#Fae without a Way (Mina) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

pinkykats-place · 2 years

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Fantasy AU BakuDeku

AO3 Fanfic Recommendations

Disclaimers!

Art is not mine! Credit to @novaneondream

None of the stories linked below are mine.

Some contain mature content so please read tags on AO3.

Note: If you read any of these stories and like them please let the author know with a kudos and/or comment!

Playing with Flowers by SilentJo

Summary: “What is all of this? Are you a grown man playing with flowers?” Barbarian Prince Katsuki had asked after the herbalist Deku bumped into him and scattered his plants and herbs to the ground. Deku's fiery response draws Katsuki's interest, enough to initiate the courtship ritual known well in his country, Kamino. But Deku has no idea why he keeps getting head-pats from Katsuki.

One Shot | SFW

How to Train Your Useless Dragon by Mikacrispy

Summary: Bakugou Katsuki needs to kill a dragon to take its teeth and become a warrior of his tribe.

But, what? Why the fuck doesn't this dragon have teeth?

— — —

Written from the promp "What if Izuku was the dragon?"

Shamelessly How to Train Your Dragon inspired.

Complete | 30 Chapters | SFW

Forever, right Kacchan? by Anonymous

Summary: Katsuki met Izuku when they were 3 years old, and he knew he wanted to keep the green haired boy by his side forever. They were each other's first friend, so it was only natural the blond wanted to keep that bond for the rest of his life. Katsuki and Izuku learn what "forever" really means to them as they grow up.

Complete | 19 Chapters

Rated - Mature

The Other Side of the Door by Dontmindme9

Summary: Izuku becomes Prince Shouto's personal servant. Because Izuku has to follow him around every day, they get really close. When Izuku gets lost while on an errand, Shouto does everything he can to find him again. Meanwhile, Izuku is saved by a wild Bakugou. Inside the angry teen, Izuku see's a side of Bakugou that no one has taken the time to see. Both take a liking to the innocent green haired boy, and refuse to give him up.

Complete | 52 Chapters | SFW

The dragon @silverynight

Summary: Now, this golden dragon with red eyes could actually kill him, besides, he's already pissed because he's hurt, someone stabbed one of his elbows and he's bleeding a little. The sword is still stuck in his skin.

"Hello..." Izuku takes a couple of steps closer, knowing Iida (one of prince Todoroki's knights) would probably tell him not to get himself into trouble. It's a good thing he's not there.

The dragon growls, as a warning, but he doesn't use his fire against Izuku so he takes it as a good sign.

Complete | 2 Chapters | SFW

Show me your thorns, love by princejaelofbabylon

Summary: “You'll regret this,” Katsuki warns weakly. “I don't know how to… I've never been in a relationship with anyone before." He bows his head. "I might hurt you, even without meaning to.”

Deku scoffs, pulling back slightly. "You underestimate me, sir." Scarred hands cup his face, and when Katsuki looks up, he sees a fierceness in those green eyes, burning bright with a determination that takes his breath away.

“Tell me, Kacchan—do I strike you as someone afraid to bleed?”

— — —

Or, a sweet little story about a retired grumpy warrior who doesn't think he's worthy of love, and the kind witch who proves him wrong.

Complete | 2 Chapters | Implied Smut

Chosen by Phayte

Summary: Barbarian Alpha Bakugou must pick his future Omega from the neighboring Kingdom-- Midoriya.

Complete | 93 Chapters

NSFW | OmegaVerse

The Chosen of the Dragonborn by s_the_queen

Summary: "Katsuki."

"That's right!"

"Blonde, angry, loud. Violent. That Katsuki."

"Uh...yep! That's the one!"

"Is courting me?"

"Mhm!"

"I'm pretty sure the last time he saw me he said that he was 'glad to be rid of my stupid fucking freckled face,'" Izuku intoned dryly.

---

Four years ago, Izuku spent twelve days healing Katsuki after discovering him in the woods. When they parted ways, he never thought he'd hear from Katsuki again.

When Mina, one of the warrior fae of Musutafu, shows up on his doorstep—he realizes how insanely wrong he was.

Complete | 2 Chapters | SFW

One Snowy Night by silentsongbird

Summary: On the night of Christmas Eve, chubby elf Izuku Midoriya is walking home during the beginning of a blizzard. On his journey to the warmth and safety of his cottage, he runs into an injured Krampus. Unable to resist helping the beast, Izuku invites him into his home to tend to his wounds. The two end up snowed in and the poor little elf ends up trapped with the beast who just wants to show his thanks.

One Shot | NSFW

if the stars align, then for us they were meant by RunawayDeviant

Summary: Katsuki and Eijirou crash land in a forest to the south of their homeland. Injured and stranded, they befriend a local nature spirit, who is much more than he first appears to be.

Complete | 6 Chapters | NSFW

Love Potion Recipe by MellowWrites

Summary: Katsuki hates dealing with customers, but this strange barbarian keeps coming around and, yeah, maybe he likes him.

One Shot | NSFW

You're gonna be the death of me (in a good way) by MiraChaDoodles

Summary: He looked down at himself and the fresh clothing Katsuki had changed him into before his freckled cheeks bloomed into a pretty pink. It was like the sun rising beneath the stars, and Katsuki found himself wishing he had time to count them.

But then Izuku’s posture stiffened. “Where is my clothing?”

Shit.

Katsuki rescues an injured faery by the river and decides to keep him.

Complete | 4 Chapters | NSFW

The Littlest Things by Fantasticnic

Summary: Katsuki buys a farm where he can truly be alone but starts to notice signs of someone else around. Tiny signs.

One Shot | SFW

but the entrails are the best part! by supercrunch

Summary: The boy straightens up. He’s about half a head shorter than Katsuki, face soft and youthful and sweet. He turns to look at him properly. His dark hair shines in the dying light, basket of blooms looped over one arm and mouth quirked into a tiny half-smile. The sun hits his face and makes his eyes a bright greeny-gold, just like emeralds.

Katsuki likes emeralds.

“Pretty,” he says, reaching out and picking the stranger up around the middle. He’s surprisingly heavy, although Katsuki doesn’t mind. “I like you. Come see my nest.”

The boy hits him.

He’s stronger than he looks, turns out. Katsuki drops him and falls onto his back, pain blooming across his face. Birds sing. The sky’s a lovely shade of orange, clouds floating lazily by. The boy scarpers. He leaves his basket of flowers behind, footsteps thumping on the ground and fading away as he escapes.

The sun sets. Katsuki, lying flat on his back with a bloody nose, decides he’s just fallen in love.

One Shot | SFW

Series:Uncharted Territory by Esselle

Summary: It's Deku who decided Katsuki would be "Kacchan"; he wasn't born in the wilds, but Deku is his tribe, now. And because Deku named him, it's to him Katsuki is bound.

Katsuki has a right to him, needs to know him in every way, as intimately as possible.

Barbarian!Deku/Adventurer!Kacchan.

Two Part Series

All Was Golden In The Sky by CallMeCharles

Summary: Izuku was only ten years old when his best friend, the great Prince Katsuki, died mysteriously. With the king and queen gone, mourning the loss of their son, the kingdom falls prey to a gang of thugs. Twelve years later, everything is looking bleak when Izuku finds himself back in the castle he used to run around in as a child. A castle that is not as abandoned as he thought.

Beauty and the Beast AU

Complete | 32 Chapters

The chase by silverynight

Summary: "OI, YOU PIECE OF–" the tall barbarian with blond hair stops once his eyes meet. He doesn't look like the friendly type.

Honestly, he doesn't want to get into any trouble today, besides, fighting could make him sweat and people will realize he's actually–

"Omega," the barbarian smirks. He smells like an alpha, a very strong alpha. "Listen, I don't usually do this, but I'll be kind to you this time, show me your neck and I'll forgive you."

Complete | 3 CH | OmegaVerse

Rated - Teen & Up

Tiny Nuisance by Mikacrispy

Summary: Elf Katsuki has been going crazy with desire over the small halfling Izuku. When his control finally snaps, the little one finds out the dangers of teasing someone twice his size.

One Shot | NSFW

Into the Dragon's Lair by bkdkwritingsdump

Summary: Prince Izuku Midoriya wishes that someone will come and save him from a political marriage to a woman he can't love, but he never expected it would be a dragon, much less that the dragon would be in love with him, and that he might... maybe... sort of... return those feelings.

Complete | 5 Chapters

Rated - Teen & Up

burn, pine, perish by kindaopps

Summary: Three things dawned on Izuku, as he stared at the slick flower petals scattered over the black words of his book: he has fallen in love with his husband, his husband did not love him back, and he is going to die.

One Shot | Contains Mature Content

Mark Me (I Won’t Let You Out Of My Sight Again) by SashaDistan

Summary: When Barbarian King Katsuki Bakugo hears his childhood nickname called out from the group of travellers, traders, and adventurers his people have just raided in order to protect them from their own stupidity, he thinks he is dreaming.

And then he sees just how much the boy-next-door has grown up and changed, and all the thing he's felt for decades rise up inside him.

One thing is for sure, he cannot let Izuku slip through his fingers a second time.

One Shot | NSFW

Mine, If Only for One Night by red_sneakers

Summary: Katsuki'd give just about anything for one night on equal footing with his clumsy, ugly, good-for-nothing, idiotic, beloved nerd.

“I.. Izu.. “ he tried. His new voice was deep and rough, like a pirate who ate cigars for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. “I.. zu.. ku.” Katsuki’s chest warmed. Izuku’s name felt right resonating inside his own ribcage, as if it belonged there and nowhere else. “Izuku.” He smiled. “M-mine.”

The one where jealous possessive pixie, Bakugou Katsuki, gives everything for one night as a human, to make Izuku his.

Complete | 3 Chapters

Rated - Explicit

To Fall in Love with a Dragon by Mikacrispy

Summary: Barbarian prince Bakugou Katsuki falls in love with a Dragon shifter.

{One Shot}

Rated - Explicit

Ties and Ribbons by Mikacrispy

Summary: The Spring Festival is upon them and Bakugou Katsuki has to put up with a parade of extras courting the one that ought to be his omega, Midoriya Izuku. His pride gets the best of him and Katsuki ends up striking a bet with Kaminari — he'll get Izuku's courting ribbon and the promise to mate the omega, or else he'll lose his sword.

Too bad that the omega runs away the second he sets eye on Bakugou.

One Shot | OmegaVerse

Rated - Explicit

oh, how quickly things change by SpicyJam

Summary: "… I was trying to find someone to /start/ a family with. But everyone's scared of me."

Katsuki snorts, breaking eye contact first. "You're a dragon."

"Mm…" Deku grabs his hand again, as if he's still deciding if he's allowed to touch. "… You're not scared of me, though."

Katsuki glances up. A feeling of heat pools in his belly at the smile that Deku is giving him.

"Guess not."

---

Katsuki is a dragon hunter, and Deku is the dragon that claims him.

One Shot | NSFW

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sharonisthebettercarter · 7 months

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How about a Dracula!Miguel X Villager!Peter au? Peter's aunt May is gravely ill and the only way for Peter to get the money she needs for her medical bills is to agree to become the vampire lord's thrall and resident blood bag (or in this case bride).

YES~!! YESSSSSSS~<3<3<3!!

you shot this up WRITE~<3 up my alley and i LOOOOOOOVE this and i'm postin' it now cause HAPPY HALLOW'S EVE~<3! yes fuck THANK YOU<3 (i queued the others with some other stuffs~<3 you'll see them soon enough lol)

i love this.

absofuckinglutely~<3 especially, ESPECIALLY.

if miguel is that same kinda means well horribly constipated bastard who like legit wants to help but social ineptitude~<3 especially bein' a vampire.

he expects peter to be *terrified* and peter's just... he's just not. and an absolute shit that handles every fuckin' thing like a goddamn PRO, or is even getting on the vampire's nerves and eating a TON of garlic to try and get the vampire to dump him because he's such a terrible bride.

maybe BOTH~<3! ;)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

MAYBE~<3 aunt may's the REAL mastermind who know's dracula miguel's actual nature and talked to him first asking him to take care of her crackhead boi peter who she expects will not survive without her.

hell, miguel could even be the doctor treating her and peter could be suspicious of him, maybe he's just supposed to 'marry the handsome 'doctor' to pay them debts<3' as hwas the old hways~<3 miguel could be keeping his vampiness a secret~ that peter is on the verge of discoverin' while miguel only really accepted because of a cultural thingy~ (other villagers expecting him not to treat aunt may/being salty if he does without the money/being buttheads about it/rich white dickholes throwing their aristocrat daughters at him CONSTANTLY and peter~ is his easy escape from that bullshit<3)

lmao, this could go so dark and i just went full crackhead on it i'm sorry but i'm also not cause leik THE OPPORTUNITY~<3!!

could still def have dark elements for sure~<3 but i love the kinda crack that comes with peter boo and the spoodermans~<3

let's talk about vampirism tho~<3 one trope i love~<3 is the *sensations* that can come from *feedings* tho<3 they can be painful... or~<3<3<3 ;)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

maybe that's something peter didn't *quite* expect but really really very much enjoys~<3

but miguel, just... y'know, he won't actually bone him. so peter has to change tactics to ;))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

wear the vampire down let's say.

even better. even better cause y'know the mpreg is comin' like it always does...

peter's a 'bride', and that could mean a number of things. always game for a/b/o<3 maybe peter is a little wolf~<3 and doesn't know it ;))))))))))))), maybe peter has diluted but somewhat special blood that made him particularly attractive to the vampire~<3 (i believe in dracula's case, something of scent was involved with his obsession with mina)

fae, witch, wolf, mutation (as an origin for vamps i love exploring mutation, maybe peter is a new born vampire in the making like miguel was and the *perfect* mate for him because always yes for me<3)

or~

maybe vampires are just freaky freaks who can impregnate other dudes and that's why miguel doesn't quite wanna bone peter who definitely wants to be boned but also kinda does wanna bone him and is trying so hard to resist but leik peeeeteeeeerrrrrrrrr~<3<3<3

bottom line... mayday. gabriella. any other vampy babies~<3 imminent<3<3<3

... maybe peter *was* just supposed to be a blood bag and he fucks it all up to high hell by getting miguel to fuck him--

;))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

not gonna lie, kinda wanna write this one but i STILL have work to be done and at least wanna do just ONE butchlander fic~! (and now i'm on a half sterek kick fuck mah life--)

IDEAS FREE TO USE~<3<3<3!!!

#happy hallow's eve!#halloween #spooky season #spiderdads #miguel o'hara #peter b parker #delicious #fic ideas #fic prompt #yes #vampire #precious anon #brilliant #mpreg

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screechfoxes · 2 years

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5, 10, and 12 for the book asks!

5. where do you buy books?

generally bookshop.org! a good way of supporting indie bookshops (gay's the word, in my case) without having to wait for indie bookshops to have specific books in stock, if they ever do

sometimes i look at the portal bookshop in York, though, since they tend to sell queer SFF

10. do you have a guilty fav?

so i haven't read them in a long while, but The Lunar Chronicles truly are better than any YA breathtakingly-het fairytale retellings ought to be, plot-wise (if not orientalism-wise, jfc)

on a similar note, i enjoyed the first three books of... whatever the series is called with Wicked Lovely (sinister fae romance). i'll revisit them some day and actually finish the series

12. did you enjoy any compulsory high school readings?

i was going to say Jane Eyre, but that was middle school 😔

Frankenstein was fine, although lessened significantly by the fact we were expected to have it all memorised, and oh boy, they do go on in that book. Pigeon English was very compelling to me, although it might not be on a revisit. poetry-wise, Exposure by Wilfred Owen stuck with me, as did Ozymandias

we also got a Dracula extract as part of our revision for an exam where you'd get an extract you hadn't seen before, and i wrote lucy/mina fanfiction where lucy bit mina iirc. no clue what my english teacher thought of that!

#replies #lonepower #personal

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drowningisinevitable-retired · 2 years

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Kill V. Maim || Marina & Mina

TIMING: Recent-ish PARTIES: @oceansrevenge @drowningisinevitable SUMMARY: Marina and Mina go out to see if there’s any evidence where Teagan’s car was left. They bond. CONTENTS: Terminal Illness mentions, Self-harm

Mina had agreed to meet Marina near Dark Score, where she remembered seeing the article say that Teagan’s car had been found. So there she was, pacing back and forth and not really sure what she was supposed to do. She wasn’t really sure what she was supposed to feel, either. She hadn’t known Teagan very long; the other nix had sort of barged into her life without any sort of warning at a time that was already full of turmoil, and now it seemed like she was going to leave just as much turmoil in her wake. What had she been thinking? Mina told her, explicitly, not to leave her house, to rest, to focus on conserving her strength. She was so stupid. She didn’t listen. Mina wrung her hands, full of energy but with nowhere to put it. She heard the sound of footsteps and whipped her head around before her eyes landed on a woman walking towards her, another Fae. “Marina?” she asked cautiously. Hopefully.

No matter how hard she thought on it, Marina could not find a good reason for Teagan to be leaving her houseboat in the first place. More than once, she’d offered to get anything the nixie needed for the cure or otherwise. She found herself endlessly frustrated by that decision. At least if she had succumbed to her illness, her sister would know what happened. A disappearance left too many unanswered questions. There was no changing the past, but she would have some words for the nix should they find her. Marina edged closer toward the lake and ignored the ache in her leg as she did so. More time in her waters was needed to be fully healed, but she would not leave Mina to search alone. Promises aside, she would have still felt a sense of duty to not leave her friend’s younger sister to face this alone. She spotted a younger woman who looked like she could be related to Teagan which was confirmed when the nix spoke her name. “Yes, it’s me. I would say it’s good to finally meet you, but I don’t think the circumstances allow that to be an entirely truthful statement,”

Her eyes shifted over toward the lake that seemed somewhat daunting, all of that freshwater. Marina was not entirely in her element here, but she’d protect Mina in any way she could. What she couldn’t wrap her head around was why Teagan came here in the first place. With a barely refrained sigh, she asked, “Any idea why she might have come out here? She assured me she would be getting her rest.”

The circumstances could certainly be better, Mina would have to agree on that. She hated this. She was frustrated and tired and worried and tired of being worried. It almost didn’t seem fair that Teagan had barged into her life and then decided to not listen when she was hurt just so she could disappear. Was this what a family did, then? Disappeared or died on you, just like her dad had? She didn’t want to think about that. She couldn’t think about that. What mattered was finding Teagan. Looking at the facts, investigating the scene, and then going from there.

“I don’t know,” Mina said. Because she’s stupid and stubborn. She frowned. “She’s got it in her head that she has to do everything herself, even though she can barely get out of bed, even though she’s killing herself just by moving.” Mina’s jaw clenched. She knew she was stubborn, but she wasn’t that damned stubborn. At least… she didn’t think she was. There was a difference, in her mind, to being injured and being sick. She could take care of her own injuries, for the most part. And she’d accepted help on a few near death occasions, even if it had been reluctant on her part. But she’d never been ill before, not in the long term with something slowly life threatening. Not something like this. She thought, maybe, as long as she had the people that she had, the ones that had shown her how to really love and be vulnerable, then she would accept help if she was sick in such a way. She hoped that she would, at least. “I suppose she lied,” she said bitterly. “It’s like she can’t accept any of the bloody help that’s been offered to her.” Teeth gritted together, Mina could practically feel scales cropping up down her spine. She needed to calm down. “I think the car was reported missing over here.”

It was frustrating to know that she could have done more given the chance. While Marina couldn’t gather whatever Teagan was getting out of the lake, she could have found or bound someone to. She felt robbed. In some form or another, she was always able to protect others she cared for. Her family, her community, that chalice– protecting all of them was a duty she took seriously and now she felt powerless to do anything of substance to help Teagan. Especially now that she was missing. But her own frustration was not what mattered. Mina was upset and she promised to look after it. She knew the way she’d worded the promise encompassed all senses of that. She sighed and said, “Sisters. They can be rather stubborn, but they always love you. And we will find Teagan.” Whether that was dead or alive was another question entirely.

As Marina followed to the spot Teagan’s car had been, her hands were clenched by her side and eyes were dark as she took in the scene. She scanned various patches of grass hoping to not see a body though she supposed the human law officers would have found one if there was one to find. That was some small thread of hope. “Do you know what she may have been doing out here,” she asked. There wasn’t anything immediately giving any clues as to where the other nix could have gone. It had her on high alert. If Teagan was taken, there was no saying if this place was safe. She could not let anything happen to Mina on her watch.

“I wouldn’t know,” Mina mumbled. “I’m new to the whole ‘sisters’ thing.” And it had never been anything that she’d wanted. Teagan had been kind so far, nice and pleasant and lovely to Bex, which far more than Mina had expected from someone raised in a strictly Fae setting, but still. Mina hadn’t wanted a family. She had no desire to be any more Fae than she already was. She knew that she looked at it the wrong way, sometimes. She was more similar to others of her kind than she cared to admit, though where they touted themselves as better, she thought of being Fae as much, much worse. And now here she was, getting more and more connections to a side of herself she didn’t even understand. Only for that connection to apparently wander off and disappear. “Don’t promise that,” she added bitterly, thinking about the promise that Teagan had already made with this stranger on her behalf in the first place. This whole thing was so frustrating. She didn’t want it to be frustrating.

