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cncoh-damn · 5 years

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Petals in the Wind

Summary: You didn’t mean to catch feelings, so you did the only thing you could: run.

Word count: 4,256

Tags: @richukisbb @whymyeyeslikethat @zaddydejesus @zabdielsdimples @cncownerxcr7 @streamdecero @marveloucnco @cncoxpmxvibes

Request: “Of course it meant something.” [Anon]

Warnings: Angst, Google translated Spanish, a bit of blood (nothing too graphic, but still) due to the nature of the Hanahaki disease, a fictitious illness in which one vomits blood and flowers when they believe their love to be unrequited.

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(H/c) hair spread out onto the mattress as your form continued to shake from the force of your coughs. Tears prick at your eyes as yet another purple lilac joins the bloodied mess of flowers on your floor. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Damn it, (Y/N), you just had to go and fall in love with him. You just had to catch feelings for him.

It’d only been a month or so ago since you last saw him, since your skin last touched his, since his eyes bore into yours. It’d only been a month since you realized that you fell in love with Zabdiel, and the thought horrified you. Cold sweat covered your hands when the realization hit as you two indulged in one another’s company, the hairs on the back of your neck immediately standing on end the second your thoughts began to veer too closely to romantic intentions.

Just a month ago, you two were curled up on his bed, the TV playing some movie (or was it a show?) that neither of you really paid attention to at this point. He had an arm around your waist, back against the headboard as you tucked yourself into a ball by his side. You shift around a bit, trying to find a position that’s comfortable for both of you before he sighed, picking you up and depositing you between his legs. A tiny squeak left your lips that time, not necessarily used to being in that spot. By his side or on his lap were your usual places, never in the space between his legs; that was something he usually reserved for his girlfriend. But you don’t think much of it, especially when he pulls you to his chest, his chin resting on your head.

“Zabdi?” You mumble, prying one of his large hands off your waist to play with his fingers. He hums in response, the sound reverberating from his chest. There’s a question on the tip of your tongue, but you figured it’s best not to voice it out. Not yet.

“(Y/N)?” He asks, nudging you. You shake your head, lips pressed into a line.

“No importa. Nos quedamos aquí?” Your attempt to steer the conversation somewhere else works, and he shrugs, something you feel rather than see.

“Quieres ir a algun lado?”

“Not really.” And then, after a quick beat, “I can’t feel my legs.” That gets a snicker from the blond, and he’s quick to scoot the two of you towards the edge of his bed, where he promptly drops you onto the floor.

You remember being a bit miffed that he did so, but one look at his face, one glance at the smile that lit up his features the way his random statements would light up yours, and your heart clenched. Another beat longer and you feel something ticklish in the back of your throat, almost as if bile began to rise and force its way out of your mouth. With some difficulty, you rise to your feet and scramble into his bathroom, a hand clasped to your mouth. You don’t notice the worry overshadowing the grin on his face as he follows you, don’t notice the way his brows furrow when you shut yourself in there and begin retching into the toilet.

How could you notice when flowers begin to tumble past your lips, your blood splattered onto the petals? How could you notice the worried knocking on the door when you remember the stories of people dying from heartache because of the flowers that grew in their lungs? How could you notice anything other than the sinking feeling of dread that threatened to consume you because you fell in love with your best friend?

Minutes feel like hours for both you and Zabdiel, his worry increasing the longer you stayed inside his bathroom, and you coming to the realization that you had no idea how to deal with this. You stay in there for almost thirty minutes, but to both of you, it felt like an eternity.

Hanahaki disease. It wasn’t a rarity, even if no one you knew—sans Calla—had ever been afflicted with it. There’s no telling where or how it originated, but everyone knew there were only two (three, if you’re being optimistic): have surgery to remove the flowers and your feelings for your beloved or die. That was when you knew what choice you had to make.

It’s painful to walk out of the bathroom and lie to him, far more painful than to cough up those purple lilacs. It’s painful to leave his house and know that you won’t be there to say goodbye when he leaves for tour again. It’s painful to imagine the look on his face when he realizes you lied to him, but it was for the best.

It’s for the best that you take yourself out of the picture, distance yourself before he realizes exactly what it is that you have. It’s for the best that you keep it to yourself, moving away from him and everyone else you knew to spare them from knowing about your inevitable death.

And that’s how you found yourself in Seattle, living in a tiny house you bought with some help from one of your friends who used to have Hanahaki as well. It’s tucked away in Downtown Seattle, someplace you’re sure the guys would never have a concert or stop or event in. Of course, most people would stop there, but not you.

It wasn’t enough to simply put as much physical distance between you and Zabdiel, you needed to stay away from anything and everything that could possibly remind you of him. To you, that meant blocking him (and the boys) everywhere. It meant deleting his number from your phone and blocking it, but when that wasn’t enough, you changed your number.

And now that you’ve fully isolated yourself from everyone you loved, you figured you’d be able to stop the flowers from growing and choking you to death. It didn’t.

No matter how much you tried, there would always be something that reminded you of him, be it a flash of blond curls or a dimpled smile. And every time you glimpsed a reminder of him, you felt the flowers grow some more, felt their roots digging into your lungs and making breathing so much more difficult than it once was.

It’s only been a month and yet you’ve completely wasted away, ribs poking out against your skin as an entire month of consuming nothing but soup and water showed its effects on you. This wasn’t how you expected your twenties to go, living in a constant state of fear and sorrow that you would die alone because you forced yourself into isolation.

It’s only been a month and yet you’re sure your days are numbered, that death would come for you far sooner than anyone would’ve thought. You knew it. You felt it in every bloody cough, saw your demise approaching in every petal, every flower that fell from your lips.

Never did you think you’d be willing to die because of love, yet here you are. But it’s worth it, you think. It’s worth it to choke on those flowers that prove your love is unrequited because it means the last memory you’ll have of him is one where he was happy and content while in your presence.

Your coughs get louder and your breathing gets more desperate as darkness begins to blanket the edges of your vision. Blood drips down your chin as another lilac joins the ones on the floor, though you hear the jingle of keys just below your loft. Weird, you weren’t expecting a visit from anyone. As you pass out, your heartbeat quickens once you hear his voice calling for you.

⁠—⁠⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠—

When you didn’t show up the day he was going to leave for tour, Zabdiel worried. But the rational part of his mind said something probably came up, that you were just running late. Besides, if you weren’t going to show up, you would’ve told him. Right?

Wrong. You didn’t show up that day, and you didn’t text him either. It was only when he tried to contact you did he learn that you blocked him from, well, everything. And it wasn’t just him, either; you blocked the guys as well as the rest of your friends. He tried to contact your parents, but all they told him was that you left without saying where you were going or if you’d even come back. And it’s not like you gave them a choice either; you were long gone by the time your parents read the note you left them.

He tried, he really did try to find you, to figure out what happened. Hell, he was even tempted to ask the CNCOwners for help, but Clara and Renato talked him out of it. Despite that, the thought still crosses his mind, especially when the days stretch into weeks, and the weeks have turned into a whole month.

A whole month since he left for tour.

A whole month since you vanished into thin air.

A whole month since the day you ran into his bathroom to cough and retch.

That day started innocently enough; he invited you to hang out for the whole day before he had to leave and you accepted. You always did, putting your friendship with each other before anything else. It’s one of the things that he loved about you, one of the many things about (Y/N) (L/N) that made his heart quicken and warmth flood his veins.

A movie played in the background, some documentary on the Hanahaki disease that you two found after a while of scrolling through Netflix. Not that he paid much attention to it, not when he had your smaller form snuggled up next to him. It was almost perfect, really. Calm and quiet except for the white noise of the documentary. And then you mentioned not having any feeling in your legs. He wound up dropping you from his bed, and that was when it went to shit.

Something changed in the brief span of time you two held eye contact with each other, and he didn’t know what, because the next thing he knew, you were running into his bathroom, coughing and retching noises muffled yet audible through the door. He couldn’t even go inside to see if you were okay because you locked yourself in, something that made him worry more. Did you have a stomach bug? Ate something bad? What was wrong? Were you sick?

All these questions and more flooded his mind but he couldn’t even find a single answer to any of them. The longer you stayed in there the greater his unease grew, almost to the point that he actually considered using the lockpicking kit you gave him once when you were younger. Just when he made up his mind to ransack his room in search of it, the door swung open to show you, a cheery grin on your face despite the pallid hue of your skin. Somehow, you managed to avoid any and all of his attempts at asking if you were sick, always waving it off by saying that you were fine or by asking him questions about the upcoming tour. Both of you knew this was out of the norm, but with you being so persistent that you really were fine—“No es nada, Zabdi, really!”—he had no choice but to drop it.

“Estaré en el aeropuerto mañana, si?” You told him as he saw you to the door, a smile on your face that seemed almost too bright to be real. Though skeptical about the state of your well-being, he had faith that you would show up, that you would keep your promise. Maybe if he didn’t agree and bid you goodbye that day—for what was possibly the last time—you wouldn’t have disappeared like that.

Was it something he did?

Was it something he said?

Or worse, was it something the fans did or said about you online that made you disappear like that?

In all his years of knowing you, Zabdiel would never have taken you for the type to suddenly disappear with no rhyme or reason, even despite your penchant for ditching a situation when it made you uncomfortable. If you ever needed space to yourself for any period of time, he was always the first person you’d tell, be it through a post-it or a text message. And Zabdiel always told everyone when you needed to be left alone for a while, something you did for him when he wasn’t in the best mood. It’s a somewhat odd friendship you two have, one where you could isolate yourselves and yet still be around each other. People were always quick to notice it, and quicker still to ask if you two were together. For the longest time, both of you denied it wholeheartedly, but it was during one of his breaks from touring that he began to want more than the close friendship you two shared.

Though he was unsure as to what changed, why he began to see you in a new light, he embraced it, sneaking bits and pieces of intimacy into the time you spent together. That day, the day before he left, he made up his mind to tell you how he felt. That plan promptly got thrown out the window when a sudden bout of vomiting decided to pay you a visit, and out of worry for your health, he decided to push back his confession. It could wait until tomorrow, he reasoned. Hell, maybe he could confess as soon as he got back from tour, assuming that you still didn’t have a boyfriend (which, knowing you, would be a reality and not just an assumption).

Then you disappeared. Virtually unreachable, except to those you told of your location, and he wasn’t on that list. He knew because your parents told him you were fine, that you suddenly needed to be left alone for a bit so you didn’t tell him. It didn’t make sense then, and it sure as hell didn’t make sense now; why would you want to distance yourself even from him?

Just as he’s about to tug on his blond curls out of frustration, there’s a knock on his door. Really, he wasn’t going to answer it, but whoever was in the hallway was persistent, their knuckles repeatedly hitting the wood of the hotel room door until he stood up and opened it, only to find one of your mutual friends on the other side.

Calla’s doe-like eyes are wide with panic, and he lets her into his room without much question. Last either of you two heard of her, she went to the US for a surgery to get rid of the flowers in her lungs after an unrequited love turned fatal. Still didn’t explain why she was here though.

“It’s (Y/N),” she says, and suddenly he tenses.

“You know where she is?”

“Si, pero no tengo tiempo para explicar, Zabdiel. We have to get to her.” Whatever the cause behind the worry and fear on her face is enough to spur him into moving, grabbing the room key and his phone before following her out.

They get into a cab, one that Calla paid double to just so the driver would break the speed limit, and throughout the drive, Calla kept glancing at her phone, one hand thrust into her pocket as worry continued to crease her forehead. As he opens his mouth to ask what was wrong, the cab stops, and if he wasn’t so worried about you, he would’ve been surprised that the brunette managed to haul him out of his seat.

She takes him towards a small (literally, it could pass for a trailer) house, one that she apparently has the keys to, judging from the ease with which she unlocked the door.

“She’s in there,” Calla tells him, hand clutching the key in a vice grip. “Tienes que hablar con ella, por favor. Ella no me está escuchando a mí ni a nadie más.” That was all he needed to hear to enter the house, calling your name but stopping in his tracks when he sees bloodied flowers on the floor. There’s a ladder next to them, and something tells him he’d find you up there.

Bloodied flowers. Was that why you needed space? Because you had Hanahaki? He hears a thump from the loft, and despite all the prayers his mind screamed to all the saints he knew, there was no denying that that sound most likely came from you. As much as he wanted to deny it, he had to see for himself if you really were okay, had to see you again.

And despite knowing that you were coughing up flowers for an entire month, nothing would have prepared him for the sight of you laying on a mattress stained with blood—your blood—and surrounded by even more flowers. Flowers whose purple petals were almost unrecognizable due to how much blood coated them. The first tendrils of fear begin to settle in his mind when he notices your closed eyes and labored breathing, and he throws caution to the wind.

Cradling your frail and limp form in his arms, it’s a bit of a struggle getting from the loft to the main floor, but he manages. Outside, Calla paces up and down, her face aged with worry that turns into terror when he emerges with an unconscious body. Your unconscious body, to be precise, and Calla doesn’t waste time in calling 911. They’re quick to respond, and not ten minutes after his arrival at your hide-out (which Calla confesses to have helped you buy), the three of you are in the hospital.

There’s nothing more that they could do, is what the doctors tell them. They can’t operate without your consent, and even if it kills him to leave, he does, praying to God that you wake up.

—————

The last thing you remember before passing out is hearing Zabdiel’s voice. Then the next thing you know, you’re waking up in the hospital, wires hooked up to your body as the sterile smell of medicine assaults your nose. Next to your bed, the heart monitor beeps as it keeps track of your pulse, and you look around.

It’s just a plain hospital room, the TV mounted on a table at the far corner of the room showing a game of futbol. That was weird; since when did Calla watch futbol instead of volleyball? Just then, the door opens and in comes the very person you’ve been running away from: your best friend and first love, Zabdiel de Jesus.

He doesn’t notice that you’re awake, talking in rapid Spanish to someone on the phone, and suddenly, the futbol game makes sense.

While your physical appearance has changed in the past month or so, it’s easy to see that Zabdiel still looks the same. Well, except for the bags under his eyes and the worry creasing his brow, but you’re quick to dismiss it as your fault. After all, what friend—dios, who knew a single fucking word could hurt so much?—wouldn’t worry? You quite literally vanished from the face of the planet, all because you couldn’t deal with the fact that you fell in love with your best friend. As soon as that thought enters your mind, you start coughing again, blood and flower petals leaving your lips as Zabdiel rushes to your side, phone call forgotten.

“(Y/N), está bien. Estoy aquí, estás a salvo, estarás bien,” he says, a large, warm hand rubbing your back as you continue to expel whatever clogged your lungs. Your coughing fit continues for a while longer before you can finally breathe—well, as much as you could with flowers in your lungs—and once you can, you look up at him, shame filling your (e/c) eyes.

“Lo siento, Zabdi,” you whisper, eyes darting down to the blood and purple lilacs scattered in front of you. “No quería que supieras sobre esto.” And it was the truth; your decision to cut him out of your life stemmed from two points, one of which was his career. You didn’t want him to worry about you and have it affect him, negatively or otherwise, though it seemed like he did worry even despite your best efforts.

“¿Qué te ha pasado?” He murmurs, his hand now carding through your limp hair. The action is familiar, almost painfully so, and it nearly triggers yet another coughing fit when you realize that this was something he probably did with his girlfriends or one night stands, and that makes your chest ache with the growth of yet another root.

“Hanahaki,” you tell him, voice still not coming above a whisper. “I... I didn’t want you to worry,” you continue, feeling tears well up in your eyes as you wonder what he had to tell Clara and Renato, or if he even told them.

“Los médicos dijeron que necesita cirugía si quiere sobrevivir,” Zabdiel says, still stroking your hair as he sits down next to you on the bed. “Quieres operarte?” He’s hoping you say yes; there’s no way he’d be able to handle losing you like this. No way he’d be able to handle seeing you die as flowers, the proof of your love being unrequited, suffocate you with their bloody growth. To his horror, you shake your head, a sad smile on your face.

“No quiero olvidar cómo se siente el amor, Zabdi, incluso si duele.” The smile looks painful, and he gets the sinking feeling that you’re about to have another coughing fit.

“But you could die,” he shoots back, a frown marring his features as the hand in your hair stills.

“We’re all dying anyway,” you quip, a forced chuckle leaving your lips soon after.

“Not this young, nena.” The nickname slips out before he could stop himself, and you feel yet another stabbing root growth in your lungs.

“I’ll take my chances.”

“Pero por que, (Y/N)? What for?”

“It’s better to have loved and lost than to not have loved at all,” you offer as a reply, quoting Shakespeare in an attempt to lighten up the mood. Silence settles in the room for a while, tense and almost as suffocating as the flora still growing inside your body before he speaks up again.

“Who is it?” And here comes the dreaded question, one you hoped you could avoid. There’s no way you could successfully lie to him, no possible answer that would make him believe you should you try and trick him. Instead of doing that, you keep your gaze firmly fixed to the blankets covering you, pale and chapped lips pressed into a thin line of defiance. Upon noticing that you had no plans of telling him, Zabdiel sighs, getting off the bed and making his way to the door.

“I’ll tell the doctors you’re awake.” As he opens the door, something propels you to whisper three little words, the same words that you knew would be your undoing.

“I love you.”

The second those words are out in the open, Zabdiel freezes mid-step, and for a moment, you’re afraid that he might not take it so well. That worry only grows when he turns around and walks back to you, his face unreadable as his hands cup your cheeks.

“You mean it?” Never have you felt this small before, and all it took was him staring into your eyes with an intensity you swear was only reserved for the girls he was romantically or sexually interested in. Of course, him holding your face meant that you couldn’t look away unless you planned to wrench yourself away from his hold. With all the wires hooked up to you, that wasn’t going to happen.

