#(even though it also makes me think about how lucy at this point still frightens easily)

[xserpx]

Can we just appreciate Lockwood's sassy little pose & the way he bites his lip when Lucy screams at the steam jets?

[littleperilstories]

The Prince of Thieves: Finale II - The Woods

Mood Boards | Chapter Titles | Also on A03! | Playlist | Story Intro

Warnings: being followed, fear of attack/getting jumped

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Word count: 1612 || Approx reading time: 7 mins

Part 2: The Woods

Teaser: Goodness, I truly was a fool to think that the past would never catch up to me. Perhaps deep down, I knew that at some point, some part of my old life would leak into this one—the meeting of Bree and Lucy.

Bree

Sleeping is impossible, and when I rise in the morning, I’m more tired than when I fell into bed. Victoria is still dead to the world, but she won’t be for long. It’s my day off, but not hers, and perhaps any minute now she’ll be up, too, and then I might have to face her questions. I managed to avoid them last night by pretending to be fast asleep when she came up to bed. If she catches me now, though, I won’t be able to escape her interrogation.

And I do not want to talk.

Goodness, I truly was a fool to think that the past would never catch up to me. Perhaps deep down, I knew that at some point, some part of my old life would leak into this one—the meeting of Bree and Lucy.

It just feels so soon.

I know it’s not, not really. It’s been over a year now since I left the city. Long enough that the bitterness of that day, of slipping away in the late-autumn freeze, has faded. I’ve almost managed to forget how piercing the wind felt as I wended through the streets looking for a shawl or a blanket to swipe from somewhere. It’s a distant memory, how frightened I was that someone would look at the fading-but-visible marks on my face and start asking uncomfortable questions. A long, long year since I caught one of the last trains out of town before the snow came, my ticket purchased with stolen money.

Money I took from a man who was eating in this very inn last night.

Fuck.

I throw myself into my whites, making sure to pull on an extra pair of stockings to ward against the cold, then hunt for my heaviest dress, a dark blue woollen one. It’s pretty, but it is the warmth of the wool that I’m after, because I can’t stay in here. Here, where Victoria can ask too many questions; here, where the inner circle of IA and the doctor who betrayed the constabulary might be sleeping as we speak.

And I need to think.

They didn’t see me. Of that, I’m mostly confident. None of them were even looking my way when I fled the room. I’m safe. Surely, I’m safe.

My hands are shaking when I grab my coat and yank it over my arms. I drop my heavy grey shawl twice before I manage to tie it around my shoulders.

Air—that’s all I need. Clean, fresh, biting air. It will wake me up and clear my head and perhaps quieten some of the panicked thoughts that simply will not stop screaming through my mind.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

Son of a bitch.

Stella, the inn’s owner and my boss, is already downstairs, sitting in her favourite spot by the window with her hands wrapped around a hot cider. I can hear Celeste, her friend who helps her with the inn who everyone knows is her lover, rustling around in the kitchen, singing softly to herself. “In vain you tell your parting lover / You wish fair winds may waft him over…”

“Thought you were sick,” Stella says, narrowing her eyes. Her hair is more grey than gold at this point, and sometimes Victoria and I have noticed that she looks a bit like a prune with all her wrinkles, but her mind is sharper than that of possibly anyone else I’ve ever met. She’s going to want answers about why I disappeared during the dinner rush last night, and I don't think she’ll be very gentle in her words at all if she’s not satisfied with the ones I give.

“Alas! what winds can happy prove / That bear me far from what I love?”

I draw a long breath and try to look pathetic. “I… I am. Yes. I am sick. I’m going to see the doctor.”

“You want me to send for him now?” She narrows her eyes. “Fetch him here? Shouldn’t go walking about in the cold if you’re ill.”

“Alas! what dangers on the main / Can equal those that I sustain / From slighted vows and cold disdain?”

“No—No, that’s all right,” I say, trying to not stammer too much, which is hard when her piercing gaze is boring right into me. “I’m feeling a bit better, but I think perhaps I should just…”

Stella looks me up and down with undisguised suspicion. “You better not be in a delicate condition there, little miss Lucy, or you’ll have to go somewhere else.”

“A… A delicate condition?” She stares into my very soul until I finally realize what she means, and when I do, my face burns hot as coals. “No! No, it isn’t that. It can’t be. I promise.”

“I hope for your sake, Lucy,” Stella says, “that you’re telling the truth. Being unmarried but working hard is one thing. Being unmarried and—”

My voice is nothing more than a squeak. “I’m not—”

A clatter interrupts my frantic insisting. “Now, Stella.” It’s Celeste calling, still invisible, from the kitchen, clearly eavesdropping now that she’s done singing. “Leave the poor girl alone and let her get on.”

Bless Celeste and her gentle heart. She’s the less terrifying of the two of them.

“Thank you,” I mumble, heading for the door. “I’ll be back later.”

The cold air, instead of being painful as it sometimes is in the dead of winter, soothes the burning in my cheeks. A delicate condition, indeed. All Victoria and I do is work. When does she think, exactly, I’ve had the time to get myself into a delicate condition?

That was a conversation I never expected to have with my employer, and I pray I will never have it ever again.

Dawn breaks smoothly and sweetly over the town. I clamber through the snow to the top of the hill, panting a little when I get there but feeling glad I made the climb. By some stroke of luck, I get there just in time to enjoy the sunrise, relishing how it spreads a warm glow over the town’s roofs, turrets, and gables. The dawn promises it will be beautiful today, with a sky clear and blue, a welcome gift after the stormy gloom of yesterday. The morning rays are a balm—somewhat—to my nervous, restless mind.

It isn’t long before my thoughts shove past my sorry attempt to be present in this beautiful winter morning.

He’s here. They’re here.

Up on the hilltop, alone, I can look back on yesterday evening with some small sliver of distance. With no one else around, just me and my memories and my thoughts, I can clasp onto the strange, wiggly feeling that kept me up all night.

Astonishment I felt, yes, but that isn’t what had me tossing and turning.

Terror—that too, but again, it is not terror I’ve captured up here where no one else can see what is surely plain on my face.

No, it’s something else entirely—remarkable, unfamiliar, unbearable, and freakish, let loose after a year of being heaped in a corner gathering dust.

Happiness.

Joy.

They’re here—he’s here—and he’s all right.

He is safe and alive.

I feel a tug on that thread, beckoning me to follow that feeling, coaxing me, telling me to caress that gossamer string so it can show me what thoughts await me at the other end. I do not obey. I’m not ready to face down those thoughts, those feelings.

I don’t think I am, anyway.

Am I?

How long I stand in the snow, it’s difficult to tell, but when my toes begin to go numb, I know it’s time to get moving again. A little regretfully, I say goodbye to the glistening sun that bounces off the town below, then make my way down the hillside again.

I wind my way through the woods, walking slowly and humming Celeste’s song in a feeble attempt to occupy my mind. The closer I get to town, however, the louder my worries grow. What if Will and the others are still there? What if they’re staying at Stella’s inn—my inn? What if the next time we cross paths, I can’t get away from them? What will I say if that happens? Do I want that to happen?

Do I want to see him face to face?

I don’t.

I do.

Would he want to see me?

I…

So deafening are the worries in my head that I notice too late that there are footsteps behind me, crunching through the snow.

Growing faster. Heading right toward me.

Someone’s chasing me.

For a moment, I’m frozen with fear.

Fuck this. I’ve been here before. I have been frightened and helpless. Powerless against stronger arms held against me—my father, that man in the alley, Hatchett, Michaelson. I have been powerless against the fucking world, but I will not be again.

I am not the same girl from that alley, nor the girl I was a year ago.

I spin and leap for my attacker before he can get his hands on me, the element of surprise acting as my other weapon as I sweep my foot against his legs and knock him to the goddamn ground, my blade pressed against his throat.

“If you fucking lay a finger on me, you fucking pervert—”

“Whoa,” Will Wardrew says, his eyes wide. He has the gall to look impressed instead of scared, even though he’s the one flat on the ground with a knife at his neck. “Hey, Bree. Where in hell did you learn to do that?”

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Next time on The Prince of Thieves:

Tagging: @starlit-hopes-and-dreams, @gala1981, @kixngiggles, @whither-wander-whump 💕

[after-witch]

THE SNOW FIC!!!! Okay so first of all I gotta say I was starting to lose hope because I loved Snow as a character in the book not bc hes crush material but bc he was such an absolute dick but knew how not to show it and it was so fun to read about. And the movie just showed his charming side and not so much his dick side until the end and that's really what most fics I found portray Snow as.

But as funny as it sounds THE DICK SIDE IS IMPORTANT!! I soooooo so so loved the fic bc FINALLY someone managed to capture him perfectly 😭😭😭 Thank u for the food!!!

Also sorry this is super long but I legit was so worried when Coryo in your fic showed interest in wanting reader to stay in the Capitol because I thought he was gonna rig the reaping somehow to have her be District 2's tribute and then be her mentor? That sounded like a Coryo move to me like reader has an excuse to stay in the Capitol, Coryo gets to show the world that they are HIS, and he could produce two victors in a row.

So thank god they just got kept as a pet. I mean still sucks for them but it could have gone much worse haha.

Second part of the message:

wait wait diossi I thought I was done, I forgot to add something!! I just really loved the Snow fic!

I loved the part where he mentions they can afford a servant now and then hides the recoil when he realizes he said "now" implying the financial struggle the Snows went through that he hid. I just love love love i, not only to show that he's still as prideful as ever, but that he let his guard down enough around leader to let such a big thing slip!! Coryo would never around other people!! But reader oh they were so nice and sweet and pliant. Doesn't pose any threat to him at all that he let his guard down.

And then recoils and remembers the promise he made himself. That he doesn't need love, he doesn't need a weakness again. So even with this non threatening district girl with no power, he must watch his words and actions. For his own sake.

Such a small detail but I think it was my fave part!!

First off, thank you for such a long thoughtful message, I always always love hearing what people think about fics, certain moments, etc etc, so I am just like. metaphorically pinning this to my fridge. I've re-read it so many times sent you since it in, seriously.

Continuing--Snow in the book is awful, and I agree, I think the movie kept him superficially charming (for the most part) until the end. But I think the book is essential for his character because you do get a lot more of his mindset, which they softened in the movie, particularly with his obsessive/controlling feelings re: Lucy Gray.

"I legit was so worried when Coryo in your fic showed interest in wanting reader to stay in the Capitol because I thought he was gonna rig the reaping somehow to have her be District 2's tribute and then be her mentor? That"

Oh gosh, that'd be awful. Thankfully reader was spared that. I do think he'd, down the line, threaten any siblings/friends/etc she has in District 2 (subtly) to be reaped if reader wasn't behaving. Though, tbh, considering how frightening the threat of being an Avox alone would be, I don't know that he'd have to worry much about reader rebelling.

"I loved the part where he mentions they can afford a servant now and then hides the recoil when he realizes he said "now" implying the financial struggle the Snows went through that he hid."

YEP exactly. He doesn't want to be as open as he was with Lucy Gray, doesn't want to make himself vulnerable. Love is a weakness, and he knows that now. Image is everything, and image must be maintained. Reader knowing that there was a point when he didn't have the financial power, the prestige, the he has now is... not great.

Thank you again for the message!

[giaourtopita]

hi!! i would like to request a mc who has been personally hurt by the brothers' sin. what i mean by that is, for lucifer for example, the mc might have a parent who was too proud to acknowledge their mistakes and hurt mc or for asmo maybe mc had an ex that cheated on them, or for mammon maybe mc's sibling was too greedy so they fought with them over inheritance or something. how would they react knowing this?

it doesn't have to be really angsty or serious or anything but i thought it'd be interesting to see the brothers come to terms with that!

feel free to ignore this btw, but i hope you like writing this if you accept!!❤️❤️🙏🏼

when their sin has hurt them

thank you for requesting, this was a nice way to get my mind off of some things that have been bothering me lately. i used your examples for asmo, luci and mammon, i hope i did this justice! some of these take place early in the story btw. i also did the twins together (and i changed it a little!)

warnings: gn mc, angst, talks of self harm (satan's part) & disordered eating(?)/unhealthy habits (for the twins' part)

lucifer

- mc had been distant with him since the beginning, he didn't like it but he understood. he was a stranger after all, a dangerous one at that.

- however, after that whole thing with belphie got resolved and everyone got closer he expected that he would get closer with mc as well.

- but after a while he realized that he should probably do something about this situation...

- he went into their room, right before their alarm for rad would ring. once it did, he tried not to frighten them by towering over them so he sat in a corner and started talking to them about what was bothering him, this was something rare for the avatar of pride but he had to do it.

- once he told them everything that was on his mind, mc told him that it wasn't him, they wanted to stay away from but rather his sin.

- lucifer was glad that mc didn't reduce him and probably his brothers too as just the sins they represented, even though he knew that he was still greatly affected by his sin.

- but mc also told him that they had a parent they cut off a few years ago that was too prideful to admit it whenever they made a mistake so he reminded them of said parent.

- he thought about it and if he had to be around someone that was even in the slightest like his father he would try his best not to be near them or interact with them.

- in the end, he and mc decided to try just hanging out for small periods of time so they could get used to him.

mammon

- mc didn't like being around him, even though they didn't know him. he thought maybe he really is a worthless scumbag if not even a human can stand being around him.

- he could usually handle it when his brothers were being mean to him but he didn't like it when mc was distant. they had a pact so the fact that mc was acting like that was even more discouraging. it could've also been that he also wasn't the best towards them in the beginning but it still hurt.

- he seriously thought of apologizing many times because he didn't like being stuck in a pact with someone that avoids him.

- so he talked with them, he was glad it wasn't exactly him they didn't like but his sin. honestly, he could've started sobbing right in front of them but he tried to keep it together.

- in the end, they just started talking about how greed can affect people both directly and indirectly like what happened to mc, whose siblings got so greedy that started fighting them for their share of the inheritance to the point where they had to step away and cut them off.

- mammon felt bad. he started thinking how his behavior affects his brothers, without taking into account that his brothers aren't regular demons either. mc had to remind him that the rest of his brothers are also affected by their sins so it's okay. they just had to understand each other better.

- still, after talking to mc he started being more careful about what he's doing with his money. he tried to tone it down a little when it came to money related issues, mc didn't ask for it but it certainly was appreciated!

leviathan

- honestly, he barely even noticed that mc wasn't around him as much. he spends most of his day alone in his room so it wasn't very noticeable.

- once he did notice though, he blamed the fact that mc wasn't hanging out with him as much to fact that he's an otaku and a shut-in.

- compared to the rest of his brother, he can actually not go on a rampage as easily. really, the first time mc saw him like that was during the tsl quiz and it was scary, it reminded them of a friend that was so jealous of them that drove other people away from them.

- even though this was a bad reaction on levi's part and mc managed to still get a pact with him and although having a pact with him did give them some sort of reassurance, it wasn't enough.

- after getting a pact, mc and levi obviously weren't as close as them with mammon and that made the human feel a little bad for him. maybe they misjudged him?

- hearing from the rest of the brothers that levi was usually in control of his sin, made them think about it more seriously. they went into his room and talked about it with him.

- since what caused this was during the tsl quiz, levi actually apologized and the two started hanging more.

satan

- from the get-go mc would avoid him, he didn't know what he did wrong so he wanted to ask them why they were distant.

- it couldn't have been that he's a demon, they get along with the rest of his brothers just fine! maybe too fine, if we're being honest.

- still satan had to know why, if there was something wrong he would try to fix it.

- so when he finally got the chance to be around them, he asked them. and he certainly didn't expect the answer he got.

- turns out mc was avoiding him because when they get angry they can't control their reactions, much like him. only instead of destroying objects and hurting others emotionally, their reactions were basically the opposite when they got angry they would hurt themselves, they would cut, bite, scratch or hit themselves.

- he was the first person to know about this, he felt bad that it was his sin that was causing them to do all these things but he couldn't take away their anger.

- what he could help them at though was making their anger hurt less, whenever he would feel them getting angry he would take them to break things until that became a habit.

asmodeus

- being the touchy person that he is, he was very weirded out by the fact that mc wasn't being very touchy with him, but that's just what he thought it was mc just wasn't the touchy type.

- after one time asmo started full on big spooning them, mc used their pact to get him off of them and stormed off the room.

- asmo felt really bad, not knowing what to do and not wanting to upset mc he started asking his brothers, that's when he found out that mc saw their ex partner cheating on them, literally caught them on the act!

- mc heard about asmo asking his brothers and felt bad since what happened wasn't exactly his fault.

- asmo felt bad about what happened, he knew that it wasn't his fault but his sin is supposed to make people feel good, not this! especially not when it comes to mc!

beelzebub & belphegor

- mc felt uncomfortable when being around one of the twins but this discomfort tripled when the other twin was there too.

- the human had a relative who had very bad coping mechanisms. whenever said relative would feel even a little bit down they would eat excessive amounts of food and then sleep for two days straight.

- even though this was very upsetting, what made mc feel uncomfortable was the fact that their relative died due to their habits.

- so seeing them act the way their relative did, hurt them. even more because they liked the twins and they both noticed their awkwardness around them they set up a sleepover in the attic.

- during that time mc managed to explain how they feel about their sins and that they were worried about them.

- when it was the twins' turn to talk, they explained that their sins aren't exactly the same as the others'. - while some of their brothers have it better controlling the sin, the twins don't have the luxury of doing that because their sins are more physical. meaning if belphie doesn't sleep or beel doesn't eat it's going to hurt them (and make them go on a rampage) and since the twins have telepathy it's also going to hurt the other twin too.

- after hearing all that mc stopped worrying, because they're just doing what they have to do and compared to that relative they're doing a good job.

masterlist

[etherealluminescence]

Brothers + the now dateables with an MC who just can’t remember names that are like three syllables or more so they just refer to everyone by their nicknames. The mc is still new and does it and when someone says anything they’re just like “it’s your fault for having a long ass name”

I finally return to writing headcanons wow that only took me a year am I right? Ahahaha I had nearly 200 followers and I’m laughing cause I’m slowly watching them leave me. 😎😭

Jokes aside I’m doing MUCH better after resting for a long time. Mentally and physically! So here you go.

Warning LONG aha aha 🥺😭 I feel like this is shorter than my usual ones. I got to get the hang of it again.

Brothers + Dateables with a GN!MC who can’t remember long names HC

Lucifer

When you were summoned to the devildom, you were pretty confused and filled with a lot of questions. Naturally, you’d refer to the people you were calling out to by name, but for some reason you just couldn’t remember them.

You finally found Lucifer, Diavolo, and Barbatos in the hallways, and approached them to ask a question. You forgot their whole names, but figured since you’ve got the first parts of each, that was good enough.

“Ah Luci, about the tasks for this week, what exactly does this part mean? And Dia, when do you want my report?” You asked them.

Lucifer was pretty mortified. He was also pissed. Did you just call him Luci? And more importantly, did you just cal THE lord Diavolo some kind of stupid nickname?

Diavolo on the other hand was laughing at the nickname you gave Lucifer. You were being scolded by Lucifer, and Diavolo was about to pipe in before you said, “It’s not my fault you have a long ass name, like damn, I could write the entire report by the time I finish saying your name.”

