#( gold runs through your veins (Hercules) )

[writtenfan]

Welcome to the Party! (Part 2)

 DisneyHades x Reader Imagine

Warning: Some small cusses, some force-fullness don’t worry. He can be respectful enough...

Continuing off Part 1!  (wowza now...its time for some shut eye..ha!)

You sigh and lean into the comfort of the red armchair while massaging your head. Aphrodite’s golden hair illuminating this dull backstage prep room.With the entertainment pushed out of it, it’s much more personal and quieter.

A room you rather not be in after Aphrodite asked about what you were feeling for a particular god of death that has your mind bouncing off the walls. Aphrodite is studying you as you do this, and you try not to notice but it’s making this whole, “what is going on with me”, process a little bit harder to handle. 

Having the actual Goddess of love hinting to your blooming crush on a god that doesn’t have quite the positive record, let’s just say, no letters of recommendation are being written for him anytime soon, made you melt. After a few minutes of this quiet brooding and her silent but loud observation she  leans forward and gently brushes you hand away from your forehead and runs her thumb over the spot with a smile, before taking both her hands and placing them on the sides of your cheeks using her thumbs to massage the corner of your eyes. 

 “Come on, stand up with me.” You stand slowly and play with your hair a bit, trying to hide your noticeable blushing.

“You do. It’s obvious.”

Your face grows warm, and it’s not just her words. Woah, her whole aura had this soothing jittery feeling about it. You absolutely see why she is the goddess of love. Because you were loving how soft her hands fel- 

“Hey” she snaps, “stay with me, head above the waves little pearl” she says with a snicker.  Aphrodite locks eyes with you and you nod sheepishly, and her eyes light up.

“Yes…yes you do!”

She bops your nose with the tip of her finger and takes her hands away begins to pace around in front of you hand covering her mouth, her eyes furrowed in thought.

“You see. The thing is I don’t understand it!” She stops pacing the sudden stop of clicking from her golden heels drew your attention back to her eyes as she faced you. Her golden hair swinging lazily at her feet, pink and gold illuminating brightly from around her.

“I mean yeah, I often saw you two, talking. At the reunions and the parties.” She taps her foot and looks into your eyes. “I mean, back then yeah. I sensed something but, it was so” she pinches her fingers together “teensy weensy I thought it was just basic appreciation but now. Woah, you’re coming off loud and clear sister.”

“Yeah it seems I have developed a crush.” You say as you pull at the sides of your dress in tenseness.

She takes in a sharp breath, “For Hades. The Lord of the Underworld I will add.”

 “I mean. I don’t want to say this honey, but ha… what am I saying? I actually do!” She presses her hands together and shakes them for emphasis.

“HADES. ISN’T. A. GOOD. GUY!” she plots her hands on her waist. 

 “He prays on the weak and disadvantage. He literally captured all the gods using Titans. TITANS and then proclaimed himself king of Mount Olympus before getting his ass handed to him by Hercules!” she looks down at you with astonished eyes. “Its surprising to me we even allowed him to stay here once we realized he snuck into the party! I mean, Zeus was just about ready to ask him to step out when -” She eyes you up and down with an upset look on her face but it softened as she looked at you longer. 

“He saw you and him enjoying each other’s company and that, that surprised him” I mean, he already punished Hades…the whole, trapped in the Styx and then the confinement  for a few hundred years in that pocket dimension. It made him rethink is action to intervene but your father woah!”

“Yes, he. He actually told me all about the, imprisonment.” you softly say as you begin to remember the time you spent together a few weeks ago.

“Oh really, and how did that go?”

_____________________________________________________________________

A few weeks ago…

You set your offering bowl onto the barren ground just as the torn books from the library had told you and you hold out your hands. “Hades, Lord of the Dead. I call upon you…” you open your eyes and wait for a few moments, looking around you waiting for a poof, a flame something. As you stood upon the top this hill, without a sound but the wind and a few birds. You lower you hands and frown at the offering and  intricate sigil you had drawn on the ground with silver ash. “Come on, its me. (y/n).”

The ground rumbles beneath you and you step back from the offering.  But the shaking grew worse and you found yourself on your ass with dust tossing up in your face. You cover your eyes and start spitting out the dust that flew into your mouth and wave around your hands trying to see again. “HELLooo MOrtal…yOu CaAAlled?” echoed a sing-songed disembodied voice.

“Oh GODS whats with ground breaking introduction?!” you burst with a laugh. After the dust settles your greeted with the curling smoke and black robe right of in front of you. You watch as one of the smoke wisps reach out towards you and curls itself beneath your chin, surprisingly angling your head up to the broad bodied, sharp cheek boned, extra chinned, smug looking face of Hades himself. 

“Went a little overboard on the entrance huh?” he chuckled as he leaned over and hovered an outstretched hand in front of you. “Need a lift?” You look down at his sharpened fingers and then back up at his pleased face. “Yeah to both questions.” You answer as you place your hand in his, automatically feeling a wave of cold wash through you. “Up and at ‘em” with one tug you lift to your feet, the movement made you stagger once you stood up and he placed an unexpected arm under yours holding you up.

 “Aay, looks like you just left Happy Hour at Dion-and Wine!” he laughs at his own joke as you get over the wooziness that suddenly washed over you.  “Staggering, falling over, does little (y/n) need a designated driver back home to her little pond?”

  You give him an ugly look and move away his hands that had settled themselves onto you for quite long enough “I don’t live in a pond.” Hades shrugs and dusts off his hands.

 “Stream, Lake, Sea. Whatever literally floats your boat alright? You still live with your pops, right? I mean in this economy it’s understandable…” You brush yourself off and watch as Hades glides, arms behind his back, past you to look at the valley below.

 “Every so often, I make visits…” your voice trails off as he glances back to you with a sharp toothed grin.

 “Nice set up may I add, a bit eh, extra. But I love the whole, sigil fruit basic scenario…old school I like it.” He looks back towards the valley stretching out his arms with a loud exhale verbal exhale. “Ahh, change in elevation. Makes me feel weird, especially after being down under, for so long.” He rolls his shoulders and cracks a few knuckles with a shocking pop and turns around sliding back in front of you, towering over you with a smile and the weak smell of death that hung in the air when the winds didn’t blow as hard. He made you both intimidated but eased. It was terribly frustrating. “So, let’s get down to business huh? Or did your pretty little face just wanna chat with little ol’ me?” he takes his finger and brushes it against your cheek but you don’t move away and his touch lingers there for a second longer then slides down and away from you, his grin growing wider and his eyebrows more furrowed and you noticed a few drops of sweat trailing down the side of his face.

“Yeah. I’m ready to talk.” He claps at your response.

“Alriiiight, good. So, what’s on your mind Bambi, what kinda thing did you want my assistance with?” He stretches out his fingers and moves them in the air as if he was about to cast a few spells. “I mean, it’s been a bit. But I feel like I still got it.” He chuckles as he makes a cloud of smoke manifest from his hands. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.” He gives you a sheepish grin holding up a finger “W-wait just a moment” he scowls as he shakes his hands, the sound of a match hitting a tinderbox complements it and a sudden burst of flames causes you to move back as you shielded your eyes. “WOAH, THERE WE GO!” the flames die down and he gives you a wink as he blows out a flicker on his fingertip.

Your raise an eyebrow and place your hands on your hips. “I’m not here to make a deal Hades I just- wait what do you mean by that? Weren’t you released from the Underworld like 6 months ago? Haven’t you been in action for a while even before your release and doesn’t a few years seem like seconds in a gods eyes?” his grin slowly turns into a grimace as his focus turns to the ground at your feet.

“Haha- yeah…NOT like 6 months ago babe.” You watch him close his eyes as his blue flames start flickering widely on his head turning redder by the second and traveling down his neck as if someone poured oil on the back of his head. But he stopped that, and he shook himself off letting out a “Yeash” and popping his collar while returning your eye contact with a strained smile, the vein on his neck straining. “See. That isn’t even half of it I did more time than you may think sweetie. Yeah- I’ve had my few months out, but that doesn’t compare to the- “FeW YeARS” (he mocks) - I spent. IN.” He leans forward with the last word and gestures his hands hard in the air, his flames flaring up before simmering down.

“I don’t understand-“

He hold up a hand and rolls his eyes “-Let me just, clue you in, for a moment.” He snaps and two dark blue rattan armchairs appear behind you both. “Take a seat.” He gives you a closed mouth smile and you lower yourself in your chair as he does the same. “Drink, something to nosh?” a martini glass and an… eyeball… on a toothpick appear in his hands.

“No thanks.” You shudder as you watched him pop the eyeball in his mouth.

“More for me, anyways-“  he smiles and waves his now free hand in the air.

“Yes. Let me start from the beginning, you know what happened right?”

You lean on the arm of the chair and sigh. “Yes, you decided hey fuck the underworld why not take over Olympus, and imprison all who oppose me, killing millions by letting the Titans wreak havoc across the earth!”

He chokes on the sip from his drink and coughs a bit while laughing and you look at him puzzled as he slaps his knee with a grin “HA! Wow, such snarkiness love the vivid yet right to the point explanation. But see, I would change a few words like “imprison” to more like, “confine” sounds a lot nicer. A forced vacation even.” He nods and you glare at his calm expression.

“Yeah right” you mutter.

“Glad you agree!” He muffles as he drinks the last drop from his glass. He looks into his glass as if expecting something else and then poofs it away, focusing his blackened eyes right back on you. “But you don’t see the big picture. I bet your daddy dearest gave you the rendition one night as a spooky bedtime story. Ooooh, big bad Hades…”

“But you see, all of them up their own their little cloud, have always thought I was bad news. Labeled me, based on my looks alone!” He gestures to the sky and scrunches up his face. “Even earlier than the moment I was first assigned this position in the Underworld, unwillingly I may add, I’ve been treated with little to no respect.” His fire started to grow, and you clutched the arm of your chair.

“Treated me just as Zeus’s baby brother, who was always the top-dog, saving the universe, being the golden god and the twinkle in all humanities eyes. But no one even talks or acknowledges my part in the whole striking down daddy part of history or the hard work I do everyday JUST TO PREVENT THE EARTH. From being infested by the residents of the afterlife, no sirree!” he grumbles. The smoke at his feet curling up eerily around his chair.

“Ive been handed a job, no one wanted to handle and practically confined to it like a jail cell, which ha catch this, actually turn out to be one for me. FOR MORE THAN A FEW YEARS SWEETHEART!” His voice was sharp and full of bubbling anger and his hands did the same as yours except it was now smothered in smoke.

“After I finally was pulled out of the Styx by none other than Zeus, talk about that encounter, after they let me stew in that soul pit for a good while. I was exiled to this special little jail dimension just for Hades! And left there, to sit for at least, I don’t know… 2,000 -6,000 years?!!”

You sit up in your seat, “Wait what? That makes no sense, you were down for less than that.”

“Yeah, that’s only because they knew that without me, literally all hell would break loose, so they trapped me in some kind of alternate time zone that felt like a perpetual 3:00am at a mall parking lot. Just so I wouldn’t be out of the job for too long. How very kind of them.” He snarls his eye contact not breaking away from yours, his stare was increasingly becoming harder to bare. “But I had absolutely NOTHING to do expect boil and ruminate new ways of getting my well-deserved payback yet after a while even that grew stale. I grew more and more distant from this reality. They say time flies when you’re a god? Well even THAT was even too long for me. So I just slept. Yes. Slept. Until they popped the lock and sprung me out with their sullen faces and worthless words of forgiveness and broken promises of respect.” He hissed through his teeth. His flames now danced around his elbows and he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes, while a wisp of smoke started traveling to you. You scoot back a bit, but the smoke follows and followed by another they wrap themselves around the legs of your chair and begin slowly scooting you close to him. Your heartbeat was racing, fight or flight instincts kicking in. The mood going on here felt like it was about to take a sour turn.

“So, YEAH. I wanted a heap load of revenge, so?” he continued rubbing his eyes and he rested on the armchair.  “I deserve MORE, I deserve RESPECT, I deserve HAPPINESS! They had it coming to them. Let me be the villain alright, but again, they deserved it and still do.”

The air was now humid. You felt both concerned for him and astonished by his words. But then his tone took a sudden shift.

“But ever since I met you my little lady…” his voice grew huskier and he peaked through his fingers at you with a mischievous smile. His breathing heavy and loud as his chest moved up and down. You pulled your feet up on the chair as you were pulled closer to him. The dragging of the earth beneath the legs of the chair bumping you here and there.