“Si,” you mumble, eyes screwed shut so you didn’t have to see his reaction. Not that you needed to see it, because the next thing you knew, there was something on your lips. Your eyes fly open at the sensation, and dimly, you register the heart monitor beeping as your pulse picked up.

That thing you felt on your lips? Zabdiel’s own, and his eyes were closed as he kissed you. Slowly, skeptical as you were that this was actually real, your eyes slid shut as you tentatively begin to kiss back, although he breaks it soon after. Suddenly, it’s like you two are in your own little bubble once more, alone together as you block out the rest of the world. His forehead rests against your own, your breath intermingling with his as you try to make sense of what just happened.

“Did that mean something to you?” You ask, not quite ready to believe that your feelings were actually requited. Zabdiel only shakes his head, pecking your lips once more before he replied.

“Of course it meant something, mi amor. I love you, (Y/N). Te amo mucho, mi vida.” And there goes the waterworks on your end as you pull him in for another kiss, this one longer and now, painless, for the flowers that once grew in your lungs disappeared as quickly as they bloomed.

Perhaps you shouldn’t have run. Maybe then there wouldn’t be so many bloodied petals in the wind.

#cnco imagine #cnco imagines #cnco fanfic #cnco fanfiction #cnco reader insert #zabdiel de jesus imagine #zabdiel de jesus #zabdiel de jesus x reader #hanahaki au #requested by anon #angst with a happy ending

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awkwardplantwrites · 5 years

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Finding Magic Chapter Four

Posting early this week!

Chapter 4: 2090 words / Reading time: 10 minutes

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure/Action

Find the chapter on wattpad (Bippick is my wattpad username)

New to the story? Missed some updates? Find all the chapters here on tumblr

(Artwork by @pe-ersona ~ Reblogs and comments are appreciated :D )

When Renato woke up the next morning, Pepi wasn't sitting by the door. Renato drew the curtains open and looked out the window. People pitched coloured tents in the town center, they hung triangles on strings between buildings, and children (or small people?) dressed in costumes of creatures he recognized from his folklore books. Someone knocked at the door.

"Come in," Renato said, rubbing his eyes.

Helaine walked in holding a hot drink that steamed. "Brought you a hangover cure. How are you feeling?"

"Fine, surprisingly. I don't even have a headache."

Helaine rolled her eyes and tutted. "To be young... Okay, in that case, this is a thank you for finding Rizze."

"Thank you. Or you're welcome? I would've brought him back even if you didn't serve me beverages." He took the drink from her and blew over the top, the liquid rippled. "You're ten years older than me, aren't you? Thirty-three is still young."

"A lot can change in ten years," she mused and sat on the bed. "For example, I travelled here from Bhārat as a merchant, selling my family's spices. Fell in love with a beautiful girl. Found myself at home in this town. Had an argument with my family that spanned hundreds of letters when I told them I wouldn't return. Opened a spice shop. Closed it. Re-opened and began selling flowers. Met a duo with outrageous ideas who pulled them off without a hitch. Earned a headache after a night of celebration..." Helaine grimaced and took a sip from her cup.

"What a wonderful way to spend ten years. Though last night was hardly without a hitch, we nearly got caught. Rizze kept scratching me on the way back too," Renato trailed off. "I think there's something going on with Pepi. He was cheerful last night, but it felt forced. Normally he waits until I wake up to wander off, but..." He gestured to the empty chair. "I'm not sure if I should ask him about it. Pepi's good at talking without saying much of anything at all."

"Kater is similar, I know how you feel."

"Don't you find it frustrating? How can you get along with someone who's like that? I feel like he's lying to me by not telling me the whole truth."

Taking another sip, Helaine was quiet as she thought. "It can be tiresome, having a relationship with someone who avoids issues when you'd rather confront them, get it over with. Kater gets so concerned about hurting my feelings."

Helaine pushed up her glasses. "Sometimes she avoids problems because she's indecisive, and would rather figure it out herself before giving me an answer. It's about trust. Sharing secrets means there's a chance the other person will learn the truth and never speak to them again. Or they'll think differently of that person for the rest of time. It's a vulnerable place to be. And it's not an unfounded fear, as no-one can predict the future."

"Try telling that to Pepi. He visited a diviner the other day."

"Kater tries to read her palms. She's convinced she'll die young because her'health line is shorter than average,'" Helaine chuckled. "You're a nice boy, I reckon Pepi trusts you but isn't ready to take down his emotional barriers. It's like a shield for him. He respects you too much and doesn't want to bother you."

Renato frowned. "Too much?"

"He's your squire, right?" Renato nodded. "That's not quite equal to a knight, is it? Especially not one chosen by a god." She scrunched her nose. "What does that mean exactly? How are you different from regular magic users?"

"Me spells are more powerful, and I'm able to use more magic than the average person. I can speak to Lidion if I stare long enough at some water. It's not all that special. Gives me a lot more work to do though."

"You're doing a great job. No-one would think you're ill," she remarked.

Renato blinked in surprise. "Apart from you, somehow."

"I like to pick up on the little things. They matter the most." Helaine smiled.

Nodding, Renato turned to look out the window again. "What's happening outside?"

Helaine peered out the window. "It's Spirt's Eve already? Oh, Kater will be in a hurry to set up decorations today. She's always leaving these things to the last minute."

"What's Spirit's Eve?"

Searching Renato's eyes, Helaine scrunched her nose. "It's a holiday, where we celebrate the lives of people who lived, and walk amongst beings and creatures from folklore."

"It looks exciting. We don't have holidays in Llantry."

"You celebrate nothing? You don't even have one day to share a feast? Or a day of rest?"

As Renato shrugged and shook his head, Kater's voice resounded through the Inn while she yelled.

"I'm telling you, I've met no one of the sort! Get out of my establishment!"

Pepi appeared at the door, poking his head through the crack. "I may have, uh, tipped off the folk at the manor about our location last night by accident. We should go."

Kater screamed downstairs. A glass smashed.

"Preferably now," Pepi added

Helaine rushed out the room. Renato threw his blanket to the side of the bed. He got dressed, brushing Pepi off when he tried to help, and told him to find a way out instead. Pepi left with Finlay trailing behind him, pulsing black and red light.

Renato stuffed his night clothes into his bag, taking out his pocket mirror for a moment to fix his hair. Pepi opened the door again.

"There's a patch of straw outside the hallway window," Pepi told Renato. "We have to jump, there's no other way out."

Wanting to protest, Renato opened his mouth, but closed it again when he realized he didn't have time to argue. The sound of shouting spurred him on. He clutched his bag to his chest and followed Pepi to the window. When it was his turn to jump, he sent a short prayer to Lidion, hoped he wouldn't break anything a healer couldn't fix, and leapt onto the straw. He landed with a roll and limped to the wagon, peeking at the front entrance of the Inn where Kater kept the Wakefield knights occupied. A man wearing an apron turned at the sound of their horse neighing, which Pepi tried to calm down, and he pointed in their direction.

"That's them! Hurry, before they get away!"

Renato tumbled into the back of the wagon, Pepi climbed into the jockey box and tugged at the reins.

"Bye Kater, Helaine! Nice meeting you for the first time, again!" Pepi yelled. "We'll come back someday. Save me some ale!"

Renato also called out a goodbye, waving from the rear of the wagon, then ducked down when the Wakefield knights started bombing them with spells. The wagon swerved, Pepi tried to dodge the spells and the tents on the street.

"Sorry!" Pepi shouted. "That pumpkin looked swell, carve another masterpiece, kid!"

Renato watched as the knights found a wagon of their own. "Pepi, they'll catch up soon, what do we do?"

"I don't know! You're the hero, figure something out, I'm driving!"

Searching for any tools, Renato noticed children hitting colourful horses with wooden sticks, which exploded with treats after being beaten. He grabbed the next one he found, snatching it off the string as children wailed. Ripping the horse apart, it revealed rock-solid cinnamon buns. Renato threw them at the knights chasing them.

"Are these supposed to be edible?" he cried.

They turned a sharp corner, and Renato lost his grip on the shredded treat filled horse, while Pepi struggled to steady the real horse. Renato watched the corner they'd passed, and a smile formed on his lips. They'd lost their chasers!

That smile vanished when the knights also turned the corner, using magic to propel their wagon to go faster.

"Stopcheating!" Renato made a face at the other wagon.

"Wha- are you a child?!" A knight he recognized from the previous night, who'd invited him to play Bone Crowns, shouted at him. "Stop your vehicle this instant!"

"I thought we were buddies!" Renato narrowly avoided being struck by another spell. "You said I was more fun than regular Larry, and I am! But I won't be if you try to kill me!"

"This isn't a game, you dunce!"

"It is so, now let me win!" Renato grabbed a flower basket, apologized to Helaine in his head, and threw it at the wagon. It hit a knight in the face. "Fifty points to me."

For a second they faltered, but they grew faster, eventually overtaking them. The knights banged the wagon into the side of theirs, tearing at the cover with daggers. Renato yelped and tried to stay on the safe side. Then Pepi cried out, and Renato saw they caught him in a magic rope that tied itself around his wrist. Their cart veered out of control. Renato raced over to the jockey box, yanking at the rope, which flew from the apron man's grasp. Unfortunately, that end of the rope tied itself around Renato's wrist, tying the two of them together. He scrambled for the reins with one hand and screamed with every ounce of energy in his body.

"LIDION, I NEED YOU! PLEASE!"

With a great gust of wind, Lidion answered his prayer; the wind slowed the other wagon down to a halt; the wheels snapped in half, rendering the knights immobile. For the first time in months, Renato laughed. It became hysterical, and he clutched his stomach when he saw the knights still trying to shoot spells at them as they rode away.

Then a ticking grenade landed inside the wagon and it wasn't funny anymore.

"Jump, Pepi!"

"I have to unharness the horse!"

"No time!" Renato pushed Pepi to the road.

The horse screeched in fear, racing on ahead with no-one to guide it. Lying on the road, Pepi and Renato shielded their eyes as the wagon exploded. A sharp, loud buzzing filled their ears. Pepi looked like he was shouting, but Renato couldn't hear his words. Looking back, he noticed the knights followed them on foot. He pulled Pepi up with the hand tied to him and ran past the wagon.

Pepi tried to go back for the horse but Renato had a firm grip on his hand and heaved the other man away from the scene. Glancing back at the knights, he saw they'd stopped running, standing at the outskirts of town where a sign stood, thanking them for visiting. He blew a raspberry at Wakefield and continued dragging Pepi as fast and far as they could go.

As Renato's hearing returned to normal, he noticed both their panting and slowed to a halt, shoving off his bag, collapsing alongside Pepi onto the grass. How far had they ran from Wakefield? He didn't know. It didn't matter as long as they were safe. He couldn't gather the strength to see where they lay. All he knew was: it was raining, the surrounding trees stood taller than any he'd ever seen, and Pepi's hand was warm in his.

"Pepi," he gasped. "Why didn't we take a boat?"

"... Shit. Wait, no, I can justify this! Uh... Do you know anyone who has a boat?" Finlay darted around Pepi, flashing a purple light.

"Well, no," Renato replied.

"Neither do I."

"We could have asked someone who has a boat though," Renato noted. "I don't think your reasoning covers up this plot hole or my wounded pride enough."

"In that case," Pepi breathed. "They enchanted the water around Adhur. See, Adhur's a low floating island. One too many ships bumped into it. So they cast a spell that meant no-one can sail near Adhur," Pepi explained. "Sailors get confused and go around it. The island has griffins that pick up people from the mainland."

Renato sighed. "Could've got a boat somewhere close to Adhur though."

"I get seasick?" Finlay began to turn orange. "Finlay stop giving me away, you're supposed to catch other people's lies not mine," Pepi whispered.

"Okay, and I'm afraid of large bodies of water. So that's why we couldn't sail. That makes a logical argument. I can sleep soundly knowing the plot makes sense."

"We could be sailors in another universe, another story." Pepi squeezed his hand.

Renato laced their fingers. "In another universe I'd be Rizze, sleeping all day in a sunny spot of The Ugly Snail."

Renato and Pepi wheezed with weak laughter, resting where they lay.

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mooleche · 5 years

Text

A Story of Ink and Venom - Chap. 5

A/N - Someone wicked this way comes! Some new revelations revealed and Nina is tasked with an important request after some distressing news! There are some french translations in here that I’m not quite sure how to post on here so if you’re curious to know what they say I can make a separate post to explain what they translate to! As always I hope you enjoy and if you’d like to be tossed onto the notifications list lemme know!

Tagged - @leo-writer @master-sass-blast

Chapter 5: Preparation

I dreamt of blood.

Of tendons snapping and muscle being torn in two.

Heard the inescapable screams of terror in a void of nightmares that had me tossing and turning all night.

Then I saw them again. Those milky white eyes that narrowed as they set their sights on me, soon replaced by a gaping maw full of jagged teeth that were ready to tear into my skin like it was paper.

Then I woke with a small, terrified gasp.

It was just a nightmare. This is what I had to tell myself as I stared at the ceiling and tried to calm my racing thoughts. My heart continued to pound and my clothes were damp with sweat from my troubled sleep. But the longer I laid there the more aware I became of my surroundings. A soft melody weaved in and out of my hearing and the hues of blue and pink of our hanging lights danced in my blurred vision. It was noticing this that I was finally able to release a sigh of relief as I was able to remind myself of two important things:

I was home. And I was safe.

Beside me, the bed creaked and I turned my head to find Ava sitting cross-legged by my curtained window, hand over her mouth in serious concentration as she stared at her laptop screen. I made the effort to sit up and felt my entire body seize up with pain.

“Ah, she awakens,” her husky morning voice announced beside me as a groan of pain escaped me. I struggled to make the minimal effort to turn to her, only to be met with her hand that held my glasses and a bottle that she rattled at me.

“Drink up, Princesa. You’re gonna need these for the day ahead,”

“You’re a lifesaver,” I murmured as I accepted and downed them graciously. They could have been horse tranquilizers and I wouldn’t have cared, the pain that my body felt as I sat up had me almost wishing I was still facing those nightmares. Just the brief thought of reliving them made my stomach churn though, and I quickly tried to ignore it and press through the pain instead.

I slumped over on Ava’s shoulder and sighed, a small chuckle escaping her as she carefully moved a piece of hair away from my face.

“Surprised you’re even awake right now, you outdrank all of us,” she teased as I held my head, now fully feeling the effects of my terribly thought out decisions last night. That was right, we had drunk last night to calm our nerves. Despite being desperate to escape the conversation we spent almost all night talking about it. Ava and Benni assured me the news hadn’t caught wind of my participation that they were aware of, only that there had been no bodies at the scene.

That alone left me both relieved and terrified for Spiderman and whatever remains were of Deadpool.

If there were any at all.

I shook my head sluggishly to rid myself of the thought before looking to Bambi and Benni who were haphazardly sprawled along Bam’s bed, still very much unconscious.

“Why are you awake?” I asked Ava groggily, taking every motion delicately as the room continued to spin.

She raised a brow at me and smirked.

“You think a little booze is going to cause me to break schedule? Pfft, I’m Latina, bebita. But also,” she added, pointing to the floor and frowning, “You really need to answer that thing. It’s been going off since 7.”

I went to ask her what she meant but then I heard it. The low rumble of my phone vibrating against the carpet. At that moment my hangover was completely disregarded and pain tossed aside as I slid to the ground and fished for it desperately. Ava watched me, perched from above, curiosity now wrinkling her brows as I found the source to the buzzing and curled into a ball to suppress the pain.

All I could muster was a soft ‘oh no’ when I saw what was on the lock screen.

Ava inched closer to me to try and sneak a peek as I continued to stare, not daring to unlock it to see what fresh hell was waiting for me inside. "What's going on?"

A soft 'oh' left her lips as I showed her. A handful of messages and mixed calls littered the screen, the fear you only felt when you missed 10 calls from your mother when you were a teen hitting my core as I swiped it open.

Only this fear was brought by missing the calls of my mother, father, AND Renato.

I swallowed hard and scanned the messages. All worried, all sent at various times during the night and this morning:

‘Honey, we just saw the news. Are you alright?’ ‘You’re not picking up. Did something happen?’ ‘We’re very worried. Pls respond!’ - Mom

*‘Mon chéri? Nous sommes inquiets pour vous’ ‘Appelez s'il vous plaît’ - Dad

‘Are you home? -R’ ‘Nina? -R’ ‘Look. I know you’re still recovering from last night but something has happened. Come to the lab ASAP. -R’ ‘Again, it’s URGENT. -R’ ‘Also, call your parents. -R’ - Renato

My gut twisted further with guilt as I read various texts from them all, but the last few from Renato worried me the most. It was sent almost half an hour ago and my imagination was going in every direction it could with what could have happened.

He rarely sent texts out to people, even when it was an emergency. What if something happened to him? What if that thing came back for it’s missing piece? What if it pulled an Alien and created a Chest Burster inside of him??

I had to go and see what was going on.

I uncurled myself from my position before releasing a groan of discomfort, moving from one awkward position to another as I attempted to summon the strength to get up. It didn't work. Lying half off the bed beside me Bambi began to stir.

“Nina? What’s going on?” she yawned, rubbing her eyes as she unshifted from her own awkward position to sit up and watch my staggered efforts. Benni gave a soft snore next to her but remained still. I was fully convinced that we could have dropped a bomb on the city and she’d have stayed asleep during it.