Lucifer is really angry at your behaviour at first but since Diavolo is fine with it... and then he soon realizes you literally can’t remember any of his brothers names with more than three syllables too.

He’ll probably try to give you food or drinks that help with your memory, and eventually finds you calling him Luci cute. Will immediately get angry if anyone else tries to call him that.

Mammon

Mammon was one of the first people you met, and one of the brother’s whose full name you can actually remember. He takes great pride in that!

His name was the first his human remembered and knows by heart! Of course! He is The Great Mammon.

Also kind of sad he doesn’t get a cute nickname! Please give him a cute nickname, he wants to feel special too, or very close to you, he craves contact and affection.

The first time he heard you refer to Lucifer as “Luci” he almost lost it. Thought you were going to die and tried to pick you up and run. So surprised when Lucifer only sighed, and responded to your question.

You had to explain to him you can’t remember names that are long, and his is one of the only so far you can remember. When you refer to Diavolo as “Dia” he just genuinely wonders how you do it, like aren’t you scared?

Well it’s not like it matters! You have The Great Mammon to protect ya’ AND you remember his name, it’s a win for him!

Leviathan

Originally Levi thought nothing of it when you referred to him as Levi, as that’s just what everyone else did. But then he started to notice you’d even refer to anime characters or idols as shortened nicknames.

You could pronounce Ruri easily, so he didn’t notice at first since Ruri was all he talked about, but when he said “Azuki” you kept calling her “Azu” or “Zuki”. He wondered why that was an asked.

You explain to him you just can’t remember “long ass fucking names” and anything with three or more syllables was a chore to remember, so there’s no way you were going to remember Azu’s name.

Finds it kind of sad for you, and difficult to understand what character you’re talking about. One time you kept saying a character from “that one show” and kept pouting while Levi’s head was grinding 3000 gears cause there’s at LEAST 5 characters that start with “Saku” like are you saying Sakura? Which!?

Scared for your life when you refer to Lucifer or Diavolo by their shortened names. Surprised to find out you’re completely safe. Soon comes to a realization you’ll just never be able to remember almost anyone’s name, no matter how hard he tries.

He drills it into your head about a certain character will a three syllable name but after the six hours of listening you just... forgot. Like literally the show’s name has the character’s name in it and you just forgot. Cue Levi sighing and calling you a normie.

Satan

One of the lucky three people spared from you forgetting his name. He didn’t realize it at first since Mammon, Levi, and Beel were all their names or family nicknames.

And then it clicks when you called Lucifer by “Luci”, in front of everyone, at dinner. You just said “Luci please hand me the salt” and Satan stared at you wide eyed.

Were you taunting Lucifer, or did you just have a death wish? Wait neither? You mean THE prideful lucifer just handed you the salt without a retort, or question why you called him that?

Questions you later afterwards about what was up about it, and when you tell him you don’t remember “long ass fucking names” it sort of clicks. Still sort of surprised that Lucifer isn’t pissed at you.

Will research human memory because he doesn’t think it’s normal. Like you can remember words with more than three syllables, but why not names?

Will DEFINITELY make fun of Lucifer for it. “Oh, how was your day, Luci?” And will also flaunt about how you remember his name but not Lucifer’s.

Also, like Levi, kind of sad you don’t remember the name of his book characters and just call them by their physical traits because at that point he doesn’t even know who you could refer to by his thousands of book.

Asmodeus

Asmo finds the nicknames extremely adorable!! Probably makes it a trend on social media to start calling everyone you know cute nicknames.

He didn’t think much when you called him Asmo, but hearing you call Lucifer as Luci, Diavolo as Dia, and Barbatos as Barb or baby just had him smitten.

Definitely wants to use cute nicknames too, but Lucifer is threatening him. After finding out that you physically cannot remember names with three or more syllables, including Asmo’s full name, he feels kind of bad for you.

It must suck not to know the whole name of the world’s most beautiful man! And why he starts hearing you call Simeon “Simmie” or Solomon as “Solly” he definitely steals it and copies you.

Diavolo is happy too to have someone else call him by a casual nickname, and hopes it catches on, much to Lucifer’s dismay.

Will probably want you to call him something even cuter instead of Asmo, as your own special privilege, like “Azzy”. He gets to give you a cute nickname too, though.

Beelzebub

Beel didn’t really notice at first, until Asmo and Satan pointed it out. He asked you if you remembered his name, and you just gave him a blank look and said “Beel, I love you, but you have a long ass name, and that’s not my fault.”

He doesn’t really care though, since you still know his nickname! But he is kind of worried for your memory. Are you okay, can you still remember other words? Do you remember the names of his food orders?

Has introduced you to his gym friends but you for the life of you, cannot remember any of their names. Finds it sort of funny how you just remember them as “leg guy” or “treadmill user”.

If anyone gets mad at you for shortening their name he will stand up for you! Baby understands that you just have trouble with remembering, and will defend you.

Belphegor

Finds this shit fucking hilarious. He’s often called Belphie, which you remember, so it’s not like it applies to him that much.

Kinda pissy how you can remember Mammon’s full name and not his, but there are benefits. He starts calling Lucifer “Luci” from now on and taunts him for being weak to a human.

Finds it funny, too, how you just tell people “your name is too fucking long” and call them by their first syllable or something similar.

He’s not really concerned about why you can’t remember names, okay maybe at first, did he kill you too hard? No? Okay.

He probably thinks you’re like him, can’t be assed to remember people’s shit names at times and remembers them based off looks.

Sleepy baby just wants to nap with you, names aren’t important.

Diavolo

The prince of devildom is extremely powerful, frightening, and no one would dare look down on him. He’s always used to people being formal with him, or trying to get on his good side.

However, one day, this small weak little human came into his realm and didn’t even care to remember his name. It entertained him a whole lot to say the least.

Diavolo doesn’t have a lot of people who’d be casual with him, so hearing you call him “Dia” for the first time made him really happy! He would love to hear you say it more often, and to be super casual around him.

When Lucifer or Barbatos tried to correct you and tell you to use his whole name, you only responded with, “No one has time to say his whole ass fucking name. I’m just gonna call him Dia.”

He’s amused, it’s so daring and bold of you to say that to some of the most powerful demons. Of course, if they continue to pester you about it he would step in and tell them that’s it’s fine and he likes it.

Diavolo also finds it super funny how you can’t remember anyone’s names and just shortens them. He might start calling Lucifer “Luci” too!

Other demons probably look at you like you’re crazy, for addressing their demon lord that way.

Barbatos

Barbatos is pretty stoic, but whenever you call him “baby” you can see a faint blush on his face. He isn’t used to nicknames or affection, so when you give it to him, he’s unsure how to react a bit.

He already knew you couldn’t remember names, and would be fine with you calling him “Barb”, which you did in public. But when it was just you and him, or when you were with the others you’d call him “baby”.

“You have a long ass name so I’ll just call you baby. You’re cute like one. Not to mention, it sounds like Barbie which sounds like Barba- what was your name?”

He is pretty fine with it, except when you call Lord Diavolo just as “Dia”. It’d be fine in private or with the others, but did you really have to yell out “Dia” in front of a bunch of lesser demons?

Overall, he just doesn’t mind. Will probably give you a list or notebook of everyone’s names, and physical traits. In case you forgot who was who based off names again.

Solomon

Ah yes another exchange student! Hope he can get close to you. Okay, maybe calling him “Sol”, “Solo”, and “Solly” is a bit too close for someone you just met right?

When you explain how you just physically cannot remember names he kind of laughs at you and then realizes you’re serious. He knows some people have trouble remembering names, but wow, this was sort of unique. You can remember his first two syllables, why not just one more?

He gets used to it fairly quickly, though. Prefers if you call him “Solo” over the other nicknames, but finds it sort of cute when you call him “Solly” or “Sol”.

He will definitely use a nickname with you and call it a human thing, to try and make everyone else jealous.

The man with at least 5 60+ pact marks, the man who is an amazingly powerful sorcerer, the man who is labeled Devildom 2021’s “sketchiest” individual, is called “Solly”.

When he asked the reason to why you suggested Solly you just responded with “Reminds me of Sully from monsters inc”.

Simeon

Simeon is a really nice person so he first figures you’re just being really nice and want to give everyone nicknames! And then he soon realizes you literally just cannot remember names.

He finds it sad how you can’t remember the name of his characters, or how you’ll never actually remember his full name, but really finds it cute how you’ve given him a nickname!

You call him “Sim” or “Simmie” and he’s soft for it. Will probably give you a nickname like “my sheep” or “my lamb”. He’s silently hoping Luke too, will call him Simmie. He gives off the energy of a grandparent.

He will try his best to help you remember names, but he won’t try to force you to remember! If you can’t remember, you can’t. That’s completely fine. Don’t stress yourself about it.

Luke

He has a one syllable name, so he doesn’t experience this personally. But hearing you call Simeon “Simmie” or Solomon “Sol” makes him feel a little left out and confused.

Why do you call everyone by a nickname? He wants one too! He overhears you though one night. You were explaining to some demon whose name had like five syllables that you just can’t remember long names.

Oh! He’s suddenly really happy again. It means you know his name, and won’t forget it! Also feels sort of bad for Simeon and Solomon, since you’ll never remember their names.

Will be happy if you call him “Lukie” before realizing it makes him sound like a child.

[emmys-grimoire]

Lesson 58 analysis + 59 predictions

I expected this lesson to drop tomorrow! It was a pleasant surprise. Sort of.

tl;dr Summary

When we last left our heroes, they were about to be decked by the bogeyman. We get saved, though! And it scampers off into a nearby room. The lesson is then just each brother tagging along with MC as they enter the room and one by one they get scared off, or do damage to the bogeyman.

Asmo’s greatest fear is just an uglier version of himself, which really does not lend any depth or credibility to the theory that he isn’t entirely self-involved. Belphie is frightened of a particular alarm clock that Satan once got him and possibly the dark (?).

Beelzebub at least gets an illusionary scene change with scary music + animated flame overlay, and his scene involves him accidentally hitting Belphegor with one of his attacks (bogeyman takes the form of Belphegor). The illusion backdrop is the Celestial Realm, so it’s clearly trying to draw a parellel between what is occurring in the illusion and what happened to Lilith.

Satan gets a similar treatment, only it’s a flaming coliseum and he’s being taunted by angel Lucifer about just being a budget Lucifer. Real Lucifer talks him out of it by pointing out their differences, but I found the things he brings up pretty surface level (he likes music while Satan prefers reading, Satan likes cats while he prefers dogs, etc.)

It seems like Satan’s wrath powers are enough to finally vanquish the bogeyman and everyone breathes a sigh of relief… UNTIL IT COMES BACK for one last round. You guessed it: it’s Lucifer’s turn.

A familiar shard of light appears in the corner of the screen, but Simeon seems to react more to it than Lucifer does. Lucifer tells him to calm down and claims it’s “his” light (spoiler: it’s not), and effortlessly banishes it once and for all. It’s very anti-climatic… because this isn’t the real climax.

Simeon, however, doesn’t recover right away. Or at all, really. We get interrupted when he’s ready to finally tell us (or later, Lucifer) what’s bothering him, so we’re kept in the dark. We receive our last star and celebrate becoming a full fledged sorcerer.

Only Luke has heard a rumor about a three-headed wolf prowling around that he informs us of via text. Guess what’s going to be the real climax?

EDIT: @obey-mes-treasure has a better explanation about Lucy's and Belphie's fears in the comments.

Analysis

Luke’s power

If we needed any confirmation that Luke has great potential, we got it in this lesson. The bogeyman’s powers don’t affect us because Luke’s blessing is still in effect and protecting us. He may be a smol angel, but his power rivals many of the high-ranking angels already. It explains why Michael has taken an interest in him, probably, but you’d think an angel like him would have been ranked already… unless Michael is deliberately refusing to rank him for some reason. Maybe he doesn’t want to train more archangels/soldiers given the three realms seem to be moving towards peace?

It does put Mammon mocking him by suggesting one day he could be a seraphim earlier in the season in a different light, though. Michael might be grooming him to be his heir, or something akin to that. It also explains why he didn’t worry about sending Luke into the Devildom in the first place, in spite of his youth. The kid could handle himself even if he isn’t aware of it.

Figure in the light

Lucifer and Simeon fear the same thing, but Lucifer handled facing whoever it was much better. I think this is probably daddy. The reason why Lucifer was capable of withstanding it is because he was preparing for his stand-off with their father for centuries before he finally rebelled, is my guess.

It could be Michael, but I expect Simeon interacts with him frequently, and he’s already made it pretty clear that he has a cavalier attitude about angering the guy in Season 2. Simeon could fear having to watch Michael and Lucifer fight again, though, if all three of them were close before the Great Celestial War. Can’t imagine that was a fun time for him.

But, if how the Celestial Realm as a whole functions is any indicator, all three of them probably fear Father the most. That fear kept them in line until it didn’t.

This also lends some credibility to the “empty throne” theory that posits Father has been absent for a prolonged period of time for some reason, if it is him.

This is the second time this season that Simeon has expressed these sort of doubts. I think someone is suffering from insecurities and regrets more and more these days, and it seems like associations with the Celestial Realm trigger them. I doubt he’s going to fall – like I’ve said before, he actually seems to enjoy partaking in the standard angel duties – but it is noteworthy. He might have a complicated relationship with Father, too.

The three-headed wolf

This is going to be the actual climax, which is kind of dumb considering it literally was introduced this lesson. Just dropped in there.

I don’t think Cerberus is a wolf, though? He looked more like a hound in his art. Looking up “three headed wolf” on Google gets you Cerberus, though.

Predictions

We’re going to deal with the wolf thing next lesson and then have a rushed season ending or end it on a cliffhanger. It’s going to make a mess of things and we’ll have to tame it, and/or a certain SOMEONE in the Celestial Realm will need to step in to keep collateral damage to a minimum. Still confident he’s showing up in some capacity.

HOPEFULLY we’ll finally get confirmation about the identity of the celestial light person that the bogeyman tried to emulate. But we don’t get that closure in this lesson.

Not sure if this is going exceed Season 1 or Season 2’s quality, though. The ring of light suddenly being introduced at least gave us more insight into Simeon’s character and the telepathic conversation with Michael. Suddenly introducing a new beastie to fight in the second to last lesson of the season seems way too heavy-handed, and I’m not sure it’s at all related to whatever Michael’s plot is.

I guess we’re saving the answer to that question for season 4?

[fangirlyah]

✦kind queen of narnia - Edmund Pevensie x Reader

summary: a new prophecy for the narnia’s kingdom. a new member joining the kings and queens. but...who is it? 

warnings: cursing

word count: 3,597

a/n: mi first edmund one shot, i’m so happy! 

according to the books the ages of the characters should be different, but in this one-shot their ages will be those agreed by wikipedia reasoning with the actors’ age in the year of recording of the second film (it is an approximation):

Peter - 20

Susan - 17

Edmund - 15/16

Lucy - 12

Prince Caspian - 26

narnia, what a place. 

anyone from england would look at y/n and the pevensie brothers in horror if they were told about this beautiful world full of fairytale creatures and landscapes. 

they would probably be frightened if they were told that all narnians were preparing to face the telmarines; it would be their second battle in defence of their beloved lands. 

they would also worry if they were told that there were prophecies dictating the fate of the teenagers. 

the pevensies had been in narnia for a long time. they had grown up and reached adulthood there while time in england had barely passed. their first visit to the dream place had been when edmund was just ten years old and as the prophecy dictated he had betrayed his brother and sisters and then recomposed himself to follow the right path as a faithful ruler of narnia and become king edmund, the just. 

when edmund was twenty years old in the narnian world, a gryphon passed over him and dropped a neatly rolled papyrus. 

when his time on this earth comes to an end

a damsel with the purity of water and the sweetness of honey will get her start 

if you listen well, attachment will flourish 

if you listen badly, there will be pain 

she is made to avoid pain in all

she is made to bring back peace 

that doesn't even rhyme, he thought, and it doesn't make sense either. 

even though the prophecy that had just arrived at his whereabouts was revealed to his brother and sisters, none of them understood, what girl was it talking about? 

everything took on colour, when a thin figure collapsed against lucy at the train station. 

"oh no! i'm so sorry, sweetheart" a girl of about sixteen years of age, apologized sincerely to the little girl who had been moved abruptly by the teenage girl's body. "i thought i was missing my train and i got terribly scared" the y/h/c outlined a sweet smile.

"there is no reason to apologise, we all make mistakes...my name is lucy and these are my brothers and my sister" the little girl stretched out her hand to shake it with y/n’s, while the other pointed behind her to three teenagers in uniform. 

a pretty girl with striking eyes introduced herself as susan, while another slim blond boy said his name was peter. the third was immersed in his search for the train's arrival time, so he did not notice the conversation in front of him, the signs on the station walls  seemed to be more interesting. "he is edmund...sorry he is half a fool" as he heard his name, the raven-haired boy looked up to meet a beautiful and delicate girl laughing at the comment his sister had made. 

"my name is y/n, it is a pleasure to meet you" her gaze travelled through each member of the family leaving them with a smile; when it was edmund's turn her smile did not come down even though the one he showed her was hasty and if she had not been paying attention she would have missed it. 

"where were you about to leave in such a hurry?" peter asked as the five of them move away due to some guards passing at full speed by their side, being all cornered against the wall the best decision they made was to take a seat, side by side, on a bench. 

"my parents live in the countryside of england, and because of my school I haven't seen them for a long time so I didn't want to miss my train" y/n explained feeling the look of all the them. 

"we were on our way there too! we must visit professor kirke, we haven't seen him for a long time" 

that was their first meeting, the first meeting of many. y/n and the pevensies developed the closest and most faithful friendship in the world. they spent all their holidays enjoying the countryside together and when school resumed, they took several trains and walked several blocks just to see each other almost every week. 

and although their meetings were frequent edmund did not always seem pleased by her presence. the months passed and although y/n began to develop a crush on the freckle boy he seemed to ignore her every move. even when she bought his favourite sweets to share with everyone or when she would sneak a compliment on his attire on some special occasion. y/n was good at hiding her feelings so only susan knew and she hoped it would stay that way. 

it was not until the five of them were waiting for their train to leave for their respective boarding school that the action began. 

the train they were to board disappeared and with it the whole station around them, leaving lucy, peter, edmund, susan and y/n standing on a paradise beach. 

the brothers began to walk towards the white sand, leaving the cave where they had landed, followed by a shocked y/n 

"where are we?” when lucy heard y/n's voice she looked at her sister with a smile and then started to run, getting rid of their school uniforms. 

"come on, y/n!" peter shouted as he dipped his feet into the clear water.  

she did not resist and followed her friends, leaving a few clothes to play in the water. 

edmund saw her laughing, with her wet hair, in the sun and remembered how in love he was with the girl he ignored so much. 

"what is it?" asked peter as he saw his brother stop having fun; edmund couldn't admit that the sight of y/n had knocked him out so he had to improvise.

"where do you suppose that we are? 

"it's pretty obvious, isn't it? we are in narnia” by this time, the girls had stopped their water fight and were paying attention to the boys. 

"well...i don't remember any ruins in narnia”

"narnia?! you must be joking?!" y/n exclaimed. 

"yes, narnia" peter said, looking at her as if nothing was happening. 