“I’ve found some…pleasure amidst all that unpleasantness…” Your chair pulled right up in front of him, within arms distance and a steam of smoke rose from his lips as he breathed out.

“Now, I thought I was just going to, go on with my plan…” His smoke rises up your chair and playfully dances around your body, wrapping around you, poking your sides.

 “H-Hey, woah there…” you stutter in a tense chuckle  but he gives this no attention. 

“Starting with you , which was to slowly slaughter all the little demi-mortal children of those complete idiots, just slow enough for none of the suspicion to be aimed towards me, just happy little accidents.” He scrunches his nose with a smile while one of his smoke tendrils brush against your face and hook your chin pulling you forward.

You pull back and it dissipates, and he grunts. “Holding a few for security.” He sings and you feel even more nervous and you stand up and try backing away but his smoke tangles you up and pulls you off your feet and…onto his…lap. Your face grows frightenly warm, and it wasn’t coming from him!

Your feet dangle over the armchair and his finger begin to walk their way down your leg on top of your dress. His other hand securing you down in place by the waist. “That was going to be my start, but-” He watches eagerly as he reaches the end of your dress near the bare calf of your leg and his grip tightens on your waist.

“-I thought one night, you know the third time we met, that…I should just, chill out for a bit…enjoy the-” His eyes trail back to your eyes and he bites his lip, sharp fangs poking through, his eyebrows raised and relaxed. “-sweet things. And oh, I was blessed with the sweetest most fascinating thing right before me baby cakes.” You place your hands on his chest and push off him, and right onto your feet. “I didn’t come for this Hades.” you scowl, and he smirks as he rises from his chair, following every step back you made. But your blushing. Why were you blushing. Why had you felt sorry for him? Why did you feel sorry but still angry at him?!

“Come on, you should be glad! You changed something in me, redirected my whole plan and don’t think I can’t see it in your eyes~” he sings as he holds out and hand, but you refuse and continue backing up “You see nothing.” You jeer and he only swoons and holds out his arms to you theatrically. “Come to the Underworld with me doll, we meet only briefly, but every time its like paradise!” You stop only for a second and he pulls you into him by the lower back, he looks down at you with such lust you could barely stand it. “I don’t. I cant-”

“Then why beseech me In the first place?” his voice grew cold and the air around you grew thick.

“I wanted to tell you..” his eyes squint as he awaits your words “That despite whatever we may have shared previous to today. That I wasn’t interested in any type of “adventure” with you, despite how much you’ve asked me!”

His face scowls for only a second but then bounces back to a small grin and he lets you go.

“Fine. Understood. Then I have no business here then hmm?” He walks past you towards the offerings you left to summon him. “Pomegranate? Ah, so cliché…but appreciate the offer.”

“Wait, your…you’re not going to do anything to me? Especially after spilling all your plans?” you say this and then automatically feel regretful.

He stops and turns his head to you still smiling, rather eerily. “No. Matter of fact. Because first of all. Not my plans anymore and second.” He turns around, his hands behind his back, “I trust you won’t go telling everyone.” Your breathing slows “I have a feeling, that…you wouldn’t want me getting into any trouble with the other gods, especially your father…” he chuckles as he runs a hand through his blue flames. “I have a feeling that, you’ve started to acknowledge the feeling of that figurative heart-shaped arrow in your spine sweetheart.”  

He breathes in deeply and closes his eyes before opening them lazily “and I’m willing to wait even longer until you admit itm and when that time comes. Then you will come with me and we will…explore something beautiful…” his voice is so deep and seductive and you feel angry at yourself for thinking so, “ See ya later toots.” The blank smoke surrounded him and he was gone.

_______________________________________________________________________

(back to the present)

“It was a lot to handle all at once”.

You say softly to Aphrodite with a weak smile. “But I kept on seeing him after that and tonight, I’ve found that I really can’t deny these feelings any longer.”

You let out an angry exhale and look at the ceiling.

“I know that he isn’t…the best…I just can’t ignore him for some reason, he keeps pulling me in!” you say, smiling nervously as you did.

“Aww dear…I understand. Mortals and Gods alike all tend to fall for the “bad boys” she air quotes.  “But this isn’t no boy.” She snaps her finger.  “He’s not just bad. He’s lousy, abominable, beastly!” She points to you with a smirk “and not in that way sister, I sensed that little emotion of yours…” You blush and look at the door for a moment, hearing occasional shouts and something crashing. She clicks her tongue, “Honey eyes back here. Forget whatever’s going on out there…” She saunters up to you gesturing to one chair and it moves behind her and she sits down so that she can easily talk to you.  Listen to me.” She leans over and holds your hands in hers. “I’m just…”  she lets out a deep breath before gazing into your eyes in silence for a few moments. “Tell me…why you like him.”

You looked into the mirror across from you, studying your own reflection.

“I know, he isn’t a hundred percent a good guy, I’ve heard.” You look her in the eyes with a playful grin.  “Especially from Hercules and practically every other god I’ve ever came across.” You close your eyes and mock a swoon, and this makes Aphrodite roll her eyes in a quivering grin.

“But I can’t stop these feelings! Its maddening! Whenever we talk, I find myself blushing inside. It’s annoying, there’s obviously some part of him I like!” “I- I know he isn’t an image of an angelic being, but I don’t feel as if he’s all bad either, I feel that he’s misunderstood and could change in some way, and that doesn’t make up for his bad actions.” You look back into Aphrodite’s eyes in a pleading way. “But when we talk...I find myself noticing parts of him that are…attractive.”

“Like what sweetheart? I need to know, what.” She says with sass in her voice.

You lean your head back and laugh restlessly looking up at the ceiling.

“Like yes, by the Gods, he’s narcissistic and just woah, so much to handle. I mean, he isn’t the god of death thanks to his love of mortal life…but there are times when he’s bearable! He does things that don’t have some kind of ulterior motive! Just pure raw self. I see that he isn’t completely what this world has labeled him to be.” You look back at Aphrodite and she looks at you with an eyebrow raised.

“Yes. He’s constantly suggesting I let him carry me off into the Underworld to what I presume to be his bedroom-” Aphrodite’s gaze grew fiery and she glinted at the door biting her lip angrily before shaking her head calming herself down.

“-but Gods he is just so charismatic and hilarious! and not 100% vile. I feel that there is a part of him that keeps escaping that’s likable and caring, I can’t stop myself from thinking about him.”

She lets out a soft sigh and leans back in her chair.

“Ok. I see there is no convincing you and I understand the whole charismatic thing. However, that’s his talent. You don’t know half of the trouble he caused with that sharp tongue and quick wit young lady. You need to be careful; I don’t want him to be using you for something, playing around with your little heart.” You felt her hands squeeze your hands before they let go and you open your eyes to look at her.  

“He’s not a project you should be trying to fix, so let’s make that clear first of all.” She lets out a soft sigh “But I don’t think I can stop you from pursuing what I’m picking up on. So, just be careful and if he does anything to hurt you emotionally or physically. Let me know and I’ll come down and kick his ass with Artemis.” She stands and pulls you up with her.  

“Let’s go back to the Masculine Murder Show and stop your daddy and your dark knight from shredding apart this party.”

You both head to the door when she stops abruptly and turns to you.

“Just before we go, what exactly do you like about Hades…physically. If you don’t mind me asking.” You stare at the door with wide eyes refusing to look at her while laughing timidly.

“Um. I- uh…I…a few things…”

“Ok. Never mind, I’m picking up on something, you don’t have to say it. I’m just- woah, Still absolutely concerned with your wellbeing but kust don’t be afraid to say no, yada-yada, let’s hit it.” she clasps the doorknob, and you both head out the door.

The party surprisingly has calmed down. You spot Artemis near the stage and you walk up to her Aphrodite at your side. “Where is my father?” you say with a nervous titter in your voice.

She snickers and points to the open patio near the doorway. The squirrels supported up on her shoulders running back and forth across her arm and snuggling themselves around her neck. “Be careful doll, they had a mighty loud tussle and just moved it outside, not sure what to expect for a little mortal girl like youse.”

“Thanks Artemis” Aphrodite says before she guides you towards the patio decorated with purple silk flowing in the wind. You hear the noises of Zeus loud voice accompanied by Poseidon bellowing and Hades’s shout.  

You walk out onto the balcony and see the three brothers. You watch the figure of Hades as his black robe tosses in the winds that were now steadily increasing the more Zeus had a chance to shout. Your father had Hades pressed against the balcony railing, pointing his Trident on his neck. As Hades grabbed the Trident and was forcing it away from him in a flaming fury.

You clear throat and they all become silent; Aphrodite is no longer by your side but awaits just pass the balcony door nodding at you before walking away in order to give you privacy. Your father releases Hades and bounced towards you with a wide smile tossing his arm around you holding you so close to him you can hear his heavy breathing.

“Sweetheart I think it's about time we should go.”

You gently pry your father's grip that smelled of sea water and walk between the three gods. Hades eyes you with an inquisitively silent interest. You lock eyes with him, and his eyes don't break away from yours instead he grins and waves a few fingers at you in a titillating way and shrugs mouthing “what?” to Zeus when he stares him down. Who then stops glaring at Hades and comes up to you with an uneasy grin.

“Now come on inside, you two don't have to leave. I'll keep our younger brother in check he won't pester young (y/n) anymore Poseidon, will you Hades?”

“Again. Not pestering~.” Hades moves closer to you but stops abruptly and sucks air through his teeth as he changes his direction towards your father.

“Anyway, like I keep saying if you guys can actually get off your high seahorses and listen to me.” He looks around the room, noticing its completely silent he nods his head with a wide sharp tooth grin “Good thank you. Appreciate it.” His fingers press together occasionally lifting and pressing back together in a rhythmic way.

“I think, I had enough of this party anyway so I’m gonna to head out…no need to dip and dive the little princess back home...to her little pond” you flinch as he starts heading towards the balcony entrance.

“I think that would be wise Hades.” Zeus mumbles as he and Poseidon watch him head towards the entrance. You turn to the doorway and watch as he pauses just before entering the room to turn his head to you with a sly smile on his face raising a hand to his chin in a mock of a phone.

“Call me babe if you ever feel like talking. I’ll make room for you.” Poseidon’s face grows furrowed and he aims his triton towards Hades but before it could zap him, Hades left the place he stood In magnificent blue flames, disappearing completely,  leaving scorched marks on the stone floor and lighting one of the silk drapes on fire that was quickly extinguished by your father.

Yet the party still continued as planned, your father was instantly more protective of you and refused you to leave his side except when he and Zeus asked you to depart as they talked on the balcony for a few minutes, joined by Aphrodite. During this time, you went back inside, shrinking at the stares intended for you before surprised by a worried Hercules who was asking about the situation.

You explained to him Hades started chatting you up and your father didn’t agree so it resulted with a fight that caused Hades to leave. Hercules scowled back and looked out towards the balcony, “Good riddance, he shouldn’t have even showed  his face after what he did to me and the Gods involving the Titans”.

You hear your fathers voice call to you almost telepathically and you finish up your conversation with Hercules and make your way outside on the balcony. Zeus has a soft smile on his face and Aphrodite looks exhausted. Your father steps forward and looks at you with loving glistening blue eyes and gills that shined in the moonlight.

“I think it’s time for us to go dear. I should send you back home to your mortal parent(s) before it gets too late.”

_______________________________________________________________________

And so, your taken back home to a nice house in a small little town with a stream running behind it. Along with the thick forest just outside your backyard. Littered with steep hills.

You sat watching the river peak past the trees of the forest edge. You stand up from ground and head towards this familiar stream, the first form of communication you ever had with your father, and before that, a calming river that you loved to play near and in. You walk barefoot in the warm tickling grass, your swaying silk pants imported from Agrabah, flittering in the wind.

The closer you get to the water, the louder the sound of it running down the small steep is. Your feet occasionally touch dusty dirt that covers the bottom of your toes. Near the river is some muddy soft ground and when you reach this dirt you stand overlooking the dark blue waters only illuminated by moonlight. You find a large bolder to your right and sit down brushing off the bottoms of your feet against the stone and look up at the starlit sky before taking a deep breath.

“Hey…Hades?”

You wait and listen to the warm winds hitting your face. You look into the trees which lose the light from the sky and become darker and more foreboding. You can’t tear your eyes from it, however. The darkness was calling you, but you dare not move into it. You were afraid, yet it still called. Two eyes, bright yellow move from behind a tree. Your heartbeat jolts. You clutch the rock and begin to stand up to appear larger. You watched the eyes come closer, the dark black pupils coming into view, losing their yellow illumination as they reached the light.