“Probably looking for something for the damned cure, despite being told time and time again that other people could help.” Mina tapped her fingertips against her thumb, imagining piano key to press against and sooth her nerves. A kinder way to calm down, an easier one. Better than taking off in a run until her legs gave out and she tumbled down a hill. She’d been there, she’d done that, she had the scar in her side where a branch had stuck in and clung. She looked at the location that Teagan’s car had been, grass still pressed down flat where the tyres had been. She bent down, checking the mud to see if there were any footprints, any marks from vehicles that might not have been the typical police vehicles.

Cam was new to town, but the job was old hat to them. Their family had a reputation for being wardens that lived a long time in the game. Some of them even got the chance to retire. But Cam still had a lot of good years left in them, and White Crest seemed like a good place to spend those years. Fae seemed to lurk around every corner, under every rock, beside every road. They’d been driving down the road when they’d felt that familiar tingle, like spiders up the spine, letting them know that there was not just a fae but multiple in the area. They drove by the two strangers on the road but stopped the car when they were out of sight, pulling over and gearing up. They loaded up their crossbow and grabbed a few more bolts and then strapped on a belt of iron knives. When they got within distance, they notices the blonde one had bent down, checking the grass for something. So they aimed for the other one, deep breath in, hold, fire on the exhalation. Of course, Cam wasn’t the best shot. Whether or not it would hit was anyone’s guess.

It was difficult for Marina to ignore the frustration she was feeling. Rage was always better than worry. Rage could be channeled and used to do something effective. Worrying was useless. So she chose anger. She was mad that Teagan had gone out in the first place when Marina had all but insisted she was more than happy to grab whatever was needed for the cure. She’d reassured Teagan many times over she didn’t mind helping, it was simply what fae did for each other. Through pursed lips she muttered, “She shouldn’t have been out here at all. I offered to get whatever she needed.”

With Mina leaned down looking for footprints, Marina scanned the surrounding area from afar to see if anything looked out of place though she admittedly did not know the area all that well. Being so close to such a large body of freshwater was always a bit unnerving. Before she could ponder any of the possibilities with Mina, she felt iron graze her size, only just missing puncturing her. Her face hardened at the feel of the burn at her side and she ordered, “Stay down, Mina. We’re not alone here.” She crouched a bit lower herself to make herself a smaller target as she looked in the direction the iron arrow came from. Her eyes locked on the warden holding a crossbow, a coward’s weapon. “You know, a real warden would come out here and face me at a close range,” she taunted as she kept herself placed squarely in front of Mina.

“No, she shouldn’t have been,” Mina murmured, probably just as put out as Marina. She laughed, a bitter little sound. “Trust me, I told her the same thing, but she’s too– too– She doesn’t seem to get that people can help.” Maybe Mina was the same, but Teagan had no right. She had no right to come into Mina’s life and then pull this. Getting sick wasn’t her fault, but the way she’d responded to it certainly was, and that wasn’t fair to anyone. Didn’t she have a whole fucking family out there that loved her? Why wouldn’t she try to take care of herself for them? Mina stared at the ground and saw tyre marks that didn’t look quite right, the tread bulkier and wider than Teagan’s or any sort of police vehicle’s. She blinked, about to mention that, when Marina told her to stay down.

Mina almost stood out of spite. She didn’t give a damn what sort of promise this woman had made Teagan, she had no right to order Mina around. But Mina stayed down, the order of it enough to make listen and take note of her surroundings, her hand going to the sheathe in her boot to pull out an iron blade. She could see the warden in the distance, looking at the two fae as it loading another crossbow bolt.

“A smart warden knows that distance is the best way to make sure this never even becomes a fight!” Cam called out, their tone conversational. “Say, isn’t this the place where that woman went missing a few weeks ago? You two have anything to do with that?” They probably did, probably ate the woman’s corpse or used it for some twisted ritual out in the woods. Or maybe she’s still alive and being kept captive, bound into their service through words alone. Cam fired off another bolt, but it went wide with both of them ducked down into the grass. “I know how much you fair folk love deals. Maybe we could make one: you come on out, and I’ll kill you both quick, yeah?”

Marina glared at the warden with dark eyes. Rushing him would be a risk, but was likely one she would have to take to get him off their backs and keep Mina safe. She scoffed, “Only a coward shys away from an even fight. Or maybe you just haven’t learned to control your iron touch yet.” She remained knelt in front of Mina and never took her eyes off the loaded crossbow. His first shot had only grazed her, but he would eventually make one sit if they stood here with no real cover. She whispered to Mina without looking back, “I’m going to approach him. It’d be a good idea to find cover before making any sort of approach. He will be distracted by me.” Without waiting for a confirmation, she charged forward and ran in a zig zag pattern to make herself a harder target to hit. It nearly worked save for the bolt that was placed cleanly in her left shoulder. She ground her teeth as she ran, refusing to give the warden the satisfaction of seeing her in pain. As she crashed into the hunter, she only saw red.

“You say coward, I say pragmatic,” Cam mused. They liked the verbal sparring that always came with an intelligent fae. The fae always, always, argued back, thinking that they could catch Cam in a net of wording, but Cam was smart. Cam was prepared. Cam was excited, though, when the fae started to charge, especially when a bolt pierced her. They wouldn’t have time to load up a new bolt, so the went ahead and pulled out two knives. As soon as the fae crashed into them, Cam allowed the iron to swarm to the surface of their skin, attacking her wherever she made contact. They weren’t worried about the other one. Not at the moment.

“Marina!” Mina had whispered angrily after the other Fae as she had charged off. She gritted her teeth and decided to work her way around as soon as the warden and Marina were locked in combat. Cover wouldn’t work; there wasn’t any, not close enough for her to actually help. And maybe that was the point. Maybe Marina, just like Teagan, didn’t think that she could hold her own. It was so frustrating. Everything lately was just so ridiculously frustrating. She kept low, her eyes on the fight, and made it behind the two as they fought. She didn’t want to kill the warden. She didn’t know how to communicate that to Marina, not at the moment. But she could at least attempt to incapacitate the warden. She threw a knife, aimed for the calve, and hit it, the knife embedding itself in the muscle. The warden growled in anger, but they didn’t turn to Mina, instead redoubling their efforts against Marina.

The burn of the iron made her glamor hard to maintain. Her skin turned slick and orange though Marina was able to maintain her land legs. Tentacles could be helpful, but were far too clumsy on land. The iron seared all over her body and she grit her teeth with a sinister smile as blue blood dripped onto the warden. Weakness was never allowed and something in the thrill of violence made her relish in the pain. She was alive. While she grappled him with very minor success, she felt the jerk of the hunter’s leg. It was slight, but paired with the queasy feeling, she knew Mina was still here. The warden was still focused on her, she may not be strong enough to overpower him, but she could be a distraction so Mina could swoop in. She had mentioned training her whole life and Marina did not intend to coddle the nix. She balled her hands into fists and began striking the hunter’s face and chest, albeit with fairly weak punches. She just needed to keep his focus off Mina and on her, even if it meant taking more blows. “You are smarter than many I’ve met,” she breathed out. It was the only reason they would both remain alive. Getting Mina away safely was more important than both she and the hunter fighting until one of them finally died. She supposed it wasn’t her time just yet.

Cam tried to whip their head around to look for the other fae, but they were being bombarded by fists, so they couldn’t turn their attention away from the fae in front of them. Fine. Let her beat her fist along their body, spill their blood. Cam smirked, grinning with bloody teeth. “I appreciate the compliment,” they said before spitting iron rich blood at the fae. Their skin was tingling with all the iron they’d brought to the surface, but even a trained warden couldn’t keep that up for forever. They were growing tired, and they only wished they had managed to get a few shots in before the monster had launched herself at them.

Mina was looking for an in, grateful that Marina had managed to keep the warden’s attention away from her. She stood, no longer crouched, and bounced herself on the balls of her feet for a moment as she prepped herself for what she was about to do. The plan was to use her weight to unbalance the warden and send them toppling over, hopefully giving Marina and herself enough time to escape. So Mina steadied her heartbeat and her mind, and she took off in a sprint before leaping onto the warden’s back, wrapping herself around them and attempting to pull them to the ground.

The motion of distracting the warden with a flurry of fists became increasingly difficult as the iron bolt sunk a little deeper into her shoulder with each punch. Marina did not lose her adrenaline or the sinister grin, but she knew she could only hold on to consciousness for a short time longer. Blue blood was seeping into the frock she wore and onto the hunter who used his own blood against her. She braced herself for the sting that hit her face and kept her glare schooled on him. Her eyes only left his form for a split second as she caught Mina from the corner of her eye. Perhaps she would leave here today after all. Through a pained laugh, “I wasn’t trying to get a bind out of you. Any half decent warden doesn’t have that word in their vocabulary.” The statement was more meant to keep his attention as Mina lept onto his back. From the movements the nix made, Marina picked up on her idea. Knock the warden down, she could help with that. Pain rippled through her shoulder and side as she put all her strength into pushing the hunter backwards as Mina pulled on him.

“What I lack in manners, I make up for in tenacity,” Cam told the fae before they realized they should have been paying more attention to where the other one was. This one was more important, clearly, with the way that she bombarded them with fists and anger, that bravado that Cam knew well because they, too, were full of it. That didn’t matter, though, in the end, because they should have been paying attention. Where the other one was, currently, was on Cam’s back, latching her hands around their neck and pulling. They choked, forcing as much iron to flood the skin around their neck as possible, but the other fae was pushing, too. Cam couldn’t keep themself upright, and they went down, hoping that they could crush the other fae under them with the force of their weight.

Mina was appreciative of Marina helping to get the warden to fall up until the moment that she felt them crashing down on top of her. Her arms being wrapped around their neck had been mostly fine; she wore sleeves anyway, so it wasn’t like they touched skin, and she was used to iron regardless. The pain was irrelevant. The warden fell on top of her, and Mina gave a slight grunt as she attempted to pull herself out from under them, struggling and kicking as she tried to scramble away before the hunter regained their bearings.

As she fell forward with the hunter, Marina was quick to hop away so as to not crush the nix under him too much. She grinned down at the sight of the warden on the ground though her vision was becoming more and more obstructed as more blood leaked from her wounds. She hated to leave a warden alive, but getting Mina out of here was far more important than anything else. As Mina wiggled out from underneath the hunter, she gritted out a whisper, “You should give his head a good kick if you can. Can’t chase us on our way out if he is unconscious.” She was sure her own kicks would land as strongly as they needed to. The feeling of delirium made her limbs feel far too light at this point to do any significant harm.

Even now, Mina didn’t want to kick the warden while they were down. They were already trying to get up, so she scrambled over to them, hand going to the thick, ropey muscle in their neck and pressing down there until their body went limp. Not a kick but unconscious all the same. She saw the keys to their vehicle hanging out of a pocket and grabbed them, throwing them as far as she could before she got to her feet and went to Marina to support her. Marina’s glamour was still flickering, no longer as stable as it had been when they’d first met. They needed to leave before the warden woke up or someone else stumbled across them. “Come on,” she murmured. “I didn’t park too far. I have a first aid kit, and then I can get you to the ocean.”

There was a pleased smile on her face as she saw Mina applied pressure to a muscle that had the warden out cold on the ground. Marina was impressed with the trick and would have to ask her about it another time. It was no wonder the girl did not desire being coddled, she was proficient and independent which were traits Marina respected a great deal. “That was a good move,” she said with a toothy grin that looked out of place on her bloodied body. Marina let some of her weight rest on Mina. They would get out of there much quicker if she allowed the younger nymph to help. Her legs felt especially unsteady as her glamor struggled to remain. “That is a good plan. I appreciate it. If we could go towards the lighthouse, I’d prefer my non-fae lighthouse mate remove the bolt. No need for either of us to sustain further injury.” Or for her to risk further damage on the chance that felt outside the realm of what she promised to Teagan. The car was quickly coming into view which she was thankful for. She hazarded one last glance behind them to see the warden still on the ground. It’d be so easy to go back and finish him, but every muscle in her body protested the idea.

“It was just– I mean– I just found the pressure point. That was all,” Mina said, ducking her head away from Marina’s smile. Lighthouse. Okay, she could get them towards the lighthouse. That wouldn’t be a problem. She trusted Marina to let her know if the warden woke up as the two of them made their way to the car. She helped Marina into the passenger side, glancing around to make sure that no one had followed them. The blue blood would probably leave weird stains in the seats, but it wouldn’t be that bad. She almost argued, telling Marina that she dealt with iron everyday, that pulling out one bolt would hardly do anything to her, but she simply relented with a sigh. They hadn’t found anything, hadn’t really accomplished anything other than Marina getting hurt, and Mina had to wonder if there was even anything left to find. Maybe Teagan really was just gone. That familiar frustration welled up again, and Mina fought it down. More pressing worries. “You’ll have to direct me to the lighthouse, but I’ll get us there as quickly as possible. Promise.”

#kill v. maim #chatzy: marina maren #self harm tw #terminal illness tw

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amchara · 3 years

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Road to Hell (Wait for Me, I’m Coming) Part Two - Kit / Ty Hadestown AU

(Part One)

Ty rubbed his face tiredly, as he stared at another chicken-scratch parchment in the Unseelie Court’s library. He looked up and saw that Dru was fast asleep, gently snoring into her crossed arms, while Anush was dazedly flipping through pages of a huge leatherbound book. Mark had left a while ago, muttering something about getting some food for them but he hadn’t returned yet.

Ty looked down at his research, the collected notes he had written over the last day and a half and suddenly it seemed pitiful, compared to the task ahead. Ty could feel the panic rising, his chest tight and he concentrated on the feel of the rough paper underneath his fingertips. He had to get Kit out of Hell and he was taking notes, like he was back in the Scholomance and this was an assignment, instead of… instead of the most important fucking thing in the world.

He hadn’t told Kit how he felt yet. They had only just re-entered each other’s lives over the past two months and were still doing a wary dance as they relearned each other’s steps after three years apart.

There had been a hesitant scene in the L.A. Institute’s atrium when Kit had strolled in, almost as if he had never left, all sunshine gold hair, eyes the colour of a clear autumn sky, and a husky voice with just the slightest hint of an English accent.

There had been the angry, sparse time when Helen had sent them on a patrol together and they had strode along in miserable silence until Kit had finally stopped him and asked where Livvy was- and Ty had snapped back at him, the wound still raw, that he was trying to make amends for everything he’d done but he’d had to do it alone and he wasn’t ready to talk about it. The fragile moment when Kit’s face had crumpled briefly and he told Ty he was sorry he had left and that Ty had had to do it alone. And the appearance of the Raum demons a minute later, interrupting them- but then the glimpse of how it could be, as Kit had stopped him after the attack and insisted on drawing the iratze on Ty’s forearm, his face a study of concentration as they sat in the car before driving back to the Institute.

There had been fleeting, glorious moments in the training room when they had sparred, the pretence of combat a freeing sensation for Ty, as he felt able to finally touch Kit and the look Kit had given him, his breath an uneven whisper on Ty’s collarbone after he pinned him to the floor, almost helping Ty make his decision. But it hadn’t been enough - and the agonising choice of whether to knock - and still being a coward and walking away, almost too quickly, from Kit’s door.

And then that moment in the clearing. When Kit had done the stupid, honourable Herondale thing and sacrificed himself for the rest of them. Ty didn’t think he’d do the same if the situation was reversed - but then again, he was a Blackthorn.

From far away, he could hear a tearing, ripping sound and he came back to himself, noting the confetti of yellow parchment floating down to the ground around him, as he paced back and forth, paper strewn around him and his hands moving almost mechanically as he shredded his carefully taken notes.

Anush looked over at him, finally noticing Ty’s pacing and his eyes widened. And just then, Mark re-appeared in the doorway, carrying a large tray. He let out a curse as he saw Ty, almost knocking over the tray in his hurry to put it down. He crossed the room quickly to stand in front of Ty, gentle as he placed his hands over his brother’s as he clasped them a firm grip. This time, Ty let him in and he drew in a few deep, shuddering breaths as he let the small remains of paper drop.

“It’s all right,” he told Mark. “I have them all memorised.”

Mark nodded. “It’s wise to not leave the notes to Hade unguarded,” he said. He paused. “Although perhaps a bit unkind to the brownie cleaners - but no matter, I’ll arrange to speak to them.”

There was a stretch of silence. “I’m leaving tomorrow morning,” Ty said. “I can’t wait too long- we don’t know if time moves differently in Hades compared to the rest of Faerie and I can’t risk it.”

Mark’s eyes searched Ty’s face - not seeking eye contact but a different kind of reassurance. He seemed to find it, and he dropped Ty’s hands. “Then we’ll prepare to go together - you’re not going alone,” he said. A chorus joined in - a rousing if slightly terrified response from Anush, and a sleepy affirmation from Dru, who appeared to have just woken up.

Ty felt a brief moment of terror that he was bringing more people into what his research told him was likely a suicide mission… but the ice cold shiver of memories and Livvy’s pleading, drained face swam into view and he swallowed his protests. He didn’t think he could go through it alone again.

—

The ivory keys of the grand piano were always immaculately polished and Kit wondered whose job it was to clean them. His job was to play the music and he thanked - well, it wasn’t God and it wasn’t the Angel Raziel - but he thanked his lucky stars that he had picked up some basic songs from Jace the previous summer when he had visited the New York Institute, and that Jem had considered learning to read music by sight an essential part of a well-rounded education, alongside Kit’s Shadowhunter training and mundane school.

In contrast to the bright electric fluorescence that lit the warren of overly warm machinery-filled rooms that Kit had started to refer to as Hadestown, Persephone’s conservatory was different, with its faded white, latticed walls and high glass ceilings letting in the smallest fraction of outside light.

It reminded him of where he had lived with Jem, Tessa and Mina - in… C- In Cir- Kit’s mind stuttered. He didn’t know how long he had been here - the days were starting to blur together and he was worried he was starting to forget more than just the little things.

He stared down at the piano keys as the large ornamental clock on the wall struck eleven. Like clockwork precision, Persephone waltzed in, her movements sultry but sulky as always. She threw some new music books at Kit and he caught them awkwardly, balancing them on his lap.

“These ones - I don’t care which one you play first today,” she said, sitting down on the long fainting couch across from him, her black hair spilling over the white satin fabric as she rested her head. Kit tried not to stare at her deep decolletage, which was prominently framed by the tight red dress she was wearing. She noticed as he turned away and her gaze was hungry as she looked at him.

Kit looked down as he chose a music book and blindly opened it to a first page he saw. He started playing, a crooning jazz number singing out underneath his fingers. He didn’t know if it was because he was in Faerie or the spell he could feel he was under but he was a much better musician here than in the mundane world. The tight, lost look on Persephone’s face began to relax as the melody echoed in the conservatory.

As he finished the first song and began another, his movements almost automatic, Kit allowed himself to think again, of escape - of returning to the land of the living - to his family, to the Shadowhunter institutions he was slowly becoming accustomed to again, to… Ty. To what might be between them, although he had almost strangled that hope, locked it away tight and deep inside his heart. What they had resurrected - if that word could be used - given previous circumstances was almost a miracle, Kit thought, hard fought for and one that he hadn’t been about to throw away on foolish too-soon declarations of love. Even so, when he had seen that faerie arrow aimed straight at Ty’s heart, he hadn’t hesitated. He might not be ever able to tell Ty how he felt but at least he had been able to show it in his actions, he mused.

And he wasn’t about to give up on leaving this hellhole, although each unrelenting day in this dull, dark and depressing place of dust and hollow-eyed workers pulled at that hope. But he clung to his memories - to the now-dimly lit memories of the outside world. Of his love for a black-haired, grey-eyed boy with his sharp intellect and fierce love of his family, who saw the world in a different light than most, and was - had been willing - and maybe, might be willing again to share it with Kit.

The last note rang out as he finished the song and he drew his hands back, muscles aching. He had been playing for nearly an hour. In the sudden silence, Persephone let out a ragged sigh.

“Who is the love that you play for, boy?” she said, her voice ancient and rough. She rose from the couch and crossed the floor, her dress swishing across the smooth marble. “I have heard many love songs in my years… but yours is one that I haven’t heard in an eon. Tell me their name.” Her green eyes glistened with unshed tears.

But Kit remained silent. He knew instinctively if he said Ty’s name, he would lose it. He shook his head, his lips pressed together.

Persephone narrowed her eyes, and she reached out, as if to stroke his brow. Kit evaded her and stood up. He had been coming to play for her for several times now, and he had started to learn her ways. He needed a distraction. “I saw that crack in the wall- is that new, Persephone?” Kit lowered his voice as he gestured across the room. “I know you’re a captive as much as I am. Let me help you- we can escape together and then I will tell you.”

Persephone’s laugh was as dry as a winter’s wind as she sized him up. “Oh, that’s adorable, my sweet-” she said. “But I made my choice long ago and it’s--” her eyes suddenly moved past him. “It’s the love I deserve,” her voice suddenly was filled with honey and springtime.

Kit knew that Hades had arrived, and he tried to quell the fear rising in him as he turned around.

The man - fae - god or whatever he was - was standing in the doorway, casually watching them.

“Leave him,” he said in his deep voice. “I desire your company.”

Persephone swept past Kit without another word and draped herself across Hades. “Of course my darling- I am here. What shall we do?”

Hades took a moment to whisper into her ear and Persephone looked uncomfortable but let out a deep, throaty chuckle. “Of course.”

Hades smiled, with a devilish twist and he pulled her away, starting down the hall.

But then he stopped and looked back at Kit. “Your shift here has ended - get back on the assembly line.”

Kit looked down at his rough worker’s uniform, smeared with rust and dust and he forced himself to nod evenly - he knew from past experience that it was unwise to argue with Hades.

Hades’ firelit eyes swept over him. “And once that is over - come see me in my office.”