"but...narnia...the narnia you told me as a story from when you were children?"

"they are not stories..."

with that, the brothers began to tour the meadows where, 1300 years ago, cair paravel was located. where now only ruins remained of what had been their home. 

the surprise of y/n was not erased and even less so when they found the prophecy that dictated their destiny. 

"edmund! this was the prophecy that appeared to you” susan was right but edmund did not want y/n to know that for some magical reason the prophecy had come to HIS hands. 

"what? a prophecy about me?" y/n posed her body next to peter who had the paper in his hands. 

"no one enters narnia without a purpose" the little pevensie sister explained.

"there is no way i can be this girl! i have no talent, i am not so-" 

peter interrupted her by placing his hands on the girl's thin shoulders. 

"you may think so, but narnia and its magic is more powerful than ourselves and our supposed abilities" 

edmund had to swallow hard not to go and take the girl from his brother's arms. he had no right to take her away. edmund did not know how to approach her so their contact was minimal, to the misfortune of both of them. 

those days continued peacefully and then chaos erupted throughout the kingdom. 

aslan disappeared and newcomer caspian caused maximum tension. 

although the pevensie, caspian, and trumpkin had taken it upon themselves to make her aware of what was going on around her, she was still afraid. she had many people trusting her actions and that they would return the peace. 

she had always been a leader and narnia was no exception. y/n was equal to peter and caspian in decision making as she was cunning and quick in making decisions but when it came to attacking came her weakness. there was no feeling inside her body that would leave her conscience clear if she killed or injured any human or creature. 

although edmund kept his countenance neutral when it came to her, his heart melted whenever she mentioned her lack of courage to hold a weapon and go on the attack. 

"y/n, you coming?" caspian turned on his axis before leaving for the battle on the castle of miraz. 

"i can help with maps, plans and strategies but with this...i can't, sorry”  

edmund had heard several creatures criticize the girl's lack of courage to confront a hand-to-hand fight; and he could not help but think that he maybe was disappointed by her attitude too.

"why is she here if she can't even pick up a weapon, of any kind, without shaking?" the freckled boy would adjust his armor before going into battle. 

"don't be mean, edmund. she is too good to go out and kill someone" his older sister tried to talk some sense into him, especially because before edmund entered the room where susan was, y/n had retired just a few seconds before but susan knew that she was not far enough not to hear their conversation; and hear the boy who she liked talk so badly about her would not be a nice moment.

"or she's too much of a coward" was a fact, y/n was listening to the whole conversation, as she felt her heart breaking.  

"if she bothers you so much that she doesn't fight, show her. you are the best at using the sword in combat in all of narnia" 

"I won't" at the end of the day he wasn't so brave after all. 

now it was y/n who ignored him. whether in meetings or in their free time, she did not even give him a glance and he noticed. because edmund was very attentive to what she was doing or not doing, so it was not difficult for him to see her practicing with prince caspian her fighting, on the beach, more than one afternoon while he went for his walks.

it hurt him but he knew that her distancing was his fault.  

caspian did not question the reason for the girl's drastic change, he only offered to help her and she accepted. 

they spent hours covered in sweat and sand but she did not seem to mind, she wanted to prove a point to edmund and herself. her days were divided into training, alone or with others, and creating plans and strategies. her rest was almost non-existent and her tired figure was beginning to show. her breakfasts were short and quick like any other meal of the day. she ate with her head down and conversed with anyone but edmund. 

one cool night edmund tried to sleep in his large room but the sound of a sword moving and colliding with a shield prevented him from doing so. from the high window it was impossible for him to decipher where it came from but he assumed that it meant no danger as none of the guards seemed alert; but he still descended in search of the owner of the sound. 

when he entered the courtyard below his room he saw her. covered in sweat and with her sword in her hand as she moved abruptly against an armament tied to a tree. edmund found y/n’s invention very ingenious and was even more surprised to see her move almost perfectly, it seemed almost natural to her.  

"what are you doing here at this hour?" after minutes of watching her from a few meters away, the younger pevensie brother approached. 

"I could ask you the same thing" y/n did not even move her eyes, she just approached the tree to accommodate the armor tied with leather. 

"I was trying to sleep but an unbearable noise woke me up, Ijust wanted to know who was causing it...now I know" 

“I didn't know it was so annoying" edmund still couldn't see her face.'' I'll stop now..." 

gently, despite being preparing to go out and kill men and creatures, she put her sword in its compartment hanging from her hip, and then dried her face with a wet piece of cloth.

"why are you doing this anyway?" 

"some people don't believe me strong enough to fulfill the prophecy...they think I'm a coward" y/n looked into his eyes for the first time and edmund understood what she meant. 

"you should stop. you look exhausted, besides I didn't-" 

"keep it to yourself..." already when she had passed the freckle boy's body petrified in the garden, y/n continue "and it seems that it is never enough, so yes. if I need to keep practicing"  

edmund knew that she was absolutely right. before she started her daily combat lessons, she gave everything she had from what she could. she had taken risks and was adapting to being the future queen of a place, which until a while ago, was completely unknown for her. 

y/n would not admit it but that night she cried like never before. she did not know exactly if it was tiredness, confusion, sadness or that she was heartbroken. but whatever the right choice was, that night she fainted in a tearful dream without managing to take off her sweaty clothes. 

the next morning she appeared at breakfast as if nothing had happened. clean and unpolluted in a freshly washed and ironed dress that accentuated every attribute she had. lucy had heard her crying and was dying to ask what was so terrifying that made her cry like that, but seeing her serious countenance when y/n saw her brother sitting at the table, despite her young age, lucy easily put it together. 

after preventing jadis, the white witch, return to narnia. caspian and his allies had no choice but to confront the troops of miraz in front of the altozano. meanwhile, lucy and susan were leaving in search of aslan. y/n did not go with them. she remained at the site of the battle.

when everyone was out ready to fight, so was she. edmund had seen her keep medical supplies anywhere in the armour she found space with the intention of helping any wounded being she might encounter. he felt extremely guilty; she did not want to be there and should not have been. she could have quietly stayed in the shelter ready to help anyone who came looking for a hand but he had pressed her with words he did not even feel. 

to gain time the camp became a personal battle between peter and miraz. both begin to fight to the death. both armies gathered around the stone platform where the two men were fighting hand to hand. edmund looked at y/n who was standing next to a centaur with her perfectly placed weaponry; her serious countenance hid any doubt or fear that her brain was processing. 

although the elder pevensie managed to have a dying miraz in front of him, peter did not kill him.

"you are too much of a coward to take a life, king peter?" miraz, despite being on his knees almost dead, kept on fighting.

"it's not mine to take" 

with that said, the blond man stepped back to give the sword to y/n; who looked at them perplexed. she understood that she must do so to fulfill the prophecy. she had all eyes on her and her trembling hands that took the sword and stood before the wounded man. 

edmund saw tears welling up in her beautiful eyes as she looked down at miraz. y/n placed the tip of the sword on the man's neck with her chest rising and falling violently. 

the freckled boy wanted to run towards her to hug and kiss all her nerves and fears away but he couldn't. 

as the seconds passed and the girl did not move from her place, a laugh was heard in the telmarine’s army and that was the limit.

edmund gently approached the girl and placed his hands on top of the sword taking it out of her hands 

"let go, it's okay" he whispered as, with the help of his hands, he pushed her back to where she was before. 

by that point the tears had already come out of her eyes and at that moment she felt like a real coward. she felt the disappointed looks despite her head being down and the tall stature of edmund in front of her limiting her view. 

"stupid girl, this is not the girl of the prophecy! she is just an idio-" 

when edmund wanted to turn around and finish the work that peter had started, an arrow pierced miraz’s chest and chaos began. 

despite her blurred vision, y/n remained on the battlefield. she had escaped from edmund's side when the war cries were first heard. 

although she did not use her sword she was fast enough to escape the attacks and manage to help those wounded in the meadows. 

the two armies were facing each other in battle and when the narnians were about to lose, lucy found aslan. the lion awakened the narnian trees, allowing them to come to the aid of the narnian army. 

amidst the screams and sounds of colliding swords, aslan called out to the water god, who drowns much of the telmarine army. 

and the war is over.

in the midst of the destruction, everyone begins to celebrate with smiles on their faces despite the large number of narnians lost in battle, there was cause for celebration. 

the pevensies had met aslan and on the seashore, they were enjoying a good chat. 

"where is y/n y/l?" asked aslan curiously "she fulfilled the prophecy perfectly" 

"but she was not who killed miraz, it was caspian who had to see the kingdom free" trumpkin seemed upset and the desire to kick his little figure flourished in edmund. 

"you don't need to kill someone to restore peace and help your people" 

with that said, edmund began to look for her with his eyes...and found her. sitting on a stone, passing a natural ointment on a faun’s arm. 

at that moment the boy understood that y/n should not learn to fight and use weapons to save narnia. with her kindness, intelligence and healing skills it was more than enough. he wanted to tell her. he wanted to tell her what an idiot he had been in wanting to force her to do something she was not even meant to do. 

without saying a word edmund ran off in her direction. 

when y/n saw him quickly approaching her, she stood up from her place and watched him as he arrived and took her arm to walk into the forest. 

"I know what you are going to say and I am sorry..." as soon as the boy slowed down his pace the two faced each other in the middle of the forest lighted by rays of sunshine piercing the tree leaves. they were less than a metre away and yet edmund wanted to be even closer "I know you are disappointed in me, I know you all are... but i could not, ok?! I just could not! I cannot be queen of narnia with this attitude, I did not make it. I did not fulfill the prophecy and now-" 

edmund took his face with both hands and brought it close to him, silencing her hasty and nervous speech; in less than a second both were immersed in a deep kiss that y/n took a few seconds to reciprocate due to her surprise. her hands travelled to his chest covered by the narnian battle uniform as his hands caress her cheeks softly.

the kiss was quick but sweet, as if they were frustrated romantics who had not been able to kiss each other for centuries. 

when the kiss broke both chests went up and down as if they had finished running a marathon, but despite this they could not let go. now edmund's arms were wrapped around her and her arms caressed his neck as they looked at each other. 

"you saved narnia without the need to kill anyone, you earned narnia without using force if not kindness" 

"you're not disappointed?" a slight surprise occupied the boy’s body. 

"all your training and you coming out to fight today, was because of me?" 

"I just...just wanted to be enough for you" y/n was sincere, there was no need to lie. 

"the conversation you heard between susan and me was a mistake, I would never be disappointed in you and you are far, far away from being a coward and you proved that from the minute you set foot in this kingdom" 

she rested her forehead on his as a response. 

"I am so in love with you" he sighed realizing the chill that ran through the girl's body. 

"today is your lucky day king edmund, because i am more in love with you" a small laugh broke out from both of them. 

"impossible" 

with that said, they both joined in another kiss. this time a slow one. they had all the time in the world.

after all they were king and queen of narnia, no one could rush them.

[olimpias]

THE JUGGLERS OF VENICE - A SHORT STORY BY ELIZA ORMANDY

words: 2k

warnings: death and i can’t be too explicit here, otherwise it would spoil some things, but ill say this: it’ll be very, very disturbing

general taglist: @stuff-lucie-wrote @buster-keaton @bookphobe @write-gallagher

tjov taglist: @withered-rose-unbreakable-lotus

persons of the mystery

Geronimo - a young Venetian gentleman 

Erasmo - his friend, the Marquese di Giglia

the old woman - a ticket seller

the man with the Gnaga - a fire-eater

Gaspare - a woodcarver

Floriana - the daughter of Erasmo’s cousin

When autumn arrives and the days begin to be shorter and darker than before, it happens every October that the jugglers come, in their colourful little wagons and their funny fringed costumes, to lure the already rather dusty population of Venice out of their incipient winter torpor and to tell them about foreign lands and people. Here, in the city of the arts, these vagabonds are quite highly regarded and, even though the Venetian way of life cannot exactly be described as colourless, they are seen as a welcome distraction in view of the approaching winter. There are a lot of rumours about the jugglers and a few years ago a child disappeared there whom I even knew (she was the daughter of a distant cousin of my friend Erasmo, the Marquese di Giglia), but even after an extensive search little Floriana could not be found and so her disappearance was explained that she must have fallen into a nearby canal and the jugglers were not further associated with it.

And so it happened that on the very day that the curious folk came to Venice, I was staying at Erasmo’s' palazzo and we passed the time excellently at his expense. "Listen, Geronimo," he said, when we had just emptied our second bottle of wine, "don't you remember that the jugglers are to come to town today?" "How right you are, Erasmo!" exclaimed I. "Let us leave at once, for it will soon be dark!" Briskly we got up, threw on our masks and cloaks and set off.

Never before had I seen the jugglers with my own eyes. Their reputation undoubtedly preceded them and it was said that they were godless, unbridled creatures who knew how to make others laugh but remained as cold as ice themselves. They had set up their quarters near a small square on the outskirts of the city. As dusk had already fallen, most of the visitors had left, and the cold wind was getting into our limbs, so that we wrapped ourselves even more tightly in our coats, but there was a wonderful glow from the little stalls and the most pleasurable music was playing, which made us soon forget all the dark stories about the jugglers.

A stooped old woman stood in front of the stalls selling tickets. She wore a blue and gold half mask, a large tricorn with a cock's feather and her lips were painted a rather quaint red. "Come in, come in!" she cried in a croaky voice. "Two tickets for the young gentlemen? Here you are, here you are, always come in, just don't hesitate! Let us whisk you away into another world! But be warned: no one who goes in comes out as he was!" At this she burst into cackling laughter and Erasmo grabbed my arm in fright.

We left the strange old woman behind and looked at the various stalls. There was the most artificial candy that could even move, daintily built little houses with tiny figures in them, there was a tent where a fortune teller was supposed to be and of course the jugglers, fire-eaters, acrobats and girls with apple-red cheeks offering candied fruit. Every now and then a stately white horse was brought in, with a feathered headdress and a lady in red on its back, wearing a red mask and a red veil.

Suddenly, from behind the stalls, a puppet with a large key in its back appeared and performed a wild dance before our eyes. It threw itself into the air, hit the ground, jumped up again, spun in circles, flailed its arms and shook itself before falling lifeless to the ground. Then a man dressed in black and red and wearing a Gnaga mask leapt into the circle that had formed around the doll and shouted, "Good evening, dear friends! What you have just seen here was one of the dolls of the famous Gaspare, known as the best woodcarver who ever set foot in Italy!" With these words he beckoned a small man of slight stature, dressed all in white, even his face was painted white, but his lips were ghastly red. Gaspare bowed awkwardly and grinned as if possessed. Hesitantly everyone applauded and he spoke in a squeaky voice: "I suppose if the gentlemen would like to take a look at my humble tent, I can show them some more of these amazing puppets."

Everyone entered the tent and Gaspare spread his arms. The walls were covered all over with dolls of all kinds, big, small, men, women, children and mythical creatures, but they all had one thing in common: their ugly, almost devilish laughter, which made me think of Gaspare himself.

But another, smaller area of the tent was separated by a cloth. "What might be behind this, Geronimo?" said Erasmo quietly to me, but Gaspare, who must have heard us, moved around and stared at us. "In this part are the particularly valuable dolls, those that are only brought out on special occasions." All the while he squinted his eyes. I felt uncomfortable in the face of this madman and wanted to urge Erasmo to leave, but Gaspare approached us again. "Would the young gentleman agree if I took his portrait?" he asked with another hypocritical grin, stroking Erasmo's cheek with his pale, bony finger. It is true, Erasmo is significantly more handsome than me and not infrequently I, who looks quite normal and unassuming, have envied him his thick, dark hair, which is entirely without a wig, and his noble, light brown skin, not to mention his flawless features, which immediately make everyone suspect his aristocratic origins. "Well, why not?" he replied politely, even managing a smile, which I give him credit for, knowing how much he hates it when other people touch him. "Don't do that!", I whispered in his ear. "Something is not right here!" But he squeezed my hand tenderly and followed the old man to a moth-eaten velvet armchair where Gaspare told him to settle down. Then he took out some paper and began to draw magically fine lines on it with ink, which joined together to form a face with incredible speed. It was unmistakably Erasmo's, albeit strangely distorted, with huge eyes, a tiny nose and a small, pointed mouth. When he had finished, Erasmo reached out to take the drawing, but the old man snatched it away. "I still need it," he cawed. "You can have it - later. That is, if you still need them then." With these words he slipped through the curtain into the hidden section and came out again a short time later, but without the drawing. "I have work to do now. Out, out!" He suddenly seemed very upset and really shooed us out of the tent.

When we got outside, it was dark and I noticed that we were the only visitors left. "Let's go," I said, pulling Erasmo with me. He allowed it, although reluctantly. The old woman laughed as we passed her.

We hadn't gone far when Erasmo stopped abruptly. "Let's go back!" he said, and I saw in his dark eyes the dangerous mixture of adventurousness and folly that was well known to me. Ever since we were children, I had tried to stop him from doing something stupid, but usually without success. This time was no exception. He looked at me pleadingly and I gave in. "All right," I said with a sigh. "But what do you intend to do anyway?" "I want to get my drawing," he replied, but I knew very well that he was merely using this pretext to get into the hidden area of Gaspare's tent.

So we crept back, under the cover of night. Fortunately, we were both dressed in dark clothes, so we didn't have to be afraid of any passers-by. We arrived at the stalls, but there was no one to be seen. The lights were no longer shining and the cheerful music had stopped. When everything looked so deserted and uninviting, I felt a bit queasy, but I took heart and followed Erasmo, who was walking carefully but purposefully towards Gaspares' tent. He too was nowhere to be seen, neither inside nor outside the tent. We peeked behind the curtain that divided the room into two halves. At first glance we saw nothing unusual. To our right was a workbench with some tools and a candle on it. It was burning. Opposite was a chest and before I could hold it back Erasmo had already opened it. I stepped closer.There were dolls in the chest too, but these ones looked different, more alive in a frightening way. Their eyes seemed to look straight into my heart and their red mouths seemed as if they wanted to say to me: "Listen, Geronimo, what are you doing here? You have meddled in something evil, you can believe us!" I suddenly became so scared that my throat tightened and I turned to Erasmo to ask him to get out of here once and for all, but he had stepped to the other side of the small room and was looking thoughtfully at a cloaked figure leaning in the corner. It reached about to his waist and was strangely slumped. "What do you think this is?" he asked, and even in the dim light of the single candle I could see his eyes shining with excitement.

