#Even Hellen lets herself fall for it sometimes

[bunnieswithknives]

More AU doodles. I dont think the kids fully understand what's happened

[colourfulbookdragon]

Heavy spoilers for season four, finally of the magnus archives

152 a grave diggers envy

Omg they all need to get allong no one fear will be able to do a ritual because some one eles will always want to stop it that deffinitly not what I was sposed to get from this episod but dam it's what I came to they will never be able to properly compleat a ritual it just busy work as they feed wait fuck that can't be right cause it ruins like so many of my other thoerys but they won't get allong I'm gonna have to wait and see arnt i. I love hellen and the buried Hezekiah just like the combind slow decent that Jon's compared to Helen's quick fall into madness jon relaising that he has to be the one to let go of the guilt witch I don't want him to do but we know he's capable of with the people he left in the coffin but should he and will he.

153 love bombing

Cult ,cult, cult, people right just weird sometimes and not worshiping fear love that confirmation also daisy and jon being friends and her protecting him from Julie and Trevor who r also back and just like you stole our guide just to kill him wow.

154 bloody Mary

No, let them be happy please i know ther not it's deffinitly not going to be them probably not daisy either leaving Melanie and Basira as options honestly not sure witch of them it will be important can imagine both Melanie more so she is verry desperate to escape jon knows this so he may or may not tell her

Also my Elias is Jonah theory has just been ruined because apparently he was just a normal human who got promoted unexpectedly wtf did the eye think he would be easier to manipulate did he find one of Jonah journals or something that gave him more knowledge is someone eles pulling the stings he relly doesn't seem like the type to let anyone else but his perceived god tell him what to do but he's just a normal human apparently and being head gets him this power idk I spent so long with my theory it feels relly bad to just let it go all my evidence and he's just not Jonah Magnus he gets allong so we'll with the imortals to why

155 cost of living

Go, Melanie gets your freedom. i also really hope jon does not end up in a situation where it's his life or the world because that seems to be something hinted at in several starments

156 reflection

Martin is promised u u will be missed. Don't do it. Go be with jon or something. Do not kill yourself, so u need to live

157 rotten core

What the fuck i have no ideas good for Melanie and Georgie thought let them be happy together away and secret form the fears they r kindof immune to the fears now cause Georgie never could feel them and Melanie is under the eyes protection even though it no longer knows she exists that's nice for them i guess they will probably make it to the end alothgh that dose mean bassira and daisy r going to suffer more now. But pertaining to current events, I am as clueless as jon, and he already said any theories I have about what's happening

158 panopticon

I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT

They dared to make me question myself, but I saw the signs, and I was right. The body hopping was a complete surprise though, but still he has the brain or shiuld i say eyes and that's what matters also I was right that also matters eliase is Jonah and I was right

On to the more seriuse stuff Martin is in the lonely probably going to be harder to free him then it was to get daisy out but hopefully still possible what Elias/Jonah will for in that time will probably be bad though so hopefully they make it in a timely manner also daisy no idk quite what happend other then her giving herself to the hunt to get Trevor Julie and the not them /not shasha but no also bringing back the not them /not shasha probably would have had more of an impact if the people who knew her were available to fight her /them also the lightner with his blood on it joke was funny but the fact that it is currently his death day as I'm lisineing is just ill timed do u think Elias wanted jon out of the prion so he wouldn't accendntily see his plan or that he is Jonah Magnus (wich I was right about) on acedent cause he knew that he would be more archivist then man

159 the last

Did jon kill petter is that what just happend he didn't answer and he kill him because of the pressure to keep quiet at least both Martin and jon are making it out but they deffinitly need some therapy rn right what the hell is Jonah s plan and how did he get jon how could peter leverage him I guess I'll find out

160 the eye opens

What the actual fuck remember when I said a ritual won't work unless every fear agrees I was half right and I verry much wish I wasn't. Why eliase why I know why it was explained well enough jon was just convenient and he got chosen to do this and be forced to bring about the Apocalypse of fear that will reach everywhere. dose Jonah even win in this situation will he even like the results he has brought oppon himself or will he be suffering just as much as everyone eles and be forced to a life of fear and regret I hope he regrets it and wallows in self pity at the things witch he has caused. Basira and daisy are fucked martins with jon maby that will give him protection mabey It will make things worst for him Melanie and Georgie should be as fine as they can be with society collapsing around them and Melanie being recently blinded hopefully she avoids infection and allready has mobility aids for her everyday life every one else is fucked are the other avatars going to have protection will they rule over parts of the world or get destroyed by each other because they can't cooperate in a world only they control. Also, so many quotes that I didn't realise were from hear were in this episod alone. The cows , hello jon, the whole world is affiaid. I Dint realise there are so many.

[extremelyblackandwhite]

the unseen one - 18

Pairing: Hades!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: none

A/N: (fun fact i wrote this listening to beautiful ghosts which i have now formally induced into the fanfic’s playlist bc im a nerd who rly likes soft music) this is probably my longest chapter, yay me for writing a long one. hope you guys enjoy it xx

Next Chapter >>

Y/N looked at her reflection on the golden mirror standing in front of her. She studied the features she always saw in her own mirrors, the same face, the same eyes, same nose and same lips, however the reflection staring back at her was somehow different, similar to those renaissance paintings of mythical female sirens, goddesses, princesses and other deities. She had her once free flowing hair in a hellenic up-do filled with various flowers and a gold like chain intertwined with one of her brains. A few perfectly curled ringlets fell to frame her face which was still makeup free from last night, with a blossoming red tint on her upper cheeks. 

She was dressed in a garment made of two parts, a linen white tunic and a clock held together by an ornamental claps with Hecate’s torch insignia at the shoulders and a light pink sash at the waist. Y/N couldn’t help but wonder what her mother would think of her clothing. When she was younger, she would religiously dress as a Greek Goddess for Halloween yet nothing she’d worn compared to what she looked right now. 

Minthe had been silent throughout most of it, sometimes even giving her judgmental looks whenever she questioned about the fabrics and flowers being used to adorn her. She didn’t completely blame her for doing such things, deities were only found of mortals for two things: war and procreation. It didn’t take long for her to return to the gardens, being placed in front of Hecate who was commanding her maidens like a captain on a ship. 

      - Do you know anything about gardening? - she looked down on the mortal dressed in deity clothing, which she had to admit, seemed to fit her better than the cheap satin piece she was wearing. 

       - I can manage. - Y/N rubbed her hands out of anxiety when talking to one of the goddesses of the Underworld. 

       - Well, pick something and get to work. - Hecate pointed aimlessly towards the groves and their dying flora. Y/N heart tightened at seeing the muddy green colour that the plants had beginning to take, a stark contrast to the lively, colourful flora of its surroundings. Her eyes locked on a particular rose bush whose roses were brownish white, some of its petals constantly falling to the ground whenever the slight summer breeze hit it. She took it upon herself to tend to it, walking over the to wilting bush and sitting gracefully on the grace, hands softly touching the dead flowers which she once imagined to have been the most beautiful flowers.

Y/N decided to take care of the flowers the way she took care of her little plants back in her flat. She started by getting rid of the dead leaves, carefully pulling them from the branches and onto the floor, trimming it to the best she could possible manage. Y/N kept on trimming, eventually reading the thorny white roses, some which were just in desperate need of water and others which were past the point of no return. She directed her attention to those, pulling a few out and onto her robes until a specific one found itself a challenge. The young girl extended her hand deeper into the rose bush, pulling the flower at its base, finding it rather hard to pull it from the branch. She kept on pulling and the flower eventually gave up, detaching from its base and sticking one of its thrones deep into her thumb. She let go of a tiny wince, not wanting to bother the other maidens. 

Carefully, Y/N removed the thorn from the flower, throwing it forcefully on the ground before turning her thumb so she could face it. It had a tiny wound, so tiny that if she hadn’t known it was there, she would’ve never realised it was there. However, it was bleeding heavily, the scarlet liquid dripping and running from her skin to the green grass nearby the bush, staining it the same colour as the liquid. 

She sucked on her thumb, mindlessly dabbing it against her clothing and returning to get rid of everything that did not belong to a healthy plant. Y/N was so into her craft she didn’t notice James returning to the Elysium. He watched her from afar, her lips and nose crunched as she inspected the rose bush with a might which in his mind was the most adorable thing he’d ever seen. 

      - Did you discover anything? - Hecate walked up to the God of the Underworld, curious for any developments. 

      - We are not entirely sure of who stole the pomegranate but we did discover her friend is an oracle. - Hecate rolled her eyes, if there was any type of witchcraft she hated the most it was prophecy telling. The prophecies were always unnecessarily over-detailed and more like riddles than actual pieces of helpful information. She already couldn’t stand the Fates and their seeing eye, but mortal oracles? They were the worse. 

      - Tell me you turned her into a fish ... or a plant. - Hecate was particularly found of permanent punishments. She thought curses and death were much too simple, however James was one to dabble in cursing rather than metamorphism. 

       - Y/N wouldn’t be very happy with that.

       - Y/N is not the Goddess of the Underworld is she? 

       - You have absolutely no reason to despise her that much, Hecate. It is out of character for you to judge before meeting. 

       - I know how this ends, Hades. You are not the first god to take liking to a mortal and trust me it never ends well. - she sighed, arms crossed in front of her white gown. James had to agree with her, he knew way too many myths of when a mortal relationship went wrong but he couldn’t help it, she was just so magnetic and entrancing. Besides, part of him wanted to be next to her all the time and make sure no harm came to her which harshly differed from other deity/mortal relationships which were normally based on lust or petty jealousy between other deities. - You’re a King before you are a man. Remember that. 

Y/N got up from her crutching state, standing on her legs as she patted the dirt and petals off her garments and onto the floor, a proud look on her face as she looked at the relatively healthy looking plant. She let out a little happy sound, hands clasped in front of her collarbones as she turned on her heel to go and find something else to do. Instead, her eye caught James’ figure who was standing next to Hecate in what looked like a innocent conversation. 

She wanted to wave at him, maybe even give him an innocent kiss but Hecates’ words were still very much present in her mind “You are not to be intimate with the god of the Underworld” so were Minthe’s remarks about how he was expected to be seen with someone of higher blood. She wouldn’t want to get him in trouble and perhaps they could speak some other time when they weren’t surrounded by other people. 

      - What are you doing standing up there? - Minthe came up from behind her, a condescending tone present. - Ogling the god of the Underworld?

      - What? No. - her cheeks turned into a colour that matched her pink sash, as she tried to hide her face in her hands. Somehow, the fact that he was, well, he was who he was, made her feel like she needed to keep everything shrouded in secrecy. - Is there something else needed?

     - You know what? - her face contorted into a calm expression she couldn’t really figure out. - We could use some help from some new maidens.

