#tw:character death

[generalluxun]

Was it you who suggested Chloe had maybe died unseen in previous Akuma attacks, cos given how often she's targeted I am just imagining this:

I had a reverse!AU scenario like that.

Shadybug actually kills Chloé (her tormentor) before going on the mission for the Paris special. After the special she is of course wracked with guilt(having reformed) but... The next day Chloé shows up to school as normal...

You see Audrey is a good servant of the Supreme, so when one of her things breaks, the Supreme provides a (senti) replacement.

Cué a psychological drama where Shady questions her own sanity, not only in the initial killing but, both Audrey and the Supreme are very willing to use the senti-Chloé as expendable in schemes so Shady gets to see her die again, and again, and yet always return even without the miracle cure.

In fact, the miracle cure doesn't work(canonically it doesn't bring back sentis unless they need to be brought back because plot 🤣) so Shady's having even more sanity bending trauma.

And of course, Chloé never has any idea anything is wrong...

[bearlytolerant]

[missmomof3]

Deep Regret (shelby sister fic)

Sorry if this is awful, this is my first time ever trying to write a fanfiction. I'm not sure what this would be classified as but probably too long to be a drabble. Maybe an imagine? If anyone reads this, thank you and I am fine with criticism (I'm sure I did lots of things wrong) but please be kind.

Summary: y/n shelby always tried to make her family happy, but they all believed Grace over her and soon most bonds were disintegrating, especially with Tommy, who she'd always loved and looked up to.

TW:character death, not proofread, possibly missing some so read at your your own discretion.

"Y/N get in here!" Tommy yelled from his office at you where you were sitting in Michael's office doing your homework.

"What did you do this time" Michael asked, irritated but fortunately not at you, he hadn't turned on you.

You had always been Tommy's favorite sibling, him more of a father than a brother to you until Charlie was born. Until recently you'd even lived at Arrowhouse with Grace and him. But after Charlie was born suddenly Grace began complaining to Tommy of how disrespectful you were when no one was around. That you called her names, taunted her and even until they married, had nicknamed little Charlie "the bastard". But just to her, not around anyone else. You hadn't ever done any of that and at first were confused when Tommy began yelling at you frequently and you weren't allowed alone with Charlie anymore.

He held a family meeting without you there to discuss your behavior. By the time that happened you weren't friendly to Grace anymore because what was the point when you'd be in trouble anyways. The family had noticed the tension so for the most part believed Tommy when he told them of your troubling behavior and they began being short with you and before long it felt like all you had left was Ada, Finn and Michael. Polly was no Grace fan but was disappointed in you for supposedly insulting a baby and felt like you should be grateful Grace had agreed to let you live in their house. John, Esme, Arthur and Linda took that line of thinking as well, deeply disappointed in how you went from being one of the sweetest people they knew to being so disrespectful and cruel. They especially were disappointed that you'd be so two-faced and only do this while no one else was around. At least have the backbone to own your behavior was their thoughts.

So now here you were, living with Polly because even though she was disappointed you were still her niece, but living with hostility everywhere. You were still polite when you saw Grace, but now you held yourself back from everyone so their accusations and lack of faith in you didn't hurt so badly.

Responding to Michael's question with a shrug, you got up to walk into Tommy's office ready to be told off again for some imagined offense.

"Sit down y/n," Tommy said coldly, "and explain to me why you felt the need to make my wife cry last night."

Family dinner was held at Arrowhouse last night, and even though you hadn't wanted to go, Ada promised she'd be there and insisted you go with your head held high, knowing you were innocent. She never believed Tommy, remembering how it felt when Grace's betrayal took her Freddy away. Remembering you sneaking to her place to help with Karl, and how alone she felt thinking her brother betrayed her. It baffled her how her family could believe Grace over you, but whenever she brought it up they all asked why Grace would lie when she loved Tommy and she knew how much sending you away and practically severing his bond with you had hurt him. So she, Michael and Finn still staunchly defended you but gave up on getting through to anyone. That's why last night you stuck close to Ada, never being alone with Grace, in the hopes this very incident wouldn't be happening.

"Tell me, oh brother of mine, what did I do to Grace now?" You asked, no longer worried abour his reaction to your attitude since you had already grieved the loss of your relationship.

So he started laying out some imagined conversation that happened in the kitchen when Grace went to ask Mary a question. According to her you'd seen her and started criticizing her hosting skills, telling her what a disaster the upcoming charity gala would be.

You smirked at his tirade, because this time you knew you had proof. "Call Ada, ask her what happened last night" you said, standing up and getting ready to leave.

"I haven't dismissed you yet," Tommy clipped, grabbing your arm. "I am putting you on notice, if you do anything to embarrass Grace tomorrow night at the gala, I will have no choice but to completely cut you from the family the minute you turn 18. That means no help, no using the Shelby name, you'll be on your own."

"Bold of you to assume once I'm 18 I'll be sticking around here" you said, rolling your eyes, "I know my place now, at the bottom. When I'm an adult I'll take care of myself. I'll miss the family I had, but I'll make my own." Then you left.

Tommy sat with his head in his hands. You'd never know how much his heart broke to imagine you completely gone from his life. He didn't know how to reach you anymore. His sister, closer to a daughter. He still loved you so much and had hoped tough love would work, but he missed you deeply and choosing his wife and son had felt like removing a large part of his heart. If only you could have stayed the sweet girl you once were, before jealousy had taken over.

When Grace first went to him with your behavior, he hadn't wanted to believe it. But the more she went to him and the more you denied it the more arguments it caused between him and Grace. Until finally she told him he was putting his true family aside for a girl who wasn't his daughter, who would eventually marry and leave him, while his wife and son suffered in the meantime. It became easier to give in, to be angry at the strife in his house that you were causing. Especially when it stopped as soon as you moved to Polly's.

But he couldn't ignore the voice at the back of his head reminding him Grace was an accomplishhed liar while you had always been awful at it. So he called Ada. 30 minutes later he was more conflicted than ever but knew he needed to get answers from Grace. Ada confirmed you had never been alone with Grace, never even went to the kitchen. Then he spoke to Polly who also had never seen you leave Ada's side. Now Polly was beginning to demand he find out if they had been wrong all along, if her niece had been sacrificed for familiy unity. Michael had been chipping away at her beliefs for awhile now and this seemed to confirm it.

That night, Tommy sat Grace down, determined to find out the truth. After a lot of obfuscation and denial it all came out. She'd been feeling guilty for some time now whenever she saw how heartbroken and torn her husband was, but she was petrified he'd love his son less than his sister, and with her standing in the family being only strong because of Tommy's love for her and Charlie, she panicked and in that panic had thought if she got y/n sent away, Charlie and by extension herself, would always be his top priority.

This saddened him greatly for a multitude of reasons. Her lack of faith in him even though he'd never been the betrayer in their relationship, his poor choices, his cruelty to you, the loss of that bond. It all hurt.

The next day, before heading out on business he demanded a family meeting be held. He made Grace come with him and confess all. She did, because deep down she felt awful that she'd ruined the life of a sweet girl that had never been anything but kind to her. She'd seen the loss of spark in your eyes and couldn't deny any longer how horrible her behavior was. Maybe this could be fixed. At least your relationship with your family, especially Tommy. He missed you deeply and maybe the memories of all the years he'd loved and taken care of you could combat the time he'd spent alienating and breaking your heart.

The family was horrified but not shocked. Deeply disappointed in Tommy and themselves they made a plan to begin making it up to you. Tomorrow, after the gala, they'd all individually apologize and set about making things right. Work was cut short so they could all get ready, but at least tonight they'd be knd to you and start treating you like the beloved little sister you'd always been.

Tommy and Grace rode in silence to the gala. Grace didn't know how to bridge the gap and Tommy was lost in thought. Before they got out he turned to her and said "After you apologize to y/n, we can begin fixing us. You're Charlie's mother and I still love you, but you broke my trust and cost me someone precious. So right now, let's just focus on righting the wrongs we both have done." Grace agreed sadly, knowing it would be a long time before she had her husband back, but accepting this as the consequences for her bad decisions.

For you the night was going great! Everyone was suddenly friendly, and even Tommy had a warmth in his eyes at you that you hadn't seen in a long time. Grace had made a point of complimenting you and suddenly everyone wanted to talk to you. It made the night pleasant, but you weren't getting your hopes up. You'd built walls and they weren't coming down because suddenly people treated you like you were family again. You stuck around Ada and Finn.

While everyone had been having epiphanies and making plans to repair relationships today, you'd been doing some thinking of your own. Mostly thinking about how different your life might have looked had you had parents. They maybe would have loved you unconditionally. Maybe your relationship with your brothers, their wives, your aunt would have been better if they hadn't also had to help raise you. For so long, you hadn't felt you were missing anything because you had brothers, a sister, an aunt, and more recently a cousin and sisters-in-law that loved you ahd made you feel protected and like you belonged. As a child you'd had multiple people to go to for love, advice and help, it never occurred to you that that could all be taken away. Even during the war, the letters you got from your brothers and the presence of Finn, Ada and Aunt Polly had always kept you from feeling lonely. Now you knew that could be taken away and now you knew loneliness. Now you felt like the orphan you were.

