When I have a moment, I will write you something more because it’s your birthday so you need more fics. But for now, here’s that one we collaborated on a long time ago that I found and finished this morning as a small, timely gift (to come before the belated one) :P

—-

“I don’t see why we have a random trooper on this mission,” Wyoming said, staring at the offending man in plain, unenhanced armor.

“It is the mission. Protecting a civilian,” South said and the malice was obvious in her voice. Wyoming and Connie laughed.

“Come on, guys,” York said with an easy shrug. “Just give the guy a chance, it won’t kill us to learn how to play nice with others.”

“Surprise, surprise,” Maine growled.

“Hey, we could all use a little more teamwork.”

The new guy laughed, and betrayed that “he” was actually a “she”.

“You’re not helping my case,” York muttered and the girl raised her hands in defense and defeat.

“You can carry your own weight?” Carolina demanded, speaking for the first time since the Pelican took off. “We’re two minutes from drop point.”

“Yeah, no sweat,” she said and that seemed enough for Carolina.

“If I had known we were going to babysit, I would’ve brought my gold stars to give you for doing a good job at not dying,” South muttered with a smile.

“Who would ever let you within a mile of their kids?” York retorted. North’s small, instinctive laugh came over the radio and died just as suddenly as South’s head whipped around to face him.

“She used to babysit all the time,” North said, suddenly very interested in defending his sister’s credibility to watch over children. “Tons of people in our neighborhood would hire her, all the kids were scared shi—-loved her. Loved her, yes.”

“I’ll have to make due without that validation, then,” the girl said, her voice smothered in sarcasm.

“I see why you stuck up for her, York,” Wash chimed in from across the soldier. “She’s got your terrible, obvious sense of humor.”

“Hey, I have a fucking awesome sense of humor,” both of them said at the same time, and Wash sat back smugly with his arms across his chest, his point sufficiently proven.

“Get ready,” Carolina said firmly, cutting the other replies from the agents short. “Showtime.”

“Really?” York snickered and Carolina’s helmet turned to glare at him. “Sorry, sorry, I just…really?”

The doors opened before anything else could be said, and the agents rushed out, a surly Carolina behind them.

“Are you mad you didn’t get to have the last word,” York asked, head tilted towards the leader in an oddly apologetic stance.

“No,” she growled simply.

“Right, because that would be silly.”

“Right.”

York nodded. “Sorry.”

She looked at him for a moment, her expression softening slightly under the helmet, and then - “You know, I could’ve sworn you were taller.”

“Must be how I’m standing or something. We ready to go?”

“After you.”

She gave him an odd look- as she normally did -before shaking her head and jumping out.  The cement cratered under Carolina’s feet, knees nearly touching the ground.  The others had taken up observational cover around her and she was momentarily caught in the revelation that their guest, crouched between the twins, had to be taller than South.  The thought was jarred out of her head when York hit the ground hard, stringing together curses as he got to his feet and- was he limping? -moved to cover next to Maine.  Carolina just shook her head and barked out, “What’ve we got?”  She’d long since come to terms with the fact that, so long as he wasn’t hampering the mission, York just did whatever York did.

“Looks like a full house,” North said, scoping the place out on his sniper rifle.  “Couple of guards and a lot of traffic in the halls.”

Carolina took in the building and surroundings, forming and discarding plans until she said, “Alright, we’ll go for the tried and true method.  Maine, you and South make a nice big diversion on the east end.  I saw some fuel tanks there and possibly a generator on the drop in.  I want you drawing as many to you as you can.  North and Wyoming will scope out sniper positions and cover you.  The rest of us will head into the base.  Connie, we’ll leave you at the data center to get our secondary objective.  Wash, watch her back.  York and I will get out guest here through to our primary objective.  We’ll move once North and Wyoming are in position.  Everyone clear?”

They all nodded, “Got it.”

“Get to it, people!”

The Freelancers split up and as Carolina led hers close to the building entrance, she heard York whispering to the newcomer: “She sounds like some cheesey action movie.”

The newcomer whispered right back, “Hey- everyone’s got their kicks.”

“That doesn’t make it any less ridiculous.”

“Hey,” Carolina snapped at them.  “We’ve got a mission to focus on.”  They held up their hands in almost identical apologetic shrugs.

By Carolina’s elbow, Connie snickered.  “What’s wrong, Carolina?  Jealous that York’s got a new banter buddy?”

“Try keeping up this time, Connecticut.”