     - New maidens? - Y/N felt like a child, questioning everything and everyone around her. 

     - Yes, you see if you go straight ahead until you reach the river and ask the Charon to take you South you’ll be able to find them. Tell him it’s for Hecate.

     - Oh, alright. - she nodded her head and wandered off into the groves, looking around at the decay. It looked like that particular piece of land of the Elysium was doomed to disappear. She kept on walking as instructed by Minthe until she reached the river where a boat was awaiting her with the same faceless figure. She had to admit that it freaked her out that someone without a face could speak but she tried her best to stay climb as she climbed on the boat, putting on her best courageous face. - Hecate asked for you to take me to the South. 

     - The South? - his voice was rather warm for such a menacing figure. - Are you sure?

     - Yes. 

She couldn’t see him do anything, however, she understood he had accepted her request once the boat started to move. Y/N remained silent, repeating Minthe’s words in her mind. How hard could it possibly be to lead a few maidens back to the Elysium? It was easy, she kept telling that to herself even as the boat reached shore. The sky had turned into a dark scarlet and the chirping of birdies could be heard no more. She looked around but all she could see was darkness.

    - Are you sure about this, miss? - the Charon questioned, noticing the uneasiness of her step as she disembarked. - I’m sure Hecate can arrange for someone else.

    - No. - she shook a forced smile out of her worried expression. - It’s fine. Thank you.

    - Of course, m’am. 

You can do this, she told herself as she stepped onto the darkness. There was no sound, the once dark scarlet sky had faded into pure darkness and it was cold, so cold. Her hands went to her own arms, rubbing them in order to keep warm as she dwelled deeper into the unknown, the only sound heard being that of her shoes clicking against the pavement. 

    - Hmm ... Hello? - she spoke up, gathering every bit of courage. She was in the Underworld after all and this was no longer the Elysium.

She kept on walking until she hit something, a blue and reddish tint coloured the dark room but once she saw what she had hit, her heart stopped beating for a second. She was standing in front of a skeleton. As she place her hand over her chest to regain her breathe the bony arm grabbed her cloth, forcefully pushing her and ripping her tunic. 

    - STOP! - she pushed her hand against the skull, trying to get away from the grasp, eventually gathering enough force to walk back. Screw this task. However, once she tried to find her way back she found herself surrounded by more skeletons and translucent figures all coming towards her. - HELP!

James and Hecate were still in their friendly debate with the goddess being of the opinion that all of this was madness and mainly caused by both of them being ignorants, something he had already heard before. As he was about to shut her to go and tell Y/N of the developments, a bunch of water nymphs came running their way with worry written all over their faces. 

    - My Lady, there’s been a security breach in the Tartarus. - they all said at different speeds and different pitches, which made James’ head hurt at all of that. Hecate took a defensive stand, turning to look at James who just moved his head is disbelief. 

    - How is that even possible? It’s probably just a false ala ... - he was about to dismiss their claims until he noticed a very missing Y/N from her once beloved spot. His eyes scanned the crowd of maidens looking anywhere for her but she was nowhere to be found. - Y/N!

Once he heard no one calling back, his mind immediately rushed to the Tartarus. She couldn’t be there, she had barely been in the Underworld besides no one would take her there, she was a mortal. However, in a snap of his figure he’d been transported to the Tartarus, staff in hand as he strutted down the halls of the Tartarus. He hit one of the walls with his staff, which turned dark blue, giving light to the constantly dark Tartarus. With the new founded light, he could see a bunch of condemned souls surrounding a particular spot. 

    - THAT’S ENOUGH!  - he screamed in a tone that could scare even the biggest of deities, even Gaia herself. The souls, noticing their leader was amongst them, broke their surrounding, returning all to him. - NOW DON’T MOVE IF YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU. 

James strutted further into the Tartarus, finding bits and pieces of white linen which could belong to her along with several fresh white roses. Maybe she had been picking them prior, he did not know. His heart clenched as he called out for her name but heard no answer, maybe it wasn’t her, maybe she wasn’t ...

    - B...Bucky? - James heard her faint voice and as fast as he could followed it until he found one of the souls pressing her against one of the walls, boney hands around her neck. He hit the staff against the ground, the once pressure around her neck vanishing as she slide to the ground, hand coming to touch what he guessed was a very sore spot now. She lifted her head to stare at him, a look of regret and fear in her beautiful eyes. - Bucky, I’m so sorry.

    - Y/N. - he rushed over to her side, leaning so he was standing at the same height as her, hands coming to hold her jaw. - Are you hurt? 

    - I’m okay, I’m okay. - she leaned her head onto his shoulder. It didn’t take long for him to feel his clothes had begun to dampen. - I messed up ... I messed up. 

    - Hey, look at me. - he tried to move his shoulder so that she would look at him, but she refused, maintaining her face buried them. - Y/N, c’mon, sweetness.

    - I don’t want you to see me cry. - she sobbed through her speech, arms coming to wrap around his body. Bucky pulled the pin that was barely keeping the now very messy hairstyle up, throwing it onto the floor as her hair descended from the once tight hellenic hairstyle before proceeded to card his fingers through it, every once in a while kissing the top of her head. Y/N eventually stopped her crying, removing her head from his shoulder to stare at him, the look of uttermost regret slowly breaking his heart even more as he saw it on her expression. - I’m so sorry.

   - This is not your fault. - he helped her get up, holding her hands in his as if something returned to dare and harm her. Not that they would, they’d have to be crazy to mess with the King of the Underworld. - I should’ve never taken my eyes off you. 

   - Bucky. - she wrapped her arms around him and for a second it felt like things were back to normal. It felt like things were normal again that she didn’t know he was the God of the Underworld and that she wasn’t doomed to remain in the Underworld. He melted and relished into her hug but couldn’t help but feel how cold she was. She was still a mortal and remaining in the Tartarus would do her no good.

   - Let’s go before you freeze to death. - he joked, not expecting to get a laugh out of her after the current events, however she showed him a small smile. 

He held her hand as he guided her through the Tartarus, her eyes scanning the souls that once were harming her now stood without moving, not even daring to make a sound in front of their King. Something in that made her courage swell up, seeing them helpless standing around her without being able to touch her again. Her head held up high however once she noticed the fresh white roses on the ground, she couldn’t help but stop her step. 

   - They’re beautiful. - she mumbled under her breathe.

   - Are they not yours? - he questioned at her astonishment with the flowers. 

   - No, I wish I could have such beautiful roses. I thought flowers only grew within the Elysium. 

    - Don’t bother your head with it. - he reassured her, although the question was still very much puzzling to him. - C’mon, let’s go. 

tag list: @philogrobizedvee​​​​​  @keithseabrook27​​​​ @inlovewith3​​​​19

[sunflowersunshinevol6]

Pomegranate

Part One

Pairing: Harry Styles x OC

Warnings: gang activity, drinkng

Summary: A retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone with a modern mob twist.

Word Count: 4.1k

Stephanie has spent the first twenty four years of her life sht in away from the world by her worriesome mother, who refuses to let anyone hurt her daughter after her lovr abandoned them. But when Harry Styles, one of the big three Olympi ‘brothers’, stumbles upon her, he has to have her, at whatever cost

A/N: I really loved this one. It’s one of my favorites. I hope you guys enjoy it. PLEASE send me feedback, questions and asks are always appreciated. Love you all!

“What if the real story was completely different? What if it was Persephone in control and not Hades at all? What if she was bored of the flowers, discontent with her situation and wanted to make more of her life than the grass and trees could offer her?” 

-Nikita Gill

24 years ago

Demetra shook as the tears rolled down her face. Her fingers flexing on the steering wheel as she watched Zeke kiss Hellen again. Every look of fondness, every touch, was another stab to her broken heart. 

She watched them enter their home, as the door shut all the promises he had made to her falling down all around her, she placed a hand on her swelling belly, rubbing in smooth and slow circles. She hated him. She hated men. 

“I promise you little one….You will never ever feel this pain.” she narrowed her eyes as she put her car in drive. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Present Day

“Find me in the garden there, meet my eyes with lovely stare, take my heart and take my love, a wonder of my life,” Stephanie sang quietly to herself as she brushed her long black hair. Today was an important day for her and she wanted to look her best, it was the day her mother would be bringing her into the family business and teaching her how to run it. She gazed at her face in the ornate gold mirror on her vanity, studying her features, trying to gauge if she looked like a mature woman or rather a scared little girl. 

She felt like a scared little girl.

The family business was ruthless, cutthroat. And she had never been one for cruelty, she had a kind soul as her mother would say. But a kind soul could weaken the Kingdom they built, and as a woman, this high up, anyone was looking for an excuse to snatch the Kingdom keys from them. 

Stephanie had never been told exactly what it was her mother did, but she knew people feared her. Overhearing phone conversations and hiding under the table at dinner parties, she heard the way people spoke to her and the way she spoke to them. She knew what her mother did was dangerous and she knew it was a big responsibility for her, to make sure she held the Kingdom up with as much grace and cutthroat as her mother did. 

She just wasn’t sure she had it in her.

“Never trust men. Men are cruel, evil. Once they get what they want from you, they toss you aside.” her mother brushed her fingers along Stephanie’s cheek fondly. “That’s why I have to keep you hidden away. To keep you safe.”

Her mother’s words rang in her mind.

She never knew her father. Her mother never spoke of him. The only thing she knew was that he headed an organization that worked in conjunction with theirs. She didn’t know if he knew of her existence or if he and her mother ever worked directly together. Any attempts to ask about him were shut down swiftly and harshly. 

“Stephanie?” her mother’s voice rang through the door, accompanied by a light knock. Stephanie stood, smoothing down her pink and yellow sundress as Demetra opened the door. “Oh look at you.” she smiled wide, making Stephanie feel proud, Demetra locked her arm through her daughter’s, pulling her out of the room. “Are you excited today?” 

“Yeah, it’ll be nice to go out and see what you do.” Demetra was an overprotective mother. When Zeke, Stephanie’s father, went back to his wife and abandoned them, she vowed her daughter would never experience the hurt and rejection she had faced. And so, Stephanie had been homeschooled, had limited access to the outside world and people. Her friends were her books and her films. She had been hidden away. 

A guard stood outside the front door, and one stood next to a white buick with the backdoor open. Stephanie held her mother’s hand as they walked to the car. 

“Hi!” Stephanie said pleasantly, the guard only nodded, shutting the door after Demetra climbed in beside her daughter. 

“The Warehouse please.” she said to the driver. The man started the car and Stephanie looked outside with fascination. 

“I’ve never left the property before.” she said absentmindedly, Demetra only smiled, extending her hand to her daughter. 

“I know you’ve waited years for this.”