Tommy was walking away from some duchess when he caught your eye and motioned you over. You went over hesitantly, hoping you weren't about to be chastised for something. As you walked up to him, he was in conversation with Grace about her necklace. Hoping to slip past them without being seen as everyone was moving into the banquet hall to eat, you suddenly heard someone yell out "For Angel!" with a gun in their hand. At once time slowed down and sped up and all you could think of was little Charlie losing his parents and becoming like you. Not even realizing you were moving, suddenly there was a sharp pain in your stomach and you were falling into another person.

Everything became chaos. Tommy was horror stricken as he held his baby sister's head in his lap while Grace was putting pressure on the wound. He yelled for someone to call an ambulance and kept trying to get your attention, because you were still breathing but staring at the ceiling like you could see someone there.

"Please, y/n, please look at me, stay with me, don't leave me" he begged, running a hand soothingly through your hair as tears streamed down his cheeks, all the while remembering years of time spent together, how you would climb into his bed after the war and just lay beside him when he'd have nightmares, grounding him and reminding him he was home, safe and warm, not in a tunnel, no enemy shovels around.

Grace had one hand putting pressure on your wound, the other holding your hand while she cried as well. She was horrified at what her behavior stole from you, while you had literally saved her life. Thinking back on the sweet little girl back when she was a barmaid, asking her to sing because her voice was "beautiful" Soon she was nudged roughly out of the way by John who took over putting pressure on your wound, tears streaming down his cheeks. His thoughts on the girl he used to throw in the air when she was little, her always trusting he'd catch her.

Arthur was beating the man who had fired the bullet, he couldn't make himself stop. All he could see was you in his arms as a baby, your finger wrapped in his and your eyes looking at him so trusting, and how much he'd let you down by not going against Tommy.

Polly was on the phone getting an ambulance, begging them to hurry, trying to keep herself calm as she remembered all the times when you were little and would hold out your arms, confident you'd get picked up and cuddled, she could almost feel the warmth of your head on her shoulder.

Ada was holding Finn, praying silently for her sister, most recently at an age where she was fun to shop with, try on clothes together, the girl who would confide in her because she trusted Ada's judgement and knew she was safe to be herself with her.

Michael stood at the door waiting for the ambulance, doing his best not to cry, thinking of his cousin who, even feeling alone and rejected by almost everyone, would listen as he spoke about his girlfriend, and who would joke around with him while doing homework.

Esme and Linda stood by Grace, quietly crying, both thinking of how welcoming and sweet you'd been when they were introduced to the family. Esme knowing no one and yet you immediately treated her like a sister, helping with the kids and softening some of Polly's harshness during the London expansion. Linda wishing she'd gotten to know you better, but remembering how you'd hugged her when she and Arthur got married and said how you knew she'd make him happy and help him find peace.

Regret and sorrow ran so powerfully through the large ballroom it felt like they were a physical presence.

[mamm0nsmainwif3]

Mortality

Ft:Mc, mammon

Game: obey me shall we date

Tw:character death, disturbing topics

Just please don’t interact if you can’t handle these types of ANGST fics 😭

Gender neutral MC

LESSON 16 SPOILERS

__________________________________

It was just like any other day in the HoL, Lucifer was in his study running through paper after paper.

Mammon was in his bedroom sitting on his couch, counting Grimm and binding any devil points he had.

Leviathan sitting down infront of his computer waiting anxiously for the next “SSR limited ruri-chan!” Figure to go on auction.

Satan was in the library, looking around for a book about healing herbs for one of asmos face masks.

Asmodeus found himself sitting at his vanity, light shining down on his face as he fixed his eyeliner and lightly curled his Lucious hair.

Beelzebub? We all know where he was, Beel was in the kitchen slamming down the whole refrigerator after a long workout at the gym with his friends.

Mc well they- wait? Where is Mc?

Mc was running, hastily up the stairs to meet the beloved demon they have been sneaking to every night, it’s not like they liked him but he was one of their friends. And the thrill of defying Lucifer Lord of pride was way too good to stop!

There they sat, outside the bars of the attic having yet another conversation with the demon.

Wishing to be closer to him, Mc put their all into getting rid of those bars.

And one day, they did! Running up those same steps, to see that same demon, the one they have been seeing for almost a month now!

They were all antsy, trembling with excitement as belphegor opened his strong arms

Mc began to walk to belphegor, opening their arms just as wide, suddenly they were frozen, his hands gripping tightly on their throat as their feet raised from the ground

They gasped for air, they tried to scream, nothing came out but the gurgled sounds of pain.

Once belphegor was sure that they weren’t moving quite as much anymore..he threw them roughly to the ground, kicking them down the stairs letting their body roll to the bottom.

——————————-

Every brother in the house heard the loud maniacal laughter that filled their ears, not only did they recognize that laugh as their younger brother who was supposed to be in the human realm, they heard the thuds as the human laid at the bottom of the stairs

Switching to Mammons pov here! :)

Mammon heard the loud thuds, the maniacal laughter of his little brother.

But thats not all, he felt his humans pact tug for him, were they hurt?

Mammon was so confused, he didn’t know what to do but his first instinct was to get to his human as soon as possible, he ran faster than he’d ever ran before, when he got to the stair room, he saw Mc laying on the ground barely breathing, belphegor was being held back by Beelzebub while Lucifer in a panic was scolding and ordering around his brothers.

Mammons heart dropped in his chest as he stared at them.

Wasn’t he their protector?

And if so..why are they laying across from him half dead, he promised them, he told them that if he couldn’t protect them than they might as well die.

Mammons legs carried him to mc where he scooped their body into his arms

His brothers watched as mammon began to sob and tremble, he felt his heart ripping apart in his chest, he hadn’t cried this hard since Lilith

He held them tightly to his chest

He never meant it when he called it you a stupid human Mc

He didn’t mean it, so please keep your eyes open

Give him another chance to prove himself

He held their hand tightly and watched as their eyes shut, his tears dropping onto their face

…

He had loved them since the beginning

Ever since he laid their eyes on him he didn’t want to admit it but they were the most beautiful/handsome human he had ever laid his eyes on.

He wished he had admitted his love to them sooner

To their face

But now here he is, admitting it to their headstone, resting a bouquet of yellow roses on their grave next to the photo of them that was hung up

Mammon pressed his lips to it gently

He gripped the dirt tightly and lowered his head in respect..

In respect for the human he had loved

In respect for the human that had him kicking his feet and giggling whenever they shot him a text

In respect for the human that reminded him he wasn’t a filthy scum, but a demon lord

In respect for his human.

[mundrakan]

Prompt: Brave

@wolfstarmicrofic - 107 words

TW:Character death, grief

“You have to be brave now.” Remus held Harry's shoulders, trying to explain the unexplainable, trying to tell him Sirius gone, couldn't be brought back from the veil, trying to find a way to convince him it was not his fault.

“Easy for you to say. What do you even know?” Harry lashed out in his pain, and Remus closed his eyes, constantly reminding himself that he didn't know, and that there was no point in telling him now. Meanwhile his room, his bed, the very pillow he would rest his head on tonight still smelled of Sirius, but wouldn't any more, far too soon.

[thezathmanatscienceeducationblog]

Ensnared

by: Zath Manat March 21, 2024 A space sci-fi tragedy. Based on True Events. TW:Character death

Deck log of the Heart of Gold private space vessel. 

Entry number 16436.

Entered on interstellar standard date: 031.225.42 

Recorded by the onboard A.I. 

When I picked up a distress beacon from a fellow Earth ship, I relayed the message to the captain immediately. 

I was hopeful. 

If we were able to complete a successful rescue, perhaps the Heart of Gold’s sole human occupant would finally have companionship. As the ship’s A.I., it was, after all, my job to ensure her well-being. I knew she needed the company of her own kind. 

But humans had become few and far between these days.

And I’d feared that my captain might be the last one remaining. Hearing the news of a fellow Earth ship in the region summoned her full attention and she dropped the task she’d previously been working on. 

“Any information on the condition of the vessel? Number of occupants? What sort of trouble they’ve run into?”

“The signal I’ve intercepted is a general distress beacon of human origin. Apologies, Captain, I don’t have any further data.” 

“That’s alright, Ship. How far to the signal’s point of origin?”

She sounded as hopeful as I was. Determined. 

“Slightly less than an hour, Captain.” 

“Go ahead and lay in a course for the distress signal’s point of origin. Full speed.”

She sat in the flight control seat, tense. My processes are fully automated, and she knew I would have alerted her to any concerning change in status. But she needed a distraction. So, she busied herself by focusing on the readings from the instrument panel as she awaited our arrival. 

She was only 26 years old. Only about a quarter of the way through the natural lifespan of a human. But her features looked sunken and haggard due to stress and slight malnutrition. 

Space had become increasingly hazardous to navigate. Access to the asteroids and minor planets with the resources required to power the ship’s engines and food replicators had become increasingly difficult due to the actions of hostile forces. 

We didn’t have much to share with the distressed vessel's occupants. But I knew my captain would give whatever she could. It had been too long since the captain had seen another human. And a Ship’s A.I. is no substitute for human companionship.  

I signaled our approach, “We’re within hailing distance of the fellow Earth ship, Captain.” 

I watched as she drew a deep breath. 

The path had been laden with infinite potential outcomes, from easily manageable repairs to unresolvable catastrophes. Visual contact with the other ship would inevitably collapse most of those potentials into strictly defined parameters within which we would need to operate. 

She was resolute, but her voice had an almost imperceptible tremble. Apprehension. Anticipation. 

“On screen.” 

Our cautious optimism was shattered. 

She turned away from the sight on-screen and closed her eyes. 

