Wednesday: The End

[marlex.livejournal.com]

Hello, everyone. I’m marlex and today's theme is The End. All good (and bad) things must come to an end, so today's prompts can be anything about the how you see the end coming, whether for a show or series itself, or for a particular character or maybe the world. Think big, think small, just think The End.


The rules still haven't changed:
No more than five prompts in a row.
No more than three prompts in the same fandom.
No spoilers in prompts.
If your fill contains spoilers, warn and leave plenty of space.

Prompts should be formatted as follows:
Fandom, Character+/Character, Prompt

Some examples to get the ball rolling...
any, any, he/she never thought it would end this way
NCIS, ensemble, series finale
any, any, he/she was the last one left and when he/she was gone, it would finally be over


Not feeling any of today’s prompts? Visit the lonely prompt archive and brighten someone’s day. For more recent prompts to write, you can also use LJ’s advanced search options to limit keyword results to only comments in this community.

Comments

[marlex.livejournal.com]

any, any, he/she never thought it would end this way

original poetry

[tigriswolf]

(So, I was reading this thing about poetry and the power of voice, and I wanted to write poetry again because I so dearly love it, and then I saw your prompt, and, well. This happened. *hands*)

...


did you think that i would walk
that i would dare to take large steps
away from you and all we were?

did you think that i
i, my dear, i you broke
did you dream that i
i could do it
that i could be so strong?

you held me in your hands
and i have stepped out
i have dared to try

yours no more
and glad of it

i, my dear, i

I alone

my footprints on the ground
your hands around me no more

did you ever think i would dare?

[marlex.livejournal.com]

NCIS, ensemble, series finale

[marlex.livejournal.com]

any, any, he/she was the last one left and when he/she was gone, it would finally be over

[marlex.livejournal.com]

Wreck-It Ralph, any, if you die outside your game, it's game over for good

[marlex.livejournal.com]

any, any, the end of innocence

Fill: Fullmetal Alchemist, "That Night"

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

After everything is said and done, after the Promised Day, and exchanging alchemy for Alphonse's body, after finally - finally - returning to Risembool (to Winry) for good, Edward tries to think back to when he actually lost his innocence.

Had it been the night Alphonse and he tried to bring their mother back from the dead? Was it when he'd realized Shou Tucker transmuted his own daughter into a chimera? Perhaps when he gave up, during that first battle with Scar. Or when Bradley pointed out, despite how hard he'd worked at protecting himself, he'd left an opening for the military to use him by making Winry a hostage.

Any of those, he thinks, might have contributed to it. Could have taken away his ability to hope. But watching Winry cradle their first baby against her breast, Edward knows hope and innocence can be reborn.

[doreyg.livejournal.com]

Legend of Korra, Any, the next Avatar

[doreyg.livejournal.com]

Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch, Thomas Nightingale/Peter Grant, off into the sunset

[doreyg.livejournal.com]

Any, Any, Things only end so that they can begin again

MCU Fill: The World is Too Much With Us

[scribblemyname]

"So SHIELD is gone," Maria said quietly, fingers turning her shot glass as she stared at the wall on the other side of Natasha's new apartment.

Natasha sighed and leaned forward to snatch up the vodka and refill her own glass. "See how long that lasts."

Regimes fell every day. She tended not to weep over that.

"It didn't matter who took it down, Maria. It was going to happen eventually." She shook her head at Maria's disbelieving look. "Outside or inside, it was still just another enemy. We'll move on."

"Fury's going to give it to Coulson." Maria gave the vodka slightly disgusted look. She'd been Deputy Director for years, and she'd done right by Fury and SHIELD. Perhaps it shouldn't have mattered to be overlooked, but it did.

"Coulson's still an idealist," Natasha pointed out.

"You should have heard him." Maria sighed. "He couldn't believe it was over."

They fell silent a moment. The bottle exchanged hands, glasses were refilled, and wordless comfort settled between them.

Finally, Natasha broke the silence. "We're realists, and the Avengers always was his baby."