The smoke curling first into the light, its shadow dancing against the trees behind it. His fingers pressed together, his smile closed and broad. His eyes so carefree and entertained by what he saw, which was you.

He hovered to the water’s edge on the other side of the small river but didn’t stop. He kept moving, across the water, just above it. This movement was eerie, but he made it seem so natural. “You called?” His voice sang, making you shiver.

“I mean, dang.  Your reception was loud and clear even down under.” He points to the ground  “That sweet little voice of yours calling out to me Ooo!~ Such a treat after such terrible treatment at that little party earlier.” his voice, smooth and as snarky as ever.

When he reached your rock, even though you stood over him, he simply used his smoke to rise gently off the ground to meet you eye to eye. He raises an eyebrow and holds out his clawed hand opening his mouth in a smile flashing the row of sharp teeth just behind his lips.

His eyes lose their friskiness and look into your eyes with a surprisingly soft gaze. How he could make you so calm despite his appearance astonished you. But you place your hand in his, hesitating just before placing it down. However, he moves his hand up and closes his fingers around yours before you could have even thought to move your hand away. He pulls you off the rock and onto the smoke which now curled beneath your feet hovering you off the ground.

You watched the ground beneath the translucent dark grey smog, and he pulls you into his chest and let’s go of your hand causing you to fall into him. You use your hands to stop from completely slamming into him but catch yourself staring at the fabric of his robe, and the menacing silver skull pin on his chest. His hands find their way to the middle of your back and you push off him now noticing that you two were floating back to the middle of the river. He begins to chuckle and takes one of his hands off your back and props your chin up to his face with a calm expression.

“Woah talk about whisking me off my feet…” you say with a nervous laugh.

His eyebrows raise with an amused look on his face. He takes his hand and slides its down your arm back to your hand raising it up and mocking a little dance number as you two slowly spin in the middle of the river as he hums and guides you around in the air.

“Heh- I tend to do that sweetheart. You should see the monster gals down out west, they practically “claw” for my attention. I mean come on. Look at me.” He bats his eyes and raises a hand to his face gesturing his jaw line while giving you an attempt at a dashing grin.

You find a laugh escaping your mouth. “Yeah, handsome. I see…” you say as you watch him look at your smile with lazy love-stricken eyes. You then take your finger and place it under his chin so that he looks back into your eyes, and he practically swoons.

Abruptly his smile grows, and he spins you around quite fast causing your hair to whip. The smoke on the bottom of your feet expanding beneath you two. The ends of the smoke flickering up towards the sky like tentacles moving up and around you both in a circle, rising steadily higher. Which you find this a little bit unsettling. You focus your observation back at him and he pulls your hand in close to his chest lowering his hand on your back a bit more, making you jittery.

“They do have a beasty appetite in all aspects…” you say with a grin and tighten your hand over his, this surprises him, and he starts stuttering softly but you hush him, and he just becomes quiet. “I’m sure they would just love to get a taste of you if they could. Even I have a “deadly” appetite myself.”  He lets out a low purring sound and spins you around again and leans in close to your face

“Rawwwwrrrrr… but they won’t have a single taste of this hunk right here babe don’t worry about it. This bachelor is off the menu~!-”

“-Are you sure?” you give him a pouty grin and lean in close to his ear.

“Because I sure wouldn’t mind having a taste of death...but I need the flavor to be…hot enough to enjoy.”

BOOM his flames bursts from his head traveling down in a flash of red down his back before snapping off and flickering back to a dancing blue. You close your eyes and stagger back as his fingers let go of yours. You fall back, and the smoke rises around you covering your sight before a hand grasps onto yours and stops you from tipping over into the water. “Your always falling for me huh sweetheart…quite literally actually.”

The smoke moves away from your eyes and he slips his hand against your back and pulls you in close to his face. The smell of smoke coming from a campfire filling the air, a steady small stream of smoke coming from his nostrils with tiny wispy hearts made of smoke

following it. A crazy enamored look on his face. Your eyes are locked on each other and your clutching onto his chest tightly. “Kiss me doll.” He says in a deep whisper, but before you had the chance to reply, he picks you up and dips you on his other side before tilting his head and pressing his lips against yours fitting them, oh so perfectly, and hungrily as he held you against him so tight it was getting difficult to breathe. The smoke of his nose coming out of his face His fire burning brightly from the top of his head. The smoke around his feet that started traveling up around you both in a circle, raising towards the moon before shutting tight and unexpectantly blotting out the moonlight. The smoke twisted around you both until a wave of energy traveled through you and all you saw was absolute darkness.

The smoke bursts away and you take a deep gasp in as you pull away from his following lips. Your eyes squinting at the damp light that now surrounded you, the stale and hot air flowing into your nostrils as you blink rapidly as your eyes tear up. Your held by the waist and your arm. His laughter starting to grow louder as it rumbled from his throat. Your eyes begin to clear, and you see weird glowing water illuminating off the cliff you were standing on.

“Wh-what?”

“Welcome to the Underworld baby, 500,000,000,000 annnnd counting!” he croons as he swings you around in a circle just over the cliff, you turn your head and look down and watch weird translucent figures floating on top of each other, in a never-ending circle towards the ending at the bottom of the pool. Which was as bright as the sun but softer on the eyes.

Your raised once more and turn your head to the smiling, sharp cheek boned face of a God who brings a sense of adrenaline and uneasiness that can’t seem to make up their mind.

His eyebrows wiggle as he wraps a finger around a strand of your hair.

“And my humble eheh. Abode…I brought you down here to witness my glorious domain…But in order to keep you comfortable little queen of mine, I’ve got your room already made for you. Which is, heh. Mine.”

“Queen?!”

He pinches cheek “Bingo! Then he leans forward, his lips just against your earlobe.

“That kiss we shared, signifies that you’re ready to be with me baby and if you’re with me. I wanted to make sure you were comfortable in this little world of mine…” he pulls away and gives you a little air kiss as he gestures to the rocky ceiling full of stalactites (mites?) You raise an eyebrow, but it falls as his surprisingly cold breath trails down your neck and he snickers and plants a series of lingering Gomez kisses from your earlobe down your neck.

You squirm and he only follows with you, before you place a hand on his neck, just below the roaring fire on his head. And he purrs as you push him on your skin “Aye che mama.” He leaves a kiss below your jawline, “You.” 

He unexpectedly presses something wet and dripping against your collarbone sliding it  behind your ear and you flinch away from him to see him sliding his tongue back into mouth while snickering, his shoulders bouncing as he let you go and you staggered back as you watched him wipe something from his forehead and smooth back his flames so that they stayed slicked for only a moment before flickering back to normal.

“Taste good. Might I say. I mean, wow your lips are divine. Your flesh, oh how I never thought id say this. But, isn’t something id prefer to be cold.” he finishes as he puffs up his chest and slides behind you, letting his fingers rest on your shoulders.

“D-did you just?”  

He shrugs and looks at the ceiling as if he was innocent, but you take your mind off what just happened and turn around to look down at the pool of … “Souls. Sweetheart.” He’s suddenly at your side. He puts an arm around your body, dancing his fingers on your sides. “All dead, all gone. All controlled by me, this is the River Styx babe. You like rivers right well…don’t go dipping any toes in this one. Might lose it.” He turns towards you biting his lip in a fretful way “And much more hon, zaps your life away, plus the souls in there are…rather clingily as you know.” His fretful face turns annoyed as he looks into the water kicking a stone into it, you both watch and hear the souls wail as the water ripples and the stone crumbles into nothing. “And I would know, ha for sure. Those wailing idiots dragged me towards the bottom of this damn lake. Keeping me there for a while after Hercules knocked my light out.” he squirmed and pulled you in close “By the way. Hercules? EHH.” He mocks a buzzer noise. “No more hanging around him, get it?” He squints his eyes with a thin grin. “Bad crowd.” He takes his hand and smooshes your cheeks together shaking your head entirely. “I don’t want him to influence my snooky-wookums.”

“Ok. Alright. This is moving too fast.” You say as he releases your cheeks.

“Fast, fast?” he whimpers as he turns you around to face him.

“Baby, Sweetheart~” You hold up a finger and look him in the eyes and he surprisingly shut’s up.

“Um. First of all, queen of the underworld no. I’m not becoming your Queen Hades…”

“mmm…not yet.” He mutters before you shush him, and he rolls his eyes.

“Yes, I’ve fallen for you…” He chuckles and walks two sharp fingers gently against your arm up to your shoulder.

“The perfect decision love. I’ll make sure to treat you right babe. You’ve got me wrapped around your finger-“

“Hades.”

“Yes listening, listening…don’t worry. I’ll get better at it. Promise. Continue~”

“Second, I have the feeling that you want me to…move in.”

“Yes.”

“Like, now.”

“and forever~” he grins.

“No.”

“Comeeeeeonnnn Babe. This place is perfect for you. Anyway-“

He turns around and you do as well as his hand is still lovely on your shoulder.

He leans his face to yours and blows a smoke heart in your face while keeping his face close to yours as he speaks, occasionally pinching your clothing, brushing off your shoulders and playing with your hair.

“-I can’t have you being all, up top frolicking around on the grass, sniffing flowers feeling that sweet sweet sun Aries pulls through that blue beautiful sky…and oh what is this?”

He takes his hand from around your shoulder and slams his fist into his open palm. “BAM! KAPOWEE!!... Or even worse” he moves in front of you making you stop creating some smoke that surrounded his mouth looking like your fathers’ beard. “You are coming with me and I’m refusing you to see Hades again, and Bam. “He flicks his hand and a small cage manifests in the air before he waves it away. “You see. I…heh…I have a lot of enemies…” He rests both his hands on your shoulders and leans forward. “Gods ,Demi-Gods, Mortals, you name it. Now, not that I can’t handle them…if anyone would dare threaten you well. I’m not the god of death for nothing but- I can’t risk you-you getting all caught up in that capiche. I like having you around get it?” he grits his teeth t the last part. “So, literally. I’m Going To Keep You Around.” He looks about and points to the ground “Got it?” you open your mouth  to protest but he interrupts, “ALLLRIGHHHHTTTT!!” he finger guns you before taking your hand and pulling you into him, except when you got close once again you were covered in smoke which dispersed In a nanosecond.  You both were standing in this darkly lit dining room with a long dining table a sharp looking fireplace and a chandelier carved out from the ceiling above with eerie green flames.

[thesquireofcheddar]

To exalt, enthrone, establish and defend, To welcome home mankind's mysterious friend Wine, true begetter of all arts that be; Wine, privilege of the completely free; Wine the recorder; wine the sagely strong; Wine, bright avenger of sly-dealing wrong, Awake, Ausonian Muse, and sing the vineyard song!

Sing how the Charioteer from Asia came, And on his front the little dancing flame Which marked the God-head. Sing the Panther-team, The gilded Thrysus twirling, and the gleam Of cymbals through the darkness. Sing the drums. He comes; the young renewer of Hellas comes! The Seas await him. Those Aegean Seas Roll from the dawning, ponderous, ill at ease, In lifts of lead, whose cresting hardly breaks To ghostly foam, when suddenly there awakes A mountain glory inland. All the skies Are luminous; and amid the sea bird cries The mariner hears a morning breeze arise. Then goes the Pageant forward. The sea-way Silvers the feet of that august array Trailing above the waters, through the airs; And as they pass a wind before them bears The quickening word, the influence magical. The Islands have received it, marble-tall; The long shores of the mainland. Something fills The warm Euboean combes, the sacred hills Of Aulis and of Argos. Still they move Touching the City walls, the Temple grove, Till, far upon the horizon-glint, a gleam Of light, of trembling light, revealed they seem Turned to a cloud, but to a cloud that shines, And everywhere as they pass, the Vines! The Vines! The Vines, the conquering Vines! And the Vine breaths Her savour through the upland, empty heaths Of treeless wastes; the Vines have come to where The dark Pelasgian steep defends the lair Of the wolf's hiding; to the empty fields By Aufidus, the dry campaign that yields No harvest for the husbandman, but now Shall bear a nobler foison than the plough; To where, festooned along the tall elm trees, Tendrils are mirrored in Tyrrhenian seas; To where the South awaits them; even to where Stark, African informed of burning air, Upturned to Heaven the broad Hipponian plain Extends luxurious and invites the main. Guelma's a mother: barren Thaspsa breeds; And northward in the valleys, next the meads That sleep by misty river banks, the Vines Have struck to spread below the solemn pines. The Vines are on the roof-trees. All the Shrines And Homes of men are consecrate with Vines.