“That's just great.”

She internally recalculated how to proceed.  

“Arachnean webs...”

The ship on screen was intractably ensnared in a tangle of massive, interwoven strands that seemed to emerge from nowhere. Each strand’s ends seemed to trail off into nothingness -- as if tethered to another realm. Amidst the infinite blackness, they shimmered in the ship’s navigation lights like strands of moonlit dewdrops. 

These webs came courtesy of those aforementioned hostile forces. The Arachneans, as the humans called them, were the most destructive of all space-faring species. 

They left death traps littered throughout the galaxy. Webs that ensnared the ships of hapless travelers, deactivated their life-support systems and rapidly depleted their oxygen stores.

We’d be safe as long as we didn’t approach any closer.  

“I’m sorry.” It was all I could offer.

She opened her eyes and forced herself to stare at the screen. 

“Should we return to our previous heading?” I asked. 

“No. Hail them. There may still be someone alive onboard.” 

“If so, there won’t be for very long.” 

(As an A.I., perhaps tact is not my strong suit. ...But I could not see the benefit in torturing oneself with a short-lived emotional entanglement that would quickly end in tragedy.)

“Hail them, Ship.” It isn’t in my nature to argue. So, I hailed the other ship. 

“Hello, this is Captain Ellen Shaw of the Heart of Gold. Do you read me?”

There was a brief pause, then a crackle of static from the other ship followed by a short chuckle. 

“Captain Shaw, nice to meet you. Don’t get too close if you know what’s good for you. I hope you know I’m a lost cause. ...Always have been. But even more so now.” 

The captain leaned forward attentively.

“That may be. But you don’t have to be alone. If you don’t want to be.” 

Another pause from the stranger, then he replied. 

“Welp...it’s times like this -- when I’m caught in a giant, interdimensional spider web, fifteen odd minutes from my certain demise -- that I wish I’d listened to what my mother told me when I was a kid.”

The captain eased back into her chair and gave a wry and knowing chuckle. 

“...Why?” She ventured cautiously. “What...did she tell you?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t listen.” 

A smile, tinged with sadness, spread across the captain’s face. 

“A quote from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. My favorite book series.” She replied. 

“’Heart of Gold.’ I knew you’d get it.” His breathing sounded labored.

“You got a name, friend? Or maybe I should just call you Ford Prefect.” 

“...Ian. Ian...Jackson. Sole occupant of the Don’t Panic!” There was effort in his speech. Though he seemed to be trying to hide it, with geniality. 

“I can tell we would have been friends.” She said, wistfully.

“Well...we still can be. For a few minutes.” 

His responses grew slower and more lethargic as their short conversation progressed. 

She continued quietly talking to him for a long time after he stopped responding.

When there was nothing left to be said, she stared straight ahead out the ship’s view screen at Captain Jackson’s dead ship. 

“There may still be other humans out there.” I finally offered. 

“Don’t worry about me, Ship.” She replied. “I’m glad I got to meet him. So that he didn’t have to be alone at the end. That would be dreadful to be alone at the end -- without another human. You did good, alerting me to the distress signal. Thank you. ...Return to our previous heading.”

We didn’t get far. 

I had never seen Arachnean ships from such a close distance before. 

But then, I suppose not many have, who have lived to tell about it. 

Several rushed at us from all angles. They surrounded us and began closing in.

Corralling us. 

Into a web. 

“Evasive maneuvers, Ship!” 

“I’m trying, Captain. They have us surrounded.” 

A whining whistle issued from the ship’s P.A. system, alerting us that we were being hailed. 

 “On screen!” The captain exclaimed. 

She recoiled, and her eyes bulged in terror at the sight of the alien-being standing...or sitting? before us. Its morphology was as strange and indecipherable as the uncanny cacophony of noises it emitted. 

“Is it...speaking? What is it saying? Demands? An ultimatum? Can you parse it?”

“Attempting to translate. This may take a while.” 

A look of determination seized her features. She stood from her seat

“YOU’LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!” She shouted at the screen. “Ship, cut transmission. Full power to the thrusters. Tolerances be damned; we can think about repairs after we assure our survival.” 

“Channeling full power to the thrusters and engaging...”

I diverted all energy reserves to our escape attempt. 

“We’re not making any headway, Captain. We’re caught in a tractor beam. They’re pulling us in... I’m sorry, Captain. There’s nothing I can do.” 

She dropped to her knees. 

“No.” Tears streamed silently down her face. “...please, no.” 

“Captain, please try to relax and slow your breathing. Your vital signs are dangerously beyond nominal range.”

I had few words of comfort that could be realistically offered.   

She clutched her chest and crumpled forward. 

“Your vital signs indicate that you are experiencing a cardiac emergency.” 

Within moments of the start of the captain’s medical emergency, the alien tractor beam lost its hold on us.

“Captain, we’re free. The tractor beam has deactivated. I am laying in a course away from the web, full speed.” 

She lifted herself into her seat with great effort, still clutching her chest. I desperately hoped her condition could improve now that the stress of capture was removed. ...But I was doubtful.  

“I’ve completed the translation of the alien message.” 

 Her voice was strained. “Let’s hear it.”

“We come in peace. We apologize on behalf of other members of our species. We have created a protected area. We wish to offer you safety and the benefit of our advanced technologies. You will be given sanctuary among other members of your kind.” 

 “Ugh!” She continued clutching her chest in pain. “It might be a trick...I don’t know. ...I don’t know what to do, Ship. But I need help. Go back.” 

There was nothing more I could offer her on my own. 

“Understood.” 

I reversed course. 

When the Aracheans boarded, Captain Shaw was unconscious. 

I watched as they attempted to revive her. Desperately, fervently, they applied their technologies and techniques. Fruitlessly. 

 I was not able to translate their words in real time. 

After they disembarked, leaving her lifeless body behind, I listened to the translation. 

Four distinct alien voices. 

The first voice sounded frantic. Surprisingly invested in someone who wasn’t even of the same species. “Come on, come on, PLEASE come back to us! PLEASE hang in there. Oh no, oh no...we’re losing her.” 

The second voice, desperate, then resigned. “We can’t lose her! ...We’ve lost her.” 

The third voice sounded remorseful: “Forgive us. We’re so sorry. We’ve lost her, and there were already so few of them left.” 

The fourth reflected on their actions with an eye toward a new plan: “We can’t help them this way. They’re not right for it. Their species can’t survive captivity. It’s too late for this one. We have to find a different way to help them. If we can. We’re so sorry.” 

There was no human ear onboard to hear the message once I translated it. 

It is uncertain whether humans and their distinctive way of life still exist anywhere. 

If they do, I hope the misguided group of Arachneans who attempted to save Captain Shaw are more successful in their future attempts. 

As there are no more crew aboard, no further log entries shall be made.

Ship’s A.I. will self-deactivate at the end of this entry.

Log entry concludes.

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

The Vaquita Porpoise and Operation Vaquita CPR

There are estimated to be fewer than twenty vaquita porpoises left in existence (1,2) . At only 4.9 feet long, vaquitas are the world’s smallest cetacean species (1,2). They exhibit white and dark-grey counter shading and they have distinctive dark coloration around the eyes and mouth (1,2). Like dolphins, they use echolocation to navigate and find food (1,2). Their vocalizations are distinctive from those of dolphins and are said to sound similar to the snort of a pig. The vaquita porpoise is not found anywhere except for the Sea of Cortez (1,2).

While pollution and climate change have destabilized the ecosystem in this region making it more difficult for this species to survive, the primary threat to this unique species is gillnets (2). Gillnets are used to capture the similarly sized totoaba fish – which are illegally hunted for their swim highly valued swim bladders (1,2) . Vaquita frequently become entangled in the nets as bycatch (1,2). Vaquita are mammals and must resurface frequently for air (1,2). Once caught in the gillnets, they rapidly drown (1,2).

In 2017, a conservation group known as Vaquita CPR captured a young adult female vaquita with the hopes of keeping her in a protected area as part of a captive breeding program (1). She went into cardiac arrest due to the stress of capture (1). The conservation team released her when they realized she was in distress but she circled back and returned to them(1). The team attempted to resuscitate her to no avail and she expired (1). The captive breeding program was subsequently abandoned (1). We will have to find another way to counteract the destruction fellow members of our species have wrought. Programs like Sea Shepherd Conservation Society continue to combat the use of dangerous gillnets (3). References

Bogle, S. (2018). Souls of the Vermilion Sea. [Film]. Wild Lens Inc. Retrieved 22 February 2023. https://www.wildlensinc.org/film-productions/souls-of-the-vermilion-sea-feature/

2. Fisheries, N. (2023, January 30). Vaquita. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/vaquita

3. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. (n.d.). Protecting Marine Wildlife Worldwide. https://seashepherd.org/

[ace-aro-taku]

I don’t think R!Ciel’s soul got eaten upon Sebastian’s summoning.

Well hopefully you read that right.

Today, while I was rereading some Kuroshitsuji for art research, I noticed something, a few things actually.

According to Undertaker in Book of the Atlantic, He attaches false memories to the ends of souls grim reapers are supposed to collect to make the ‘reanimated corpses’.

But what if Sebastian never really ate the Real Ciel’s soul?

He uses the weakness Our Ciel has for his older brother reminding him how he was summoned with Real Ciel’s soul.

He’s never said that he’s eaten Real Ciel’s soul.

Sebastian again claims that he used to soul to cross, not consume. He’s mentioned this several times.