“I have to go to the Professor’s office. Something's wrong,” I winced, finally finding my footing and attempting to poorly stretch to try and subdue the pain. While it didn't do much to help with it, it did help me understand where the source was. I tenderly touched my side only to recoil back as the shock of pain it sent. It was almost exactly where I had landed after the creature had flung me, bringing a series of uncomfortable pictures to my head before I could shake them away.

“What?!” Both Ava and Bambi asked in unison at my announcement, watching me shuffle awkwardly to my wardrobe that had seen better days. Bambi was now wide awake at this point and stood to meet me, a heavy frown set on her once pouty lips.

“Please tell me you’re not going, especially after last night-”

“Last night is just as much my issue as it is Renato’s, Bam. Who knows, maybe he just found out something interesting about that gunk,” I tried to reassure both her and myself as I began to rummage through my clothes. We were assigned two wardrobe closets to a dorm at the beginning of the year and expected to fit all of our belongings inside. While Bambi had somehow made hers always look presentable. Mine was everything but, and I now struggled as I attempted to rip a cute yellow hoodie with ‘Good Vibes’ written in a cute font across the front out of its clutches for the day ahead.

I succeeded, only to fall back and have a mess of clothes topple onto me in the aftermath. Both Ava and Bambi shared a look of worry before Bambi knelt down to help me.

“I just...think it’s kind of bullshit he’s calling you in after everything. Especially with that,” she added as she pointed to my midriff, shirt now raised some to reveal a nasty looking bruise that had formed overnight. Underneath lurked a nastier looking scar from past events that I quickly hid and looked away, suddenly very aware of my flaws.

“Bambi, *déjalo!”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s fine,” I managed quickly, not wanting to mention it any more than it already had been. Like a monkey's paw suddenly sensing my wish to change the subject we all turned to my phone that had begun to vibrate again. Ava, the closest to it, studied the notification before her hazel eyes grew wide. “What is it?” I asked hesitantly as she stood and quickly closed the distance between us, holding my phone at arm's length like it was a bomb.

When I saw who was calling it might as well have been.

It was my father.

“Oh no, no. Can't you just like...I don’t know, tell him I’m sleeping??” I asked desperately, a snort erupting from her as she held it closer, holding me captive against the wall now.

“You really think I’m gonna pull off lying to your dad? Get real,” she hissed back while swiping over the green telephone emote to accept the call. I pursed my lips angrily in response, knowing she had me at a stalemate before I accepted the phone in defeat. "Ante up, bebita, you're on." she mouthed quietly as she and Bambi stood nearby quietly to listen. Even Benni's once peaceful snores were gone from the room as I prepared to completely BS my way through this conversation.

“Bonjour Papa!” I chimed into the receiver, knowing full well the I had just stepped into the lion’s den and had to be very careful about what was said. My father was as smart as he was strong, and the man had won a plethora of heavyweight titles before he retired. I had to be smart about where the conversation would go.

“Nina,” he started, dad tone already in full swing behind his heavy french accent. “We’ve been trying to get ahold of you all morning, *est-ce que tu vas bien? We saw the news and-”

“Oh right, the news.” I interrupted, clicking my tongue with thought as Bambi and Ava watched with wide eyes. I ignored them as I continued to search for the rest of my outfit in the mess I had created. “Wild stuff, right?”

“You didn’t get involved, did you?” he asked point-blank, my insides squirming as I pretended to scoff at his words.

“Me? Get involved? C’mon dad, *Avoir une certaine foi!” I grunted while struggling into a pair of leggings. He grunted back in response.

“I just worry, mon petite. Because reports say that a small mystery hero came in at the last second,”

“You don’t say,” I asked softly, hoodie stopped half over my body at these words. I wanted to curse. Sure, the news hadn't been able to record anything of my failed attempt at heroism, but I hadn't even thought about bystanders that might have seen.

“Oui, and she seemed to be wielding a hammer. A big black hammer that fell apart right after using it,” he pressed, my nerves getting the best of me as I scrambled to find proper words to say. “You sure you weren’t there?”

“Of course not." I started, tugging at my hair nervously as I began to feel myself ramble. "I-I was studying with the girls during the lock-in! Do you know how many superheroes are in New York? In Brooklynn for that matter? Do you really think I’d be dumb enough to take on that thing? Hah! Hah! You’re so funny, papa. Oh? What’s that? My phone is dying and I need to leave? What a very strange coincidence!” I laughed a little too loud into the phone, walking nervous circles in the room as Ava and Bambi watched with embarrassed stares.

“Nina-”

“I really gotta go, I did nothing wrong, ever!” I answered hastily before hanging up, pulling my hood over my face to hide from the heavy looks the girls were giving me. “Please, no commentary.”

“Smooth,” Ava whispered dryly as I shrugged and tossed my hands up in the air, immediately racked with another bout of pain. I struggled to shrug it off, instead focusing my attention on gathering my belongings to leave for the day. As I went to grab my bag I stopped, sheets of my old weapon schematics poking through that brought me back to the day before. I shook my head of the invasive thoughts wanting to pry through and removed them, knowing I had no business trying to use any of them anymore.

Behind me, Bambi took a seat on my bed and tugged at her sleeves nervously.

“You’re really not going to tell them?” she asked softly. The question made me stop abruptly and turn to her, disbelief in my eyes.

“Do you want to explain to them how they almost lost their only child while she was out playing hero?” I shot back quickly. I knew she meant well, and I knew that this would most likely end up biting me in the ass at a later time. But I also had to keep this a secret from them until it was all figured out, there'd be no point otherwise.

Especially if it meant putting them in danger.

“That’s...fair,” she agreed quietly after a moment of silence, Ava joining her side on my bed as they watched me scramble to shove my clothes back in my wardrobe. “Do...you want some company with Renato?” she offered, but I could see the fear in her eyes of having to face that moment again. Of having to go back to the labs and seeing what could possibly be another nightmare waiting. She had suffered just as much as I did and I didn't want to force her through it again if she wasn't ready.

Instead, I shook my head and feigned a smile.

“It’s fine, I’m going to Renato’s and then straight to Drawing 2 after. I’ll pick up your SD card for you while I’m there though, yeah?”

She looked relieved at this and nodded. “You’re a lifesaver, Neeners.”

“I know it,” I teased before grabbing my helmet and sauntering out of the door. Before I could leave fully my phone went off. Inside a simple text from Benni read ‘Be careful!’, but when I looked to the bed she was still as motionless as ever and dead to the world.

How did she do that?

“Aye, keep us posted!” Ava shouted through the door as I left, a soft sigh of relief escaping my lips as I headed outside. Truth be told it was a bit of a relief to be away from them. All the worried looks, the fear we had all felt hanging like a miasma in the room. I needed to get away from it all, to escape briefly so I could think.

Outside storm clouds loomed above, threatening to release hell down on the city at any moment. I hurried to Queen and took off before I was the unlucky duckling to have to experience it and, to my surprise, the street that had once looked like a warzone the night before was now pristine. Even the dark stain I had been haunted by on the way home was nothing more than normal black asphalt now. As much as people complained about where our tax dollars were going I had to give it to the city restoration committee for always being on point. They made it look like nothing had ever happened and, for a brief moment, I believed that.

Before I could enjoy the momentary peace of mind I was given I was already at work. My hands gripped my key card tight as I hurried to the door, trying to brace myself for whatever might be waiting for me inside. Instead, the door opened as I went to swipe and Barry stared at me, eyes wide with surprise as he saw my face.

“Miss Knight? What in the world are you doing here?”

“I wish I knew. The professor called me in,” I explained shortly before scooting past him to sail down the stairs. I stopped abruptly at the last step, hearing the harsh tone of Renato’s ring through the air. I had never heard him so angry, not even when I once accidentally almost broke Levi's aquarium by playing with one of my ink balls in the lab.

Another voice, a strangely familiar voice this time, now spoke in a deep yet desperate tone.

“Darwin please, we may have had our differences before but this...this could very well save lives!”

“I’m not going to tell you again. This is a dangerous subject and it has no place in the medical field. Leave the premises or I will be calling the police. And don’t you ever, ever use that name again.” he growled. My surprise and curiosity were through the roof at this point. Who could strike so much anger in such a simple man that would lead him to talk like this?

I had to know.

“Knock, knock.” I chimed softly through the sliding doors, as if I hadn't just been eavesdropping just moments earlier. My eyes immediately fell on the stranger causing the ruckus and I couldn’t help but manage a small gasp at who I saw. It was the janitor from last night, the man that had sent chills down my spine with just a simple question. “A-am I interrupting something?” I stammered, trying to keep my composure as his gaunt appearance glared at me before looking back to Renato.

“I was just leaving. I hope you sleep well at night knowing you work for a monster,”

“Well, I’m in college, so your first mistake was thinking I sleep at all,” I responded a little too sarcastically, a small grim chuckle leaving the man’s throat as he knocked shoulders with me on his way out. His demeanor had changed completely from the man I had seen just moments ago, once slumped shoulders now broad, all frailty from him diminished as he turned to face Renato once more with a dark stare.

“It was nice seeing you again after all these years, Professor. Remember, I did try to play nice,” he called before exiting the lab, leaving a heavy silence in his wake. I blinked in surprise, unsure if I had just been tricked into seeing two different people or if that man was just that good at changing his personality.

I turned to Renato who's brows were furrowed and was staring angrily at nothing in particular before I attempted to break the ice.

“So, who’s your friend?” I asked carefully, watching his eyes flicker up to me and narrow at the assumption.

“Never friends. We were hardly even colleagues,” he muttered as he began pacing, running his hands through his once neatly ponytailed dreads. They now fell over his face and shoulders as he stood hunched over his desk, fuming. “I knew something was off about that man, why didn’t I see it sooner?” he whispered to himself, fully immersed in the conversation in his head.

“Uh, what?”

“How could I have so foolish? Of course, I was being watched...how could I have known he would go to this level though? Stupid..."

"Renato?"

"If he gets his hands on this...dammit!” he hissed before slamming his fist on the desk angrily. I flinched at the action before snapping my fingers at him.

“Hey! Earth to Renato, bring it back down to Earth!” I called, watching him snap from whatever stupor he had previously been in. Looking up close at him now he looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept at all. Under his lab coat, I saw now that he was wearing the same clothes he had worn when I left last night and it finally clicked. “Did you stay here all night?”

“I...well, yes,” he admitted sheepishly before he took to rubbing his chin, looking at nothing in particular like he was deep in thought. We stood in silence for a few moments before I touched his shoulder, confusion rapidly growing in my head that I was desperate to get explained.

“Hey, are you going to explain what’s going on or…?”

He seemed to slip back into the moment and sighed, pulling off his glasses to clean them anxiously. “Right. Sorry. I was hoping to give you a day to rest but...something happened.”

“So you said in the text. What is it?” I asked suspiciously, fear creeping into my voice before I could stop it. He took a large sigh before pressing his palms together and directing them at me with somber eyes.

“You have to promise that you’ll let me explain before you get upset,” he started, looking down at me with a gaze that turned serious within a few seconds. My stomach gave a quick twist of fear at this. It was suddenly very apparent that whatever that substance he had was no longer within sight, which made my thoughts run wild with worry.

“What did you do, Renato?” I asked gravely, watching him hesitate before starting towards the fish tank. My gaze hardened as I noticed it was now covered with a dark sheet, a sheet that he now removed to reveal a lazily wandering Leviathan in the water. I released a sigh of relief, a piece of me fearing the worst for the little crustacean.

That was before it turned its sights on me at least.

It was like I had been tossed into a sci-fi horror flick. Its skin went from its usual beautiful maroon to a horrific pitch black, it’s size growing into something grotesque before he began to slam against the glass. Renato steadied the tank before tossing the sheet over it once more and it's furious attempts to leave grew silent. I stood in terrified silence trying to process what I just saw, hands quivering at my sides as Renato turned back to me and managed a weak unsure shrug.

“What, pray tell, the everloving fuck was that?” I finally managed to whisper as he started back towards me, hands shoved deep in his lab pockets as he seemed to ponder what to say to me. I took a step back from him, my gut suddenly unsure of how I felt about being around him. His gaze looked hurt at this but he kept his distance as if nervous I would run if he got too close.

“I suppose I deserve that…” he whispered before I scoffed, tossing my arms up in the air with a sarcastic laugh.

“You suppose? That guy was right, you're a damn monster!"

“Nina please, your language-”

“Do not start with me over that,” I snapped, folding my arms, ready to hear what excuse he had ready for what I had just seen. "Explain. What the fuck happened when I left?”

He sighed and nodded softly, giving up on arguing.

“Right. So, you left, and I had been engrossed in researching this creature. It’s quite a find, Nina, it’s DNA is incredible. So incredible in fact that I found it had regenerating cells and I…” he trailed, taking his glasses to fiddle with them as he spoke. “I saw a window for experimentation and I took it.”

“On Levi? But why? You know what that thing can do!” I protested, his features dark with thought.

“I know, trust me, I know. I thought...maybe a smaller dose wouldn’t have the effects of its original host, that maybe it could reverse his health,” he admitted, a look of weariness taking over him. “It did do that but it also turned him into what you just witnessed.”

“And how does your friend tie into this?” I asked grimly, nodding towards the door. He scowled at my use of friend but sighed wearily.

“As I said, he’s an old colleague...from a different time. Back...when I worked for the government,” he explained quietly.

I blinked in shock.

“You did what for the who now?”

“I was a scientist for a special research program briefly after college with the close colleague of mine I've mentioned, along with the man you saw earlier. He went by Oliver Phobus, though I’m not sure if he still goes by that name…” he trailed as if thinking hard into the past.

I couldn't believe he wasn't sharing this information with me. I could barely get him to reveal what his favorite juice was on store runs half the time much less a look into his past like this. I decided to press my luck and prod further.

"Why is that?"

“Oliver was, well, is a desperate man. His forte used to be finding cures to uncommon diseases, often taking devious measures to get to his answers if it meant a breakthrough.”

“Such as?” I pressed, curiosity growing by the second. He pursed his lips before continuing, a look of discomfort falling over him as if not wanting to answer.

“He did many experiments on...people...terrible things,” he whispered, my mouth growing dry at his words. His eyes grew dark at the mention of it, like he was reliving the experience as he spoke. “As soon as we found out we made sure he was removed from the program, but soon after he and his family left without a trace on where to find him. And then today…” he sighed, fist resting on his chin as he recounted what happened. “Today I was trying to take a sample from Levi and he came in and saw. He saw what Leviathan had become and I know he’s going to come back for him.”

“You think he’s going to come back? You told him you were going to call the cops!” I reasoned, a grim chuckle erupting from him as he stood once more and started organizing things from his desk.

“You underestimate the level of desperation he’s at,” he answered shortly before hunching over his laptop, body stiff as he began to clack away at the keyboard. I shifted nervously, still trying to process all the new information given to me. Renato called him a desperate man but didn’t he just commit his own messed up experiment in the name of science? But also to hear he experimented on people, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. That strange smile he presented to me the night before now seemed all the more devious and caused a shiver to run down my spine at the thought of it. Renato at least seemed ashamed of what he did.

Phobus just seemed like a mad man on a mission.

“So...what will you do now?” I asked softly, my gaze traveling back to the tank that stood silent now despite the uproar that had just happened. Just remembering the glimpse of black tendrils slithering out and the sheer anger it seemed to have when it saw me...it made me not even want to be in the room.

Renato sighed as he turned back to me and folded his arms.

“This is where it gets tricky,” he began, frown settled deeply on his lips at what he was about to say. “My work, Levi specifically, can’t stay here any longer. I’ll be alerting the proper authorities of what’s transpired but I need to get him somewhere safe before I do so. Can't exactly have them seeing what he's become without it turning into a worse situation than it already is,"

“Fair enough,”

“What I need from you is just to stay here and keep guard while I travel home to get the proper equipment to take him to my colleague's residency. There we can do some proper testing, maybe see if we can reverse this-”

“You want me to do what?” I asked incredulously. Above us, a warning of thunder rolled past, a feeling of unease taking hold of my gut at his request. Here he was, dropping a complete bombshell on me and expected me to just roll with it like it was no big deal? I shook my head and held my hands up in disagreement. “Professor…”

“I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t desperate, Nina. You're one of the only people I trust with this,” he admitted, placing a hand on my shoulder with a look of sheer exhaustion. “I know you’re unhappy with me right now. I know I made a bad decision, but I can’t let him have this. He’s a dangerous man and I don’t know what he’ll do with the information or what could happen if-,”

“If he gets ahold of this, right,” I sighed, not wanting him to finish the terrifying thought that Levi could very well transform into some terrible if given the chance. Or even something worse happening if someone was able to manipulate that DNA. Inside every fiber of my being protested this request, but deep down I also knew all too well that sometimes you had to make the hard decisions that you really didn’t want to. I just wished it wasn’t me in this scenario, especially after the first time had already gone so wrong.

Renato was desperate by his standards though, and he had stuck his neck out for me so many times in the past year that I lost count. It was only fair I repay him for it.

I just hoped it wouldn't bite me in the ass later.

“Alright, I will watch Levi until you can make it back. I have a class soon but I can skip if you need me to-”

“Not necessary. I’m already in enough hot water, I don’t need your parents blaming me for you missing class,” he joked softly before his demeanor changed. “You did talk to them last night, didn't you?”

“Define talk and last night,” I smiled sheepishly before laughing nervously at his sour appearance. “Relax, we spoke briefly this morning. They know nothing so I’d like to keep it that way,” I admitted before glancing at the clock and frowning. “Shoot. I’ve gotta head out but I’ll be back at around 6, is that too late?”