And now the task of that triumphant day Has reached to victory. In the reddening ray With all his train, from hard Iberian lands Fulfilled, apparent, that Creator stands Halted on Atlas. Far Beneath him, far, The strength of Ocean darkening and the star Beyond all shores. There is a silence made. It glorifies: and the gigantic shade Of Hercules adores him from the West. Dead Lucre: burnt Ambition: Wine is best.

But what are these that from the outer murk Of dense mephitic vapours creeping lurk To breathe foul airs from that corrupted well Which oozes slime along the floor of Hell? These are the stricken palsied brood of sin In whose vile veins, poor, poisonous and thin, Decoctions of embittered hatreds crawl: These are the Water-Drinkers, cursed all! On what gin-sodden Hags, what flaccid sires Bred these White Slugs from what exhaust desires? In what close prison's horror were their wiles Watched by what tyrant power with evil smiles; Or in what caverns, blocked from grace and air Received they, then, the mandates of despair? What! Must our race, our tragic race, that roam All exiled from our first, and final, home: That in one moment of temptation lost Our heritage, and now wander, hunger-tost Beyond the Gates (still speaking with our eyes For ever of remembered Paradise), Must we with every gift accepted, still, With every joy, receive attendant ill? Must some lewd evil follow all our good And muttering dog our brief beatitude?

A primal doom, inexorable, wise, Permitted, ordered, even these to rise. Even in the shadow of so bright a Lord Must swarm and propagate the filthy horde Debased, accursed I say, abhorrent and abhorred. Accursed and curse-bestowing. For whosoe'er Shall suffer their contagion, everywhere Falls from the estate of man and finds his end To the mere beverage of the beast condemned. For such as these in vain the Rhine has rolled Imperial centuries by hills of gold; For such as these the flashing Rhone shall rage In vain its lightning through the Hermitage Or level-browed divine Touraine receive The tribute of her vintages at eve. For such as these Burgundian heats in vain Swell the rich slope or load the empurpled plain. Bootless for such as these the mighty task Of bottling God the Father in a flask And leading all Creation down distilled To one small ardent sphere immensely filled. With memories empty, with experience null, With vapid eye-balls meaningless and dull They pass unblest through the unfruitful light; And when we open the bronze doors of Night, When we in high carousal, we reclined, Spur up to Heaven the still ascending mind, Pass with the all inspiring, to and fro, The torch of genius and the Muse's glow, They, lifeless, stare at vacancy alone Or plan mean traffic, or repeat their moan. We, when repose demands us, welcomed are In young white arms, like our great Exemplar Who, wearied with creation, takes his rest And sinks to sleep on Ariadne's breast. They through the darkness into darkness press Despised, abandoned and companionless. And when the course of either's sleep has run We leap to life like heralds of the sun; We from the couch in roseate mornings gay Salute as equals the exultant day While they, the unworthy, unrewarded, they The dank despisers of the Vine, arise To watch grey dawns and mourn indifferent skies.

Forget them! Form the Dionysian ring And pulse the ground, and Io, Io, sing.

Father Lenaean, to whom our strength belongs, Our loves, our wars, our laughter and our songs, Remember our inheritance, who praise Your glory in these last unhappy days When beauty sickens and a muddied robe Of baseness fouls the universal globe. Though all the Gods indignant and their train Abandon ruined man, do thou remain! By thee the vesture of our life was made, The Embattled Gate, the lordly Colonnade, The woven fabric's gracious hues, the sound Of trumpets, and the quivering fountain-round, And, indestructible, the Arch, and, high, The Shaft of Stone that stands against the sky, And, last, the guardian-genius of them, Rhyme, Come from beyond the world to conquer time: All these are thine, Lenaean.

By thee do seers the inward light discern; By thee the statue lives, the Gods return; By thee the thunder and the falling foam Of loud Acquoria's torrent call to Rome; Alba rejoices in a thousand springs, Gensano laughs, and Orvieto sings... But, Ah! With Orvieto, with that name Of dark, Eturian, subterranean flame The years dissolve. I am standing in that hour Of majesty Septembral, and the power Which swells the clusters when the nights are still With autumn stars on Orvieto hill.

Had these been mine, Ausonian Muse, to know The large contented oxen heaving slow; To count my sheaves at harvest; so to spend Perfected days in peace until the end; With every evening's dust of gold to hear The bells upon the pasture height, the clear Full horn of herdsmen gathering in the kine To ancient byres in hamlets Appenine, And crown abundant age with generous ease: Had these, Ausonian Muse, had these, had these.....

But since I would not, since I could not stay, Let me remember even in this my day How, when the ephemeral vision's lure is past All, all, must face their Passion at the last

Was there not one that did to Heaven complain How, driving through the midnight and the rain, He struck, the Atlantic seethe and surge before, Wrecked in the North along a lonely shore To make the lights of home and hear his name no more. Was there not one that from a desperate field Rode with no guerdon but a rifted shield; A name disherited; a broken sword; Wounds unrenowned; battle beneath no Lord; Strong blows, but on the void, and toil without reward.

When from the waste of such long labour done I too must leave the grape-ennobling sun And like the vineyard worker take my way Down the long shadows of declining day, Bend on the sombre plain my clouded sight And leave the mountain to the advancing night, Come to the term of all that was mine own With nothingness before me, and alone; Then to what hope of answer shall I turn? Comrade-Commander whom I dared not earn, What said You then to trembling friends and few? "A moment, and I drink it with you new: But in my Father's Kingdom." So, my Friend, Let not Your cup desert me in the end. But when the hour of mine adventure's near Just and benignant, let my youth appear Bearing a Chalice, open, golden, wide, With benediction graven on its side. So touch my dying lip: so bridge that deep: So pledge my waking from the gift of sleep, And, sacramental, raise me the Divine: Strong brother in God and last companion, Wine. Hilaire Belloc

[enixamyram]

Repayment

This is a massive thank you to a sweet and wonderfully kind friend who did something really amazing for me. It’s an OutlawQueen fic with a small bit of Alice attention (and mention of Alice and Robyn - spelt with a Y to save confusing between her and her dad lol). So it’s not my usual story but I enjoyed writing it all the same! And once again MASSIVE BIG HUGE thank you to my friend! She’s awesome!

Summary: After helping to stop Mother Gothel from destroying the world, Zeus remedies a mistake he made many years ago.

  “I can feel you thinking from all the way over here…”

  Zeus looked over just as Hera stepped up beside him, reaching to gently rest her arms around his shoulders. Her soft strawberry blonde hair tickled the side of his face and he could smell all the sweet fragrances that naturally came from her, bringing out an instinctive smile as he looked up at her face. Out of all the women – goddesses and human – that Zeus had spent time with during his long life, Hera was the one who always managed to make him smile, to remind him of the light past the darkness.

  When his brother betrayed them all and he was forced to banish him to the Underworld, it had been Hera who had offered her own strength to help him stand and face the rest of his family. And when their son had been thrown to Earth, forced to prove himself before he could rejoin them, it had, surprisingly, been Hera who offered him comfort and assurance that they would see Hercules again. Even now when she didn’t know what disturbed him, she offered an embrace that lifted the weight only she could see leaning on him.

  “It must be very intense for you to remain so quiet.” Hera noted, running her hand gently over his chest through the material of his white robe. “Speak to me, dear husband. Share your worries.”

  “It’s not worries, exactly.” Zeus admitted, turning back to stare down at the reflection in his water bath. It was like a human bird feeder, only much larger and there were never any kind of animal creatures within sight of its clear surface searching for a drink.

  “Then what is it?” Hera asked. She could have always looked into the water herself, but made a point of respectfully waiting for Zeus to invite her to – despite him telling her many times already that she needn’t wait for that.

  “Gothel. She was defeated.” Zeus explained quietly.

  “Gothel?” Hera blinked. She ached to have a peek but forcibly held herself back, though couldn’t resist tightening her grip on Zeus’ shoulder slightly.

  “Look for yourself.” Zeus said, waving his hand at the water.

  Hera practically threw herself forward, leaning over and looking into the water. Sure enough, it replayed the image of Gothel’s demise at the hands of a group of humans, some of whom were the same humans responsible for Hades demise. The woman had been seconds away from destroying the Earth and taking it over for her own cruel design, crushing everything that all those before her had worked for – Zeus included. Now, she stood in tree form, providing nothing more than shade and a pleasant image for the unsuspecting citizens of the city.

  Irony. Thy name was justice.

  “These humans are proving to be very helpful.” Hera turned and gave Zeus a small cheeky smile. “Perhaps we should promote them to demi-god status.”

  Zeus didn’t smile. He was still too busy in his thought. “They have been a great help. First Hades, my brother, and now Gothel. She may be a great distant relative now, but she’s still a relative.”

  “I was joking, my husband. And I hardly think you can call a great, great, great, niece’s half sister a relative.” Hera noted.

  “Blood is blood. Her blood may have grown thin over time, but she was my responsibility. I should have dealt with her sooner, maybe helped her in her grief after her mother’s murder.” Zeus mused.

  “Dear husband,” Hera sighed, walking back over to re-drape her arms over his shoulders. “You need to stop taking all of this onto yourself. You spend nearly every day balancing the light and dark, fighting to keep the true evils away from all the many worlds bellow. It’s understandable if an occasional trouble gets through. And we’ve seen clearly that the humans can more than take care of themselves! Gothel’s defeat is the best proof of that!” She paused, looking back towards the water.

  “Not quite.” Zeus admitted.

  “What do you mean?” Hera asked.

  “The one to defeat Gothel. Finally, I mean, turning her into a tree. She’s not completely human.” Zeus looked up to his wife. “She’s her daughter. A half breed being, part god and part human.”

  “Oh.” Hera blinked, then shrugged. “Guess we don’t have to worry about making her a demi-god.”

  “But we should repay her.” Zeus said. “She did us a great service, much like Killian Jones before her.”

  “Well she doesn’t have much need for a second life.” Hera shrugged. “Do you have something else in mind?”

  “I’m not sure. The girl is a mystery. From what I’ve seen, she has everything she could wish. Reunited with her father. True love. A home with all her family and friends together. She’s quite content.” Zeus sighed.

  Hera gave a small smile, slapping his shoulder lightly. “You could always… Ask her.”

  Zeus turned sharply and looked at her in shock, causing her to laugh brightly.

  “Oh dear husband. You’ll find humans quite chatty if you give them an invitation.” Hera beamed. “Send the girl a telepathic message, or bring her here even. She’s has god blood in her veins, so that shouldn’t be a problem. And when she’s here, don’t forget to thank her for what she’s done and offer her a drink before plowing into the generous offers.”

*O*U*A*T*

  One minute Alice was brushing her teeth, preparing to head to her bed where Robyn was already waiting for her, the next she felt light headed – but in that pleasant way like she could physically lift off the ground and fly. The lights around her seemed to brighten, and in the time that it took Alice to leave over and rinse her mouth out and straighten up again, the back wall behind her had disappeared, along with the bath, shower and medicine cabinet. Instead, there was a large stretching stairway that seemed to be made of literal clouds with an occasional gold steam stretching down like a handrail beside it.

  Alice’s mouth dropped open, a sliver of water drooling down her chin and dropping into the sink as her eyes widened. She was sure she was hallucinating it all, or that the mirror had fogged up and the reflection creating the very vivid image behind her, when a woman appeared coming down the steps. She was very beautiful but thankfully in a very human looking way. If she hadn’t been, Alice might have bolted out the room and cried for Robyn to get her arrows loaded. Instead, she stayed where she was, still confusingly stunned enough to simply turn around and face the stairs of cloud properly.

  “Alice Jones.” The woman smiled. “I am Hera. I’d like to invite you to talk with my husband.”

  “Your…” Alice blinked.

  “Husband. Yes.” Hera smiled. “You don’t have to come. We’d just like to offer you something in return for your help.”

  “I… Helped…?” Alice repeated.

  “In stopping Gothel.” Hera explained.

  “Oh.” Alice said, still standing shell shocked.

  After a moment that passed with Alice unmoving, Hera stepped slightly to the side and waved her hand. “Dear? Are you coming?”

  Alice blinked and looked towards the door of the other room where Robyn was waiting.

  “It will only take a minute. Your fiance will not even notice your absence, I promise.” Hera explained. “We would invite her with you, but I’m afraid she is physically unable to enter Olympus the way you are.”

  “Olympus?” Alice gaped.

