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"I would hope so... unless... unless it's Victor. The good doctor of course. Turn your head and cough." She couldn't help but make a soft tease while he was smiling about taking off his pants. It was in her nature. She wasn't meaning to break the mood, but it was so right there.

It was for him too even, at least she hoped he'd appreciate it even though it was for furthering her career as Valerie not just Flotsam's image.

She liked it when he was on all fours. It reminded her of his canine form, not something lower. It felt honorable somehow. If only she knew his mind felt that knighted type feeling because he always made her feel treasured from there even without words. It was in his eyes. Though him repeating the poem's words she did were the perfect words to hear back. It was more romantic than I love you could have ever been. In those words Valentine's had been taken back in such a way she'd nearly forgotten that's what they were supposedly celebrating. Is that what they were doing? She could have sworn they were proclaiming the dawn of new era through his blood. The Lycan Rise of the Laveaus. The old French name would be given a new meaning here, a whole new connotation than the world seems to hold pressure on her for. One can't help what they were born into, but this was a role they were finally ready to step up for.

It was swirling in her head, in her eyes, through her imagination with in every knick knack shared heart beat that thrummed through her body. His joy when he laughed about her gift all mixed with the pride, all the silliness, the fun, the power of creation in their exchanges. It brought life. It boosted energy. She could feel her chest swell with the anticipation of being what he pictured. Little did she know he was picturing it too, both imagining that moment she'd be like him.

Then he actually said it right out loud. Woah. All the woah. Damn she loved how in synch they were.

His mate. His.

She was so focused on the power of those words she nearly missed the proclamation of her as the most powerful. Was she? She felt pretty damn confident when she set this whole thing up. She felt pretty damn sure of herself as she's declared herself a Goddess and not a queen before as she literally houses them as a vessel on this earth. She's been known to get pretty cocky. She's also been known to spiral out into black abysses hardly a soul can reach. Hardly. Except her Fix it Man. Right when the thought of who might arguable be in the running for most powerful came to mind it was too late to say a word. That Fix it Man was down on her.

The beast of a man had a way of nudging through clothes and taking control. A laugh invaded her first moan as she spread further for him, clutching his hair. This was the life. Gods she loved her life. All favors would be returned and then some this day. Ravage, savage, romance, fur coats and sweat, the pair would have their time like this couple could.

Not only was love claimed, but time was claimed. A stance. A rise. It was in Valerie's mind whether she said the words out loud or not. The Hounds of Hell were earthbound, baby. She felt it in her soul. Tides were shifting. Laveaus, lycans, Feral. It was a new dawn and she was fucking the Hell out of that feeling while with her husband.

Yeah, fuck Valentine's Day. It was Lycan's Day to her now. In her mind it was all about the fur now and would forever probably be.

By the time they were both spent and laying naked on the floor besides that multicolored fur coat wide open and sweated out Valerie would say in a careless whisper, "I like when your blood approves." She'd smile up at the ceiling.

Then a moment later, "I think I'm ready. I just don't want to mess up today with talking. I just want to enjoy this feeling. But, I do. I think I'm ready."

Thomas was like a stray pup, just looking for, and appreciating, the tiniest scrap of affection. Even if all of this fur wasn’t for him, it sure fucking felt like it. It was symbolic. He only wished that it was his own that he could drape around her, turn her into a creature like him. The sexiest goddamn werewolf he would ever see, that’s what he was sure she would be one day. An image came to him, the two of them, rutting under the full moon, Gods yes, a shiver went up his spine just at the thought.

He kneeled before, like a man about to be knighted. Better than a sword was a belt like this. His one hand smoothed over her thigh, while the other took hold of the belt. The leather was warm from her. It smelt wonderful, the way that only real leather could. He reluctantly let go of her to unfurl it, to run his fingers over it. Of course he had suspected that she was doing something like this. She was sneaky enough to do it when he was indeed asleep, but the smell of the leather, the burning, the oils on her hands gave away that she was working with leather. He just never brought it up. He enjoyed the surprise element.

A deep laugh came out of him when he read what she had burned into it. It was a genuine surprise, he had been asleep when she had done all of this. “Feels like I only take off my pants for you these days - and that’s the way I love it,” He said. He’d be putting it on the next time that he got dressed - which would not be anytime soon. What sort of Valentine’s Day was it if he kept his clothes on the entire time?

He loved it. He authentically loved it, and not in a ‘My wife gave me this so I have to wear it to show I love her’ kind of way. But in a ‘I might as well throw out every other belt that I have since this is the only one that I’m going to be wearing’ way.

But who could think of leather for long with all this fur?

Three poems, all ones that he liked, all ones that fit them, all ones that made him sit back after reading, close his eyes, and think of his wife. This happened more often than a normal person would probably admit to but not Thomas. Anything romantic, anything sexy, anything powerful, and his wife jumped to mind. He’d be caught staring if they watched a movie with any sort of romantic scene, wanting to kiss her whenever a couple kissed on the screen, as if to prove that they could do it better. It was a craving. Like the wolf for meat, it was Thomas for his spouse.

“My blood approves,” He nodded.

The corner of his mouth shot up in a smirk, revealing that slight gap he had on the one side, his head lowering onto her knees, starting to kiss the soft skin there. “I was thinking the same thing,” He agreed between the smooches that he was bringing up her thighs, petting the fur that was wrapped around her. “Fuck me, you look gorgeous, love. I can’t wait until you have fur of your own. The most powerful - my mate -” He groaned, so aroused that it was hurting him, a deep aching inside.

He was a man possessed, going straight for that sweet spot between her legs, letting himself throb and become sore, more preoccupied with pleasuring her than himself. Hell, he might even get off just from her cloying smell alone, without needing any touch. Hands in fur, his nose poked around at her pelvis, tongue searching - and finding it’s target.

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"Thanks." The messiness of his inner landscaping appreciated it more than she could know.

One might say Koda was better with dealing with other people's emotions than he was with his own. Whether he handled them properly might be up for debate, but he didn't shy away from them. His own on the other hand? That was another story.