Slowly he lifted the cloth, but when he saw what was hidden underneath, he stumbled back, startled. "Just look," he whispered with fear in his voice. I walked over and was also struck with fright. The doll looked exactly like little Floriana! Her light brown frizzy hair was twisted up into two elaborate curls, her wide brown eyes stared up at us trustingly and even her cute rosy mouth looked as if it might start talking at any moment.While we were still standing there, barely able to contain ourselves, the curtain was pulled aside behind us. We wheeled around. There stood Gaspare, trembling and gasping. He staggered towards us, yet it was not It was not his sudden appearance or his indistinct muttering that frightened me, but his face, in which the bright madness glowed.I believed he was about to attack us and for a moment I thought my number was up, but he paid us little heed. "Did the young gentlemen discover my masterpiece, eh?" he asked in a trembling voice. "I knew they would come back. You only have to take a look at their inquisitive noses!" He knelt down in front of the doll and clasped it with both arms. "My dearest Floriana," he whispered. "Just look!" He palmed her. "It's her hair and her clothes!" He opened her mouth. "And her teeth!" He jumped up, the doll in his arms. "Never will she grow up, never! She will always be my little daughter. And you," with these words he came up to Erasmo, "you will be my son, and I will delight in your beauty as I make you and Floriana dance, just for me!" His ghastly laughter shook the tent walls. Then at last I awoke from my rigidity of terror, seized Erasmo's arm, and, dragging him behind me, ran as fast as I could out of the tent and past the stalls, not stopping until we had reached the canal on which Erasmo's palazzo is situated. There we leaned against the parapet, breathing heavily. "Poor, poor Floriana," sobbed Erasmo. "And my poor, poor cousin!" I wanted to say something comforting, but I couldn't think of anything.

The next day we heard that the jugglers had left, much earlier than usual, and they were never heard of again, either in Venice or in all Italy. Erasmo and I quietly agreed that we would take that terrible experience to our graves. It is probably better that way, even if I am pained by the grieving face of his cousin who comes to visit now and then. I can only hope and pray that the jugglers have given up their terrible ways, but I cannot imagine it. Surely they will travel around for all eternity until perhaps someone comes along who has enough courage to put a stop to them. But that someone will not be me, that is certain. 

[bloodys44]

Silence and Cigarette Smoke

Original story and bonus content found here! ↓↓↓↓

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13289933/3/Silence-and-Cigarette-Smoke

Unfortunately it seems FF.net is having some technical errors and new chapter updates are only viewable through the app. I will continue to repost in hopes it will be available for everyone soon! Chapter 7 is viewable through the app and everything up to chapter 6 is online. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 3: The Dragons Birthday

Lucy’s POV

788

She always thought he looked the best while asleep. Mind caught up in a dream, unfocused to the world around him. The way his bare chest shuddered on every exhale. The stark white of the scars littered over his tan skin. There was never a time he looked more relaxed, his sharp facial features losing their regular heated mark. He was in every aspect, simply beautiful. Once her blurry vision had focused on him, she'd been utterly captivated. And now, with him laying so nonchalant atop her blue pleated comforter she took the time to soak him in. It was rare for a moment of peace to present itself in their chaotic lives. Sometimes she felt stuck in a constant state of running. And tiring as it was, she had never felt such happiness. It was almost funny, she thought. How she had been humored by Lissana's words the day she had met her. All her preaching about how she owed this man her entire life. And to think now, she felt almost the same. She really did owe him the world, for he was the one to actually give her one.Three years had passed since Natsu had rescued her from the forest and brought her to Fairy Tail. Taken her hand and led her step by step through his exciting life. Teaching her the unspoken rules of the enchanted world. The guild really was a dream, giving her a place to live and grow in exchange for work. Everybody had a simple job they worked while at home. Natsu for instance, worked the front guard line, scouting the edge of their safety enchantments for trespassers and unwanted visitors. When he wasn't out scouting, he stood watch in one of the three stone lookout towers. It made sense, given he had uncanny senses and tracking abilities. Lucy found herself taking shifts in the constantly busy infirmary alongside Lissana and her sister Mirajane. It was pleasant work, a good distraction from day to day life. But it was when they left the guild that the real adventure began. Fairy Tail (along with other guilds in the network) took job and quest submissions from trusted or other magic folks. They ranged from simple things such as retrieval of objects or escorting people during their travels, all the way to clearing out dark guilds and the slaying of demons. Natsu had been gracious enough to form a team with her, working alongside her to complete jobs. They truly had become an inseparable force over the last few years.Lucy set the plate she had been carrying on the side table by her bed before moving to lean against the end of her mattress. Natsu twitched slightly in his sleep but didn't wake, instead rubbing the underside of his nose against the back of his wrist. She snickered lightly, brushing golden locks from her view. She still found it hard to believe the man in front of her, sleeping so silent, was actually an unmatched powerhouse of magical energy. A dragon slayer, so he was called. An extremely rare form of magic, bestowed by the dragons themselves to aid the humans in their war against the 'white witch' hundreds of years prior. The rarity stemmed from the fact that these commanding creatures no longer existed, wiped out by the very magic they had gifted the humans. Thus earning the 'slayer' term. In the current day, dragon-slaying magic was passed down through bloodlines, slowly dwindling downwards to nothing. Natsu claimed he remembered nothing of his parents, choosing to never speak about them or anything else regarding his past. This sat just fine with Lucy, considering her home life wasn't much more uplifting. An abusive father, drunk with power. So consumed in his self-preservation he elected to wipe out a quarter of the population in fear of them uprising. Jealous of the power swimming through their veins. Even going as far as to execute his beloved Queen and daughter for their enchanted blood.Her mother had always whispered of the beauty that came with their magic. The glow of the gods she called it. And translated directly, it sort of was. Celestial magic rumoured to have been created directly by the gods for a historical gracious Queen. The only enchantment to possess such a warm golden hue, literal stardust drifting from fingertips. Natsu had gone out of his way train with her while she learned her capabilities. Even (much to his distaste) spending hours upon hours scanning over ancient books and text, looking for answers to explain her mysterious powers. There was extremely little known about celestial magic. Its rather small royal bloodline being the only people able to wield the starlight. After three years of constant work, Lucy believed she was rather proficient in its use, though she could never be completely sure. As special as it was, being enchanted with such abilities it was also rather frightening, to say the least. With rarity came obsession. Many stories existing of the pursuit of celestial mages, desire for their uncapped power. The story goes that besides their own magical abilities, celestial mages can greatly increase magical energy with a single drop of their blood. Their blood is said to taste like pure ecstasy. Mages go insane after a single drop, drunk on the taste. Natsu had told her. The thought always made her stomach turn.Lucy huffed, shaking her head to dismiss her thoughts. Today was supposed to be a happy day, she couldn't let her self get caught up over nothing. Sliding the light grey flats off her stocking covered feet, she pulled herself completely up on the mattress. It was a pleasant Tuesday morning, the sun soaking through the aged glass of the windowpane. Her room taking on a rosy hue as the light bent with the lace of her pink curtains. Her room was small (as were most of the dorms in Fairy Tail were) but she loved it just the same. Her bed was pressed against the far right corner, mirroring a birch desk placed at the conjunction of the other. It, currently serving as the sleeping place for a bizarre blue cat, napping happily, wound up in scaled white fabric. She had a small overstuffed closet at the foot of her bed and an ensuite adjacent to the grand door leading to the hallway of other rooms. It was her safe place, a real home to relax and be herself in. The old walls speaking for previous guild members long passed. The only thing was, that she more often than not had to share with an intruding pyromaniac. Whether that was a negative or bonus she never could decide. She crawled towards the unsuspecting male, strung out over the bedding in his sleeping state. Taking perch beside his head, she pulled her knees to her chest. Her wrist flicking outwards slightly as she moved to wake him. It almost felt criminal, pulling him from his peaceful slumber, but she was too excited, not wanting to wait any longer. She dusted her fingers over his forehead, moving the displaced pink tendrils from his closed eyes. The light touch was enough to sway him from his dreams, grimacing as he squinted one eye open."Good Morning birthday boy." Lucy smiled sweetly, running her fingers through his fringe once again before pulling back. She wrapped her arms around her folded knees, watching as the tired man before rubbed his eyes. "Bout time you joined the land of the living.""Birthday boy?" Natsu questioned, his voice raspy, rugged with sleep. "Lucy, you know I don't know when my birthday is." He shoved his elbow under himself clumsily, sliding his body to more of a sitting position against the headboard. An exaggerated yawn flashing his pointed canines."I know." The words a sweet hum over her lips. "And every year I tell you, everyone deserves a birthday, and that you should just pick a day to celebrate."Natsu was smirking now, his expression slowly coming together as he woke. "And every year I tell you it's not important, and that you're crazy.""You celebrate my birthday every year, what's the difference?" She questioned playfully."I dunno, just different cause it's you."Lucy tried to ignore the heat that was surely blooming over her pale cheeks, tossing her bangs to the side with a sway of her neck. "Stop being so modest you stupid dragon, you're just as important as anyone else and deserve a day dedicated to you just the same." Natsu rolled his eyes at her, earning a swat to his shoulder. "Since you never pick a day, I've taken the initiative of picking for you.""And today made the cut?" He joked, fingers twisting upwards to toy with a strand of her golden hair."It's the first day of summer." She rushed out with slight embarrassment. "I thought it was fitting considering your name."Natsu snorted, mumbling something along the lines of 'cute' before pushing himself upright into a complete sitting position. He glanced to the side, noticing the small plate Lucy had put down earlier. He spun his head back towards her, eyebrow raised curiously. "Did you really bake me a cake?" She had, in fact, baked him a cake. Lucy nodded sheepishly, feeling the heat in her cheeks expand down her chest. It was nothing special, a miniature loaf that resembled more of an oversized muffin than an actual cake. To be fair, it had only been her second attempt at baking. She had considered asking Mira to make one for him, but she was away on work with her younger brother Elfman and her husband Laxus. Leaving Lucy to her own devices. Her first attempt had left the guilds mess hall a smoky mess and resulted in something unedible. Her second attempt had actually tasted pretty good despite its appearance. She had iced it in fluffy yellow icing, a baby blue branding of '22' crowning the top."You think I'm twenty-two?" He questioned again, his voice more steady than his earlier playfulness. His fingers continuing to loop over her flaxen strands."Well nobody knows your actual age, so I had to make an educated guess." She huffed in response.Natsu chuckled slightly, wrapping his arm around the blonde and pulling her into his bare chest roughly. "You're probably right, as per usual." Lucy tried to scramble against him but was held firm between his rippling arms. He slid one upwards, wrapping it around her neck pulling her into him further His chin nestled in her flaxen tendrils "Thanks, Luce, you really are the best." His lips brushing just slightly over her temple as he spoke. The touch so light she wasn't sure if there was really any contact or if she was reacting to his unusually hot breath against her fair skin.She loved moments like this. When the loud-mouthed, cocky, and rather brash man spoke in gentle tones. It was such a contrast to his typical over-excited nature. It may be selfish on her part, but she loved that this side of him was private, only sneaking up when the boy felt truly comfortable. It wasn't that he was typically exhausting, in fact, he had matured greatly over the years. But she had yet to witness him speak so calmly to another, the constant rigidness in his shoulders lacking in moments like this. It made her feel special, like she really was important to somebody. Not that she could ever deserve somebody as special as him. Somebody who lived their life completely for those surrounding him."We should hurry up and head down to the hall, Lissana's been cooking breakfast for us all morning." Natsu nodded in response, sliding himself off the cotton sheets with another exaggerated yawn. He flung his arms above his head, stretching out his previously coiled limbs. Lucy watched absentmindedly as his taut muscles strained under the spance of his tan skin, moving in sync with his smooth rhythm. He slipped a black hoodie over his head, sliding it painfully slow over his ridged abdomen. Sometimes Lucy liked to believe he showed off on purpose, maybe hoping to get her flustered for his own entertainment. He side-stepped into the ensuite, rummaging around in cabinets before his head popped back out of the doorframe. He looked slightly dishevelled, toothbrush hanging from his perfectly placed teeth. Lucy couldn't help but giggle at his curious expression, already knowing what he was about to ask before he even started speaking."I think Lissana tried to make all your favorites." Natsu nodded excitedly, darting back through the frame to continue cleaning up for the day. She swore there was nothing in this world that got him more excited than food tended too.The walk to the mess hall was pleasant, small talk mixing with their echoed footsteps on stone. Fairy Tail had taken residence in a long-abandoned castle on the outskirts of the supposedly haunted forest. Encased in hills of sprawling green, plenty of room for its members to train and spend their leisure time. A safe and beautiful space hidden so casually within the modern world, at least, thanks to the protective charms cast over the vicinity. The castle and grounds were un-seeable by the normal eye, only appearing if you knew what to look for. Most common folk would have their mind altered slightly on approach, causing them to reroute their current path. But on occasion, people have still managed to slip in, mostly lost children who's pure hearts wanted only a family or somewhere safe to rest. But there had been cases of well-skilled mages slipping through. One's like their friend Erza who possessed an enchantment cancelling eye. That's where Natsu and the other's on watch and guard duty came into place, silently protecting the livelihoods of so many. Their Headmaster was always very adamant in the safety of his 'children', so he called them. Always making sure the proper steps were taken. This was something Lucy very much appreciated, almost considering the man to be her replacement father figure."Hey wait, let's step outside quick." Natsu mumbled, grasping the side of her arm and guiding her over to one of the numerous balconies. He pushed the enormous oak doors open with ease, practically leaping out to bask in the sun rays."You really are like a salamander sometimes," Lucy scoffed playfully, commenting on his community dubbed nickname. Mages were generally very secretive about their identities, even with mages of other guilds. Understandably wanting to avoid attention from the crown. But Natsu seemed to have a knack for attention, or rather, for destruction which typically caused a lot of notice from townsfolk. The population of Fiore deciding on the name 'Salamander' for their rampant arsonist. Natsu snorted, retaliating by ruffling her hair aggressively. He then spun the other way, practically flopping against the wall with an exhale. He reached behind his gold decorated ear to remove a cigarette from its resting place. Lighting the tip of his finger with a hypnotizing flame. "I really wish you would drop that awful habit." Lucy nagged, crossing her arms slowly. "You're going to cause your own early death."As per usual Natsu looked at her like she was crazy. "You do realize I breathe fire right? Smoke it practically oxygen for me."Lucy simply shook her head, not wanting to get into their usual child-like argument about the safety of smoking. "You know Mira would agree with me." She teased."I know Mira isn't my mother, so does it really matter?" He smirked, pulling a long drag and blowing the stream into the blonde's face. She swatted at the smoke angrily, muttering under her breath about her immaculate ability to deal with morons. She turned and stepped out slowly to the edge of the castle balcony, draping her arms over the stone railing. The weather was spectacular today, the sky clear and the air surrounding them was warm and comforting. The clouds silently wishing them well with their day."I was thinking," The blonde hummed, turning back to face her pink-headed partner "We could take a job request today. Birthday boy gets to pick? Maybe Happy would even want to tag along."Natsu beamed at her, exhaling a grey cloud. "Sounds like a plan Blondie."Eventually, Natsu finished hacking away at his cigarette, giving his body a final long stretch under the sun before motioning for them to return indoors. Thankfully he seemed to be the only man Lucy had ever met that never reeked of the poison smoke. (or she liked to call it) His typical earthy scent mixed with a hint of mint and cinnamon seemed to repel all foreign smells. The remaining walk to the mess hall was quiet, the two simply comfortable in the silence of the other. At least it started that way, interrupted only by Natsu's sharp inhale as he broke out in short fits of laughter. Lucy turned to him, gawking slightly at his strange behavior while she waited for him to catch his breath. They were only about a floor away from the hall, the castle being as obnoxious as it was, took a while to navigate through."A surprise party? You really pulled all the stops hey?" Natsu mused, turning his shit-eating grin to face her. She looked absolutely baffled, her pace coming to a complete stop. This only caused Natsu to laugh harder, clutching his sides with amusement. "Did you forget about my incredibly awesome superhuman senses?" He bragged playfully. "I can hear everybody down there running amuck trying to get everything together." Lucy's expression faltered slightly. Really, who could blame her for forgetting one of his hundreds of bizarre quirks. A pout started to work its way to her plump lips. Instantly Natsu cut off his laughter, moving to stand right in front of her. "Aweh come on Luce, it's not ruined yet, promise." She scoffed slightly, swatting at his arm. "I'll even pretend to be surprised, since you worked so hard n' all." Lucy only grabbed his hand, shaking her head slightly. Of course he would react that way, selflessly cheering her up at the slightest bit of disappointment. Even on his own birthday.When they arrived at the doorway, the hall echoed with its silence. Clearly, the other guild members had found an adequate hiding place. Natsu cast her his infamous smirk before pushing the doors open, and (rather skillfully she might add) gave off his best-surprised reaction to the other members jumping out, cheering his name. It didn't take much to rile up the other members, they were always ready for any sort of celebration. The mere mention of alcohol sparking the interest in most of them. Besides that, there seemed to be a collective amount of appreciation for Natsu among them. Either a family-style bond or respect collected over the years. Even in some cases, complete loving adoration. The latter of which currently on display as Lissana latched herself onto the man, wrapping him into a soft embrace."Happy birthday Natsu-san." She cooed into his ear, gripping the man tighter. Natsu returned the compassion with ease, thanking her for all her work in the kitchen this morning. They looked fitting together, at least in Lucy's opinion. Although, that didn't mean she was very fond of watching them. In fact, she found it rather stomach-turning. Watching as Lissana openly strung herself all over him to no avail. It wasn't that she hated Lissana either, the girl being exceptionally kind-hearted and sweet. A genuine soul. Not to mention she was one of the prettiest women Lucy had ever seen, possibly rivaled only by that of her older sister. She wasn't sure exactly what it was, the feeling in her gut when she watched them together. The glorious smile that Natsu always wore around her gave nothing but an uneasy feeling. This, of course, had nothing to do with the maddening crush she had on the man. No, it most certainly didn't."You're staring." A whisper fell over her shoulder, startling her. She tossed her head quickly, scanning her peripheral for the intruder. Levy McGarden. An extremely petite and slender woman. Her eyes playful while she teased. The blue strands of her hair tied back by a golden ribbon strapped across the top of her skull in its usual fashion. It just so happened that this literature-loving book worm was Lucy's best friend (besides Natsu, of course). "If it bothers you so much, why don't you just tell him?"The blonde stared at her friend with wide eyes, progressively more startled than before. "It's not like that! We're just friends!" She defended breathlessly. "How many times do I need to repeat myself? You and Mira are going to give me a stroke." She slumped over the counter of the bar she was currently seated at with a huff.Levy lifted her brow in a mocking manner, chuckling before taking a seat at the bar beside Lucy. "Whatever you say Lu." She teased further before letting her expression fall back to normal. "This party really is nice though, you outdid yourself this time for sure." Lucy nodded slowly, spinning on her stool to take in the atmosphere. The morning was still fairly young for a typical party in her opinion, but she had really wanted to spend the evening working on a job request with the birthday boy. After some convincing, she had managed to get the rest of the members to agree with the morning time frame. The hall was decorated in a beach style theme (this being the only way to incorporate burning tiki torches, a strange favorite of the pink-haired male). Strings of flowers spiraled the stone columns in a variety of color. All the members seemed to match, flower wreaths hung around their throats in the same manner. The overly grand hall taking on a more cozy interior. Even the enormous stained windows had banners plastered to their panes. Celebration wishes printed on the fabric. Everybody had woken up super early to pitch in, getting everything set up without a hitch. Smiles and laughter mixed together creating a pleasant feeling. Kinship and happiness coated over the walls. Even Gray, the ever stoic had cracked a smile. Bickering with Natsu while holding on to his prized possession Juvia. Though he had yet to admit it, his feelings for the blue-haired, eclectic water woman were growing to become glaringly obvious."It really is nice." Lucy hummed softly. "It's a shame nobody ever thought to celebrate his birthday before. Hasn't he been a member for a long while now?"Levy nodded happily. "I think Gildarts found him when he was about twelve or thirteen, I mean if he really is twenty-two like you guessed."Lucy let out another breathy hum, turning away from the crowd to face her friend once again. "Does anybody really know about his life before Gildarts found him? He never talks about his past.""I suppose that makes sense." Levy folded her arms casually, balancing her chin in her palm. "As rambunctious as he is, I think Natu's a little more reserved about his life on purpose. He really never talks about his opinions or feelings even, unless it's regarding a fight." She giggled lightly. "I think if he were to open up to anybody, it would probably be you Lu."Lucy turned her head back towards the crowd, scanning over the bodies in search of him once again. A gentle maybe falling from her lips, her mind more focused on its hunt. She locked eyes with him from across the hall and couldn't help but smile brightly when he started making his was towards her."Happy birthday Natsu." Levy chimed on his approach. He beamed at her, letting a string of smoke leak between his teeth while he thanked her. "Didn't Lucy outdo herself with this party?" She smirked, nudging her blonde best friend who rolled her eyes and groaned internally."She really did." Natsu agreed eagerly, wrapping his arm around Lucy's shoulder to pull her into half a hug. "Aren't I spoiled?""Maybe a little." Levy jested, poking his chest playfully. Lucy wasn't really sure how the rest of the conversation played out, instead focusing on the radiant cake Lissana was currently wheeling out from the kitchen. Not that she would ever mention it, but when comparing this to the strangled looking muffin she had presented to him earlier, she was slightly offended for her own creation."Time to make a wish Natsu-san!" Lissana called softly, pushing the platter in front of him. Natsu closed his eyes in thought before leaning forward to blow out the red candles splattered over the layers, and Lucy couldn't help but smile with the rest of the group. It was just so nice, seeing the boy that always made sure everyone else was doing okay, actually have a moment for himself. Taking a second out of his hectic life to celebrate his very existence. Smiling and cheerful surrounded by his makeshift family. A moment of true happiness. If the remaining day's of her life were at least half as good, Lucy thought she could consider herself lucky.The morning had begun to drift away slowly, the party winding down accordingly. Everybody needing to get to work and begin their day to day routine. The hall progressively becoming more silent. Lucy was busy clearing empty bottles and glasses from a table when she regarded a comforting heat creep over her shoulder. "Did you pick a job yet?" She cooed at her partner, noting his presence without a need to visually see him."Of course." Lucy fluttered her lashed quickly when a flyer was held in front of her sightline, his arm stretching over the top of her head. She squinted slightly, reading the print of the request carefully. The job was nothing out of the ordinary, a group of bandits disturbing the peace of a small town a short train ride away. They only needed to find their base, possibly ruffle them up a little and get them to vacate the premises. "Did you catch that reward?" He presses, stepping around her to face her. She grabbed the flyer from his extended palm, narrowing down on the fine print. The cash reward was rather minimal compared to the requests they usually accepted. She raised a brow at him over the edge of the page and he smirked, telling her to keep reading. Her irises flashed back over the text, blowing wide when she read the final sentence. One first edition copy of Queen Anna Heartfilia's uncensored oral history on celestial magic. "She's probably your great grandmother or something hey? Natsu asked cheerfully, studying her reaction. "I figure we might find something new the other books missed." She could feel the beat of her heart quicken with excitement. Information on celestial magic was insanely hard to find, and to find something created by one of her ancestors was completely unheard of. A once in a lifetime opportunity."Is this really the job you want to take? Today's about you, we don't need to take this for me.""Consider it a thank you for everything you did for me today." Natsu beamed at her, and she couldn't help but return the smile back at him. How lucky was she that this selfless man just so happened to be her best friend. She let out a breathy okay, wrapping the fire-breather in a tight hug. He chuckled at her, grasping her shoulders and holding her a step back to meet her gaze. "I have one more favor though," She nodded slowly, smirking back at the man. "You gotta share this with me before we head out." He reached behind him, grasping a plate he must have placed down earlier. The miserable excuse of a cake she had made for him presented before her.She almost broke out in a fit of laughter, needing to take a moment to catch her breath and calm herself. "You don't need to eat that, Lissana made you a much better one.""Ya, but you made this one." He deadpanned, looking at her curiously. Her cheeks were definitely inflamed, the heat brushing its way down her throat and over her collar bones. If it was possible, her heart rate doubled over its already quickened pace. "Plus," he continued while taking a large bite, "It tastes so fucking good." He laughed warmly, offering a bite in her direction. She joined him with her own fit of giggles, perching herself on one of the hall's benches to share the rest of the desert with him.They ate quickly, sharing their excitement over the new job. Lucy practically gushing over the fact that a book of that stature even existed. No matter her effort, she couldn't contain the smile cemented over her lips."What are you two up to for the rest of the day?" Lissana's cheerful tone carried over, pulling them out of their fixated trance. She had cleaned herself up after the party, draping herself in a summer yellow fitted sundress. It ruffled out over her hips, only accentuating her perfect curves more so. Her white locks pulled back with a pearled clip. Lucy was almost annoyed at her for simply looking like herself, completely void of any flaws."Just heading out for a job," Natsu responded, sliding over to let her take a seat beside him."Oh, that sounds like such fun! I haven't been out in ages." She wined graciously. "I was going to wait for Mira and Elman to return, but it's been almost a month, I'm not sure when they'll be back." She folded her slender fingertips over the edge of the table, leaning in slightly as she spoke. "Would either of you mind if I tagged along? I've been working on this new spell and I'm just dying to try it out!"Natsu glanced towards Lucy, trying to gauge her reaction. The blonde just shrugging at him, leaning back against the bench. She was silently hoping he turned her away, the selfish side of her wanting to spend the next few days with just each other. And happy (Natsu's royally annoying blue flying cat), of course. "Ah sure Lissana," Natsu sputtered, still trying to read the blonde. "The more the merrier I suppose."The fairy-like woman practically sprung out of her seat. Perfect dazzling teeth on show as she glanced back at them over her shoulder. "Oh, fantastic! I can't wait!" She mused, heading off towards the hall exit in a hurry. "I'll just head up and pack real quick!"Natsu flashed an awkward smile back at Lucy, shifting to lean over the table towards her. "Cheer up Luce, this could be fun if you let it. Next job will just be us, sound good?" She nodded back at him, groaning internally before heading up to her own room to gather her things together. It was strange, adding her to the equation. It was always just her and Natsu that went on jobs. Even Gray dropped in from time to time. But it was never Lissana. She knew that it shouldn't matter all that much. Lissana was an amazing person and a fairly good mage in her own right. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew jealousy was the only thing she had against the girl. To her knowledge, Natsu had never reciprocated the girl's advances and constant pining. He was also his own person, his decisions didn't need to compensate for her own muddled feelings. All she knew, was that this was going to be a really long trip.