And at that, Kit knew that he was in trouble. Hades had summoned him twice since his arrival to his office, after the initial contract signing. Each time afterwards Kit had found himself weak and gasping on the floor outside, his mind blank and unsure of what had passed behind the walls of the office. Nothing good, he thought grimly - and that was likely the cause of his increasingly fuzzy memory recall.

He needed to escape and soon. He nodded again and Hades left with Persephone. Kit started to make his way to the factory floor. On his way out of the conservatory, he bumped into a small, bird-framed girl with a luminous beauty and whose too-large eyes must have been lively once but were now faded and glazed over with the thousand yard stare that all Hades’ workers had. That he might soon have. “What’s your name?” Kit asked the girl, trying not to sound desperate.

She looked up at him. “I- Eu- I…” she looked puzzled and sad. “I don’t know.” she said.

Kit felt a stab of despair.

Tag list: (let me know if you want to be added / removed!)

@jesse-is-spiraling @dontmindmyshadowhunting @sandersgrey @thechangeling

#kitty fanfiction #tsc fanfiction #kit herondale x ty blackthorn #kit herondale #ty blackthorn #my fanfic

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intotherumiverse · 3 years

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Chapter 2

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ'ꜱ ɴᴏᴛᴇ: I’m still on my fae bull shit so yee have fun with this ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢꜱ: blood, violence, pov changes ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴇᴅ: @lilsparkyswife, a brief mention of @katsumiiii ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ: 1.9k

Yvonne’s Pov

The Summer Court was known for a lot of things. Yes, we did the dirty work for people who didn’t want to be seen doing it. We lied for liars, stole for stealers, and cheated cheaters. But we were big on loyalty. I mean if we couldn’t trust one of our own, who could we trust? But driving back home, knowing what we had to tell Bakugou….

Maybe it was better if we lied.

We found him training. Sweat dripped down his face as more and more holograms blur around him. His muscles tighten in frustration as the holograms look like they are about to win. Power training was something I always hated. We were already fast and strong, why work yourself to the bone to gain some other ability. But some people did it, Like (Y/n), but others have tried every day to improve themselves to no avail. All of us has given up at some point, Bakugou was just a matter of time.

The hologram knocked his sword out o his hand, and he glances at it as if something miraculous was going to happen. When he realizes nothing is happening, he lets out a grunt of anger.

“He’s rarely happy anymore,” I think to myself. “ Well, it wasn’t unusual, well for Bakugou at least, but his obsession was going a bit too far”

“Good luck with him,” Mina says while Mira walks away.

“If you live we’ll see you in the meeting room. You know where, so don’t die.”

“Gee, Such wonderful friends,” I say back.

. Turning back towards the entrance of the training room, I walk, cleared my throat, and spoke up

“Bakugou?”

All I get is another grunt as a reply, knowing he was somewhat listening. He continued his workout, concentrating on summoning a weapon in his hand.

“Bakubitch!”

He gives me a glare. Well, that got his attention.

“Whatdoyouwant?”

I hated when he was like this, not wanting to listen to anyone else even his friends. Steeling myself, I spit out the ugly truth to him

“(Y/n)gotkidnappedanditwasn’tourfault.”

“What? You said that too fast for me to even hear.”

“(Y/n) got kidnapped-”

“HUH?? HOW’D YOU IDIOTS LET THAT-”

“Will you shut up and let me explain?”

Rolling my eyes I wanted until Bakugou was calm, well calm enough, to begin.

“We had a mission. One assigned to us by the King. Someone from Spring Court wanted someone from Autumn off their back and they had enough money to pay for it. Shit went sideways and long story short, (Y/n) got taken… by Izuku Midoriya.”

I barely had time to doge before the knife was embedded into the target behind me. Such primal behavior, attacking me without warning.

“So you’re telling me… Izuku Midoriya took (Y/n) and you and the rest of the team, just fucking stood there?”

Another knife dodged. He’s making it harder and harder for me not to hit him

“Will you stop using me as target practice long enough so we can get her back?”

“It’s the Autumn Court. Who knows where they took her? She could be halfway to the gates of hell and back before we figure it out.”

Walking over to the target and prying the daggers off of it, I threw them back in rapid succession. He dodged the first one, but the second one scratched his face, leaving a thin line of blood in its wake.

“Next time you throw a knife at me make sure it hit its intended mark”

And with that, I leave the training room.

(Y/n)‘s POV

Being interrogated by the Autumn Court was… It’s an experience, let's just say. They had a lot of ways of making you talk, and once you open your mouth there is no stopping them.

Due to their power, vocals are the thing that they focus heavily on. It’s easy to fall into their trap but easy to evade it if you know what you’re doing. Just don’t say anything. I’ve been doing that for three hours now.

Granted it was hard. They tried everything short of laying hands on me. Ripping my dress, threatening my family and friends, you know the usual. But they couldn’t get me to talk. Then they called the motherfucking prince, who also happens to be the person I wanted dead.

“Just answer the question, doll, and you can go home.” Stupid motherfucker, staring down at me with that condescending smile I think. The haze of his power swirling around me, deep and smoky. Izuku was powerful, yes. But against me, he was nothing.

Smiling at him, I think to myself ‘You’ll get me to talk when I’m dead and gone’

Tracing his hand on my jawline slowly, like I was glass, brittle and ready to break. He stares deep into my eyes and for a moment, a hint of a second, I see the pain in his eyes. Something indescribable, intangible, but somehow there. And the moment is over. Harshly grabbing my chin, the pain is covered with feral, oddly flat green eyes.

“Tell me. Or else we’ll have to resort to… uglier methods of gaining information from you. And trust me, darling, you won’t like those methods.”

I took the saliva from my own mouth, aimed carefully, and spit on him. It landed directly on his eye.

“You fucking cunt!” He recoils in disgust, wiping his eye fervently. I smile in pride, knowing I got under his skin.

He backs up away from the cell I was in, taking one more look at my triumphant face, before saying to the guards, “Make sure she doesn’t escape.”

I heard his angry footsteps echo, and finally, the silence came.

The guards snicker at the recent events, before one of them saying,

“You’re going to regret that, you know? No one messes with Prince Midoriya and lives to tell the tale.”

“Guess I’ll be the first,” I replied back.

And then I broke the chains.

Izuku’s Pov

Fuck I missed her. She was the part of me that I never knew I needed. She was my blood, my bones, framing me into what I am now. And seeing her now, it made my bones ache, my blood sing. An agonizing, beautiful song. Placing my head into my hands, I bite the insole of my palms.

‘Where did it all go wrong?’ I thought to myself.

Sorting myself out, I walk through the quiet corridors of the Autumnal Palace. The sun shining through the high glass windows, mocking me with its beauty. It seems fit, having such a wonderful day go on outside as I suffer internally. With hastened pace, I make my way towards my personal team.

Stopping in front of the common room, I fix myself, running my hairs through my hair before walking in.

“Oh hey man,” Sero was the first one who saw me, giving a toothy smile “How’d the interrogation go…” he trails off, seeing the scowl on my face.

“So not well” One of Shoji’s many arms pops up and says.

Choosing my words carefully I say “It didn’t go as expected. (Y/n)’s a difficult one.”

Difficult wasn’t even the basis to cover it. She was infuriating, complex, and every time I see her it spurs my heart on erratically. But how could I say that in words?

My team was a good one, personally trained by myself, but sometimes they were a little too bit much.

Ochako pipes up from where she was sitting “Izu, don’t worry. We finally caught (Y/n)! After two and half years no less. All your hard work won’t be for nothing.”

“Yeah, man! This is cause for celebration! We finally caught (Y/n), Summer Court’s deadliest assassin. It’s time to kick back and celebrate-” At that moment, Ojirio storms in, face in pain as blood soaks his normally white clothes. The look on his face said that something was clearly wrong.

“(Y/n) escaped)”

Cocking my eyebrow I stare at Sero.

“Celebration huh?”

(Y/n)’s Pov

I hated being chased. Everyone talks about the exhilarating feeling of almost not making it but does anyway, but all I feel is annoyed. Turning another corner I hear in the distance. Luckily the guards tattered the ends of my dress, so it was easier to run in it

“Don’t let her escape! We need her alive!”

‘Autumn Court’ I thought to myself ‘One person escapes and they go bat shit crazy. Well, it is me.”

I look around looking for a place to hide out until the guards’ pass. Then looking up I spot...

“A vent. Perfect.” I whisper to myself. Working quickly, I made my way into the ventilation system. I keep myself there, holding my breath until I hear footsteps. It was two of the workers there.

“It’s such a shame,” one says to another. “King Toshinori has never done anything helpful since the Prince had been announced.” The other one shakes their head shamefully.

“I know right? Even since Izuku became prince, he’s nowhere to be seen or heard. It’s like he just placed all the burden on Prince Izuku and moved on with his life.”

Oh? Izuku’s being packed with the burden. I guess Von will find that information useful. Waiting until I couldn’t hear the voices of anyone, I get down from the vents.

“Easy as pie.” I smile at my genius.

“Spread out and find her! She couldn’t have gone far!” I see one the second in command, Ochako Uraraka yells. My smile turns into a grimace at her figure. I’ve never liked her but after the incident three years ago…

I didn’t let myself think of it, rather waited until I couldn’t hear footsteps anymore before dropping out of the vent.

Corridor after corridor, I run the palace. The orange-gold of the palace becoming a blur as I see the doors towards my freedom.

“THERE SHE IS. AFTER HER!” Fuck they found me. I was almost there, just a little more… Then I feel a large object knock into my back.

Giving a little as I went down, I turn quickly. Seeing the familiar hair of…

“(Y/n) don’t do this,” His soft voice rings out, power laced in it even now. “Just come back and we can get you home safely” Gritting my teeth at Izuku, I clench my fist and throw a punch. All the while my other hand summons a small dagger before dipping it in some poison and stabbing Izuku in the thigh.

How dare he. How dare he pretend that he cares, after all, he did to me, to my Court.

“Fuck!” Izuku screams.

Pulling him up by his collar I spit it out.

“Rot in hell.”

In the back, the rest of his team runs, seeing their leader hurt.

Not sticking around, I take off running, getting the doors of the front of the castle.

The night was dark as I fumbled slightly down the stairs of the castle.

‘Shit, shit, shit. I need a place to hide’ I think.

Running towards the car area of the courtyard, I see a black party bus sitting fairly near the gates. Sneaking into the back doors, I sit in the darkness.

“She couldn’t have gone far, split up and search.” I hear the voices agree before splitting off in different directions.

“Well, Well, WELL.” I’m suddenly knocked off my feet, and without another chance to regain my balance, my chin is grabbed. Sharp nails meet my flesh, threatening to make me bleed.

“What should we do with her Dabi?” a feminine voice reaches my ears.

“Drug ‘er. We’ll deal with her when the others come back. Shiggy will know what to do with ‘er”

“Sure.” Something stabbed into my neck and everything goes dark.

onto the next chapter? | the last chapter

Taglist: @xetou @kunikida-kun @asaincy @ryuvanaka @katsumiiii @lilsparkyswife @katsumox @silkylious @inkwicke @myhoodacademia @mypimpademia @readergurl20 @angiebug101 @artof-apollo @namjoonswifeyy @moonlit-xio

Crossed out means I couldn’t tag you ; Send an ask to be added >:D

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merchantofwhispers · 3 years

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@xprince-of-the-fairiesx | x

For days Mina had remained awake with her eyes closed, huddled near her husband with their child tucked between them. There had been no time to mourn the momentary peace that the two had found between each other, instead being forced to flee the palace. There hadn’t even been time to send a letter ahead of them, warning her family of their return. Even if there had been the rebellion had infected even the highest regarded servants which left them with no one to trust. By the time they crossed the border and into the outer villages of her own people Gemina was beyond exhausted. She was without the energy to hide herself any longer, dirtied from crawling through too-warm weather that made her throat burn and her skin sweat. It had been disheartening to have been turned away, but the princess had understood. As far as the simplest of her people were concerned, her marriage to Raydan had been a betrayal.

If only they knew.

By the time he had covered them in the canopy of roots and leafs she was unable to keep her eyes open much more. Gemina finally allowed herself to rest, falling into a slumber on the floor beside him -- one hand peacefully tucked under his, a reminder even in her dreams he was keeping them safe. Her sleep was blissful until the smell of smoke and a crying child jerked her away, able to see the flickering flames just through the shimmer of golden wings. There was hardly time to process that they’d been found, hardly any time to realize that no longer were they being chased by merely the Fae forces -- but that the Fae had begun burning down the bordering country side.

Her chest seized as she hastily took Raynier into her arms and began move away from him, stopping only briefly to watch as he cut down the first few men that charged him. A pit formed in her gut. They never had a chance to fall in love and yet Gemina knew she would mourn him, even if only for their sons sake. Turning away, she began to run as quickly as she could with Raynier in her arms. It was hard with as worn her shoes were, with the uphill climb and how starved she’d been. Every bit of blood she’d managed to get ahold of she’d given to the growing child, fearful of the heat they’d been traveling through making him fall ill.

Now, she realized, that was a mistake. Her lungs burned as she ran, panting as the shouting and metal clashing behind her only grew louder. Arrows fell from the sky, sparking fires in the greenery that only worsened her panic. She heard his shout and instinctively turned towards him, hands clasping their son tightly over her chest. It all happened to quickly. The blur of gold suddenly crashing into the ground, resting on his knees in front of her. “Raydan!” She choked and fell with him, using her free hand to grasp at his jaw and lift his head. Even without looking she knew the blood seeped from his wounds, igniting a new fire inside of her. Fury.

When her eyes lifted from where she watched him, tearful pools of quicksilver, she saw several Fae soldiers approaching. A deep, feral hatred suddenly burst inside her chest, the black veins crawling across her face now deepening as a heavy growl slipped past her sealed lips. The nearer they drew the louder her growl became before she pulled Raydan’s head into her chest alongside her son, covering their ears, and let an unearthly shriek pierce through the air. Loud enough to startle the birds still hiding amongst the trees and bring nearby clashes to a temporary halt -- enough for soldiers clad in protective blacks and silvers to understand the noise. Raynier was placed rapidly with Raydan, directly in his sight as a silent way to tell Raydan to simply live.

Another shriek ripped from her throat as she charged the men coming after her, sounds clashing forward as she lunged at them. Weaponless. Yet they fell. Their throats were covered, their eyes were not. Screaming in agony in a rapid domino effect, they fell. Though Gemina did not go unwounded, the sword thrust through her abdomen was of no consequence once the protecting armor against the throat of one of the soldiers was ripped away. His screaming meant nothing and soon blended in with the war behind them that was closing in.

An arrow flew by her then, barely missing her own chest and landing on the grass beside her -- little flames dancing at her feet. When she’d turned to look at the archer that had fired them another had already handled him, leaving his corpse mangled in the dirt. Only then as that soldier turned and held his sword high did she truly believe they stood a chance.

They knew her.

Her blouse shredded, the remnants of her dress town to rags around her thighs, and blood of an enemy dripping down her chest and onto her chest -- Gemina returned to Raydan. “Live.” She whispered and reached to his bleeding ribs. “Your son needs you.” She needed him. Carefully, she snapped the ends of the arrows off without ripping away the heads, knowing that doing so would simply speed up how quickly he died in her arms. Another arrow crashed nearby, then another, and signaled the end of what little time they had. She sat on her knees and pushed her shoulder against his uninjured rib and then carefully pulled him onto her shoulders, holding him there by the arm as she hooked his leg into the arm she carried Raynier in. The sound of swords clashing behind her echoed in the air, but she knew it was only the archers she had to--

Before she could even fully process the thought one of such arrows pierced into her back, catching her just near her spine and causing a pained roar. A noise which -- much to her unfortunate joy -- Raynier mimicked. Through her tears she muttered a pitiful “good boy” and continued forward.

Gemina remained carrying them for some time, Raydan’s blood trickling down her back and chest as they went. She listened to him so carefully, counting the seconds between his breaths before they finally arrived at an old inn secluded on a trade road. The lettering was vampiric. She couldn’t make it up the stairs and collapsed onto the ground in front of its entrance. “Please!” She shouted, her voice hoarse. “Please help us! He’s dying, the child needs food!” Gemina begged into the open air, nearly breaking down into desperate sobs as soon as the door to the inn opened.

#xprinceofthefairiesx #c; Gemina #v; Fae Royal #tw murder #tw gore #/...i got carried awaym

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ancient-pokehistorian · 6 months

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Random question go!

Are there any Paldean Pokémon that Jules, Falkner and/or Mina vibe with, or have an interest in?

((Oh absolutely.

Paldea added seven new dog Pokémon to the game, and I could see Jules loving all of them (I was going to say except Okidogi, but then I remembered her respect of fighting type AND the Nido family, so poison/fighting is still up her alley). Of that group, I see her liking Dachsbun the most. I'm half-tempted to give her one...

Aesthetically she loves Espathra, but due to it being a psychic-type she can't go anywhere near it without feeling sick, so she'll just have to stick with a plushie version.

If we count Paradox Pokémon, somehow I feel Jules would really like Slither Wing? Like she'd treat it like a giant dog.

You would think Falkner would be a simple answer: all the birds. Except then you remember that Wattrel and Kilowattrel exist, and he doesn't want any part of that. But Quaxly (I want to see him trying to sort life out with a Quaquaval living in the house), Flittle/Espathra, Bombirdier, and Flamigo are all options to add to the aviary.

I left Squawkabilly out solely because I foresee Abe teaching them to swear.

I don't see him liking any Paradox Pokémon, but a Sinischa might find its way to Johto in his bag. He's also very curious about Fezandipiti.

Finally, Mina. Let's get the obvious off the table. She wants six Grafaiai. She loves them. Outside of that, there's of course the Tinkaton line. She would probably also just want a Dudunsparce-the biggest one she can find. And maybe Finizen?

Area Zero is Mina's vibe, both future and past. If she had the chance to go there she'd spend days making art (which might be alarming given no one could contact her). Of the Paradox Pokémon, she'd obviously fond of Scream Tail and Flutter Mane, but also really likes Roaring Moon and Iron Valient. Also bffs with Koraidon.

There's something for everyone, basically.))

#zichiandhisnonsense #old letters #A Writer Seeking Justice (Jules)#Fae without a Way (Mina)#Birds on a Wire (Falkner)

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evebrennan · 3 years

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Fae Disco

TIMING: circa the Meteorpocalypse LOCATION: Mina/Bex/Morgan/Dierdre’s place PARTIES: @drowningisinevitable & @evebrennan with a guest rescue by @inbextween SUMMARY: Mina and Caoimhe discover the rocks are a very big, very bright problem. CONTAINS: Disco

Caoimhe checked the address twice, hastily scribbled on a piece of scrap paper as it was. Her feet shuffled on the pavement and she allowed herself a moment to think why. Why follow directions from a perfect stranger, to touch a rock that could potentially give her a rash of unknown nature, for science. She wasn’t a science professor, she was a music professor! She avoided STEM like the plague; there was merit to the scientific method, but she never cared much to think about it overly much. And the scientific method would implore her to conduct experiments safely.

So in the interest of safety, she checked the address twice to make sure she was approaching the right door.

She knocked five times sharply against the door before curling her fingers into her palm and swallowing hard past something. Whatever that excited oh no feeling was that had been building in her chest since the skies had shifted. Her mind always seemed to circle back to that stupid meteorite. “It’s Caoimhe, I’m here. For...Science.”

Mina had been waiting by the door for longer than she’d cared to admit. She took turns pacing and sitting, though her leg bounced rapidly as she sat. So she mostly paced. She had invited a stranger to Morgan and Deirdre’s home without even thinking about it. She would have even put their address up online if she hadn’t been more careful. She was just frustrated. That’s what she kept telling herself; she was overwhelmingly frustrated with the glowing. Sparkling. Glittering. Whatever it was called. An annoyance was what it was, and she couldn’t be the only person suffering through it. She had to know. Which meant that she was testing it out on internet strangers. For science.

At least this stranger seemed nice.

Wearing gloves and long sleeves, Mina jumped up at the knocking on the door. “Hi! Hi, one moment, please.” She pulled one of the fragments of rock out of her pocket and just stared at it for a moment, at the way it glimmered, at how it created its own light that refracted itself off of Mina’s skin. It really was lovely. So pretty. It was hard for Mina to tear her eyes away. “For science, right.” Mina looked out the window by the door and saw the woman standing there. Then she felt it. Not just a woman, a Fae. She was another Fae. “Just-- Just a moment.” Another Fae. She wasn’t expecting another Fae. Why was it always another Fae? She opened the door a crack, gloved hand clutching the rock. “Alright… You can touch the rock.”

Caoimhe wasn’t sure she could handle one moment. Mina’s voice traveled through the closed door, confirmation that she was at the right place, and it was everything Caoimhe could do not to just open it and walk in. It was a concern in and of itself. There were things she’d needed over the years. Many of them were strung up in a line behind her, following with glazed, imploring eyes. This was something entirely unexpected. This was the kind of thing she’d write home about. This was the kind of thing that had her screaming help in the back of her mind before drowning it out with a firm it’s fine, it’s just a rock. “No, no it’s fine, just take your time, I’ll just be out here–”

Then said rock was held out the front door, suspended in one, gloved hand, by another Fae no less. The information registered for only a moment before Caoimhe was reaching out. Nothing else mattered. Forty years worth of ‘nothing is normal’ told her to proceed with caution, but something else had her wrapping her fingers around it.