He didn't need to justify himself to her. He breathed out trying to decide if that's what he had been doing. Was explaining justifying? He wasn't sure of that. Maybe just sharing. She'd come all this way to help him. He wanted to share more than justify. It felt like an exchange of some sort. She was doing an act of such an intimate nature catering to the bodies of his most precious loved ones with her talents. Giving of herself in a way, that's how he saw it. Sharing more of himself felt like adequate exchange in this undertaking.

"I know." He'd finally say. "Just wanted to share... I guess." He shrugged at loss for more words than that. But, he definitely wanted to add, "I think you're one of the few people I've met outside of music fans in which have ulterior motives to meeting me that don't want to interrogate me about my past from the moment they find out. I should probably thank you for that while I'm at it. It's not a small thing."

With all the heavy in the room her comment about seeing him in his father did make him smile. He liked that. He'd even say, "I hear my bear looks just like his too. Everyone says so."

It was this that gave him the courage to get a move on.

"I'm ready too." It was no small thing of her. "Let's do this."

Then a big breath later and he'd take those brave steps out into the house to get his uncle. The very sight of him in ceremonial dress and paint put more reality and finality in Koda's chest. His happy go man felt so stoic. His presence looming despite all the happy red.

He'd have lots of red paint on for the two women too. It was to be a theme. There were also a lot of brown and earth tones in the fabrics. There'd be one very eye catching piece tied against him and they were red fans, two, hanging at sides like swords. The paint however gave an otherworldly feel, but that was the point. He'd be repping the spirit world tonight.

"You had my mother's fans?"

"Your father did. It's always been known what was to be done with them. Her wishes were made long ago."

Koda half smiled at the thought not knowing they still existed. "I thought they were lost to coven long ago." His smile grew. It was a thank you smile that his uncle returned with a nod.

Then he looked over at Elsa with a little more confidence even still. Something good had happened even for such a moment of grief.

Mushu popped up then too. The sight of the fans brought him to life again. "I remember when those almost killed your Mamma."

Koda's brow Spock quirked in a way that no Spock quirked before. Like come on Mushu. They dead. Does it really matter now?

Koda said, "Best time of her life."

Oh, the pain. Denahi had to release the earthly past. The past was the past. This was Koda's day. His mothers' time. He was doing the right thing. It was hard to be reminded of hardship that lead to joy when that joy was what split Koda's mother from his father. No brother likes to see his own in pain even if it's for the best. It was time to lay them all to their final rest... together.

Denahi liked that part at least. That's what Koda didn't actually know.

"Come on. Up to where your father's buried. I already have their plots ready for you. As was their wishes."

Koda looked over at Elsa and then back to Denahi. He brought her here because it was home to him. He couldn't imagine them elsewhere or seperate. He hoped they'd just be happy they ended up where he figured he eventually would, but he had no idea they actually wanted to be.

"You mean both of them? Right next to my father? They both expressed this?"

"Yes. It was always their plan."

"You didn't tell me the whole time when I was deciding what to do."

"Well, I am now. Come."

Koda almost didn't know how to handle that one. Fucking family shit.

"Well, where are they? I've told everyone to gather at the beyond the knoll."

Mushu and Koda looked at each other with this unified resignation. At least they made it to where the women wanted to be one way or another. Any annoyance at the uncle went to the wind. They were too glad for the fans. Ups and downs. Everything would all work out.

Finally, the tiny guardian and shifter in human form looked over at Elsa and said, "Let's show him how you've been keeping them. Do your magic Nizhoni."

Then Mushu would chime in with crossed arms as they strolled to the truck, "And maybe let him know it works on vampires too and he could live a long time like that if he messes with our boy again."

“It’s fine, I don’t mind,” Elsa said, her blue eyes taking in the appearance of Koda, and how he’s dealing with things. Showing real emotions. Staying together for so long, she had seen them sometimes, but this - this felt like she was really backstage in the theater of his life, seeing the inner workings, the crew working together, the cast getting ready to take center stage, the mess rather than the practiced perfection. “I’ll be your scapegoat any day.”

This was his life, his place, so she would rush nothing. She was there for him, not for the ceremony, though she had learned from and respected the women greatly.

She leaned against one of the warmly painted walls, her hands at her sides. Emotions. Even after everything with Flotsam, with the kids, with Anna and Ellie - she was never entirely sure how to approach such strong emotions. It felt so against her own spirit to initiate something like a hug at this time. To be all-encompassing. It wouldn’t take away the pain. It wouldn’t make things better. Would she be a burden rather than a comfort? Would she be making herself uncomfortable for no reason at all - or would it seem like she was trying to take some of that comfort for herself when it wasn’t her situation to deal with? So many thoughts. That overthinking curse that affected people, she was infected with it.

So she stayed somewhere in the middle zone. She wasn’t approaching. Koda could come to her if he needed it. But she also wasn’t closing herself off either, wasn’t crossing her arms in front of her or putting too much distance between them. He only had to say the word or make a step in her direction and she would do her best to soothe the burn of this loss with her cold hands.

“You don’t need to justify yourself to me,” She said, her voice tinged with softness. She looked at him with concern, not because of how he was feeling but because he wanted to explain it in a way that seemed more convenient for her. Overwhelming emotions were just never convenient for anyone, so it was easier to just let them be the way that they are instead of attempting to control.

Koda had a hand in teaching her that because of the strong emotions that he had evoked in her.

“I can see the resemblance,” She said. It was definitely there. He was a blend of both of his parents. The genetics were strong in his family.

She took his hand and gave it a squeeze of her own, watching his tall back as he got the cases and prepared himself in the bathroom. She closed her eyes and attempted to clear her mind to get into a better mindspace for this. It was going to be something new, and she wasn’t always good with change. There would probably be a lot of strong emotions. She wasn’t typically good with these either. But she wasn’t balking or turning away. The only way that she would not be there was if Koda straight up changed his mind and said he didn’t want her there.