Again, check out the full story here! ↓↓↓↓

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13289933/3/Silence-and-Cigarette-Smoke

[luciehercndale]

Pain & Pleasure 2/?

Hello! I saw that my Jordelia fan fiction was appreciated, and I honestly thought about a continuation, so here I am. I hope you also like this chapter. No idea how long it will be, but I guess until I am inspired. lol. Enjoy!

Couple: Cordelia Carstairs and James Herondale Rating: T

CHAPTER 1

After getting Cordelia safely to Kensington, James was hit with the realization of what had happened at the Merry Thieves’ private room at the Devil Tavern.

He felt a pang of guilt in his stomach, but what for? Was it guilt because he had kissed Cordelia when he still thought he liked Grace, or because of Cordelia’s reaction to that kiss? Cordelia hadn’t seemed enthusiastic about it once it was over. Yet, she had let him press his lips on hers for longer than he believed she would, so maybe the kiss had been what she wanted.

James sighed. He had entered the Institute several minutes before, but he had been sitting in the drawing room instead of going in his room. It wasn’t that late, but he hadn’t heard any voices when he came back and supposedly everyone had already gone to bed.

He looked at the fire, and the flames made him think about Cordelia again. Her hair wasn’t the exact color of the flames, but they were still fierce like a beacon brightening up the dark. Yes, Cordelia definitely burnt like a blazing fire when she had to help other people.

“By the angel,” James murmured to the fire and touched his forehead and closed his eyes, letting his body relax on the sofa. “Why Daisy, why? Why did you do it?”

“Has something happened, Jamie?”

James opened his eyes abruptly and shook his head, trying to conceal the confusion of his thoughts. There was still somebody up at the Institute. “No, papa, nothing.”

It was a lie, of course. James wanted to tell him that everything happened at once and he was flustered, but he didn’t want to discuss this with his father. Will was probably the happiest out of his family about his engagement with Cordelia. Not that his mother wasn’t happy for them, but his father was the one obsessed with the Carstairs to the point that he couldn’t hide his excitement about this future event – to the point that he called his uncle Jem even when nobody needed medical help from a Silent Brother just to see him or hear his voice in his head.

His engagement was a big lie. A fabrication to save himself and Cordelia.

James felt sick to have to pretend in front of Will, since they had a good relationship and he always almost told him everything. For one, he hadn’t told him about what was going on with him and Grace, even though his parents had realized it later, probably, after Magnus had taken him home and saved him from drowning in the Serpentine. He feared that they would also find out that what was going on between him and Cordelia was nothing than what they thought it would be. And the thought frightened him. Besides the fact that it could ruin Cordelia, he was scared that the respect and trust his father and mother had in him could change. That they could judge his actions and don’t understand the reasons behind them. But then he thought, my parents aren’t judgmental people. If and when it happens, they will understand. Won’t they? They would understand.

Will sat on the sofa besides his son. He was wearing his night clothes, and he was probably going to bed. “It was gentlemanly of you to accompany your fiancée home.”

“I couldn’t let her take a hansom cab. It was late.”

“We raised you well,” he commented, with a glint of pride in his eyes. “I’m very happy that you are marrying her, James.”

James managed a smile, then looked at the fire again, trying to evade his father’s gaze. “I think we are fated to be together,” he said without thinking. How he wanted to kick himself for that line. He sounded corny, but he knew that his father would understand and would buy the lie even better. What bothered him was that when they would divorce after a year of marriage, these words would laugh back at him. Especially when he didn’t completely believe in fate. He was damned, after all. And in his case, fate didn’t have a positive connotation, but a negative one, like ill-fated. He hoped his and Cordelia’s lives wouldn’t be tainted by ill-fate after this.

“Fated? That is a nice way to put it,” Will agreed. “I’ve always tried for us to meet with Cordelia’s family whenever they were nearby, but I surely wouldn’t have thought that you would fall for her. You know how ecstatic I am that she will become a daughter for me and your mother, but we couldn’t expect you to be attracted to her. I mean, she might have not been your type. But seeing that you chose her brings me so much joy.”

James nodded. His father was already on the Cordelia train. It was crystal clear. Then why wouldn’t he jump on this train as well? Yes. Grace. He loved Grace, but Cordelia… He needed to stop thinking about Grace. Yet, he looked at the silver bracelet on his wrist. “Well, since you couldn’t marry uncle Jem, there will still be a Herondale that will marry a Carstairs,” James teased, knowing that his father didn’t mind him joking about his love for his ex parabatai.

He knew that if Jem hadn’t been a Silent Brother, his father and his mother would have probably married each other and his uncle, had it been legal. James knew Will loved Tessa more than his own life, but he also loved uncle Jem the same way. And James was a bit jealous sometimes. He also wanted to receive that love from somebody who wasn’t Lucie or his parents or Matthew or uncle Jem. He thought that person would be Grace, but it didn’t seem like it would be possible at the moment. He wondered if in the meantime he could come to love Cordelia, perhaps. Perhaps the lie could turn into reality?

His father laughed at his joke and put a hand on his shoulder, suddenly becoming serious. “I know you are a good boy, James. Not only because we tried to teach you about loyalty and love, about trust and kindness. You are truly kindhearted. And I know you will treat Cordelia well, but I just want to tell you this. If you are bothered by something, anything, share your burden. It may come to you as a silly request, but I know you, Jamie. You are a quiet boy as well as good, and there are some things that plague your mind that I understand you don’t want to share with me or your mother. But James, don’t leave your future wife out of your mind. Let her help you. You like to take the world on your shoulders and help the people in need, but you should also learn to ask others to give you a hand. And I see Cordelia is just like you. After all, you may really be fated like you say.”

James was stunned. It wasn’t the first time his father had told him that. He knew that he didn’t always tell them everything, and it didn’t bother him. On the other hand, he appreciated his parents for giving he and his sister space and being close to them and affectionate at the same time. They were a close-knit family and he loved his parents. That’s why it hurt him more to lie.

“I don’t know what to say,” he replied.

“You don’t have to say anything, fy machgen. I know your ears work,” he grinned.

James bent over to hug his father. It was Will who usually did that, because he loved to shower him and Lucie with affection and he usually took the initiative. But in that moment, he felt like taking upon himself to do it first. For someone it might have been weird or something to be ashamed of, because he was a seventeen-year-old hugging his father as if he were a child. To James, instead, it was something to be proud of, because it proved that a man could still be vulnerable and in need of affection, or simply, a guy just wanted to tell his father how much he loved him. And it was silly to think he would need to justify his actions. That was one of the things he learnt from his parents: don’t be ashamed to love and to show your love.

This made him think about Cordelia. And he was ashamed, because their love was not real, and he thought he should fix it, or at least try.

“I’ll try my best, papa,” James said once the moment was over. Then Will told him he would go to bed because his wife was waiting, and he suggested him to do the same. To go to bed, he meant. Not to go to his future wife.

Cordelia was going to be his wife.

Cordelia was going to be his wife.

Cordelia…

Perhaps I should really try, Daisy, he thought that night while he was in bed, unable to sleep. At least I should try to lessen your burden by making these months pleasant. So that it won’t be a burden to be with me for show, even if you don’t love me.

The following day, James woke up early to do just that. He wore his black coat and tried to warm himself against the cold autumn weather, by walking to Cordelia’s house. He thought it wouldn’t be that odd for him to show up on her doorstep without announcing himself. He was her fiancée, after all. So, when Cordelia’s maid Risa opened the door after he knocked several times, he wasn’t expecting to find a familiar face in her drawing room.

James waited for a moment in the dark, like a shadow. But this time he didn’t turn into thin air, because he felt everything, like the pang of jealousy in his gut.

Matthew was there. His Matthew.

“James,” Cordelia rose from the armchair she was sitting on. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

James tried to smile and hide his feelings. What was he feeling, exactly? He wasn’t able to tell. It was foreign, yet, something familiar. He was confused. “I…” James said, but he couldn’t find the words. “I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to take a walk with me.”

Cordelia was taken aback. “I fear we can’t this morning, James. Matthew was just telling me that his mother said that my father is arriving in London,” she told him excitedly.

“Hello, James. Hope you don’t mind me here, but I wanted to give Cordelia the good news in person,” he explained, still sitting on the far end of the velvet sofa. From the cups on the small table in front of it, it looked like they were having tea.

James thought he was silly. Why would Matthew be at his fiancée’s house before nine in the morning, if not to tell her such important news? But still, his jealousy didn’t go away. Perhaps because he still remembered the way Matthew and Cordelia had gazed at each other during their engagement party, and how they had made each other laugh. He didn’t have to lie to himself. It could be that Matthew liked Cordelia and that Cordelia fancied Matthew. After all, he also loved Matthew. He believed a person like Cordelia may come to love him as well. Under the eccentric exterior, Matthew was someone who desperately wanted to be loved. What if his parabatai and his childhood friend, now fake fiancée, would fall in love?

James didn’t know if he liked the idea or not, but he had to consider that possibility. Still, he had to try to make everyday count, so that he could say he tried his best.

“That’s great, Daisy,” he replied. “Is he coming here now?”

“No, we were about to take the Consul’s carriage to go to the Silent City. He’s being held there for the moment, since they wanted Silent Brothers to examine him,” Cordelia explained. James noticed her tone was happy, but there was a bit of worry in her words, especially if her father was to be examined by a Silent Brother, which James knew he didn’t like.

“Then I’ll come with you. Would you mind, Daisy?”

“No, of course not, James. After all, it is better if we go there together, since he doesn’t know about our… our arrangement,” she said, looking uneasy for a moment.

“Alright,” Matthew said, “I guess it is time to go. My mother said that Elias would arrive at nine sharp. We should move.”

“Isn’t your mother coming?” James wondered.

Cordelia shook her head. “The Silent Brothers told her it’s better she stays home and rests because she’s pregnant, to avoid that she loses the baby. So, we’ll take my father here.”

James nodded and then the three of them went out on the street and reached Matthew’s carriage and got in.

It would be a long ride to the Silent City, and James really didn’t know nor was prepared or what to expect from that journey. He just knew that it would be harder than he thought to win Cordelia’s attention, but he loved challenges.

[prettywordsyouleft]

Down By The Lake - Part 5 (Final)

Summary: It was only meant to be a stolen moment between you and your lover Daehyun and ended with him framed for murdering your best friend. With the assistance of your aloof friend Inspector Bang, could you find the real culprit called The Pauper, in time to clear Daehyun’s name?

Pairing: Jung Daehyun x reader ft. Bang Yongguk

Genre: murder mystery / periodic au / horror-ish

Warnings: murder / death / dark content given the nature of the storyline

Down By The Lake will be shared daily at 10am NZST.

Preview | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

When you opened your eyes, you expected to see the afterlife. And if seeing Daehyun’s face was the first thing you did when you woke up in heaven, then you were certain it had been worth it.

Until you realised heaven looked a lot like your chambers.

You were also not alone with the man you loved; instead, your room was full of many people. Groaning, you came to your senses as the pain settled in.

“This is not where I expected to be,” you croaked and Daehyun’s hand around yours tightened.

“This is exactly where you need to be,” he told you and you glanced at him before noting the look within your father’s face on the opposite side of the bed.

The elder shook his head tiredly. “You could have warned me. I almost lost the one person I hold the dearest.”

“My Lord, with all respect, would you have allowed Y/N to be the bait in the trap?” a deep voice enquired and angling your head around Daehyun’s, you spotted Yongguk sitting in a chair at the end of your bed. He had his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as he perused a stack of reports. Finally, he glanced up and smiled warmly at you.

“Whilst I am certain my Lady has many questions as you all have comforting words to share,” Clare announced, ushering Daehyun up from his position beside you. She clapped her hands together loudly and even challenged your father with a stern look. “She is still a lady at best and one in which multiple men have spent a vast amount of time within the private quarters of. Now that you can see she has returned to us, I will ask of you all to leave at once.”

“But I have not-”

“She is my daughter and-”

“Very well, Y/N will bother me when she is ready to,” Yongguk finished, climbing to his feet and following the others forcibly being pushed to the exit.

You gave Clare a look and then sunk further into your bedding at her own harsh stare in return. You let out a heavy sigh. “Must I regain full health first?”

“That you must, my Lady.”

It was a week later when you were able to leave your bed. Aside from your father, who was graciously allowed to sit with you for an hour each afternoon, much to his chagrin and Clare’s reluctance, you had not seen either Yongguk or Daehyun since waking up.

And Yongguk was right; you had many questions to bother him with.

“I need to go out today, Clare.”