Forty more years and she’d maintain it was worth it. Something settled, as though she had room to think about something, anything else, even if only for a moment. Unfortunately, that something, anything else just so happened to be the way her fingers itched at warm and started to glow. Like Edward fucking Cullen, shirtless in the woods. It crawled up her arm and she let go; though, letting go meant she had two problems. She wasn’t holding the rock, and she was glowing.

“Shit. Shit, wait, this isn’t a rash. This isn’t a rash!” She tugged her at her sleeves and spent more than a moment flailing before folding her arms across her chest and tucking her hands away the best she could. Her eyes squeezed shut and she pulled in a breath, releasing it slowly. “Uh...problem. One, I feel as though some information was omitted here, we should talk about that. Two...can I come in? I’m a beacon.”

Mina could only watch as the woman took the rock from her hand, could only observe the look in her eyes that reminded Mina so much of how she probably looked when she’d seen the rock for the first time. She’d been drawn to it, so stupidly drawn to it, like it was one of the most interesting things that she’d ever seen. She couldn’t help but touch it. She couldn’t help but keep touching it, even though she knew what it did because it was stupid and frustrating, and she hated it.

“I said it was a rash of sorts,” Mina said, opening the door wider and reaching down to snatch up the rock as it fell. “Right, right, get in. We have neighbors.” Mina had pretty much confined herself to the house and the backyard unless it was early morning or late evening. Then she went out on her runs. Less chance to run into nosy people who took one look at a glowing girl and start wondering just what the hell she actually was. Mina ushered Caoimhe inside, putting the rock down and taking the gloves off of her own glittering hands before she ran one of them through her hair.

Mina looked at the other woman, then down at herself, then burst out laughing. “Sorry. Sorry. This is really quite serious, but I’ve been a bit stressed lately, and you have no idea how relieving it is that this isn’t just a me problem. It’s a-- Well, I think it’s a Fae problem.” Which would make sense. Because why wouldn’t it? Obviously, if a rock that attracts Fae crashes from space into one of the most iron infested parts of town, then it would clearly reward any Fae that managed to touch it by turning them into walking discoballs. Of course it would. “I… did omit some information, yes. But you understand why, right? This-- this isn’t something that can be discussed over the internet with strangers.”

For one (not very) blessed moment, Caoimhe wasn’t concerned about the meteorite. All she could see was the glow crawling up her arms as she darted through the door, rolling up her sleeves and biting back either a laugh or another admonition, she couldn’t pick. The laugh won out, something a little manic around the edges, but genuine nonetheless. It could be so much worse. There had to be something wrong with the rock she’d suddenly found herself obsessed with; there was at least some relief in the simple fact it wasn’t deadly.

She curled her fingers into her palms and looked up at Mina, “Misery loves company, right?” She huffed a sigh and looked around for the first time since she’d rushed in. “It’s just...now you’re kind of stuck with it.”

At least until Caoimhe could figure out a way home. Or until they’d miraculously discovered a cure. It didn’t seem as though the latter was likely, considering Mina had invited her over in the first place. Her eyes found the rock Mina had set down, and she made a point to take a step back. It wasn’t nearly as easy as she would’ve liked it to be. “That’s a problem.” She didn’t want it to be a problem. “That’s a big fae problem. Have you been able to stop thinking about it? Because I can’t–”

She’d glow for the rock. It wouldn’t be so bad, really. Her life had been a series of bouncing from one town to the next, anyway. There were no roots to protect; although a coffee shop and a music room and a staff meeting came to mind. Correction, it wasn’t as though she wasn’t well-accustomed to tearing up roots when needed. She could have the rock, glow, and uproot herself. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, being a walking disco ball. There’s already the glamour and the f–” She bit her tongue, “Okay, it would be awful.”

“I can’t lie,” Mina joked, “it beats glowing in the dark alone.” And it was nice, for a moment, to know that she wasn’t the only one affected by this stupid, stupid, so very pretty but stupid rock. “Come on, we can-- I mean, we can at least get comfortable while we, ah, are miserable together. My--” she tried to think of the right word to describe the group of women that she lived with-- “my family’s not really around right now, and I apologize if I’m not the best host, what with making you touch the rock and everything.”

She picked up the rock again (why not? She was already glowing so much) and led them to the living room, spacious and homey and so very Morgan and Deirdre. And it was somehow home to Mina, and she couldn’t help but be comfortable. She sat down on the couch, put the rock on the coffee table, and did her best not to just stare at it. “It’s quite a problem, yes. I, well, I don’t always think about it, but, sometimes, it seems like I stop glowing a little, and then I’m not even thinking, and then I’m glowing again because I touched the damn thing.” She looked at it hatefully, but the look didn’t last long before it faded away to fascination. It was so pretty. It was such a pretty rock.

“I mean, it’d be a little noticeable,” Mina said hesitantly. Then, curiously, she added, “Do you think that a glamor could cover something like this up? I’ve never really used a glamor.” She didn’t even really know how. It wasn’t a glamor, her human skin, but just… skin. It was as much a part of her as the scales, though one did feel more natural than the other. “It don’t think it’d be enjoyable to try and maintain it all the time, though, no. I--” she felt fidgety, too many hours staying still. ”Would you like some tea?”

“Suppose that’s true.” Caoimhe tried to picture the space filled with people. It looked comfortably lived in, like someone had taken it and made an honest home out of it. Furniture in places that made sense, small personal touches here and there. It was such a stark departure from Caoimhe’s own apartment, with totes still filled with what few personal items she kept, no pictures or decorations. There was a couch she’d bought cheap at a second hand store that smelled a little like an attic, and a small coffee table already littered with papers. She could imagine being alone in Mina’s house wouldn’t be fun, but she thought perhaps she wouldn’t mind it as much. “It’s a nice place, though.”

She sat on the other side of the coffee table, legs folded underneath and making no effort not to stare at the rock. Mina’s musings faded for a moment and Caoimhe considered her options. She really was being a gracious host, despite the circumstances, and Caoimhe hardly wanted to take advantage. But the rock was so close, she could just grab it and–

And glow, apparently. She huffed a sigh and forced her eyes up to Mina. “I don’t think not thinking about it is going to be an easy solution, but...I’ve never really known solutions to be easy.” Maybe out of sight, out of mind was going to be their best option. They needed someone to take it, and hide it, and possibly distract them from doing everything they could to find it again. “And glamor, it’s–”

Caoimhe looked down at her hands, spreading them out on the table top. She thought about how enjoyable maintaining a different appearance at all times decidedly wasn’t, and it only had so much to do with the energy it expended. It was an energy she didn’t have at that moment, an uncomfortable reminder of all the things she was putting off in favor of enjoying a new town for just a little longer. “It might be possible, but I’m not...exactly at my best for trying to step it up right now.” She shrugged, briefly wondered at a fae who didn’t have to use a glamor. “It’s not that bad, you know. Kind of annoying, kind of unnatural, but you get use to it.”

“Oh, well, I didn’t-- I didn’t pick out the decor,” Mina said, ducking her head a bit. That was all Deirdre and Morgan, there mix of dark tones and florals and, honestly, a type of wealth that Mina had never experienced before. Money was for weapons, not plush, comfortable furniture. Money was for travel, not homes. Homes weren’t permanent; they weren’t even real. They were just a concept. At least, that’s what Mina had always thought. Things were different now, though. “It is a rather nice place though, yes.”

Mina kept glancing between Caoimhe and the rock, back and forth multiple times, even if she knew that the rock wasn’t going anywhere, even if she knew that there were more pieces of it elsewhere in the house. It was just so pretty, sometimes, that she couldn’t help but look at it. It was so fascinating. Less so when it made her skin glow, but still. The moments leading up to touching it were filled with an almost obsessive desire to reach out and hold it. Once it was in her hands, it was still fascinating, but it wasn’t consuming her every thought. Probably because most of her thoughts became, ‘Oh, fuck, I’m glowing.’

“It’s certainly not a quick fix. It takes a long time for the glowing to even minutely start fading. And it doesn’t just stop when you’re not in light.” Mina sighed, looking away from the rock to the other woman then to her hands. “I’m a bloody nightlight,” she muttered. She looked at Caoimhe’s hands spread out on the coffee table and hesitantly mimicked the gesture, listening raptly as the other Fae described glamour. Briefly, she allowed scales to form on her hands, each one shimmering just as her skin had for only a moment before she let them fade away. “I’ve never had to glamour before,” she added quietly. “Do you have to constantly be thinking about it? To keep it up?”

“We’re a night light.” Caoimhe offered with a smile, like it was something to celebrate. At least they had the rock.

She watched the skin of Mina’s hands shift for just a moment; the glow almost seemed more natural that way. Caoimhe had spent a good deal of time telling Bex about how malleable the term ‘normal’ could be, but in the end everyone conformed to some semblance of it. Caoimhe was sitting across from Mina as the same person she’d present to the man who took her coffee orders.

“I think about it, but…” Caoimhe tried to remember a time when she hadn’t had to think about it. For a moment, she wasn’t thinking about the rock at all. She was thinking about Ireland, with her mother. There were late nights and bonfires and her mother’s latest catch playing fiddle to the tap of too many feet, barely audible over laughter. There was a hand tugging at the collar of her shirt from behind as she peered over a windowsill, cautious because someone might see. Caoimhe had her apartment, but so much of her life had been spent hiding the parts of her that might kill someone, she’d stopped thinking beyond what it took to maintain it.

“Have you ever seen My Fair Lady? Or seen those stereotypical ‘transformation’ movies, or had your parents tell you not to slouch? You naturally want to slouch, but after getting corrected enough times, you stop slouching. You still think about it, but it becomes subconscious.” Caoimhe always had to think about it, on some level. “It’s not bad, but...it must be nice, not having to worry about it so much.”

It wasn’t necessarily that Mina thought Caoimhe’s words were funny, but the relief of them made her laugh. “Yes, yes, we are a nightlight.” And maybe it wasn’t very Fae of her, but there was something about the shared traumatic experience of glowing because of a bloody rock that bonded people together, in her opinion, far more than species.

She nodded slowly, piecing together what the other Fae was saying, thinking on her words. “I like My Fair Lady, yes,” she said, recalling the musical from a performance when she was about twelve or so. And that made sense, sort of self-consciously thinking about these things. The thought of them being there but not quite, just below the surface instead. She wrung her hands together, rubbing at her knuckles as if that’d make them stop glowing. It didn’t, of course. Nothing did.

“I-- I don’t know if I’d say that I don’t worry about it much. I mean, I’ve spent a lot of time not having the best control, and it gets rather patchy, sometimes, if I’m stressed or tired or if I haven’t been in the water a lot,” Mina explained, trying her best. It wasn’t like a glamour, like some all or nothing type thing. “But I-- I think it might be easier than trying to maintain an entire glamour. I don’t know if I could do that.” She’d give anything to be able to now, though, one powerful enough to cover up her glowing skin. Wouldn’t that make things easier? She thought so. She hoped so. It wasn’t like it mattered, though. “So it gets easier?”

“It sounds like they both have their own set of challenges.” There were limitations to what Caoimhe could do, and how long she could maintain it. There was no easy way around hiding who you were from the rest of the world, even if that hard was purely internal. “It takes practice, right? A given amount of focus. I have to– it’s harder to maintain, if I haven’t eaten. Did you know there are three-hundred calories in one McDonald’s cheeseburger?”

The two facts were entirely unrelated, but she couldn’t exactly determine how many days John Doe Who Loved the Piano would last. Even if she could, she wouldn’t. It was easier to dance around the facts, bury them in different, related but ultimately meaningless facts. There were less questions she had to find creative ways to talk around, that way.

“Either way, we’re using some measure of energy to hide what we are.” She rubbed at the back of her hands, looking first to Mina’s hands, then the seemingly harmless rock. She wasn’t sure hiding was exactly a conversation line she wanted to follow. There were much better, easier things to think about. Like meteorites. “Okay, hear me out. Gloves and hoods and we can share rock custody.” Even as she said it, she rejected the idea. “No, we can’t share custody. Do you have more meteorites, or just the one?”

Mina hummed in agreement. “I think you’re right. I have to be– It’s better when I’m calm. Easier to look less… scaly when I feel more comfortable with myself.” And she didn’t mention to Caoimhe just how long it took her to feel comfortable. She didn’t think she needed to. Mina rarely looked comfortable in her own skin, even when she wasn’t glowing.

Trying not to look too perplexed, Mina bemused, “I’ve never had a McDonald’s cheeseburger.” She didn’t know why she’d need to know that. Did Caoimhe eat cheeseburgers? Could she eat cheeseburgers? Not many Fae ate red meat; not many Fae could eat red meat. “I didn’t know it had that many calories.”

“This… isn’t the only piece, no,” she said, looking between the rock and Caoimhe and biting her lip, wondering what she should do. They wouldn’t be able to share custody, no. That would lead to more of Mina touching the rock, and she needed to stop touching the rock so that she could stop touching so she needed to stop touching the rock. “I can– I think… Hm.” She didn’t want to give up the rock. She had more, though. It didn’t matter. She had more. “You can have this one.”

Caoimhe wondered at how long it had been since she’d been surrounded by people like her, and she landed on Ireland. The thought twisted somewhere in her chest, had her twisting her fingers together. Mina spoke of comfort, of the control that seemed to come along with it, and Caoimhe thought perhaps it was much harder than any glamour ever would be.

“I’ve never had one, either, I–” Caoimhe worked her way around how to explain a habit. There was more than just glamour, or Mina feeling comfortable enough with herself to find a shape that fit. Caoimhe could remember nights spent in common rooms on campus, surrounded by humans with shared experiences to which she could never quite relate. She’d learned early how to ask questions on top of questions until the conclusion was a lie. But Mina was fae, and Caoimhe didn’t have to mince her words. She didn’t have to ask questions, she could simply answer them. “Do you ever ask a question tangentially related to something someone else has asked you, so you don’t lie, but you don’t necessarily tell the truth, either? I don’t eat cheeseburgers, but it’s better if people believe I do.”

Despite her predisposition to honesty, it felt like the most truthful she’d been in a long time. She rubbed a palm over her eyes and laughed lightly and “Kinda means I know too many random cheeseburger facts, who am I?”

She blew out a breath and looked down to the rock, palm dropping into her lap. It had turned into far more trouble than it was worth (it was worth a lot, it was worth it, it was–). But then, for the first time in a long time she’d been able to truly enjoy the company of another fae, so perhaps it wasn’t a trouble at all. But her skin glowed in the dim light, matching Mina’s across from her, and trouble took too many different shapes. “That’s incredibly kind of you.” It had to be hard, Caoimhe could imagine. “Neither of us should have it, though. Maybe we should hide them. No, have someone else hide them.”

“Oh. Yes, I do that. Yes,” Mina said. Because that’s what made sense, right? What else was there to do? When lying made you feel sick and telling the truth all the time wasn’t practical, what else was there to do? Silence was damning, so it was best to just talk about what she could if lying would cause her to be too sick. “It’s– I mean, sometimes it works. It works with people that I’m not close to. But I think everyone I know is starting to catch on.” It was annoying, really, that people were able to figure her out so easily. It was nice, too, though, Mina thought. To be known. To be understood. Even if it meant that she couldn’t get away with things.

Mina managed a smile. “If it makes you feel any better, sometimes I start talking about conditional probability or Yiruma, and people usually don’t want to talk about those things, so they stop listening. Not quite the same as cheeseburgers, though.”

“We should– Yes. We should hide them. We should get someone else to– I know someone we can give them to,” Mina said, thinking about Bex. She’d gotten the rocks for Mina, after all, and Mina was sure she wouldn’t mind making sure they were safe and hidden and okay. Mina trusted her to do that. Bex knew how self-conscious Mina was about the glowing, even if Mina liked the rock itself. “My– the person that got me the rocks, I’d trust her to hide them, keep them safe?”

Caoimhe bit off her ‘that doesn’t happen, if you don’t get too close.’ There was nothing inherently wrong with getting close to anyone. There was nothing wrong with having a home and family pictures and people who brought you rocks simply because they cared. Caoimhe had spent her fair share of time picturing it, and it’s not as though her life had been completely devoid of it. There were the people who knocked on her single room in the dorms, her family back in Ireland. She imagined there was still a room for her, still strung in pale pinks with pictures of friends she didn’t know anymore stuck to cork boards.

Instead she nodded and offered a grin over anything entirely honest. “That’s when you skip town, start over. They can’t figure you out, if you don’t stick around long enough.” It was a joke. Mostly.

“Okay, okay so we have your person hide it.” It suddenly seemed so final. It didn’t matter that they’d be safe, only that they’d be out of sight, and Caoimhe wasn’t entirely sure she’d be able to manage it. Then she caught another, shimmering glance of her hands out of the corner of her eye, and realized she didn’t have much of a choice. She couldn’t very well stand in front of her class glowing. “Just–” She reached out, poked it one more time for good measure. “I’d talk my way around ‘I hate this,’ but I hate this.”

“It takes a lot to skip town and start over,” Mina said quietly. “I’m used to moving, but I like it here. It’s nice here, sometimes.” And maybe that wasn’t quite true. It was so very easy to move, to start over, to find another existence. But she didn’t want to. God, she didn’t want to. Mina just wanted to exist somewhere for once, and if that meant that people got to know her, somehow care for her, then that was okay.

“We get my person to hide it, and then we’ll stop glowing,” Mina confirmed, before deflating a little. “Eventually.” Because it wasn’t an immediate fix. It took the glowing hours to start fading and days to fade completely, and, by that point, the rocks had always compelled Mina to reach out and touch them again. It was so frustrating, and there was no one to be upset with more than herself. “No, no, I hate it. It’s stupid. I hate it.” But they couldn’t spend the rest of their lives glowing, and, as pretty as the rocks were, they weren’t worth that. Right? No. They weren’t worth that.

Mina pulled out her phone and texted Bex. Hey, are you home? I’m in the living room with someone. Could you come and hide the rocks?

Bex was, in fact, home. Her phone buzzed next to her and she looked down from her textbook and homework, seeing Mina’s name pop up on the screen. Eagerly, knowing Mina was in the house and wondering why she’d texted her instead of simply coming upstairs to her room to get her, Bex slid the phone on and looked at the message. The rocks? With someone? It took her a moment to realize what Mina meant, what was going on. She remembered seeing her talking to someone online. Who had it been? Hadn’t Bex also been talking to them? Oh! It was Professor Brennan! Excitedly, Bex threw her phone back down on the bed and raced down the stairs two at a time, before trotting into the living room-- and to two rather forlorn looking women who were both glowing.

Bex did her best not to snort and hide the smile that was trying to pop up on her face. “Sorry, am I interrupting? Are you two, like, cosplaying the Cullens?” She’d been teasing Mina about it all week and she couldn't help it. Maybe it wasn’t the mood, but whatever she’d walked into, she didn’t want to make it worse. So, jokes. “Alright,” she held out her hands, “gimme the rocks.”

“No.” Caoimhe wasn’t sure if she was responding to the Cullens, the fact that it was Bex who walked into the living room, or that she was there to take the rocks. Some combination of all three, she suspected. “I mean–”

She looked back to the rock sitting between her and Mina. The things she should be concerned about, like Bex putting the pieces of the glowing fae puzzle together, didn’t matter as much in the face of losing it. Some part of her had thought there would at least be another hour with it. A last goodbye, a moment of peace before the oncoming tragedy. Her fingers twitched as she fought the urge to snatch it and run, glowing consequences be damned, but she tucked them under the table, instead.

“I mean yes.” Yes, take the rock. No, I will not give you the rock. Caoimhe would not be the one to elaborate.

The look that Mina gave Bex was belied just how unamused she was with the teasing, even if her lips twitched a little. This wasn’t funny; she was kind of miserable, and now she’d added Caoimhe into that misery as well. It loved company, Mina had heard somewhere. It was only right that she brought someone else in to share it with.

Mina also stared at the rock, unsure what to do. She didn’t want to pick it up again. She maybe wanted to pick it up too much. Just a little too much. If she touched it now, she knew it would take her awhile to want to give it back. She had a feeling that Caoimhe felt the same. “I think that you should just come take it,” she muttered, looking at Bex and then the rock and pleading at the other girl to just make sure that it was gone, please. Preferably somewhere that she couldn’t find it so that she wouldn’t keep glowing.

She looked back at Caoimhe and sighed. “Ah, sorry. For, you know, not telling you about the glowing.”

Bex looked between the two and saw the strained look on both their faces. She remembered how possessive Mina had become that first day, over the rock, insisting Bex needed to take it away from her because she was glowing, but refusing to hand it over until Bex had wrestled it from her hands and hid it under the mattress. Sighing, she shook her head. “Fine, I’ll take it,” she agreed, heading over to the table and looking between the two, wondering if they might lunge for it or try and stop her, before she picked it up and stuffed it in her coat pocket. “There, all gone! No more rock. It’s like it never existed, so now you can just forget about it and eventually the glowing will go away.”

She looked at Professor Brennan, and then to Mina, and wondered what information they knew that she didn’t, but she pretended to be worried, rather than just curious. She didn’t altogether think glowing was that bad of a side effect-- but then again, she wasn’t the one glowing. “Mina stopped glowing after about a week after the first time,” she reassured the professor with a small smile, “it only lasted so long because someone--” she cast a glance back at Mina-- “kept finding it and holding it more.”

She motioned for the door. “But, uh, I’ll let you guys settle that last part. It was nice to see you, Professor, even, uh-- if you are a disco ball right now.”