-*-*-*-

“What do you mean you can’t find him Niall? That’s your job.” Harry turned away from the boxer practicing, he was going to ring necks if someone didn’t find Hayden, and they better find him fast. 

“Look all I know is that Amelia said he was going to Demetra to drop some product off and then he’s going to Zeke. I can text Zeke-”

“No,” Harry interrupted, grabbing his coat, Alan was a winner, he would be the one to bet on in the fight so he wasn’t worried. Business before pleasure. “I’ll go to Demetra’s Warehouse, maybe catch him outside.” he ended the call after Niall said good bye. 

Harry had been apart of the Olympi Gang since he came to America. It felt like years ago he’d arrived with dreams of being a musician, but rejection after rejection left him heartbroken and destitute. That’s when he’d met Louis, another Brit from Doncaster,a sassy motherfucker who had helped him learn how to navigate the streets and do what needed to be done to survive. His initiation had been one hell of a beating, but he got that OG tattoo the very next day, busted eye lid, cracked ribs and all. The pain had been worth it. He’d moved up quickly, hustling with his good looks and charm. Zeke had said he was born for this when he finally made him one of the ‘brothers’. He was the youngest-by years. But he had  sharp tongue and a wisdom of the streets that couldn’t be matched. He couldn’t even remember why he really came here in the first place. 

But only sometimes.

Demetra’s territory was on the other side of the city. Rural area. The last place you’d expect major operations like theirs to go down. But she had a green thumb, and worked her magic in gardens, growing vegetables and fruits, grains, flowers, she single handedly fed the city with her crops, having bought out all the farming land. It was the perfect cover. 

-*-*-*-

The car pulled into the warehouse parking lot. ‘Demeter Organics’ was painted in bright red above the warehouse doors, trucks were being loaded, people were walking about here and there. Stephanie was excited and amazed, she had never seen so many people in her life. 

“Come on sweetheart,” Demetra said, touching her daughter’s arm lightly as the car door was opened. Stephanie followed her mother out, taking her hand once again as Demetra led the way into the warehouse. 

Stephanie was amazed. It was huge, large fluorescent lights hanging overhead, people standing at tables or on forklifts, lifting and loading boxes, shelves stacked high with an assortment of things. As Stephanie looked around she could see many of the people were manufacturing weapons. Demetra cleared her throat, grabbing her daughter’s attention. 

“I know this must all be overwhelming for you,” she said, walking Stephanie down between the isles of workers. No one dared look up, everyone continuing to work hard as they walked by. “I want you to know I’m not a bad person. When your father and I started this years ago...This,” she waved at the workers around them. “Is what we had to do to survive. To thrive….All of it for you.” She smiled at her daughter. “But as the years past I was able to step out on my own. To create something of great value to this city and the world.” The stopped outside another door. Demetra turned to Stephanie, taking her daughter’s hands in hers. “Are you ready?” she asked. Stephanie’s hard was pounding. 

“Im ready mom.” a guard opened the door behind them. It creaked and groaned as it moved, the warm summer breeze hitting Stephanie’s face, as sunlight shone in. 

“Welcome to the garden Stephie,” her mother pulled her outside. 

Two large greenhouses stood side by side. Men in white suits with netted hats, tended to bees just to the left of them and beyond that was fields of vegetation. Tractors pulled and people picked fresh food and flowers, working at benches to clean and package the fruit. The smell in the air, the heavy scent of flower perfumes invaded her senses. She couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face. 

“It’s beautiful.” she whispered in awe. Demetra wrapped an arm around her, kissing the side of her head. 

“I know I’ve been difficult. But everything I’ve done was to protect you.” She let go of her. “But now I think you’re old enough. All this,” she waved a hand at the beauty around her. “It’s yours. The workers work for you. Everything but the business deals and contracts you are in control of.” She looked around in wonder. 

“Thank you momma.” she hugged her mother tightly, burying her face in her shoulder.

“Hello Ms. Demetra.” Stephanie turned her head to see an older woman with thinning white hair and wrinkles walked up to them. She shook Demetra’s hand, before turning her grey eyes to Stephanie. “You must be Stephanie. Pretty as a lily you are,” her hand felt rough and hard, she was a woman used to hard laboring.

“Hello,” Stephanie chirped with a grin. Demetra watched her daughter with fondness. 

“This is Annabeth. She’ll be working directly under you. Whenever you have a question or need something go to her.” Stephanie nodded, glancing behind her mother to see a security guard approaching. 

“Ms. Demetra, Hayden is here to see you.” Demetra let go of her daughter. 

“Alright. Set him in my office,” she touched Stephanie’s cheek gently. “Are you going to be alright?” Stephanie nodded, stepping back away from her mother. 

“I’ll be fine. I want to explore the garden if that’s alright?” Demetra chuckled.

“Of course.I’ll find you when we’re done.”

-*-*-*-

Harry pulled up at the back of the Warehouse. Whenever he came to visit Demetra, he always went through the garden entrance. Something about it felt so comforting and familiar. Maybe it had to do with his mom, he wasn’t sure, but Demetra could be a handful and he needed the walk to relax. 

Soft giggling met his ears when he shut the car door. It was a beautiful sound, like a melody.  he looked over into the sunflowers, blooming proudly and felt himself take in a sharp breath. 

The girl was like a vision. He watched as she walked through the flowers, touching them gently, with reverence, her long dark curls flowing behind her. She was barefoot, in a pink and yellow dress, it was the simplest thing, and it made his heart pound. Never had he felt that way before. 

He didn’t realize he had approached her until she gasped, startled by his appearance. 

“I’m sorry,” he said, she had beautiful dark eyes and full pouty lips that were turned down as she frowned at him. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

She smiled, “It’s alright.” he liked that it met her eyes, he watched her visibly relax. “Do you work here? In the garden?” he shook his head. 

“No. Actually I’m here to see Demetra.” he stepped closer, unable to keep much distance from her. There was something warm and safe about her. He wanted to be around her and feel like this always. 

“She’s talking with Hayden right now.” So he is here. That was good. Harry could see the freckles beneath her eyes, that crossed the bridge of her nose. His hand twitched, he wanted to touch her, caress her face, play with her hair. Was this what love at first sight was? He hoped so. He smiled down at her. It was small and private. Just for her. 

"What is your name?" He asked, reaching up to brush his fingers against her rosy cheek. He couldn't help it, he hadn't meant to. But there was something about her that made him weak. Weak in the knees. He would do whatever she asked, no request was to great.

"Stephanie. I'm Demetra's daughter."

"Oh?" He was surprised, "I didn't know she had a daughter." The girl blushed, looking away from him and down at her feet. She was good. So sweet.

"She kept me hidden very well." There was slight pause, he studied her features, big brown doe eyes, looking anywhere but at him, soft pink, pillowy lips, long lashes, she had the cutest little nose, golden brown skin. She was soft. He wanted nothing more than to take her home with him.

"Look at me little one." He put his finger under her chin, tilting her face to look up at him. Their eyes met once more and he watched as her body visibly relaxed at his touch. She was astounding. "You are....a masterpiece." He leaned down, nose brushing against hers. He could hear her heart pounding in her chest-

"Steph!" Harry pulled back sharply as she whipped her head around. Hayden was making his way towards them, a suspicious look on his face.

"Hayden," Stephanie's cheeks were full on red with embarrassment now, hands clasped behind her back. Hayden put a protective arm around her shoulder.

"Your mother asked me to take you to Hollyn. We've been looking for you." He turned his eyes to Harry, stood expressionless. "Harry."

"Hayden....please come see me after you're done here with Demetra. I have some packages for you." His expression changed when he looked back as Stephanie, it softened. "It was lovely to meet you my dear." She smiled. It was breath taking.

"Likewise Mr. Styles." Hayden steered her away, back into the large warehouse, once out of earshot, he gripped her arm.

"You listen to me Stephie. You stay away from him. Understand?"

"But he was so nice. He was kind. Why?"

"Just remember your mother's teachings. And stay away from that man."

Harry called Zeke as soon as he got into his car.

"What?" Zeke's tone was annoyed, Harry heard the whimpering of some poor fool in the background.

"Did you know Demetra had a daughter?" He asked, he heard the sound of bones cracking and a scream of agony.

"Yes. She's my daughter. What of it?" Harry felt his blood run cold. It had taken him years as an affiliate to gain the position he had now, as one of the kingpins of this organization, but he still worked under Zeke. He would have to be careful.

"Nothing I just....I was surprised is all." He finally said, chewing his bottom lip nervously.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" Zeke asked, a fondness Harry had never heard in his tone before.

"Yeah. She really is."

"Harry? Do you like where you are? Your position in my family?"

"Yes. I'm grateful for it. I worked hard you know that."

"I do." Zeke hummed. "So let me give you some advice. You want to last long with us, you stay away from my daughter."

-*-*-*-

The ride to Hollyn’s house was quiet.” Stephanie thought about what Hayden had said. He didn’t press the issue and when they said good bye to her mother he didn’t mention their encounter with Harry Styles. So she kept silent, hand on her chin, gazing out the window and soaking in the new sights all around her. 

Hollyn lived in a little cottage in a neat suburban area. There was a lake and forest behind her house. When Stephanie was little she would bring trinkets and spells for her that she made herself. And pictures of the cottage so she could picture it in her mind. She was a self proclaimed witch and healer but was also Stephanie’s God mother and dearest friend. 

“We’re here.” Hayden said. He pulled up beside the cottage. It was cobblestoned, ivy climbing high up the side, the terrace wrapped in blood red roses, shrubs covered the front yard, a willow tree hanging over the roof. And fairy lights, leading all the way up to the house. 

“Wow.” Stephanie whispered, going to unbuckle her seatbelt. 

“Stephi.” Hayden put his hand over hers, she looked up into his hazel eyes. “You know...I’ve known you for years...what I said about Harry...I just want to keep you safe.” Stephanie leaned forward, kissing his cheek lightly. 

“I know Hayden. My mom couldn’t have gotten on without you. I love you too.” With that she hopped out of the car, bounding up the steps to her Godmother’s house.

-*-*-*-

“Did you know Demetra had a daughter?” Harry asked Niall. They sat in his living room, watching football, Niall shrugged, taking a sip of his beer. 

“I mean, doesn’t everyone in this bloody gang have kids?” Harry rolled his eyes. 

“I’m serious.” He couldn’t get her out of his head. “Nobody even knew. How fucking crazy is that? She kept her hidden.”

“Not to be an ass but why do you care so much?”

“I don’t.” Harry defended, he could feel himself blushing, Niall giving him a knowing smile. He licked his lips. “She’s Zeke’s daughter.” Niall raised his eyebrows at that. 

“My advice as your friend then...stay the hell away from her H. That can and will only bring trouble.”