  “Dear? I don’t mean to rush you, but the sooner we talk, the sooner you can retire to your bedroom.” Hera explained, holding out her hand. “Come along.”

  Alice, still feeling light headed and stunned, somehow found the strength to step forward and take the offered hand. She allowed Hera to pull her up, taking her first step onto the cloud. It felt spongy, but no more than an extra thick carpet, and the higher Alice climbed, the warmer the air became with a soft gentle breeze in a very comforting way, with a sweet unidentifiable smell filling her senses. Everything was bright and clear, gleaming with white clouds or golden silk. It made Hera’s bright glittering pink dress stand out and more than once Alice found her eyes turning to gawp at her instead of the heavenly scenery around her. Not that Hera seemed to mind. She simply kept a calm smile on her face, holding Alice’s hand during the entire ascend upwards.

  When they reached the top step, they opened up into a clear space. It was like a white void with occasional pillars standing and stretching as tall as the sky. The floor was as white as the rest of the space, except for a stretch of water like a swimming pool with a series of large chairs lining one side of it. Sitting on one of those chairs was a skinny young man who looked like someone Alice might pass in the street back in Hyperion Heights. Definitely not a great deity, but then neither was his pretty wife, yet she had pulled Alice from her bathroom up a set of stairs made of cloud.

  “Alice.” Zeus stood, walking over to her with a gentle smile. “Thank you for coming.”

  “…” Alice’s mouth was open, but no words formed.

  “I understand this can be quite overwhelming for you. You’ve lived a very human life. So come, sit by the water until you’re ready.” Zeus offered.

  Hera, still holding Alice’s hand, guided her towards the water edge. Without thinking, Alice dropped onto her knees as soon as she was beside it and found herself transfixed, staring straight at the water as her mind caught up with the rest of her. She couldn’t believe this was happening, and at the same time what else could it be if not real. It was then, as she finally settled and felt like she could think clearly, that she noticed there were faded images in the surface of the water.

  Alice frowned, tilting her head slightly before shifting to lean forward on her knees and look down at the images properly. It only took a moment of her concentrating before the images seemed to clear themselves up and she found herself looking down at a picture as clear as if she was in it. And she recognised it immediately.

  She saw Gothel’s tree, standing exactly where she had left it. Only now it was with Regina and Henry making a small fence around its base, putting an old fashion looking plaque up on the white wooden stand. Alice had asked them to do it for her. She didn’t want the tree being cut down by unknown people for whatever reason. A couple of forged paper works and a fake plaque dedicating the park to a unnamed fallen hero meant that at the very least it wouldn’t be taken without proper notice before hand.

  “You have a kind soul, Alice.” Zeus said, moving and taking a seat beside her. “Most people wouldn’t have cared so much for the same person who caused them such great pain in life.”

  “It wasn’t completely her fault.” Alice mumbled. “She had a hard life.”

  Zeus bit back the point that many people had hard lives. Instead he smiled at her softly and nodded his head. “Did you know Gothel is a distant relative of mine?”

  Alice looked up sharply. “No.”

  “Very distant, but a relative none the less.” Zeus had assumed the humans would have guessed at some point. Was it really that surprising that Mother Nature had a connection to the other Gods of legend? “I feel I should have dealt with her sooner but…” Zeus trailed off and sighed.

  “It’s okay.” Alice said instantly. “We handled her.”

  “You handled her.” Zeus noted. “And I’d like to repay you for it.”

  “Repay me?” Alice blinked.

  “You handled something that was my responsibility.” Zeus explained simply. “So is there anything you would like in return?”

  “Well, um… Like what?” Alice asked.

  Zeus and Hera shared a small chuckle. “Anything, dear.” Hera said, moving to crouch on Alice’s other side. “Just name your request.”

  “Uh… I don’t really… Well I don’t want anything.” Alice shrugged.

  “Nothing?” Zeus pressed.

  “Well… No I mean…” Alice hesitated, looking back into the water. “I’m pretty happy with my life now.” She paused, watching her friends finish up. “Could I ask… For something for someone else?”

  “Of course.” Zeus said instantly. “I can achieve anything you can think of.”

  “How about… Bringing back the dead?” Alice asked timidly.

*O*U*A*T*

  While Regina enjoyed her role, and took pride in being Queen, that didn’t mean the tasks didn’t sometimes take their toll on her. Days like today, where she had dozens of people come to her with complaints, most of which were petty and ridiculous, left her feeling tired and weak. She wanted to return to her home, draw a hot bath and soak her aching muscles until she no longer felt like she was going to snap just by standing. Maybe she’d put on a movie or read a nice book before going to bed. If it weren’t so late, she would have called Henry – she always liked having a nice chat and catching up with him. They saw each other plenty but it still felt like not enough since everyone settled into their new routinely lives.

  Walking through the door, Regina was immediately greeted with a delightful smell. It was a hot meal, like a roast freshly cooked and waiting for her. With a slight frown, Regina took off her coat and hung it on the stand beside the door. There were a select few people who had keys to Regina’s home, none of whom were show up and cook dinner without any kind of announcement beforehand. Her sister was too busy with her new husband, her son had to go to bed early each night in order to get up and take his daughter to school, her niece was spending every free second planning for her wedding, and the only people left – Snow and Emma – only used their keys for emergencies.

  Which begged the question; who had broken in to make a meal this late at night?

  Regina, never one afraid of the unknown, strode straight down the hallway to the kitchen. Her heels clicking along the way, warning her intruder of her arrival long before she stepped through the door and onto the tiled floor.

  The kitchen was immaculately cleaned, and yet it had clearly been used. Pots and pans were drying on the side by the sink and there was still a very light trail of stream running along the edges of the window nearly the cooker.

  Regina frowned when something caught her eye. It was the slight flicker of lights. Regina turned, looking towards the dining room where the door was partly ajar. She couldn’t see much from the angle she was at, but she could just about catch sight of a single candle sat on the counter edge in a silver holder.

  Okay, this was getting strange. Regina drifted over to the door and cautiously pushed it open, stepping inside. And was immediately caught off guard once more.

  The whole dining room was lined with candles. They were mismatched with some being tall, some fat, some short and practically useless, in mismatched candle holders of equally different colours and sizes. But there were dozens of them, scattered throughout the room and surrounding the table that sat in the centre on the posh ruby rug. All the chairs had been removed save for two which were settled on the corner as close as they could be to one another. And in front of the two chairs were two thick plates of gorgeous looking food, fresh from the oven and dripping with a shiny glaze that made them look like they were straight from a cooking catalogue. Along with the food, there were two tall glasses of wine sat beside them, shining a bright red shade that reflected the candle light nicely. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

  Regina, both confused and amazed, stepped into the room and walked up to one of the chairs. She touched the back support in dreamily fascination and blinked down at the meal. She reached her hand down and touched one of the silver forks sat by its side, like she was checking that it really was real, and at the same time tried to ignore the way her mouth instantly watered, resisting the urge to gulp like a starved child.

  “M’lady.”

  Regina froze with her fingers trailing halfway down the fork. Her whole body flushed at the sound of that familiar voice and she slowly lifted her head. She almost didn’t want to turn around, afraid it was in her head and she was about to be greeted with the disappointment of nothing. But when she felt a hand on her shoulder, her body nearly collapsed at the touch. Shutting her eyes, she reached up and placed her own fingers over the top of his, stroking the knuckles gently.

  “Take a seat.” He said.

  “No.” Regina whispered.

  He chuckled. “Is there a particular reason as to why not?”

  Regina wet her lips. “Because… If I do then you might disappear.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” He promised.

  Regina, sucking in a breath and preparing for disappointment, turned to face him. But to her amazement, he didn’t disappear, even after his hand let go of her shoulder. “Robin…” She breathed.

  “Hello, Regina.” Robin smiled.

  He looked exactly like he did in the last moment she had seen him. When she had really seen him, not just when she had spoken with him in her dream. Instead, he looked like he did back in that moment right before they confronted Hades. Right down to the soft, loving smile he wore on his face when looking at her.

  “Oh… God… Robin…” Regina gasped, her legs shaking unsteadily.

  “Easy,” Robin said, catching her when he knees gave way and guiding her into the chair.

  “It’s you…” Regina whispered, staring at him as he moved to sit beside her, scooting the chair as close as he could get it.

  “Do you know anyone else with this face?” He grinned.

  Regina raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth to say something about the Wish Realm Robin but stopped herself. That was a conversation for another time. For now she just wanted to take in this moment of him – the real him – being here. Part of her doubt tried to crawl in and tell her to be suspicious of his sudden arrival but she tossed that part aside just as quickly as it came. She knew, instinctively, magically, lovingly, whatever you wanted to call it, that this was her Robin.

  “How?” Regina croaked.

  “Let’s just say… Zeus played a hand in things.” Robin explained, picking up her glass and holding it out to her.

  “Zeus… Oh… Oh…” Regina repeated, still breathless.

  “Here.” Robin held the glass closer to her. “Have a drink.”

  Regina took the glass and brought it to her lips, never taking her eyes off of his face as she did. Only to change her mind a second later. Instead she turned and practically slammed the glass back onto the table. She nearly knocked it over her meal but didn’t care. She was too busy reaching up, grabbing Robin’s jacket and leaning towards him. Robin moved at the same time, placing his hands on her hips and closing the gap until their lips met.

  The kiss was long and intense. They clung onto each other like they were afraid to let go, tightening their holds on each other’s bodies and clothes until they were sure to leave passionate bruises behind but neither cared. They made the moment last for as long as possible until finally they had to break the kiss to take sharp harsh breaths. Regina would have gladly kept going, even if it meant passing out so long as she could pass out in his arms. Instead she settled for leaning into him, still clinging on as she breathed in the natural forest like smell that seemed to have stained his skin, burying her face into the side of his neck and enjoying the way the stubble on his chin scratched her forehead.

  “I can’t believe it.” Regina breathed, lifting her head to look him in the eyes. “This is for real.”

  “It is.” Robin promised, smiling as he reached up and gently stroked a strand of hair from her face.

  “You’re not going to disappear by morning?” Regina whispered.

  Robin took Regina’s hand and pressed a kiss to the back of her fingers. “I will never disappear from your side ever again.”

  Regina nearly burst into tears. Instead she closed the distance again and kissed him once more, trailing the kisses over his face and then onto the hands still holding hers before moving back up to his lips again. She was leaning so close to him that she was practically falling out of her chair and onto his lap. And in return, Robin shifted so he was sat on the edge of his chair, eventually pressing their foreheads together and giving her hands another soft kiss each.

  “Now…” Robin said, smiling at her. “Let’s not let this meal go to waste.”

  Regina shook her head. “Forget the meal.” She grabbed him and pulled him in for another kiss, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and accidentally dragging him onto the floor. But despite hitting the ground surprisingly hard, neither pulled away from each other nor broke their tight embrace. They had been waiting far too long for this moment to even waste a second of it on food.

*O*U*A*T*

  Regina and Robin spent the entire of the next day together in the house, not doing much more than reconnecting, emotionally, mentally and physically. Regina put off all her work and cancelled all the events she had planned, claiming she needed a personal day for a family emergency. And it wasn’t a strict lie if you used certain terms loosely, like ‘family’ and ‘emergency’.

  By the end of the week, Regina had never felt more at peace or content. Being accepted by the town as The Good Queen had been everything she didn’t even know she needed, but that didn’t change the fact that she missed Robin every single day and second he was gone. And finally having him back, after all this time… Even after the first night together when morning rolled around, Regina was afraid that she was going to wake up to find it had all been a wonderful dream, much like it had been before. But when the sun rose and she saw he was still in the bed beside her, it was like a wave of relief and happiness swooping down over and over again. That very morning Regina hadn’t been able to resist waking him with a series of kisses, simply because she couldn’t wait for him to come to on his own.

  “So, how shall we announce your return to everyone?” Regina asked as Robin fed her a small cut of the pancakes they had made together that morning.

  “I imagine a walk down town will do the job nicely.” Robin chuckled.

  “Oh no, we need a big entrance! How about I throw a party? We can rent the town hall and tell everyone it’s a charity event or someone’s birthday or something. And then you step in and surprise everyone!” Regina beamed.

  “Regina,” Robin placed a hand over her wrist. “I don’t need anything flashy or fancy. I just want to go down the street, pick up my daughter and find my son and just be with the people I really care about.”