“A disco ball?! I...well, yeah, okay, that’s fair.” Caoimhe deflated. She was a disco ball. She was a disco ball who was stuck as a disco ball for the foreseeable future. Her only consolation was the rock disappearing into Bex’s coat pocket; although, it hardly felt like a consolation. Rather, it felt like she’d just given up a limb. She rubbed a thumb against the palm of her hand to ensure everything was in the right place. “I’m a disco ball.”

She looked from Bex’s pocket to Mina. If there was one positive, she knew she wasn’t entirely alone. The thought struck. It was so much more than just a rock and an unfortunate disco condition. It was glamour and fitting in and finding someone who understood what it felt like to try. Caoimhe didn’t like to think of people like connections (connections turned into strings turned into skeletons she couldn’t get away from), but she liked to think there were people who came close.

“It’s okay. This...this isn’t awful. Meeting you, I mean. Not the glowing. The glowing is awful, but it sounds like we’ll get better.” After a time. In the meantime, “You’re kinda stuck with me for a bit, though.” She grinned, “If we spin slowly in your living room and play the Bee Gees we could make a disco party of it.”

#paras #para: fae disco #para: drowningisinevitable #para: inbextween

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grxceblqckthxrn · 4 years

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TDA characters as types of tiktokers

y’all KNOW i’m bored when i’m doing this shit lmao

i’ll get around to doing the other TSC characters eventually TDA was just the first to come to mind also if you’re not actively on tiktok some of what i say might not make sense ahaha

also i named some tiktokers who yall can use for reference for some of them and from what i’ve seen they’re all fairly unproblematic so you should check them out!!

EMMA CARSTAIRS

okay so she’s DEFINITELY super popular and she uses her platform for good

she’s really funny and a lot of her audios go viral posts videos of her dancing saying that she cant dance but she’s actually really good at it

6M followers and growing fast

hypes up her boyfriend’s account ALL the time

calls out misogynistic/racist tiktokers through duets and KEEPS THEIR TAG IN THE CAPTION

she is not afraid of starting drama lmao

occasionally hops on POV and transition trends but its usually satire

emma can’t act for shit lmao

super active on tiktok and has a spam account

people are always asking her to drop the skin care routine but she doesn’t have one??

*pushes Zara down* “and no one’s gonna help her?? WOW some world we live in”

JULIAN BLACKTHORN

there’s no way he doesnt have an art account lmao

a lot of his paintings go viral but 90% of his comments are 14 year old girls thirsting over him

yall know that pottery guy on tiktok?? the cute one?? (i searched up his account just for this post he’s @/daxnewman769) that’s the best way to describe him

literally all the famous tiktokers commission him

probably has like 4M followers lmao

will occasionally make about how respecting women doesn’t make you a “simp”

doesn’t get into tiktok drama tho

posts candid videos of emma and all his jealous 14 year old fans get so pressed but he shuts down anyone who says anything bad about her

sometimes does painting or drawing tutorials and he’s really good at teaching stuff lmao

CRISTINA ROSALES

omg okay so like yall know those really pretty girls on tiktok who are literal models and are always dropping tips on how to frame your face for pictures and best clothes and poses and whatever ( @/ameliezilber is the first person that came to mind as an example)

thats her

alot of her content is just for the aesthetic

BLING EFFECT

GRWM’s all the time

10 step skin care routine

GOOD VIBES

has a pretty decent following?? like at least 2 million

has a spam but it’s exactly the same as her main lol

also calls out problematic tiktokers but not by name

her entire account is full of body positivity and does a bunch of stuff on loving yourself

sometimes does POVs and all the comments are like “@ netflix hire her rn”

sometimes posts crack videos with emma and cute vids with mark and kieran

MARK BLACKTHORN

does a lot of reaction videos and duets

a lot of his videos go viral but he doesn’t have a huge following like maybe 800k

everyone still knows him

gets at least twenty “are you wearing only one contact” comment about his eyes every post

he’s really funny without even realizing it

sometimes goes inactive for weeks at a time and just forgets that tiktok exists lmao

shows off kieran and cristina ALL THE MF TIME AND EVERYONE IS SO JEALOUS LIKE HOW ARE ALL OF THEM HOT

KIERAN

doesnt have a tiktok lmao sorry

but shows up so much on mark’s and cristina’s that a lot of people know who he is

DIANA WRAYBURN

unironically does POVs but is actually good at them??

lots of videos talking about the struggles of minorities like LGBTQ+ and POC and women

posts a lot of those vidoes that are like “what to do if you ever get kidnapped” “red flags in relationships” “most powerful parts of the body” etc

probably has like 500k followers

at the end of the day she doesn’t really use tiktok that much tho ahaha

LIVVY BLACKTHORN:

does a little bit of everything??

posts dance videos sometimes

omg her transitions are SO good

everyone is in love with her and she has to remind them that she’s a minor (i’m just a kid plays aggressively in the background)

posts videos that are just vibes?? like her skating at night, dancing in traffic with dru/her friends, walking through the city at night etc

lots of lip syncing videos to whatever sounds are popular and all her comments are like “i wish i looked like this” “guess im not eating today” and she gets so upset :((

she wants everyone to know that they’re perfect the way they are!!

also posts POVs sometimes and she’s not that bad at them ahaha

probably has like 1 million followers

doesn’t even need a spam just posts everything on her main

shouts out her sibilings accounts all the time

overall just great energy

TY BLACKTHORN

never posts his face on his main but he does on his spam

yall know those accounts that post fun facts or psychology facts?? his is like that except he talks to explain them and everyone finds his voice SO calming

he posts a lot of content of animals and everyone is in AWE with how good he is with them

his username is probably theanimalwhisperer or something djkfskjd

every single time he posts Kit on his account all the comments are like “OOH ICU” and “SHIP” and “ASK HIM OUT ALREADY”

he gives 0 shits about popularity on tiktok he’s just posting for fun because he likes teaching people about his interests

so he has like maybe 500k followers

lots of philosophical questions that has everyone questioning their existence

ugh i love him

KIT HERONDALE

be honest this is what y’all were waiting for

yall know those unproblematic ppl that everyone refers to as the “king(s) of tiktok”???

yeah thats him

SO FUNNY

LIKE HIS CONTENT IS GENUINELY HILARIOUS

lots of sarcasm and satire

think @/adamkindacool ?? (one of my favourite tiktokers lmao)

does reaction videos for those “pov: im the annoying hot cheeto girl sitting next to you in math class” videos

dark humor (not like rude humor but actual dark humor)

like “i put the baby in the oven and the pizza in the bed” type of jokes back when those were a thing

has like 4M followers but almost every single one of his posts go viral so he’s gaining fast

lots of pranks

starts a bunch of trends

any video he posts of Mina goes viral

sometimes he posts some really weird stuff that has everyone laughing so hard irl (@/benoftheweek)

he NEVER thirst traps but still gets a lot of those weird sexual fairy comments on his posts (iykyk)

TO BE CLEAR I MEAN THE FAIRY EMOJI ONES NOTHING TO DO WITH HIM BEING FAE

reacts to the comments with a video of him just staring at the screen with the “oh to see without my eyes” or “im just sixteen” audio going on in the background which only encourages them to make more weird comments

anyways everyone loves him

any of his povs are pure jokes meant to make fun of pov’ers

posts maybe one serious tiktok every 5 months that talks about being respectful and using your platform for good

“i miss old tiktok”

posts a lot of random videos of Ty where, again, all the comments are shipping them except even more so on his account because everyone can see his heart eyes for Ty

collabs with Dru a lot and does a bunch of duets of her videos

everyone loves him bye

DRU BLACKTHORN

SO many memes

she deletes any hate in her comments bc she honestly doesnt care to respond to them and doesn’t need that kind of negativity in her life

but one time she got a “the f in women stands for funny” comment and she WENT OFF

does really dark povs sometimes that are really interesting

CLOWN MAKEUP + SCARY CLOWN TIKTOKS ( think @/avani ‘s clown make up posts

REALLY good at makeup and sometimes gets julian to do scary makeup on her for tiktoks and povs (like those ones with stitches over the mouth or skin peeling off)

huge ally!! posts a lot about minorities struggles and white privilege, and acknowledges hers

does movie reviews and stuff sometimes

“types of” videos

pulls a lot of pranks on her sibilings with livvy and sometimes with Kit

lots of body positivity + self love

calls out back-handed compliments

also has a lot of content like Livvy’s of just vibing in LA

julian and emma and mark go off at anyone who sexualize her in the comments

probably has like 650k followers

posts a couple of times a week

BONUS:

JAIME ROSALES

lots of skateboarding videos idk he just gives me that vibe

doesn’t post that often but is super popular

like maybe 1.5M followers

really passionate about systematic racism

HATES all those privileged white boys using the “this is america” audio to pretend they’re oppressed ( this is a may 2020 thing so it probably wont make sense to anyone who sees this after lmao)

POSTS A LOT OF THIRST TRAPS LMAO

also posts lots of videos that’s just him yelling about stuff but they’re really entertaining to watch ( like that guy sebastian @/sauceyogranny)

everyone thinks he’s super hot he always shows up in those “hottest boys on tiktok” videos except sometimes he’s just the token POC boy and it makes him mad :(

DIEGO ROSALES

HIS ACCOUNT IS SO PRACTICAL LMAO

lots of tips

“what to do if you’re trapped in the desert” “what to do if you’re kidnapped and stuck in the trunk”

doesnt reply to comments EVER unless it’s to clarify a point he made in the video or answer a question

has like 200k

okay thats it lmao im done bye this took me like an hour to make

i’ll get to all the other characters from the other series’ eventually

also if yall are wondering abt the lack of f*ckbois in this post they’re coming dw

TMI CHARACTERS AS TYPES OF TIKTOKERS

TID CHARACTERS AS TYPES OF TIKTOKERS

TLH CHARACTERS AS TYPES OF TIKTOKERS

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stones-x-bones · 3 years

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Promise To Bind (Pt. 1)|| Mina, Nell, Bex and Frank

TIMING: Current PARTIES: @drowningisinevitable, @nelllraiser, @inbextween SUMMARY: On her way to meet Mina for their promised date at the hot springs, Bex encounters a problem. Meanwhile, Mina tries not to freak out and Nell remembers the last time she let down someone she loved. CONTENT: Domestic abuse, Drug manipulation, Sibling death mentions

Today was going to be a good day, Bex just knew it. It was getting warmer already, and she could wear her cute dresses now, even though most of the necklines plunged low enough to show off the scars on her chest. The blue summer dress Morgan had grabbed for her out of that store was comfortable, and she tried to not let it remind her of what had happened inside. And the devastating look on Morgan’s face. It was a cute dress and it deserved a better story than that. Which was why she’d chosen to wear it today, and, well, she’d picked it out specifically for this day. Mina and her were going to the Brimstone Hot Springs today, as an official second date. It seemed a little strange to Bex that this was only their second date after everything they’d already done together, but she supposed that wasn’t really their fault. Mina had had her accident only two days after they’d made their declarations to each other and then spent the entire day in Bex’s room together. She still felt warm every time she thought about it. And every time they’d done the same thing after. And especially when they’d spent Beltane-- or a few days after-- together.

It hadn’t been too long since Bex had overexerted herself and hurt that hunter, but she was feeling much better. Really. She only got bloody noses now when she used magic, and Nell’s mom was helping heal her, so that, really, was an improvement. And nothing catastrophic had happened in, like, over a week, so that was also an improvement. She’d promised Mina that they would get a week, and then go to the springs, and, well, that was exactly what they were doing. Bex had just been downtown running some errands while Mina finished work, and then she was going to meet Mina at campus. She’d worn the dress to the store because why not? It looked good on her and she wanted to make sure she felt comfortable in it in public before going to a place where she wouldn’t be able to take it off. She was even wearing the new bathing suit Morgan had helped her pick out underneath, all ready to hop in Mina’s car and whisk off to a relaxing day.

She was just pulling out her phone to text Mina she was on her way when it happened.

Frank had been waiting for the right moment. He was under a lot of pressure. Things needed to go perfectly. If he didn’t accomplish this task, then things were going to get bad. He’d been told as much not only by his own parents, but by Odelia’s as well. It was time to stop playing around. The look in her mother’s eyes had scared Frank. Odell Ochsenstein was a frightening woman, after all. Even his own father cowered under her gaze. She was a human you knew not to fuck with. And she had given Frank explicit instructions. He was to bring Odelia home. And if he couldn’t get her home in time for the signing, then things were going to get bad, and people were going to get hurt. Not just Odelia, though, really, she was the only one he cared about.

He’d followed her downtown, to the store, and waited in the alley outside. She’d been avoiding alleys, but today she walked right by it, too preoccupied with thoughts of someone else to notice him at first. Frank slunk from the shadows and she watched her jump as he reached out and pulled her in. “Odi, it’s me! It’s me, it’s Frank.”

“Frank!?” Bex exclaimed, heaving with breath. Her heart was pounding. She couldn’t help but feel the fear rising in her bones. “What are you doing here?”

“I needed to talk to you,” Frank said, and hoped the urgency in his voice would be enough for Odelia to just listen to him. “You have to come with me.”

“I-- what? No. No, I’m not going anywhere with you, Frank, you attacked my friends! You grabbed me and tried to--” But Bex stopped, because she didn’t actually know what Frank had tried to do when he’d grabbed her. She tried to pull her arm from his grasp, but it was firm, and a sudden sinking feeling fell in her stomach. “Frank...let me go.”

“I can’t do that,” Frank said.

“Frank, don’t make me hurt you,” Bex shuddered. She would do it, if she had to. She would. She could. Right? She could.

“I wouldn’t try it, if I were you,” Frank said, and there was a new chill to his voice.

Bex shivered. “Frank, please, just-- let me go. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to--”

But Frank had other plans. He reached out and grabbed her other arm and snagged them both together before Bex could even respond. She struggled, but his grip was tight. “This is for your own good,” he said, “I’m sorry.”

Bex’s heartbeat was increasing with each second. She struggled against him but his grip was tight. Just like the hunter in the alley. And then he said he was sorry, and Bex began to really worry. But before she could do anything, ask anything, Frank was lifting something towards her face and blowing it at her and a sudden drowsiness overtook her and the world went black.

Frank caught Bex as she fell. The fairy dust always did the trick. He rifled through her purse and dumped out her phone, her wallet, her keys. Then he hefted her into his arms, and slunk to the back of the alleyway and set her in his car. He’d take her far away. Maybe they could just leave this town, together. Go somewhere better. Somewhere safe. Somewhere not even her parents and their “deals” could get her.

He started the engine and pulled away, and headed down the street that led out of town.

---

It wasn’t that the day was going poorly. All things considered, Mina didn’t think it was a bad day, at least not at first. It just seemed to drag. She had wished that she and Bex could have gotten started on their date much earlier, but she’d already offered to go to her office and help one of her colleagues with one of the assignments for their actual classes, and somehow the guy had gotten started talking about vector spaces and wouldn’t stop. Usually, she might be interested in the conversation, but she was more interested in checking her phone to wait and see if Bex would text her. She was ready for Bex to text her. Maybe Mina was supposed to text her first. Maybe she was supposed to meet her somewhere. She started picking up her stuff, telling the other grad student that she needed to go as politely as she could. He huffed out a “Bye, Fitzroy,” before turning back to his work, and she headed out, leaving the maths department with her phone in her hand.

No, it wasn’t that the day was going poorly. In fact, she only expected it to get better, and it had actually been a series of really, really good days. Sure, there were still patchy, yellowed bruises around her ribs, and sure, her wrist wasn’t completely healed, either, but things were okay. She was okay! And Bex was okay, and Bex hadn’t done anything to get herself hurt recently, and Bex hadn’t left her just because they’d had sex. Not that she’d expected her to! But Mina had really only had experiences where the day after was just a day after, and nothing happened again, and, yes, that was fine, she was really fine with that, but she hadn’t wanted that with Bex. She was glad it hadn’t been like that with Bex. Bex made her feel warm and safe and comfortable, and she wanted to feel like that all the time. She was going to tell Bex that she was Fae when they got to Brimstone Hot Springs. She’d already decided. And that way she could show her, and she had to believe that it would be okay because if it wasn’t, she was just going to sink to the bottom of the water and never come out.

Mina ended up texting Bex three times while she waited by her car, rocking a bit from foot to foot as she tried to remember if she was supposed to be doing something. Bex was just going to the store, right? That’s it? Mina gave her a call, only to get the voicemail. Could something have happened on the way? Or was this maybe Bex’s way of saying that she didn’t want to go on a date without saying that she didn’t want to go on a date? No, that wasn’t what was happening. Mina didn’t think that’s what was happening. Maybe Bex was doing witchy things, since her magic was still not the greatest. Maybe she was with Nell. Maybe Mina should call Nell. Mina decided to call Nell. “Hey, hi, sorry to bother you. Is Bex with you? I-- We’re supposed to be doing something, and I can’t get in touch with her, and she’s supposed to just be at the store before we do something, and-- You wouldn’t happen to know where she is, would you?

Today was already turning out to be better than Nell had expected. Not that she’d thought it would necessarily go poorly. Just that she’d woken to the smell of her sister cooking breakfast in a kitchen that had gone too long without Bea in it. She wasn't all that sure of how long Bea was planning on staying in White Crest— no doubt she’d return to Felix in New York soon enough, but for now she was reveling in the peace that came with having Bea at home. She’d do her best to ignore the foreboding feeling of dread, and cloud of gloom that was simply waiting to fall over her, biding its time until the eldest Vural daughter left town. The rest of the day had seen Nell lingering around the house if only to hear Bea’s voice echoing through it. It felt like years since she’d had the daily reminder that her sister was alive and well, with physical proof of such a thing standing in front of her. But eventually Bea had gone to tend to something at Illusions of Grandeur, and Nell had gone to her greenhouse to pack the spare mattress away. With Bea home, it was easier to sleep in the house. Maybe she’d even manage to get by with the Aram tonight. The memory of Montgomery always tended to fade while Bea’s spirit filled its spot.

There was no reason for Nell to be nervous when she answered her phone after seeing Mina’s name flashing on the screen, not when things felt like they were actually going decently for a moment or two. But that quickly changed as she listened to the hunter’s words with growing concern, a frown drawing her lips southwards. “When’s the last you heard from her? How long has it been? No...she’s not with me.” A familiar hand felt like it was already beginning to claw its way up Nell’s throat, the darkness of a sense of impending doom making a valiant effort to stake its claim. “When was she supposed to meet you?” It wasn’t like Bex to be late in the first place- let alone without a text of forewarning.

---

As Frank drove, he periodically checked on Odelia to make sure she was still breathing and still out cold. He’d seen her using magic with that other witch, there was no doubt she would try and use it on him if she felt threatened. He just needed to get her to a safe place and then he could explain everything. The drive felt as if it took forever. He pulled off the side of the road and quickly hopped out of the car, sweeping aside the bushes he’d used to cover the tiny back road that led to his father’s secluded cabin. It rested right on the city lines of White Crest, but would be nearly impossible to track without something extra to help. He hopped back in, drove through, then hopped back out to recover the tracks.

The further he drove in, the thicker the trees got, the darker the world got. It felt ominous. Could a demon find him here? Once they crossed White Crest lines, he knew of at least one person who would be alerted. Finally, he pulled up to the cabin and parked around back, lifting Odelia out of the car and hurrying inside. He placed her on the couch, pulled up a chair, and sat down to wait.

Bex felt herself coming to and wondered, at first, if she’d passed out again. It had happened a few times recently, but something felt different about it this time. She felt groggy, stiff, and it was difficult to move. Her eyelids felt like lead even as she forced them open. A room came into view. It wasn’t one she recognized. There were plaques on the log slatted walls, a rustic fireplace with what looked like a strange deerhead over it, and, there, in a chair staring at her with what she thought was concern, was Frank.

Bex shot up immediately, but felt her stomach heave and she fell back down, grasping at her chest. “What-- Frank-- what’s--”

“Don’t try and move too fast. The dust is still wearing off,” Frank instructed. He wanted to rise from his chair and go to her, but he knew that would be too overwhelming right now. “Just, lay down. You’re safe.”

“Safe!?” Bex exclaimed, staring at him with wide eyes. “Frank you-- you jumped me in the street and drugged me!” She wasn’t sure that’s what happened, but she remembered him grabbing her and she remembered him blowing something in her face. “What-- what even was that? What did you do?” Her head felt like a bowling ball when she tried to lift it, hands clawing at her eyes to try and scrape the drowsiness away. “Take me back, Frank. I’m supposed to meet Mina. She’s going to-- they’ll look for me. You know they will. Please, just, take me back, Frank. Please.” It was all she could do, beg. Because she didn’t want to hurt him. Because she didn’t know where they were, or how they got here, or what time it even was.

---

So, Mina was trying not to panic. She thought she was doing a pretty good job of it, presently, as she listened to Nell’s words with a heavy, sinking feeling in her stomach the more that time went on. “The last time I heard from her was this morning. She was going to the store, I had to come to the school to help someone with some work, so she said she’d text me when she was ready, but that was supposed to be a while ago, and now she hasn’t--” She was panicking, just a bit, talking way too much, and Mina had to cut herself off to try and stop that. This was nothing. It was nothing. She was worrying about nothing. But that felt like a lie, and it made her sick. She drummed her fingers against the side of her car. “She’s been letting me know, before she does things, most of the time, after everything that’s happened the last few weeks, but I thought, maybe, she’d be with you? I don’t--” She didn’t know what to do, now. She felt like this was somewhere between an overreaction and a perfectly legitimate one. She’d feel stupid, sure, if she was overreacting about this, but she didn’t want to underreact. She didn’t want to not worry enough and have something catastrophic happen all because she was being inattentive and terrible.