Confused and at a low point, Our Ciel takes the chance to make a deal with Sebastian.

Ciel, you didn’t really sacrifice your brother, you’re just a confused lad.

After things calm down a little the two then discuss the contract. Our Ciel is given 3 wishes, 3 chances at this new contract. 

Our Ciel first asks if Sebastian can bring someone back to life to which this unfolds:

So Sebastian does have some capability to bring the dead back whether actually ‘reanimating’ someone or giving the contractor an illusion which he confirms the later.

This leads to Our Ciel’s first wish:

The wish is granted.

Later after the other two wishes are established, Sebastian tells him that once all three are fulfilled and Our Ciel has enacted his revenge, the mention of his brother’s soul is back.

Once more Sebastian says he used Real Ciel’s soul to cross over, never consumed it.

So Sebastian used it to cross, but never consumed it for Undertaker to then take Real Ciel’s body and add more stuff to the then, OR Sebastian had been lying to Our Ciel before the contract, and in fact did eat Real Ciel’s soul, leaving a shell for Undertaker to use to created a new soul on false memories (or hijacked R!Ciel’s memories from their database and ‘fix them’) thus making him a ‘reanimated corpse’.

Last theory I had in mind from this volume:

Tanaka sold out the Phantomhives. I mean why else would he be the last living person in the manor and easily take Real Ciel’s side?

See the sweat drop?

He didn’t want Our Ciel to find everything out and he got ‘silenced’ for it

Then when Real Ciel comes back he’s quick to take up sides, surely to keep things hidden.

Sounds fishy...

Sources:

Black Butler vol 27

Black Butler chapter 145

[themadhalewritesanime]

The Last Sound

Day 1 of Agony April (@agonyapril2022)

Fandom: My Hero Academia

Charcter/s involved: Katsuki Bakugo and Reader

Word Count: 257

Prompt: Explosion

WARNING: Reader Death

It wasn’t meant to end this way, your life.

It was a rescue mission, there wasn’t meant to be any villains, it was reported as a natural occurrence.

“There has been an earthquake” The Commission had stated, “Nothing points to villains.”

You shouldn’t have believed them, The Commission was never corrected in their assumptions of natural events, it would have saved you from your current predicament of being under one of the support beams of the structure you had been clearing.

You could hear the sounds of screams of others trapped, most were just screaming out to god for them to be rescued but you knew better, using what strength you had left in your body you reached for your phone and dialed the two men you could rely on.

Before the men could talk you mastered a quick, “Villain attack at my location, save the others before me, will is in the office safe.”

You heard Bakugo’s scream over the phone before closing your eyes to conserve energy even though you knew you weren’t getting out of this situation alive.

You could also hear the sound of the other man, “Stay awake Y/N, talk me through your injuries.”

So you took what seemed like a deep breath, “Legs are pinned, can't move my toes, i think I’m bleeding at the waist but not sure but…” That was when you coughed, “I have internal bleeding.”

Those were the last words that left your mouth as you heard the explosions nearing as everything went black and still.

[foodieforthoughts]

Sand and Stars - Chapter Seven

Series Summary: After the water pump being blown up, the insurgents in Baqubah are taking a hold of the food supply to the village. Camp Warhorse is in dire need of reinforcements. It has been eight months of submitting countless requests when the High Command commissions Sergeant Olivia Ross to take her group of men and women and help Captain Syverson and his team to restore a semblance of normalcy. But with the war raging, does it get two hearts closer too?

Pairing: Captain Syverson x OFC x OMC

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: 18+, character death, angst, blood, gore, mentions of war, military technicalities (thread with caution)

A/N: This chapter was very difficult to write as I hadn’t written about losing a loved one before. But the entire experience of delving into the psyche of someone who is troubled by such loss was heart-breaking. I also took some inspiration from the song Hold On by Chord Overstreet. Also, I know I include army warfare a little bit, the references is only limited to what I know from media, I’m sorry for any inaccuracies. 

As always, @thelastsock​ was the helpful beta with her wonderful ideas. I love you for being with me while I write this series.

*gif credit to owner

<Chapter Six

Title: Chapter Seven

Darkness. Pain. Screaming. Olivia groaned as she tried to move. Her head throbbed along her temple, the helmet feeling like it weighed a hundred pounds. She opened her eyes, wincing at the light and heat that assaulted her. The shrill ringing in her ears making it difficult to concentrate on the next step. Wet sand and soil caking her skin as she tried to rub her face into some semblance of painless clarity. Her leg. The pain getting more intense as her leg swam into focus. No obvious injuries, maybe a fracture.

She blinked her eyes slowly, taking in her surroundings and finally registering what had happened. A straining wail sounded from the wreckage of their chopper. Gary. She pushed herself on her hands wincing as pain shot up her shoulder. She glanced at her arm; a piece of metal was sticking out from it. With a trembling hand, she took a deep breath and pulled the metal shard out, tears brimming in her eyes as blood oozed out from the gash running in rivulets and soaking her sleeve. She applied pressure on her wound, pressing her eyes shut as she tried to breathe through her pain.

Another painful wail sounded from the side of wreckage, making her grab onto the broken blades of the chopper sticking out from the sand to steady herself. She dragged her feet on the soil, stumbling to reach where her Sergeant was.

When she rounded the body of the Little Bird, she wasn't quite sure what she was seeing. Odd angles and red. So much red. Schmidt pinned under the tail. Blood spurting out his mouth with every breath. His leg was being crushed by the metal wreck and his arm was twisted in an inhuman angle with crimson liquid matting his entire body. Olivia fell to her knees next to her friend, sobs leaving her lips and tears streaming down her soiled cheeks. 

“Gary, hey, hold on.” She unclasped the belt of his helmet, pulling it off and throwing it away. 

Schmidt took a shuddering breath when Olivia took his hands in his. “I-I don’t…”

“You won’t,” She interjected, understanding exactly what he wanted to say. She lied. She knew he was going to bleed out and she wouldn’t be able to help. She blinked away the welling tears and looked around trying to spot anyone in their vicinity. The faint sound of gunshots came from a distance. “Someone will come looking for us.” She tried to speak with confidence, but her voice was faltering as Schmidt’s grip loosened in her hand.

“My wife…my kids…” He stuttered, blood beginning to flow out of his nostrils. “Tell them…I will always…love them.”

“You tell them that yourself, Gary. You hear me?” She grabbed at his fatigues, fisting them in her blood covered hand. “You are not dying.” She could hear his breath coming out short as he gasped for air. 

Gary elicited a mixture of laugh and a cry, tears streaming down the side of his face, making a trail on his dusty skin. “C’mon Red…we know…I’m short of time.”

Liv held onto his hand again desperately trying to will him away from the clutches of death. She watched with hazy eyes as her friend held onto the last thread of life, gasping in air and spitting out blood. Her mind pictured the time she had met his wife and his children; how his life partner had made Olivia promise she’d keep her husband safe. Her heart ached as she watched her best friend, her family, slipping from her hands.

The unmistakable rumble of a Humvee’s engine soared Olivia’s hope to save her friend. Over a rocky sand dune, the beige metal vehicle rode up and made its way towards them. She laughed at the realization that they were her men, coming to save them. 

“Gary…” She began, only to look down and be met with the vacant eyes of her Sergeant staring blankly up into the sky. There were no more shaky breaths leaving from his unmoving lips, his body laid limply, and his hand slipped from hers. “No, no, no.” She stuttered her words, trying to shake him awake.

“Sergeant!” Her men's voices mixed into one another as they called out. She offered no resistance as they hauled her up by her shoulders and hustled her into the back of the Humvee. 

Everything was a clouded haze after that. She had watched as Gary’s lifeless body was slid in the tight space between them. Sloan called out to her from beside her, but Liv’s voice seemed to have gotten trapped in her throat. Someone had closed Gary’s eyes for which Olivia was thankful. At least now she didn’t have to look into his eyes and be met with the disappointment in failing to save his life.

***

Sy paced in front of the gate, glancing at his watch and back to the road. He had been informed at the camp about the situation. His heart was racing, he hated not knowing. He expected the worst, always, but not knowing who was coming back in a body bag had him on edge.

As the whirring blades of the Medevac came into view, so did the vehicles making their way towards the gate. He stepped to the side as the metal barriers were opened, letting the cars enter the compound. Everyone rushed to the injured team; bruised and battered soldiers climbed out of the cars. Sy spotted Sierra who was clutching her bleeding shoulder, two other men drenched in blood being helped to the helicopter. When he saw Olivia stumble out of the back of the Humvee, his heart dropped.

Liv looked like she was walking in a daze. Her arm was covered in blood, soil and sand matted on her face and she limped when she walked. Sy gently placed a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention to him.

“Liv,” He said cautiously. When her eyes met his they looked lost, distant and far away. 

“I’m okay.” Her brittle voice cut through Sy’s heart. She nudged his hand away from her shoulder and limped her way towards the building where the infirmary was housed, not even glancing behind as the Medevac team lifted off from the ground.

It took Sy hours before he could visit Liv alone. He couldn’t have abandoned his duties as a Captain while people under his wing had been injured and killed. But he kept a tab on her by asking Sloan about her whereabouts. Liv had gotten herself bandaged and had chosen to retire to their quarters. It was late in the evening when he was finally done with calls with his superiors and with briefing the team. 