She didn’t have any of the garb that one was probably supposed to wear during something like this, nothing ‘traditional’, but she thought she probably could not go wrong with a simple, long black dress. After a bit of hesitation, she decided to sport a red lipstick, if only because it was a color she associated with Mulan. It seemed it was not inappropriate after all, considering all of the red that Koda was wearing. She approached, almost like a mother or a wife would, and wiped the slightest bit of lint off of his shoulder, making sure that he looked perfect.

She was prepared to release the bodies from the ice now, the bodies fresh, barely touched by decomposition other than what had occurred before they got to them. That might be the easiest part of the whole thing for her.

“I’m ready,” She told him, eyes going over his jacket, making sure that there was nothing else. “And - I’m with you.”

It felt like such a strong and vulnerable thing to say in that moment but she had meant it. Not ‘I am here for you’, though that was a big part of it. But she was there to go through this with him, and would be feeling her own sense of grief throughout the ceremony, would be saying goodbye to them too, in her own way. She would be feeling, like him.

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HC: The kind of thing that happens in the Laveau house if the piano lid isn't pulled down after a playing session.

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Flotsam: Loyalty is honor most rare. Respect. Keep it weird.

Figaro texting: You have my fed my joy. I would go to war for you. An allegience forged in Gonzo has been made this day, and I will never falter when I hear your call.

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"Mhm. Green. You remember." He smiled. Laverne had been so proud of dressing up, feeling her front pew church lady pride completely full matron on.

It seemed New Year officially showed itself, came, and went in all technicality, and the hunchback of Delta Castle became quickly hyperfocused on this new concept of renewing vows. The idea had never occured to him. It wasn't anywhere near his radar when suddenly a little thought injection from his wife and his motivation felt like this was something he wanted to do sooner than later. All other thoughts, questions, anything, out the door. He was on this now.

Well...

Until he dipped his scone in his wine and sneered his nose. "I should have saved that for the tea or milk. I wasn't paying attention. I was thinking Paris."

The moment she said Paris his mind was on the window. They might have been watching Little Paris imagery, but his mind was using it to recall the bigger OG world of the real Paris in France. All their past adventures were going through his head. They were some of his favorite memories after all. If he were being an honest man he'd say they were higher up than his wedding ceremony because he still had to think back and remember people he didn't want to remember because it made him sad to recall them there. Dead people, etc.... Paris... now Paris was just him and her. Nothing could make him want to fuzz that part of his memories.

"You were nervous?" That made Bastien smile now. It popped him out of his thoughts and brought him back home. "If I was nervous I don't remember it that way. I was too excited to care that I was nervous. It was probably more like that."

"Well, anyway... I guess we're having a redo in Paris." He shrugged like it was a given now. "Do you think we could get away with partying in the catacombs after? I bet The Reaper could get us passage in after hours. You seeing this as a church thing again or somewhere else since it's a revow I'm thinking it's less restrictive in the rules department."

Maddy had to learn how to be Maddy. And that Maddy was dependent on Bastien and that was okay. Like how Frankie was dependent on them. There was nothing wrong with it, as long as Bastien was alright with it, and he seemed to covet that. That dependence made their relationship stronger than it had ever been before, more than Maddy could ever have dreamed for it to be.

“Sounds like an adventure - how will you know when we get there?” She hummed against him. She followed him through the delusions as best as she could, followed him over the rooftops on the night that they met, it was a common thing for them. Their thing.

She nodded enthusiastically. Sure, it was an old people sort of thing to do but - maybe they were just a granny and a grampy in young skin like that. They both lived through a lot, enough for a lifetime. Like Bastien said, they just kept on walking, despite everything. So why not walk up to the altar again?

New Year - not a new them. Just the way that they were meant to be.

She counted with him - “Three - two - one!” And then they cheered together. The ball had dropped in New York, fireworks had gone off in so many cities around the world - they made it. They survived. Against all the fucking odds, they were into a brand new year, with endless possibilities.

She returned that kiss, inhaling into it, her tongue poking out to welcome his sweetly, heart beating like drums played around the world tonight. She had half a mind to wake up Frankie, to give her a Happy New Year’s kiss but - this was already perfect.

“Happy New Year, Bastien baby,” She said, continuing to put kisses on his cheeks and his cute angular nose, even afterward.

She settled in with her glass of wine and a scone afterwards, sipping and nibbling. “The green one, right?” She asked, remembering being able to catch glimpses of the gargoyles on their wedding day for a brief time, as a wedding present from Frank. She smiled over in Bastien’s direction. “She looked very good in it.”

“No, it doesn’t revoke anything, it’s just like another celebration of us,” She said, or at least, that had been her take on it. “You’re getting it, we can do and promise whatever we like.”

Bastien asked her a really good question and her thumb ran against her bottom lip as she thought about it. “I would have liked to have been … less nervous,” She admitted. “I kept worrying that something would go wrong but nothing did, it really was the most perfect day. But if we get a redo … I’d like to get married again in Paris.”

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suck_oscars_grouch - You are what you eat :D sourscout - looking good Pops

thomaslaveau - Life is good lately.

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Chaos - FC: Lukas Gage - NPC for CJ - Also related to Cheshire Cat

Snagging Lukas Gage after seeing him in his role as The Cat King for Chaos, CJ's Dad. It's all I could see the whole time. That was CJ's father. One of these days maybe I'll figure out who Figment could be, but there's no way that was not CJ's Dad. Reminder he raised CJ. He and Figment are not together anymore and were not together for the raising of CJ at all. Figment left CJ with Chaos to devote his life to the Dreamfinder and was mostly absent from his life.

Edit: Sidenote to the witch wars or Nola/Feral event - Being more of a whimsical creature than human he did not involve himself in such matters, nor did he reside in Nola during the Coven war. As for the scourge of Nola he was more a Wonderlander at the time bouncing about in the chaos of the nonsensical realm, so he wasn't affected. He may come up soon to check on his son. Call it curiosity killed the cat for world building.