Connie just shook her head and laughed which was not the reaction Carolina was going for but at least she didn’t say anything again.  In the end, that was fine by Carolina because, even though she’d never admit it out loud, she thought this was pretty useless training mission.  Get their special guest party member to the center of the facility to gain access to some prototype only she knew the codes for.  Carolina didn’t know why she couldn’t just explain how the Freelancers could get it on their own but the Director had decided and she wasn’t about to question him about it.  He already shot down Connie’s attempts to ask, anyway.

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Hey guys,

I’ve loved all of your thoughtful responses to the wall of text I left up Friday before I vanished for the weekend in a hurricane of swing dancing! I’m still making my way through replying to everyone, but rest assure I’ve read everything and I will reply because I think it’s an issue and a conversation worth having and dissecting and I love talking to you guys away so this is just one more excuse. I’ll have a huge post with proper replies up sometime either today or tomorrow (because there’s things to do today, too, but a busy life is a happy one? Or something). This is just me saying thank you and I’ll have a response for you soon! :D

delkios:

reeberry:

Well, if you’re up for AUs, how about something with a gender flipped Carolina and York? Doesn’t matter if everyone else is gender flipped or not, but let’s see how/if their relationship would change any. - delkios

“Carolina sounds like it should be a girl,” the woman pointed out with a smile.

“What does it matter, it’s a code name.” It wasn’t a question. It didn’t take long for people to realize that Carolina didn’t really ask questions.

“It doesn’t even lend itself well to nicknames,” York went on, frowning at the man who simply wasn’t getting it. “Not like mine. I mean, you can all just call me ‘York’ and it’ll still be fitting.”

“York’s not too manly for you?” Carolina said simply, and York grinned at him.

“Nah, not at all. I mean, York is fine, but Carolina…”

“I had to be Carolina,” the man said with a shrug.

“What? Why?” York asked, retying her ponytail behind her head for want of something to be doing with her hands.

“Because I’m too awesome for one state,” Carolina said with a confident smile, and York began to wonder if he had any other kind.

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T-That sound you here is my allergies acting up.  And my sneezes totally sound like boohoohoo.  Seriously though.  This was lovely and heartbreaking and asdlkjewtpiojglkj-worthy on many levels.  I agree- I don’t think their relationship would change at all which is part of what makes them so wonderful, methinks.

(i would also like to mention i’ve briefly toyed with the idea of carolina and fem!york because we need some more femslash in this fandom)

“I don’t understand how someone without a dick can be so cocky.”

“And I don’t understand how someone with a dick can be such a bitch.”

Are my favorite lines and that entire section afterward and hesitating adorable Connie.  And then the massive amounts of tears at the end.

Yeah, I love that neither would really change if the genders were flipped. Makes them that much more powerful as characters :)

And yeah, more femslash. This fandom is so lacking. I should do my part and write more South/Niner. On this ship I sail all by myself. XD

I’m glad you liked it <3 You always give such wonderful AU prompts (and prompts in general). I’m sorry it took me, what, months? To fill this, haha. I had the first two sections written and only today did I finish the other ones.

Well, if you’re up for AUs, how about something with a gender flipped Carolina and York? Doesn’t matter if everyone else is gender flipped or not, but let’s see how/if their relationship would change any. - delkios

“Carolina sounds like it should be a girl,” the woman pointed out with a smile.

“What does it matter, it’s a code name.” It wasn’t a question. It didn’t take long for people to realize that Carolina didn’t really ask questions.

“It doesn’t even lend itself well to nicknames,” York went on, frowning at the man who simply wasn’t getting it. “Not like mine. I mean, you can all just call me ‘York’ and it’ll still be fitting.”

“York’s not too manly for you?” Carolina said simply, and York grinned at him.

“Nah, not at all. I mean, York is fine, but Carolina…”

“I had to be Carolina,” the man said with a shrug.

“What? Why?” York asked, retying her ponytail behind her head for want of something to be doing with her hands.

“Because I’m too awesome for one state,” Carolina said with a confident smile, and York began to wonder if he had any other kind.

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On their mission to find the Director, Carolina has been using Tucker to distract herself. Along the way she finds out York isn’t quite as dead as she was told. Do as you will. *staples fingers* - delkios

“I thought you were dead.” (I mean, I’m happy. I’m so happy you’re alive. But you found me here with your stupid talent for the worst timing ever. You found me scrambling for my shirt, and you’re alive, and I’m happy, but I was scrambling for my shirt, goddammit.)

“Obviously.” (How is it that you haven’t changed? I would’ve expected your hair to dull. I don’t know why. I don’t know why I thought it couldn’t keep that violent, vibrant shade after I thought your dead for years. I don’t know why when Wash told me you were alive, you were in the base, why I expected something different. Something sadder. Streaks of gray. Yet here you are, vibrant and violent and glowing, here you are with someone else. I don’t know why I didn’t expect that, either.)