“6 is perfect. I’ll have everything ready for when you return so we can make this quick,” he added before pausing and looking at me with a soft frown. “Are you sure you’re up for this? You can say no, especially after everything that’s happened last night.”

“I’ve already made my decision, haven’t I? What’s the worst that can happen anyway? It’s just some science nerd that probably won’t even show up tonight, right?” I joked, trying to hide my own fear by making light of the situation. Renato gave me a weary smile before heading to his desk to get to work, brows creased with uncertainty at my words.

“I suppose you’re right, I'm probably just being careful about this. Just...be ready, we’ll discuss more when you return,” he concluded, setting us on our separate ways until the big night ahead.

Despite him trying to be reassuring about it a part of me knew that it wasn't going to be that easy.

Things were never that easy.

#long post #oc shit #marvelsona #venomsona #oc x colossus #slow burn #y'all grammarly decided not to work halfway through so #forgive ya boi

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ceph-the-ghost-writer · 10 months

Note

18 for the spotify wrapped game, please and thank you!

#18 - "Black No. 1" by Type O Negative

For the Spotify Wrapped Snippet Game

This is definitely an Ollie song/band (though, actually, she doesn't dye her hair fyi). I don't have her "voice" figured out yet, so this also made for a fun way to give it a try. Thanks for sending the prompt in!

Dysthanasia Taglist: @thecyrulik @theimperiumchronicles @k--havok (Sorry, I forget to do this so often that a couple of you might have no idea what's going on in this ^^;)

Words: 1,008

Content Advisory: Swearing, (mostly) joking references to violence

“Ollie?”

She was pretty sure she’d never heard Mergus shout before, actually. It was impressive he could make himself heard over the aneurysm-inducing volume of her stereo at all.

“Ollie!”

She kept ripping the stupid sticky notes from her bedroom wall, wadding them up and hurling them to the carpet, but with only a fraction of her attention.

“Oleander Blume.”

Oh, well, golly gee. Guess she was really in for it now. Smirking, she turned and spotted Mergus standing in front of the stereo set-up, hands shielding his ears. He’d lived through the Black Death, Industrial Revolution, and the Break, but couldn’t find the pause icon on a control panel. She strolled over and slid the volume bar down until only the tinny ringing of temporarily damaged hearing remained. With a sigh, Mergus lowered his hands.

“How on Earth could playing racket at that level be enjoyable?”

“Oh, what, you never cranked your hurdy-gurdy as hard as you could just to forget about the world for a while, old man?”

For that, he looked up at her with his Fledglings These Days Face. Though she rolled her eyes, Ollie pulled the hood of her sweatshirt back and swiped stray wisps of blonde hair away from her cheeks.

“Fine. I’m listening, okay?”

Rather than come right out with what he wanted, Mergus went and perched on the end of her bed. A vision of order and dignity in his flawlessly pressed suit against the backdrop of her tangled pentagram-pattern bedspread and a pile of black and red laundry she still hadn’t hauled to the washer. He plucked a pair of ripped jeans and a fishnet shirt out of the way so he could pat the spot next to him. Damn, it was going to be that kind of night then. Ollie dragged her combat boots as she walked, but parked her ass where told to all the same.

“Whatever it is, just say it. That fucking ghost got into my room again, so I’m not in the mood for a long fireside chat.”

His gaze flickered over to the remaining collage of sticky notes that had spelled her name out in spiky, three-foot high letters. “I thought one of Hawthorne’s aides warded your suite recently.”

“Well, that crusty ass zombie obviously didn’t send one of his best or brightest because the stupid haint made a mess.” Added to it. Whatever.

“Ceph only acts out for attention. They’d leave you be if you acknowledge them once in a while.”

“They’d be out of my hair permanently if I torched their room too.”

He didn’t dignify that with more than a raised eyebrow. He didn’t have to. Not when the memory of Wes Mayer attempting to do the same thing was still a household punchline. Of course, the ass-dragging mutt didn’t have enough brains or subtlety to fill a thimble either. Ollie, on the other hand, made a living on sneaky strategy.

“I stopped by,” Mergus said, “because I have an assignment out on the coast for you.”

“With who?” She already saw it coming, of course. The second he mentioned where they’d be going she knew.

Ollie still let out an agonized groan and flopped back on the bed, arms straight out to the sides as if she’d been crucified, when Mergus answered, “Renato.”

“Why don’t you just send a fluffy little dog along with me instead? Would be about as useful.”

The fine lines gathered in the corners of his eyes and lips deepened with the onset of his I’m Really Quite Serious Face. “I’ve considered the requirements carefully. This is the best way to meet all of them.”

“The best way to finally drive me bugfuck, you mean.” Sweet Satan on a stick. She could already imagine it. Having to watch him preen in the visor mirror every thirty seconds. Controlling her gag reflex while he flirted with every stranger from there to the Pacific. Listening to him bring up that goldfish for the billionth time. She’d beat his perfectly-shaped skull in with a tire iron before they got halfway to their destination.

“I already took into account your history together,” Mergus said. If bloodborn could develop gray hairs, his neat curls and close-cropped beard would’ve had new streaks. “You’ll be taking separate cars, staying in separate accommodations for the most part—but you will work together if it comes down to a fight. Is that understood?”

Ollie lifted her head enough to meet his stern gaze, her eyebrows and curiosity raised. “Who are we fighting?”

“If all goes well, drastic action won’t be necessary.”

“Is it Grandpa Ghoul or Muttley Mayer? Or both?”

He surrendered with a sigh. “Hawthorne and I have…not yet come to an agreement on how to best handle the matter.”

She grinned. “So, keep our heads on a swivel and chainsaw any ouroboroi that get in the way in half.”

Fledglings These Days Face made another cameo. “I’ll stress again that violence is a last resort. And you are not packing a chainsaw.”

“Fine.” She stuck her tongue out.“Spoilsport.”

“Can I rely on you to be civil in a meeting with Renato when I give you both your instructions then? Say, nine o’clock, my office?”

Propping herself on her elbows, Ollie made a show of considering it. “I’ll try to keep the biting and stabbing to a minimum. Sure.”

The smile that made his eyes glitter was worth any future headache. Mergus patted her knee and stood, smoothing his jacket and tie into place. “It means a lot, coming from you, my girl.”

Once alone again, Ollie glanced over at the small hill of laundry. With only a slight scowl, she got up and started stuffing it into a bag to take to the wash room. She was going to need clean clothes to pack soon. Good thing ninety-nine percent of her wardrobe consisted of black. When she made a mess with that chainsaw she planned to buy on the trip, the stains would never show.

#dysthanasia #writeblr #writing prompts

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savannacentralperk · 6 years

Text

Partner

A/N: Thank you to kt_valmiri for editing and ScaraMedn and Cimar-WildeHopps for beta reading.

The following isn't a real chapter of The Perks, just an extra bit I've been working on for a while. Hope you enjoy! And thanks for reading.

………..

Judy sat on her bed with her laptop open, mind numbingly bored. She had been looking up random things on the internet and was rapidly running out of ideas. Gideon was busy with a family event, her brothers and sisters in Bunnyburrow wouldn’t stop talking if she messaged them, and Nick’s last text said he was going to take a nap. So now, she was bored.

With a sigh she picked up her phone and unlocked it. Going to the pictures, they were flicked through, though she paused at one from the party last Saturday. Nick’s eyes were on her though the rest of him was pointed to the camera, she smiled at the admittedly great picture of the pair of them.

And that’s when it came to her.

Waking her laptop up, she went to the search bar and typed in her new objective. Matthew Wilde.

Her eyes flicked over the search results, the first being the photo of a handsome todd in his police blues. His hat fitted over his ears, two familiar green eyes stared back at her as a small, smug smile graced his muzzle. Though his fur was a deeper shade of red, he was very obviously Nick’s father.

Clicking on a link, her heart slammed into her chest as a larger copy of the photo graced the page.

‘Zootopia lays its first fox officer, Matthew Clayton Wilde, to rest today at Shady Grove Cemetery. The eight-year veteran officer lost his life after a run in with a supposed ‘savage’ jaguar, an incident witnessed only by Officer Wilde’s partner, Officer Duke Weaselton. There have been no confirmations on the validity of the story and the ‘savage’ jaguar remains at large.

'Officer Matthew Wilde was 40 and leaves behind his wife, Vivian Joan Wilde, and their three kits, Skye Abigail, 20, Gregory Matthew, 14, and Nicholas Piberious, 10.’

A feeling of coldness seeped into her as Judy scrolled to the bottom of the page.

There, in grainy color, was the Wilde family. Skye was the spitting image of their mother, who had her and another todd wrapped in her arms. A younger Nick dangled off his father’s neck as Matthew laughed into the camera, one paw around his wife, while the other rested on the arm of his young son. The bright smiles on their faces made the article that much harder to absorb.

Clicking back and selecting another, Judy felt her curiosity grow.

‘Top of the class, Zootopia’s Precinct One welcomes its first fox and weasel cops. Graduating with honors, newly badged officers Matthew Wilde, fox, and Duke Weaselton, weasel, join their brothers and sisters in blue on Monday. The controversial decision stemmed from the long-debated Mammal Inclusion Initiative, a move many have deemed to be a step towards the future, while others argue it could pave the way for future corruption within the departments.

‘Both officers have been long time volunteers with the ZPD, ranging from community outreach to organizing fundraisers for fallen and retiring officers. Widely recognized within Zootopia for their support of the MII, there is much credit due to the pair for getting it passed.

‘In response to the bill passing and the two new officers, the mayor’s office issued the following statement: “Police violence with under-represented communities are at an all-time high. If we, as a city, are to carry the quote ‘Anyone can be anything’, we must be prepared to live by it. We at City Hall have every bit of confidence Officers Wilde and Weaselton will be what this city needs to tip the scale closer towards equality and open the door further for those who dare to dream big.”’

Officer Weaselton… Duke Weaselton.

Paws flew across the keyboard. Another link, another click.

‘First weasel officer Duke Weaselton announces his retirement from the Zootopia Police Department. The announcement follows several complaints of conduct unbecoming and unnecessary force, towards the officer in question, along with accusations of Weaselton being intoxicated on the job. These incidents are theorized to stem from ‘Survivor’s Guilt’, says behavioral expert Martha Clawson.

‘“Officer Weaselton has been a model cop and citizen before the untimely demise of his friend and partner Officer Wilde,” explains the serval. “And it’s common in situations like theirs that the surviving parties act out of resentment towards the fact the they are alive. The decision for Officer Weaselton to leave the force is a wise one at this time.”

‘Before their graduation from the Zootopia Police Academy, Officers Weaselton and Wilde had been friends since they were young kits. While Wilde’s untimely demise at the claws of Mr. Renato Manchas while he was savage, rocked this fair city to its core, those who knew him best will find it the hardest to move on. As we as a city move past the tragic events of the Night Howler Epidemic, let us not forget those who were directly affected by it.

‘And to Officer Duke Weaselton, good luck.’

Shaking her head to clear the depressing fog that clouded it, Judy clicked back again and searched for Renato Manchas.

‘Savage Jaguar Found Alive, Along With Several Other Missing Predators.’

‘Re-call of Natural Garden Pesticide.’

‘Active Ingredient, Midnicampum Holicithias (Night Howlers) Found to be Cause of Savage Outbreaks Around Zootopia.’

‘Renato Manchas, the ‘Savage Jaguar’, Admitted into Rainforest Psychiatric Hospital.’

Unable to read anymore, the bunny exited out of the search page and closed her laptop. Setting it aside, she laid back and thought about what she’d read. She knew exactly what pesticide was re-called, the creator of which having been a long-time family friend. The recipe was sold to a big manufacturer and the ewe and her family took their new fortune and left Bunnyburrow.

Some farms, including her parents’, still used the flowers to keep bugs away. Though everyone gave them a wide berth. Now, knowing that someone she was having serious feelings for had lost someone he loved because of them, made a sharp pang of resentment and distain fill the pit of her stomach.

Closing her eyes, she thought of how devastated she, Jack, and the rest of her family would be if the same happened to her own father. And such a thought spawned a question…

What was Matthew Wilde like? ………….

TWENTY YEARS AGO

“Ok! So I’m picking up black beans, canned tomatoes-”

“Diced! They need to be unseasoned, DICED canned tomatoes.”

“Right, right… Tomatoes, chili powder, garlic, and, my secret ingredient… Sweet potatoes!” The todd chuckled into the phone at the groan of disapproval on the other end of the line. “What? They’re good for you. And need I remind you, my friend, you’ve declared this chili to be the best thing you’ve ever eaten?”

“Yeah, yeah, up until you remind me that you put sweet potato in it.”

“Duke, you can’t survive off those frozen bug patties. You need actual, healthy protein, not that over processed garbage.” He shook his head as he leaned against the pay phone box.

He could practically see the weasel neurotically double checking that he had everything for the pot luck the next day. His friend had run himself ragged making sure he was prepared to make a good impression on the new group they joined. Because this group could make or break whether you would get into the Zootopia Police Academy. It had been Duke’s dream to be a cop ever since he was a kitten. With debates about the Mammal Inclusion Initiative raging around them, Duke needed all the help he could get.

So, as the weasel’s self-appointed emotional guardian, Matthew Wilde was bound and determined to make sure tomorrow went as planned. And that’s why he wrote the list of everything that he needed for his famous sweet potato chili.

“Yeah, yeah.” Duke grumbled on the other line. “…What if they don’t like me?”

With a snort of laughter, Matt rolled his eyes. “Then they’ll be perfectly normal mammals who can go fuck themselves. Just don’t…you know… Weaselton it up.”

“Did you just verb me?”

“Yeah, Duke, I did. Listen, I gotta go get this stuff. But I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon in Savanna Central Park. Just try not to stress and get some sleep.” With another grin at the grumbled response, the todd hung up and headed towards the grocery store.

Breathing in the scent of fresh produce and air conditioning (a welcomed respite from the scorching Sahara District outside), a medium sized cart was snagged as Matt pulled the list from his pocket again.

“Onions…” weighed and tossed in. “Sweet potatoes…” Added. “Salad stuff.” Bagged and tossed to the cart.

“Hey, Vivian, can you put this back before you clock out?” The sudden shout had him raising his head in curiosity, only to do a double take at who was being called.

Glossy white fur, most of which was hidden by an unattractive black work shirt and apron, and two bright blue eyes looked to the speaker before paws lifted to catch what was tossed to her. Turning to put the box on its display without so much as a glance in his direction, she pulled the apron ties free as she carried on her way.

“I’m out, Jeff! Skye and I are going to get some shopping done first, but you’re S.O.L. if you need me for the next couple of days!” she called to the capybara still working.

“Big plans?” he asked with a smile.

“Just studying. I have a test coming up and if I pass, I’ll be able to get into the advanced nursing program!”

“Good luck!”

Just as suddenly as she’d appeared, she vanished. And Matt had to give his head a shake to clear the sudden fog that filled his mind. With another glance to where she had been, he refocused his attention back to his task. The list had the todd’s weekly shopping added to it, so with a slight sigh he made his rounds, each item checked off as he went, his eyes scanning for a glimpse of Vivian. But, unfortunately, with no luck.

Once his cart was full, he made the trip to the register, only to catch sight of the cereal aisle. He was a healthy eater, especially since he had been training to get into the Academy. Having never been a huge fan of junk food, the fox found one indulgence he couldn’t get enough of: Lucky Chomps.

And there was a sale.

Debating, he gave a glance at the healthy stuff in his cart, before he gave in and steered into the aisle. Setting the cart off to the side, Matt eyed the wall devoted to his vice and grinned. Two boxes were selected, the fox still grinning as he turned back to the cart. Only to be scared within an inch of his life by a high-pitched shriek.

Eyes wide, boxes falling to the ground, he looked at the source of the sound in terror.

“AHHHHH!” protested a small white vixen from her place in the cart seat. Her little body was half draped over the bar as her tiny paws reached for the box of cereal that had fallen. Giving up, she fell back onto her seat as her face crumpled. Without thinking, Matt rushed forward and scooped the box up, giving it a shake to distract the little kit from what sure to be a very loud wail of despair.

“No, no!” he reasoned. “Don’t do that! See, I got it for you. Look!”

He smiled as the vixen’s tear stained face lit up as paws reached for the box. And his heart was effectively melted when she hugged the huge item and smiled back.

“Tank too,” she said in a quiet voice.

“There you go! See?” He took a step closer. “Smiles are so much better than tears. And what’s your name, beautiful?”

With another shy smile, she buried her face in the box and giggled, peeking out at him.

“Can I help you?” A familiar voice spoke up.

Matt felt his entire body heat up as his ears perked towards Vivian, apron long gone, standing with her arms folded in front of the kit now babbling to herself.

“Uh, I- Uh… the box...uh… It was dropped…and…uh…Well, you know…” If he could hang himself, he would have. The most beautiful vixen he had ever met in his entire life was talking to him and he couldn’t even form a coherent sentence.

“No,” she responded, her eyes cold as she watched him. “I don’t know.”

“Hehe, yeah,” he scratched the back of his neck nervously. “Strange todd, trying to talk your little sister… Doesn’t look very good at all, does it?”

“Daughter.” Matt’s eyes widened. Turning to look at the little vixen now trying to look around her mother at him, Vivian noted the box was slightly squished from its fall. Giving him a final look, she turned to grasp the handle of the cart. “Time to go bye-bye, Skye. Let’s get home.”

“Buh-bye,” Skye said with a little wave at him.

“Bye.” he said back, watching as Vivian maneuvered her cart around and headed to the registers. A paw shot out to grab it before he could stop himself. “Matthew.”

Looking from his paw to his eyes, Vivian furrowed her brow.