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Well, Bastien's never leaving her behind, not intentionally anyhow, not if it's within his power. Bastien however didn't mind the cling wrap version of Maddy. Even if her question confused him as if the answer should have been obvious knowing his own intentions, this version of her meant feeling wanted more for Bastien too. He might not have had a family that ingrained the left out feeling, but he knew what it felt people slipping away. Even her as she did her much needed growing which he was proud of, but it still gut wrenching to watch her grow in other ways. So, even as confused as he was by her reaction to his wording, the sudden cling wrap Maddy only soothed a piece of Bastien that needed her to want him like that. Oh complex emotions. Oh, how peaceful that hold of hers against him made him feel. He needed that more than she might have known.

"Good. Just make sure you follow when I'm not paying attention to where I'm going too."

Very aware advice for a person like Bastien while in such a lucid state.

Then she really threw him for a loop when she didn't say a particular age group of golden seniors. "Really? Woah."

That really got his mind going. If it could be at any age he wouldn't have to make a goal to live to a particular age. He could renew tomorrow, a month, a year from now, ten, any time at all. It was making him smile.

"We are no rules people. We should do that sometime. I'm going to keep thinking about this now. "

Then the whole kiss event transpired.

"Well after this."

He was given a glass of wine and lifted it up for the countdown. "Three, Two, One! Happy New Year!" Bastien went in for that midnight's kiss no matter where it was midnight. If there was an excuse to kiss he wanted it. He held the side of her face as he went in. He could hear the crowd cheering in the background and it felt like they were cheering on his kiss to him. It made him hold it out a little extra before grinning when he pulled back.

"Happy New Year, Baby."

Still, he had thoughts on his mind. "Laverne says she wants you to see her hat. The one she wore to the wedding." He was in deep thought now. New Year. New thoughts. Renewing vows thoughts imlanted and unlocked in an obsessive mind like his? "So, hold on. If we do them again it doesn't revoke anything we aready promised, right? It's just like a refresher? To make them even stronger I think, right? Or are we allowed to promise new things?" Then he answered his own question. "Well, we make up own rules, right? We can promise anything we want, right?"

Now he was really thinking.

"Is there anything about our wedding you would have changed now that time has passed if you could do it again? Anything? Anything at all? How do you picture a redo?"

At least predictable usually meant dependable. That’s a word that Maddy didn’t mind being associated with herself.

Most likely due to her upbringing, being left behind had become one of Maddy’s personal hells. Being forgotten or … just deemed not as important. It still took work, it took some reminding, it took words like Bastien was saying now in order for her to remember who she was now, and that was as the most active part of Bastien’s life. Not the lesser twin, not the boring daughter. Maddy fuckin’ Bellerose. Never to be left behind again.

“No, no, you’re right. I just like hearing it from you,” She admitted, her arms wrapping around him, snuggling herself into his neck, smelling his skin. Being close, being clingy, being needy the way that she had been at the beginning of them. It would take more than a crowbar to wrench them apart. More than a damn baseball bat and a psycho who used it. “I’ll go wherever you go,” She said, and meant it, at least physically, because sometimes she couldn’t just jump into the worlds in his head. That was the only time she wished for Frank’s power. Just to see what her husband saw.

“Hmm - I don’t think it has to be for old people. I see it as more celebrations of our love and our life together. I just want to declare it in front of everyone, in front of the world again, that I love you Bastien Bellerose, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life with you.”

She knew he used to think like that. He told her that before, and it had sent a little pain into her heart. He was a day to day kinda guy. He didn’t think too much into the future, into making plans. Just keep walking through life because he had the ability to keep on walking. But now, he had everything he needed to be successful, and to live a long life. Support, good food, shelter. A daughter to carry on his legacy, even if she didn’t have the curse. She carried the name. That all important name.

“Whenever you want. There’s no rules about what age we should be and even if there were - we’d break them,” She chuckled lightly. They were in Feral. The only rules were Delta and Frank’s rules. And thus far, there was none about any sort of marriage or romance. It was a free for all.

“That train will happen, I promise,” She said, running her fingers through his long hair, so soft, poofy, no knots. “I wish I had those glasses too. Maybe we’ll meet someone someday who could make that happen.”

“Ahh, of course!” She said, Paris on the mind now. With Feral being seven hours behind Paris, the fireworks had already happened but with the magic of the internet, she could set it up so it was happening right that moment, the broadcast to start at the exact second. It was like, for a second, she had time powers - she could hold the sands of the hourglass in her fingers.

Scones, warm out of the oven. Two glasses of wine to celebrate making it into another year together, when so many that they knew didn’t. “I love you,” She said, right as the countdown started.

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HC: Happy Birthday Figaro! Love Flotsam - Flotsam will send this very self indulgent gift to Figaro for their birthday after first purchasing one for themself. Then in no way could manage to not also get one for Figaro when there's no way to see Gonzo and not think of Figaro.

The note would say something very Flotsam.

"I liked it at the same time as your birthday. So it's yours now. Happy Birthday. Love, Flotsam."

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#memories

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sourscout - Fender Life

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HC: Scout in a phase of singing this song loud in her bedroom. Jamming on her electric guitar and making versions and remixes of it. Thomas's muppet insult is very inspiring.

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I like muppets.

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Willem was more than grateful. He was keeping this adventure locked away inside with so many details in his tiny treasure chest full of special private booty for his heart only. Other details were the sorts a pirate like him would be singing sad tales of in his grog into the horizon while lonely at sea on his next adventure, or for him maybe lonely in the wall. Whatever works.

The pegleg. Willem didn't even flinch. The language made sense to him. It didn't seem odd coming from Smalls' mouth. They had a way of understanding each other anyway so it just seemed to flow into things.

"Aye. That's true." He made note to talk to this pegleg next time he got a chance.

The monster mask was such a Figaro touch. It did not seem out of place to Willem in the slightest. It wasn't questioned, just accepted.