“I didn’t mean for you to find out.” (It’s not fair that you’re alive. Not fair for you to find me like this. I didn’t have warning. I didn’t have time. I can’t pull myself back together if you don’t give me time. I’m not Carolina anymore. Not really. But you need Carolina. You want Carolina. …You loved Carolina.)

“You mean you didn’t mean for me to find out like this.” (Why did I just think she’d be like I left her. She wouldn’t have changed. She’d be herself, too hard to let anyone in, too proud and competitive and too guarded. I haven’t exactly been a saint, and neither of us thought there was anything to be faithful to, but…but I was the only one who scaled those walls, once. The only one.)

“It’s been years, York.” (Years in which I’ve built myself back from where I was left. Years in which I didn’t have you by my side. Years in which I slowly thought everyone dead. And now, months since Wash confirmed it. Told me you were dead. Told me you were gone. Months and I couldn’t take it, so I took him, because it was easy, because it was selfish. Because he let me. And now you’re back. Years, months, and now, minutes that you’ve been back.)

“I know. I guess I should have expected it.” (I grieved for you for years. I didn’t do it alone, it’d be naive to think I would do it alone. I found comfort in people, in contact, in things I knew you could never give me, because you were dead. So why am I sitting here, dazed, sitting here unable to deal with the fact that you needed the same thing.)

“Didn’t you?” (I don’t want to know how many girls you found after me, like I never want to know how many girls you had before me. I don’t want these things in my head, York, but now that I’ve stuffed one of me with someone else down into your memories, I can’t help but think of them. Shouldn’t I deserve to feel what you’re feeling right now? The sting of betrayal from an all-too-real ghost.)

“So you’re the guy she thinks of.” (I wonder what you look like. I really do. I wonder if she’s been fucking me these past few months because I remind her of you.)

“What?” (I’d forgotten you were in the room. You, whose name I don’t know. You, who didn’t seem to think you should put your shirt back on.)

“You’re York.” (God, how often have I heard that fucking name and pretended it was mine.)

“Tucker.” (I had completely forgotten that you were here. Still here. Watching this. Watching my moment.)

“No, no, this is interesting.” (Fuck this, Carolina. If you wanted me to keep quiet, you should’ve never started this.) “Come on, man, show us your face. I’m dying to know what you look like.”

(My god, he looks so skinny. His cheeks curve in. His eyes are so sunken. I knew I looked worse for wear, but what has he been doing. Sacrificing. Why is he like this. Why is he so frail.) “You look good.”

“Always the great liar, ‘Lina.” (I thought she’d flinch or something. Something at the name. But no. She smiled. She smiled back at me. She smiled like an echo.)

(He doesn’t look anything like me.) “You don’t look anything like me.”

(Did he really just say that?) “That was the point, Tucker.” (Why did I have to hesitate in that sentence. Why does his memory always make me so self-conscious. He never did that, not the real him. And here he is, real, alive. Am I still looking at a memory?) 

“It’s interesting, what we find to busy ourselves with.” (Oh, he took offense to that, but I don’t think he’ll do anything about it. He’s not going to challenge a freelancer. Even a broken, skinny, shallow shell of a one.)

“Yeah, well, we were fucking in the middle of something, so if you could just leave…” (This is the guy she thinks of. The name she calls out. This is who she sees when she turns out the light and tells me to shut the fuck up. This guy. Right here. And I always squint in the dark to see her face. Her hair. I stay quiet just so I can feel her. And she thinks about this skinny ass motherfucking freelancer from her good old days the whole goddamn time.)

“Tucker.” (Tucker, we’re done. Tucker, thanks for the impersonal sex. Tucker, good job on staying quiet while I got off on a memory. Tucker.) “Get out.”

“Fuck this. You two deserve each other.”

(I probably shouldn’t have smiled as much as I did.)

delkios:

reeberry:

As they landed for their weekly training mission planet-side, Carolina looked around at her troops and said over the radio, “did that ride seem a little…bumpy to you?”

Connie laughed from across the airplane. Carolina’s helmet snapped towards her with a warning, and South just shrugged and said, “who cares, we’re here.” Carolina sighed and didn’t pursue it.

“Alright, it’s a simple scout and recovery mission in an enemy base,” Carolina said, standing up and leading by example as she lined up at the door, waiting for it to open. “Standard teams, standard practice. Maine, you’re with me and York.”

“Growl. Woof,” Maine said, and Carolina stared at him, hard.