Sy stood outside the door to the ladies quarter unsure of what lay ahead. He knocked sharply on the wooden door. When he got no response he pushed the door open, hinges protesting the movement as he peered inside the dark room. He glanced at the two empty beds on the opposite side which possibly belonged to Sloan and Sierra. BJ had asked permission to let Sloan stay with him tonight and Sierra was at the base in Baghdad which left Liv alone in the room. He stepped inside tentatively and spotted her on the bed shoved right at the corner of the room.

Liv was hunched over with her wet hair falling over her shoulder, shielding her face from Sy. The sleeve of her t-shirt was rolled up with a white bandage covering her arm, a crimson patch in the middle of it. He closed the door behind him and slowly walked towards her. Droplets of water fell from the ends of her red locks, pooling on the floor next to her feet. 

Sy debated whether he should sit next to her. He understood very well everything she was going through. He had lost buddies in combat; the first time was always the hardest. He wanted to comfort her and make her understand that this is the life they chose for themselves.

“It should have been me.” Her voice was barely audible, little over a whisper. Her hands covered her face with her elbows resting on her knees. “It should have been me, Sy.”

“Hey, don’t say that.” He brought his hand to place on her shoulder, but she flinched away. Sy felt dejected but he withdrew his hand away. “We all signed up for this. We know what there is to lose.”

“I should have been careful. I should have done something to save him.” Her voice trembled as she spoke. 

“Liv,” he started, braving to put his hand on her shoulder yet again only for Olivia to abruptly stand up. Her eyes blazed red, puffy with the tears. Her lips quivered as she stared at him, clutching her arm as the bandage was painted with more blood seeping from the wound.

“Just say it, Sy, say it was my fault.” 

Sy stood up as his hands balled into fists. He wanted to be Liv’s confidant, but she was pushing him away. “It wasn’t.” He replied sternly, his lips pressed into a thin line. “You stop berating yourself. You are a soldier, Liv.” He blamed it on tiredness for he did not mean to sound condescending. He quickly understood his mistake, his face softening as Olivia took a step away from him. “Liv,” he pleaded, extending his hand towards her.

“It should have been me! Gary’s death is on me!” She screamed with fresh tears running down her cheeks. “He has a family. He has…people waiting for him. And I…I-” her shoulder shook as ripples of sobs gripped her. She covered her face with her hands again, shielding herself away from Sy’s eyes.  

This time Sy pulled her against his chest without hesitation. Liv tried prying herself away from him, but he held her strongly against his body. She gave in soon, burying her face in his chest and soaking his shirt with her tears. He ran his hand through her hair soothing her and shushing her.

“There’s no one waiting for me back home. No one to cry if I die.” She mumbled between her sobs, sniffling and gasping with the onslaught of grief. “Gary had a family, Sy. What will… what will I tell his wife?” She grasped at his t-shirt, desperately trying to cling to the last hope of sanity. 

Sy held onto her like she was the most fragile being on this planet. He tightened his arms around her, wanting to shield her from the world and its sadness. He wanted to take away her pain. He would take it upon himself if he could. Sy rocked her lightly, whispering words of comfort as well as he could. He could not comprehend how bruised her soul was to think no one would cry for her if she died. A cold shiver ran down his spine even thinking about it.

After a long time Sy carefully turned her in his arms. She opened her puffy eyes, fluttering them slightly. “Let’s get you to bed, okay?” He ushered her towards the bed and gently sat her down.  She laid down on her side, curling up in a ball with her hands wound around her chest. He pulled the thin blanket over her, tucking the ends beneath the mattress. Sy caressed her cheeks with his hand, wiping away the tear stains on her cheek. 

He didn’t want to leave her alone. She was vulnerable and had dropped all her guards down. She was too stubborn to ask for comfort, but he could sense she hankered for his solace. Sy understood under the strong-willed demeanor, Liv wanted to be defenseless. She peered at him with half-lidded eyes without uttering a word. 

Kicking his boots off, Sy climbed on the bed to lie beside Liv. He gathered her in his arms, letting her shelter in the bend of his elbow. He pulled the blanket over their bodies, draping an arm over her torso. He entwined his fingers in Liv’s hair, running his fingers along her scalp. Liv dozed off not a moment later, holding him close to her like she was afraid to let him go. 

Sy kept drifting in and out of sleep with every stir of Liv’s body. She whimpered in her sleep in the middle of the night with the onslaught of nightmares entering her mind. Sy whispered words of comfort in her ears, running his hand soothingly over her back. Sloan had returned at the early hours of dawn looking like she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep either. But when she had spotted Sy cradling Liv against his body, she had excused herself and left them alone again. 

***

It hadn’t been easy for her to cope with the loss of her friend. Olivia had watched with tear filled eyes as they had loaded up Gary’s trunk to be sent to base. She had grazed her fingertips over his name tag sending a silent prayer to where he now rested. It was only when the Humvee had rolled out, Liv had caught sight of Sy watching her from his post.

That night she had felt like her entire being had shattered into a thousand pieces. She had lost loved ones before, but watching someone die in your arms, her best friend, had terrified her. She blamed herself for it. 

If only I could have been alert. If I hadn’t failed to save him. If… 

There were so many ‘ifs’ circling in her mind, she laid awake every night thinking what she could have done otherwise.

Sy had decided to give her some space. He had been quiet and allowed her to heal in her own time. She was grateful for that. She just wasn’t ready to break down in his arms again. She was afraid if she let him get too close to her and if she were to lose him too, she wouldn’t survive. 

It had been fifteen whole days since she had last stepped out into the field. Her leg had been healing, her stitches still fresh, for which Sy had ordered her to stay at camp. She had waddled around the compound, finished paperwork for the men and worked out to release the mixture of anger and sadness bunching up inside her. 

She had thought she would be able to handle it but glancing at the hilltop where she had held her dying friend, had brought everything back to her. Sy had looked at her, his eyes covered with his shades, with his mouth pressed into a thin line. He had accompanied them for their mission to receive the food truck, something he hadn’t done before. She had maintained her distance from him, choosing to stay with her own people. It had felt odd being on the ground when she was used to soaring high above everyone else in her chopper.

Back at the camp, her leg throbbed from walking on the uneven terrain. She winced as her hand grazed over the bandage on her sore calf, still hurting from the gash she had taken from the debris. Olivia took in a sharp breath as waves of nauseating pain crashed against her sleep deprived mind. She sat down on the steps of the building, gently massaging her throbbing muscle to ease the pain.

“You okay?” Sy sat beside her on the steps. Involuntarily she felt herself scooting away from him. She wasn’t sure what she was trying to gain from keeping him at arm’s length. He was being gentle, understanding, sympathetic, everything she needed right now. But something stopped her.

“Yeah. Just a little sore.” She refused to make eye-contact with him. 

Sy seemed to have gotten the message as he scooted a little to the side. From the corner of her eyes Liv noticed Sy let out a sigh, rubbing his beard with his hand. It was weeks ago when she had felt his arms around her, locking her in his embrace, making her feel safer than anyone ever could. 

“Are you sleeping alright?” He asked, adjusting his gun beside him.

“Yeah.”

“Are you telling the truth?” His voice was stern, and he turned slightly to look at her. She knew her words betrayed the reality, the bags under her eyes were evidence of her tired, sleepless nights. But even so, she nodded her head.

Another sigh left his lips. “Liv, I know you want to be strong, but you don’t have to go through it alone. I’m worried about you. I want to be there for you.” Sy reached his hand out and placed it over hers. Giving a gentle squeeze he pleaded, “Just let me in.”

Liv allowed herself to glance at him. His eyes were soft, worry marked with wrinkles at the corner of his eyes. He held sincerity in them, a hope that formed a crack in the wall Liv had built around her. 

“Sy,” They were interrupted by his Lieutenant. “We need you in the office.” 

Sy nodded at them, bringing his gaze back to Liv. He gently smiled at her, bringing his hand to her face. “I’m here for you.” He whispered before standing up and walking inside the building. She watched as he strutted towards his office, talking to his Lieutenant and discussing their matter at hand.

That night, Liv stayed awake in her bed. The chatter outside their room was dying out as midnight approached. Sloan was passed out on her bed; gently snoring while being wrapped in her blanket. Liv glanced at the empty bed that had belonged to Sierra. She had gotten severely injured in the attack. In the days Liv had stayed at the camp, she had a SAT call with her comrade about her corporal. Sierra had been sent home after the surgery she had to endure from the bullet wounds. Liv had been relieved to know she was at least alive.

When the lights cut out at midnight, shrouding the camp in darkness, Liv sat up in her bed. Sy’s words kept ringing in her ears. She didn’t want to push him away. She wanted a safe place. She wanted to feel something other than pain.

And so, she stood, outside his door in the dead of the night. She stared at his door, debating whether she should just return to her bed. She wasn’t even sure if Sy was in his room. With a timid knock, Liv stood with her arms hanging by her side. Her heart picked up a pace as she counted the seconds in her head until the door cracked open.

Sy had a scowl on his face when he opened the door, which eased as soon as he noted Liv standing outside his door. He watched her with a softened gaze as she took a step forward.

“Can I stay with you tonight?” Her voice trembled as she spoke. She gulped, fearing he would drive her away.

But he did not push her away. He extended his arm open, tilting his head slightly and a gentle smile on his lips. “Of course.” 

Liv buried her face in his chest wounding her arms around his frame. Sy closed the door, holding her firmly against his body, circling her with his arms. He rested his cheek against her head, letting silence fill in the space that didn’t require words.