Helm's Deep, King Theodon, King Kong, Donkey Kong, Planet of the Apes for all he cared. Willem was growing quite sick of snow and cold truth be told. He wasn't a fan despite this finding that he could fly better in than most of the other pixies. All he could think of was his Mom being a Tinker and her sister being a Winter fae and both being born of the same laugh somehow that science twisted into him being born a little of both when mixed with human DNA. It didn't mean the cold didn't get to him though. He was quite done with cold after all this drudging thank you very much.

Willem would grin when Hook made Figaro happy over pronouns. He had to laugh. He grew up with a father that used to say, "Females were bad luck at sea. Ladies were only good for letting them know which tea sets to pawn and a woman was what you looked for to pleasure what ails ya. A wife is for your land legs and your mate is for your life long adventure." He'd reminded himself to tell Figaro that one when his father wasn't around. He didn't want to trigger anything while things were on the cool between them. He wondered now that the memory had been recalled what he thought of the old saying now that life turned out as it had with his mom as the mate he so longed for, but now wasn't the time to ask. The memory did have smirking.

As it all went on it really was hard to get the visual of a dog peeing the dust tree out of Willem's head. It being such a sacred tree it was a funny thing to imagition out in the middle of nature shooing all the animals away.

By the time the whole debacle at the tree ended and they made it back after tusseling with Zarina and Nutmeg in the tree, coming back empty handed the Hook boys were wiped. The dollhouse people were the big winners for this event. Ta Da! Blue Dust.

They'd taken care of Terrance and managed what Hook and Hawkins had not. Will's eyes widened. So did Hook's. They were all a crew. It was a win!

"Hello again Blue Dust. We meet again."

The tingle of a villian's plans being set in motion was all over Hook in the blue light from the glow.

"That is most cerrrrrrrrtainly the way to do it." He felt like calling for Smee. But, Smee wasn't here. He looked at his crew. He was the Captain after all. He straightened his hat. "Well done crew. Well done."

Willem's eyes widened, his chest swelled in that way a son's only could when he was happy to see his father's approval and pride, his friends' acceptance, not only Smalls, but Nelly, one of his creations which his father hadn't been too keen on and still wasn't other than the Tinker Belle he'd been given at Christmas. Maybe she had been changing his heart? Or maybe the blue dust avenged was all it took?

That's when Willem's heart sank. He felt on top of the world for but a moment seeing the light back in his father's eyes just like the old days. That is what he was trying to spark, right? The Nevers needed him to thrive? That was his theory. He was banking it. Then why did it feel so shitty when he realized to finish this out he was going to have to betray his father in the end? He had to save Pan, Hook, and the Nevers to save the Pixies, and keep the never ending great war going. He couldn't believe it once he really stepped back in this moment.

No. No. He couldn't stop and think. If he thought too long he'd coward out. No thinking. No thinking for the rest of this. He had to start thinking like Chip. Mission only. It wasn't just follow the wind anymore. This was very deliberate. He was setting anchor right here until it was over no matter what feelings sprung, no matter what, no matter what, no matter what. Delta was counting on him too. There was a reason she let him in. It was time to prove himself worthy of Feral's ring. Figaro and Nelly certainly were seeming to. Hook clearly had a role here in the Nevers. It was time to stand up into his.

Shiver his mother fucking timbers. Here goes nothing.

Will would lead Hook and the crew back to Pan's labyrinth the same way they went in before with his magical key, but this time the world got darker as they stepped in. Willem held his phone on instinct. Hook was intrigued by the fact his son had even done this. He'd only come to realize he had any magic at all but a couple years ago and now they were in this place of legend he could only have dreamed of going. He wasn't even sure it was real.

It still disturbed Hook somewhat when Will's wings burst forth and the goldn light shimmered to create even more light around them just like Tinker Belle used to after believing his son got his genes all these years. He always hoped, but the older he got he gave that hope up. To even think his son had been hiding it was such a betrayal to get over the first time around in the infamous door. They'd managed to get over that. Willem wondered if this next betrayal was one that would be too big to bandaid. No. No thinking. He had to remind himself every time an intrusive thought came in. But, that was thing about Pan's special labyrinth.

Their fears couldn't hide from the labyrinth. They could try to keep them hidden deep in themselves, but the labyrinth always knew. The first time Will and Smalls came in they were only desperate to get Pan in and his only fear was that he couldn't get in. He got in and managed his goal. He was so on task nothing was disturbed. Now was different. Now not only were father and son together on a much more challenging part of the mission, but Pan himself, the power behind the maze was hidden right inside with curse placed upon him almost like Snow White still in that glass coffin.

Captain Hook had so much evil villiany directed at the power itself it could only be activated. Then there was Will anxious as all get out despite his so called Wild reputation of failing his father after finally getting him back. The entire place shook and rattled like an earthquake. Nelly screamed like Little Foot and buzzed up to Will's shoulder taking her place like Sock Monkey might. "Earthshake!"

Gravel and soot fell from overhead. "Head's up." He'd say trying to warn Smalls. It was only then he'd notice his clothing had changed. He was suddenly in Geppetto's sweater and his favorite pants he wears while in the workshop tinkering on dolls and props. He didn't even pack it. Yet there it was.

"Oh fuuu-"

He looked over at Figaro knowing they'd know what this was even if Hook didn't. This place was about to play mind games with them. Then it dawned on him what he was told about the Lost Boys that were trapped there forever to cry out for mothers. Maybe fathers counted too? Parents? It preyed on their need to be loved, wanted by anyone other than Pan and his land of never growing up. The sweater? Was it trying to make him a man or was it trying to screw with his mind about his feelings towards who was the better father while Hook was right there? Oh this was fucked up. The dirt cave corridors started to turn into home hallways like Funkytown only long and winding, a maze that never seemed to end.

"Smalls. I don't know how to get to Pan again. This wasn't all here the first time." Willem was trying not to panic. He was trying to think logically, but it was quite obvious logic wasn't going to work in a place like this. Maybe that centaur, or hand eyes demon, or whatever the heck wasn't too far out of the realm of appearing after all? At this point Willem had his guard up.