“I’m not doing anything.” Harry snorted. “I just wondered if you knew.” They watched the rest of the game quietly, only commenting on it here and there. When it was over Niall stood up to leave. 

“You doin’ the ball thing tonight?” Harry rolled his eyes. Of course he was. He was one of the Big Three. Any major event he would be in attendance. “You bringing Marlene with you?” Marlene. The girl he fucked on the regular. Not his girlfriend, but familiar enough she usually went with him to events like the Ball.

“Of course.” Harry said. Niall gave him a cheeky grin. 

“Just checking.” 

Alone with himself Harry’s thoughts went back to Stephanie. The way his stomach flipped when he pictured her face made his hands twitch. Why did he have to want the one person he could never have.

-*-*-*-

 “Welcome home Stephi.” Hollyn said, embracing her Goddaughter gently. Stephanie held onto her, breathing in the familiar smells of Frankincense and lavender. She felt like she was home. 

Hollyn was older, around Demetra’s age. Her hair was jet black, tight curls that ran down her between her shoulder blades, and was always frizzy. Never one for makeup, her skin was smooth and soft, albeit there were some crows feet around her brown eyes. She always wore tank tops and long flowing skirts, gems dangled off her body. She was the most magical person Stephanie knew. 

The house smelled of patchouli and sage. Plants grew and hung all over the place. Stephanie felt an odd calmness fall over her as Hollyn led her to the living room. She took the Laz-boy, while Hollyn sat on the couch. 

“So how are you? Today was your first day off the grounds.” Hollyn smiled. She loved Demetra dearly, but felt her helicopter parenting style was harmful. It broke her heart to never be able to take Stephi anywhere. A real life Rapunzel, except her mother wasn’t evil, just afraid.

“It was so exciting!” Stephanie gushed, her face lighting up. She talked about the garden and her mother believing she could do a good job managing it and how she couldn’t wait to get started. 

“It’s all so new I just...I want her to be proud.” Hollyn smiled.

“I’m glad Stephi. Truly.” 

“Hollyn?” Stephanie asked nervously. “Do you know who Harry Styles is?” she watched Hollyn stiffen, she sighed, setting her cup of tea down. 

“I do….You met him today?” Stephanie nodded. “You like him don’t you?”

“N...No! Of course not!” Hollyn chuckled, amused at how red her Goddaughter’s face went. 

“I would never tell you what to do. You’re a woman now. You make your choices but,” Hollyn lifted a finger, a small smile on her lips. “I caution you my dear. Just be careful. I’ve heard things. Though I’ve never met him, so who’s to say they’re true. I just ask you to use your head as well as your heart.” 

“You make it sound like we’re dating.” Stephanie said playfully. Hollyn shrugged. 

“Call it an old woman’s intuition.” she laughed. “Now,” she stood up, walking around to extend her hand to Stephanie. “Did your mother tell you why I wanted you here?” she shook her head. “The Summer ball is tonight. And you, my darling, are going.” Hollyn flinched as Stephanie let out a squeal, throwing herself at her Godmother. 

“How many strings did you have to pull?!” Hollyn nuzzled Stephanie’s nose affectionately. 

“A true witch never tells.”

-*-*-*-

Harry checked himself over in the mirror. A lavender colored suit with black velvet flower designs. He liked this one a lot. He was adjusting his pants when a soft knock on the door let him know his date had arrived. 

Marlene was a lower level dealer, but she was cute and they had met at a party about a year or so back. She was blonde, with green eyes and beautiful red lips. Some likened her to Marilyn Monroe. Harry didn’t really care, she was a good fuck. 

“Hey.” Marlene leaned up to kiss him, sighing when he cupped her cheek and kissed her back, but he wasn’t into it. Stephanie’s face flashed in his mind and he wondered what it would be like if he had kissed her. How soft would her lips be?

“Hello love,” Harry said, pulling back to take a look at her. Red bodycon dress, with matching pumps and a clutch, didn’t really match him, but they weren’t a thing so that didn’t matter. 

“You ready to go?” she asked. “The driver is waiting downstairs. Harry nodded, locking his apartment behind him. 

The balls were usually held at Zeke and Hellen’s home. A mansion on the outskirts of town in a gated community. Harry could have been their neighbor. But he liked his little loft apartment and the noise the city made at night.It was his lullaby. 

The house was already bustling with activity, lights shining in the driveway as couples chatted, and butlers served horderves. The gang would have these parties once every season, to bring the ‘family’ all together and to discuss how the business was running,the profit turns and fatalities. 

Hollyn squeezed Stephanie’s hand as their car pulled up outside of Zeke and Hellen’s house. 

“You look beautiful.” Hollyn complimented her. Stephanie took a shaky breath.

“I’m nervous.” she confessed. Hollyn chuckled, brushing hair back out of her Goddaughter’s face. 

“Don’t be. You’ve got this.”

The Ball was in full swing. Harry stood with Marlene on his hip, talking politely with Zayn and his girlfriend. A few more minutes of chatter and maybe he could convince Marlene it was time for them to head back to his place. He had some big shipments coming up and exhaustion wouldn’t be an excuse if he fucked things up. 

“Oh my God.” Gigi gasped, she was pointing at someone behind the group. “Who’s that?” when Harry turned, he had to force his jaw not to drop to the floor. 

It was Stephanie, Demetra’s daughter, coming down the staircase with Hollyn, arm in arm. She wore a simple white dress with spaghetti straps and a slit that went just above the knee on the left side. It looked soft, like it was made of silk, white sandals on her feet, her toes and fingers painted a baby pink. Her hair was pulled into a simple messy, but classy bun and the only makeup he could see on her face was the ruby red lip stain on her lips.

Stephanie’s heart was pounding as she ascended the stairs with her Godmother. She held onto Hollyn tightly, terrified she would fall over. She could feel the eyes on her and when she did look up she saw a pair of familiar green eyes staring back at her, her heart fluttered and her lips parted in a silent gasp. Harry looked as handsome as he had in trousers, a black t shirt and sunglasses. She couldn’t help but smile at him and give him a little wave. And her stomach flipped when he gave her the tiniest smile back and winked.

[evils-corner]