“I think he’s got a cold,” York said next to her in explanation and she shrugged it off as just one more weird thing to her day so far.

“Right. Whatever, you’re good for this mission?” Maine nodded, tersely like he always does, and she sighed. It’s a wonder anything goes smoothly with this team. Ever.

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OMG YOU WROTE THIS

YOU ACTUALLY ACTUALLY WROTE THIS

ASDF;LJKASDFLKJHFAG I LOVE EVERYTHING

OF COURSE I ACTUALLY ACTUALLY WROTE THIS, ARE YOU KIDDING?

THIS WAS THE BEST COLLABORATIVE PROMPT EVER.

Also I reread it this morning at work while sipping my coffee, and would it be conceited to say the entire time I kept laughing? XD Everything York said as Maine just had me silently giggling.

And oh man. Yes. Best collaborative prompt <3

As they landed for their weekly training mission planet-side, Carolina looked around at her troops and said over the radio, “did that ride seem a little…bumpy to you?”

Connie laughed from across the airplane. Carolina’s helmet snapped towards her with a warning, and South just shrugged and said, “who cares, we’re here.” Carolina sighed and didn’t pursue it.

“Alright, it’s a simple scout and recovery mission in an enemy base,” Carolina said, standing up and leading by example as she lined up at the door, waiting for it to open. “Standard teams, standard practice. Maine, you’re with me and York.”

“Growl. Woof,” Maine said, and Carolina stared at him, hard.

“I think he’s got a cold,” York said next to her in explanation and she shrugged it off as just one more weird thing to her day so far.

“Right. Whatever, you’re good for this mission?” Maine nodded, tersely like he always does, and she sighed. It’s a wonder anything goes smoothly with this team. Ever.

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laughingalonewithrvb:

roosterchat:

laughingalonewithrvb: AJ CAN I PLEASE MARRY YOU

Reeberry: GET IN LINE EMMA.

delkios: Now now.

laughingalonewithrvb: NO I’LL FIGHT YOU

Reeberry: Or convince aj to go into lesbian polygamy

delkios: I’ll marry the one with the most money.

laughingalonewithrvb: or we could - yeah

laughingalonewithrvb: not me then :< :<

soldiertex: Oh my god you guys

laughingalonewithrvb: i could pretend

laughingalonewithrvb: to be

laughingalonewithrvb: the guy from ‘some like it hot’

laughingalonewithrvb: I HAVE A YACHT, AJ

laughingalonewithrvb: FOR SURE

laughingalonewithrvb: I DO I DO

laughingalonewithrvb: am i spelling yacht right

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that one time when ree and i fought over aj’s hand in marriage

this was the best day ever.

And then we got married in a blissful fit of lesbian polygamy.

(called it)

(via unscpillarofautumn-deactivated2)

delkios:

queen-of-france:

reeberry replied to your post: And then it hit me out of the blue

YESYESYESYESYESYESYES this is everything good in the world ;A;

The Freelancers are for all intents and purposes superheroes, anyway

led by a Maxwell Lord

But only if he doesn’t go around shooting the best one in the head :<

Well.

Well, I mean, he kinda did.

Not with a bullet, but still. Still.

delkios:

reeberry:

Best. Idea. Ever.

Maine holds the record for winning in the least amount of time. It was with Wash.

• because Wash pushed him away get it?
• because maine would totally do that because he’s fucking beast
• and he knew wash wouldn’t stand for that in front of everyone
• carolina said he cheated
• she’s just miffed that he beat her time

I’m going to be sighing an awful lot at this fandom and the things it makes me do, aren’t I?  SIGH. (unedited)
—-

It was one of those rare, lazy days on the Mother of Invention.  At least for the Freelancers that weren’t out on mission.  Said Freelancers were actually lounging sociably together in the common room: Wyoming reading in the back, Maine and Carolina having some sort of intense-like discussion in the corner and Wash and York draped over the couch, watching something mindless and uninteresting on the television.  After some minutes, Wash stood up and stretched, “Fuck this, man- I’m gonna grab a movie.  Any preference?”

“Whatever.  I’m good.”

“Alright.  And don’t put your feet on my seat.”

“Sure thing.”  The moment Wash left the room, York’s feet hopped up on the cushion.  He made himself comfortable, laid out across the entire couch.  What was Wash going to do?  Just scowl for a minute and then sulk on a chair.

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Oh my god. Oh my god, Delk, I love you. Seriously, unabashedly, ridiculously love.

I’m ok with this fandom causing you to share your amazing writing. This was just perfect <3

(Also I hope you don’t mind it also inspired me to do a little something.)

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