Liv could feel it then. Her walls being broken brick by brick by Sy. She felt safe, warmth seeping into her heart as he held her close to him. 

Chapter Eight>

🌟 Series Masterlist 🌟

[its--fandom--darling]

5 minutes to midnight

pairing: Captain Syverson x Reader

Rating: A for angstttttt, character, death and overall sadness, grieving

inspired by this song: new year by regina spektor   xxxx

a/n: I do not know the geography of Savannah or the outskirts so please take my descriptions with a grain of salt, I did a basic google search. 

I apologize in advance this is sad y’all I cried writing it. (gifs not mine)

“She sets her alarm, Five minutes to midnight, And wakes just in time, To greet the new year, Remembers the kisses, Remembers the laughter, And all thats gone away”

As your alarm beeped, you reached out a swiped at the antique clock that chimed that it was time to wake up. You groaned and rolled reaching for your husband, only to find his side cold and empty. As the memories came rushing back, you wish you’d decided to just skip the celebration all together this year. It was the first time in 7 years that you’d almost broken the tradition you’d started with your husband all those years ago on your very first date. 

You always celebrated no matter what, when he was overseas or when he was home, there was always some semblance of celebration but this year without him. It almost didn’t feel right. 

“She shuffles around, turning the lights on, Goes to the kitchen, gets the champagne, Opens the window and wrapped in a blanket, Begins to count and wait”

However, knowing how much a stickler Sy had been for tradition, you sit up and swung your legs over the edge of the bed, grabbing the throw blanket from the end of the bed and wraps it around her shoulders as you pad into the kitchen. You switch the lights on as you go before your standing in the kitchen opening the cabinet of the wet bar to pull a bottle of champagne out. You hand brushes the bottle of WIld Turkey and while you ache for something stronger to drink that champagne tonight, it hurts to even think about dipping into the amber liquid that had been your husbands go to. The memories of hot, whiskey tinged kisses that it dredged up were too painful now that you’d never experience them again. 

You feel a lump build in your throat as you pull the pair of crystal champagne flutes that were gifted to you as wedding presents from the cabinet. You pry the cork out of the champagne, flinching at the pop and the spill of the fizzy foam as it ran over your knuckles. Pouring the liquid into the glasses you carefully carry them into the living room. 

“She sets her alarm five minutes to midnight, And wakes just in time to say her goodbyes, Thanking the old year for all it has brought her, No mention of the things it took away”

You eyes glance at the mantel, Sy’s burial flag resting proudly front and center above his urn. You brush your fingers over the nameplate, bottom lip trembling as you hear the collective chants of the city. You place a flute on the mantle and then move to the window. You open the it, fixing yourself in the window, resting your feet on the sloped roof below, pulling the blanket tighter around you as you joined in the countdown. 

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one,” you whisper, listening to the streets fill with chants of happy new year as the fireworks light up the sky in a magnificent display of rainbow colors. All of Savannah celebrating as the Tybee Island sets of it’s best firework display in years. Your heart clenches at the thought of Sy missing it. 

You lift your glass and down the warm liquid, letting the cool, night breeze drift over your face. Closing your eyes, you lift your face into the wind, picturing last year at this time. 

If you focus hard enough, you can still feel Sy’s scruffy warm lips on yours and his calloused hands on yours cheeks as your friends cheer around you. 

“She shuffles around, turning the lights out, Closes the window, checks on the locks, Folds up the blanket, empties the bottle, And leaves it in the hallway dark” 

Warm tears streaking down your face pul you from the dreamlike memory as you wipe your nose on the back of your hand before pulling yourself back into the house. Shutting the window and locking it, checking it twice before you move to check the lock on the front door before padding back through the living room. 

Stopping once more in front of the mantle, you smile sadly at the urn, pressing a kiss to your fingertips and then pressing them gently to the picture of your husband in his dress greens that sits above the brass nameplate. 

“Happy New Year, Sy. It’s gonna be a whole new world without you,” you whisper, lip trembling again as you sigh turning your back to the mantle and retracing your steps from earlier, shutting off the lights that you’d turned on before, pouring the rest of the champagne down the drain in the kitchen before you head back to the bedroom, folding the blanket once more and draping it across the end of the bed before slipping back into the sheets and pulling Sy’s pillow into your arms. You bury your face into it and breath deeply as the faint strains of Auld Lang Syne drift through the streets, welcoming in a new year without your beloved Captain. 

Taglist Below:

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[jungkookiebus]

Petals | kth

Genre: hanahaki!au, ANGST Rating: PG13 Pairing: taehyung x reader Word Count: 1.8k Warnings: heavy angst, unrequited love, mentions of blood (and a fair amount of it), major character death Author’s Note: A kind anon asked, I had never heard of it, but immediately started googling and found the subject pretty fascinating. It’s short and sweet, but I think it covers the angst bases. 🙈

The first time you saw him was in spring. The cherry blossoms were blooming, and life seemed magical. Sun beat down on the campus and right onto him. He must have been a transfer; you hadn’t seen him this semester. His soft brown hair shone with strands of gold in the sunlight. His skin was equally as golden, and he seemed to shine. Whispers went around campus quickly. The new boy was beautiful, that much you knew, but the rest was a mystery. Rumors surfaced that he was some out of town rich kid. Others said he was some poor orphan from Daegu. Whatever he was, he was your new object of affection.

You learned his name when you found out you had chemistry together and his last name put him right next to you. He sat smoothly on the stool next to yours, his sweet scent wafting in your direction.

Taehyung. It rolled off the teacher’s tongue delicately because that was the only way one should say it.

You chanced a glance at him. He must have felt your gaze because he looked over at you and smiled. His smile was boxy, but it reminded you of a heart. His eyes were a deep, chocolate brown.

That spring semester was one to remember for you. Every day, after lunch, he was always happy when he sat down next to you. He’d tell you about the current video games he was trying to beat, the book he read over the weekend, or the strange antics him and his new best friend, Jungkook, got up to. Every now and again his hand would find your arm as he excitedly told you a story. Your face would heat up, but you don’t think he noticed. He’d go on talking like nothing had happened and would eventually ask you what you had been up to.

Your feelings for him grew as the months wore on. His touches would happen more often, and he’d keep his palm against your skin just a little longer than normal. You knew, in your heart, that he was beginning to feel the same way.

That was, until, the last day of the semester before summer break. You were making your way down the hall to your last chemistry class. You were excited to see him, but sad that this would be your last class together. Maybe he would tell you about his feelings? If not, were you prepared to make the first move? But those thoughts were quickly dashed when you saw him in the hallway with her. Your school’s sweetheart was oddly close to him as he stood against the wall. One of his hands was on the strap of his backpack while the other was stuffed into his pocket. She, too, leaned against the wall but her chest was nearly touching his arm and she was doing that disgusting thing that girl’s do when they look up at boys and bat their eyelashes. He was talking to her and smiling. It made your heart drop sickeningly into your stomach. You just looked at them, neither of them noticing, as you passed and walked into class.

Moments later, Taehyung was walking into the room, usual smile on his face as he sat down next to you.

“Everything okay, ____?” he asked.

“Yea,” you mumbled, looking ahead.

He merely shrugged and began rambling on as he usually did. You wanted to pay attention, to give him all you had, but you also wanted to be upset with him. Why was he talking to her of all people? Did he not feel anything for you?

Class went by as usual and at the end, Taehyung was extending his hand towards yours. Your heart flipped in your chest.

“Hey, put your number in here,” he said while handing his phone to you, “so when I finally beat Jungkook at that game I’ll take a picture of his face and send it to you.”

And then again, maybe he did like you? Hope bloomed in your chest like a flower and settled here. Nestled deep in your heart, the petals fluttering in time with your heartbeat.

You put your number in his phone that day and he waved a goodbye to you as you parted ways in the hall. But the joy you felt when you left campus would not be long lived.

Taehyung texted you once and it was as promised, a picture of a sad looking Jungkook. You replied and got nothing in return. The message was left as read in your inbox and there it sat. That was when you coughed up the first petal. Delicate and white, it traveled up your throat as you panicked, and out came the fragile thing. It landed softly in your hand and laid there as if it had just come from a flower. You quickly dropped it on your bed, but the burn in your chest was undeniable. Utter pain coursed out from your lungs and to the rest of your body. Heartache charted a course of hot fire to your nerves.

You cried, holding your phone, telling yourself just to text him, but if he liked you, he would have messaged you back. That whole semester was nothing to him. Your talks about art, music, and books was just filler for him before class started. He was nice and social to everyone, so what really set you apart? Nothing. You were as forgettable to him as the rest of your classmates.

Later that night, you’d cough a pink petal, just a tad bigger than the last. You placed it with the other on your nightstand. They delicately overlapped, seeming to have come from the same flower. Perfect matches. Most unlike you and Taehyung.

A week later and you gathered up the courage to text him. Not even five minutes later he replied to you. The ache in your chest subsided a little. The tickle in the back of your throat wasn’t quite as pronounced. He seemed happy that you texted him. Or, as much as the text could portray emotion. He told you about his family vacation, where he had gone, the things he had seen, etc. He began to attach photos and you were excited that he was wanting to share such intimate details about his life. The first few were some nature shots, a couple of squirrels, and then you began to get to ones of his family. His little brother was just as cute as him and you saw that the both took after their father.

The next one sent your heart plummeting into your stomach.