"I never believed in it."

"This world needs realists." She glanced over at her friend.

Maria looked like she was brooding, helped along by too much alcohol, but then she laughed. "I guess it's too much to think Fury does."

"Sure he does," Natasha disagreed. "Just not as the new founder. SHIELD needs to rebuild, and that's going to take time the world doesn't have. We're going to keep doing what we've always done."

"I'll drink to that." Maria leaned forward and held out her glass to Natasha.

"A friend wouldn't let you drink any more," Natasha commented dryly. "You're drunk."

"A best friend would hand me the bottle."

Natasha smiled and did.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward+Any(/Winry), every ending is a new beginning

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Leverage, OT3, 'What happens if it ends?' 'What happens if it doesn't?'

serious subject matter for part of the discussion

[daria234.livejournal.com]

Hardison was always the first to fall asleep, and he usually slept soundly, and Eliot would usually try to convince Parker to try and sleep too so he could get some gardening and housework done (those two left the place a mess). But sometimes, she would feel like talking, and Eliot wasn't quite fool enough to ignore those times.

"What's going to happen when it ends?" Parker said one night in bed, the three of them snuggled together with Hardison sleeping between them.

"When what ends?" Eliot whispered.

"The three of us."

"It might not. Ever think of that?" Eliot said, gentle, like he was just throwing the idea out there, like she could catch it or not.

She thought about it for a long minute. Then she said, "I guess that wouldn't be too bad."

"Glad to hear it."

"So do you think we'll all like be old someday together? We'll live in the old folks home and play shuffleboard all day and have sex all night?"

"That sounds pretty good," Eliot said smiling.

"Or do you think we'll get killed on the job first?" Parker said, mostly idle curiosity in her voice.

"You're gonna go from old age Parker. Or possibly from what a horrible driver you are. And Hardison's gonna go from having a heart attack watching you jump off a building with your gear when you're 80."

She giggled. "He almost has a heart attack when I do that now."

"Don't I know it."

"Why didn't you do yours?" she asked then.

"What?"

"Why didn't you say how you're going to get killed?"

Eliot shrugged. "I don't like to dwell on stuff like that."

She frowned. "You think you're going to get killed on the job. But that Hardison and I won't."

"You won't if I have any say over it," he said, eyes full of steel, promise.

"You're not allowed to get murdered, Eliot. I'll kick your ass if you do. Even if you're a ghost."

"I'm sure you will."

"I mean it!"

"Shhh, you'll wake up Hardison. And I'm not saying I'm resigned to it - just... not that many guys like me grow that old." He regretted it as soon as he said it, knowing it would just upset her more.

But instead, she narrowed her eyes and said, "That's because they're alone. Because they act all tough and jerky and drive everyone away and think they don't need anyone."

"And you don't think I'm like that?"

"We already know all the ways you can be a jerk. And you're stuck with us anyway," she answered decisively. "And we'll all have one another's backs. So you have to live in the old folks' home with me and Hardison, or I'm going to Taser you somewhere very unpleasant!"

"I think I should probably take away all your Tasers."

"Yeah, because in a stealing contest, you would totally win."

Eliot grinned. "Okay. My retirement plans are to live in an old folks home and have lots of sex with you two idiots. Happy now?"

"And play shuffleboard!" Parker yelled.

"What?" Hardison said, eyes still closed, confused about what they were yelling about.

Parker answered, "Fifty years from now we're going to play shuffleboard and have sex."

"At the same time?" Hardison asked, rubbing his eyes.

"NO," Eliot said, right as Parker said, "Maybe."

"Okay, whatever you two want. Love you," Hardison mumbled, then plopped back down on the pillow to fall back asleep.

"See," Parker whispered to Eliot, "Hardison agrees, you're not allowed to die."

Eliot sighed. "Fine. I was planning to do my best to keep breathing, anyway."

"Good. I'm going to sleep, and you should stay in bed. Don't get up to work in your stupid garden."

"My garden's not stupid."