“You will not,” she ordered and you glowered at the lady maid.

“If I do not possess the knowledge I require by the end of today, I fear I will fall ill again from too much thinking. Will you accompany me or not?”

“I will, however, only to the parlour.”

“Why there?” you questioned as the woman smiled. “Clare, what are you holding privy from me?”

“Oh, you will soon see, my Lady.”

Walking slowly, and with the aide of Clare, you made it to the parlour room without much discomfort. Opening the doors, you gasped when you found what had been a space set up for conversation over cross stitch, now looked like an entirely different room. Two large tables sat in the middle of the room facing one another, stacked with reports and books.

And at either station sat your longest friend and your lover.

You reached to hold onto your head. “What on earth is this?”

“Our current headquarters,” Yongguk announced simply and you stepped into the room, Clare shutting the door behind you. Moving over to them, you came upon Yongguk’s table first. He was reading notes that contained rather graphic diagrams and you shivered, wrapping your arms around yourself. You definitely had endured your fair share of frightening experiences recently and were not ready for anything further.

Daehyun smiled at you weakly. “I suppose this is a sight you might have never expected.”

“It is, though it does perhaps answer one of my questions,” you replied softly, moving to see what was on Daehyun’s side. He also held similar files, though with a different case number. “You were never a stable hand by profession, were you?”

“I have been many a thing in my time, but I assure you, this is the role I am most capable in. I fancy your father may need to look further into the credentials of his employees after my less than stellar performance in the stables.”

Yongguk snorted. “At least you were incredibly equipped to have at least his daughter fooled.”

“Inspector,” Daehyun warned, and then grinned when Yongguk rolled his eyes. Daehyun then turned to you. “Say, would you like some fresh air?”

“Please, I have been trapped inside for too long.”

“Whatever happens out there, do ensure this time I am not needed for another re-enactment,” Yongguk warned and you bit your lip whilst Daehyun laughed heartily, ushering you to the doors that led out into the garden.

Once settled into your amble, you glanced up at Daehyun right as he went to speak.

“Y/N-”

“Daehyun-”

Sharing a gentle smile, you gestured for him to go first. He pocketed his hands and sighed. “I need to apologise and explain a lot.”

“Well, thankfully for me, my head has recovered faster than my side injury has, leaving me quite capable of listening to both.”

“I spend a lot of time undercover working for Inspector Bang. I have been a great deal of things and done even more than you can imagine. I was placed by your side for information. You attend the most events, as the only daughter and heiress to this family, and further, had the closest connections to everyone in the elitist scene. That was my primary role, to gather appropriate information to help with our investigation.”

“Yongguk knew it was someone within my circles?” Daehyun nodded and you closed your eyes. “Did he expect me to approach you as well?”

“He had not believed you would have any interest in me further than as an outside person to talk to. He knew of your past behaviour of going to the stables to let out your frustrations, however, that was all.”

“Did you plan for this?” you asked with your head down, unable to look him in the eye.

It would make sense, given his mission. You gave Daehyun an easy way in to garner your trust and potentially more information. With your apparent adoration for him, he could have gotten anything out of you had he worded it right. Though, as you thought over your time together before the night you were separated, most of it was conversation about yourselves and what a future between you would hold.

You couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. Was everything he shared with you just there to help the investigation along?

“I had not. Admittedly, I accepted willingly to grow closer with you, as it would help with our findings. Apart from being the worst stable hand, I was honest with you as much as I could be. There were times where I pleaded with Yongguk for me to leave. I grew vulnerable around you to the point I was worried I was in too deep to be effective to my role.”

“Should I believe this?” you wondered, continuing to walk on, stopping when you realised Daehyun had not. You examined his face, his expression uncertain. Returning to his side, you caught the first tear as it fell.

“Seeing you mere inches away from death frightened me beyond belief. I was willing to give up anything, even my own life if it meant you would stay earthbound.”

“You fool, I am still here so why are you crying?” you asked, feeling your own emotions rising behind your eyes.

Daehyun gave you a watery smile. “I am thankful you are still here. When we found your name on the top of the killer’s hit list right before Lucy’s death, I knew I would throw myself in the line of fire to save you.”

“Is that why you held me back from saving her?” you breathed and Daehyun shook his head.

“She was already dying and there was no way we could prevent it when we got there. I saw the angle he took. I did not want you to bear witness of her final moments like that.”

You nodded, gripping onto his shirt as you tried to settle your emotions. “Y/N, if I could have saved her, you know I would have, right?”

“I just wish we had been there sooner. I should have just asked to go for a stroll and not a swim.”

As you continued to talk over everything, you found that Daehyun had been taken away only to take refuge in Yongguk’s home. You stared up at him, speechless momentarily. “You mean when I was there…”

“I was in the adjacent room listening on.”

“Then you heard that I had held suspicions over you!”

He nodded. “I would have been surprised had you not.”

“As for the investigations Yongguk and I did?” you prompted and Daehyun sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

“I, unfortunately, got spotted.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“Yongguk saw me up in the tree watching on. You know, you were awfully close with him. Is there anything in the past between you both? I asked him many a time and yet he refused to answer.”

You smiled. “Then perhaps we should leave it like that.”

“Y/N!”

“I despaired over you!” you exclaimed, your frustrations mounting. “Here I was, wholly believing that I was saving your life and you were gallivanting around the countryside with us!”

“I would not go as far to stretch the truth and say I gallivanted,” Daehyun remarked and you let out a scoff, turning on your heel to walk away. “Now you just wait up a second!”

Daehyun caught you easily and you glowered in his direction. “And Yongguk! He must have had succumbed to fitful laughter with how ridiculous I was! I fear I will never be able to face him again with how mortified I am right now to be played by you both!”

“I very much so doubt that man can even laugh. I have yet to see him do such a thing in the past five years I have worked with him. Not even a chuckle!” Daehyun pointed out and you tried ever so hard not to fall trap to his amusing statement.

Clearing your throat, you shook your head, moving on with your complaints. “I was in danger and you both let it continue!”

“It was a risk, yes. However, you did agree.”

“Only because I believed you were framed!”

“Okay, so is this the part I get down on my knees in forgiveness?”

“You believe I could accept such a thing?” you wondered, looking away just in time as Daehyun dropped before you.

“It was a necessary evil and I do apologise for the grievances I have stricken you with,” he implored and you angled yourself ever so slightly to see his face. Daehyun reached out for your hand, gripping it fondly. “It was the most challenging time of my existence, I’ll have you know. I had to remain invisible in order to fool you and the killer. Even if I saw you most days, it felt as if I only did so from afar. I could do nothing for you and had to rely on others to protect you in my absence. I cannot explain how antagonising that was for me.”

“Did you know there was a separate killer?”

“We did have our suspicions. Yongguk knew I was out there waiting since Lord Wilsford had used the track to escape before and that was why he let you go with him.”

You gestured for Daehyun to get up, letting out a lengthy sigh before slipping your arms around his waist, surprising him. “I have a few requests, of course, if I am to accept your apology.”

Daehyun relished in your closeness, his arms embracing you snugly to him. He hummed for you to continue.

“Will you continue to be undercover?”

“Whilst it is a skill I possess, I do not believe it is something I will be asked to do often now.”

“Do I have to concern myself of you luring another woman if you have to return to such a task?” you continued and he pulled you back to arm’s length.

“You approached me first!”

Giving him a look, you began to repeat yourself. “Will you-”

“No, I will never. My heart belongs to only one person and I could never betray that love.”

You smiled, satisfied. “Will you leave me in the predicament that I currently am in?”

“Which is?”

“Well, I am in want of a husband. Is that a role you wish to obtain?”

Daehyun smiled, leaning into you. “You are positively a wicked creature. I was worried you were going to turn me away for good.”

“I merely asked for your assistance in making an honest woman out of me. My father believes we have-”

“No, he has been informed of the truth after a very intense approach on his behalf.” Daehyun laughed awkwardly, looking a little uncomfortable. “There was some time between your coming back to us, Y/N.”

You laughed, imagining the approach your father had taken. “Still, I shan’t wait for you forever. You will be busy with your new position and I may find someone else who takes my fancy. There will be a new stable hand-”

“Must I confess my endearment for you right now? In the most unprepared manner?”

“Whilst I would love to hear it all, I do wish to be courted properly.”

Leaning in to kiss you, Daehyun rested his forehead upon yours. “I will thank the Gods every day that you returned to me.”

“You told me I could not leave you yet.”

“Can I be selfish and ask that you never do until it is time for us both to see another world together?”

“Who else would I risk my life for?” you replied, leaning in to kiss Daehyun again. “My heart is yours.”

“And my soul will become one with you when we say I do.”

“I want to hear that right now.”

“We cannot have one nice moment, can we? Did you not just proclaim you want to be courted properly? That will require time and-”

You cut off Daehyun’s words with another kiss, smiling into the embrace as you did so. “This is a very nice moment, my love.”

“One of many, now that you are safe.”

“Safe? Why with you around I do wonder if that is a word I can use. I saw the case-studies you and Yongguk are working on. What kind of mischief are you going to get yourselves into next?!

Laughing, Daehyun nuzzled you with his nose and sighed. “I believe that anything with you has the ability to be much more frightening than those who I chase down.”

“Does it scare you?”

“On the contrary,” he murmured, holding your chin within his hand as he angled in for another kiss. “I am excited for what will happen next.”

_________________

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[sobatsu]

Eternal love

[AU]

Summary: For her entire childhood, Lucy Heartfillia had been told time and time again not to go near the old house in the Northern forest as every poor soul who had the courage to venture up there, never returned but what happens when Lucy does go to the house and ends up meeting Natsu Dragneel, a vampire with a mysterious past and has an adoptive human daughter. Will she tell the village about this monster? or will she befriend him and maybe become something more…

Words: 2029

A big thank you to @i-write-fanfics-to-procrastinate for proofreading !

@millennial-star-gazer @trollka21 @lucyheartfiilia @otaku-daydreamer-4673 @doginshoe

They stood in that position for what Lucy felt like was hours, him leaning over her, his face practically buried in her neck while she was just standing there almost as still as a statue if it wasn’t for the fact that she was shaking like a leaf.

She could feel his breathe against her neck, maybe in a different circumstance her thoughts would be have been different, she would have felt something more along the lines of being flustered, maybe even being in love….

But right now, that wasn’t the case, in fact Lucy was starting to say a few prayers, ready for the moment he was going to strike.

“You know, usually when someone tells you their name, you respond back with yo-”

Lucy looked up when he didn’t finish his sentence noticing that his face was no longer at the base of her neck but now upright, staring at her bed with the little bluenette, who, at that moment, had started to stir.

Lucy didn’t even have a second to process what was happening before Natsu practically pushed himself off of her and was right on top of her bed, cuddling the young child close, shushing her back to sleep.

Lucy practically collapsed on to the small stool at her vanity, having to grab a hold of it right after so that she wouldn’t fall, as she stared at Natsu, he was cradling the little girl in his arms, smiling down softly at her as she started to nod slowly back to sleep

The girl looked quite cute as she slept but she was also much too skinny looking for a child around her age, well that’s what Lucy assumed, she didn’t even know what sort of creature Natsu was, let alone his daughter? Lucy didn’t know and she was, quite frankly, too scared to ask.

“Your name.”

“M-my what?”

“You still haven’t told me your name, I told you mine so it’s only polite that you tell me yours.”

Lucy just stared at him in disbelief, “This guy is in my room, was probably going to kill me and he wants me to tell him his name, I don’t even know what he is.”

“Fine, I’ll tell you my name, but you have to tell me exactly what you are.”

Natsu sighed but nodded.

“Fine. I’m Natsu Dragneel, youngest son in the Dragneel family and also that last known Dragneel. Over the years I’ve been given many different names, a lamia, a ghoul, I remember there was this guy I met, had a weird name, Pam Poker I believe he was called, or something along those lines. I bumped into him on my travels, well I say bumped into him but really I mean he saw me while I was hunting and well…..things didn’t really go well from there, he didn’t really understand what I was saying and when I had told him my name he must have misheard me because instead of saying ‘Dragneel’ he ran away screaming Dracula or something…but personally I go by the term Vampire.”

“A V-vampire?” was all that Lucy could stutter out after hearing this, she still didn’t fully understand what it meant but it still sounded quite frightening.

“Yeah well, it’s just something that the Vamp council came up with a very long time ago, I don’t know where they pulled it from but I never bothered to ask.”

“And what qualifies you to be a vampire?” Lucy still didn’t get it, which was quite understandable since Natsu still hadn’t told her what a vampire actually was.

“Well, my blood doesn’t exactly, work like yours does. Your blood goes around the body and keeps you alive, right? Well my blood isn’t working like that, I’m what the doctors would call, ‘dead’ and what the priests would call ‘A demon’.” With that said Natsu started to chuckle.

Lucy scoffed, “That’s not even funny and what does he mean by dead?”

“How can you be standing here, talking to me if you’re d-dead?”

Natsu rolled his eyes.

“My Lord, were you even listening? I just told you, it’s because I’m a vampire, duh.”

“But that still doesn’t explain how that wor-”

“Look Doll, you told me that you’d tell me your name if I told you what I am, which I did so go on, what’s your name?”

For the second time that night, Lucy stared at him in disbelief. “Who on Earth does he think he is? Just because he’s some sort of vampire doesn’t give him the right to just interrupt a lady, like myself, like that. Was this boy ever taught any manners?” but she rolled her eyes and gave him a short, but effective, glare.

“Fine then, if you really want to know my name so bad, its Lucy, Ms. Lucy Heartfillia, first born daughter to Jude and Layla Heartfillia and sole heir to Heartfillia coal factory.”

Lucy hadn’t meant to tell him so much but she was so used to having to do it to potential suitors, because her father wanted her to show off all of her assets, and well Natsu was a male, a relatively good looking one at that, so it just slipped off of her tongue.

“Lucy huh? A bit boring but not too bad.”

Lucy was about to kick him into the next day before she realised that one of his fingers was now covering his lips, in a way to show her that she should be quite but he wasn’t looking at her, Lucy followed his gaze down to the young girl and saw that she was starting to shiver, most likely due to the bedroom window being open and the fire almost being out.

Natsu was about to wrap the little girl with his cloak but Lucy had put up her hand to stop him.

“Under the pillow, there’s a small blanket that she can use.”

“It’s fine, I’ll just use my co-”

“Don’t be ridiculous, that coat would be barely woolly enough to make me warm let alone her, and look at her she’s shivering just take the blanket already before she freezes to death.”

Natsu simply obliged and took the small blanket from underneath the pillow, it was on the small side, yes, but it was also big enough for the four-year-old and felt very warm already from being under the pillow, so he wrapped her up in it and just started to cuddle her close to him.

Lucy stared at the little girl again, and after seeing her a little more closely before Natsu had covered her, she was definitely too skinny for Lucy’s liking and without a single thought, she went over to the tray of bread that Virgo had left for her, even though she wasn’t supposed to be getting anything, and she wrapped it up before handing it to the man.

“I know it’s not much but please, take it for her.”

Natsu just eyed the package carefully before bowing slightly and taking it.

“Thank you, this means a lot to us.”

Lucy was about to just smile and say no problem, hoping that he would now leave with the bread and the girl but then she noticed that he had shifted a little more comfortably on the bed and all those hopes went out the window.

“Juvia isn’t my actual daughter you know. Four years ago, the day of one of the biggest storms I had seen in this century, some mad and cruel person, had decided to leave her outside my house, knowing that she was most likely going to die, either by the weather due to no one finding her, or front the rumoured monster living in that house, A.K.A me.”

Lucy could feel the tears in her eyes start to form, “what type of cruel monster would leave their daughter all alone like that, let alone in that area during the storm”, was the only thing going through Lucy’s head at that moment.

“I went outside later that night to go hunt, it was the perfect time as well since the storm was starting to slightly die down but it was still too bad for a normal human like you to survive so no one would have been able to find me plus there was a high chance that there would have been an excess amount of...well..food lying around.”

Lucy shuddered, knowing exactly what he meant by food.

“I had barely opened the door when I heard it, the cries coming from the baby, they were soft but you could tell that she was in pain, she was so small and I could tell that she was shaking like a leaf, so I picked her up and brought her in, I held her close trying my hardest to make her even slightly warmer.

“I knew it wouldn’t work very well since, well, my blood is completely cold, so I started up my fire in the parlour and I sat there with her for almost five hours before she finally started to feel much warmer.

“She had also stopped crying at this point so I took this chance to go down to the village and try to find some sort of food for the baby, I didn’t have one of those baby carriages so I wrapped one of my old cloaks around me like a sling and then placed her inside of it, pretty smart don’t you think!

“I didn’t know exactly what I needed to get her but I had some...help... in this situation so I borrowed some items from some of the shops and I returned home, ready to take care of her for a little while before the storm lifted, then once it did lift I’d bring her to the orphanage.”

Everything went quite for a moment after that and Lucy was getting more and more impatient waiting.

“So what happened?”

“What?”

“How come you never brought her to the orphanage”

“.....I just haven’t had the time to do it yet.”

“....but it’s been four years?”

“Yeah so?”

“Well you’d think that after all this time that you would have had time at some st-”

“Lucy? I’m coming up for a second, we still need to discuss some details about your marriage.” Lucy could hear Jude coming up the stairs right after saying this and Lucy was in a panic, she turned back round towards the door after hearing her father knocking.

“Lucy? Can I come in?”

“Of course Papa! Just give me one second to get changed.”

Lucy quickly turned around to face Natsu again so that she could warn him to go, but when she looked at the bed, Natsu was gone, replaced by a breeze coming from the now open window.

“Lucy? Is everything okay in there?”

“Oh yes Papa! You can come in now.”

For the rest of the night, Lucy was in her room talking to her father about her potential marriage with Laxus Dreyar, Lucy had met him countless times at his father’s different events, and she had to admit that he was quite good looking, but anyone with a pair of eyes could see that he was in love with the governor’s daughter but alas he was destined to marry Lucy and Lucy was destined to marry him.

By the time Jude left and Lucy was told alone in her chamber it was well past midnight and time for Lucy to go to sleep, but even after getting ready for bed and having a warm glass of milk, Lucy still couldn’t make herself fall asleep. Her mind being kept awake by a certain pink-haired vampire, even when she tried to think about the upcoming marriage, her mind kept brining her back to his hair, his face, his eyes, his lips, him. She was scared before but after hearing about what he did for Juvia even though he had no obligation just made her heart flutter.

She knew she had to see him again and she fell asleep with the thought of going back to the woods tomorrow. While a certain vampire was going through quite the same situation.

Chapter 2 !!! sorry for the long wait ! Family matters but I’m sure you all understand ! I hope you enjoyed !!!

[jovialyouthmusic]

Girl’s Night Out

A multiple AU piece of fun featuring my female LIs

Elizabeth Dalgleish wakes in an unfamiliar place in the company of three strangers. What they have to tell her will change her life completely - but she will have a lot of fun too!