LUIGI'S MANSION 3 HEADCANONS

There's a lot of headcanons I have for everyone sosnsjsnsn so enjoy!!!

~~~~~~~

General ghost headcanons

Ghosts don't technically NEED TO eat and sleep, but a lot of them do both anyways because it's a pleasant experience, and a lot of them never stopped those habits after they died.

Ghosts can make themselves solid and transparent as they like; meaning they can make themselves solid to interact with objects and people (like Luigi), but can also make themselves transparent to go through walls, people, etc.

Not all ghosts are people who died - some ghosts are born that way. Portrait Ghosts/Boss Ghosts however ARE people who died.

Ghosts curl their tails together as a sign of affection, akin to holding hands.

Ghosts can change their bodies a little bit, like extending limbs, etc. Some ghosts (like Morty....mostly just him) like to change their tails into legs from time to time!

---------

Hotel Staff

The hotel was functional before the events of the game, and served as a hotel for ghosts. The staffing was the same (i.e. all of the portrait ghosts were there) as well as some of the Goobs and other ghosts working for the hotel.

Even though they're ghosts and don't technically NEED TO rest or anything, the staff still have an end to their work days to sleep and do as they'd like...but they still have to work LONG days.

On the second floor on the left side of the hallway, there's a door that leads to a hallway containing a set of rooms for the hotel staff to stay in, since they all live there.

---------

 Steward

He died in the 1940s at the age of 25, working as a bellboy - he lost control of a trolley of luggage and fell down a flight of stairs, snapped his spine, and was smothered/suffocated under the luggage when it fell on top of him.

He has nightmares sometimes about his death.

He overworks himself to please Hellen because he MUST Be A Good Worker. He does the jobs of at least three people all at once and is constantly moving.

He's very anxious and is prone to having anxiety attacks.....about work and just life in general.

He's trans and gay and is dating Kruller!

---------

 Chambrea

Chambrea was murdered in the 1940s on her way home from work one evening, by an unknown man. She was 36.

She's a HUGE Gossip, and she loves to listen in on people's conversations to get the Tea. She's known to spread rumors and not have all the facts though...so take her gossip with a grain of salt.

She has a HUGE crush on Johnny Deepend. (She's into very toned guys.)

---------

 Kruller

Kruller died in the 1980s at 42 years old, from a heart attack while running around on the job. He had high blood pressure and high cholesterol from poor diet his whole life that led to the heart attack.

He feels much more confident with his sunglasses on.

He wears glasses when he's off the clock. Poor guy can't see without them! His sunglasses are prescription too.

He LOVES board games!

He's really nervous and easily flustered! He tries really hard to be tough, but in the end he can't do it because he's just a really sweet guy.

He falls asleep on the job a lot.

He's Bi and loves his boyfriend Steward!

He's best friends with Morty and DJ Phantasmagloria!

---------

Chef Soulfflé

Soulfflé died in the early 1910s after getting locked in the freezer overnight of the kitchen he worked at. He was 51.

He thinks all of the food he made is Top of the Line, and he WILL get angry if you say otherwise.

---------

 Amadeus Wolfgeist

Amadeus died in the late 1700s from an aneurysm brought on by his temper after a performance. He was 49 years old.

He sleeps in his piano more often than in his room in the hotel. He prefers solitude and doesn't like being around the others. Most of his free time IS spent alone in his theater or dressing room.

He has a BIG sweet tooth and can't resist sweets....especially donuts!

He doesn't like DJ Phantasmagloria's music.

---------

 King MacFrights

Died in the mid 1300s at the age of 41 in battle, when he took a Lance to the chest and was impaled.

He's very sensitive about his height and he will get VERY angry if you comment on it at all.

---------

 Dr. Potter

Died in the late 1970s from old age at 85.

He was a recluse and took care of dozens upon dozens of plants all at once and he loved every one of them dearly.

He sweet talked his plants and would Hum to them softly as he made his way through his gardens.

He names every single one of his plants!

---------

Morty

Morty died in 1972 at 37 years old, when a stage light fell on him after he uttered the word "Macbeth" in the theater. He didn't believe the superstition.

His real name is Mortimer, but he prefers Morty. Don't ever call him Mort he will Kill You (unless You're Kruller. He's the only friend who's allowed to call him that)

Morty was an actor as well as a director when he was alive and performed in theater, plays, musicals, etc as well as on film.

He was fluent in a handful of languages including English, French, and Italian. 

He has a wonderful singing voice and also performed in an opera or two!

After he died Morty continued to haunt the theater he died in for a good decade at least. Mostly he spent his time moping about and crying in the theater, upset over his death.....the locals began to tell stories of the Weeping Ghost that haunted the theater, and his death became a sort of joke - the man who died because of a superstition and now spent his days crying about it. Morty did NOT like that and that just made him ANGRIER.

Eventually he got fed up with that place and in a fit of rage absolutely trashed the place before leaving to find a new place to live, coming upon the Hotel and being given a job there by Hellen.

He's got a big gay crush on Luigi let's be real here guys. They're dating!

He has a fainting couch in the studio that he'll throw himself onto while wailing....he's a big drama king after all!

---------

Ug

Ug was trampled to death and then eaten by a T-rex, around 30 years old.

He doesn't understand anything going on in the rest of the hotel and is prone to destroying everything he sees, so he just stays in the museum.

Thog Ug don't care.

---------

Clem

Clem died in the 1960s due to exposure from the various toxins, diseases, etc. In the sewers where he worked. He was about 28 years old.

He has a rubby ducky collection!

He collects things that people drop down the drains/that end up in the sewers with him, and will bring them back up to be found and collected.

He's dating that weird mop with a face drawn onto it. It's been a steady three year relationship so far.

---------

Serpci

Serpci died around 2000 BC~ at the age of 31, being sacrificed to the Gods. She was the reigning queen at the time, and gave herself up to the Gods for a better afterlife, as well as to help her people flourish.

She's very attentive to how she looks and dresses; a queen such as herself must always look the part, you know.

She's intrigued by all of the new technology and things around the hotel, and enjoys going from floor to floor, learning about it all. Though she does get a bit scared of things like movies, DJ Phantasmagloria's music, etc...

She's a lesbian and is dating DJ Phantasmagloria!

---------

Nikki, Ginny, Lindsey

The triplets died at the age of 12 when a magic trick misfired, and caused the building they were performing in to catch fire and burn to the ground, in the early 1980s.

Ginny is the oldest, Lindsey is the middle child, and Nikki is the youngest.

They like to switch and change hairstyles to confuse others as to which triplet is which!

They think all love and romance and affection between the adults is GROSS!!

The three of them will flock to Chambrea when in need of comfort....the maid is almost like a pseudo-guardian to the three girls, and reminds them of their mom.

---------

Captain Fishhook

Died in the late 1600s during a conflict between his pirate ship, and a band of soldiers. He was shot in the chest and fell overboard, only to be ripped apart by a shark.

The shark however did not survive attempting to eat the captain and died as well.

He very much likes how he looks now and thinks he's a lot more intimidating than he ever was when he was alive!!!

Despite the fact that he thinks and acts like a human, he has an animalistic side as well and sometimes succumbs to those instincts.

---------

Johnny Deepend

He died at the age of 26 around the 1980s, when his swimming trunks got caught on the drain of a pool and he drowned.

He's very cocky and confident about his looks and he loves to show off his muscles.

He's a bit of an asshole......he's just a straight fuck boy, honestly.

He knows Chambrea's head over heels for him, but she isn't his.....type. Not thin or young or pretty enough for him.

---------

DJ Phantasmagloria

She died in the 1970s after overdosing on ecstasy, when she was 29 years old.

She's self conscious of her actual hair and doesn't like it all that much, which is a big reason as to why she wears wigs all the time.

DJ Phantasmagloria is her stage name! When she's not performing, she just goes by Gloria.

She tends to call people "baby" and "sweetheart" as friendly pet names.

She's dating Serpci and is very.....very gay for her gorgeous girlfriend!!

She really enjoys Amadeus' music, even if he doesn't like hers. She understands! She loves listening to him perform.

---------

Hellen Gravely

She killed herself in the 1930s at the age of 43.

She was a model for a period of time before her death. She didn't become the owner of the hotel until she'd already been dead for a few years, but it had been an ambition of hers in her life.

She HATED how she looked as she started to get older, and layered on the makeup to make herself look young and pretty again.

[thepurebredking]

PLACING BLAME W/@EternalElena

Ehlena: [I gave up working in the PT suite earlier than usual this night. They were about to send me on back anyways when I told them I was done for the night. I was tired and I knew it showed, I was already in my room trying to easily fall asleep in the borrowed bed since I not yet had it in me yet to go back home, the children and I were still at the Manse. Taking up one of the many spare rooms they had here, the young slept much better than I did and it was something I was thankful for. I was not ready to face the emptiness of our home just yet, there was no way it would be the same without my male there. The first few nights Alyne had not let me out of his sight but understood that when I had needed to go down and check on patients that were still recovering from the rescue mission he had to stay put. Half the time both he and Madahlena would be asleep by the time I returned to the room to try and get maybe just a few hours of sleep. Tonight though the moment I drifted off something had caused me to wake up. Something didn’t feel right however and it was the same feeling I had before finding out about my Hellen, my Rehv being gone. Tears began to form in my eyes again as the beating of my heart picked up its pace as I sat up out of the bed. Clothes from the day before still hung against my frame, climbing back out of the bed I moved to where I knew Alyne to be. The sight of his frame there back to the wall gave me some comfort. Awake or not he was there, leaving the door open I moved to the next room Madahlena occupied. Carefully pushing the door open I saw an empty bed. Moving further into the room I could see she left in a haste. I knew mine daughter well, and knew what she had gone and done. I still felt that it was too soon. But we would have quarreled and she would have left after words spoken in anger.

I stood there staring at the empty bed for a few moments as anger grew and after moving from the room I made my way to the main door for the room. It took everything to not slam the door of the room as I left it. Right now there was only one person I wanted to see, one person I felt was at fault of all this. Wrath. Because of him I had not just lost my male, but now the oldest had taken off. She was risking her life with what she was trying to do. Losing Madahlena would most certainly kill me my young were the only connection I had left, the only tie to their father that was still around. I wasn’t sure where I was going at first but I found myself making my way to the same office I had been in before.]

Wrath: Exhaustion didn’t even begin to express how I was feeling tonight. I had been going nonstop since the night of the mission and if it weren’t for Nalla, Saxton, Mary, and Fred, the doggen, keeping me awake and fed, I probably would have collapsed by now. Even Whiskey had finally decided enough was enough and crashed out on his dog bed in the corner of the room. I couldn’t give in, though. I owed too much to my people. I had sent them out into this, now it was my time to make good on the promise that if they stood behind me, followed my rule, and supported me, I would take care of them and their families in return. At the moment, I had been fulfilling that promise, tenfold. There were many that needed tending to in the med suite, and there were families that had been left behind during this last mission that needed watching over. Nalla, Saxton, and I had been working tirelessly for days on end trying to make sure that anyone that needed legal help, got it. Mary and I had been working to make sure that all those who made it back, and the family of those that didn’t, got the psychological help they needed. Sometimes it felt as if none of it made a damn bit of difference. But, I needed to keep going. I needed to try.

As I looked at the clock, I suddenly realized that I had been pouring over everything from the following night, almost half the day. No wonder why Whiskey had long since given up on me. I began to pack it up for the day and head down the hall to try and at least get a couple hours of sleep when I heard footsteps approaching. The abruptness of the steps as they rounded the doorframe said it all. Dearest Virgin Scribe, give me strength.