"Just stay in bed with us, doofus, okay?"

Eliot didn't really have a good reason to say no to that. So he just grumbled and nestled in closer to them, holding them both tight.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Burn Notice, Any, Standing in front of the graves and knowing it really is over

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Frasier, Series Finale, 'The end of an era'

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Good Omens, Any+Any, "Is this the end?"

[wrong-song.livejournal.com]

Highlander, Methos(&/Duncan), making it to the end

[wrong-song.livejournal.com]

Any, any,


I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

MCU Poem: Lost Cause

[scribblemyname]

from a slightly disgruntled Natasha

I tried to stop from loving you,
to bring this to an end.
I called you enemy, then partner,
then I called you friend.

You smiled at me as if you knew
I'd never win this war.
It doesn't matter what I do:
none could love you more.

[wrong-song.livejournal.com]

Doctor Who/Highlander, Ten + Methos (+ Duncan), when he travels to the end of the universe, he finds the last Immortal(s)

[tigriswolf]

Teen Wolf (TV), Stiles, the last thing he hears is Lydia’s scream

[youaredriving.livejournal.com]

Stiles came to terms with it years ago. He was going to die before his dad, before his best friends, before he actually got the white picket fence story book ending he dreamed of. It was the way of life once you got involved with werewolves and hunters. Then it became a fact of life when he became a deputy against his dad’s wishes.

He was next to the county line, third year on the job and barely twenty-six when it happened. Lydia had called and said she had found a body. He parked his cruiser right behind her Toyota. She was leaned back against the hood, her dress soaking up the moisture off the hood of her car. Stiles flipped on his flashlight and illuminated the road. He recognized the body. Anyone would recognize the uniform of a deputy. The name tag was enough to make his heart drop to his stomach. He had his throat torn out.

His spine snapped straight at the heavy thump of Lydia’s fingertip against the hood of her car. The pattern was slow and deliberate. As if she was hearing something that no one else could hear. She turned towards Stiles, her eyes were wide and filling with tears. It looked like she was about to apologize when he heard the distinct sound of a round being loaded into the chamber of a gun. He was screaming for her to run but she was already screaming.

[tigriswolf]

Teen Wolf (TV), author’s choice, if happy endings exist, they’re for someone else

Fill

[alcimines.livejournal.com]

THE HUNT

Derek finally got a hero's death.

Against overwhelming odds, stacking up the bodies of his enemies, defending the ones that Derek... loved.

It was what Derek had been looking for ever since he was a kid. Ever since Kate Argent had used her body to trick one secret too many out of a vulnerable young man. A secret that killed Derek's family.

Everything since Derek had just been a hollow man searching for a good death. Not a good fate for a grown man. And a terrible one for a boy.

Kira shifted uncomfortably as she hovered over Scott and Stiles, watching the darkness that surrounded them. Malia was already prowling the perimeter of where Derek's personal last stand had occurred. Lydia simply stood to one side and stared expressionlessly at Derek's body. For a moment, Kira wondered what Lydia saw. Death was such a different thing to Lydia.

Scott and Stiles were useless for now -- on their knees and clutching at Derek's still-bleeding corpse.

We had to wait, Kira told herself. Scott and Stiles had known Derek the longest. They had hated him, feared him, despised him -- then eventually respected him, befriended him, and perhaps even loved him. Derek's death meant so much more to them.

Kira exchanged a quick look with Malia. They both knew that the females of the pack would have to defend the males until they recovered.

And then they would go hunting.

After a long, frozen moment of mourning, Stiles finally closed Derek's eyes.

Scott let out a long, shuddering breath and staggered to his feet. Then he helped Stiles get up.

Neither man was crying. It went too deep for that. And Scott's eyes were afire. For a strange moment, Kira wondered if any tears had simply burned away.

And none of them could bring themselves to look into Stiles' face.

Scott had always hesitated to call on the beast within him, but that was gone now. His howl was low, guttural, and rumbling as he called his pack to him. It was as if everything Derek had tried to show Scott was -- for good or ill -- now a part of Scott.