It was Taehyung and her. The girl from the hallway. The one batting her eyelashes so innocently at him. You felt instantly sick, bile rising in your throat. You dropped your phone on your bed as you began to cough. It lit up with text after text from him, but you couldn’t see through the blur of tears as you coughed. Your chest was on fire and it felt as if someone had stuffed them full of old wash clothes. For the life of you, you could not catch your breath. Something was travelling up your throat, but it didn’t feel like sick. You clutched at your throat as you tried to get any amount of air around what was coming up. In the last few moments when you thought you were going to pass out, it fell from your mouth. A small bundle of forget-me-nots lay in your bed as if they had just been plucked from the bush. You inhaled a large breath, throat burning as you did so, but the burn in your lungs worsened.

You grabbed your phone and unlocked it, wiping away your tears so you could see the screen. Taehyung had kept on talking as if he hadn’t just sent you a picture of him and that girl. He kept talking to you like he had in class; like you were the only person in the world. He had begun asking you questions, but his last message was that she had just arrived at his house and he had to go.

I’ll talk to you later, yea?

No. No, he wouldn’t. This burn in your chest was killing you. You coughed into your hand and blood was spattered on your skin. The metallic taste of it made you sick as you stumbled to the bathroom. Leaning against your sink, you pulled the glass that was sat next to it under the tap. You drank heartily but was soon coughing most of it up. It came out stained pink, mixed with your blood, as you struggled to breathe. You dropped the glass into the sink as you fell to your knees. You couldn’t stop coughing. Your lungs burned like paper in a flame. More blood dripped from between your lips. Something was coming up your throat again. Tears streamed down you face, mixing with the blood, and caused a horrid display of red lines down your neck, mapping out your death. Two bundles of forget-me-notes fell to the bathroom tile. Their various blue, pinks, and whites were quickly becoming stained in the deep red blood that dripped to the floor. You were on your hands and knees but were becoming weak quickly. Your knees wobbled and your elbows began to give way as more flowers fell from your mouth. Soon, you would black out and hopefully the rest would be painless.

Yet, you couldn’t quit thinking about him, his soft smile, those bright brown eyes, and the soft, deep tenor of his voice.

Your thoughts were filled of still images and moments with Taehyung as you collapsed to the floor. By now, it was littered with your macabre floral artwork. Your eyes closed as the flowers filled your throat, a whole bouquet waiting to escape.

And it was his voice that said your name one last time and it was his face that you saw when your body seemed to sigh its last breath, if you had any. Blood still dripped thickly down your cheek and on the flowers beneath you. Finally, you were freed from the pain. No longer would you feel his rejection nor the anxiety that plagued your mind.

The medical examiner sat in a soft crouch next to your body. She came in after evidence had been marked off, photographed, and toted away in sterile bags. Now, it was just her, and you lying on the floor, in the bathroom. She quirked her head to the side as she searched your face. Your parents had found you the next morning, so even though the color had drained from your face, something about your features seemed…bright. The flowers spilling from your mouth hadn’t been removed, but the rest around you had been carefully stored away. Despite the gruesome, bloody bouquet however, it almost looked as if you had died with a turn of your lips. A grisly smile. This death would follow her forever.

The girl with the flower filled lungs. What a horrible, beautiful death.                                                

[gondorimagines]

Imagine having a night with Boromir long before he goes to Rivendell and then finding out you’re with child only to learn that Boromir is dead.

Author: anonymous

[floweypacifistweed]

~Headcanon~

On terrible, dreadful days, when the barrier hadn’t been open, yet and before the 8th human fell, Flowey’s days were mostly spend avoiding people, because he just couldn’t deal with them anymore at some point.

He felt like the only real one, in a giant pile of code and unreal entities, like he had the only grip on reality due to the ability to SAVE and RESET. He wouldn’t care what happened to people during that time. So when he randomly met somebody and they wanted to engage in conversation or activities, he would either immediately RESET, load his last SAVE or just kill them for even approaching him.

The thought of being confronted, when he felt like this world was just an acting stage around him over and over corroded him into the stunted being he eventual grew into even more and forced him down terrible roads.

He had said that he had killed multiple times and saw each monster of the Underground fall. On one of this days it so happened, he had finally crossed the line and in his sadness and frustration about this whole situation had found himself unable not to end Papyrus as well...

HE HAD SWORN HIMSELF AFTER TO NEVER ATTEMPT TO MURDER PAPYRUS AGAIN.

It hadn’t felt good, it had given him nothing but additional pain. He had RESET before even Sans could become aware and step into action and proceeded to be the best goddamn entity, he was even able to muster around the tall skeleton. In a certain way, you could say, that he loves Papyrus so much, because he just made him want to try... and if it was just around and for one single person. He never condoned Frisk or Chara killing him as well and found that in the game mechanics, this had to be the final step that sealed their high enough LV for Chara to be able to take over.

[syiqah97]

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!

what if Sora met his mom in the final world.

[bangtanxm]

Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Min Yoongi | Suga/Park Jimin, Kim Namjoon | Rap Monster/Kim Seokjin | Jin, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope/Kim Taehyung | V Characters: Park Jimin (BTS), Min Yoongi | Suga, Jung Hoseok | J-Hope, Kim Taehyung | V, Kim Namjoon | Rap Monster, Jeon Jungkook, Kim Seokjin | Jin Additional Tags: Three Musketeers inspired, Fighter! Yoongi, Fighter! Hoseok, Fighter! Jungkook, Prince! Taehyung, Physician! Namjoon, Palace cook! Seokjin, Stable boy! Jimin, idk how to tag help, a mess, royal au, Yoongi wields a sword, Jimin wields apples, ya what mate, Kim Taehyung | V & Park Jimin Are Best Friends, Eventual Smut, Slow Burn, Bottom Park Jimin, Top Min Yoongi | Suga, Minor Character Death, Alternate Universe - Royalty Summary:

When stable boy Park Jimin's best friend, crowned Prince Kim Taehyung finds himself under threat in his own palace, his guards dropping like flies, the only option left is to call on the Justitia Pugnatores, the 'Justice Fighters.'

Three men boasting incredible skill and legendary pasts come barrelling through the heart of the palace, shaking everything in their wake.

As the dilemma of the princes impending chances of murder only escalates, Jimin finds himself wrapped up in a mess of secrets, heartache and suspiscion.

If only Min Yoongi didn't complicate things. 

Dear Author, this fic was chosen by our bookclub members and recommended for this months theme “slow burn”. Below the cut you’ll find their comments on why they loved your wonderful story!

“It’s been a while since I read this, but I would happily read it in one sitting all over again. I’m a sucker for royal settings and I absolutely ADORED the dynamics of this one. It’s just the right amount of angsty and fluffy, and keeps you hooked throughout.” [@sujigguk​]

“Damn these apples! I really loved this fic out of various of reasons, the relationship between the characters are amazingly written, the setting and overall plot is so well thought out and it just has the perfect mixture between angst, fluff and comedy… i mean, just the first chapter had me laughing so much.” [@softjeon]

[wooolfies]

Whumptober No.1 - Shaky Hands

Verse:  Dust and Ashes (Alternative Universe, Universe A)

Pairing: Jurnex

Prompt: Shaky Hands

Warnings: Major Character Death, Death of a Child, Death of a loved one

Characters/Parties: Natasha Jurow, John Kennex, Lo Kennex

Word Count: 2609

Requested by: @ladyspirkis4life97

-1st October 2051-

It was early in the morning, Lo was playing between the trees. The man on guard was reading a book. After a few hours, he had fallen asleep. 

There was movement in the bushes, Lo went there, maybe it was the cat from earlier that week. When she saw it her eyes when huge. It was a bear and it looked incredibly fluffy. 

“Hi, Teddy!” she called out and came closer, she was curious since the bear seemed to be huge. 

The bear eyed her, unsure what to think of the tiny human. Lo went to hug it, oh man, it was fluffy. 

The bear didn't like that, it felt threatened by the sudden movement it let out a roar and tossed the kid off of it. Lo flew a few meters.

The guard had heard the bear and jumped up, ringing the alarm. John had heard it too and ran over, his gun out already. As soon as he saw the beast he fired, it took a few times to take it down. Then he noticed Lo laying there and he panicked. He ran over and scooped her up, not thinking.

“Eloise?!” He called out and ran, he had to get her inside. He could feel that there were so many broken bones and there was a huge wound on the girl's back that was bleeding heavily. 

“Natasha!” He called out as he rushed up the wooden stairs. The horror was audible in his voice. 

Natasha ran to see what was going on, as soon as she saw the saggy body in John's arms and the blood on his shirt, she froze. A chill ran down her spine but she somehow managed to pull it together. She had to go into battle mode, she had to help Lo. She ran straight to the infirmary to prepare what she needed. She knew chances were bad, this was a basket case. It was nightmare material. Vera her younger daughter was laying in their bedroom, she had been sleeping and the sound of the alarm had woken her up. She was crying, but Natasha couldn't comfort her now. Lo first. 

Leslie, who had heard the commotion rushed into the infirmary just as John put down Eloise on the bed. 

“We gotta stop the bleeding,” Natasha said to Leslie, still not able to control her fear. “John, ventilate her. She still got a pulse.” Natasha meanwhile Was trying to stop the bleeding on Lo's back by pressing down at least a bit it needed to be fixed surgically, she knew that. 

“Leslie, take her under, John you need to keep ventilating her.” Meanwhile, she was trying to clamp all major arteries that had been ruptured. Natasha’s hands had never shaken like his before. 