Word Count 1559

A/N This might not make sense if you’ve not read my other fics, but I will try to explain.  All four of my female LI’s are going to meet in cyberspace along the lines of the Many Lives of Drake Walker and have one heck of a party. Here Elizabeth (star of my regency period drama Past Times) wakes to find herself in the company of Lucy from Two’s Company Three’s Allowed, Charlotte of Charlotte’s Choice and Sophia of Protect and Serve, and they have some ‘splaining to do…

Prologue

Elizabeth Dalgleish lay quite still. She had fallen asleep to dreams of her Captain; of the kisses they shared, of the delicious tingles that ran up her arm when their hands touched, of the warm feeling in her belly and in her womanhood when she looked deep into his eyes. But she had woken to unfamiliar voices.

‘Okay Sophia, we’re tired of hearing what a stallion Bastien is, and what a massive penis he has. Let me tell you, it’s not what you’ve got, it’s how you use it’ The first voice was regal and clipped, and as she lay quietly trying to work out what was going on, another voice piped up. It was another woman, and her voice was sultry and deep.

‘You’ve not lived until you’ve had two men in your bed, believe me – and one of them a King’

‘You two are unbelievable. Just because you’ve both got titles doesn’t mean a thing. Bas and I do just fine thankyou, we don’t need a palace to live in, or a manor or fancy titles.’

‘That’s cruel, Sophia’ the first voice went on ‘I was born into it, I had no choice’

‘More like written into it’ the second voice chimed in.

Elizabeth struggled to understand what was going on. What was this talk of other men? She opened her eyes a little to see what was going on. The three women had their backs to her, and were dressed strangely. Had she somehow woken up in the future? What could these new fashions be? Frantically she ran her hands over her long muslin nightdress, knowing how completely different she must look from the other women. She didn’t follow fashion slavishly like some she knew – but how embarrassing to be wearing last year’s dress when meeting strangers. One of the women turned and jumped slightly. She had long dark wavy hair and her dress was of the deepest purple hue she had ever seen. She blushed to see that her legs were bare.

‘Hold on, this one’s waking up’ she said ‘How come she’s self aware? Les has barely written half a dozen chapters’

‘Careful, you’ll frighten her’ The woman who had spoken of a palace had long flowing blonde hair, and came to her side ‘It’s okay darling, we won’t hurt you’ Her accent was familiar – she was very obviously English although she couldn’t place her regional accent.

‘W – where am I? Who are you?’ Elizabeth sat up. The room she was in was strange – it was white, brightly lit, and she lay on a white padded table. The other women sat on odd chairs made of a peculiar white substance like ivory, but the shapes flowed and curved and were far too large to be of that material.

‘Oh boy’ said the woman with long dark hair ‘how are we going to explain this? She’s not even from the same time period’

‘Let’s start with names’ said the blonde woman, smiling at her reassuringly ‘I’m Sophia, and this is Lucy - and Charlotte. Queen Charlotte’ Elizabeth sat up even straighter, alarmed, then ducked her head in an impromptu bow.

‘Queen? Your majesty – I’m Elizabeth’ she started timidly.

‘Hey, don’t forget I’m Queen too’ Lucy chimed in.

‘Frigging royalty’ muttered Sophia, then louder she added ‘Don’t worry darling, you don’t have to bow or curtsy – their titles are entirely fictional’

‘Fictional?’ Charlotte burst out ‘How dare you!’

‘Yes, well explain to Elizabeth here how you’re both queen of the same country in the same timeline’ Sophia said sarcastically, and Charlotte subsided. Elizabeth swung her legs over the side of the table to face the other three. She crossed her hands over her chest

‘I’m so sorry, I’m not dressed properly’ she apologised ‘I’d just gone to bed, and then – well, I woke up here’

‘Oh don’t worry sweetie’ Lucy said ‘You can wear whatever you want to – just think about it’

‘I – whatever do you mean?’ Elizabeth protested.

‘Well, like this’ Lucy said, closing her eyes.

‘Wait Lucy – don’t…’ Charlotte’s tone was urgent. To Elizabeth’s amazement, her dress changed colour – and style. She shrieked and her hands flew to her throat in alarm.

‘Witchcraft!’ she cried, terrified ‘What hellish nightmare is this?’

‘Calm down Elizabeth, it’s alright’ Sophia said soothingly, but her heart hammered in her ribcage and her breath grew short. ‘Okay, okay, it’s all a dream’ she said ‘Close your eyes and think of where you were when you went to sleep. Deep slow breaths now…’ Elizabeth closed her eyes and obeyed her.

‘Okay, open your eyes’ came Sophia’s voice as she pictured her bedroom. On opening them again, she was comforted to see she was indeed still in her very own bedroom, sitting on the edge of her four poster bed. The other bed beside it was empty, and she wondered where her younger sister, Amelia, was. The other three women were still there, so she drew a shuddering breath and stood up to go over to her closet and pull on a robe.

‘What are you all doing here?’ she asked, making her voice firm even though internally she was far from calm. ‘If this is a dream why don’t I know you all?’ Charlotte sighed

‘Do you only dream of people you know?’ she asked. Elizabeth furrowed her brow in thought

‘Not always - oh, I see your point. But why are you dressed like that? Is it some sort of foreign fashion – or a costume party?’ Sophia looked at Lucy sharply

‘Not exactly’ she said ‘I really don’t know how to explain things to you.’ She sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the mattress for Elizabeth to join her. She looked around the room and her eyes alighted on a book next to the bed. ‘Do you read novels – romances, Elizabeth?’ She nodded, blushing

‘Mama tells me they are not for refined young ladies – but I can’t help it, they are so exciting!’ Sophia smiled and patted her hand

‘Well, Elizabeth, it’s like this – we – all four of us – are characters in a book – each of us has our own story, but the same writer’ Elizabeth frowned. ‘It’s not quite that simple’ Sophia went on ‘but when a story is read a lot, the characters come alive. It’s odd because your story hasn’t been read very often, I don’t quite know how you’re self aware’

‘You mean – I’m not real?’ Elizabeth gasped. She pinched herself ‘I feel real’ she said, puzzled.

‘Well, what is real?’ Sophia smiled ‘Our writer sometimes comes to visit us. I don’t know quite how it works, but her reality is different from ours. I suppose yours is also quite different to ours.’

‘Oh?’ she asked, her mind whirling ‘Different in what way?’

‘We – well, effectively we come from the future – the twenty first century’ Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide to start with, then she squeezed them shut, starting to chant

‘This is all a dream, this is all a dream, thisisalladream…’ After a while she opened them again, and rubbed at her eyes, but nothing had changed. Her shoulders sagged. She had no choice but to believe Sophia.

‘I don’t understand’ she said ‘How can this be?’ Sophia shrugged

‘It’s just the way things are’ she replied, and squeezed her hand. ‘Hey, maybe we should tell you a bit about our stories and you can tell us about yours. It could be fun’

‘We could visit some of the others’ grinned Lucy. Sophia glared at her

‘Baby steps Lucy, baby steps’ she warned. ‘Okay Elizabeth – tell us your story. Who’s your love interest?’

‘My what?’ she asked puzzled, then realised ‘Oh – my young man’ her eyes shone as she remembered

‘I’m getting married tomorrow’ she said ‘To Captain John Lykel’ her voice was dreamy ‘He’s wonderful – so gentle, so loving. So handsome.’

‘Knowing Les, probably hot as hell and great in the sack’ Lucy piped up. ‘You’ve got one heck of a wedding night coming, darling’ Elizabeth blanched at her coarse words, which she did not quite understand. Her eye alighted on Charlotte’s ring finger, and she looked at the other two women. Lucy had two wedding rings, Charlotte had an engagement and wedding ring, and Sophia had an engagement ring.

‘You all have beaus?’ she asked, then thinking perhaps they didn’t quite understand her. ‘Sweethearts - husbands?’ Lucy laughed

‘And then some’ Elizabeth frowned. Sophia patted her hand again.

‘Yes darling, our writer has given us all someone special. We’re all linked in a way – because we’ve been self aware for a while longer than you, we know each other’s stories. But we should probably explain. Make yourself comfortable, and we will too’ She closed her eyes and waved her hand, and an odd piece of furniture appeared. Elizabeth jumped, but took a deep breath. This was obviously ‘normal’ in her new reality, so she should probably get used to it, she thought. The item looked very much like the chaise longue in her front parlour, but it had a continuous back all along it. Charlotte looked down and dusted it off and shook out a cushion before sitting on one end, and Lucy plonked herself on the other. Sophia leaned back against the corner post of the four poster bed, and Elizabeth perched on the edge of the mattress.

‘Very well – tell me all about it’ she smiled. ‘It all sounds very exciting’

[pernatius]

Lost in Space Part 5: Ch 4

ch 3

Summary: An unnamed Space Explorer must come to terms with the fate of the universe resting in her hands. 

Part 1: ch 1, ch 2, ch 3, ch 4, ch 5

Part 4: ch 1, ch 2, ch 3, ch 4, ch 5

————————

Lucy’s sweat, which now glistened his forehead and the crevasses of his face, descended to his suit and sash. They darkened their colors. It looked like I had shot him. It looked like his blood pooled and drenched into their fabrics. The footsteps are getting all too close, but Lucy has yet to decide. His eyes dodge the sight of the gun by switching their focus from me to Saamuki, but mostly Saamuki. As for Saanuki, she’s chosen to look away from both of us with her arms crossed. It felt like I was going to blackout from all the suspense. I tried gulping it down, but it only made it worse. So, I thought I was going to have to do it. I thought I was going to kill the father of who knows how many children. They’d wake up and run out of their rooms. Instead of spending time with their father as they usually did for breakfast, which was the only time they saw him, they’d find their mother hunched down on the table with tears in her eyes. They’d, as they hesitantly stepped towards her, ask what’s wrong. She wouldn’t say a word, too hurt, but when they see their father’s sash held in her arms they’d realize what happened and cry. Their mother, leaving her husband's sash on the table, would hug them. She’d do her best to comfort them. Eventually, the cries would stop, but the pain wouldn’t. The children would live the rest of their lives without a father. As for their mother, she’d have to wake up every day in the large, empty bed she’d used to share with her husband. Thinking of this made me nauseous even though he cheated on her with Saamuki. I thought I was going to throw up, but I was saved by Lucy finally making his decision. “Fine, but Saamuki, if Cabelo finds out about this you’re on your own.”

Turning back to face the guard, “That’s not new to me.”

As Lucy headed elsewhere and Saamuki led me to the door at the end of the hallway, I got a strange feeling that told me to turn around. I do and I find the source of the footsteps, but I also get stricken by fear. In the mouth of the hallway stands a Watcher. They don’t have any eyes, as far as I could tell, but I can still feel them staring me down. Noticing my sudden stiff self, Saamuki stops and turns to see what I’m looking at. Seeing her reaction in the corner of my eye makes me doubt my sense of sight. “You see that too, right, Saamuki?”

“See what? See Lucy?” Rubbing my eyes, the figure is no longer there. Taking this as my mind messing with me, and as an indication, I’m not sane, I tell her to forget about it. We continue walking with my arms covered in goosebumps until Saamuki opens the door for me. A dimly lit room with flickering lights and a steel ladder that descended into a dark abyss greeted me. The last time I was here it wasn’t like this. It wasn’t frightening. Although, most of my attention was on keeping pace with everyone. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Sorry.” 

The further we descended the colder it became. At one point I began to see my breath. The more rungs I grasped the stronger the frostbite on my hands became. The flames from my crown lit up the cramped space circling me and provided me heat as best it could. The trip down the ladder was long. It seemed like it was never going to end, at one point I thought it wasn’t, but a moment later I and then Saamuki finally stepped onto the basement floor. Three hallways stood before us. The middle of which the others and I used. Saamuki nudged me to the hallway right across from the one the group and I saw her and Cabelo walking out of the first time I was here. I follow her. We go through several convoluted twists and turns until we just need one more turn before we’re in front of the door. Both of us hid and waited behind the very wall we needed to get past for that to happen. 

On the other side of the door, I can hear Cabelo talking to someone. “It looks like he’s still in there,” Saamuki reaffirmed my assumption. She said something else, but I ignored and tried to listen to what was being said on the other side of that door. 

“Free the blood,” a voice growled. 

The voice was about to say more, but Cabelo cut their conversation short. The door slid open and revealed Cabelo pressing two fingers between where I think is his nose. He turns and walks away and as he does the door begins to slide close. This was my chance. This was finally my chance to redeem myself after all the shit I’ve pulled. After all the utter embarrassing failures, this was my moment to shine. I grab the crown from my head and even with my mixed feelings of the spiritual realm I pray that it works. I pray that I’m able to make a staff. I didn’t get to see Licata’s staff for long, but it’s burned into the back of my mind. No pun intended. I imagine it and focus it on the crown. Heart dropping, eyes widening, I realize I did it, so I throw it. It all happened so fast. The staff comes barreling towards the crack with its flames trailing right behind it. One second longer and we’d alert Cabelo we’re here by the loud clanking noise it would’ve made if it fell to the ground. The staff slid through the sliver of space between the door and wall. With Cabelo out of sight and both of us smiling that our poorly put together plan was going to work out, after all, we headed towards the door. 

Preventing the door from closing was the easy part. The hard part, at least for now, is bringing it all the way open. Saamuki grabbed the door’s edge and tried moving it. Sweat and a vein appeared on her forehead, but it came to no avail. If she couldn’t do it then there’s no way I could, but I got that sense again. I stepped forward and wrapped my fingers around the door’s edge. The room is pitch black. A breeze hit me. I thought it was just a breeze, but leaning in I realize it’s whispering. 

“What are they-” I raised my hand for her to quiet. She does. 

“Let our minds become one, child,” the very same voice I heard growling had hushed this into my ears. I don’t know what I did at that moment, but the next thing I know is that I’m holding the staff with my hood down and that the room is wide open. I tried swinging the staff around for us to see what’s in that room, but for some unknown reason, the room remains black. So, I look at Saamuki and see that she’s taken a step away from me. Something happened. Something clearly happened to my body a few moments ago. I was about to ask her what happened, but I noticed something warm around my eyes. Raising my free hand to them, I find blood on my fingers. My eyes are bleeding, but I’ve suffered no effect. I can see, but it’s not like there’s anything worth seeing. After a few more moments, though I have yet to digest what happened, we both head inside. Once we do the door behind us shuts. Both looking at each other, we gulp, and begin to regret our decisions. Laughter erupts. It echoes, making it seem like there are multiple beings inside this room besides us. 

Was it bravery? Utter fear? Or plain stupidity? I call out to it, “Show yourself.” 

Was it an act of chivalry? Knowing they had nothing to fear because we were at their mercy? Or to get a better view of the two people they’ve caused to become pale? The figure looked like a clergy. Their outfit is as black as the darkness around us but it’s also fitted with blood-red buttons and a sash wrapped around their waist. Horns sprouted out from their head and two sets of fangs peek out of their lips. They look holy, but at the same time appear ironically demonic. Also, they’re nearly transparent. “I have done what you’ve asked, yet here you are being ungrateful.” After his fingers comb his hair and he sighs, he bows. “I am The Speaker of a once-great society that helped millions with their knowledge, but in the end, we were thanked with desecration.”

“I’m sorry to hear about this. I truly am, but we don’t have time.”

“Time and time again I am proven that the living is impatient. I have already gotten word why you two have come to me and yes I do know how to bring someone back to life. However, it comes with a cost.”

“What do you mean by cost?”

“The woman you wish to bring back doesn’t have a body to go to. So, someone from the living must exchange their body in return.”

“What?”

“What are they saying?” 

"We need someone to give up their body for your sister to be brought back because she doesn’t have a body to return to.” Saamuki doesn’t respond. So, I turn my attention back to The Speaker. “Can’t we just put the soul into a machine? Like a spaceship for instance.”

“You can try if you want to waste your time. It’ll be like forcing a cube in a triangular hole. You’d have a better time placing her in a potted plant.”

I was about to say something, but Saamuki opens her mouth to offer, “I’ll do it. I’ll give my body up.”

“Saamuki, what do you think you’re doing?”

“There’s no other choice. I have to give up my body for my sister. It’s the least I could do for her.”

“No, this isn’t the least you could do for her. This isn’t even the most. Saamuki, do you even hear yourself? You’re giving your life away. What about Mikrovos? You’re just going to leave him behind?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Saa-”

“I am because I already left him behind and now look what’s happened because of it. I left my sister behind and now look where we are. I have to do this.”

The Speaker smiles and moves their hand in front Saamuki. I didn’t like that smile. It told me that there’s something off about The Speaker. I’m about to swat her hand away from The Speaker, but the door slides open and reveals a surprised and slowly angering Cabelo. Flames are shot towards Saamuki. As stupid as it was, but I’m not new to stupidity, I shield Saamuki from it. She screams and I do too. I fall to my knees and watch my body begin to heal from the burns. Still, it hurts. I force myself back up and I swing the staff at Cabelo who’s charging towards us. He is thrown into the air and I think his back slams against a wall. As he gets back up, I ready myself for the fight ahead. 

I thought I was ready, but with Cabelo suddenly appearing in front of me and swinging his fist into my gut he sends me flying. I hit the ceiling and then a wall. Getting up, I can hear a few of my ribs have cracked. Him getting all too close to Saamuki and The Speaker, both of which have alarmingly glowing blue eyes, I force myself up and throw the staff once again at him. He catches it in his hand and as he prides himself at my facial expression, I send my fist at him. It goes right through him. The smell of burning flesh hits my nose. It’s my flesh. My arm smolders right before my eyes. I scream as the flesh on the arm slowly tears and melts away. Again Cabelo is entertained by my pain. Through his smirk and as painful as it is, I manage to fling my hand out of him and rip the staff out of his grip with both my hands. He doesn’t have time to react. At that moment I became too fast for him as I saw all the dastardly people that have used that same type of smirk standing in front of me. I move the staff back. With venting rage, I shout as I’m about to thrust it into him, but I’m not fast enough as a blue beam of light beats me to it.  

[mdelpin]

Marigold for the naLi drabble and frosch for roray

I kind of got carried away with Roray so I will post it by itself and when I get to Marigold I will post it separately! I hope you like it. Let me know if  you have an AO3 account so I can gift it to you.

AO3

A Shared Darkness

It was a new feeling for Gray, this need to not be alone. It had started soon after returning from Avatar. The things he had seen and done there were on his mind constantly, making him wonder if he were even worthy of being a Fairy Tail mage again.

It was made worse by how quickly everyone had accepted him again, something which he wasn’t quite sure he deserved. Even Natsu, whom he’d expected to explode in a rage of fists and fire after their confrontation, and what he’d almost allowed to happen to Lucy, had been more than happy to take him back.

Gray guessed the year apart had changed them both enough to want to cling to what they’d had, and he knew more than anything he should be glad that Natsu never wholly doubted him, but the ease of their reconciliation just added to his discontent.

He tried to get back into his old routines - jobs with his team, guild brawls, avoiding Juvia’s advances, drinking with Cana, spending time with Natsu- but rather than reassuring him that things were back to normal, it was all just noise. Noise, he desperately needed to keep the voices in his head from grabbing purchase.

You don’t deserve them, you are worthless, tainted, evil… You bring pain and sorrow to all you hold dear…

And even though Gray didn’t want to listen, those thoughts continued to creep in until he was all but convinced of their truth. He wasn’t sleeping much either, his dreams a constant reminder of the things he had seen, the pain that could have been prevented if he’d just acted the way Ur, Gramps, and even Gildarts had always taught him. 