There were a few survivors out there. Some of those who had killed Derek were still alive and getting away.

For now.

Scott led. The others followed.

The hunt began.

[tigriswolf]

Avengers movieverse, Bucky/Steve, “Our story’s not gonna get a happily ever after, Stevie.”

[oh-mcgee.livejournal.com]

Bucky's tired. He's tired of trying and fighting, tired of lying to Steve. He wants to be better, he does. He wants to be the Bucky that Steve keeps talking about, the one that makes his face light up, but he just doesn't see that ever happening. He thinks that Bucky died a long time ago and he can't keep lying to Steve; its exhausting and its not fair to him.

"This isn't going to have a happy ending." He says one morning while Steve makes breakfast. Bucky's just so tired of pretending. "You know that, right?"

Steve turns around to look at him and smiles. Bucky is so confused. "What the hell are you smiling at?"

Steve puts the spatula down. "It's the same thing you said to me back then. Night before you left for England, do you remember?"

If he tries hard, Bucky vaguely remembers a frail, Steve-shaped body curled against him, making Bucky promise he'll come home. He remembers pressing his lips to Steve's forehead, murmuring, "Our story's not gonna get a happily ever after, Steve, " thinking they'd probably never see each other again.

"Don't you see?" Steve says, still smiling. "No matter what happens, we keep finding each other, Buck. If this is as close as we can get to happily ever after, then I'll take it."

Bucky smiles. It's the first time it hasn't felt forced. "Pass the juice. Punk."

[tigriswolf]

Avengers movieverse, Steve + Bucky, in the end, it doesn’t even matter

[tigriswolf]

Teen Wolf (TV), Stiles, in the end… there is nothing he will not do to keep his loved ones safe

[oh-mcgee.livejournal.com]

Deaton warned him. Lydia warned him. Even Scott noticed he was up to something, but Stiles didn't care. He couldn't lose anyone else.

Magic crackled all around him, sparked at his fingertips. He could feel it in his blood, under his skin, just itching to get out. Stiles felt like one big live wire, twisting and jerking around wildly. He just needed something to connect with.

He found Derek tied to a chair, strange symbols that Stiles was surprised he could read carved into his chest. She was using him as a sacrifice, but he wasn't gone yet.

"Sweetheart, he's good as gone," Kate smirks, leaning in the doorway. "I can smell it, you know, the stench of death creeping its way into him."

"You know. I never liked you," Stiles grits out and raises his arm. Kate begins to gasp, clutching her throat as Stiles clenches his fist. Stiles eyes flash white as the life drains out of her, not relenting until Kate's body goes completely slack. He lowers his hand and she falls to the floor, limp and lifeless.

The power inside of him now is threatening bubbling over; it has to go somewhere or it will be too much for his weak, human body to handle. Unsure if it will work, Stiles turns to Derek and puts his hands on Derek's chest. Magic trickles from Stiles fingertips into the symbols carved into Derek's flesh and the wounds begin to glow and heal. Stiles doesn't know how long he kneels there, pouring all of his energy into Derek to heal him. Eventually everything goes kind of soft and fuzzy around the edges and Stiles drifts away.

[nanoks.livejournal.com]

Supernatural; The Winchesters win the war, and they get their happily ever after

[nanoks.livejournal.com]

Supernatural; Demon Dean…in the end, you either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain

Interrogation [1/3]

[ammcj062.livejournal.com]

A/N: AU post-season 9.

Mack coats an iron blade in holy water and begins slicing. He makes superficial cuts that won’t permanently harm the host if the poor bastard is still alive, and the demon in him screams as its blood sizzles. Three parallel cuts across each bicep and the demon finally yells, “Alright!”

Its chest heaves while it breathes through bared teeth, ineffectually flexing against the ropes binding it to its chair. Unnatural black eyes slit in anger and pain. Jerry steps towards the edge of the devil’s trap and Mack backs off, standing outside of the demon’s field of vision to keep it anxious about where and when he might strike. They’ve run this play on dozens of demons by now. Mack keeps the demons talking and Jerry maneuvers the conversation to get what they need to know.