"I'll sniff him out, boy. I always do." Hook said with a most assured confidence.

That's when the echoes would start.

"Is he really your boy?" - "Look at him. Just look at him." - "In that puppet master's clothes." - "You call that your boy? Really?"

Hook spun to see Will in Geppetto's clothes and his eyes fired up like the first time he told him he didn't want to come home.

"Oh shit." That's when he realized this wasn't his test. It was Hook's. Fuck.

"Dad. Dad. Dad. This isn't real. Don't listen to them."

Hook marched up and yanked on the sweater. "It feels real to me."

Willem seriously did not want to strip right now over this. This was nuts. It was cold. They were in a cave in the middle of a blizzard.

"Puppet master! What's that make Willem Hawkins Hook? His slave? I thought you were the Captain here, James?"

Oh, this place really was evil. If Wilem ever saw Pan through Hook's eyes for once in his life he saw him now. Calling him by that name. He created this place. It might not torture with whips and chains, but it went right for a heart and tore it open. He knew he was all his father had left and this place was going to try and tear it from him when it stood right beside him? The scariest part was he nearly had to let it. Almost.

He was going to do his father one favor before he left him. He'd take off the sweater. A part of him told him not to in case it gave him too much hope later, but James never did have much hope or he wouldn't be the miserable pirate he was today. Still, Will didn't have it in him to walk away cold.

"Yeah, you can find him yourself... dad."

Will left Hook with an inflection on that term of endearment. He could choose to interpret how he so wished. But, he looked over at Figaro with the key down low in his hand signaling it was time to leave after all. Change of plans. He was going to leave Hook in the labyrinth to find Pan. He could deal with himself. But, there was a sadness in Will's eyes when they met Smalls' because even though that sweater had been conjured by Pan's magic somehow it felt real to him too and to take it off felt very symbolic and that hurt Willem very deep inside. He did not want to take it off.

He'd pull it off and drop it to the floor and let his father see. This gave his father a smirk making him think Will had chosen him until he said, "Goodbye Captain." Then he'd grab Smalls' hand and out they'd go in their own magical fashion, a way Hook could never leave abandoning him there.

Once they were out in the cold again the weirdest thing happened. He only had the thin shirt on that was worn under Geppetto's sweater instead of the heavy coats and gear he started with. He came out in the outfit Pan had changed him into right in the freezing blizzard. He was seriously hoping that wasn't Geppetto's real sweater Pan managed to manifest into the maze somehow. He was going to be pissed if it was. He was going to be running straight to his closet when he ever got home again, if he ever got home again. If anyone was going to kill Pan it would be him if that sweater was gone.

"Well, that sucked."

He was shivering in the Never blizzard and now they had to get back to Pixie Hollow to try and convince Periwinkle he was on their side right after he kidnapped Pan, they stole the blue dust, and brought Hook back to the Nevers. Plus, he was going to get frost bite. This was going to be great.

No thinking!

It was hard not to hear his father's last yell of "Willem!" as they disappeared and as they carried on.

"Next phase. Find Periwinkle. Convince her we're not the bad guys. Save the Nevers from this blizzard. Save Pan from my Dad. Not neccessarily in that order. Let's go."

What an adventure. He knew he was up for one when he left. He didn't know Smalls was going to come with him when he first walked out Funkytown's doors, but it sure is nice having them around every step of the way. He doesn't even remember that Nelly was his childhood confidence as an imaginary fairy friend put into a doll anymore. It comes naturally to him to act the same with her as he did as a child like his own little Jiminy Cricket feeding his mischief instead of conscience. That memory faded with the magic that made her slowly as her life blossomed. That said having a flesh and blood friend is something everyone needs, something Willem always needed.

Figaro was an eager audience to Willem’s practice of his new abilities. They thought it was damn cool every single time - and did have to once or twice distract Punch from trying to attack this tiny thing with an actual sharp blade. Got a cut right on the achilles tendon for that, so Willem better be grateful, but still. It was going to take a while to get over how damn cool it was that Willem could do multiple things now. Number one fan over here.

“You know who the right man to ask that question to is?” Figaro snapped their fingers, definitely thinking about juggling chainsaws and washing machines and knowing full well they’d give whatever cash they had left to see such a thing. “Piper’s dad. The pegleg.”

They didn’t say this like it was a bad thing. They just picked up on some pirate terms, hanging around Willem for so long. It was almost said affectionately. Of course the best friend - other than Thomas - of Flotsam was going to be fucking rad. Of course Piper’s dads were the coolest people that had ever set foot in this town. And of course Figaro had seen Clopin juggle and instantly saw a new idol.

Clopin jumped up to number two on the Figaro Admiration Scale. Willem was still number one. Figaro felt proud in their decision of best friend, that’s for damn sure. So they bucked up and dressed up for the next part in the epic saga that was Pixie Hollow and Peter Pan. They weren’t going to make Willem go through any part of this alone, and keep all of the excitement to himself.

Just this time, they made sure to wear long underwear for the blizzard. And a latex monster mask because it could get awfully warm breathing in those things, and the overheating was needed.

The blizzard was always the worst bit. Made Figaro happy that they lived in Louisiana rather than like - what was a cold place? - Finland was weirdly the first one that came to mind. Yeah, fuck Finland. Good music, but cooooold.

Through to the port and - that familiar old ship was there. The familiar flag was waving in the wind, proudly showing who was inside of it. Fair play to the pixies, it didn’t look like a necessarily good omen, that leering skull, but Fig always thought that it was cool, and a feeling of adventure and excitement filled their own bones seeing it once again. What kind of weirdo didn’t love a pirate ship?

“So it begins,” Figaro said in a very adequate impersonation of King Theoden at the Battle of Helm’s Deep - one which would have made Thomas proud.