Ehlena: [I had not felt this angry since the first time I had gone up to the Colony, the rescue mission for Rehv. The fight I had with the female who had thought to take him from me. Those memories flashed to the forefront as I found Wrath standing there looking far more worse for wear than what I had seen last time. My anger did not dissolve, instead I considered him to be against me because now I was reliving moments of my life that would be bringing me more pain.]

Wrath! You bastard! [The words were out of my mouth before I had given them any thought. Once I was close enough to I pushed at him, not even thinking about anything else. Just the anger and the blame I had at him.] Now not only have I lost my male, my daughter has taken off as well. For a place she will most likely not return from. She is not ready to deal with the horrors that come from that place. [Eyes narrowed as I felt myself losing touch with everything else. Heart pounding harder than it should have for my frame.] If something happens to her [I paused unable to complete the sentence. Losing the momentum from my anger, what reserves I had in energy was quickly leaving me. The simple thought of losing Madahlena so soon after her father just draining me of everything inside of me. Barely whispering the next sentence, not even sure if he heard me himself or not.] Nothing can happen to her, I don’t think I would survive another loss.

Wrath: I stood there, stoic, as I listened to every word that was spat at me. Ehlena deserved to be heard. When she thrust her fist forward and into my chest, I raised a hand and gently, closed it around her own. It was not with the intention of restraint, only by way of comfort. In a way, I could very much sympathize with what she was going through. I had LW, and he went out and faced off in battle almost every night, and I was terrified for him. In addition, one day, many years down the road hopefully, he would sit on my throne and face all the things I did on the daily. I think that terrified me worse. Either way, our young had very similar lives ahead of them. The difference was, LW’s fate of sitting on my throne was so far out in the distance, and Madahlena’s fate was staring her in the face, and immediately following Rehv’s passing. Salt to an open wound. We all knew how that played out.

Madahlena was doing the right thing, though. Not that I would offer that little thought up to Ehlena. But, she was. The colony was not a stable entity and if they heard about Rehv’s death before she sat her ass on that throne, there would be chaos, and we needed the colony to continue to exist as it had been. We could not have sympaths running around doing whatever they wanted. We needed order up there, and having Madahlena on the throne would do that. She was a brave young female.

As Ehlena’s voice dropped to a whisper, I knew she was running out of steam and I reached out with my free hand, placing it lightly on her shoulder. “We are going to do everything in our power to make sure that doesn’t happen.” I had learned a long time ago, we don’t write checks that our ass can’t cash, and telling someone that something will never happen is one of those checks.

Ehlena: [I was surprised that I wasn’t flat on my back after my hands had hit his chest. I had not paid any attention to if we were alone or not when I went off on him. The hand covering mine didn’t hold the threat of retaliation over the hit I had made with the shoving I had attempted to do, even when I was at full strength I wouldn’t have been able to move him.

I swallowed hard as the silence sat there between us, it could go in so many different ways. I was expecting his own anger to come forth, matching my own. It’s what I wanted, anger and pain was all I associated with right now and it made no sense that others weren’t feeling the same. My daughter just made herself grow up further than her years with her actions, I was fully aware she’d be the one to take over when Rehv planned to step down.

The hand on my shoulder pulled me out of those dark thoughts bringing me back to the reality of the here and now. It was Wraths own hand that rested there, not one of the Brothers preparing to handle me for the way I just treated our King. The words he spoke were general and really didn’t seem to be much of a promise. He couldn’t honestly tell me that no harm would come her way. But damnit those were the words I longed to hear. Since I knew that Rehv wouldn’t be coming back, I could feel my heart break again each time I had that thought.] Those words are not good enough, even if that’s all you can offer. Too much loss, too much blood has been spilt already. Hers can’t be added to it, there’s already a hole inside me. That nothing will be able to replace.

Wrath: Ehlena was angry, and rightfully so. Madahlena’s time had come way too soon and she didn’t want to watch her daughter fail, or worse, fall at the hands of the sympaths. They were a volatile community that, if not treated properly, could very well turn on Madahlena. She was strong, though. I had every ounce of faith that she would overcome anything thrown at her. She also wasn’t stupid. She wouldn’t go alone, unarmed, or unprotected. She had this. However, that wasn’t what Ehlena wanted to hear right now. In truth, the only thing Ehlena wanted to hear was that we were wrong, Rehv wasn’t dead, and he was on his way home to her, as we spoke. That was never going to happen again though, and there was nothing I could do to change that.

I had been this situation again and again, over the years. There was never anything I could do to make things better. It was grief, and grief had to run its own course, and everyone’s course was different. The only thing I could do was comfort, which Scribe knew I wasn’t incredibly good at, but I had learned a few things. Honesty, no matter what, was imperative. Any dishonesty, or condescension was never tolerated, and only made matters worse. I also knew not to take any attacks against me, personally. That one was sometimes difficult to remember, but in my heart I knew it to be true, even though I always towed around my own truckload of guilt.

“I can’t promise you that nothing bad will happen to Madahlena. Lassiter, himself… The Scribe Virgin… no one can promise you this. I wish I could. I wish I could promise you that no one else will die. Shit! I wish I could take it all back. Have everyone that died fighting this ugly war come back to us. Those are things that no one can do for us though, and the only thing I know to do is continue fighting, in hopes that we can stop these nasty motherfuckers. I’m sorry for everything you’re going through. I truly am, Ehlena.”

Ehlena: [It only caused more tears to gather in my eyes, I knew he couldn’t promise what he personally could not guarantee. The honesty stung but I had to accept it. At some point. Right now it still wasn’t possible, the ceremony held for him still fresh in my memories and part of the reason I could not sleep. Dropping my head all the fight I had left left me quickly. I honestly wanted to know how Wrath continued to do this. Live without the one person by his side he wanted there more than anything. I remember the answer he gave that night felt like it had just happened, not the time that had already passed.

Moment to moment seemed an impossible task, bringing my gaze back to the face of my king, and also in this point in time a friend that I knew I needed.] I tried going back home the other night, I can’t…. that is not my home without him there. Rehv has possibly without realizing it made my life become something that would never be the same without him. [My voice broke at the end of the sentence, finally saying what I had been avoiding. My life was going to now be without him. No small task because he was and still is the only male to have held my heart. To care for it like it was the greatest treasure in the world because to him I knew it really was. Even as he made sure my scent was always mixed with his.]

I can’t sleep, I’m barely able to function without having thoughts of him. No one tells you that death is so close to being in love. They never leave your mind whatsoever.

Wrath: Dearest Virgin Scribe, did I remember exactly how Ehlena felt. It took decades for my the manse to feel like home to me again, after Beth’s passing, and it wasn’t long after that I was remodeling in order to switch bedrooms. I just couldn’t live in that room all alone. She haunted me there. She still haunted me, actually. Although, it was different now. At the time, it was as if to torment me. It was my own personal plague. Now, I invite it. The times I spend alone don’t feel right if I don’t feel her presence with me.

Ehlena’s fight drained from her voice right in front of me and I could hear the transition to pain. “Ehlena, you are more than welcome to stay here, at the manse, for as long as you need. You are family to everyone under this roof. We are all here for you. Lean on us.” I paused for a second waiting for a response. When none came I continued, “Listen, if you’re worried about not being the life of the party, look around. You’re not alone. There has been a lot of loss here. No one is expecting you to be anywhere near okay. Be sad, be angry, lock yourself in your room, but stay here, with us. We are so much stronger together, and you are going to need our strength in the coming weeks.” I squeezed Ehlena’s shoulder before dropping my hand back to my side. “We got you.”

Ehlena: Wrath I am sorry. [It was the only words I could get out for a moment. Knowing that nothing was forcing me to do anything other than what I could at the time. Things were never going to be easy until we all healed emotionally as well as physically. No matter how mad I was at Wrath, Rehv and the Scribe herself I knew that wouldn’t matter. Looking back up to wrath I gave him the first smile that wasn’t forced since that night in his office. No he couldn’t see it but there had to be a change in me he’d notice as I spoke again.]

My king your kindness never ceases to amaze me, when right now I should be facing the Brothers for my actions you understand far more than you let others know. The offer to stay here is one I appreciate and until I know how things will be and I hear from Madahlena. [My own hand raised and rested on his shoulder since I doubted hugging would be wise.] Yes we are all going to need each other.

#PlacingBlame #ISBDB

[portokali]

Bright Lights and Fireworks

For @itsmuff-intime for the @trc-exchange!!! I’m very sorry I couldn’t do fanart as originally promised, I have some serious technical difficulties :( I hope you enjoy this small fic instead, and once my tablet is back I’ll make sure to tag you in the finished fanart I originally intended for you! :D All in all, you said you’d like something fun with the Gangsey, so even though it’s not 100% what you suggested I still hope you enjoy: this is, essentially, me wishing you a happy, happy new year! 💙💙💙

--- 

“Oh, you’re so charming!” beamed the lady he had been talking to for the past half hour and, with a final flash of pearly white teeth dismissed him for ‘Chelsea! I’m so glad you made it my dearest child!’

Letting out a sigh he’d been holding Adam turned to his boyfriend only to find Ronan… not there. He scanned the room, but saw no sign of him amongst the elegantly moving night gowns and flawlessly pressed suits. Turning to where Gansey and Blue had last been sighted, he was relieved to find them still there, and tried desperately to send distress signals through eye contact.

They were busy, though: Blue was leaning forward towards her interlocutor, teeth bared, fists clenched, words spitting out of her mouth at him, sweating in her brand-new dream-dress she was willing to physically fight her way out of wearing (it was Ronan’s betrayed expression, however, that finally got her to put it on without further comment), while the elder man was leaning back defensively, trying to speak through her pauses, never really given the chance. Gansey was standing between the two, both hands raised, struggling to soften the mood, but his girlfriend was too fired up to pay him any attention.

With a chuckle to himself, Adam decided firmly he was not going to get involved into whatever was going on over there, and started looking for the disappeared Ronan instead.

As he navigated his way through the crowd, looking around the entire time for a shaved head or a suit with purple embroidery—flowers of all things, you can dream up anything you want and you dream yourself a flowery suit?— there suddenly was an explosion of perfume and of shining green and a slender, yet strong, arm was intertwined with his.

“Adam sweetie, care to join us? The dance is about to begin~” the young woman cooed.

“Uh, thanks Helen, but actually I’ve lost Ly- my friend, Ronan. Have you seen him?”

Helen smiled even wider and nodded knowingly to herself, the strands of brown hair that stylistically escaped her hairdo dancing around with every movement. Kids these days, she seemed to be thinking to herself, green dress gleaming under the lighting in the ballroom. She was almost too radiant for Adam to look at directly. Almost.

“No, I’m afraid I haven’t seen him,” she sighed deeply, looking excessively sorry. “I am sure he can’t have gone far, though, the room is filled with such… interesting people, I’m sure he’s happily engaged in conversation somewhere around here!” and she let go of Adam’s arm, winking at him for the quarter of a second.

“Thank you, Helen,” Adam said and, resisting the urge to rub his arm in relief at his release from her iron clench, he looked around the room for the nearest possible exit. A huge staircase was leading up, but that was too obvious, anyone could see someone climbing up, and the doors at the other end of the room seemed locked shut and too heavy to aid someone (Ronan) at their (his) escape of such… interesting company (no comment).

And then, right as he was about to walk back to Gansey and Blue and inquire about the whereabouts of their friend, his footsteps seemed to guide him through a small, open door, and he promptly crossed it.

“Oh.”