“Who’s your leader?”

“Jolly old Saint Nicholas,” the demons hisses.

Mack steps forward, grabbing a handful of hair to jerk the demon’s head back. He makes sure the demon can see the knife coming towards his cheek, holding steady against its efforts to wrench its head free.

“Lies don’t count as talking,” Jerry tells it. He makes sure to step away audibly, boot thudding down on decrepit floorboards.

“No,” the demon grunts as Mack presses his blade against its cheekbone. “No, n-ah!” It screams when Mack cuts across, nearly to its ear. Mack rests the blade against the cut, listening for the sizzle beneath the demon’s yells. A few times before demons had tried to cover up the fact that the holy water had been diluted enough to cease effectiveness. But the sound is still there, this time.

“Who’s your leader?” Jerry asks again.

“No,” the demon chokes out, trying to resist. Mack tugs its hair, bending its head so far back the demon’s voice changes from the stress on the possessed man’s trachea.

“I,” it tries again, gurgling.

Mack looks at Jerry, who nods slightly. He releases the demon’s head and walks over to their table while it whimpers, picking up their jug of holy water and coating his blade once more. The demon watches him until Jerry steps between them, making it focus on him instead. “Who’s your leader?”

The demon pauses, so Mack makes sure to splash the holy water loudly.

“Cain!” The demon grits its teeth once the name comes out, like it physically pained it to admit. Then it sighs and lets its head fall back to stare at the devil’s trap in the ceiling. It knows that it’s lost the resistance part of the struggle.

“Not Crowley?” Jerry asks. They’ve found that the best information comes from acting like they’re two steps behind. That way the demons underestimate them, volunteer information they don’t think hunters are capable of linking together.

The demon snorts and rolls its head from shoulder to shoulder. “Crowley? If you think that sludge is still running things you’re even dumber than I thought – which was pretty damn dumb in the first place.”

Mick steps forward but only cuffs the demon, letting it know he’s happy to continue if it gets too lippy.

“Crowley’s the King of Hell,” Jerry argues.

“Crowley could never control what he dug up.” It sneers. “He wormed his way to the top but he’s too weak to stay there. Trying to juggle all his deals and keep everyone in line. That’s what you get when a crossroads demon takes the top seat.” The demon leans forward, smiling now. It’s ready to brag about its allegiance so it can pretend it has any power in this situation.

“Cain is real power. He doesn’t have to cut deals. He just takes it. He’s a real kind of leader, the kind that’s going to make all you sacks of meat wish you’d never been born. Digging him out was the best thing Crowley’s ever done for his own kind. Of course,” the demon laughs, “Cain is still going to kill him slowly. Just because he can. He’ll kill you slowly too, peel all the skin off your body while you scream.”

The demon jerks at its restraints, throwing its shoulders forward and flexing its knees. Talking about his side has brought back some of its defiance. Jerry plants his hands on either armrest of the chair and gets in the demon’s face. “I’m not scared of some little knife,” he jeers, “but you sure are.”

[scribblemyname]

any, any, when it comes down to it, there's no such thing as "the end"

original poetry

[tigriswolf]

(Here, have an original poem. *hands* I'm in a poem mood for the first time in months.)

eyes open

breath hurts
so does blinking
and fingers close into fists

how and why and where?
does it matter?

no. of course not.

eyes open
when did they close?

breathing breathing
take a breath
hold it
exhale

eyes open

stare at the sky
how?
why?

breathe

just breathe
count to ten
eleven
twelve
breathe

thirteen

everything ended yesterday
breathe

reset
start over

eyes open
breathe

eyes open
breathe
count to ten
eleven
twelve
thirteen

because nothing is ever over
nothing ever ends

[scribblemyname]

Divergent books, Tris/Four, saying goodbye wasn't the end