let her hands dance over his skin.

Thatch shuddered and smirked at her words. “Why not just ease him into our relationship? With him around, I feel even more complete, something I thought wasn’t possible. I think I’m falling in love with him too.” He wrapped his arms around her.

She hummed pleased and wrapped her arms around him, still under his shirt and placed her head on his chest. “I love you, Thatch, but I do feel I’m falling for the freckled male too, yoi.”

-x-

Ace leaned back, sitting in th emiddle of the couch, Marco and Thatch at each side of him. At first he had politely declined to sit between them, but since Marco and Thatch only sat next to each other when they had a cuddling session, he had hesitantly accepted. Now he didn’t mind, actually liking it.

Marco shifted her position and used the armrest as back support and placed her legs on Ace’s lap. It was summer and she was wearing a sundress, which went to her mid tighs. Doing this, the dress showed more of her legs than usual, though she didn’t think further about it, being comfortable around Ace.

The freckled boy did blush lightly, as Marco had never done anything like this before. He eyed Thatch, who absently had started to caress her feet, making her sigh happily. Ace swallowed heavy, fighting down the blush and tried to act casual, though he did like the sight and the feeling of her legs.

“I’m sure she’ll love it if you caressed her legs.” Thatch’s voice suddenly sounded in his ear and had him almost jolt. His words made Ace blush and stare with eyes wide open at Thatch. He’d just thought that it would be nice to do that. COuld Thatch read minds?

Thatch smirked and used his free hand to cup Ace’s face. “You’re so cute when blushing.” He leaned his face a little forward. “Makes it harder to resist you.” Ace could feel Thatch’s breath against his lips and it had him shudder.

A chuckle behind him did snap him out of his thoughts though. “Thatch that’s not how you do it with Ace, yoi.” Marco shifted her position again and moved to sit on her knees, facing Ace, who’d turned his attention towards her. His mind went completely blank, not really processing what was going on.

“Ace. Do you like us? As in more than you think you should, yoi?” Marco asked him in all seriousness. Swallowing heavily, Ace nodded, not really able to deny it any longer. Not with how intense her stare was or how her hands on his lap felt like. She smiled at his answer and leaned forward, kissing his cheek, before whispering something into his ear. “We feel the same, so it’s okay for you to show it. If you want to, of course. We would love to take our relationship to the next level, making you our lover, yoi.”

Ace’s eyes widened lightly and he felt the heat going to his face. A polyamory relationship? Was that really possible? Was it allowed? He blinked. Was he seriously thinking about accepting the proposal? Yes he was. He wanted them both. He’d never felt this content in his life before. Well, not content like this. He was content with Luffy and Sabo, but it was different with Marco and Thatch.

He realized that Marco was still only inches away from his face and he acted before his insercirties and doubts could get the better of him. He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her, humming pleased, as she kissed him back. Next to him, Thatch let his fingers go through Ace’s hair, proving it was alright.

As he broke the kiss with Marco, she was smiling happily, but he didn’t get to say anything or try and take it back, before his face was turned and another pair of lips was placed on his. His heart was beating fast and he felt like he’d butterflies in his stomach, but he also felt happy. It just felt right.

“I take this as a yes, love.” Thatch smiled, as he broke the kiss with Ace. A goofy grin formed on the younger male’s lips. “Guess I can’t settle with just one person. I’m greedy.” He felt a boost of confidence filling him.

“Neither can we, yoi.” Marco grinned, before giving Thatch a short kiss, while still sitting on Ace’s lap. Who would have thought that her shopping on that day would bring more than just the needed groceries?

[donner-mathis-official]

I want to bring to peoples’ attention the fact that at least some of the maps Mackenzie has in wintermute canonically belonged to Grey Mother’s daughter, Lily Barker. These seemingly hand-drawn maps are the only thing of hers that make it out of Milton (unless you count the mountaineering boots you get when you return her pearls to her grave, which I do not because I think that if they were a sixteen year old girl’s boots they would not fit Mackenzie). Did she draw the maps herself? Do you think she would be happy to know that someone was taking some part of her and exploring Great Bear? She was born in 1969. If the game takes place in the 2010’s, she would be in her forties, around the same age as Mackenzie and Astrid. Who would she be if she had lived? Like Molly, wounded by the world she lives in and taking it out on others? Like Father Thomas, doing her best to help others in a time when even helping yourself is near impossible? Like Jeremiah, solitary and snappish? Or would she have left, never to come back? Would Grey Mother still be there, still alone and clutching her rifle like a lifeline, her only child having left the backwater she grew up in to chase bigger and brighter things?

[thelongdork]

[thelongdork]