“Am I being--” Overbearing, insufferable, clingy, “--ridiculous?” she asked quietly, not quite sure if she wanted the answer, even if it was in the negative. If she wasn’t being ridiculous, then that meant that something was wrong. She didn’t want something to be wrong. She just wanted Bex to be okay and for them to have a nice time. That was it. She didn’t want that to be too much to ask for. “I mean, her phone could have died, right? That could be-- I’m sorry if I’m bothering you for no reason, I just--” Mina pinched at the top of the bridge of her nose and clenched her eyes shut, trying to go still. “Sorry.”

Gone was any hint of Nell’s generally jesting demeanor as she let Mina speak, brows drawing closer in concern with every word that tumbled out of the other girl’s mouth. Morning wasn’t that long off, but it was still far enough away that nearly anything could have happened in the time someone had last heard from Bex. And it wasn’t like Bex to be late without a word of warning. The young witch was always texting when she thought she might run late to a lesson, and Nell couldn’t imagine it would be any different when it came to the appointments she held with Mina. “No- no, I don’t think you’re being ridiculous.” If Mina was being ridiculous by worrying after Bex, then Nell would be too. And this was only precaution, right? It was better to be safe than sorry when it came to things like this. Nell had learned that the hard way, and she wasn’t about to let Bex of all the people she loved in her life to become the next lesson. “No! No, don’t apologize. I’m glad you called. And don’t worry- I know how to find her.”

There’d been a reason Nell had asked Bex if she could have some of the younger girl’s blood, saving it for occasions just like this. “I’ve got a tracking spell that’ll tell us where she is, alright?” Her mind was already beginning to fill with the worst of scenarios. Bex wouldn’t have gone off with Kyle alone, and without warning someone, right? Just because Nell’s relationship with the werewolf had improved, didn’t mean he wasn’t dangerous. “I’ll cast it- and let you know what direction it’s taking me, and then you can intercept the course.”

---

“I can’t,” Frank said, and his voice wavered in a way that he hadn’t been expecting. He swallowed and looked at Odelia firmly. “Take you back. I can’t. I can explain everything if you just let me.”

Bex didn’t like where this was going. Any of this. This was bad. This was really bad. She didn’t have any way to contact anyone. How had she done that, in the alley, with Kyle? Astral projected? Could she do that again, here? Go find Mina or Nell or Morgan or someone to come help her. But what would she say? Where would she tell them to go? She had no idea, she’d been unconscious the whole time. She had no idea where they were. Her heart rate was increasing with each suffocating thought. She was trapped. She was trapped. Frank had taken her and she didn’t know where to go or what to do and-- had she been wrong? Was he going to hurt her? Would he hurt her? She pushed herself up with a great effort and clutched her head. “Frank, I need to go back, please. We can-- we can talk when we get back, okay? I-- I’ll listen. I’ll listen if you take me back, but I’m supposed to meet Mina, and I promised her we’d go to--” and suddenly, the words settled in her stomach like a disease, and her body heaved.

“You what!?” Frank gasped, standing so suddenly the chair he’d been sitting in toppled over. “You promised her!?” He ran his hands through his hair, paced. This was bad. This was really bad. But if he took her back, it would be worse. He knew that. He couldn’t risk that. His eyes settled back on Odelia, pale and shivering on the couch now. “Fuck, Odi…”

“It’s Bex,” she exhaled through clenched teeth, “my name is Bexley.”

Frank didn’t know what to do anymore. This complicated things. If they didn’t get out of town soon, someone would come looking for them. Someone might already be. He hadn’t planned for this. He had planned for them to stay here for at least the night. Shaking his head, he paced away, palms flat against the fireplace. “Okay, okay,” he nodded to himself, “we have to go now, then. Stay here,” he commanded and strode towards the front of the cabin, glancing out the windows. It was quiet for now. He turned to look back at Ode-- Bexley-- and knew she wouldn’t get far right now if she tried to run. Once they were safe, he could explain. He just needed her to understand that right now. “I’ll be right back.”

Bex watched Frank head into the great room. She didn’t know what he had in there, but it couldn’t be good. Stiffly, she pushed herself up from the couch and stumbled over to the windows, using each piece of furniture as support as she did, knees knocking. Fuck. They were surrounded by trees. She saw his car, across the lawn, hidden by some bushes. Where were his keys? Maybe, if she could just find them, she could take his car and run. She knew she’d never outrun him on foot. But, maybe she could lose him in the trees, if she could only get a good enough head start. A plan was forming in her head.

She was going to get out of here.

---

“RIght, okay. Right.” Mina decided that this was a good time to do a few breathing exercises. She hoped they were panicking for no reason. She really, really hoped she was panicking for no reason. “Yeah, just cast it and I can meet you there. Just-- I mean, yeah. Text me where to go.” When they hung up, Mina didn’t really know what to do other than stare at her phone and wait for a text to come in. She must have looked like a fool, standing outside her car with her phone in her hand with a panicked expression on her face. But a watched phone doesn’t ring, so she decided to just wait inside the car, fiddling with the keys in her hands. Finally, the text came in, and Mina glanced at the location before starting the car and leaving campus in a way that would have probably impressed Nell before Mina realized that she needed to drive like a normal person. Everything was probably fine, and she was probably overreacting, and she didn’t need to go too fast and get pulled over for a speeding violation because really that would just make things take even longer, and she just needed to get to wherever Bex was and make sure that she was okay and be told that she was acting silly. She felt like she was acting silly.

Nell’s text led her to an alley, and Mina parked and jumped out of the car, looking for any signs of Bex as she started walking. She saw Nell, but no Bex. “Please tell me she’s just in one of the buildings, and everything’s fine, and that we’re worrying over nothing because I worry over most things, Nell, and I really, really like being told that I’m worrying for no reason. It makes me feel better about things.”

Casting the tracking spell was nearly as easy as breathing for Nell at this point with the frequency she used it. The magic was pivotal to her bounty hunting jobs, but it also came in handy for when young witches who had a penchant for getting into bad situations went missing. While she followed the spell through an alley, she looked up as she heard Mina’s car pull in- followed by the appearance of the hunter herself. Before the witch lay the little pinpricks of almost rodent-like feet, painted in Bex’s blood. The little paws looked sharper than a rat’s foot, but not nearly as large as something like a wolf’s. Maybe something in between? They were set longer apart than most animals. Something long, and rodent-like that had decent claws. The first thing to spring to her mind was a ferret, but she brushed the thought aside as quickly as it had come, not so much caring about what tracks there were at a time like this, so much as where they were leading.

“I’m still following the spell,” Nell replied in a tone that meant business, laser-focused despite the growing dread in her stomach. There’d been such a brief moment of peace. Didn’t they deserve a few days of unimpaired happiness before shit went south again? She tried to remind herself that it was most likely her old bias, and pessimism rising in her throat. But vigilance was what kept people alive. “It’ll be alright though, okay?” she tried her best to comfort, despite hounding after the ruby trail of tracks that kept appearing before her while she followed them through the alley. Along the way a glint of reflection caught her eye, and suddenly she wasn’t so rational when it came to hoping for the better. Bex’s phone. Wordlessly, she picked the cellphone up in her hand, nothing but her own reflection staring back in the dark and cracked screen after it had been carelessly tossed aside. A new shade of darkness had fallen over their search, Nell’s jaw clenching in growing wrath as she kept after her tracking spell. “Come on- we gotta move faster.” Faster before someone hurt Bex. Faster before she found Bex’s headless body in the middle of some clearing in the forest.

---

Frank came back into the room with two large bags under his arms. Bex turned away from the window and curled her arms behind her, concealing the candlestick she’d found on the table. Just one good swing, right? And she could knock him out. Make a run for it. His keys jangled on a clip on his belt loop. If only she’d been better at levitating spells, if only they’d practiced more, maybe she could remove them without even needing to be near him. If only her stomach didn’t feel like a raging ocean, and her head like a pounding storm. She looked up at him, shivering. “Wh-what are those for?”

Frank set the bags down and looked across the room to Bexley. “Put it down,” was all he said to her. The question wasn’t important. “You won’t get far with that.”

Bex stood frozen, wide eyed. How had he known? He-- was a hunter. He probably had known her whole plan from the beginning. The way he was looking at her made her skin crawl. She wanted out of here, away from him. She didn’t know what he was going to do. Where he was going to take her. If they got too far, would they disappear forever? Would she never be able to escape him? She dropped the candlestick, but stayed put, even as he held his hand out to her. “Frank, please,” she begged one last time, throat tight, “please just take me back. I don’t want to hurt you. O-or get you hurt.” Because if Nell found him, if Mina found him, if Morgan found him, they would tear him to shreds. She knew it. And despite her fear, despite how terrified she felt, she didn’t want him dead. He clearly was just confused. He needed to just talk to her.

“Please, we can just-- go back to your place and talk. Okay? I-- I can do that. I’ll listen to you, hear you out. We just-- we need to go back, Frank.”

Frank’s eyes turned sharp and he crossed the room quickly, grabbing her wrist tightly. “There’s no going back, Bexley,” he spat. “We leave now, and never come back, or things are just going to get worse for you. If you stay here, your only option is going to be going back to them-- your parents. Is that what you want? Because they’ll come for you, Bexley,” he said sharply, “they’ll come for you and they’ll destroy anyone in their path for it.” That’s what people with deals did, after all. They destroyed everything in order to keep their power, their pride, their safety. And Bexley’s parents were at the top of that chain. He’d seen them do it before. And they were doing it again. Bexley didn’t even realize it, all the damage they’d done so far. He was living proof of it.

He pulled on her arm and dragged her over to the bags, shouldering them both. “We’re leaving,” he said firmly, and left no room for argument as he pulled them both out the front door and towards the car.

---

Mina looked at the cracked phone in Nell’s hand and felt her stomach sink. She popped the boot of her car and grabbed a set of throwing knives to strap to her thigh along with a much longer, far more wicked looking knife to attach to her belt. If there was trouble, she wanted to be prepared. She was trying so hard not to panic, but it was there, hanging around in the back of her throat, nearly making her sick with it. No, no, she couldn’t do that. She had to be strong, she had to be okay. She had to shape up. She had to. Mina was trained to be calm under pressure, to be brave and collected in the face of danger. She wasn’t in danger, but someone that she cared about was, and that was all that mattered. She steeled herself. She was ready to fight, if need be. She looked over to Nell. “Do we need to walk or would it be faster for me to drive? Can you still track that way?”

Following suit, Nell made the hiding spaces her knives were easily accessible, shouldering her jacket off and throwing it into the back of Mina’s car. This way her summoning sigils would be a touch away as well, the tattoos dark against her skin. For good measure she summoned her own set of more delicate knives from the space where they sat in her room, the throwing knives momentarily glinting in the sun along with Mina’s. Normally she would have loved to take preference with the other girl when it came to their weapons, but now wasn’t the time. “If you can see the tracks from your car— driving’s fine.” It was part of the reason she’d always stuck to her motorcycle. The details of groundwork were much easier to follow while you were nearly on top of them. “But if you can’t…” There were always the hellhounds. But Mina hadn’t reacted all that well to them. “I could call Shaggy back.” Maybe her aversion wouldn’t matter in the long run. Maybe Bex’s safety would take priority as it did for Nell. Or maybe Mina simply had better vision and would be able to see from her car.

---

The air around was cooler than Bex thought it might be, on a supposedly warm spring day. Was it getting close to night? She squinted to try and see the sun through the trees, but the heavy fog seemed to have settled around the cabin obscured her vision and she shivered. She could feel it, the magic that coated this place.

The further that Frank pulled her from the cabin, the more sick she began to feel. She didn’t understand what was happening. Her body drooped like lead and Frank had to stop to pick her back up. Suddenly, another idea formed.

After he helped her stand back up again, she made a show to make herself look as if she were dizzy, getting sicker, letting her head loll around as he pulled her towards the car, a low groan in her throat. He looked back to check on her, about to ask her something, and that’s when she let her entire body go limp. Both of them tumbled to the ground, Frank crying out as he was yanked down by her. Just like she thought, he let go just in time to keep himself from landing on top of her and potentially crushing her with his own weight and the weight of the two bags. He was calling her name, fumbling with everything in his arms. She peeked one eye open and as soon as he turned around to set the bags down, she kicked a leg out into the back of his shins and watched him crumple to the ground.

She scrambled at the leaves and dirt and pulled herself up, feet already moving against the ground. Her shoes-- fucking sandals, of course-- flew off her feet as she fought to find more purchase on the wet, foggy ground. She bolted as fast as her stupid, jello legs would carry her, the heaving in her stomach fighting against her. For her. She needed to get back to Mina, that was all she knew. She had no idea which way to run, but she had to get away from Frank.

He was calling after her now, yelling. He sounded scared. He sounded mad. She didn’t care. She ran past bramble and brush and angry trees reaching down to claw at her, until her foot caught a root and she tumbled, head first, down the side of a hill. It felt like she had been falling forever, gasping for breath. When she finally came to a stop, splashed face first in a pool of mud and leaves, she stayed still and listened, panting. Was he close? Did he hear? Oh, fuck, her leg hurt. Her ankle. She looked down at it, but it was covered in mud. And so was her dress. Ruined. She felt stupid for letting that get to her as she backed up against the hill and hid under a fallen tree. Someone would come for her, right? Someone would come for her, like in the alley, with Kyle. She had to believe that. But, until then, she had to keep going. She had to get away.

Frank should’ve known this was going to happen. He should’ve known. She was too far under the fae’s spell. She would fight to get back to her. She was...lost. He scraped the tears from his eyes and continued his search. There, up ahead, a snapped branch. He followed it along to a hillside. She’d been through here. He slid down the hill easily, his natural athleticism giving him an advantage a normal human could never have. Her magic couldn’t save her here, he knew that much. If he could just get to her before the fae, then maybe he could help her. There wasn’t much time left. There were three competing forces searching for her, and he had to be the one to find her first.

---

“We don’t know where we’re going,” Mina murmured. The little tracks that they were supposed to be following were clear to see from her car, she could tell, but… if they ended up going through the woods, there would be absolutely no way for Mina to drive. Her car was not built for going off-road. She gave Nell a sharp nod. “Call-- call Shaggy,” What a strange name for a hellhound. “He should move faster, anyway.” She looked at Nell, who looked just as ready to go to war as she did, and she wondered just what they were about to get into. Something had clearly gone wrong. She didn’t know what, and she didn’t know how, but it had. She’d go to a hell dimension for Bex, though, and it was clear that Nell would, too. That made her an ideal hunting partner. It was always best to go into life or death scenarios with someone whose goal was aligned with your own, and she and Nell were on the same page: find and protect Bex, no matter what cost. “Whatever gets us to her fastest. That’s what we’re doing, okay?”

Nell nodded along with Mina’s decision, not having time to truly appreciate the flash of approval she felt rising in her chest. She knew Mina would protect Bex the same way she would. Besides- it would only make things easier to have the hellhounds already summoned in the first place if it came down to a firefight. “You’ll take Shaggy,” she began. The hellhound was large, but she’d never tried to put two people on him. “-and I’ll take Scooby.” The names sounded a little foolish in a setting such as this, but she wasn’t going to linger on them. Biting the scabbed bit of her thumb, she ran the blood that came out of it over one of her tattoos, speaking a quick word of Latin. In the next moment the two hellhounds had appeared before the pair of girls, tails wagging as they were eager to be of use. They knew they’d get a nice meaty and fleshy meal providing they did well. “Do you want help up, or do you got it?” Hellhounds didn’t exactly have the most obvious of handholds, and she wasn’t sure if Mina would need the confidence boost getting onto one. Her fingers fiddled with a knife impatiently as she waited for an answer, knowing every second wasted was another potential cut against Bex’s skin.

---

Exhaustion and sickness and mud were sticking to Bex’s skin, weighing her down. Her magic couldn’t help her here, not even Nell’s ready made spells could. The bracelet was snug on her wrist, but she knew she didn’t have the energy to perform them. Nell had been very adamant to let her know that they took her own energy, her own force, to complete the spell. And with how much her arms shook and her legs rattled, she knew she didn’t have the energy for them. She just needed to keep moving. She needed to keep going. Eventually, she’d find something, right? She’d never been in the forest alone before. Her parents had never let her even think about going into it. For good reason, she now knew. Their isolation had also been her protection. Feet slipped as she limped past a log, clutching onto the wood with muddy hands, leaving behind prints she barely even noticed. She wanted to cry, but that, too, would waste too much energy. She needed to find a road, a house, a river-- something. She hated these woods.

Frank was getting closer, he could tell. She wasn’t trying very hard to cover her tracks, but she was moving at a pace a lot faster than he’d thought she’d be able to. They were still within the confines of the spell on his father’s cabin, but if she went too much farther, she’d breach the edge and make it that much easier for others to find her. He picked up his pace, pulling out his knife, as he cut through bushes to get to her faster.

But, suddenly, the trail went cold. No footprints, no snapped branches. Either she’d gotten smart, or she was hiding somewhere nearby. The low hum of the woods sung in his ears and he closed his eyes, trying to hone in on any noise that wasn’t natural. Crunching leaves under a deer’s hooves, birds scraping talons against tree branches, wind whistling through bark and broken branches. He opened his eyes again, glanced in a circle, and he started on his way again. He would find her. And he would save her.

Bex was pressed as far up under the overhanging rock as possible. She felt water trickling down from above it and dripping on her shoulder into one of her cuts, but her hands stayed pressed against her mouth and nose, quieting her breathing. He was so close. She could hear his boots crunching on the leaves outside. Her eyes screwed shut and she inhaled, holding her breath. Seconds passed, and then more-- she needed to breath-- and then he was moving again, and his bootfalls got quieter and Bex let out the longest exhale she had in a long time. Tears finally pooled in her eyes as she leaned back against the rock.

Of all the horror that White Crest had shown her, this was the most terrified she’d ever been. Not even Kyle compared.

She sniffled and wiped her tears away, smearing mud on her cheeks, pushing away, out from under the rocks. Limped off in the opposite direction she’d heard Frank, when other footsteps-- heavier footsteps-- echoed through the trees. Her heartbeat raced again and she ducked behind a pile of dead trees, wishing with all her heart and all her soul, that she’d have the strength to keep going on.

---

“Shaggy, right.” Mina didn’t even have time to stare at the creatures with apprehension (she’d taken down hellhounds before, but never by herself, but she could see the weak spots-- she needed to stop that), just steadied herself even further. “I think I’ve got it.” It couldn’t be any more different than climbing without a harness, and she’d done that before. The hellhound was tall; she imagined it was probably like riding a bike, if the bike was giant and demonic and canine in nature. She grabbed a few tufts of fur and hauled herself up, patting the creature gently as she got settled, hoping he wouldn’t get upset with her and throw her off. This wasn’t bad, except for the fact that she would be absolutely terrified to be riding such a large creature that really was incredibly dangerous if she wasn’t so focused on what they were supposed to be doing. She could clearly see the tracks, even from the hellhounds back, and she looked over to Nell as the smaller girl climbed on her own hellhound. “You lead. I’ll be on the lookout in case… in case.”

Nell didn’t wait to see if Mina would second-guess her decisions, climbing on Scooby while she let Mina get situated. “Alright, guys- you know the drill,” she murmured to the pair of hellhounds who wasted in time following the blood trail that continued before them, hoping they’d get some blood for themselves at the end of it. Nell went first with Scooby, Shaggy hot on his brother’s heels as the overgrown dogs picked up the trail. Soon enough ferret footprints turned into tire marks, leading along the road until it led into the outskirts. The tire marks were enough to quell any of Nell’s Kyle-related concerns. If he’d hurt Bex it would have been wolf prints she’d be following. No— this reeked of a human crime. Or at least someone that would drive a getaway car. Heart in her throat, Nell reminded herself that Miriam was retired. Killing Bex wasn’t on the bitch’s list anymore...right? Right? Fuck- they needed to find Bex now.

The hellhounds paused for a moment at the edge of the road, the tracking spell disappearing into nothingness where the road forked. Something was keeping her magic from finishing its job, but thankfully she had something better now. Swiping a bit of Bex’s leftover blood from her vial, she held it to Scooby’s nose, letting him take a long whiff before the hound was off again. They were getting closer. Nell could feel it, almost as if she could feel Bex calling out to her. If only she could tell Bex that they were coming. To just hold on for a little longer, and let them get there.

---

If she closed her eyes and listened closely, she could hear two sets of heavy footsteps. Bex didn’t know what that meant. Did he have friends? Were they out here looking for her, too? Or was it just something else? Something else that the terrible forests of White Crest had conjured? Maybe, if she was lucky, they could run into Frank, first, and distract him. She hated that she was hoping for him to get mauled by whatever animals were stalking through this forest, but it was better him than her, right? Her chest was still heaving and her foot was in so much pain. But she needed to keep moving. She needed to keep going.

Adrenaline rushed through her veins and she pulled herself back up once the footsteps passed, crawling on her hands and knees for a moment. Wherever she was, it didn’t look any different from everywhere else she’d been. She was nearly ready to just collapse and give up. She was so tired of fighting and running. Her arms were shaking, her legs felt like chains dragging behind her, her head was throbbing, and if she’d actually eaten anything that day she was sure it would’ve been on the forest floor by now, laying in a pool with dead leaves and dried sticks and thick mud. She dug her hands in and put her forehead to the ground, muffling the sound of her sob as she let one slip out. But she couldn’t give up now, she just couldn’t. She would keep going because she had people to fight to get back to now.