  During the night, Robin had explained to her that, when he had come back, it was straight into Alice and Robyn’s home. It turned out, his second shot at life was entirely thanks to Alice and he had spent the whole day with the two of them, re-introducing himself to his daughter and formally introducing himself to his soon to be daughter in law. He’d learned as much as he could in a single morning and early afternoon before the girls had pointed him in the direction of Regina’s home. They had also offered to help him set up his romantic dinner but Robin had wanted to do that by himself.

  With all that in mind, Regina realized he hadn’t had a chance to catch up with anyone else. He’d seen his daughter and his soul mate but not his son and Merry Men. No wonder he wanted the chance to have a quiet time with the two of them. In fact Regina found herself smiling and nodding as she thought it over. It had been quite some time since she had Robin back. She forgot that he was much more down to Earth than she was. Of course he would prefer a quiet get together with his close family rather than a big Ball with half a dozen strangers.

  “Are you okay?” Robin asked softly.

  “Yes.” Regina smiled. “I’m just happy to have you back. I have missed you.”

  “Even with my less than regal ways?” Robin chuckled.

  “It’s what I love most about you.” Regina whispered. “And a walk down the street to visit Robyn and Roland sounds perfect.” She fed him a slice of breakfast. “So shall we pick up Robyn on the way?”

  “Well, we can do some planning beforehand.” Robin chuckled. “What say we call Robyn and she and Alice can head down to the Merry Men ahead of us.”

  Regina smiled and nodded. “I’ll get her to tell Roland that I want a day out with my two favourite Hood’s.” She hesitated and her smile stretched. “Or well, my two favourite Junior Hood’s.”

  “Perfect.” Robin agreed, his own grin growing as well. “I can’t wait to see them together.”

  “Oh you’re gonna be so proud. You’ve seen Robyn but not in action. She’s kept up your example better than any of the Merry Men. I mean she’s really lived up to having your name. And Alice is so sweet and talented. Robyn really couldn’t have picked anyone better to settle down with. As for Roland. Oh God, Robin. He’s grown so much. You won’t recognise him but… You are going to be so proud of the strong and brave man he is. They’re both so…” Regina failed for words and just smiled at him. “You’re going to be so proud.”

  Robin chuckled and leaned forward, kissing Regina softly. He could still taste some left over syrup from the pancakes on her lips. “I already am.” He looked deeply into her eyes. “This really is a fresh start, Regina.”

  Regina beamed at him. “The happiest of beginnings.”

[btsfanmomma]

BTS as Disney Heroes

Okay y’all, I know this has been done before, but Disney is just as much a passion of mine is BTS, so I thought I’d try my hand at combining them. 

First, photo credit to BigHit and Dispatch, and Disney Character images to the incomparable Jirka Vinse Jonatan Väätäinen. All other photo manips by yours truly. 

Jin

Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert

Hot takes:

Jin and Flynn rhyme. I kid, but I just realized it when I started typing so it gets a mention.

Handsome is their brand.

But their exterior is nothing compared to their fluffy goodness inside. 

They work hard to be the best in their respective fields, even if Flynn’s is thieving and shenanigans.

Would fight a horse for your affection.

For Jin, I was torn between Prince Naveen and Flynn Rider. Both are handsome and they know it, but where Naveen is all Prince, Flynn is a little rogue and also a little Eugene Fitzherbert. Personally, aside from the visuals, Jin’s standout personality trait is his silly nature and penchant for Dad jokes, no matter how suave he is on the outside. This duality is perfect for Flynn/Eugene. They both appreciate the finer things in life, but not in entitled way, more in a “I know what’s like to go without the finer things and so I appreciate them when I have them” sort of way. Also, ya boy can sing. Also, smolder. 

RM

Milo Thatch

Hot takes:

They have brains and beauty.

They can both rock a tank top. 

Milo becomes the KING of Atlantis, so leadership runs in their veins. 

No judgement would date a woman who is older and more powerful. 

Glasses. That’s it, that’s the hot take.

RM and Milo both have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge (and I have an unquenchable thirst for them). Basically, RM just is Milo? Glasses, tank tops, giant brains and all. Milo is especially adept in languages and anthropology. Every time I see another picture of RM at a museum my choice is reaffirmed. Milo is also characterized by a deep sense of righteousness, expression, and knows how to hype a crowd. I vote Milo for most likely to speak at the UN (about Atlantean rights). 

J-Hope

Prince Phillip

Hot takes:

HOBI IS AN IRL DISNEY PRINCE AND I WILL FIGHT YOU ON THAT AND DIE ON THAT HILL. 

Can sing and dance and woo you in the space of a single song. 

100% capable of both falling off a horse and slaying a dragon, why would you even question that. 

Does not care for your royal traditions and will do as he pleases with a smile on his face and in his heart. 

I have definitely “walked” with Hobi once upon a dream. 

Disney Princes are kind of meh. I mean we build them up to be the male ideal, but mostly they’re kind of whiny and manipulative (I’m looking at you, Prince Eric). Prince Phillip is not your average Disney Prince. He’s okay being royal, but his royalty is second to his own dreams and desires. He was born into royalty and expectations, and he doesn’t whine or complain about it, he embraces it. Both Philip and Hobi are the embodiment of competence and capability. They are strong and soft, hard and delicate. I’ve always loved they way Philip was willing to throw everything away because he fell in love. This is traditionally the woman’s role in a fairy tale, and I feel like Prince Phillip, with his visual and performative duality, is more concerned with being true to himself than being what others think he should be. Also I’d put my money on it that they’re both very talented with their swords.

Suga

Kristoff

Hot takes

GRUMPY GRUMPS that still manage to be beloved by an entire clan of rock trolls. In Suga’s case, ARMY are the rock trolls. Own it.

Masters in their respective crafts (for Suga, this is music, obvs, for Kristoff this is… ice).

Can write songs and play instruments. 

Attracts opposing personalities, who find his innate grumpy stoicism endearing (think Anna, Sven, Olaf). 

Would ride through a blizzard like a valiant, pungent, reindeer king to save you. 

Suga is no fixer-upper, but this one came easily to me. The grumpy act is a front, and really they’re just keeping their cards close to their chest and waiting for the right hand. They’re both incredibly capable. I would 100% trust both of them to help me find my magical sister in a blizzard while climbing up a mountain and running from wolves but only after I’ve earned their respect. Kristoff’s ice-mining skills remind me a lot of Suga’s ability to turn music into gold, but they’re both very humble about it, which speaks to their absolute mastery. And I know I put it in the hot take, but they both absolutely attract happy, bubbly, adoring friends and fans with their stoic personalities.

Jimin

Aladdin

Hot takes:

ABS.

A deep and sometimes melancholy desire to be more than what they seem.

Wherever they are, whatever they are doing, whether that’s scaling the rooftops of Agrabah or training for a KPop band, they put all of their mentality and physicality into it. 

They’re both meant for more than what they started as. 

Did I mention abs?

Every animated Disney movie has an “I want” song. Most of the female characters get amazing “I want” moments (except for Ariel, girl needs to learn how to love herself), but men, even central characters, are often very shallow. Don’t get me wrong, Go the Distance is one of the best “I want” songs in the Disney library, but it doesn’t have half the earnestness and depth or emotionality of the One Jump Ahead Reprise. We all know that Jimin has been the most forthcoming about his struggle with accepting himself and developing his skills as an idol. I feel like no other Disney Hero captures the essence of his “I want” like Aladdin does.

V

Robin Hood

Hot takes:

One is a fox, the other is a literal fox.

Cunning and silly. Misschievous and chivalrous. Basically, duality. 

Willing to put autocratic authority in its place. 

Their smiles are strangely attractive. 

So inspirational that large followings of people are willing to follow them into danger.

Would absolutely steel from the rich and give to the poor when it’s the right thing to do.

This is partially about personality, but also partially about Tae’s sharp and handsome features that absolutely remind me of my weird attraction to Robin Hood. Although anyone’s physical attraction to Tae is definitely not weird because the man is a whole snack. I joke about Tae being chaotic neutral, but there’s no denying he has a deep sense of righteousness. He was willing to call Army out for the weird and sometimes hateful posts on Weverse, and 100% admire that he’s willing to stand-up to bullies. Robin Hood dons an absolutely ridiculous stork costume without blinking even if there are more dignified alternatives, because ultimately life’s about having fun and being weird, even when you’re basically starting a civil war.

Jungkook

Hercules

Hot takes:

The maknea of BTS vs. the maknea of Olympus. 

They both have an ernst, puppy-dog like desire just to Do Good. 

They both have an ernst, puppy-dog like desire to please their hyungs.

Into bodybuilding, but their physical strength is just an outward manifestation of their inner strength. 

Hands down would go to Hades, no questions asked, to save the one(s) he loves. 

This was another no-brainer. Both of these makeneas are ruled by their desire to please their elders, whether that’s Zeus and Phil or RM and Hobi. And really if young, awkward, but completely capable Hercules doesn’t remind you of baby, JK, get out of my house. They both bask in the admiration of their fans, but what’s really important to them is being accepted and loved by their close circle of friends and family. They are both incredibly loyal, almost to a fault, and were destined for greatness.

[coffeelouis]

i don’t really have much of an intro this month! here’s what i read! 

streetwise hercules by @bottomlinsons​ “I said,” Louis’ voice is venomous, “who the fuck is this?”

Right.

This is Harry’s part.

(Uni AU, where Louis pretends to be Harry’s boyfriend to scare away his one night stands.)

On the edge of the next nine years by @forreveries​

“It just hit me,” Harry continued, putting down his phone so he could wring the nerves out of his fingers, shake them too, “This is actually happening.” “Nine years in the making.” “Nine years. Shit,” Harry repeated, as though it was the first time he was hearing this. As though they hadn’t been talking about this moment for the past year, hadn’t been planning it for just that long too, “What if-” “Love,” Louis cut him off. There was no room for what ifs anymore. They’d been told their whole careers to be scared of those words, that if something went wrong - came out - it’d be the end of them. And they’d had nine entire years to learn that those what ifs weren’t worth it.

In which Harry and Louis come out at the Met Gala.

Gold Running Through My Veins by @hazzayoudoing​

Harry can’t help himself when he leers. No one ever said you had to be unaffected by your own teammate’s body. Louis has a great one. He’s compact with muscle, curves in places Harry could only dream to touch one day. They hate each other, on the surface. It’s always been this way. Some ribbing here, some eyebrow raises there. But Harry would be lying if he was forced to admit he’s never thought of Louis in a different way.

“Take a picture, Styles. It’ll last longer,” Louis says as he ambles past with Zayn. His board shorts brush Harry’s shoulder, water droplets cool to the touch.

“Fuck off,” Harry responds. He’s got his part to play.

Or, an Olympic gymnastics AU that finds sworn enemies Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson on the same Olympic team, battling it out for gold medals in Belgium while they fall, quite stubbornly, in love. Featuring a steamy striptease in an empty gym, Harry canoodling with a gymnast from another country, a bit of sight-seeing in gorgeous Belgium and some really delicious waffles.

Make a Dime Go One Hundred by @screwstyles​ “Hey, Haz,” he says, encouraged in equal parts by the weed and the cocoon they seem to have created around themselves. “Do you think you could trust anyone enough to have full control over you?” he asks into the night, hoping his sentence won’t break their bubble. It doesn’t, if the way Harry’s eyes meet his is any indication.

“What do you mean?” Harry’s voice is barely above a whisper, rough from the singing they had done earlier. Louis wants to keep this memory forever.

“You know, if someone wanted to, uhm,” he coughs, “to tie you up, or blindfold you.”

-

Friends to Lovers AU: Harry volunteers to help Louis experiment with bondage. Things don’t go exactly to plan.

blend into my favourite colour by @rainbowninja​

Harry often wonders if they’ll ever meet in real life. And if Harry will recognize Tommo the instant they see each other, like somehow their souls will just know. Or maybe Harry’s soul is shouting “Louis!” too loudly for any other signals to go through.

Harry is a barista with a secret Werewolf High fan blog, a desperate crush on a customer named Louis, and a best friend on Tumblr who always makes him laugh. Louis can’t figure out why the barista at his favorite coffee shop keeps creepily staring at him, and to make matters worse, he may be slightly in love with a friend he met online.

A love square involving two boys, one TV fandom, and one food fight.

One Week, Eight Hours by @daggerinrose​

Louis doesn’t have a reason to hate Harry Styles (which, to be fair, is a reason of its own.)

or: a production assistant with no experience in front of a camera interviews a rockstar with old shoes and a distasteful attitude.