The simple word that escaped him before he could stop himself echoed off the walls of the candlelit hall, leaving him with a sense of weird emptiness. Knowing he was alone, and yet oddly at edge, Adam stared around him openly, gaping at the architecture, the windows, the staircase (less grand than the one in the ballroom but somehow more impressive in the atmosphere), and, with a start, the statue standing just inches away from Adam’s nose when he turned around.

Trying to calm himself again, he stared back at the Hellenic-like statue of a young man, draped in nothing but a cloth craved out of stone. Swallowing hard as he studied the marble face, illuminated by nothing but the candles and the line of light streaming in from the half-open door leading to the ballroom, he thought to himself it looked a bit like Ronan.

And he walked up the stairs.

Quietly, as if in a dream, he found himself at a corridor, shut doors running its whole length. Hair on edge, and yet somewhat excited to be alone, with all the possibilities of those unexplored rooms, Adam walked forward into a room that lead into another, and another, and another, and another, all empty and illuminated by the moonlight outside, but a light was coming in from the last one and, once he got there, he found himself walking into a long and mainly empty room, save from the huge wardrobe at the end of it, one of its windows pulled open. At the bottom of it was sitting Ronan Lynch.

“Back in closet?”

Ronan looked up. The moonlight coming in from the window and the yellow electric light from inside the room painted his face in blues and yellows.

“Adam!” his face split into a smile and suddenly Adam knew no other place as welcoming or warm as this side of the mansion.

“Hey. Tired of it all?”

Ronan shrugged, upsetting his suit jacket with wrinkles.

“Not all of it. Is Sargent OK?”

“I’m mostly concerned about Senator Whatshisname by now…” Adam chuckled, and Ronan’s grin grew wider as he looked down at his feet again. Adam permitted him a moment to indulge into picturing the scene.

“Don’t leave me all alone again,” Adam said at last, expect it came out very fast and kind of breathless.

Ronan looked up immediately and they locked eyes.

“I won’t. I’m sorry,” he said firmly, got up and walked towards Adam. “It’s just that… it got a bit too much, y’know?”

“I do know,” Adam said, taking in his boyfriend as Ronan crossed the room to him. “But sometimes you have to smile your way through, it… it’s… good… could be useful.”

Ronan cocked his head to the side a bit.

“Good for you,” he said. He was close enough to tap a finger on Adam’s shoulder. “You, sir, have aspirations,” he put an arm on his waist, “I am a farmer.”

Adam laughed and rolled his eyes as Ronan pulled him close and took his hand with his free one. Shaved head was rested on Adam’s shoulder. His own suit jacket was a silky blue, without the hint of discomfort or tightness that a real suit might come hand-in-hand with.

“This room is weird,” Adam said at last, after observing the place for a little while. Save from the lights on the walls and the thick, expensive carpet on the floor and the wardrobe, it was empty. Ronan hummed in agreement absent-mindedly.

“It’s like in Narnia,” whispered Adam.

He felt Ronan’s eyelashes flash open against his neck.

“What’s wrong?”

“What did you just say?” Ronan straightened up again and looked at Adam.

“It’s just… you’ve read the Narnia books? There’s this wardrobe…”

“Yeah, I know. Didn’t know you were fan,” Ronan smirked. Adam grinned and shrugged a little. Down below, coming muffled through all the doors and walls between them, a waltz had begun playing. Ronan moved Adam closer.

“I guess,” Adam smirked, suppressing a wider grin, letting Ronan guide him as they began to swing slowly to the music.

Adam’s heart was fluttering to his chest. The empty room provided enough moving space to… well, dance around, and Ronan was an infuriatingly great dancer. Outside, snow had began to fall, and Ronan’s hand was so warm in his own. This almost felt like…

“—half-baked son of a—”

The door was thrown open and Blue threw her high heels halfway across the room.

“How dare he, and at the end of it all, just smile down at me like I’m some—ugh!” and she promptly sat down on the carpet, rubbing her heel, her dream-dress fanning out and falling in a circle around her as if in slow-motion.

Gansey shut the door behind them and leaned against it, roaring with laughter.

…home.

“And you think it’s funny?” Blue hissed up at him, eyes narrowing threateningly.

“Oi, Sargent, how was it?”

“Exceptional,” Gansey said, still laughing, “she was exceptional.”

Adam turned at Ronan to exchange meaningful looks, but found him grinning down at Blue instead, still furiously massaging her heels.

“Wait,” said Gansey, suddenly serious, eyes flying at how Adam and Ronan were still positioned. “Did we, uh… interrupt something?”

Ronan, Blue, Adam and Gansey looked at each other for a second, before Ronan shrugged, said ‘whatever’, and cupped Adam’s face and kissed him full on the lips as the first firework went off, painting the room in color.

They had barely pulled away from the kiss when Adam found himself smashed against Ronan’s chest as Blue wrapped them both in her arms and Gansey came running from his own end of the room. The four of them, entangled in a tight embrace and grinning madly, stared out of the window as the fireworks started again and kept coming. There was the sound of Blue and Gansey kissing somewhere behind Adam’s head, before Ronan headbutted him so that the back of Adam’s head crushed against both Gansey and Blue’s touching foreheads.

“Happy new year, y’all absolute assholes.”

[tipsycad147]

Rituals

Hekate’s ancient devotees held dinners in her honor, known as Hekate Suppers. Foods associated with her were prepared. The entree was usually fish, especially red mullet. Devotees feasted and celebrated. Offerings and leftovers were placed outside the door or at a crossroads for Hekate and her hounds.

The last day of each lunar month is dedicated to Hekate.

Friday the 13th – particularly if it falls in the month of August.

November 16th is Hekate Night

August 13th, in Italy, a festival is shared between Diana and Hekate

Even way back when, cynics scoffed that food placed outside was actually consumed by feral dogs and homeless people without realising that this is Hekate’s intent: this is one way she accepts offerings. (The Church was still trying to eradicate this ritual as late as the eleventh century.)

Smaller, private offerings may be left at a crossroads, too:

Place offerings on a plate or flat stone and leave them at a crossroads after dark.

Make your invocation and then walk away without looking back.

Do not return for the plate, or any part of the offering, but consider it part of your gift.

Offerings can include the following:

Eggs

Garlic and honey (especially lavender honey)

Croissants and crescent shaped breads and pastries

Candles

Incense

Images of dogs, especially black dogs

Actions on behalf of dogs

Encountering or hearing a dog is an indication that your petition has been heard.

The Mythology

According to myth, Hekate once served as an Angelos, a messenger for the other deities. She stole Hera’s beauty salve to give to her rival Europa. Hera enraged, pursued Hekate, who fled first to the bed of a woman in childbirth, then to a funeral procession, and finally to Lake Acheron in Hades where she was cleansed by the Cabeiri. Hekate emerged more powerful than ever, a goddess of birth, death, and purification. She rules passages between realms of life and death and is thus invoked by necromancers.

Hekate is most prominent in Greek mythology for being the sole deity to voluntarily assist Demeter in her search for her abducted daughter, Persephone. Later, after Persephone eats Death’s six pomegranate seeds and is condemned to spend half the year in Hades, it is Hekate who accompanies her as Lady-in-Waiting. In some legends, she even becomes Hades’ co-wife. Ceberus, three-headed hound of Hades, may be Hekate in disguise.

Hekate becomes Persephone’s link to her mother and the land of the living. She guarantees that Death cannot break the bond between mother and daughter. Hekate is the Matron of Necromancy.

Hekate, daughter of the Titans Perses and Asteria, is older than the Olympian spirits. The eight-century BC Greek poet Hesiod writes that Hekate’s power dates “from the beginning.” Zeus was crazy about her: he eliminated all other pre-Hellenic deities (the Titans) but, having fallen madly in love with Hekate, he let her be.

Hekate is understood to be a triple goddess by herself, appearing as maiden, mother, and crone. She is also part of a lunar triplicity with Artemis and Selene, and also with Demeter and Persephone. Hekate dances in Dionysus’ retinue and is a close ally of Kybele.

Alongside her intense lunar identification, Hekate is also associated with the element of water: her first love affairs were with sea gods including Triton. Her great-grandfather was Pontus the Sea. Her maternal great-aunt was the sea monster Keto. Hekate is also related to the Gorgons and Sirens and may be the mother of Scylla, who was transformed into a sea monster by another relative, Circe. Prior to her transformation Scylla was a beautiful woman from head to waist, with canine hips terminating in a fish tale.

Hekate led a host of shape-shifting female spirits known as Empausas, whose usual manifestation was as a beautiful woman with one brass leg and one donkey’s leg; Hekate herself sometimes takes this form. The Empusas patrolled roads and apparently sometimes had fun terrorising travellers. If one invoked Hekate, however, they left you alone.

Devotees feted the goddess by holding rituals known as Hecate’s Suppers at the end of each month at a crossroad. (The end of the month in lunar calendars corresponds to the Dark Moon, the new month begins with the first sighting of the new moon). The Church was still trying to eradicate Hecate’s Suppers in the eleventh century.

Post-Christianity, Hekate became among the most intensely demonised spirits, her very name synonymous with “witch”. Her symbols (toad, cauldron, broom) are inextricably linked with stereotypes of witchcraft. What were symbols of fertility became symbols of evil. Her sacred dogs were converted into the Hounds of Hell. This denigration served to camouflage Hekate’s origins as a deity of Healing and Protection.

https://shirleytwofeathers.com/The_Blog/powers-that-be/hekate-queen-of-the-night/

[witteawrites]

Project: Fight Me Hellen

Synopsis

What does a kindly witch who accidentally curses your coffee, a Catholic vampire that's given up rare blood types for Lent and a group of Elves on drugs ("High elves, get it?") all have in common? A lot if you're a shape shifting cop who's job is to keep the magical world and the human world blended without any problems. Hellen loves her job most days but she really wishes all the trouble makers would stop making her job so hard (those over populated vampires from the recruitment surge during Twilight? Yeah apparently all the angst ridden whiny teenage immortal girls get hungry and are pretty mad that being a vampire isn't all sparkles and cheesy lines. Go figure.) She wishes human kind and magical types could just get along and things would calm down. Hellen gets her chance when she's given charge over a Hunter. Her job is to keep them from killing anyone while keeping tabs on them to hopefully find out who their boss is and then maybe the whole hunting ring fiasco can be taken care of once and for all and the people can live a little more easily and in peace. What she didn't ask for was a new friend and the whole thing going sideways when she mistakes the hunter for a new creature in town needing help blending in and spills trade secrets. Can she fix her mistake on time and get the hunter on their side or has she just spelled out death for all of the city's magical inhabitants?

Excerpt

The street light buzzed as it flickered overhead. The wind blew over as a loose missing pet poster across the alleyway as a cool breeze sent a chill down the back of a younger looking woman’s neck. She had walked this path a hundred times at night before but familiarity didn’t make it any more unsettling.

The scar on her neck twinged and she took a deep breath, counting to 10 and reminding herself she was ok. She was in control, this was familiar territory and she would be fine. She flinched slightly as the door to her right slammed against the alley wall and a giggling man came stumbling out. She rolled her eyes.

“Lloyd! What have I told you about the drugs? Do you want to get hunted?” She hissed, walking up to the tall lanky man and tugging on his hear to pull him down to her level.

“Heeeeyyyy! Why you gotta spoil all the fun… you just need a joint Hellen! Then you can come’n chill with me and see that life’s not all that bad!” He said before giggling again and slumping against the woman, her blonde hair fading into green at the tips.

Hellen sighed and helped him sit on the ground. “I’m going to have to take you in Lloyd. I’ve covered for you once. You promised me you would stop and get help but you haven’t and you keep blurting out who you are and taking off your disguise. Someone who’s not on something is going to see you and I can’t let you endanger the rest of us. You know that.” She said.

“Aw Hellen come on! I can’t help it! I’m a high elf. Get it? Huh? Huh? Get it?” He replied before laughing at his own joke so hard he started to throw up.

“These were my favorite shoes.”  Hellen mumbled, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “Come on big boy, time to get you some help.” She sighed, putting him cuffs and taking him out to her cruiser.  

Stupid elf… She grumbled inwardly, heading back to the station once she had him secured in the back. Why did trouble makers like Lloyd have to make her job so difficult? Hunters were bad enough but then there were people like Lloyd who just became beacons for them. She tried not to take it personally when someone like him got themselves killed but she did and she wished they wouldn’t do that to themselves. Falling to addictions was a bad enough life without the added danger of being hunted.