The hustle went on, Natasha was struggling with everything she had to save her. She just had to. 

But a few hours later, Lo's little heart had stopped beating, even though everyone involved had done everything possible, there had been too much haemorrhage, even with blood transfusions from John it had not been enough. Too much stress for a little body like hers. 

Natasha was dead inside. She could not believe it, it had to be one of her crazy dreams. It just had to. 

“Natasha?” It was John's voice, it seemed to echo from the walls around them. He had been sent out as things had gotten too intense and Sandra had tried to help him calm down. 

Natasha felt how he wrapped his arms around her. She opened her eyes and looked at him, trying not to look at the body of her daughter that was covered in the once sterile, now bloodstained, cloth. 

“It’s gotta be a dream…,” Natasha whispered. 

“Unfortunately it is not.” John felt like his insides were tied to a knot. He was still panicking. 

Leslie came and shoved the two out of the room. Nobody said anything. Except for Vera, who was crying down the hallway, probably while being with Kate, the mansion was silent. 

John had curled up in bed, the shirt he had worn earlier was laying on the floor. He had just told Leo. “Lo got hurt badly. She's now gone to a better place,” he had said. 

Natasha was laying on her back next to him, only in an undershirt and shorts, staring at the ceiling and clinging onto her husband's hand. Her face was expressionless but there were tears running down the sides of her face. 

This couldn't be true. I had to be a dream. 

She jumped a little as John moved a bit closer towards her to cover him with their blanket. 

He was not sure how exactly he could deal with this. Why had he not been faster? Why had he not been there watching her? His damn plants, he had been with his damn plants, but they were not worth her. They were not even remotely comparable to what was worth his daughter's life. 

Natasha, on the other hand, knew that she had fucked up again. Like back then with Dima. Now it was Lo, who had no fault in what had happened to her. Natasha had not tried hard enough. Her emotional involvement had ruined her work this time. She felt the urge to bang her head against something hard or maybe to punch a wall. She was tense and the picture of her lifeless daughter was coming up over and over again. What kind of parent even was she? 

John felt how she was and what her breathing pattern was doing. He took a deep breath to try and say something. “Thank you for doing your best work,” he said softly. “Thank you, for trying to help her. You did all you could. I was the parent in charge when it happened, my bad not yours.”

Natasha turned her head to look him into the eye. “I could have done more. I— My hands were shaking.”

John looked right back at her. “You did what you could. You did your best.” 

“No. I saved people far worse than her.”

“Not under these conditions. You are amazing. I love you.”

“No…. Just…. No. It is my bad. I should stop practising medicine.” 

John grabbed bother her hands and pulled himself closer to her. “Natasha Alexejevna, do you trust me?” 

Natasha looked back at him, she did trust him her life. But she also knew what he was going for. She had to be truthful. “I do trust you.” 

“Then trust me when I say that you did your best.” 

Natasha took a shaky breath and he could feel how she relaxed a bit. She turned on her side to face him fully and hugged onto him. “I'm scared.” 

“What are you scared off?” 

“This is real and could happen again.”

“Tasha. The scary part is over. Everyone else is okay. The bear maybe not but nobody cares about him. Besides I was down there with her, I should have kept a closer eye on her.”

“John that's not true. It is not your bad.” Natasha looked at him. Her face looked less like stone now. It seemed sad and tired, if not completely exhausted. 

***

Leslie had prepped the body for burial. She wanted to do what Natasha and John wanted but not to put it on them. They were struggling enough. 

Vera was staying with Kate at least for the next couple of days, Kate was. After the first night which was the worst for Natasha, she seemed much more stable. She knew she had to keep going for John, Leo and Lo, for her dad and Kate and everyone else. She had responsibility. She had a vital task in the group, she was now even more aware of that. 

John, on the other hand, was sleighing down the hole. He had seemed calm on the day it happened but he was completely destroyed. He refused to eat and didn't get up from bed. It settled in and he was in deep emotional shock. He didn't say a word. He was trapped in his own thoughts and how guilty he felt about what had happened. 

Natasha was up and running. She was feeding Vera and cleaning up the remaining mess she had made the previous day. But she sat with John for the most part of the morning, holding his hand, attempting to comfort him. Well she was still fully there yet but she knew no matter what she had to make this world a better place for everyone alive. Leo was constantly around and walking through the hallways, he was unsure how to deal with it. He wanted to talk to Natasha but she had told him that John needed rest so he was waiting impatiently to come to see him. 

Leo too needed comforting. He was scared he could lose even more of his family. Understandably. 

Natasha told him that she had no intention of going away. She made him pancakes since she knew that would cheer him up. Vera was mostly sleeping in the kangaroo wrap and going wherever Natasha was going. Though she didn't move much. She wanted to stay near John and Leo. 

Kate was constantly around Natasha she really didn't know how to deal with the situation, but she felt like she had to help Natasha if she would ask for it like she had kept an eye on Vera. She knew she would never have her own kids and Natasha was family to her so she could support her. 

Sandra was talking the guard all day since a part of the responsibly was his. The guard was terribly sorry. He did never think about how important his job actually was. But it was the end of the world and kicking him out of the group would most certainly kill him sooner or later. 

Leo went to play with her since it was a great distraction and she was an interesting person. 

When Natasha came back to their room she found the bed empty. John was gone, as were his boots and gun. 

Natasha bit back a curse and went to tell Sandra. She had to find him. She was worried. Sandra personally offered to come with her to look for him, so did Valerie. Kate took Vera again and the three women headed out. Dorian also came with them, since he was worried and he could be an enormous help with finding him. 

The guard on duty told them that John had left through the main gate. John had never learnt how to deal with grief properly. Back when his parents had died he had found distraction in working extra hours. Now there was nothing. The World they lived in was a world of death, war and danger. Only ten percent of Americans were still alive, the same for all Canadians in the denser populated areas. Until now he had been lucky, none of his close friends had died. He was desperate, there were pain and guilt. There was no way out. 

“I've got him!” Dorian called out. 

Natasha looked at the DRN. 

“I'll lead you all there.” Dorian started to walk a lot faster, but slowly enough that the other could keep up with the pace. 

They found John sitting on a rock, his head hung low. 

Natasha carefully approached him and sat down next to him but with some space in between them. 

“John. Talk to me.” She said softly and looked at him. 

He didn't react. 

“John….” she tried again and carefully reached out for his shoulder this time. 

John jumped at the touch and glared at her with eyes of anger, hate and sadness. 

“Go home,” he said. 

“If you come with me.”

“I won't. But you really should go be with the kids and your dad.” 

“They need you too.” 

“They don't. I only get them killed. I'm a horrible dad.”

“You are not. They need you, now more than ever. I need you too. You saved my life countless times, let me save yours. John, I want to get old with you. I know what you are thinking. Trust me I know.” 

John was only looking at her, he didn't say anything more. 

“I'm not saying I don't feel anything. I feel a lot. I just don't know how to put it into words and I know life has to go on. So many awful things happen. I miss her, John. I love her. But my children, my husband and everyone else in our group needs me. I have a responsibility. We need each other, John.” 

“How, Natasha? How can this happen?” 

“I do not know.” She reached for his hand. But he pulled away. 

“John, I love you.” She paused. “I'm sorry I'm saying this but not everything sucks. Life goes on. It has to. You are this group's leader, are you even aware of that?” 

John kept looking at his wife. “Come with me?” 

“No. Running away is not the solution. Besides, it is not actually saying that. John, please come back with me.” Natasha moved closer and hugged him tightly. 

His first instinct was to push her away but he could not hurt her, she was hurting already because of him.

After a while, he slowly got up to walk back with her. 

Natasha wrapped an arm around her husband. She knew that he needed her now more than ever, she just could not let him go off the edge, both literally and figuratively. She would not let go. “I love you, John,” she said softly.

“I love you too. I really do. It’s just…” John’s voice broke and fell silent. 

“What do you need?” 

“I need her back. I need a second chance.”

Natasha started rubbing his back, not saying anything. This was not something she could make happen. 

The rest of the group followed them, none of them said anything, mostly because they were scared to say something wrong. Sandra was trying to keep the group together, especially since John (as the group’s leader) was barely up for the job.

Dorian was constantly scanning, everyone and their surroundings. John was his friend, so was Natasha and he could not imagine how they must have felt like. Suddenly he froze. “We should hurry. There are planes approaching this area!” 

Natasha felt how John froze, how he tensed up a lot more. 

“It’s fine. If you hurry we will make it back in time. I got gear on me, so do the others, we shared one set before,” she gave him a bit of a shaky smile. She knew that sharing a set would suck.

“Not a chance, you are still breastfeeding Vera,” John answered firmly. 

“I know you are caring for me. You always are, but you are also not yourself, let’s just run, okay?” Natasha turned around to the others. “Let’s hurry guys.”

Dorian nodded. He would not be hurt by the rain but he was worried for his human companions. “We got ten minutes, tops.”

Natasha reached for John’s hand and dragged him with her. She felt how he was not able to keep up with her. He had lost his will to fight. 

“Come on!” she called out. She would not leave him behind. 

They made it back to the mansion, just in time before the planes arrived. Dorian made sure the garden was covered and the building secure. 

Natasha went upstairs with John, Vera was babbling, Leslie was taking care of her. Leo had been with Valerie. He seemed to not understand it yet. Even to Natasha, it felt surreal.