⭐ Emperor’s New Clothes by sunsetmog

The fact that Louis’s most precious belonging was a cat with a face like thunder and an uncanny ability to cover every single inch of Louis’s clothing with cat hair was something that Louis chose not to think about too much.

or: Harry’s a pop star and Louis isn’t, and there’s a non-disclosure agreement where there used to be a relationship.

The Red Coat by @larrymylove​

In which Harry wears a red coat, Louis is a little shit, and Harry has plans for him when he gets home.

I’m Not Over You (But I’m Trying) by @greeneyedlarrie

Louis’ House of Solo photoshoot drops, and Harry forgets how to forget about boys.

We’re Like Bumper Cars by sincehewaseighteen

“I have won, I won the final cross country. I win, Harry–”

“Whoever gets to fucking nationals wins it, pretty boy,” Harry teases. “You haven’t won. Interhouse is nothing compared to nationals, or interstate. You haven’t even won interschool. You can dream all you fucking want that you’ve won.”

Louis becomes so ignorant he decides to no longer eye the boy taunting him. “Trophies prove it all, Styles.”

“Where’s your trophy for biggest asshole?”

“Where’s yours for winning cross country?”

Harry growls before hooking his fingers in Louis’ belt loops and bringing them together for a flat kiss.

Or the AU where Louis and Harry are rivals of the century and Cross Country competitors before things get complicated and they play pretend.

plus i reread some fics!

feel so foolish by @juliusschmidt​

Louis and his friends keep laughing at Harry; he’s sure of it. But he’s not sure why.

deleted your number (so i can’t call you) by @tofiveohfive

Harry wakes up to a voicemail.

It’s Saturday morning and it’s raining, a barely there drizzle. He sees the notification as soon as he picks up his phone from the bedside table, bleary eyes making it hard to distinguish the words. He’s got a few instagram mentions, a couple unread texts, but what really stands out is the “Missed Call and Voicemail”.

From Louis.

Or the ten hours before Harry comes home to Louis, and the five hours after he does.

and finally! a drarry one. that i cheated and listened to a podfic of but it’s so good im gonna rec it anyway!!!

it doesn’t really have a description, or an author, or a link… huh, this worked out weird. anyway, you can find the podfic here or a pdf compiling all the fics by this author here (in a dropbox link.) maya went pro like 10-11 years ago (this fic was started BEFORE deathly hallows came out! there’s some things that are Wrong because the books weren’t OVer! how wild is that?!) and deleted everything, so there’s really just these little things floating around the internet now. which is also why it doesn’t have a summary but the summary is basically just that harry is a veela and attracts everyone to him, except for the one person he wants to attract, which is DRACO his best friend and auror partner whom he has PINED FOR for YEARS but is an oblivious walnut! ugh it’s just the best… so much good pining but self-aware harry, which is such a rare treat.

and a check, please! one! (#wild)

one day (we’ll get this right) by onawingandaswear

Fifteen years ago, Jack was traded to Winnipeg for a first round draft pick; a move that cost him far more than the ‘A’ on his sweater when the distance proved too much for his partner to handle.

Now, Jack is two years into his new job as the Schooner’s Assistant General Manager when a chance encounter offers Jack a chance to rebuild the life he was always meant to have with Eric Bittle.

Prompt: Jack and Bitty were never quite able to make a relationship work. They reconnect in their 40s.

anyway, i’ll stop rambling now. hope you had a nice may!

[officially-tonynat-shrine]

Something Just Like This (Tony Stark x Pepper Potts)

A/N: Ok, so um, hey it's me. Back again. Lol, can't believe it. I hope this is how a song fic is done otherwise @wlwmelon whom I was secret santa for (tru disappointment I am) would be even more disappointed in moi. I feel so fucking bad that I didn't post this on 25th? I hope you like it!! I'm sorry @wlwmelon ily you're the best😭💛💖💌

Also, the song was originally @shamelessbookaddict yelling how 'Something Just Like This' by Coldplay is definitely a Pepperony song. So ily hoe, your idea gave birth to this fic💟💟. Also, I have chosen to write Morgan as a girl because after @stardustandbucky suggested, I read some posts on them and majority were as a girl. does that make sense?

Pairing: Tony x Pepper// Words: 1.3k approx.

Summary: Tony reminisces happily on one Christmas evening.

••••••

I’ve been reading books of old

The legends and the myths

Achilles and his gold

Hercules and his gifts

"Morgan! Stop running around with your presents!"

It was not utter chaos. No, he wouldn't say that. Peter and Harley were not there yet so the infamous troublesome trifecta was incomplete. That meant less chaos. Or as Pepper liked to say, "It's like the calm before the storm, Tones. They hadn't seen shit until they had seen all the three in the same room."

The day the Avengers had experienced Peter, Harley and Morgan together was the day they decided to finally lay off of Tony for his instant dad instincts mode. That would probably be the reason why someone was yet to comment on Anthony Edward Stark running around the common room of the Avengers Facility trying to dissuade his daughter from using the 'robot building kit'- as Steve called it- without him being in close vicinity and able to help.

"Morgan Stark, listen to your Dad, sweetheart."

Spider-Man’s control

And Batman with his fists

And clearly I don’t see myself upon that list

"Pepper." He sighed, "I thought you might take forever to change out of your dress."

She laughed and crossed the length of the room to reach him. Falling into his arms - maybe Pete was right. We are pieces of a puzzle, Tony thought- she kissed him before shifting her attention to her daughter. Tony watched warmly as Pepper talked with Morgan and eventually mothering over all the Avengers too.

A hand patted his shoulder and he turned around to see Natasha standing right beside him, arms crossed across her chest and a rare smile gracing her face.

"Merry Christmas, Stark."

"Merry Christmas, Agent Romanoff."

As Natasha wandered into the familiar crowd, Tony's mind wandered.

But she said where d’you wanna go?

How much you wanna risk?

I’m not looking for somebody

With some superhuman gifts

He was nervous. Very, very nervous. This was the fifth time he was fiddling with his bowtie. God, he hated them. Why was he wearing it in the first place?

"Tony, stop fidgeting. You're good; better than good."

"Well, then why does it feel that the room is closing in on me? Like that movie with the factions-"

"Tony, you need to stop watching more Sci-Fi movies with Pete."

"But Rhodey it's so much fun to-"

"To mock the movies, yes, Stank. I know." James smirked. He squared his shoulders when he realised that Tony still wasn't convinced.

"Tones, she loves you and you love her-"

"That's what I'm afraid of, Rhodey. Everyone I love has to suffer because of me. And she's had first-hand experiences more times than I can count."

"Yet, here you are," Rhodey interrupted him, "ready to wait for her to walk down the aisle."

"That's what I'm afraid of, Rhodes. What if I keep waiting forever? What if she realised that it's a mistake and-"

"Um, Mr. Stark? Can I say something?"

Tony snapped his head and let out a startled curse when he saw Peter standing behind him.

"Lordie, Pete stop giving me a heart attack will you?!"

"I'm sorry, I'm- I was just- Mr. Captain and the others-"

Tony placed his hands on either of Peter's shoulders "It's okay, kid. It's okay. Relax. What we're you about to tell me?"

"Oh, oh yeah. I was going to say that, well, Ms. Potts has gone through a lot but in the end what mattered to her was the fact that you were safe and she was able to be there for you whenever you needed her. This sounds cliche but you are her rock as she is yours. Besides I really don't think she'd not marry you after that wide smile she gave me five minutes ago when I accidentally called her Mrs. Stark."

"You called her what?"

Rhodey stifled a laugh seeing Peter's face as if he were about to burst into apologies.

"He gave you a whole ass lecture and all you could grasp was that Peter called Pep 'Mrs. Stark'?"

"Alright, kid. You're good to go. Tell the others I'll be there soon. You too, Rhodes. I'll be fine." Tony grunted disregarding his best friend's jab, still in a giddy daze. Rhodey shook his head before heading out, Peter in tow.

Tony let out a low whistle, as his hands fiddled with the bow again. He looked at the mirror, examining himself for a few seconds and softly said, "Mr. Potts sounds better."

Some superhero, some fairytale bliss

Just something I can turn to, somebody I can kiss

I want something just like this, Oh I want something just like this

Everytime Tony hugged Pepper, he felt safe. He felt at home. He could feel her smiling. That tiny exhale that told him thousands of words without even her speaking.

He was just out of surgery. He felt free. As if the curse he was burdened with a few years ago was finally lifted.

"See?", he whispered, "no more hiding. You happy?"

"No more hiding." She echoed. "Happy? Tony, imagine the person you love thinking that they won't be enough. Then, one day, they finally realise that you love them simply because it's you. I mean how can I not love you? A genius idiot who always thinks of others before him. Who was always my pillar of strength, the reason I did not give up. I never saw you as Iron Man. I always only see you as Tony Stark. That stupid man who decided that bringing me strawberries would be an excellent idea."

"It worked though, didn't it?"

Pepper let out an embarrassed laugh before hugging him again.

"I hate strawberries, Tony."

"Meh, it worked."

I’ve been reading books of old

The legends and the myths

The testaments they told

The moon and its eclipse

Superman unrolls

A suit before he lifts

But I’m not the kind of person that it fits

The common room was utter chaos and Tony did not regret a second of it. Peter had finally arrived and Harley and Morgan had been over the moon. It was Barnes' turn to 'babysit' the three of them and Tony had been smiling wickedly since the former's face had chalkened. Every time Barnes looked around, seconds away from bursting a vein Tony had looked at him squared in the eye and mouthed 'suffer'.

To top that, Natasha and Sam were constantly mocking the poor soldier much to Steve's exasperation.

Pepper was standing next to him and he could see her trying not to burst out into laughter at Bucky attempting to handle the trio.

He pulled her closer to him and whispered, "This is the best Christmas ever."

"You're only saying that because Barnes is giving you his 'help me please or I'll kill you' look." She chortled.

"Never denied that, honey."

Where d’you wanna go?

How much you wanna risk?

I’m not looking for somebody

With some superhuman gifts

Some superhero, some fairytale bliss

Just something I can turn to, somebody I can kiss

"Tony?"

He hummed in response. When he did not get an answer, he turned towards his wife. She was already looking at him. Her eyes so radiant that they eclipsed the luminous surroundings; or maybe he was so mesmerised by them that everything else faded into nothingness.

Maybe Natasha and Clint we're right. He was turning into a sap.

He brought his attention back to his wife. She had made herself comfortable in his arms. Legs spread on the couch as she leaned onto him, hand on his side and head on his chest as his arm lazily wrapped itself around her.

"You called?"

She smiled and shook her head.

"Nothing." She let her head fall into his chest again as she listened to his heart beat.

"Hey, Miss. Potts?"

"Yes, Mr. Potts?" She giggled.

He brought her closer, kissing her hair.

"I love you, Pepper."

"I love you too, Anthony Edward Stark. Merry Christmas."

I want something just like this

[princess-cordelias-writingblog]

I Won’t say I’m in love (Stiles x Reader)

A/N: Yooo I was in such a need for Stiles ma’ boy! (you can tell bc this is long af lmao) I’m glad I had this in my drafts, I love him so much?? I wish I had him??

Listen: This masterpiece

Words: 1845

Warnings: pure fluff and Stiles.

Prompts: #83“I can’t believe you don’t like Disney movies.” #92“For some reason, I’m attracted to you.”

Today was a shitty day for sure.

Y/N failed a test, lost her money for lunch, and didn’t see her boyfriend at all.

Y/N was sure the day wasn’t going to get any better, so she sat in the dining room with her books and notebooks, trying to do some homework before something else ruined her day even more.

When she was finishing her essay, there was a knock on the door, and she whined, hoping it wasn’t bad news.

When she opened the door she let out a small squeal, throwing herself into the arms of the person in front of her. Her boyfriend, Stiles.

“Hey, Y/N/N” he chuckled “so I guess you missed me?”

“Yes, of course!” she said, breathing in his scent and sighing “today sucked.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Y/N spent the next hour sharing the information with extreme detail and some sarcastic comments, Stiles listened, nodding and saying “oh, no!” when he felt like he had to, relieved, she sighed and looked at the boy with a small smile.

“But I have to say” Y/N added, “That my day has gotten a lot better now you’re here.”

“Always a pleasure, babe” Stiles smirked, then he stood up “I was thinking, now that I’m here and considering that I didn’t see you at school -and that was a tragedy, to be honest- would you like to watch some movies or something?”

“Sure!” Y/N left her chair in the kitchen and walked with him to the living room, where she turned on the TV and threw him a blanket.

“Wait!” he said, “don’t you want food?”

“I’d love popcorn” she admitted “I’ll bring it”

“Let me” he walked out of the room and straight to the kitchen “where do you have it?”