“I’m Matthew Wilde. Or Matt, either one is good, really. And it was a pleasure meeting you both.”

“Oh,” she gave a slightly strained smile as her cheeks turned pink. “Thanks.”

He let go and watched as she passed, breathing deep to hold in her scent. She gave a look over her shoulder, before focusing forward and speeding up her walk. Skye gave a laugh of delight at the pace before they vanished around the corner. And Matt was thrown.

Tail wagging behind him, he inhaled again and smiled. She wasn’t marked. Which meant she was available. Odd and uncommon for a todd to leave a gorgeous vixen like that, especially if they had a kit together. Matt ruled out being a widow - most foxes substituting a ring for a scent mark, showing interested parties they weren’t ready to move on.

Matthew Wilde was a smart mammal. Though some of his life choices were dubious, he knew a dumb move when he saw one. And letting her just walk out of his life without trying would be the dumbest move of all. Eyes flicking to his own cereal on the ground, he decided to use what he knew about her to his advantage. …………

Duke let out frustrated sigh as the fridge door slammed closed. The other mammals around the poker table looked up from their cards in curiosity. “I forgot more beer.” Looking at the selection of chips on his counter, he shook his head.

“And salsa. I gotta go-”

“Just that? Do you need anything else? Anything at all?” Matt had scrambled up, his cards haphazardly tossed onto the table as he stumbled to where his jacket was. “Cause I’ll get it! Totally, guys, you need it, Matt Wilde is on it!”

Everyone watched with open mouths as the todd disappeared through the front door. …………

Vivian stood at her register, flipping through her school notes, when a familiar smell reached her. Withholding a sigh, she put a smile on her face that actually felt genuine and looked up to see the eagerly grinning Matt Wilde in front of her. Her heart gave a familiar flutter that only ever happened when she saw him. But the last time she trusted the butterflies in her stomach, she became a single mom.

“Mr. Wilde,” she greeted, noting how his fur puffed out in pleasure when she acknowledged him. “What a surprise to see you here. I haven’t seen you since this morning, when you came in six times, claiming you kept buying the wrong flowers.”

“A silly mistake to make, isn’t it? I’m just so happy you were able to provide a good home for them,” he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the counter. “Miss me since then?”

“You don’t give me enough time to miss you, Wilde.” She smirked as she scanned his stuff.

“Why would I want to be so cruel?” he asked with a grin, enjoying the way her ears flushed.

She looked down at what she was scanning and smiled sadly. “Look, Matt. You seem nice. You really do.” Matthew felt his heart sink as she raised her eyes back to his. “But I’m a full-time student. And a full-time mom, trying to make sure her kit has what she needs to be healthy and happy while working a full-time job. I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for a relationship. Especially a casual one.” Looking to her register, a claw tapped a button to bring up his total. “Sixteen seventy.”

Passing her a bill, the todd tightened his grip on it to get her attention.

“What if I wasn’t looking for causal? What if I wanted something more?’

“Then you’re going to have to find it somewhere else,” Vivian replied, tugging the money from him. “Good looking todd like you should have vixens crawling all over him.” She smiled again as he accepted his change and his bags.

Matthew nodded his head with a thoughtful expression on his face. Suddenly he smiled and straightened up, looking her in the eyes.

“Guess I’ll have to try harder then.” And with a wink, he strolled away, leaving Vivian flabbergasted, annoyed, and, if she was honest with herself, incredibly excited. But mostly annoyed. A little… Maybe…

“That wasn’t code to try harder!” she called after him.

He simply turned to walk backwards as he shouted back, “You make it sound like you’re not worth the effort.” Grinning, he turned again and walked through the sliding doors.

The vixen looked at where he had vanished and chewed her lip. Tension pulled in her belly as she realized Matthew Wilde wasn’t going to give up. It was a thought that simultaneously made her joyful and anxious. She couldn’t put her faith in him, not when she had Skye depending on her for everything. When he inevitably broke her heart, her daughter would suffer, too.

“That’s the guy who keeps on bothering you that you ain’t interested in?” came the voice of her co-worker Rhonda.

Sighing, Vivian nodded and looked at the coyote, who gave her a look of exasperation. “And what part of him ain’t you seein’?”

“It’s not about looks.” She rubbed her paws on her face before leaving the register, Rhonda close behind her. “I know his type. I dated his type and his type took off when I needed him the most.” Both females took carts full of returns and steered them to the aisles. “I’m not going to fall for that again.”

Rhonda scoffed as she paused in front of a shelf and began to put groceries away.

“Honey, I think his type is just what you need. Roger only noticed you when you were in front of him. You had to go to him and he never came to you. Even before Skye, he was never there for you. That todd has been in this store fifteen times in the last week and will wait until he sees you working before he starts his shopping. I went over the numbers and he spent nearly two hundred dollars on sunflowers alone, and he gave them all to you.” She smiled as Vivian blushed. “And need I mention the notes he’s been leaving?”

Vivian paused with her paw on a can, eyes on it without seeing as it was pushed into its spot on the shelf.

“How did that poem go?” Rhonda asked with a sly smile over her shoulder.

The vixen’s ears went red. “Mind your own business,” she muttered.

“Just sayin’, sugah,” Rhonda laughed. “If you don’t want him, send him my way. I will gladly dye my fur for a chance at him lookin’ at me the way he looks at you.”

Vivian froze at that. Closing her eyes, she cleared her head of any thoughts about him, before opening them again and continuing her work. A relationship with him could only end in tears. ………..

“Why the hell are we doing this, Wilde?”

The todd was draped over a mailbox, gasping for breath as their group ran past him. A few of the larger mammals looked close to fainting, many having done exactly what he was doing earlier. Feeling like he was dying, Matt pulled his head up high enough to look over at Duke.

“We’re doing this because you don’t when to quit, Weaselton!” he managed to counter, watching his friend fight to try to pull himself together.

“You seriously need to stop listening to me.”

“I try. You just talk louder.” Duke gave a breathless laugh and looked over at the fox. And his eyebrows crinkled in confusion at the sight of him.

Matthew Wilde was still leaning against the mailbox. But now his head was perked up, eyes focused on something across the street. Following his gaze, Duke’s eyes widened at the sight of pretty vixen hanging out the window of an apartment. Her paws held up a tiny kit who clutched at a watering can, its contents being poured over the small flower garden on the ledge.

And Matthew was enraptured. His tail wagged behind him, eyes full of stars as a smile softened his muzzle. The weasel gave him a bemused expression before looking over at the vixen and kit again.

“She’s pretty,” he said.

“They’re both beautiful.”

“Shame she’s taken.” Feeling as refreshed as he was going to get, Duke nudged him. The pair across the street giggled together before disappearing into the apartment.

“She isn’t.” Duke gave him a startled look.

“I thought you foxes were lifers.”

“There are exceptions to every rule.” Matthew explained as they began running again. “I smelled her the first time I ever met her. She’s not taken and no ring means she’s not widowed. She’s single, with the sweetest little kit in the world. All I have to do is convince her to take a chance on me.”

“Wow!” laughed Duke as they caught up with the rest of the group. “You’re screwed.”

He gave a glance to the todd who looked apprehensive. With an eye roll, Duke shook his head. “You’ll be fine.” Matthew’s head snapped to him. The weasel studiously kept his gaze on the path in front of them. “You’re a good looking, intelligent, ambitious young todd and any vixen would be lucky to have you.”

Matt’s shoulders squared a bit as he soaked in his friend’s words of praise. “Now I just have to figure out how to win her over.”

“True. I mean it’s not like you can serenade her outside her window like Romeo or whatever.”

And with that comment, Matthew’s face lit up.

“Hey Duke? Do you still have that old acoustic?”

“Uh…yeah…”

“Can I borrow it?”

I gotta learn when to shut up, Duke thought with sigh. …………………..

Vivian laughed as Skye held up a pawful of spaghetti to her mother, who pretended to gobble it up. The little vixen shrieked with laughter at her mother’s antics, before she was pulled from her spot and brought to the sink to wash up.

“You got more sauce in your fur than in your mouth, baby.” Vivian grinned as she soaked a washcloth and began to clean off her daughter.

Skye babbled to herself as she was cleaned up, her mother occasionally smiling and nodding at her words. Yet, Vivian’s thoughts were preoccupied with someone else… Someone with deep red fur and green eyes.

The thoughts she was having were pleasurable. With those paws and that scent, she was counting the seconds until she could put her daughter to bed so she could enjoy those fantasies in her bed. She may never act on her urges, but as soon as she was alone for the night, Matthew Wilde would have his way with her. As he had every night since she had met him.

“Mama?” came the most precious voice she ever heard.

“Sorry, baby. Mama’s mind was somewhere else.”

“No, Mama. Listen!” A tiny paw pointed to window.

Confused, Vivian followed her gestures, now aware of the music faintly drifting from the window.

“Hello… I’ve waited here for you. Ever long…”

Skye hopped down from the counter and ran towards it, Vivian close behind her. Popping her head out, she looked down to see Matthew in the alley, guitar slung around his neck. Green eyes were focused on hers, widening as she met his. A light tug at her shirt had her lifting Skye up to see the impromptu show. And the fact that Matthew’s eyes softened further at the sight of the little vixen made any hesitance she had felt before crumble away.

“And I wonder… When I sing along with you… If everything could ever feel this real forever If anything could ever be this good again The only thing I’ll ever ask of you, you gotta promise not to stop when I say when…”

Vivian smiled at the todd serenading them. Pulling Skye further into her arms, the vixen smiled down at him, deciding right then and there that tonight wasn’t going to be just her normal fantasies.

Tonight was going to be the real deal. …………….

“Okay, sweetheart,” Matthew was kneeled in front of Skye, fixing the bow in her fur and brushing out her dress. “Do you remember what you’re going to say?”

With an excited nod, she grinned up at him. “Mommy! Maddy has a big sup’ise for you!”

Laughing, he scooped her up and planted a big kiss into her neck. “That’s my vixen!” Skye laughed and squirmed as Matthew covered her in kisses.

It had been over three months since Matthew had managed to win Vivian over. And it was better than anything he could have hoped for. Skye was as precious to him as if she were his own kit and her mother every bit the vixen of his dreams. And once he realized she wanted to be a nurse, he dropped everything to make sure she achieved that dream.

Without complaint, he made sure Skye was taken care of and Vivian came home to a clean house and hot meal, her daughter happily distracted from her hardworking mother’s absence. And in turn, Vivian made sure that he had the ability to train for the police academy whenever possible.

And while Duke was jealous of his best friend’s new life, he found himself charmed by the vixen and her daughter. He was invited over for dinner almost every other night and the weasel realized there were worse things in life than being Uncle Dukey, as Skye called him. Not to mention Vivian was a staunch supporter of the Mammal Inclusion Initiative. Which would help him and Matty get into the Zootopia Police Academy.

Both mammals had been turned away due to their species but, when the MII passed, that would change. For now, they would work the menial jobs they could find to make ends meet. Even if it took years.

But that day was far off.

It had been nine months since Matthew had met Vivian. And that entire time, he knew she was his one and only. She had his heart and all that it was. Vivian was his first and he every intention on making her his last.

So, with a simple meal on the table, along with some candles and soft music, Matthew was going to ask the most important question of his life.

The sound of a key in the door had both foxes freezing and looking over to it. Setting Skye down, the todd straightened out his suit and gave the kit a final look over. She bounced with excitement as the door opened revealing an exhausted Vivian weighed down with books.

“Mommy!” Her blues eyes lit up as the little vixen ran towards her and leaped into her arms, allowing her school work to fall to the floor.

“Hi sweetheart.” Burying her muzzle into her fur, Vivian looked up and smiled at her boyfriend, who waited patiently for his turn. Setting her down, she gave him an appreciative growl. “You clean up nicely, I must say, Mr. Wilde.”

His heart hammered in his chest as he stepped towards her, excited at having her so close to him.

“And you, Miss Drift, are a sight for very sore eyes.” To his delight, she easily gave into his embrace, letting her arms encircle his neck as he lowered his muzzle to kiss her lips. They let themselves enjoy the moment before Skye refused to be ignored anymore.

“Mama! Mama! MA-MA!” Laughing, they broke apart and looked down at her.

“Maddy has a sup’ise for you!”

“Does he now?” she asked looking back to Matthew.

The todd smiled and shrugged. A soft knock on the door had everyone turning, though Matt still kept his smile. Checking his watch, he gave a nod of approval.

“Right on time!”

“Uncle Dukey!” Skye raced to the door and jumped for the knob, swinging it open to find Duke grinning down at her.

“Hey, my little snow flake!” Bending down, he accepted an excited hug, before looking up at the couple. “Is she all ready?”

Matt grinned and nodded, walking to the couch to grab Skye’s overnight bag and stuffed bear. “She’s ready to spend time with her favorite uncle.”

“Wait, wait!” protested Vivian. “What’s all this? When was this decided?”

Duke grinned and accepted the bag as Matt turned back to her. “It’s all part of the surprise.”

“But I didn’t agree to Skye leaving for the night,” she countered, crossing her arms and tapping her foot. Matt pulled her into his arms, a paw going to bring her gaze to him. Her mouth opened again but the words died when a gentle kiss was pressed to her lips.

“Trust me,” he whispered, pulling away. “I will never do anything to put her in any sort of danger or leave her with anyone I thought was going to harm her.”

Vivian was silent for a moment before nodding her head. Skye was given a tight hug and kiss and Duke was issued two warnings, one from her and one from the todd. The vixen worried her lip as the door closed, causing a smile to curl on Matt’s muzzle.

“Now,” he began, picking up a remote. “Where were we?”

The stereo came to life, the opening chords to their song starting. She smiled shyly as he set the remote aside and extend a paw. Drawing her into his arms, they held each other’s gaze as they slowly danced to the music.

“You played this for me outside my window,” Vivian whispered as she wrapped an arm around his neck. Her nose buried into his fur as a laugh rumbled his chest.

“I played it for you and Skye,” he responded nuzzling the top of her head. “I needed to do something to get your attention.”

“I’m glad you realized we’re a package deal.”

“And you two are worth everything.” She smiled into his shoulder and pulled away in curiosity when she felt him tense. He met her gaze, green eyes filled with nerves. “Vivi, these last few months have been the greatest of my life. And just when I think I can’t love you two more… I find myself falling further and harder.”

Their dance had paused as Vivian pulled away gently, her heart hammering in her chest as Matt’s paw went to his pocket.

“Oh, my gods…” she whispered as he pulled out a small black box and lowered himself onto a knee in front of her.

“Vivian Drift,” he said in a slightly choked voice. “You and Skye are my world. I’m in love with everything about you and there’s nothing that would make me happier than helping you raise your beautiful little vixen. I don’t have much to offer you, and I know I spend a lot of time training for the academy and trying to get the MII passed, but I’d give it all up for you.”

A small gasp escaped her when he opened the box to show off the tasteful diamond ring inside.

“Will you marry-”

“Yes! YES, yes, yes, yes!” Laughing and crying, she tackled him to the floor, causing him to drop the ring box.

High off her answer, Matt wrapped himself around her, muzzles pressed together, separating only to reaffirm her answer and declare their love for one another. Their clothes were discarded, the meal on the table forgotten, and the rest of the night was passed with them joined as one.

It took no time to plan the wedding. Both had scant amounts of family, Vivian inviting her elderly aunt and Matt having only a couple cousins who were rarely in Zootopia. So, it was decided that they would exchange vows in city hall, with Duke beside Matt and Rhonda holding Skye. Afterwards, they enjoyed a quiet lunch before Duke took the kit for the night, leaving the newly wedded couple to enjoy their first night as husband and wife.

And Vivian felt as though the last few years before meeting Matt were a bad dream. Skye was a welcomed respite, but the vixen had always felt as though she was drowning… Until Matthew Wilde came along.

He worked over time to make sure she was able to go to school and graduate, her grades guaranteeing her a position as a nurse anywhere in the city. Without fail, he made sure his vixens knew they were loved and valued. They returned the favor by marching with him and Duke after both males were once again rejected by the ZPA. Vivian helped him keep in shape while Skye was his most vocal cheerleader. Never had Matt wanted anything more than to make them proud, a feeling that intensified when Vivian gave birth to their first son.

The four of them went to rallies to listen to the new candidate for mayor promise to pass the Mammal Inclusion Initiative. Skye and her little brother, Greg, clapped with their parents as the lion at the podium vowed to make it his priority. It came as no surprise when he was elected. Though Mayor Lionheart kept his word and fought tooth and claw, the MII was consistently shot down when it came to votes from council members.

“The mammals of our city know what they want,” he reasoned into the camera. “And they want this to become a law. They’re tired of being turned away from jobs they’re qualified for, because their teeth are too sharp or not sharp enough. They’re tired of the world thinking they’re only capable of what their species represents! This is Zootopia. They are Zootopia! This Mammal Inclusion Initiative is what the Zootopian dream is all about. Anyone can be anything.”

Matt and Vivian’s youngest son, Nick, was two when his father lifted him up with a large grin to hug him good-bye.

“Next time you see me,” he said to the little todd. “I’ll be an officer.”

“Bye-bye, Daddy,” was Nick’s response.

Vivian wrapped her arms around them both, slightly teary eyed at the thought of not seeing him for eight months.

“I’m going to call you guys every night,” he promised, using his free arm to keep her close and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “And I’m going to be home before you know it.”

“I know,” Vivian agreed tearfully, nodding and pulling away. “But I’m still going to miss you. I’m so proud of you and I love you so much.”

Nick was set back down as his father turned his full attention to his mother.