More often than not, he’d startle awake, heart racing, and a scream lodged in his throat. 

It was only the jarring sound of Natsu’s snores that kept it from escaping. Something else he’d missed in their time apart. Those snores were like music to his ears, a reminder of where he was. Gray would move closer to the dragon slayer letting his noises and warmth, the likes of which he’d never felt during his time at Avatar ground him.

The more Gray tried to hold it together, the more he was shattering, and he knew something was bound to give soon. He knew he should talk to someone about all of it, possibly Natsu or Erza, but Gray couldn’t bring himself to have them know the things he’d done. Mainly because he knew they would forgive him, which wasn’t what he wanted. 

What he wanted more than anything was to be held accountable for his actions.

That morning Natsu had gone off on a job with Lucy, while Erza was busy helping the Master. So Gray decided to avoid the guild altogether, content to go on a walk with Happy, letting the Exceed’s constant chatter keep the voices at bay, even though he wasn’t exactly listening.

“Hey, isn’t that Frosch from Sabertooth?” Happy asked suddenly, pointing at a small pink figure that was walking ahead of them, their head moving from side to side as they stopped every few feet.

“You think he might be lost again?” Happy wondered, already running towards the little creature, leaving Gray paralyzed where he stood.

Frosch was indeed lost, they’d gotten separated from Lector and were now trying to find their way back to Sabertooth, and failing pretty horribly if they’d made it to Magnolia. Happy immediately began pestering Gray to help the Exceed find his way back to Sabertooth, and Gray felt he had no choice but to agree, even though he’d much rather do anything else.

As adorable as Frosch was, seeing them brought back things he’d much rather forget. Words Natsu had told him of a future they’d only narrowly managed to avoid. A future that had been his fault.

In another life or timeline or whatever, he didn’t exactly understand it, he had somehow managed to kill Frosch and set Rogue Cheney off in a path of death and destruction that had culminated in the dragon attacks after the Grand Magic Games. And now here he was, herding that same Exceed back to their guild, full of a guilt that he couldn’t escape for an act he hadn’t actually carried out.

He was well aware that his new magic enveloped him in a darkness that affected his mood and his personality in ways he couldn’t always control. So it wasn’t enough for him that he hadn’t actually done it this time around, the fact remained that he had done so at least once and if it hadn’t been for Natsu’s intervention he might have done so again, and maybe even not have cared. That thought frightened him. What if he got worse, what if he attacked one of his friends?

With the Sabertooth guild looming ahead, he had no choice but to try to put all those thoughts aside. The three of them entered, with Frosch already skipping ahead as if he hadn’t ever been lost.

“Frosch!” a worried voice called out from the shadows beyond the guild’s entrance, “Where have you been? Lector said he couldn’t find you.”

Rogue Cheney appeared, grabbing the Exceed in his arms and checking him over carefully.

“Happy, and I found them in Magnolia,” Gray explained. He could see the shadow dragon slayer narrowing his eyes as he realized who had been behind the rescue, and the discomfort he’d felt before entering the guild intensified.

Frosch, however, didn’t seem to notice any of the tension, responding with a carefree, “Frosch went for a walk with Happy!” once they were set back on the ground.

And with that, Frosch grabbed Happy by the hand and skipped over to where Lector was waiting. Happy looked back at Gray in apology but the ice mage shrugged it away. Happy deserved to have some fun with his friends after spending all morning with him.

He felt Rogue’s glare and was surprised when the shadow dragon slayer addressed him, “Thank you for bringing Frosch back, we were getting worried.”

“It was nothing, I know Natsu would flip if Happy went missing,” Gray waved away his efforts, trying to figure out what he was going to do while he waited for Happy to be ready to go back home.

They stood in uncomfortable silence until a throat cleared itself loudly as Sting came out of his office. “Stop glaring at him Rogue, that’s not how we show hospitality to our Fairy Tail friends.”

The Sabertooth guild master shook hands with Gray, taking a moment to ask about Natsu. “Why don’t you join us for lunch? You must be tired after coming all this way.”

“Uhm, sure, thanks,” Gray replied stiffly. He’d actually rather not, he wasn’t social on his best day, but he also didn’t want to insult the guild master.

“Great,” Sting smiled, leading the way towards the bar area where there were some tables set up. Once Gray and Rogue had ordered their food, he looked at his wrist. “Oh, I didn’t realize it was that late. I’m going to have to bail. Sorry about that!”

He stood up, barely managing to look apologetic before retreating to his office once again.

“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” Gray remarked, if he felt uncomfortable he couldn’t imagine how Rogue felt.

“Actually I do,” Rogue revealed, his features settling into fond exasperation, “I’d never hear the end of it otherwise.”

Gray blinked in confusion, “Excuse me?”

Rogue gazed at him, his expression unreadable, “Don’t worry about it. How are you holding up? It must be difficult readjusting to guild life after being in Avatar.”

“It uhm, yeah,” Gray responded, not knowing quite how to put into words how he was feeling and wondering if he should apologize for what the other him did to Frosch.

“For the record, I’ve seen the way you are with them. I don’t think you would have done it,” Rogue startled him by bringing up the very thing Gray had been thinking about.

“I wish I could be as sure,” Gray replied honestly.

Rogue regarded him, his eyes never leaving Gray’s, making him feel like he was peering into his very soul.

“It’s not easy, is it? The what-ifs…,” Rogue sighed loudly, “I know a little about what you feel. Sometimes I wonder if there is still a chance that I’ll turn into that man. I worry that something else will happen to me that will set off the events for that terrifying future. It keeps me up at night.”

Gray realized he’d never considered how Future Rogue’s actions would have affected their Rogue. He had only been worried about killing an Exceed. Rogue had to live with the fact that a part of him had been capable of killing his mate. Gray couldn’t even fathom what that must feel like.

“I - I’m afraid the time will come when I won’t be able to control this new power, and I might hurt the others,” Gray confessed.

“Do you really think you’d be capable of hurting your friends? The same you who walked miles out of your way just to bring a lost Exceed home?”

“I’d like to think I wouldn’t, but I don’t know.” 

“We all have darkness inside us, Gray, for some of us it’s just more literal,” Rogue’s mouth stretched into a thin smile. 

“Asking for help is not weakness. You have a lot of people that care about you, you should talk to them about what’s happening to you. Let their light help defeat your darkness. As for the magic, you already know how to fix that, and I am sure Natsu would love nothing more than to help you with that.”

Once their food finally arrived, Gray found himself thinking about Rogue’s words while he ate. He’d been afraid to train with his Ice Devil Slayer magic, worried that it would only lead to the darkness getting more control of him, but maybe he was wrong. If he trained with some of the others, he could test the magic’s boundaries and learn to control it so that it could no longer have any power over him.

Their conversation moved to lighter topics, laughing over the more idiotic aspects of their mates until Happy finally missed Natsu and wanted to return to Fairy Tail.

As he was getting ready to leave, Rogue stopped him briefly, squeezing his shoulder gently, “If it ever gets bad, don’t hesitate to find me. I fought off that Shadow for many years, I can try to help.”

Gray nodded gratefully, not sure what else to say.

They waved their goodbyes and began their long walk back to Magnolia, knowing that the others would be bound to be home soon and worry at their absence.

Happy flew next to Gray, “So, did you make a new friend?”

“You know,” Gray smiled, “I think I did.”

“Happy thinks so too!”

“Happy?” 

“Yes, Gray?”

“It’s only cute when Frosch does it.”

Happy pouted, and Gray laughed, feeling lighter than he had in a long while. As they walked home, Happy once again chattering away, Gray vowed to talk to Natsu and Erza about the things that were worrying him and to let them help him get stronger.

[yeenybeanies]

Murophobia 

here be a couple of ocs i just kinda made up yesterday on the spot. i thought about that uncommon  “ giant is afraid of tiny ”  scenario & then thought But What If Werewolves? 

Thor Regals ( oc ) & Lusavren Lace ( oc ) 

2376 words

mild language warning

feel free to leave comments in the tags!! thanks!! 

Chaos. 

Glass shatters, furniture skids, and tiny feet and large claws skitter across the hardwood floor. Between the two beings in the room, neither is calm. To put things most aptly, both are scared shitless of each other. One just has far more destructive capabilities than the other, hence the chaos. 

The smaller—far smaller—of the two covers her head and zigzags, trying to avoid the clattering calamity above. What the hell happened? She doesn’t quite know. She was gathering materials from the kitchen when the bean came in unexpectedly. As soon as the light flickered on, their eyes met, and then all hell broke loose. 

The larger, not even a second after spotting his unusual guest, lurched from where he stood, knocking into the china cabinet and sending its contents cascading to the floor. That isn’t where it all ended, though; no, he’s still causing quite the ruckus. With every movement the little being makes, he moves as well, trying to go in the opposite direction, so as to stay as far away from it as possible! 

Big bad bean, over six feet tall, is afraid of mice and rats and roaches and most anything that’s small and crawly. 

 Poor Lusavren, on the other hand, at her four-and-a-half inches tall, is afraid of mice and rats and roaches and most anything bigger than her. This bean, as with all beans, fits into that last category. 

 And so, there is chaos. There is danger. Lucy tries her damnedest to duck for cover, but she’s been trapped on the counter. All of the thrashing about dislodged a cookbook, which fell none-too-conveniently in the path of her escape, effectively trapping her up on the surface. She could perhaps brave the jump from the countertop to the floor far below, but that comes with great risk of broken bones ( or worse ). Never mind the shattered glass that’s now littered everywhere. Lucy desperately curls into a ball, protecting her head with her arms. 

 After what feels like hours, though it only amounts to a few seconds, the crashing and thrashing stops, but Lucy remains still for several seconds more, just to make sure. When she finally does uncurl and peek over the countertop edge, she’s met with quite the sight: broken plates, upturned tables and chairs, and, most curiously, torn clothing. That’s . . . bizarre. Her tiny features scrunch in confusion. Tentatively, she brushes her hair aside and leans further, trying to get a better look at the shredded clothes. They look like the remains of a shirt and shorts—the shirt and shorts she thinks the bean was wearing ( though she didn’t exactly have time to get a good look ). More curious still, there appears to be golden hair scattered amongst the scraps. She’s seen some of this hair in her initial exploration of the place, but saw no other signs of a dog or a cat . . ..

 Movement from the hallway the bean had first appeared from ( and presumably disappeared into ) draws Lucy’s attention. Her blood runs cold. A pair of large, golden eyes stares at her from the shadows, the pupils shining back a faint green. She can make out a very not-human shape, too: big, pointed ears, a long muzzle, and shaggy hair . . .. Her first thought would be that it is a dog, but she quickly realizes, as the would-be dog steps further out, it’s standing upright, and it has hands ( tipped with very sharp-looking claws ). 

 Lucy skitters back from the edge, and the dog-thing’s ears flatten. A low growl rumbles in its throat as its lips part, showing a mouthful of big, scary teeth. The borrower does as she did before: she covers her head and curls up, trying not to shake or cry out. Not seeing the dog-thing is just as terrifying, though; its claws click on the hardwood with every step closer it takes. The worst part is feeling the beast loom over her. That wet nose bumps her back, sniffing, and Lucy can’t keep the frightened squeak in. What she doesn’t expect, though, is to hear it stumble backwards again and . . . whimper.

 What? 

 Slowly, tentatively, Lucy lifts her head to see the dog-thing backed up against the opposite counter. Its eyes are big as saucers, and its ears twitch, swinging back and forth between pointing at her, and lying flat on its head. 

 It almost looks . . . scared. 

 But that can’t be possible . . . can it? How could this monster be afraid of her?

“ Please, I— “  Lucy pushes herself back against the wall, shivering like a leaf in the wind. Despite her fear, though, she can’t help but notice how the dog-thing flinches every time she moves. It whines again, most bizarre.

“ I just want to—I’m—I’m sorry. I’ll leave. ”  She stammers over her words, finding it difficult to produce any in the presence of something so menacing.

The beast tilts its head one way, and then the other, still looking nervous, but, much to Lucy’s dismay, it steps closer. She presses herself to the wall, watching it lean forward with its hands now on her counter. 

 Oh, it’s going to eat her! 

 Lucy squeezes her eyes shut and braces herself, but nothing happens—not to her, anyway. She hears a crackling sound, and opens her eyes again to see the dog-thing . . . less dog-like, and more human-like, and still changing. It’s almost grotesque, yet fascinating. Lucy can’t look away. 

 By the gods, it’s the bean! 

 He bows his head, panting. Is the change . . . painful? It doesn’t look particularly pleasant . . .. 

“ I’m . . .—whew, okay—you’re—are you . . .— “  he lifts his head, those same golden eyes falling onto Lucy once more,   “ are you . . . real . . .? ” 

What?  

Lucy blinks, staring back at the bean. 

“ I mean—I’m not . . . hallucinating, am I? ”  He lifts a hand, no longer clawed, but still scary enough to make Lucy shrink back. The bean flinches.  

“ No, I’m—no, I’m not—I mean . . . I am real . . .. ”  When was the last time she had to admit that? This is so incredibly weird.  “ Um . . . please, I just want to go home . . .. ”  The hunger that made her go out in the first place has long-since been forgotten. Despite her legs feeling like jelly, Lucy stands and, back pressed to the wall, tries to shimmy away. 

“ Wait! No! Hold on a sec, hunh? ”  The bean raises his hands as if to surrender ( not that the gesture is particularly comforting to Lucy ). He still looks nervous, but he does appear to be calming down. That makes one of them, at least. He glances down at himself, then back at the borrower.  “ Uh, look, let me go put some new clothes on, okay? Please don’t leave. If I see you skittering across the floor or the counter again, I, uh—well, I don’t wanna freak out and accidentally hurt you. ” 

 Lucy nods, first just thinking she’ll appease the bean and make her escape while he’s gone, but then she pauses. He said he didn’t want to freak out and hurt her . . .. This day is so strange! 

As she’s mulling over the happenings of the past few minutes, the bean quickly picks his way through the mess of broken glass on the floor and runs back down the hallway, presumably to get new clothes. It occurs to Lucy that he’s been clad only in his boxers this whole time. Oh boy . . .. She feels her cheeks heat up. 

He’s back fairly quickly, pushing down his new shirt as he enters, once more fully clothed. Lucy, perhaps against her better judgment, opted to stay. It isn’t like she had many good options to escape the countertop anyway. Still, she stiffens as he approaches. Blond, shaggy hair partially obscures his eyes, but Lucy can still see the gold through it. 

He lifts a hand to her, which makes her squeak and look away. “ My name’s Thor. I really am sorry for . . . ”  he glances around at the disaster that is the kitchen,  “ this. I thought you were a rat and I kinda panicked . . .. Oh—uh, sorry. ”  It seems he was after a handshake, but now he’s realized that someone of Lucy’s stature might not be able to return the gesture so easily. Never mind that she’s still pretty damn scared of him. He pulls his hand away, and instead brings it up to rub the back of his neck, bashful. 

“ You . . . you turn into that . . .—that thing, and yet you’re afraid of a rat? ”  It comes out a little more rudely than she intended. Then again, she was also mistaken for vermin. Thankfully, the bean—Thor—doesn’t seem to be too offended. He smiles, though seeing his teeth, still long and pointy, doesn’t ease Lucy any. 

“ Guess I’m not the bravest of werewolves, hunh? ” 

Werewolf? He just said werewolf. Lucy gasps, eyes wide. She’s heard of werewolves in children’s stories and fairytales, but there’s no way that—that— 

“ Werewolves aren’t real–– ”  It comes out before she can stop it. Immediately she claps her hand over her mouth, fearing retribution. 

“ I could say the same about tiny . . . people. ”  He lowers himself down, crouching before the counter, his arms resting on the surface. He gestures towards Lucy, approximating her height between his thumb and forefinger.  “ So, what are you, then? And who are you? And what are you doing in my apartment? ” 

While no longer needing to crane her neck is nice, the increased proximity is not. Lucy tightens her jaw, very aware of her size and how she has nowhere to run. Still, though, Thor hasn’t reached for her . . . yet. She’s counting her blessings. Blessed be, she’s met a bean that is patient and relatively respectful of personal space. 

“ I’m, uh . . . my name is Lusavren. I’m a borrower. I, uh—I was borrowing. I didn’t think you’d be up this late at night . . .. ” 

“ ‘ Borrowing? ’ ”  Some habits persist from the dog to the bean: Thor tilts his head to the side. Lucy can picture how the ears would be pricked up, were he still shifted.  “ Borrowing what? ” 

“ Uh . . . well—I mean, I was looking for food . . .. ”  She can’t look at him. She doesn’t want to see his face change from this strange curiosity to anger. 

But it doesn’t happen. Thor is actually rather confused. 

“ How do you borrow food? That’s not really something borrow-able. ” 

Here it comes. Lucy sucks in a breath, waiting for the rage, and whatever horrors it entails. 

“ But if you want some food . . . I can give you some. I was up getting myself a midnight snack anyway. ”  Thor stands, pushing himself off of the counter. He looks over his shoulder at the mess he’s created and grimaces.  “ Looks like I made myself a bit more than a snack, though. I’ll be up for a bit cleaning this, but I can still get you something to eat. ” 

“ I’m, um . . . I’m not really . . . hungry anymore . . .. ”  Lucy admits, eyes downcast. She just wants to go, wants to vanish into the walls and never be seen again. What a nightmare this has been.  “ I need to leave. ” 

“ Oh. Uh . . . sure. No, yeah—no problem. I guess this is all kinda freaky, hunh? Not every day you meet a werewolf. Or . . . a borrower. Don’t let me keep you. ” He steps back further, suddenly aware that he might be crowding the borrower.

When she doesn’t move, though, his brows furrow. 

“ Um . . .— “ 

“ Could you move that book? ”  Lucy points to the book in question—the cookbook that fell in her way and blocked her exit, forced her to stay on this countertop and endure the gaze of a big, scary werewolf. 

“ Oh. Sure. No problem. Here— ”  Thor sidesteps and rights the book to it’s original position, thereby exposing the little gap in the wall that Lucy had used to get up here. He tilts his head.  “ Hunh. Never noticed that before. Hey, are you sure you don’t want any— ” 

Nope. Before he can even finish his question, Lucy darts across the countertop and slips into the crevice. She immediately presses her back to the inner wall, hiding herself from view. Outside she can hear Thor moving, and peeks to see him leaned down, eyeing her escape route. He hums. 

“ O-kay then. Uh . . . get home safe, alright? And, uh, I won’t make a big mess next time I see you, ‘kay? ” 

 Oh, Lucy does not intend to be seen again. No way. She pushes off of the wall and runs, wanting to get back to the little space she calls home. After all of this, she needs to sleep, and needs to figure out her next move. Being seen means she needs to leave and find another place to live. She doesn’t have much to begin with, since she’d just moved in here . . .. 

But Thor hadn’t grabbed her or intentionally trapped her. He’d had ample opportunity to capture her ( or worse ) if he’d wanted to . . .. 

Lucy shakes her head. What is she thinking? None of that matters. Of course she still needs to move. It’s too dangerous to stay. 

But . . . she can start moving tomorrow. Right now, all this borrower needs is to sleep.