And then, like a beacon through the haze, a voice. A familiar voice. A voice she’d been so longing to hear, she wondered if she might be hearing things.

“Mina…?” her own voice was small, strangled. Still afraid Frank was nearby, and that he might hear. But, no, it came again. And there was another. “Nell…?” A little louder this time. She clawed her way up using a nearby fallen tree for support. She drew in all her energy, all her breath. “Mina!?” she croaked, and heard it echo through the trees, and hoped it really was her. “Mina, I’m over--”

Frank had gotten to higher ground, having climbed a tree, surveying the lands. They had hunting pads up in most of the bigger trees around, him and his father had put most of them up while he was still just a boy. He remembered sitting in them for hours, watching creatures go by. Learning how to shoot them from afar, or drop in on them from above.

This time, he was not looking for prey, even if it felt like he was. She was running from him, and if he didn’t get to her first, this forest might. Or her parents, or that fae.

He spotted her, crawling out from under an overhang. He went to jump down when he, too, heard the footfalls of creatures. Large and hulking, running fast. Beasts. He leapt from his post to a nearby tree, moving effortlessly through it, on to the next. He was not a large man, more lean and dexterous than most other hunters. But wardens needed speed, they needed agility, over raw brute strength, and his family prized him for his.

He dropped down right behind her, scooped her up, and threw a hand over her mouth. She struggled uselessly.

It was too late, the beasts-- and rider’s atop-- had found them.

The iron knife in his hand burned. He knew what he had to do.

#chatzy #wickedswriting #chatzy: mina #chatzy: nell #promise to bind #drug manipulation tw #domestic abuse tw #sibling death tw #:----------)#just a very nice sweet soft chatzy for the afternoon #nell #mina #frank

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mor-beck-more-problems · 3 years

Text

A Taste of Fae and Croquet || Morgan & Deirdre

TIMING: the recent past

PARTIES: @deathduty & @mor-beck-more-problems

SUMMARY: An innocent game in the yard is crashed by a Stymphalian bird. The world cannot always be kind.

CONTAINS: animal death, soft gays

“The last croquet game I remember seeing was in Alice in Wonderland. And I felt so bad for the flamingos, with their heads bashed into the balls every turn, all those cartoon stars over their heads and how much they fought Alice because they didn’t want to play. I never wanted to look into the real thing because it looked so mean. But this is nice!” Morgan beamed at Deirdre across the lawn. She poised her foot over her ball, nestled adorably next to Deirdre’s, and took a big swing. Deirdre’s ball flew, bounced off the fence, and rolled somewhere back to one of the starting arches. With the extra swings she’d earned, Morgan got her ball into one more wicket and in good position to take the last two later. Smug, she skipped over to her girlfriend and gave her the requisite kiss Deirdre had insisted was customary when fae played the game.

“You aren’t making up the rules to go easy on me, are you?” She purred. “Because you should know by now, I like it when you give me a hard time just as much as I like to make you squirm.”

Deirdre laughed, both into the kiss and after, head tilted to the sky. “I am trying to give you a hard time, my love.” She grinned, staring at her purple ball in the grass. When she played the game with Maeve, she’d always won. And when she played with humans, she was more concerned about trying to hit the balls into as many of their heads as she could than she was with winning. Though Deirdre enjoyed winning as much as she did breathing, she was having fun with her loss now. It must have been something to do with the kisses, which she insisted occurred every time a ball passed through a wicket, or the fact that it was Morgan. “Besides, I don’t think there’s much else to the rules than ‘hit the ball through the wicket’ and then something else about bonus shots.”

She waved a hand in the air, uncaring for the propriety of croquet. There must have been a rule or something about making sure the ball stayed on the ground, but it was far more fun to send it sailing through the air, which she did. “Mind your head!” It went up and away and crashing into the wicket closest to Morgan. Deirdre jogged up to survey her work. “That counts, right?” she pointed at the wicket, bent out of shape and ripped from the ground, “I make the rules and I say that counts for two billion points, actually. Oh, and also—“ She leaned across, pressing her lips to Morgan’s. “—I just remembered actually you’re supposed to give these every time you hit a ball. Very important; can’t play the game without it.” She looked back down at their make-shift croquet field. “Oh, my love, you’re at the turning point now. You’re supposed to do something with that stake there...hit it, I suppose? And then start going back.” Deirdre took a look at her own ball, and her own standing in the game; she couldn’t remember what wickets she went through, and which she still needed to, and what order it was she was supposed to follow. Deirdre slung her purple mallet over her shoulder, maybe croquet just wasn’t the game for her.

Morgan jumped back to duck the flying ball. She wasn’t sure how Deirdre did it, and wondered if there was something innate in fae that made them do things as chaotically as possible. Clumsy with happiness, Morgan took a swing at the stake with her mallet, leaving her ball right in the choice place where it was. “You mean like this?” She teased. “And that means you kiss me again, right? I feel like there was something you said earlier about having to give affection for other swings.” Deirdre had said no such thing, but with balls flying and wickets getting crushed, Morgan could tell that naming a winner wasn’t going to be a very important part of the day. She pulled her girlfriend close and kissed her neck, teasing her in the places that usually made her squeal. Then, flexing her body to its best advantage, she took her swing and guided her ball perfectly on course.

She backed away to steer clear of her girlfriend’s next shot when a shadow flew overhead. She shielded her eyes from the glare of the sun and pointed. “Is that a gull? Aren’t they supposed to migrate?”

Deirdre hummed, delighted under the feeling of Morgan’s lips against her skin. A sound which quickly bubbled into laughter. “You’re distracting me from winning!” Not that she was winning, of course, but that was the joke. Deirdre sighed, pleased, and readied herself for her swing. “No, that’s a heron, my love. It’s got the long neck thing going on, and it’s far too big to be a gull,” she commented casually, sparing only a short glance up. She had a game to lose, and birds were of no concern to her. As the shadow grew larger and larger, Deirdre in turn became more irritated. It was hard to align her shot in the dark, and she grumbled as she adjusted herself. “You know those things are almost as tall as you.” She wound back, mallet swung far behind her. “On account of your being short and all. There were a couple of them in Ireland, but I’ve never met one that didn’t want to—” She swung her mallet forward, waiting for the collision of wood to plastic. When it never came, she stumbled back, staring wide-eyed at a mallet missing its head. At the end of the handle now was a steaming goop, falling off the wood in thick droplets, leaving nothing in its wake. She stared at the ground, steaming holes where perfect grass once reigned.

“—eat me.” Deirdre blinked, throwing the mallet aside. For all her lack of concern for birds, she didn’t notice that the heron had landed or that it had spread its wings wide. Nor that it had flapped its wings, setting free a volley of feathers, whistling through the air. If she’d cared a little more about birds, she might have remembered something about iron. Instead she stood there, waiting for her brain to catch up with her environment.

Morgan couldn’t stop staring at the mallet. There was supposed to be a hammer head at the end of it. A few seconds ago, it had been there. She’d seen it. It was the purple stripe one because it almost looked like Deirdre’s favorite shade of plum and purple went first. But the head was gone. Not broken, just gone. Something Morgan didn’t know the words for was dripping from the ends and this wasn’t part of the game, this wasn’t part of anything that made sense. Dimly, she heard Deirdre say something that sounded an awful lot like eat me, but Morgan couldn’t find the words to the question she wanted to ask about it. Her eyes had finally caught sight of the heron, red and bronze and so much bigger than any bird had a right to be. It opened its beak to squawk, bright and sharp. Was it yelling at them? Was this just how giant scary birds said hello?

The heron flapped its wings and rose over their heads, squawking again. Its feathers spread and then they were flying, red and purple and shining. Morgan raised her arms to shield her face and whimpered at the pattering sound they made as they went through her skin. The heron swooped down to peck them both and flew up again, circling with menace. And then, Morgan finally found her voice. “What the fuck? What do you mean eat you?”

Deirdre hissed in pain, erupting in quivering gasps just a moment later. Feathers stained red with Deirdre’s blood stuck out of the ground, leaving bubbling slashes where they’d hit her. She’d done what she could to protect her face and neck, but the only thing she could think to use was the rest of her body. She trembled, faltering, moving just in time to evade another feather. Her body was on fire. Deirdre opened her mouth to explain before she was caught by another whimper of pain. “This!” She hissed, gesturing to her red, blistering body, “this is what I mean!” Trembling, she could do nothing but wobble where she stood, finding a measure of fear in looking up and risking a feather finding her throat. And of all the fae to try and eat, Deirdre knew there was some amount of pride in knowing she was the worst kind, and some peace knowing Mina wasn’t around. “T-th-they–“ Deirdre watched as her hands dripped blood to the ground, pieces of her robe hanging loose around her. For a moment, she lifted her head up and let free a small shriek, just enough to send the heron tumbling to the ground. The rest, she wasn’t sure she could manage between the spasms of disorienting pain. “Y-you–“ Her footing slipped and she bumped into Morgan’s side. “They eat–they–” An explanation refused to find a home on Deirdre’s trembling voice. Her mother had trained her to withstand the sting of iron, but not so much at once, not in so many places, not while she was happy. “M-Morgan,” she pleaded, though for what, she wasn’t sure. “Morgan.”

The heron righted itself, angrier and hungrier than it had even been. Deirdre was panting at Morgan’s side, head lowered. If only she could have a second, if only she could have a moment. The cuts on Morgan, marked by where they tore into her sweater, were healed already. Deirdre smiled warmly at them. “Don’t...let it get your head…” She glanced at the heron; at best, the fall had injured its wing, at worst, it’d only served to make it more determined. She didn’t have the time to figure out what both of those things might mean.

“Deirdre!” Morgan caught her banshee in her arms, gaping at the blood and burns that streaked down her body. “I’ve got you. But, what do we do? How do we distract it or stop it or--fuck!” Her words curled off in a shriek as the heron dove for its prey again. Morgan threw them to the ground, covering Deirdre’s body and curling around her, but that didn’t stop the bird from releasing another rain of feathers and snapping at Morgan’s back in frustration. “Me! What about you? I’m just in the way, it doesn’t want--!” This time when the bird dove, it pulled at her hair, trying to pry her off Deirdre. Morgan gasped, trying to keep still, but it was trying again, pulling and pecking at her scalp and neck. Her head snapped up and for one awful, dizzying second she could see the bird’s talons, the iron glinting in the feathers, the single-minded determination in its dark eyes.

Morgan panicked, this time into action. She shoved Deirdre the last few feet across the lawn and into the pool. Then she flattened herself on the ground and covered her head, praying she’d find a way to dive in too before she was bashed into fertilizer.

The burning ceased, by miracle, it seemed. Her body was submerged in cold where it belonged. Deirdre opened her mouth to share the good news with her girlfriend, but the burning shifted suddenly to her lungs. Where there should have been air, there was water. She floundered, panicked, trapped in memories of her mother’s hand on the back of her neck. She kicked up and gasped when she reached the surface. Deirdre shook her head, wiping water away from her face. “Morgan!” She called out, surveying the scene. “Morg–“ Deirdre laid her hands on the pool’s edge, determined to climb out and help, but wherever she found hold, her grip quickly slipped. There was something to be said about water in freezing temperatures. “Morgan!” She tried again, slashing her hand on the cement. “My love–“ The bird turned to her, another volley of feathers for her pleasure alone. Deirdre sucked in breath and dove down, watching feathers cut harmlessly through the water. When she re-emerged, a plan became far more clear to her. “Morgan! Morgan, I can scream! I just need–“ She dove again, kicking back to the surface. “I just need it to not be–I can’t aim like this! Morgan–“ She dove again, this time swimming around in quick laps. It occurred to her then that heron weren’t birds that were shy of water, in fact, they excelled in it. What seemed like a good plan, might have served to make her a much more delightful target. Deirdre refused fear. Morgan was more than capable. Morgan would figure it out. The heron wouldn’t be a match for a woman that had come back from death.

Morgan would have rather the bird peck her down to stumps than sting Deirdre with another feather. That wasn’t good, or helpful, but in the awful silence when the heron stopped pecking and snapping at her body and swooped over the water for Deirdre, it was the only thing she knew. Not her. Anything but her.

“No!” She croaked, scrambling forwards to the pool. She tried to get her love’s hands, to make out the words and process anything but the one useless thought circling her head. Not her, anything but her, anything but her…

Scream. Right. She just needed to buy Deirdre time without being in brain liquifying distance. Morgan searched the ground nearby. Not much, but she hadn’t known that today would entail fighting for their lives. The heron swooped down to the water again, its beak skating the surface, searching for the right place to take aim.

“Hey!” Morgan shouted. The heron took no notice. She scrambled to the other side of the pool and lifted one of the rocks they’d put in to make the pool feel like more of a lake for Mina. She hefted it in her arms and threw it as hard as she could at the bird. The heron squaked and flapped into the air, dodging the blow. Now recognizing a persistent obstacle, it narrowed its eyes and shot out for her. But Morgan had already reached for her second weapon, her croquet mallet, and when the heron was close enough, she swung.

There was no mistaking the thunk of wood against bird-flesh, but the bird didn’t act phased. Instead it turned, plumes flared furious, and went again. Morgan swung and gasped as the bronze beak burned across her vision as it splintered the mallet in its grip. “Shit.” The heron flew back, circled, and there was nothing else at hand. She ran feet first into the pool and let herself sink as it came for her. They had seconds, at most, before it would start fishing the water for them. Morgan would think of something clever, a way to stay just out of reach of the sound, a way to put her panicked thoughts to good use. Sooner or later it would come to her. It had to.

As far as screaming went, it was a hard thing to do when flailing in the water. Deirdre laughed when she thought of how her mother hadn’t prepared her for this circumstance; the woman seemed to have thought of everything and yet, she’d never once been stoned by a mob of humans but she was in a pool trying to scream. When her wounds had become a manageable burn, she swung her arms over the pool’s edge, trying to get her angle. The heron flew wildly as it tried to fight Morgan, and as skilled as Deirdre knew she was, she couldn't manage a clean shot. There was the delay to account for, for one thing, and the worry of Morgan, for another. When she thought she had it, Morgan was running towards the pool, and before Deirdre could ask, she was jumping in. “Nice hit with the mallet,” she smiled, water splashing into her face. “Very good form. Have you done this before?” Concern did not exist in Deirdre’s features; a by-product of personality or upbringing or desire to soothe Morgan, perhaps. All that mattered to Deirdre now was the presence of her love beside her, and that the heron was over there. Deirdre swam up to Morgan, grinning even as the heron pecked at the edge of the water. “Do you come here often or…?”

The heron squawked, a deep gurgle of a sound; large wings spread wide and angry. It squawked again, pecking viciously where Morgan and Deirdre were just out of a beak’s range. And perhaps it was the fae in her, all along, that gave her such delight to see the creature struggle where she knew its life was over. And to prolong its death was just a treat, for her. It lifted one long, thin and spindly webbed foot into the air, squawked one last time, and released a final assault of feathers. Deirdre dove in time, pulling Morgan down with her, and in the blue water tainted by plumes of her red blood, surrounded by iron feathers leaving bubbles in their trails, she mouthed ‘you did good’ and ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’ and then she winked. Deirdre kicked up and screamed, finally, watching the heron fall over like a lawn ornament in the wind, as though it had never been yelling and fighting. As though it had never lived at all, and certainly not as though it had once tried to kill them. The creature lay unconscious, not dead, and perhaps it was the fae in her that delighted in the promise of something more to be done.

Or, perhaps rather, despite her grinning and winking, her body burned even in the cool water, and rejected being pushed to scream any harder. Or, in spite of her calm appearance, her heart thrummed loud against her chest, and her mind swirled with terror for what screaming in water did to a zombie’s brain. The creature lay unconscious, not dead, because Deirdre feared to do more. She turned to Morgan, weathered and body-heavy; in truth, she might’ve liked to just sleep and let the pool carry her like a leaf in a river to a place that didn’t know the cycles of predator and prey. Perhaps it was the woman in her, the person, that closed her eyes and imagined just that.

Morgan could only stare wildly at her girlfriend as she mouthed her affection, grinning with wicked delight as only she could. Morgan couldn’t remember being more in awe of her, or more frightened of the loss of her. The only words in her head were no, be careful, and don’t go. What if the bird was faster? What if it took her neck in its beak? What if--but Morgan knew better than to say these things, or to imagine anything at all. She clung to the lilly reeds to keep herself down to keep herself from pulling Deirdre back and waited.

She didn’t have to wait for long.

The sound shook the water and struck through the depths, keening in fury, in pride. Distorted as it was by the water, the scream still shook something inside Morgan. When it was done, she rose slowly, half dazed, half frightened. “Deirdre?” She called. Her love was floating off into the cattails. The heron was on the ground, suspiciously in one piece.

“Hey--” She swam with her into the shallows and cupped her cheek. “Are you okay? Did it get you again?” She couldn’t tell one set of burns apart from another, and there were so many all over her. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come up with anything better. I kind of panicked. But we can get you dried off and inside, and I’ll get the burn salve and take care of everything…”

Later, when the memory of this day broke past her defenses and replayed itself in her mind, Morgan would not be able to tell if she trailed off because she heard the heron’s wheezing breath, or if her own innate sense of having come up short signaled that something was amiss, or if she simply ran out of things to say, and finally had enough quiet to hear. It trembled through the air, unmistakable, and Morgan stared at the bird’s chest with each shallow, rattling sound.

It was still alive.

“It’s going to wake up eventually, isn’t it?” She whispered, already knowing the answer. Of course it was. And when it did, it would release more feathers, or it would fly away to eat another fae. And what if it found Mina on campus? What if it found Jared on his farm? Morgan stared at the bird, trying to peek into another world where suffering only existed in nightmares, where life thrived in peace. Some place where no creature was put forth to be a menace, to be something that could only take or be taken. But if that place existed, she could not see it; it was not here. And what kind of an idiot was she to think otherwise? Who knew better about the turn of the wheel of life than a cursed witch? Who knew more about the grip of death than a zombie?

“You should get out of the pool before any of the feathers touch you,” she said, climbing up the steps.

She crossed over to the croquet set and picked up one of the mallets from the stand and dragged it over to the heron’s body. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I can’t let you hurt my friends and I’m sorry.” It felt like a long time before she could summon the will to swing the mallet, but when she did, fissures lightninged up the handle and the heron’s skull cracked beneath its poisoned feathers. Morgan swung again.

It was a lake; shielded by thick forest, surrounded by ribbons of wildflowers. The stalks of cattails brushed Deirdre’s skin, balm to the burning that claimed her flesh. It must have been the countryside, the house in her head. It must have existed somewhere where the world would not touch them without permission. It was a lake, and when she opened her eyes, it was Morgan’s glistening face under the light of morning, where the fog that claimed the water had just begun to lift. There must have been a picnic set about in the grass; a book for them to come back to. And a house, cozy but not tiny; she liked to imagine it with red brick. “Did it get you again?” Deirdre blinked; nothing could get them here, didn’t Morgan know? She reached to brush wet strands of Morgan’s hair aside. That would puff out when it dried, surely. In their swampy lake, away from the world. Morgan apologized and Deirdre shook her head, smiling gently as the sun rose behind her. “You’re perfect.” It was a lake. Then it was a pool in the afternoon; their picnic was a croquet game, ruined. Their house was a clean white, and bigger than either of them knew what to do with. Her body was on fire. There was a Stymphalian bird.

Deirdre moved slowly, half in pain and half in mourning for a dream spurred by the fervor of pain. She hadn’t noticed the feathers at all until it occurred to her that the strange tickling cattails were too low to the water, and didn’t tickle so much as they burned--which only felt like tickling against the rest of the burning. Their lake--pool--was covered by an array of them, all having floated to the surface. She rose out of the water, picking a few out of her flesh; there was no imagining them as the hooked burs of her dream wildflowers now. Deirdre dripped blood and water where she moved. It was Morgan’s swinging that woke her up, just as it insured that the bird would never.

“Morgan--” Deirdre rushed to her side, hands on her shoulders; hands at her arms; hands clutching hers, mallet held still and fractured. By the time she got there, the bird was paste on the ground, like roadkill without the road. “You could have ate that.” She said, looking at it. Well, it wasn’t so soiled, maybe it was more like tenderized meat now, and Morgan did enjoy those gummy textures. “Hey,” her voice softened as she pulled the cracked mallet from Morgan’s grip. “It’s okay, my love. It’s okay. What are you thinking?”

Morgan’s thoughts didn’t come in words, at first. Looking down at the bird, beautifully colored but lean in the chest, maybe malnourished, she could only see the unfairness. When her dad had explained that the universe wasn’t all one thing or another, it sounded like there was something soft or gentle in everything. The wasps that frightened her helped the flowers to grow, the lightning that reminded her of her mother’s yelling improved the atmosphere, the people who were cruel to her sometimes turned kind. She had put that thought away sometimes, when it made her stomach clench with guilt, but she had wanted to believe in it. But looking at this dead, beaten heron, she felt as though there were threads in the universe that were just cruel and when you tripped on them, you had no recourse but to touch some of that cruelty too.