Matt’s paws framed her face as he committed every detail to memory. “Gorgeous, you have no idea.” And with those words, a kiss was pressed to her lips, causing Skye to groan in disgust as she covered both of her brothers’ eyes.

Duke laughed at them before looking towards the bus being loaded with other recruits. “It’s time, lover todd! Let’s go be cops.”

Sighing, Matt and Vivian exchanged fresh marks, before he turned to embrace his children. Smiling at Skye, he kissed her nose. “Look after your mom and brothers for me, ok?”

“I will, Daddy,” she promised, hugging him again and giggling when he marked the top of her head. Greg and Nick received the same treatment, both todds waving their father and uncle good-bye.

But that was years ago.

Eight years ago, in fact. Duke and Matt were neck and neck the whole time they were in the academy, the fox ever so slightly ahead. Their drill sergeant, Major Friedkin, was amazed at the performance from the pair of them. Both were shattering records as though they were the first cadets to ever go to the Academy. So, it was no surprise that they landed spots at Precinct One as partners.

At first, being cops did not live up to all their expectations.

Their chief, a burly brown bear named Clyde Ursolo, had been frustrated with receiving the pair. Not wanting to put time or effort into them, they were put on parking duty. It was only after Duke ticketed a car filled with an obscene amount of drugs, did the chief finally take them seriously. They were given more and more responsibility, each making a name for themselves and earning the respect of their fellow officers.

Though they both noticed they were routinely passed up for promotions and raises. And while Chief Ursolo didn’t respond to their questioning, the lion that took his place, Chief Simba Pride, explained the truth of the matter.

“The requests keep getting denied by internal affairs.”

Matt and Duke exchanged looks before frowning at their boss.

“What do you mean, ‘keep getting denied’?” demanded Duke.

Pride sighed and gave them looks of both pity and frustration. “To put it bluntly, they don’t believe my reports about your performance. They feel they’re being exaggerated to validate the MII being passed.”

“It was passed nearly nine years ago!” shouted Matt.

“And it was the best thing for this city since the Subway.” Pride leaned forward to look at the pair of them sharing a seat on the opposite side of his desk. “And I don’t want either of you thinking for one moment I’m going to let this go. I’ve watched you two do more for the citizens of this city than any other officer, myself included. I promise I will get you both the promotions you deserve. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” both males mumbled. The lion smiled and gave a nod before leaning back in his seat.

“Now, in other news…” A large paw flicked through the notes on the case they were working on. “Nothing new in the Otterton case?”

“Actually, yes,” answered Duke. “We followed up with Vincent Big. The shrew says Emmit Otterton met up with him for a late lunch after visiting Mystic Spring Oasis. Witness’ say he was alive and healthy when they parted ways. Last mammal to see him was the limo driver, Renato Manches. He agreed to meet with us later tonight.”

“Excellent.” Pride beamed at them. “Hopefully we get closer to finding Otterton.

Though something tells me when we find him, we’ll find the other missing mammals.”

“Here’s hoping,” said Matt crossing his fingers and hopping down from the chair.

“Manches seemed nervous over the phone, though, so I’m curious to know what happened. Speaking of, I gotta call Vivian back. Let her know I’m going to be home late tonight.”

“Do that, then check in with the rookie.” Pride passed the file back to Duke and waved them off. “Bogo took the meter maid punishment pretty hard.”

All three laughed at that, remembering how the cape buffalo was fuming as he put the brightly colored vest on.

“Serves him right for ignoring orders.” Duke said, grinning as he followed his partner. “All he had to do is listen to me and he would be patrolling with Wolford.”

“Dumb bull.” Matt grinned and pulled out his phone. Selecting Vivian’s number, he wandered in the opposite direction as Duke headed to their cubicle.

“Hey, babe,” she greeted with a smile in her voice.

“Wow…”

“What?” Vivian’s tone became concerned at her husband’s response.

“Just hearing you makes my day so much brighter…”

His wife laughed on the other end of the line. “Oh, no. You only use cheesy lines like that when you’re going to be working late.” She sighed into the phone. “What’s keeping my handsome todd from his family tonight?”

“The Otterton case.” Guilt filled him as she hummed her understanding. “Our lead won’t be available until tonight, but I shouldn’t be later than eight thirty.”

“Ok, that’s not too bad. Skye said she was going to come over to study. Her roommate is still being obnoxious.”

“Thank gods she’s not going over to that…TODD’S place,” Matt exclaimed, rolling his eyes at his wife’s laughter.

“He has a name, Matt, and it’s Joseph. Besides, I think they broke up the other day.”

“Halleluja! That guy was a weirdo. Not nearly good enough for her!”

“Babe, you don’t think anyone is good enough for our daughter.”

“Not my fault she’s perfect.” He smirked as Vivian laughed again. “Are you still pulling the graveyard shift tonight?”

“Yup. But this is the last shift, then I’m back to my regular hours.”

“Yay! After this is all over, we’re going to send the kits to Rhonda’s and hide out for a few days. Just you and me, baby.” Matt growled seductively.

“Promises, promises.” A distant voice was heard on the other end of the line.

“That’s my cue, Matty. I love you and good luck.”

“I love you, too. Tell the kits I’ll bring home some pizza. Now go save some lives, Super Nurse!”

Vivian laughed again as they disconnected. Matt looked down at his phone and the picture on the screen. Nick hung off his neck as Vivian leaned into his arms, with Greg and Skye wrapped up in her own. The five of them beamed into the camera and the todd felt an odd sense of unease in his chest.

“Seven thirty, Wilde!” His partner’s voice cut through his thoughts, bringing his gaze to the weasel’s. “We gotta get these reports finished, then be at Manches’ place by seven thirty.”

Nodding, he put his phone in his back pocket. “Right. Where are we going, exactly?”

Duke looked down at the paper in his paw. “Vine and Tujunga.”

“Then let’s get to it, partner.” …………..

Duke couldn’t remember the last time he was so terrified. With Matthew just a steps in front of him, the pair ran for their lives across the rope bridge, the weasel’s paw fumbling for his radio. It was pulled clear of his belt just as his partner’s feet hit solid ground. Were it not for his hind claws getting caught on the wood slats of the bridge, Duke would still be right behind him.

As it was, the weasel stumbled and fell, the radio falling from his paws into the jungle below them. His partner’s voice requesting back up was drowned out by the fear of the sudden change in events.

Turning to the angry growl just behind him, Duke’s heart stopped at the sight of the snarling jaguar lunging for him. He frantically scrambled back across the dirt as his life flashed before his eyes. Only to have a red blur disrupt his view. His panicked brain registered Matt’s sharp tugging at the weasel’s uniform to pull him further out of the way and a loud yell to distract the cat as the todd leaped towards Manches’ head.

Upsetting his momentum when the fox made contact, Manches hit the street sign first, knocking it to the ground, before the cat rolled towards the edge. His claws frantically trying to find purchase in the soil to stop his inevitable fall, Matt landed hard in front of him. With a pained grunt the fox rolled away and the officers watched in horror as their lead fell, a loud snarl echoing through the now still canopy.

“What was wrong with him?” gasped Duke as he pushed himself up.

He looked to his partner when his question was only met with labored breathing. Matt was still kneeling upon the ground, a paw pressed to his side. Sounds of sirens filled the air as the world slowed down.

“Matt?” Pain filled green eyes looked up at him before looking down at the gushing wound the fox was trying to stem with a paw. “Matty! Hold on buddy, I gotcha.”

His other paw fumbled for the radio next to him as Duke rushed to his side.

“Duke, I-I c-can-n’t p-pr-ess the b-b-butt-on…” The weasel grabbed the radio and added his own paw to the wound as he pressed down on the radio and spoke.

“Officer Weaselton to dispatch! We have an officer down, repeat Officer Wilde is down and in need of medical assistance! Vine and Tujunga!” Releasing the radio, not even acknowledging the confirming response, Duke tried not to let Matt see the worry in his eyes.

His best friend was losing too much blood.

“D-du-ke…” Matt gasped as he fell back. “I-I c-can-n’t feel my f-feet…”

“Hey!” Duke said sharply gripping his free paw earnestly as the sound of sirens filled the air. “You’re going to be just fine. You hear me.”

Still gasping, the todd nodded weakly, his body starting to shiver violently. “L-l-look ou-out for t-th-them…” he muttered, eyes going wide as shock set in. Neither registered the sounds or motions of the paramedics racing to them. “T-t-tell them I l-love them…”

Duke kept a firm grip on his paw as Matt was loaded into the ambulance. The weasel felt his heart sink as his friend’s grip weakened and medics franticly radioed the hospital with their needs. And when the todd’s uniform was torn open and the AED put to his chest, his mind shut off and his body went numb.

And when it didn’t re-start his heart, Duke’s world came crashing down. ………..

Vivian walked down the quiet halls of Savanna General, her head down as her claws scratched behind her ears to sooth her headache. She was only five hours into her twelve-hour shift and she already wanted run away.

And it wasn’t the patients, either. It was the fact that it was too damn quiet!

“Ugg,” she groaned raising her head as she approached the nurses’ station. “Last day… Then you and your husband can spend the next few days in bed.”

Smiling at the thought of what Matty would do to her once they were alone, she glanced at the clock, noting it was almost eight forty-five.

“Matt should be done about now,” she said to herself as she reached into her pocket for her phone. Frowning at the lack notifications from him, she locked it and put it back.

“You okay, Vivi?” asked Marie, the giraffe seated behind the check in desk.

“Yeah, Matt just hasn’t called yet.”

Marie gave a nod of understanding and sympathy before looking out into the waiting room. Her eyes flicked to the tv before doing a double take.

“Uh, Viv?” her hoof grabbed the remote and cranked the volume up.

The vixen looked up at the screen, where a pretty snow leopard was standing outside of St. Orchid Hospital in the Rainforest District. “We’ve just received word that Zootopia’s first fox officer Matthew Wide is in critical condition. He was admitted into the hospital over an hour ago and there has been no update on his injuries.”

Marie turned to look at her friend only to see her dashing to their lockers for her purse. Lifting her phone to her ear, the giraffe let their boss know the vixen wasn’t going to be in for a while, her own eyes filling with tears as a stricken Vivian raced out the hospital towards St. Orchid. She turned back to tv just in time to see the banner change on the bottom of the screen.

‘Officer Matthew Wilde Confirmed Dead’ ……………

Chief Pride had not been in his position for very long. He knew it was going to be a tough job. Not just because of the politics involved, either. Those were expected, but the amount of resistance to the changes he was trying to implement was disheartening. Especially when he knew his officers deserved what he was fighting for.

And now, one of them was gone.

It was the fact that he was the chief of the best precinct in the city that kept his face stoic when the doctor confirmed the news. With Mrs. Wilde falling to pieces next to him and Officer Weaselton catatonic in the waiting room, the lion could only stare after the doctor as she left them to grieve. He turned his blank stare to the vixen, his body following hers as she fell to the ground sobbing.

“I’m so sorry…” he whispered, allowing a few tears to spill as he put a large paw on her back.

After a few minutes that felt like hours, Mrs. Wilde straightened up, her body still kneeling on the hospital floor. A passing nurse kneeled to give her a box of tissues, which she accepted without a word. Cleaning her face and blowing her nose, she looked down the hall to the room that held her husband.

“I have to go home,” she said more to herself than to him. “I have to tell the kits. I have to make…arrangements…”

Tears started to fall again as the reality of her situation set in.

“Let me know if there’s anything you need.” Pride said quietly. “The ZPD is there for you and your family. One hundred percent.”

Closing her eyes, Vivian patted his paw gratefully. “Thank you.”

Standing together, they turned to the waiting room, their eyes going to Officer Weaselton. He sat unblinking, in the same position he had been left in after a nurse had helped him from the ambulance. Were it not for the rise and fall of his chest, they would have thought him to be a statue.

“Duke?” called Mrs. Wilde. “Duke, honey?”

“Weaselton.” Pride followed her lead as she walked to him cautiously. But he gave them space when she kneeled in front of him and rested her paws on his own. Her touch had the weasel’s eyes moving to hers, though they held no emotion.

“I should have given up,” he said matter-of-factly. Mrs. Wilde’s brows wrinkled in confusion. “After we were denied the first time. I should have just given up. If I had given up, Matt would have, too. Then we would still be working odd jobs, broke but alive. I should have just given up.”

Nodding at his own statement, Weaselton went back to staring blankly at nothing. The vixen looked over at Chief Pride, fresh tears falling. Gulping, she stood again and walked to him.

“Keep an eye on him, okay? For Matty.”

“I will.” Giving him a watery thanks and Weaselton a final look of worry, she left.

Looking to his remaining officer, Pride took a seat next to him.

Simba Pride knew this wasn’t going to be an easy job. But knowing that didn’t make it hurt less. ……………….

“Five more minutes…” muttered the sleepy kit snuggled up against Skye. She smiled down at Nick, whose eyes were struggling to stay open to watch the movie on tv.

“I already gave you ten more minutes,” she argued playfully, moving her arm behind him to scoop his little form from the couch.

With another smile at his sleepy grumble, she carefully carried her brother to his room. Well, her old room. Though the walls had been painted from soft pink to blue when she went off to college. Laying him down carefully, she pulled the covers over him and placed a kiss on his head. Silently, she crept from his room and closed the door, leaving it open just a crack to keep the monster under his bed away.

The hall night light making a dent in the otherwise dark house, Skye peeked into the kitchen. She frowned at the time displayed on the stove and microwave. Dad should have been home hours ago.

“He’s probably filling out reports,” Greg said, answering her silent query. He lay on the floor next to the bowl of popcorn, munching as the monsters on the tv scared kits for energy.

Sighing as she flopped onto the couch again, she propped her head on her paw as she looked to the screen. “You’re probably right. He doesn’t know when to quit, does he?”

Not looking at her, Greg shook his head. “Nope.”

Moments later, the sound of keys had both of them perking up and looking to the door, ready to welcome home their father. Only to be confused when their mother entered the quiet apartment. Greg pushed himself up to a sitting position and looked over to Skye.

“Mom?” she asked with concern. “What are you doing home so early?”

Vivian looked from one to the other, her eyes red lined and tired looking. “We need to have a talk.”

Skye took in her mother’s expression, understanding hitting her when mother and daughter exchanged looks.

“No.”

They looked over at Greg, who was looking at Vivian in anger and resentment. His paws gripped the carpet, claws digging into the fibers as he fought the tears building in his blue eyes. Vivian’s own were falling freely as she stood in the doorway watching her son as he shook his head at her.

“No…no, no, no, no, no…”

It wasn’t until she stepped towards him that he moved, pushing himself up and away, storming towards his room and slamming the door close. Staring after him,

Vivian found herself rooted to the spot.

“Mama…” came Skye’s small, tear choked voice.

And without another word, she went to her daughter and held her tight, praying that she would close her eyes and wake up in her own bed, with Matthew next to her, like she had so many other nights before. ……….

There was nothing Nick wanted more than to be like his father.

Matthew Wilde was brave and determined. Always smiling and laughing, wherever they went, he was stopped by random mammals who wanted to shake his paw. In Nick’s eyes, there was no-one cooler than his dad.

So when his mom sat him down and explained to him that he was gone, Nick didn’t understand. Because Matthew Wilde was the first fox officer in Zootopia. He faced bad guys all day long, he knew how to fight, knew how to shoot a gun and work a taser, and was the fastest runner in the world. His dad was indestructible.

And he promised he would lead Nick’s Ranger Scout Troop on their annual camp out next weekend.

But reality was a bitter pill to take. And it nearly choked him when the time came to say good-bye. Standing in a small black suit next to his mother, the young todd wasn’t sure what emotion took precedence. Until he looked up and saw Duke standing opposite of them.

Anger. That’s what he felt. Bitter anger. Why should it be his father he had to say good-bye to? What was Duke doing while his father was dying? Why didn’t that savage jaguar take the weasel and leave his honest, good, hard working father alone?

Nick opened his eyes.

In the three years following Matthew’s death, he buried himself in school and trouble. He only worked for good grades to remind himself he wasn’t completely useless. Though other than having one less thing for Vivian to worry about, he didn’t know why he bothered most of the time. Summer time made the point moot, but still…

Not feeling rested at all, he looked over to his phone as it alerted him to a message. The dream he had been having and the anger it brought vanished when he saw who messaged him.

carrots- WAKE UP ALREADY! I’m bored! :)

The now familiar, pleasant tightening in the pit of his stomach overcame him as a smile curved his muzzle.

Dumb Fox- so bossy! :)

carrots- So lazy! :)

Dumb Fox- i regret nothing. that nap was amazing!

He leaned back and waited for her reply, realizing why he participated in Finnick’s shenanigans less and less. Judy was no less mischievous, but there was a very obvious line she was unwilling to cross. A line that could very well make him seem less in her eyes if he crossed it himself. And doing something that would put him out of the running for her affections was not worth doing at all.

carrots- Are you rested enough to for a rematch on the obstacle course?

A sly grin spreading over his face, he typed out the response.

Dumb Fox- depends… what do i get if i win? ;)

carrots- You’ll see :)

Bolting up and out of bed, Nick rushed to get dressed, his body vibrating at the thought of seeing his bunny. Letting her know he was on his way, he pocketed his phone and grabbed his key before racing to the door. Though his paw paused on the knob as he looked up at the family photo.

“I’ll make you proud, Dad,” he whispered to him. “I promise.”

With a smile, he left, ready to claim whatever prize Judy had for him when he won.

Again, he would add.

#zootopia #wildehopps #nickwilde #judy hopps #duke weaselton #au

23 notes · View notes

ayellowcurtain · 6 years

Text

Nicotino headcanon

(All Nicotino now! And it gets a bit more...sexual but not too much. So be aware!)