The snow was still falling heavily and it did make tracking difficult because it felt like their tracks were covered within an hour, but it did have the usefulness of making everything feel quieter. Like a hush was put over everything. So when they did hear Hook’s muttering, it felt clear. There was no background noise to overwhelm it.

It wasn’t surprising that Hook just willy nilly said the words that killed the pixies around him. It was probably the biggest flaw in their species. Someone just had to say a couple of words and boom, like they’ve been Bloody Mary’d or Candyman’d.

Once they were back up to normal size, Figaro took off the mask and ran their fingers through their hair and gave Hook a wave, two fingers against the forehead like a sort of salute. “‘ello el-Capatino!”

After all they’ve been through and Figaro was dollhouse person? “Aww, they used a correct pronoun,” They said, putting a hand over their heart, touched by that. Person was better than lady.

No corrections or anything here. Willem seemed to be sliding through this conversation by the seat of his pants, and Figaro was the lint in his back pocket, holding on for the ride, nodding whenever Willem made a point. But when Hook went on about ‘We’re big they’re small,’ they did snap their fingers and point at him and say, “Oh, someone watched Matilda.”

Into the belly of the tree. “There’s a reason why dogs pee on trees,” They informed their company. “They sense the mysterious power and try to claim it as their own.”

And now it was like snarky tennis. Head moving back and forth as the spunky pirate fairy and Hook exchanged words. Insults. Their nose also wrinkled at the sex reference, and their hand went for their own weapon, which was tucked into a holster , just sticking out of their blizzard warmth. They couldn’t bring a chainsaw because carrying that through all of that damn snow would have been a nightmare, but they did have a Michael Myers style knife that they stole while looting a sushi restaurant while looking for the secret of getting perfectly sticky rice. Ready to stabbity stab stab if needed. One of the few times they’d accept being called a girl was if they were going to be the Final Girl in this fantasy horror movie they were filming in their mind.

But lil Nelly seemed to think that Willem had it covered, tapping on their shoulder like that, pointing to a glow. Now how was Figaro supposed to resist that lure? Damn, they really wouldn’t make a good final girl in that shitty but amazing IT Chapter 2, Fig would look straight into the Deadlights, with the way that they walked with Nell towards that mysterious glow.

Terrence. Little itty bitty Terrence.

“If you’re thinking of running, that train has sailed dude,” Figaro clicked their tongue, and together with Nell, they pounced like the cryptid and pixie doll they were.

With a hiya and a thwack and a pow - the two managed to get the bottle from Terrence. It wasn’t that hard, really. It was pretty damn easy. Figaro didn’t even use their knife, just held it in their mouth between their teeth like they had seen some of Hook’s men do. Caused a few annoying cuts in the corners of the mouth but that was the price that was paid for looking so badass.

“Oh, oh, I want to!” Figaro said, after seeing Hook’s scowl. There was just something funny about that expression. Then they held up the sacred dust, and imitating their favorite little angry doll, “That’s the way to do it!”

[cryptid-killjoy]

"Yes, yes I do." He narrowed his eyes at Figaro. "Thanks for pointing that out. That's so helpful, Smalls."

Nelly lifted a brow. "Like you're getting much lately."

It wasn't helpful, neither was Nelly, but now even Willem was wondering how one emotionally supported a scrotum. He was too confused to ask and figured it best not to.

Figaro was happy and sending fuck yous to right and left to the universe so it seemed Dr. Frankenstein was here for the win. Even though he was slightly worried he might have made an impulsive decision using the mad doctor in a real life scenario it felt like he played a part in doing something right for Smalls too. So Willem was taking it. He'd take anything to feel good right then. He'd been having a little trouble getting back in his groove too. So take it he did.

"Yeah! Fuck you cramps. I mean-I mean not that I would know. But fuck you for ever cramping on my Smalls. Yeah." Willem meant well damn it.

He got another win when everyone seemed to enjoy his cheesesarific Valentine's. They all seemed to even get the Monster Squad joke. That made him feel warm and fuzzy inside especially thinking about the movie line 'Wolfman's got Nards' right when he basically had his snipped. He was inner smiling a lot right then and not saying why. He couldn't help it. That pirate had gotten a little quieter since things had gone down. But, he was coming out of his shell again. Figaro got him out of it once when he first moved in. He's bound to crawl all the way out again eventually.

One way to put a smile on Will's face: A big back of marshmallows. There was instant face stuffing.

"Fank kew berry much." He said with a mouth full. "Swo good."

When Hansel gave him the card he was very touched. Hansel's one of his favorite people in the whole world. He'd curl up on his big burly chest and just sleep there if he could, use him as a pillow, wall dust and all.

Then the way Diana tucked in her card and gave him so many. It bewildered him and shocked him, or more like gave him a stark reminnder that there was a place in the world where things don't always change on him. There she was still being her... still. He wasn't sure why. He wasn't even sure he wanted her to, but for some reason it felt good just to have something stable that doesn't change their mind and go away on a whim or a sudden mood swing. He put all tend of his cards in his shirt just to be funny even though eventually they'd all start to fall out the bottom.

He felt appreciated anyway. That's what counted. "Thank you guys. Thanks so much. All of you."

And that was their Valentine's Day. Funkytown's. Victor and Zero woud head out and finish their own day privately. Funkytown would continue to ice nuts and eat marshmallows with movies. Plus, one womb execution scheduled in the near future.

They kept reading some of those aftercare instructions. “No sex for one to two weeks - ha, sucks to be you, you like doing that,” Fig laughed. Of course there was humor in this situation, how could there not be. But they really would be trying to take care of him through this, that’s what friends were for. Just teasing and laughing while changing out the freezable fruit shapes.

Victor put a little grin on Figaro’s face though. He was always so serious, and there was humor in that as well. Now maybe they would try to emotionally support the scrotum, just because the Doc said so.