Hellen rolled into the station a few minutes later but instead of taking the airy elf up the stairs to the main entrance she walked him into a wall around the side. The scene quickly shifted from a dark brick into a lively office, the wall rippling closed behind them.

“Hey Hellen! Sup?” A hairy looking guy called from behind the front desk.

“Not much Richie. How’s the pup unit going?” She asked, somewhat preferring the night crew to the day one. The more nocturnal types seemed easier to deal with in her opinion.

“Really well! So far we’re caught up on the little ‘play biting’ issues in the therapy part but I think we’re going to get there. What are you going to do, kids are going to play.” He shrugged.

“I can see their point though. Can’t have a bunch of new werewolf pups biting kids and turning them when they’re already stressed. Anyways, gotta take this one into the back.” She said, indicating Lloyd who was swatting at the lights above his face and clinking his handcuffs annoyingly.

“So pretty…” he fawned, his eyes getting bigger the longer he starred up at them.

“Alright little John, let’s take it one step at a time. Look, here’s a step…” She said, smirking a bit as he lifted his leg high in the air and then brought it down, thinking there was a set of stairs in front of him.

“Oh here’s another one. And look out! This one’s really high up and really big!” She continued, messing with him. He’d puked on her favorite shoes; he was going to be the laughing stock of the unit for a few days.

Finally, she got him back into the infirmary area and she got him laid down on one of the beds. She got an IV into the now drooling elf. “Alright, I’m going to give you something that’s going to make you feel a lot better.” She said, grabbing a syringe from one of the locked drawers.

Lloyd nodded happily, smiling and jingling his handcuffs lightly.

Oh he’s in for it… again. She thought, grabbing a bottle and sticking the needle into it, drawing out some of the substance and then emptying into his IV.

Lloyd’s smile quickly faded as his high disappeared like a bowling ball crashing into pavement. “Heeeeeyy!” he shouted, feeling ill and the high he’d paid for was gone.

“I told you next time you did drugs there’d be consequences. Now you get to dry up in here and find a new area to live in. You broke your promise.” She shrugged. Turning him over to the attending physicians working in that section.

She looked up at the clock and saw it was just after 9. “Oh thank god…” She muttered, shaking her head a little as she closed her eyes. Her skin faded into a dark ashy color and her hair went from the blonde it had been to jet black. Her eyes were coppery when she opened them again instead of the forest green they’d been a moment before.

She walked to her office and sat down at her desk, looking at a photo of her and another officer. Younger, smiling… alive. She turned guiltily away from it and started filing her reports and paperwork for the evening. After turning it in and making sure she was squared away she clocked out and gathered her things to head home.

“See you in the morning?” Richie asked as she walked by.

“Nah, I have a mid shift tomorrow and then a meeting with the chief. I think they might be switching me to a day group for a bit again while they train the newbie.” She shrugged. “There’s rumors of a hunter situation too, but I shouldn’t have to do much with that being on partial field work leave.” She added.

“Well be careful anyways. It’d be a shame to lose another fine officer, and a shifter, to the likes of those cut throats.” Richie scowled. “A few hundred years and you’d think they’d figure out most of us are alright.” He sighed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll just shift into a troll and blast them through a wall before they know what hit them.” Hellen smiled wryly. “It’s not my first rodeo.” She added, subconsciously rubbing the scar that was twinging near her shoulder and collarbone. She tried to keep a wince back as she forced a smile. “Night Richie.” She added, tipping her officer hat and heading back outside, this time to her own car.

“Finally…” She sighed, her appearance changing again. This time her hair turned into a layered brown cut and her skin tone became an average human color. Her clothes changed into something more every day looking instead of her uniform as she looked into the mirror, gently brushing her cheek with her fingers, longing to stay like this.

She parked her car by her apartment complex before she headed to her favorite local bar to get a quick drink and check in on some of the local gossip. It was a short walk there and back, plus it helped her get a feel for if and when humans became aware of anything strange. She also liked pretending to be one sometimes even if it was a magical bar.

“Hey Carl, I’ll take my usual.” She said, taking a seat on an empty stool and leaning against the counter on one elbow.

“Hey Hellen. Good to see you around again. I was starting to wonder if one of those crooks hadn’t gotten you too.” The bar tender said.

“Ah it’d take more than a few law breakers to get me down.” Hellen chuckled dryly. “Besides I just check up on the higher risk ones and make sure parolees are behaving and that no trouble’s starting. It’s not a terrible beat.” She shrugged. “Ah thanks…” She took the glass and swallowed down a sip, letting the burn fill her throat and give her a little momentary jolt.

She looked around the room a bit, observing the people. She picked out a Skinwalker, a Djinn, and a young witch intermingled with the humans. She was trained to see them and make sure they were blending well. These three seemed alright. She knew more of the trouble makers than the ones who hid in plain sight.

“Aren’t you off the clock?” Carl raised an eyebrow, his mild accent getting a bit thicker with concern.

“Habit.” Hellen replied simply, frowning a bit as she saw a younger woman who also seemed to be casing out the magical creatures in the room. Her fingers were tapping lightly on the table and she didn’t seem to have even touched her drink yet. Something about her seemed off to Hellen and she couldn’t quite identify what it was. She seemed human at first glance but something was different.

“Hey.” She waved Carl over. “What do you know about her?” She asked.

“Ah new girl in town from what I hear. Not sure what she is.” He shrugged, cleaning a glass with two arms above the counter, and to anyone watching. Two more were below the counter adjusting cups and taps to make sure they were in order too.

“I got that vibe also but I can’t figure it out.” Hellen tapped her glass lightly.

“Could be a hunter. They’re getting better at the fake creature act.” Carl muttered under his breath, disdain in his tone.

“Eh… either way, I’d better check it out.” She said, ignoring Carl’s incredulous look over he working off the clock again.

She turned to go offer the girl a drink but when she looked she saw her leaving a 20 on the table she’d been sitting on and heading quickly out the front door.

“Well I assume adding ‘super good hearing’ to the list of what she might be, would be wise.” Hellen said.

“Ah well… at least she paid and tipped well.” Carl shrugged. “Who knows, she might come around again. I’ll let you know right away.” He offered.

“Thanks Carl. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Hellen said, finishing off her drink and putting her jacket on.

“I do what I can girl, I do what I can.” He smiled knowingly. “Have a good night.” He added, waving her off once she’d paid.

Hellen headed home, the small chilled feeling tingling down her spine that she was being watched or followed. She took a few side streets and then slipped in the back way into her apartment just to be safe. She locked the door and sighed, kicking off her shoes.

I wonder who that girl was… She thought to herself. She had a bad idea she might be finding out sooner rather than later and she might not like what she discovered.

(©WitTeaWrites)

[starsforged]

ALL

ngl i was counting on you to send this || @ineveryvein

Which muses have their driver’s license?

aurelia, juliet, & aura. sophia, but only once she moves out of new york bc literally no one under 18 drives in this damn city lbr

And how many can drive stick shift?

aurelia. that’s it. do people actually still use stick shift?

Which muse would make the best parent?

i mean, juliet’s the only one who’s actually a parent, sooo

Which muse cries the most?

lilith, probably. ):

Which muse never cries?

kimberly’s pretty resilient, emotionally speaking.

Which muse is the most ticklish?

lilith! hit the right spot and she’s a goner.

Which muse is the best singer?

sophia!! she’s the only one with both formal music training and a good singing voice. (and both fcs have excellent voices, too.)

Which muses live on their own? (Don’t live with their parents anymore.)

all my ocs do, in their main verses.

Which muse is the bravest?

in terms of “feel the fear and do it anyway” bravery? 100% lilith.

Which muse is the biggest scaredycat?

juliet, my soft daughter, can’t even fall asleep after the most basic horror stories.

Which muse is best at sports?

aura!! she does kickboxing for fun, so she’s pretty in shape.

Which muse is the smartest?

sophia is the most well-rounded: she has some of the highest book smarts and social intuition of the bunch (though the latter’s a bit of a double-edged sword at times), and can also pick up music and language quickly.

Which muse is the dumbest?

i hate calling any of them dumb, bc they’re really not. but academia-wise? probably teddy.

Which muse has the biggest dick?

teddy’s the only one who ever has one. so.

Which muse has the biggest breasts?

alison as an adult. but in terms of main verses, aurelia.

Which muse is the strongest?

physically speaking, juliet! mentally, lilith. emotionally, aurelia.

Which muse is the weakest?

physically, kimberly. mentally, aura. emotionally, lilith.

Which muses can’t whistle?

aura has trouble in any form besides her original. juliet, bless her lil heart, just can’t quite do it. kimberly never bothered to learn.

Which muses need glasses to some extent? (All the time/for reading, etc.)

sophia has mild nearsightedness, and needs glasses on the computer, to read signs further away, etc. juliet needs reading glasses.

Which muses have sent nudes before?

aura, all the damn time!! she’ll unabashedly send them to everyone for their “opinions” lmao. alison’s also sent quite a few as well. aurelia, kimberly, and teddy have too, though they’re all much more selective about who they send them to. sophia, only to haneul. lilith’s sent a few here and there, but she’s pretty shy about them - she’s never sent any with her face included, and always runs them by aura for opinions first.

Which muses are left-handed?

kimberly!! hayley actually is, and i’m certainly not gonna ignore that rep when i’ve got it. lilith is as well, which she always jokes is because she has the devil for a father (even though he’s really not) since people used to think left-handedness was a sign of satanism or whatever way back in the day.

Which muses prefer bathing over showering?

juliet loves bubble baths. aurelia enjoys them more, but only sometimes finds the time to draw them. aura has a ton of fun with bath bombs!!

Which muses belong to a religion?

sophia was raised with a mix of catholicism and buddhism, but doesn’t particularly believe either one herself. aurelia and kimberly follow a mix of pagan beliefs. one of lilith’s fathers is jewish; the other, while human, has a history of witches in his family. so she was raised with a mix of (very liberal) jewish and pagan ideals!! however, after discovering her heritage, she leans towards polytheism/hellenism. alison was raised christian, but that belief is sorely tested once she’s buried alive. now, she leans more toward agnosticism.

Which muses bite their nails?

lilith does, occasionally. but it’s less biting, more kinda sticking her fingers between her lips.

Which muses can’t ride a bike?

none of them!!

Which muses can change a tire?

teddy can, both magically and manually, because hermione thought it would be a good idea to prepare him. aura taught herself how to when her sister got her first car.

Which muses can’t swim?

sophia always grew up in crowded city apartments, so never really learned how.

Which muse is the clumsiest?

teddy somehow makes it look charming.

And which is the most elegant?

juliet, probably. or alison, when she’s not on the run.

Which muses are parents?

only juliet! she has one daughter, maya.

Which muses speak another language than English? Which language(s)?

sophia can speak korean and french fluently (she’s a translator), as well as some spanish, japanese, and asl. kimberly grew up speaking basic japanese, and also knows basic latin for spellcasting. aurelia also speaks latin, much more fluently. juliet knows conversational french. aura knows conversational korean. lilith began teaching herself greek as a young adult.

Which muses can cook?

aurelia’s a kitchen witch, therefore the best cook of all my muses! juliet, kimberly, alison, and sophia all also can.

Which muses rely on frozen dinners and take-out?

lilith, for sure. there are some days she can barely function, let alone cook herself meals three times a day. aura, because she doesn’t care enough to bother. teddy, because he spent his whole life with andromeda, the potters, and the weasleys all cooking for him. (molly still sometimes sends him care packages.)

Which muses can play an instrument?

sophia majored in music in high school, with a focus on the piano! but she can also play cello, flute, french horn, and guitar. alison was forced to play piano by her mother as a child, but hated it and remembers next to nothing. teddy’s dabbled in a few instruments, but nothing ever stuck.

Which muses have had surgery before?

sophia had her tonsils removed as a kid, and her wisdom teeth as an adult. lilith had her appendix removed. aurelia and alison have also had their wisdom teeth removed. teddy would have needed wisdom teeth surgery in any non-magic verse, but in his main one magic was used to fix them.