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- After they ran from Renato, they went straight to Nico’s house, dropping all the wet clothes as soon as possible and Nico gave Martino one of his underwear and shirt, both still laughing and talking about how close they were to getting caught by the guy. Before going to bed, Niccolò just couldn't resist anymore and he got close again, touching his lips with Marti’s, keeping his eyes open to see the reaction. They stay like that for a couple of minutes, just touching lips, giving each other small kisses, looking at each other. For the next couple of days, they spend their days kissing, talking, just looking so madly in love with each other. Sometimes, the kisses would get a bit more intense, hands touching everything they could reach without any shame but not more than that.

- At the night on Gio’s lake house, Niccolò was so desperate, he just said to his mom that he needed to go to Martino or he would lose him and that was not going to happen. After he got there, calling Marti, he ran to the address, taking a minute to catch his anxious breath before knocking on the door. Even when feeling relieved to see him, he just needed to make sure that Martino knew how badly he wanted him and how deeply in love he was. He didn’t know until the next morning about their time frame, but two hours proved to be more than enough (for now) to kiss every inch of Martino’s body, show him that he meant every word about wanting to be with him, no one else. That night was different than the one on Halloween. It was a lot more than just kisses and curious hands. Niccolo has never gone down on a guy before, but he wasn’t thinking straight and he just went for it, Marti seemed to like it by the sounds he couldn’t hold back. Once he was done, Niccolò was already kissing him again, Marti putting both his hands on Nico’s nape, holding him really close, while stumbling to bed. It was a long night, full of pleasure for both the boys. Niccolò could hear the boys coming back to the the cabin, probably drunk, based on how loud they were, but he didn’t say anything, especially because he didn’t want the boys to know they were still awake, touching each other and trying to contain the moans and love promises on each other lips. The cabin went silent again and they were still very much awake. Now Niccolò was trying to keep Marti awake, kissing from his nape to his lower back, really close to that beautiful ass and Martino was laughing, asking Nico to come cuddle and he couldn’t say no to that, so he obeyed.

- The trip to Milan was promising, just the two of them, away from everyone, from Maddalena and his mom lecturing about how bad Marti was for him and his health and he couldn’t lose another year in school because he was searching for some adventure that would soon be over because Martino didn’t know about his health and how his mind worked and he wouldn’t know how to deal with it. That scared Niccolo and to run away was the best he could do for now, enjoy as long as he could what they had.

He knew they were right and that his perfect bubble full of love with Marti could burst at any second, so he had to make the most of it. Put, in every inch of his and Marti’s brains, memories of the two and how this is what their fate was. One way or another, they would find each other again because they were meant to be, the threat of faith kept them together for eternity.

It was their first time, but they were trying to not think about it, just make what it felt right for both of them. Martino looked even more perfect when laying down on the bed, his curls sticking to his forehead, trying to keep his loud moans inside, bitting his lip, squeezing Niccolò’s thighs. He could watch this every day, give this much pleasure to his boyfriend, but it didn’t felt real, his hands wandering Marti’s torso and finding something to ground him, until he stopped where he could feel Martino’s heart racing just as fast as his own, giving him some certainty that his heart was right, he’s suppose to be here, loving this boy and nowhere else.

#skam italia #nicotino #martino rameta #niccolo fares #skamit

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gaysblasnior · 6 years

Text

i will try to write a summary of tonight episode because there are literally a lot of scenes, i think this was the episode with more blasnior scenes/content so far.

so the episode started with junior and blas sitting outside the cabin and junior told blas "I don't want this dream to come to an end" and blas told him not to think about the future, to stay in the moment basically. Then he offered to go look for wood for the fireplace and gave junior a peck on the lips before telling him to make some coffee and started to tease him playfully.

Then while he was making the coffee he turned on his phone and recieves a phonecall from mauro. they start arguing and when junior said that blas was his boyfriend he threatened him saying that if he didn't leave blas he will hurt him [blas] and they end up in a very intense discussion. this was honestly one of my favorite scenes because of the way renato (junior) y matias (mauro) delivered it.

after the phone call, junior had a panic attack and went outside to find blas but ended up fainting next to a tree. then blas went into the cabin looking for him and mauro called junior again. blas answered and also ended up in a really intense discussion. finally blas went outside and finds junior.

then they were sitting on the bed, and blas teased him a little but then got serious and talked about what had happened. he asked if junior wanted to leave, or to end their relationship but junior said no and asked him the same and blas said that he wanted to stay his whole life like that. then as he was about to leave so junior could rest he stopped him and they stay in bed together.

at night mauro went to the Guerrico's house and made a scene about how he didn't want junior to be with blas and had a discussion with diego. sienna interrupted them and diego leaves them alone and sienna told mauro where blas and junior were at.

the next morning junior had made breakfast for him and blas and was watching him sleep when he recieved a text from mauro telling him to go outside if he didn't want him to enter to the cabin to basically fuck things up. scared junior opened the door and mauro made him leave with him or either he will hurt blas.

then there was a big discussion at the guerrico's house in which romeo, dante, simona and even javiera defended junior (dante almost punched mauro, i love him).

then the three brothers are in junior and dante's bedroom talking about the situation and junior hides the fact that mauro had threatened him. blas called him but he did't answered.

later blas and junior are talking in that bedroom and junior tells him that he didn't know what will happen to them because he is afraid that mauro could hurt blas. blas tells him that he didn't care and that he loved him (literally said "you are the person that i love" "i love you junior"). he asked him if he wanted to be with him.

that's where the episode ends for them. no answer.

sorry for the changes on the tenses and any gramatical mistakes, english is not my first language and im pretty tired rn.

#blasnior #blas x junior #lgbt #junior x blas #simona #lgbtq

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featherwriterweather · 7 years

Text

A concert to remember

I know its long and the date was a month ago, but I was too inspired. Read to the end.

I woke up not as early as usual. Today was 8th March, the International women’s day. Renato was really kind and let me take the day off to celebrate me being a woman. It felt so good to sleep until the sun has actually risen. I woke up with my hair up on a bun, blankets neatly over me and one beautiful white rose on the side of the bed where Christopher was usually sleeping. He was so sweet to me, making me feel like a real queen. It was the best thing to wake up and see one beautifully scented rose next to me.

Christopher had already gotten ready and gone down to the hotel lobby to join the other four for breakfast before they head out to do some radio interviews and the sound check for the concert they had the same night. Six years had gone by since I met Christopher and the fire between us exploaded. The way we met was a litle funny, yet incredible. I had just arrived to the US and finished my makeup artist course. I applied everywhere I could. Probably it was fate, but a month after I applied for a boy band travelling makeup artist, I got called up. The day I went to my interview I was nervously shaking for some reason. The interview was in Sony Music Latin in Miami. I entered the hallway still being nervous. I saw five boys playing European football with a ball made out of paper wrapped in duckt tape. Three of them were with their back to me. One of them started walking backwards, he didn’t know I was behind him and that’s why he was just as surprised when he bumped into me. He turned around to catch me from falling, but slipped instead and we both fell on the floor. He quickly stood up and helped me, saying he was sorry in the mean while. The other four were laughing so hard that Renato, who interviewed me at the time, came out of his office to see what was happening. The boy, who was Christopher, was turning red of embarrassment. Something between us clicked at that moment. He looked into my eyes and smiled kindly. He let go of me only when Renato cleared his throat loud enough for all the building to hear him. That day was, in a matter of fact, 8th March. And here we were, six years later. I was their makeup artist and travelled the world with them and I was calling myself Chris’ girlfriend. My life had changed so much since, but for the better. And today not only I had a celebration, we also had an anniversary.

I got out of bed, took a shower and got ready. Then I went down for breakfast. The boys were still eating and about to leave in a few minutes. I approached them and smiled. They had ordered me coffee and my favourite veggie breakfast. They knew I would come down on ime to eat together. They all smiled back at me as I sat down.

“Feliz día de la mujer!” They said in one voice as each pulled out one white rose from under the table. My eyes watered up. I was shown one more time how lucky I was to have them in my life as my friends, as my co-workers and as my brothers. Looking back, who would have guessed I would be known as travelling makeup artist, let alone having breakfast with the hottest boy band in Latin America and holding the roses they have given me. I quickly brushed my tears and put the rosses carefully on the chair next to me. They had to go do their interviews and sound check, they stood up and excused themselves. Before they left me alone I got a kiss from all of them. Richard kissed my forehead, Erick kissed my cheek, Joel placed a kiss on the top of my head, Zabdi kissed my hand and Chris gave me a quick peck on my lips.

I wasn’t mad that I had to finish my breakfast alone. They had to do their resposibilities and yet they had the time to buy me flowers, order my favorite food and, of course, tag me and their moms on their IG stories. How could I be mad at them for such thing? After I finished eating, I made sure to call all of the moms and sisters in our extended musical family, as well as my mom. Working with so many latinas, I learned spanish really fast. Of course, I went to my IG and recorded a quick video for my fans and friends.

The rest of the day went by fast. I had forgotten what it is like to be free all day. Their interviews were over, as well as the sound check, the fans were already piling up in the stadium. I spent my time at the hotel trying outfits and makeup looks while my team got the boys ready behind the scenes. An hour before the concert started, Renato came and took me with his car. I was starting to feel something was happening behind my back. Little did I know how right I was.

We arrived at the stadium just in time. I went behind the scenes, we did our traditional good luck hand over hand salute, they all gave me the usual cheek kiss good luck and I sent them on stage. Renato insisted I should go up front and watch the concert. That was strange, though. He never insisted on me doing things like that, because he knew I would do it anyways. Even though, I did as I was told. The concert was more than amazing. As usual, fans were pulled on stage, roses were given as a present for being such dedicated fans. One of the girls pulled up on stage even got a proposal. I was thinking to myself that this day couldn’t get any better, I was wrong, of course. You know how it happens exactly the opposite when you think it can not get any better or any worse. There are the Murphy laws.

I continued watching the concert and admiring the sweet proposal this girl had. Almost at the end of the concert the music didn’t transition from song to song, but stopped. Christopher looked at me, smiled and brought his mic to his mouth and started talking. “Before we sing the last song for tonight, which is also very symbolic to us, to me, I want to thank you all. Miami has always been a place of memories and emotions to me. Seven years ago I came to this country to work, a year later I came here, in Miami, and auditioned for La Banda. That’s when I met the most amazing woman in my life, my lovely girlfriend. She was new to the country, too. I would like to bring her here, on stage, but you have to help me. Call her up with me, c’mon!”

Everybody started scanding my name. A heatwave spread along my body. I had a tangling sensation in my stomach. I had the feeling this would not be only a thankful speech. Anyways, I tried to caml myself down as I walked up on stage. When I got there, the audience started clapping and cheering. Chris stretched his hand out for mine. I went up to him and took his hand as he continued talking. “This woman, that I have the priviledge to hold hands with, is the best thing Miami could have given me. I remember the first time I looked in her eyes. I knew nothing would ever be the same again. Today not only we celebrate her being a woman, we celebrate our sixth anniversary.” At this point I was already crying and shaking. He turned to me, looked me in the eyes and went on." The way we met was so funny. I bumped into her, practically I fell on top of her. That was the best thing I could do. It changed my life forever. I am who I am because of you. You made me believe in everything I do, in everything I dream of. I can’t believe I had gotten so lucky to have you by my side. For six years we built a life I was used seeing only in movies. We have a beautiful home, that we rarely have the chance to enjoy. I hear ‘I love you’ everyday and that makes me the happiest man. You share my smiles, my tears, my dreams, my ups and downs. My life is perfect the way it is. There is only one thing missing, mi amor. That is a ring on you finger” as he said that he pulled out a velvet ring box from his pocket and got down on one knee. I started crying even more. My hand went up to my mouth. I couldn’t believe what was happening to me. My feeling was right, there really was something happening behind my back, but all was worth it. The boys started jumping behind me, everyone started cheering. I looked at Chris, he was crying, too. I have imagined this moment so many times, but I never could have thought it would be that perfect. Chris started talking again, his voice cracking “Bebé, mi amor, mi vida, te casarías conmigo?”

My makeup was already ruined from all the tears. I couldn’t think, nor speak. I nodded and managed somehow to shout “Sí” before I threw myself around his neck. Everybody started cheering again. I was still shaking as he slipped the ring on my finger. He stood up and hugged me, sweeping me off of my feet. Zadbi screamed on his mic “She said yes”. The crowd was screaming, the band started to play ‘Primera cita’. As Chris put me down I saw Richard coming towards us shaking one big bottle of champaign. He opened it and started splashing it on us. At the same time Joel came towards me with one big bouquet of red roses. I wasn’t really realizing what had just happened to me. When I first came to America, when I went to Sony Music for my interview I never knew my life would change so much. But I wouldn’t trade for the world. That was the best night in my entire life.

As we were walking down from the stage I looked up to the sky and saw a shooting star. “Make a wish” Chris said. “I have everything I could ever wish for.” I said. But I did make a wish upon the shooting star. I wished that every woman out there, no matter from where she is, would meet a man like Christopher one day. And that this man would take care of her and treat her like a queen, because all women deserve nothing less.

#christopherimagine #christopher velez #romanticimagine #sweet #cnco imagines #cncowners #cnco #romance

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nebris · 5 years

Photo

Margherita Cagol (8 April 1945 – 5 June 1975) was a former leader of the Italian left-wing militant organization, the Red Brigades (Brigate Rosse). She was married to Renato Curcio.

Life

She was born to a middle-class family in Sardagna, Trentino, in the north of Italy. Her mother was a pharmacist and her father a prosperous merchant, owner of a perfumery. In 1964 she enrolled in the faculty of Social Science at the University of Trento. She soon became involved with student movements, where she got to know Renato Curcio. They worked for the publication Lavoro Politico (Political Work). She graduated in 1969. She married Renato Curcio in a Catholic ceremony, after which the couple moved to Milan, where she intended to study for a further two years.[1]

In Milan, the Curcios became full-fledged militants. The Red Brigades were formed with Alberto Franceschini in the second half of 1970 as a result of the merger of Renato Curcio's Proletarian Left and a radical student and worker group. After getting arrested in February 1971 for occupying a vacant house, the Curcios and the most militant members of the Proletarian Left went completely underground and organized the Red Brigades. They spent the next three years, from 1972 to 1975, engaging in a series of bombings and kidnappings of prominent figures. Renato Curcio was captured and jailed, but freed by Margherita in a raid on the prison five months later, on 18 February 1975.

In April, Cagol, Mario Moretti and Renato Curcio met in a house near Piacenza to discuss their strategy. The movement was growing and they needed further finance to continue the struggle. They decided to follow the example of the South American guerrillas and carry out a series of kidnappings, one of the victims being the industrialist Vallarino Gancia. He was chosen because he was very rich and lived in a region with which they were familiar. According to Renato Curcio, he had also financed a Fascist organization.[2] He was kidnapped on 4 June while on his way to his villa in Canelli, near Asti, bundled into a transporter, and taken to the farmhouse (Cascina Spiotta) on the hills of Acqui Terme. This farmhouse had been purchased some time before by Cagol, and had been used by members of the Red Brigades from Turin. Renato Curcio did not take part in the operation; as a prison escapee, his picture had been published all over Italy, and it was considered too dangerous. Cagol, along with a companion, were left to guard Gancia. Later that evening Cagol phoned Renato to tell him that the operation had been a success. The following morning theCarabinieri began investigating farmhouses in the neighbourhood. Cagol had been on watch during the night, and had gone to bed. Her companion, who took over the watch, fell asleep, and did not wake up until the Carabinieri started knocking at the door. Their escape route was blocked by the Carabinieri’s car, so they decided to fight it out. In the ensuing gunfight, two police officers were killed, as was Cagol. Renato Curcio was again captured by the authorities in January 1976, tried, convicted and imprisoned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margherita_Cagol

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mafia-babies-from-hell-hullo · 8 years

Text

Renato’s Backstory

Okay, so @not-so-varia-quality made me realize that I need to think to flesh out the general backstory. And my brain went: “Let’s make it as angst-y as possible! And Renato would be the best way to start!”

So, here I am. I can write fluff too I swear!

WARNING: Angst. Very vague (like a teacher dodging exam question vague), Gore?????, Death, uh... can’t think of anything else at the moment...

“You can’t! Dear, think of Renato!” Mamma pleaded. “He’s too young! I can’t- I-”

“I’m sorry, love. But you are strong too, you can do it. I know you can.” He reaches out and touches her cheek. She sniffs, her face in her hands.

Renato doesn’t understand. He doesn’t want to understand. “Père…”

Père smiles and ruffles his son’s same dark locks as his wife’s. “Be a good boy for Mamma, yeah?”

“I don’t want you to go!” Renato tightens his fist around the cloth of his shirt. “It isn’t fair!”

“Life isn’t fair.” Came the soft response. “It isn’t about what one wants, it is about what one has to do.”

Renato falls silent, trying to suppress the tears; it doesn’t work. He hiccups.

Behind him, Mamma is sobbing softly.

Père hugs them both tightly. “Je t’aime tellement.”

“Ti amo anchio.” Mamma chokes out.

Renato tries to take a deep breath, to imprint this scent in his memory, but he can’t- his nose is too clogged up from snot and tears.

So, he watches the silhouette blur into the horizon with his heart beating in his throat.

He shares a bed with Mamma that night. (He falls asleep to her muffled sobs, his own lashes dripping wet.)

It has been years since he last seen his Père. He is older now and his Mamma is tired.

He doesn’t like her being tired.

He doesn’t like her coming home late, exhausted to the bone.