And now the doctor had one of those weird creepy-villain-gets-an-idea looks that made him so .. odd looking. Fig definitely noted that but eh - whatever he did with their womb was certain to be interesting. They’d follow up on that to be sure. “That’s a big bag of wahoo from me, I’m free and we are doing this thing. Fuck you periods! Fuck you tampons! Fuck you bl - actually, I don’t mind the actual blood part so much, I like to pretend I’m a warrior coming back from battle. But fuck you cramps!”

With each new fuck you, they were pointing their middle finger to their own womb.

But man, those valentines day cards were loved. Figaro would keep theirs propped up on the nightstand cause even if they weren’t the most ‘in’ with Delta and her squad, it was a funny little reference. Door Clown slipped his under his hat to keep it close. Mr Punch - well, he cut through his, finding the figures on the card to be a threat ‘That’s the way to do it!’. Hansel kept his in one of his little ‘treasure troves’ that he had hidden in the walls with some of the playing cards that Willem had gotten him and Diana swooned over hers, putting it into the bosom of her dress with a wink.

Of course, three of them had gifts to give back. Figaro had managed to order - and pick up - a big bag of dried marshmallows used for lucky charms - but just the heart ones. “I had to pay extra since someone had to sort them but worth it. You can thank the weeb from down the street who always had the resting angry anime face, I found his credit card the other day. I mean, he’s totes dead but - nobody has to know that.”

Hansel slipped out a playing card - a King of Hearts, that he had written Willem’s name on.

And Diana had hand made some simple Valentines day cards. Fig and Zero got one, though Willem got like .. 10.

[cryptid-killjoy]

Koda was thankful Elsa didn't balk, enough so that once they were alone he said, "Thanks for going with the whole schedule... thing... earlier. I... just... I wasn't ready to handle all that right out the shoot." He had to admit it. It must have been obvious.

She was being understanding all around. She wasn't rushing him now that they were there to get the errand done or anything like that. He didn't overwhelm easily and he could sense she could feel it on him. This was all heavy for him.

"Thanks."

He took a deep cleansing breath in some attempt to gain composure.

"I guess I'm just used to coming home under happier circumstances. I can usually juggle the incoming better than that."

He still felt a bit more disheveled than he expected. He thought he was ready for this. He looked over at that picture frame again, the one he touched. Maybe it was obvious to her, but he said, "That was my dad." As if it needed to bare repeating, but for some reason he still said, "You know... back before we were in the coven."

Those coven days were a big deal in Koda's life, changed who is was, who he is, how he thinks. He shrugged at it all unable to say much more. If he did he'd let it turn to anger and he just couldn't do that. Not right now. It was the wrong time for all that. No use now.

"I should go get ready. The village will come in full dress for this. But, we should get this done. They've waited long enough."

He'd pause and gave her hand a faint squeeze before moving off to get their cases and to go to the bathroom to get ready. They'd have to scout out the plot and do this thing. He could hear his uncle on the phone despite there being texting, calling relatives to say he'd arrived. Tonight was the night. He was rallying the people.

When Koda came back in with Elsa's bag and had finished cleaning himself up she'd see him in braids, quite kempt. He was wearing red details, like bracelets, a feather, and colorful beadwork. There was a Chinese paper sticking out of the pocket of his jacket, red with gold lettering. It was an ecclectic mix of the different cultures he was raised from considering where his mother was being buried and who she actually was. He wore his bear totem around his neck in plain sight for this night. Koda kept a clean face though his uncle would end up showing up with a painted face ceremonial.

Before they'd get to notice that and before they'd head out to the frozen bodies and really do this thing Koda would look down at himself realizing he was finally put his parents to rest at long last. He looked at his phone. It should be dark enough to leave.

"Okay. I'm going to go out there. You show him the bodies. He'll show us the spot and I'll bury my moms along with the ceremony and that'll be that. People will probably have food for us or something, but that'll be... that."

It felt so final.

"You ready?"

Care Bear was never going to die down. Though Elsa was very unlikely to ever use this term of endearment, it would stick inside of her brain.

She saw a part of herself in Koda’s uncle. Or at least - traces. The simpleness of the home. And then there was the fact that he kept Koda’s sheets changed in case he came back. That’s what she had done with River’s room. Even after he had become a vampire, she kept a bed for him, freshly laundered sheets every week. Even before she would leave her apartment in New Zealand, she changed the sheets just in case Dale had wanted to stay, so he’d be met by freshness, with care, in her absence.

Though she knew, and Koda knew, that she didn’t have much of a schedule at all - she nodded towards Denahi as if she did. She might have balked at the idea of being an excuse before but she didn’t mind in this instance.

There was a light little laugh when she learned that Flotsam had been talking about her. “And I’m sure that it’s all true, even if he put his own spin on it.”

Cold meets cold meets cold.

Her eyes stayed on his through the encounter of their handshake. She had gained a lot of control through the years, through the self-defense and mindfulness training that she never believed would work for her, but here they were. Despite the lingering, despite the hesitation, her hands remained ice free, and so would Denahi’s. Vampires were quick but there were always some signs that they were about to lose their control - it was in the eyes, Elsa believed, always in the eyes.

But he did let go, and her hand fell gracefully back to her side, the corner of her mouth curling upward when a laugh came from the vampire’s lips. And a sort of praise, even if she did not entirely understand the joke.

If he thought that her hands were surprising, well, the frozen bodies might just blow his mind.

“I’ll keep that in mind - though I’m quite used to whispering,” She told him with an understanding nod.

She gave Denahi another nod and a quiet but polite smile as she followed Koda towards his bedroom. It was a warm room, not temperature wise but the walls, the rich earthy colors, yes, it seemed to fit him well, or at least a side of him that wasn’t all rock’n’rolla. Her eyes went to the picture as Koda touched it, seeing his parents there, and his young and happy face. A different life. She never had a picture of that with her own parents and her sister. A moment like that had never existed for her, she reminisced.

“There’s no need for haste,” She told Koda, staying standing for the moment. Spending a long time sitting inside of the truck made her want to stand for a while. She would take slow steps around the room, looking at everything, even if it was simple. “That would be nice, doing it at night,” She agreed.