“Uh…” Y/N sat on the couch in front of her television, going to Netflix and typing the word “Hercules” with no second thought “I think it’s next to the fridge”

Five minutes after she heard the sound of popcorn being made and felt her stomach empty, the girl decided to help her boyfriend in the kitchen with the drinks, she made her way to the room and watched him for a second, smiling to herself.

He was doing a little dance while waiting for the food to be ready, his back was facing her and she bit her lip to avoid laughing, god, was she in love of that dork.

Oh god, she was in love with Stiles, she truly loved him.

They had been dating for almost a year now, and she knew that there were only two options after that One-year line, they could either break up, or they could fall deeply in love with each other even more, Y/N was hoping it was the latter, she really enjoyed his company.

Stiles and Y/N weren’t really close at first, but they did know each other since they were kids, they were in the same class during middle school and used to hang out sometimes, but then Y/N met Lydia and stopped seeing Stiles as often as before, she missed him but never really thought about him until sophomore year, when Allison and Scott started dating.

She was afraid that maybe Stiles would be mad at her, after all, she kind of abandoned him and Scott, but she was lucky, he wasn’t mad, a bit upset and confused because she left without saying goodbye, but she could tell he was happy to have her back, and so was she.

Almost as if was destiny, they grew closer, she developed strong feelings for the boy, and the day of Stiles’ birthday they finally kissed. 

She always wondered if Stiles had liked her back in that moment or if he was in love with her before, but was too shy to ask. It didn’t matter anyway, they were together and that was the important part.

The only thing that bothered her, was that none had said “I love you” to the other and that honestly scared her. She’d have loved to say that to him anytime, but she was afraid that maybe he couldn’t say it back.

Still, that phrase was constantly in her mind, especially when she was around Stiles.

She shook her head, frowning, “Enough, right now I just want to enjoy his company.” She thought.

“Are you having fun?” she laughed at the way he turned to look at her, wide eyes and open mouth.

“No need to explain, silly boy” Y/N walked closer to him. “I don’t mind, I actually think you look adorable when you dance.”

“Shut up” He groaned “be nice and pass me a bowl”

The girl did as he asked, then grabbed two glasses and looked at him over his shoulder “You want water or soda?”

“Who eats popcorns with water?” he huffed.

“Fine, I was just asking…”

Once the food was ready, Stiles followed his girlfriend to the living room and groaned out loud, not even trying to hide his disappointment.

“Seriously, Y/N? Disney?”

“They’re gold!” she exclaimed, “I can’t believe you don’t like Disney movies.”

“They’re not even accurate!” He complained “take that as an example” he signaled to the TV “Hercules is a demigod, not a god, Hera is not her mother and I’m pretty sure she was the one who wanted him dead.”

“I know that Stiles” she rolled her eyes “and then he goes nuts and kills his children, lovely story.”

“So if you know that, why do you like it?”

“Because it’s part of my childhood, you dumbass” Y/N sat in the middle of the couch, Stiles on her left, “you think a child cares about accuracy?”

“I did” He replied matter-of-factly.

“And that’s the reason I’m your first girlfriend” she teased him.

“First and only” He winked, kissing her cheek “I’m not letting you go”

“Great” she smiled “now be quiet and watch the movie”

Y/N notice that Stiles was doing a huge effort to keep his comments to himself, but every time that a song started -which was quite often- she could almost feel him rolling his eyes and moaning quietly by her side, she appreciated the little sacrifices he made for her happiness.

After a while, she stood up quietly from her seat, Stiles immediately straightened on his place “What are you doing?”

“I have to pee” she frowned “don’t worry I’ll be back in a second”

“Do you want me to pause the movie?”

“No it’s okay, I’ll be quick” she smiled down at him, turning on her heels.

She really tried to be quick, Y/N didn’t want to let Stiles alone for too long because she knew that he would end up falling asleep and she wanted to spend as much time as she possibly could with him.

Y/N got out of the bathroom, she heard her favorite song from the movie and walked a little bit faster.

“Okay, I’m ba-”

“…face it like a grown-up, When ya gonna own up that ya got, got, got it bad!…”

The girl had to cover her mouth with both hands so she wouldn’t laugh at the sight of the boy: Stiles was on the couch, his full attention on the screen and singing, the lying bastard knew the freaking lyrics of the song.

Y/N stared at him amazed by the hidden talent he had, she snorted, not able to hold back her laugh “Oh my god…”

Stiles turned so fast he fell from his seat, he cursed loudly, pausing the movie and standing up, bright red.

“I can explain”

“Sure” she smirked, “So you don’t like Disney, right?”

“I don’t!” He agreed “it’s just- I mean- THAT SONG IS GOOD OK?”

Y/N laughed again, bending over and supporting her weight on the wall “Oh god, why didn’t I have my phone with me?” 

“Great, keep laughing at me, I don’t care” Stiles retorted “I’m just your boyfriend, is not like you have to treat me right or anything”

“Give me a break” she smirked “my day was terrible and you’ve been the highlight of it for sure”

“Unbelievable” he insisted “I’m not the class clown, you know? you should respect me more.”

“Sorry, princess” she joked.

Stiles looked at her with annoyance “You’re a terrible girlfriend, but for some reason, I’m attracted to you.”

“I think it might have to do with the fact that we’re best friends and I’m literally the only person that can stand your sarcasm besides Scott?” she inquired.

“Yeah, that’s very likely” He answered, licking his lips.

“Calm down Stiles, I’m just joking” she walked closer to him, the boy hugged her by the waist.

“I know,” he sighed, smiling “that’s exactly why I love you”

Y/N could’ve sworn that her heart skipped a beat, standing there in the arms of the person that she loved the most, he took her breath away.

“Please, say something before I panic” Stiles said.

Y/N blinked a couple times before she realized that she hadn’t said it back, her heart -that moments ago was completely still- was now pounding against her chest, making her blood run rapidly through her veins.

“Stiles, I love you so much” she leaned towards him, and Stiles kissed her.

Y/N wasn’t sure of what was different this time, but the kiss was so intense and full of passion that made her head spin.

She ran her hands through his silky hair and enjoyed the warmth of his body against hers, they broke the kiss, breathing heavily.

Y/N was unable to open her eyes, drunk with his scent, Stiles looked at her in awe, his mouth slightly open.

“That was…” He whispered in a hoarse voice “perfect”.

She looked up at him, blinking away the blur “Yeah…”

They stood there in silence, memorizing each other faces as if it was their last day together, though they had a feeling that this was just starting.

“We should, uh, go back to the movie” Stiles mumbled.

“Right” Y/N nodded, then she intertwined her fingers with his and walked over to the couch, he sat first, reaching for the remote and unpaused the movie, the girl cuddled against his chest, sighing in content.

“Thank you for coming here, you’re the best.”

“No problem, babe” He kissed the top of her head, hugging her closer “and I didn’t mean what I said before, ya know? you’re not a terrible girlfriend, actually, I truly believe you’re the girl of my dreams”

“I believe that too” She smiled “I mean that I’m the girl of your dreams, but you’re pretty cool too.”

He gasped, pretending to be offended “I take it back.”

“Just kidding!” she chuckled “I love you, Stiles, and I always will, so you better start saving money for the wedding” Y/N joked.

“You’re late babe, I already did” He winked “and trust me, I love you more.”

[sgtbbvrnes]

Soft

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: “you have so many heroes and the world has so many more. let him be soft, and let him be mine.” (x) Words: 1,176 Warnings: language Notes: honestly idk either and this could damn well be about stucky but hey pls read the thing this is based on it’s like my fave thing ever??

You love every part of him with every fibre of your being, but if you had to pick a favourite thing about him: this would be it. 

It’s when he’s asleep, his face relaxed and his soft features make him out to be younger than he really is, without the weight of the world crushed against his chest like he can’t catch a damn breath. 

It’s when the moonlight shines on him and his lips sometimes twitch up into smiles and you thank every God you know of for not torturing him that night, for not forcing him to remember everything he’d done whilst being the marionette that HYDRA had specifically crafted him out to be. 

It’s when he hasn’t got full control of his motor skills, but when you accidentally scoot a little too far away from him, his metal arm—the one that he refuses to touch you with, the one that he stares at in disgust, the one that he has tried to rip apart on his bad days despite knowing that it might kill him—it’ll reach out for you and curl his (metal) pinky finger around yours, like he can’t help but touch you. 

You know he’s a soldier. You know he’s nothing less than a warrior. 

But the minute you call him a hero, his lips will turn downwards into half a snarl and he’ll insist that the last thing he could ever be was a hero. 

I’m no hero, he’d say. Heroes are the ones that people look up to. Steve, Maximoff, Parker, Rhodes, Wilson, even fuckin’ Stark. They’re the heroes. I ain’t one of them. I ain’t a hero. I ain’t ever gonna be a hero.

But you know. 

You know that no matter what he says, no matter what he believes, he is a hero.  The world needs him. It’s already got all these other heroes and martyrs, but you know that the world needs him.

The world needs his heart. 

His heart that loves deeply and fiercely, and will die for the ones that he cares about, and for every other damn person with a heartbeat. 

The world needs his faith. 

His faith that there are still good things in the world, despite all that he has been through, and that he’s not going to give up despite knowing of the evilest of evils. 

The world needs his courage. 

His courage to look the fuckers who’d ruined his goddamn life right in the eye and not tremble. His hands do not shake, and his breath does not waver. His monsters are very real, unlike yours that are faceless demons, and he faces those monsters and looks them in the eye with his heart thundering in his chest, but he never runs away.

The world needs his strength, and his bones, and his teeth, and his blood, and his voice, and his—

The world needs anything and everything that he can give them. And you know that he will not hesitate when they ask him for it. He’ll give and give until he’s nothing but a dust of shattered bones, and even then, he’ll continue giving. 

And by God, you hate it. 

You hate that he’s so self-sacrificial. You hate that people still think he’s the bad guy, when he would give up everything he has—everything he is—without a second thought. You hate that the world asks him for so much, and still thinks him a villain. 

You know damn well that this beautiful boy will be reduced to dust, and there will be nothing left of him, but not once will he second-guess about what he’s giving away. 

Because just like Atlas, he holds the weight of the entire world on his shoulders. 

He doesn’t have much to live for, so he wouldn’t think twice about dying if it meant that every other person got to live. 

He still has you, is the thing. (He always will.) And you know that he loves you. 

You know. 

You can see it in the way he looks at you, his eyes soft and tender and gazing at you like he can’t bear to look away, like he’s memorising every slop and curve of your face because he can’t imagine ever forgetting any of it.

You can feel it in the way he touches you, his fingertips brushing along your skin like he’s afraid if he presses hard enough, you may break. And you’re not one to enjoy being treated like you’re a fragile piece of glass, but when it’s him, you find yourself letting him hold you as gently and softly as he wants to, because maybe it’s him that’s the fragile one, and you’re the one afraid of breaking him. 

You can hear it in the way, when he thinks you’re asleep, he prays. His flesh finger trails down the side of your face, and he prays. He prays that nothing happens to you, he prays that he doesn’t lose you even though he thinks that you “can do so much better than a fuck up like me, but fucking hell, I don’t wanna share, I don’t wanna have to live in a world without—” and he’d cut off like there’s a lump in his throat and he can’t even find it in himself to finish his sentence. 

And come a night like this, where exhaustion has finally taken its toll on him and he’s in a sleep so deep that he has no dreams, you pray, too. 

You have already made an Atlas, you do not need a second. You have already made an Icarus and a Hercules, and a sacrificial lamb of your Son. You have already made so many heroes, and you can make another again. You can have your pick of heroes, and I know that being a hero was what he had been destined for since before my parents were born because he has a heart of gold and the purest blood running through his veins, but please, I beg you—

“He’s all that I have,” you breathe out so softly, your pinky finger tightening around his own and your other hand going up to his mess of a bedhead. “You have so many heroes, and the world has so many more. He’s given enough. You’ve taken enough. So please. Please. Let him be soft, and let him be mine.”

He shifts in his sleep and the moonlight shines a little brighter on his cheekbones and the way his eyelashes flutter against them in his dreamless sleep. 

You shift your body a little closer to his, and you pull him to your chest. Your arms wrap around him and your lips rest on the skin of his forehead, and a single tear drips out of the corner of your eye as you glance up to the ceiling, hoping that you’re being heard. 

“Please... let him be happy,” you mouth against his skin, and he shifts again, wrapping his arms around your middle a little tighter. 

“... I already am.”