He doesn’t like her smile fondly at the letters, that contained money Père has send once upon a time in the envelope, and kiss her ring, because she will cry while doing it.

He doesn’t like seeing her cry.

“It isn’t about what one wants, it is about what one has to do.” A faraway memory whispers.

Renato knows what he has to do. He thinks that he should have thought of it sooner.

Unbeknownst to him, his eyes glow gold for an instant.

“Mamma.”

She turned around. “Yes?”

“I’m going to the city to find work.”

She turns to the stove again. “No.”

There is an awkward stillness between them that can’t be cut with the clacks of the knife meeting the board, the crackling fire of the herd, nor the hissing of the kettle.

There is an invisible barrier between them made of sunlight and words unsaid. (He wonders why he didn’t notice it sooner, and wishes he did.)

He finds work as an errand boy for a mechanic anyway. (It’s not much, but better than nothing.)

Renato one day comes home to see Mamma being harassed by some scum.

They are knocked out quickly, and he dumps them at the edge of the city, where Mamma said they come from.

(He might have not-so-accidentally lost their clothes and additional belongings. Serves them right.)

Renato coughs, wipes away the mix of blood and saliva, and glares.

The leader inhales sharply at the golden flickers amidst black, and that is enough time for him to lunge again.

He gets knocked down, gets up, and down again. (And again and again.)

“I,” he whispers hoarsely, more to remind himself than anyone else. “Am not a bastard. Or a whoreson.”

They only sneer at him, one stomps on his hand- an ugly crack halls through the alley. He screams, and the same asshole clamps his filthy hands on his throat.

“Do you know,” he begins with a cruel grin. “The little hut at the edge of the city? Very cute, with an equally cute lady in it.”

His eyes widen. No.

“The first time some of mine visited, they were turned away. Not a good show of hospitality, right?”

Renato desperately claws at the way bigger hands, he has a sinking feeling in his gut.

“So, we decided to remedy that.”

NO!

He scrambles out of the alley, and ignores the already fading pain, every step he takes the limp is less pronounced, and breaks out in a run as soon as his body allows him. (Barks of laughter, mocking jeers, and his frantic heartbeat follow him like a faraway echo.)

The instant he sees nothing on the horizon where a small rectangle should be, he feels something inside him break. (But he runs on anyway.)

He stops in front of smoldering wooden remains. The only thing that hints that something was there to be burnt along with the ashes covering the earth and burnt patches of grass.

Distantly, he wonders if he could have prevented this. If he only hadn’t stopped them- What if he had come home that day sooner- What if-

No, wait. They are still alive.

This must be corrected. (And correct it he did.)

They do not get up, and a part of Renato does regret. (His Père and Mamma wouldn’t have wanted this. Any of this.)

But he walks, feeling aches fade into dull throbs and every cut mend.

He takes the bike of the leader that is standing in the two blocks away, and makes sure to run over his body as many times as it needs to make it undefinable mush.

He then repeats it with the other bodies.

Renato will never know how long he took to complete that task, nor how long he stared at the mess but still saw nothing at all.

The next thing he remembers is that he woke up at the mechanic shop.

For those who don’t understand, I deliberately wrote “Père” (French) for father and “Mamma” (Italian) for mother. This is why the dad speaks in french (”I love you both so much.”) and the mom in Italian (”I love you too.”) at the first scene.

You see, Renato is an Italian name as far as I know, and Sinclair originated from “Saint Clair”, a Norman French town.

You’re welcome to correct me. I don’t speak Italian and I am learning French... so yeah.

#glowingcloud!AU #reborn #my writing #renato sinclair #damn this so angsty

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awkwardplantwrites · 5 years

Text

Finding Magic: Chapter Two

Find the chapter on wattpad here

New to the story? Missed some updates? Find all the chapters here on tumblr

taglist: @quilloftheclouds @imturtlelyawriter @wannabe-word-palace @writersloth, @fantasy-shadows @worldbuilding @agnodice-writes @books-of-lunacy @notquitenovelist @dreamsofbooksandmonsters @city-by-the-sea

If you want to be added/removed from the tag-list, let me know! Comments/feedback is always welcome :)

That night, Renato had a dream. In the fields surrounding the town of Llantry he saw a rocky hill. On that hill stood a crumbling tower that wasn't attached to any castle. The sky was dark and overcast, with rumbles of thunder banging on the clouds. A brisk wind pushed Renato in the direction of the tower.

He noticed someone sitting at the top, on the edge of the battlement merlons, swinging their legs with no fear of the great height. Renato walked to the tower. Rocks stabbed him through his leather shoes and grazed his hands with its sharp edges when he pulled himself up the hill.

The tower's entrance was a large wooden door with ornate decorations. It was wide open and Renato walked through. There was no room, only a stone staircase; it spiralled within the tower and he couldn't see where it led. Slime from the walls covered his hands when he touched it.

"Aw gross!" Renato wiped his hands on his shirt and continued walking. Eventually he saw the malevolent light of sky, then he was at the top of the tower. The figure turned out to be Pepi. Pepi turned round to face him.

"Why are you wearing a crown?"

"I- I am?" Renato felt atop his head and there sat a golden crown which he took off and examined. Carved onto it was an image of a knight fighting a dragon, and next to it, a healer touching the forehead of a person who knelt before them. "I think it has pictures of me. That's odd, it's showing me face without the glamour spells."

The crown became heavier and Renato buckled under its weight, nearly dropping it. Pepi jumped down from the ledge and rushed over.

"Are you alright? Let me help-"

At the same moment Pepi touched the crown, lightning struck the tower. The building blew up in flames and the floor shook beneath them. They lost their footing and tumbled off the edge. Renato braced himself for the face-first drop onto the rocky hill. But he landed back on the top of the tower.

"What?! Why am I- I was just falling, how…" Renato looked around to see the tower was no longer worn and crumbling. It was as if it had somehow restored to a brand new building.

Above them the sky turned blue, which continued without end. Renato saw Pepi again - who now wore a red cloak - he didn't seem to remember falling seconds before. With one hand he held a globe, in the other hand, two long branches. Pepi and Renato gazed upon the scenery. It was no longer Llantry's fields, but a lush meadow next to a massive lake and mountains with snowy peaks. A smile reached Pepi's lips. He glanced at Renato, bekoning him to come over, then handed one of the branches to him.

"Look down there." Pepi pointed at the bank of the lake below.

An angel with large crimson wings wore a long white robe that reached their feet, one foot was in the water, the other on the grassy bank. They poured water from a goblet into another goblet. Raising their hands, they held up the goblets as if making a toast. The goblets disappeared and the angel flew up, somehow still floating even when their wings vanished. Renato quickly averted his eyes when their robe morphed into a scarf of liliac fabric. The angel flew towards them, taking the branches out their hands.

"Watch this, I'm going to do something amazing." The angel hit them on the head with the branches.

"Ow!" Renato rubbed his head. "What was that for?!"

"Are you wanting to fight, huh? Square go!" Pepi threw the globe at the angel.

Dodging the globe, the angel apologized. "Sorry, oh gosh, I'm so sorry. I forgot to change them."

The branches shrunk and transformed into two white drumsticks. "It's my first time delivering a dream, please don't tell my boss." The angel tapped them on the head with the sticks.

Renato woke up. He sat up in bed, peering into the darkness. Across the room, Pepi slept in his chair, guarding the bedchamber door as usual.

Renato lay down again. "What was I dreaming about? I can't remember. That's so annoying." He drifted off to sleep.

At dawn, Pepi woke Renato as he tidied something up. Then Pepi left the bedchamber for an hour, saying that he had something to do. Renato didn't really care. His bed was warm. He didn't want to move. Pepi's stupid face irritated him. He didn't know why, and not knowing why made him even more irritable.

When Pepi returned, he helped Renato get dressed (despite the knight complaining like a child not wanting to take a bath). Later in the morning, Pepi gathered the knights in the manor's courtyard and informed them of Renato's magic loss. A few knights began fidgeting and adjusting their armour, failing to mask their panic.

"I know of a man who can help him. In fact, this person can help everyone in Llantry. His name is Danov and he lives on the Isle of Adhar, where I'm from. It's off the North-West coast of Costia. But it's a long journey. Two or three weeks, even if you go by horse. Though I'd suggest taking a wagon, since you don't know if Renato could start feeling worse and become unable to ride."

Ladwef, a knight with a nasal voice and who constantly looked like he was sneering, cleared his throat. "Ahem, you know of him? Have you actually met this healer? He's not a myth is he?"

"Uh no, my relatives know him." Pepi combed fingers through his hair. "They've met him personally. It'll be fine. But I can't go. Someone else will have to take Renato to Adhar-"

"What?" Ladwef squawked. "That doesn't make sense. You're the only one who knows of this healer so you should be the one to track him down."

Pepi spoke through gritted teeth. "I would be a liability. I might not seem like it, but I'm not doing too well either. And before you ask, I'm not sharing those issues. Now. Does anyone know how to read a map?"

Another knight called out. "Don't be daft! You travelled down here so you know the way back. And if your family are the ones who know him, I don't reckon they'd be friendly to one of us."

"Hey, my family is full of nice, friendly people! Although Tammy's a different story, she'd make you pay a large sum. But the rest of them would always help someone in need," Pepi insisted, and surveyed the knights. His shoulders slumped. He crossed his arms, looking down at his feet with a grimace. "I'm the only one who can travel with Renato, huh..? I barely even remember how I got here."

Renato raised his hand. "I don't want to go."

"Hush, oh brave knight." Pepi pulled Renato's hand down. "We need you to get your magic back as quick as possible. And to represent the people. Show the healer how serious this is. He can examine you or whatever."

"You shut up." Reanto huffed. "This healer… he's not going to slice me up to do that examining is he?"

"Only when you die on the way there, I promise." Pepi patted Renato's shoulder. "That’s why I’m bringing the wagon. I suppose we best start packing."

In Renato's bedchamber, Pepi organised items and put them into bags like he was arranging puzzle pieces. Renato had opted to gaze at his reflection in his pocket mirror, poking at his acne. There was some sort of burning itch of irritation he couldn't shake off. If he opened his mouth he'd start a fight with Pepi.

But when Pepi held a white sphere the size of a child's fist that lifted off his hand, and started to fly around his shoulders, Renato blurted "What's that?"

"Oh, this?" Pepi rubbed the sphere with his index finger. It leaned (or flew?) into his touch. "It's a floating dragon egg. Just joking, it's a crystal ball made of Calcite. I got this from the diviner who lives right outside South Gate. She says it can detect animosity and danger."

The ball flew towards Renato then began pulsing with red light. It quickly flew back behind Pepi, looking over his shoulder. "Well. Since you're the danger, I suppose I'll have to defeat you." Pepi held a dagger like a sword and aimed it at Renato.

Renato crossed his arms. "Stop it. if you go anywhere near me with that daggar I'll stab you with it.”

“What’s wrong with you today? Yesterday you couldn’t care less about being killed by a dragon and now you’re being mean to me,” Pepi pouted.

“I don't know why I'm mad. It’s the illness,” Renato sighed. “I’m sorry. Anyway, why did you see the diviner? She doesn't use real magic, she's a con. She told me I’d “meet the spirits of water” then I fell in a puddle the next day."

Pausing, Pepi glanced at the white ball. "I had a weird dream last night. One of the knights is her nephew, he told me about her a while back. She was helpful, I think. A bit vague though. I would've been much more stubborn about going on this journey if I hadn't seen her."

"Why? What did she say?"

"Stuff about symbolism. She told me the things I dreamt of represented new beginnings, a partnership, travelling, maintaining balance, broadening my horizons, and finding peace."

"Yeah, crap like that means nothing," Renato scoffed. "She asks questions so she can pretend-"

"She didn't ask me anything. Apart from how the dream made me feel. It made me feel peaceful, it did. You were there, y'know. And it was a vivid dream. Maybe seeing you was a representation of God in my head, since you talk about Lidion a lot. Or it could've been a message from him. Did you have any dreams last night?"

"No. I don't remember anything." A spark of envy tickled Renato's stomach.

Surely Lidion hadn't… really unchosen him. There was no way he'd replace Renato with Pepi, right? Lidion had chosen Renato to be his father's successor as head knight, and it couldn't be revoked just like that. Right?

"That's too bad," Pepi replied. "If you're not going to help me pack, go outside and get the wagon ready."

"Ugh, fine! Anything to get away from your stupid face!" Renato stormed out the bedchamber.

Renato made his way to his mother's house to say goodbye, kicking the ground with his foot the entire way. He didn't get to see her often since he'd moved into the manor. Renato defended the town during the day and have healing sessions in the evening. If there was nothing to fight, he'd spend more time healing. If there was no-one to heal or fight, he'd be improving the town's defences or giving speeches at the temple. But now he couldn't do either of those. And because of that he wouldn't get to see her for yet another month.

His mother never had anymore children. She earned a living from making and mending clothes, even though she lived amoungst the gentry, and refused to have servants. His father had been head knight, but he’d died last year. Renato worried about his mother, given she had known his father better than he did and lost the man she loved, but she never lost that spark of hope in her eyes.

"Mam? I'm ho- Uh, I came to see you." Renato opened her door, scanning the room. An empty laundry basket sat in the corner. He nearly left to check outside, but then he saw her on the bed. "Are you sleeping?"

She stared at the ceiling. Her eyes, full of despair, slowly drifted over Renato's face. "It's been a whole season since I saw your face. Or anyone's face. No-one talks these days, not even to themselves."

Her voice trembled and tears fell down her cheeks. "No-one wants me to make their clothes. There's no-one to buy food from. I really wish your dad was here. He'd bring their souls back to these people just by saying a few words."

Renato's previous irritation faded. "I'm sorry mam, everyone's just… not feeling themselves lately. That's why I'm here, I wanted to tell you I'm leaving Llantry to find a cure," He told her, leaving out the fact that he was as ill as everyone else.

"Pepi knows someone who can help. You remember him, the man who sang at the top of his lungs to promote his sweets when he came into town, and gave all the kids a sugar rush." He held her hand. "And while we're gone I need you to stay strong. You'd make dad proud."

Her eyes remained misty but she smiled. "Thank you, darling. Come home soon. I'll be waiting for you with that apple pie you love so much, even if I have to loot ingredients from the Lord's pantry."

Renato kissed her cheek and said goodbye. He marched back to the wagon waiting by the North gate, seething with fury. How dare this illness make his mother feel so lonely. How dare she and all these people be forced to suffer. Renato passed by Dempster, the knight from Lord Paule's gatehouse.

"In my bedchamber, inside the desk drawers, you'll find three defense spells held in bottles," Renato told him. "Smash them on the ground, but only use them when things get dire. They'll last an hour each. For the rest of the time," He placed his hands on Dempster's shoulders, staring into his eyes.

"I'm counting on you and the other knights to prevent anything getting inside these walls, magic or no magic." Without waiting for a reply, Renato climbed into the back of the wagon and shoved the bags aside.

A man, held back by knights, shouted at Renato from the crowd, "Why weren't you making your healing rounds last night? I’ve got a sore stomach, I had diarrhea all night!" A few others joined in, complaining about their illnesses and the lack of healers.

"We'll be back before you know it," Pepi called out from the jockey box. "Complain to the noblemen in the meantime, though. Renato can't help you yet, I'm sorry."

Renato stared at the crowd through the wagon’s rear. Lidion, why didn’t you protect us from this illness? He thought. Nobody answered his prayer.

The gates opened and they rode out of Llantry. Renato had never left Llantry; this would be the furthest he'd ever travelled. He watched as the town's walls grew smaller the further they travelled, until it was replaced by grasslands.

At this point, Pepi started a conversation with the crystal ball that flew around him. The ball pulsed a faint yellow light.

"Can I give you a name?" In front of Pepi's face, the ball dipped up and down, which seemed to mean "yes".

"Can I call you Kezia?" The ball flew left to right, "no". "Russell?" Another no.

"Ok, I'm not the best at giving names. Try again. Uh… how about Finlay? It means "white warrior"."

The ball slowly floated in a figure eight, then motioned "yes".

"Great! Hello Finlay, welcome to the team. So far we have me; a candy delivery boy, turned over-worked squire. And Renato; a helpless wee baby inside the body of a twenty-three year old man. We're off to a great start."

"Why are you talking to that ball? It doesn't have ears." Renato grumbled. "I'm not a baby."

"Oh, hello Grumpy! You were so quiet back there I thought I'd left you back in Llantry." Pepi chuckled. "Finlay moves when I speak. It moves up and down for yes, and side to side for no. Plus it changes colours depending on how I feel, so I reckon Finlay can hear me just fine. Isn't that right?" Finlay motioned yes.

Pepi continued to chat with Finlay. "I wasn't born with magic. I couldn't make my own candy like the rest of my family, so I got stuck being a delivery boy. Walking through all kinds of weather, having people yell that my prices were too high, or that it made their kid too energetic. It really sucked, I tell you!" Finlay rubbed against Pepi's cheek as it pulsated a faint red light.

Renato groaned and slumped against the wagon bed. This was going to be a long journey.

"I do like the song my dad wrote to advertise the candy, that's always my favourite part. I usually put my name in the song. It makes more sense that way. Do you want to hear it?" Pepi cleared his throat then began singing.

"Ally, bally, ally bally bee ! Sitting on yer mammy’s knee, greeting for a wee bawbee, to buy some Pepi’s candy. Renato, sing with me!" Pepi called over his shoulder. "There was a wee lassie awfy thin, a bundle of bones wrapped up in skin, now she’s getting a wee double chin, with eating Pepi’s candy…"

A very, long, arduous journey.

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