“It only knew how to hurt people,” Morgan whispered. “Hurt fae. Even if I tied it in a sheet and dumped it at the town border, it was just going to eat another fae. And if it came back and hurt you…” She didn’t dare finish the thought and trusted her love to hold the missing piece. “I can take it to my studio to get the rest of the feathers out, so we can do something with the rest, so it doesn’t go to waste. And I’ll...c-clean the pool, before Mina gets back. I don’t want her to…” Morgan’s voice choked on the sorrow she was trying to drown with reason. “I’ve got this. I can take care of the rest.” Her throat filled with water and a sob cracked through her lips. “I just hate this world sometimes. I hate how we can’t just leave each other alone. I hate some of these choices…” She searched for Deirdre’s hand and gripped it tight. Hate them as she might, she didn’t regret any choice that protected Deirdre. She didn’t know if that was best of all or worst, but she knew it was true.

“Oh, my love,” Deirdre held Morgan close, pulling her tight against her body. The truths of her world were known to her since birth, tales of the food chain were her mother’s idea of a bedtime story. “It’s just an animal, my love. It doesn’t know malice, or prejudice. It doesn’t hurt fae, it doesn’t know what a ‘fae’ is. There’s food and not-food and it can’t help what it was made to eat. Just as you know that it must…” Deirdre trailed off, remembering covers pulled up to her nose, questions she knew better than to voice as her mother held firm in her stories. The little bird ate the grasshopper, the snake ate the bird, an owl swooped down. Life was cyclical, and none immune to death. Deirdre shook her head, and laughed softly at herself. How many times had she heard and parroted the sentiment, how many times had she lived shackled by it? She didn’t care much for things and their places; she wanted Morgan and a lake, in the place where life could be more than its cycles. Deirdre pressed her lips to Morgan’s cheek once, then twice and a third as she held her head to her chest. “Thank you,” she said finally, “for keeping me and my people safe, even though it was hard. Thank you.”

She pressed another kiss to Morgan as she leaned down, using her blood for some good to write a message on the stone. ‘DON’T GO IN THE POOL’. Mina would recognize the bird and know better anyway, whenever she came home. Deirdre rose and kissed Morgan again, and again, trailing to her lips, where she lingered. “Just leave it now, it’s not going anywhere,” she said against them, breath tickling cold flesh. “Don’t you want to come inside with me now? Into our good world? You did what you had to, and that’s okay, come inside with me now. Rest.” She smiled, “and we can handle the rest later. Doesn’t that sound better?” Deirdre pressed closer, determined in her coaxing. “The world is unfair, isn’t it? It’s terrible and chaotic and filled with horrible, complicated choices.” She leaned in. “But it’s also the most wonderful thing, when I get to hold you. When we’re together.” She kissed her, firm and steady. “Let’s go in, my love,” Deirdre breathed, “tell me all about how much you hate the world, sometimes. How much it hurts to make the necessary choices. And love me, let me love you, and let us feel how good the world is too. How good these choices are. Come--” She pulled back, taking Morgan’s hands in hers. “We can experience the world as it is, bad and good; terrible present and hopeful future. And whatever it is you need to do, you can do later, when it all starts to feel a little easier to carry. Come inside, my love. Come with me.”

The heron’s ignorance didn’t make anything better, Morgan wanted to say. That only made the creature innocent and unteachable. It hadn’t been doing anything wrong. And how often did Morgan insist that you shouldn’t judge the way someone was made, the way they needed to survive? The heron’s mistake was flying over Morgan’s yard, in trying to devour Deirdre in front of her. If animals were worth screaming for, that moment must have sealed its fate. How could she do anything less to protect her love? How could she pass on that pain to another fae, knowing what they meant to each other, knowing the grief that would follow?

Morgan shut her eyes and squeezed out the tears that had gathered beneath her lashes. She wrapped her arms around Deirdre and pressed her face as hard as she could into her chest, not minding how it made her feet stumble on the grass and the porch steps. Like this, pressed close with her face mashed in, she could capture the softest whiff of Deirdre’s scent, sweet fruit and musky trees. Like this, the wood and tile beneath her feet transformed into the soft, giving earth of a dream, the sounds of distant cars became the song of a tide that burbled with good memories and longing wishes.

She burrowed into that place they’d first imagined in their letters between wet kisses and long silences. She had thought it abandoned, since she had almost no reason to think about it these days, but under a blanket, cradling herself against her love, she found her way to that shore as if summoned. She saw fear slip through their fingers like silt and sorrow drip away in the lake. Death had no sting and love and love alone colored their sky. Outside, in the true world, the sun sank, the snow melted, and the dead heron’s feathers flitted up and scattered like autumn leaves. But Morgan held fast to her love and stayed in their painless world as long as she could.

#wr deirdre #wr chatzy #wr deirdre chatzy #a taste of fae and croquet

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yikesimonfire · 3 years

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Howdy Neighbor || Alfie & Bex

Timing: Before the events of Promise to Bind. Location: Hallway of Alfie’s apartment complex. Parties: @inbextween & @yikesimonfire Summary: Bex drops by Eddie’s apartment with a gift; Alfie isn’t sure what he thinks of her. Content: internalized homophobia tw

It wasn’t necessary, but Bex liked doing nice things for her friends, and so she’d made Eddie a bone crown while she’d hyperfocused on making things yesterday. She’d had so much energy the past few days, due mostly in part to Mina, and well-- the stuff that had happened between them. Sometimes, she couldn’t stop smiling about it. Sometimes, it made her face hurt. The crown was littered with dried, pressed flowers that were sealed with preserve to keep them from crumbling apart, and she’d dusted off some of the small antlers Morgan had in the workshop-- way too small to even be baby deer antlers, so Bex really had to wonder what they might be from. They looked almost rabbit size-- and arranged them in a fashion she thought might suit Eddie. The coyote jaw bones really brought the piece together, as well. She hoped he’d appreciate the celebration of death in it. She figured he might, considering he saw ghosts and lived his life with them. But when she knocked, no one answered. Hmm, maybe she should’ve messaged him first. That probably would’ve been the smart idea, but she’d sort of wanted to surprise him. She wondered where he might be, as she peered into the front window. All the lights were off, which meant no one was home, probably. She pulled out her phone to text him when she noticed someone outside the apartment next to Eddie’s. “Oh, um hello!” she called out, waving. She didn’t recognize them, but then again, Bex didn’t know a lot of people around town. “I was just dropping something off! Do you know Eddie?”

It wasn’t uncommon that Alfie saw people he didn’t know lingering around the apartment complex. In fact, he didn’t know many people that lived there — even fewer by name. So when he got upstairs, mail in hand, he didn’t think anything of the young woman standing outside of Eddie’s door. As he reached for his keys, he ducked his head to avoid any unnecessary eye-contact. Soon enough, he’d have the door unlocked and he’d be safe. But then, in an unusually friendly voice, she called out to him. The sound of her voice made him involuntarily jerk (and almost drop his keys), but he managed a glance in her direction with a polite, but thin-lipped smile. “Hi,” he curtly replied. The question that followed, however, caused his brow to raise.

“Eddie? Uh — yeah. Yeah, I know Eddie.” Knew him better than most, or at least that’s what Alfie liked to believe. But that was neither here nor there. “I think he’s out, actually. Can’t exactly say when he’ll be back.” Obviously he was out, it probably didn’t take Alfie’s saying so for the stranger to figure that out. She wouldn’t have been standing outside if Eddie were home. Still, while Alfie fiddled with his key, edging it closer to the lock, he figured his friend would probably appreciate him being courteous. “Didyouneedanything?” The words sputtered out in an incoherent mess. “Or, uh… Is there anything I can do to help? He — he’ll probably be back soon.” He figured the polite thing to do was at least offer to wait with her (Eddie would like that, right?) but thought it inappropriate to mention.

Bex didn’t really notice the anxious behavior as she fussed with the phone and the crown in her hands, trying not to drop either one of them. At least her clumsiness had never extended to her hands. She managed to type out a text before the other boy mumbled something so quickly she didn’t quite understand it. “Oh! Oh, that’s-- kind of you to offer,” she said, looking down at her phone as it buzzed. An immediate answer, of course. He wasn’t going to be home for a bit, and she had stuff to do. Mina was expecting her back in a bit, as well. “Um, actually, yeah,” she said, pocketing her phone and looking back over at the other boy. He was quite a bit taller than her, even in her heels, and it wasn’t often she met someone who achieved that. She glanced back at Eddie’s door, before turning back to the other boy. “Would you mind giving this to him when he gets back? I would stay, but I have to be somewhere, and, well, I don’t really trust just leaving it on the doorstep, you know? I made it for him myself and I’d really like it if he actually, you know, got it.” She paused. “Not that I think anyone would steal it or anything! Or, well, I guess I sort of do, otherwise I’d be okay leaving it, but I’m more worried about it getting broken.” As nervous as Bex could be, she was used to talking to strangers and asking things of them. At least her parents had taught her one useful thing.

She made it for him herself? Alfie stood there, dumbfounded for a moment before giving her a small nod. “Yeah, yeah. ‘Course I can!” The hand holding his keys dropped to his side as he shifted towards her, his arm prematurely extended for a swift transfer. In the process, he noticed his shoulders were slouched and straightened up his back a bit — careful not to stand too tall and risk intimidating her. “Trust me, I get it. It’s a sketchy place. There’s no telling what might happen to it before Ed — Eddie gets back. ‘Sides, we wouldn’t want it falling into the wrong hands.” A forced chuckle followed which Alfie immediately regretted. “That… sounds like I’m saying it’s dangerous or something. I just mean, y’know… Things happen around here and, who knows — it’d probably be fine, but better safe than sorry.” His lips pursed together as he studied her face, trying to remember if he’d seen her anywhere; in any pictures Eddie had shown him, or even just from around town. Nothing. Was this just a thing now? Eddie having people over to bring him handmade gifts? “Will he be expecting it, or should I mention who it’s from?” he wondered. He figured that Eddie would be expecting it if she considered leaving it, but he also hoped that putting a name to her face might jog his memory.

“Oh, thank-- I appreciate that!” Bex said, catching herself quickly. It was still such an easy habit to fall into, saying thank you, without knowing what someone was. She thought of all the times she’d said thank you to Professor Campbell and hoped he wasn’t a fae. “Oh, yeah, yes! Better safe than sorry! I mean, this place doesn’t look too sketchy, and when I was over helping him edit some videos the other day, it seemed like a nice place! I think there’s definitely much sketchier places in White Crest,” she rambled. Oh, she was rambling again. She always did that when she was nervous. She smiled to cut herself off and held out the crown for him. “Do you know Eddie well?” she asked, when she noticed the slip in name. If he called him Ed, they were probably good friends, right? Usually people who were close gave each other nicknames. “Uh, no, I don’t think he’s expecting it. I just-- decided to make one and thought of him while I was doing it, so,” the sentence cut short as she shrugged. She wasn’t really sure why she’d made it for him, only that she wanted to do something nice for him, after everything he’d done for her. “You can tell him it’s from Bex,” she tacked on finally, looking back at the other boy with a half smile.

Helping him edit videos? Alfie never helped Eddie edit videos. Granted, that was probably because he never showed any interest in helping him. “Oh, yeah,” Alfie forced another laugh. “He keeps it surprisingly free of dog hair, considering.” He wasn’t sure what to say to that. Hell, he wasn’t even sure how he felt about that. Eddie was allowed to have other friends; it shouldn’t have bothered him. So why did it? “We’re pretty close, yeah.” At this point, Alfie didn’t even know if that was true. No — that was ridiculous. Of course they were close. Eddie was his best friend, after all.

As soon as the stranger introduced herself, things started making a little more sense. “Oh, Bex! From the — the exorcismyay,” Alfie’s voice dropped to a near whisper when he said “exorcism”. He remembered Eddie mentioning her now; how a filming adventure went awry. As it seemed, these excursions of his were just as dangerous as ever. “I realize now that’s still the same word in Pig Latin,” he tittered, a genuine smile crinkling at the corners of his eyes. The nagging in the pit of his stomach was quickly dissipating. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Bex, and it’s sweet that you wanted Eddie to have this. I’m sure he’ll love it. I’m Alfie, by the way. Alfie Ramirez.” Why did he just tell her his full name? Should he shake her hand now? Was that the right thing to do? Without thinking, Alfie dropped his keys to offer Bex his other hand. “I’d hate to keep you,” he added as an afterthought. “I know you’ve got somewhere to be.”

“Hey, well, Bucket is a queen and she deserves the world. I wouldn’t mind dog hair all over me if it was hers,” Bex chuckled, giving Alfie a better smile this time. He was a nice guy, and, so far, Bex really liked him. Especially if he was friends with Eddie. She didn’t think Eddie would be friends with anyone that wasn’t at least a little like him. “Oh, have you known him long, then? He said he grew up here, and he’s one of those people who seems to love this town. I think it’s cute, don’t you? How much he seems to like this place. It’s...refreshing.” She wasn’t sure why she’d said all that, but she supposed it was the truth, so what did it matter? And if this was Eddie’s friend, then, maybe she wanted to connect with him, too. Maybe she wanted to show Eddie that she had a genuine interest in his life. He made her feel welcome, after all. And safe. She had broken down in front of him and made him see her horrific nightmare and he’d still offered to drive her home and then also be her friend. He deserved a lot more than a bone crown and a date rejection.

“Oh! Yes! That! That was fun! I was so excited he asked me to come with him. I’ve never seen a ghost before. Or, well, I still technically haven’t, but I’ve seen what they can do! And stuff like that! And it was-- kind of amazing? Did you know there’s different kinds?” She straightened up, laughing a little. “Sorry, I um-- kind of get carried away when i get excited. It’s nice to meet you, Alfie!” she stuck out her hand and took his, watching his keys drop to the ground. “Oh! You’re not keeping me! I mean, I do have someplace to be in a bit, but not right away! Eddie just said he wouldn’t be home for a while--” she shook her phone at him in a gesture of ‘he texted me’ before dropping it, “--so I just don’t have time to wait for him to come back.”

There was a dull throb in Alfie’s chest the moment Bex referred to Eddie as “cute”. For years now, he’d been telling himself not to think like that — and for years, he’d failed. His friend and neighbor would forever be unattainable. It was fine; Alfie accepted that Eddie would only ever be his friend. But that didn’t mean that it wasn’t difficult every now and then. How could he pretend that his feelings were strictly platonic when Eddie’s laugh made his heat soar? Or when he stood there, one hand on his hip, and the other forcing his mess of hair in every which way? Eddie was cute — painfully so — but hearing that someone else thought it too seemed… unfair? Almost. With any luck, Bex said that sort of thing about all of her friends; it couldn’t be exclusive to Eddie, could it?

“Uh, kind of, yeah,” Alfie croaked. “I’ve known him since high school, but we didn’t talk much.” That was a lie. Sure, they went to school together, but implying that they interacted at all was inaccurate. “That changed when Eddie moved in nextdoor, though. We’ve been friends ever since… The rest is ancient history, and all that jazz.” Alfie knew he needed to stop embellishing the truth. One quick chat with Eddie and Bex would know the truth. Hell, he apparently didn’t make it a point to mention him to her yet. The ache in Alfie’s chest permeated his entire body. His cheeks flushed and his heart raced. He was being ridiculous, he told himself. It shouldn’t matter that Bex didn’t know about him. It shouldn’t matter that Eddie was making new friends. And having them over to his house. Introducing them to Bucket. Watching movies and cuddling on the couch.

Stop it! His mind screamed at him over the sound of Bex’s voice. What was the last thing she said? “Different kinds?” Alfie parroted, trying to remember the words that came before it. Ghosts, right. His ears were still ringing. She shook his hand and he laughed, returning the gesture long enough to be socially acceptable before withdrawing, completely disregarding his keys on the ground. “No, no — you’re fine! I know a bit about ghosts, but I’ve definitely never had an encounter like that before. It sounds—” terrifying, “— fun!” For what it was worth, Alfie didn’t exactly want to shoo Bex away, not even when his heart was drumming in his chest. Maybe if he changed the subject? “Ah, that’s understandable,” he agreed. “Have you been here long? In White Crest, I mean — not here, here. I can’t say I’ve ever seen you around.”

If the other boy was distracted by thoughts, Bex didn’t notice. She was caught up in her own, thinking about Eddie, and how much fun she’d had with him, and what was wrong with her? She had Mina, she had slept with Mina, more than once, and maybe she wanted more than to just be friends with Mina, so why did she keep thinking about what Eddie had said? Why had he asked her out? Why hadn’t she just told him the truth? Everything was so confusing yet so clear right now. She blinked, and readjusted, because Alfie was talking again and she needed to pay attention. Pay attention. “OH, you went to highschool together? That’s cool! I assume you went to the school here? Yeah, I mean, that’s fair. I always feel like people are very different in highschool than after.”

She looked down at his keys on the floor and wondered if he knew. Should she point them out? “Um, you dropped your keys, by the way.” He was being oddly quiet between bouts of words, and she wondered if he was somehow off put by her. She was being awfully nosy, after all. She couldn’t help it. Eddie was still kind of a mystery to her, aside from his ghost stuff. She wanted to know more about him. She’d have to ask him. Maybe bothering his neighbor was a bad idea. “Oh, me? I mean, technically, yes? I was born here. I live-- lived-- out on Harmony Island. I’m in East End now, but I didn’t go to school in town. I went to a private school up in Augusta, so that’s probably why you haven’t seen me around.” Lately, a lot of locals had been saying that to her. Did everyone just know everyone here? She supposed the whole six degrees of separation was more like two degrees in a tiny town like this. “What about you? Did you grow up here? I mean, obviously you went to school here, but, you know, did you move here or were you always here?”

“Yeah, kinda,” Alfie absentmindedly agreed, not bothering to get into the smaller details. In high school, the boys didn’t have much to do with each other. He saw Eddie around campus and onstage in theater productions, but that was about it. Whoever Eddie was in high school, he doubted they would have gotten along back then.

When Bex mentioned that he’d dropped his keys, Alfie looked almost startled. His eyes shot to his feet where, lo and behold, his keychain limply lied. “Oh, huh, I— yeah, I guess I did,” he grumbled before crouching down and plucking them up. How was he managing to make this much of a fool out of himself? He worried what Bex must have thought of him; more importantly, what Eddie would think if he knew. Would she tell him? ‘Hey, I met your neighbor, Alfie. You know, the one you never mentioned? What a weirdo!’ His thoughts swarmed with what they’d potentially say about him. No doubt laughing as they huddled around Eddie’s computer and bonded over a shared interest.

“Harmony Island, huh? Sounds fancy.” Alfie chewed nervously on the inside of his cheek as he tried to purge the negative thoughts from his mind. Honestly, he didn’t know much about the island. His reaction was purely based on the fact that it was, well, an island. There were probably a lot of fancy houses there, right? As per the natural progression of conversation, the question was now turned on him. “Yeah, I grew up here,” he answered as he shifted his weight, standing somewhat smaller than he had before. “I’ve never left the greater White Crest area, actually. My family— they, uh… own the library. Or, run it, I guess? It’s probably a lot less cool than it sounds unless you really love books.” Bex probably didn’t care about what his family did for a living, but it was better than hearing how great friends she was with Eddie. “I haven’t worked there in a while, though. I’m actually a software developer. Freelance. I could never work a nine-to-five.”

Bex took a small step back as Alfie bent to pick up his keys. He didn’t seem very talkative, and she wondered if it was because of her. Was she making him uncomfortable? Was it weird that she’d come to Eddie’s place without asking before hand? Was he wary of her? Did he not like her? She shook the thoughts from her head and tried to focus back in on what Alfie was saying. “Oh, uh, yeah! My family is actually kind of uh, well known around town,” she said, rubbing the back of her head before hands came together to wring each other out. She looked back over her shoulder, as if maybe she would turn and see Eddie coming down the hallway, but there was nothing. “My parents are pretty well off.” But I don’t speak to them much anymore. Or at all. She shivered at the thought.

“You’re-- family owns the library? The public one? Do-- do you have a sister? I think I might’ve talked to her online! Is her name Leah?” She was somehow grateful for the change of subject, perking back up for a moment. IF she could make friends with Eddie’s friends, then that was only a good thing, right? That had to be a good thing. “Software developer? Woah, that’s so cool! How’d you learn to do that? Did you teach yourself or did you go to school for it? Either way, that’s, like, super impressive.”

Alfie gave a series of small nods as Bex talked about her own family. He wondered if he should know who they were, but thought better of it. He was still a stranger, after all. They knew each other's names and that they shared a mutual friend. That was it. Alfie was never any good at making friends. Sure, there was also Nell, but their friendship started out of sheer luck — and family ties. Small talk was also not within Alfie’s usual realm of comfort. He hated it, in fact. That’s probably why he didn’t have many friends. That and the fact that that he never felt he needed any. Maybe, with any luck, he’d manage to befriend Bex too. “That makes sense; with private school and everything,” he agreed.

A light laugh surfaced from the depths of his chest. “Yeah, that’s the one,” Alfie confirmed after clearing his throat. “Leah, yeah. She’s, uh— she’s great, really.” He never knew what to say when it came to his family. His parents were strict when he was growing up. They still were, actually. Not that he had much to do with them these days. Leah was — beyond a shadow of a doubt — the golden child. Compared to her and their other siblings, Alfie was the black sheep. That wasn’t the sort of information people usually offered to someone they just met. Instead, Alfie kept quiet; at least until Bex showed an interest in his job. All of a sudden, his face lit up. It was cool! “I’m mostly self-taught, actually! I mean, I took some classes for it in high school, but that’s about it. It’s just always been something I’ve enjoyed doing — fiddling around with computers and whatnot.” Alfie grinned sheepishly at Bex. As much as he enjoyed talking about it, he didn’t want to bore her. “What about you, though? Do you work, or…?”

“She is! She was super nice and agreed to let me borrow some books! Which...it’s a library so of course she did, but I mean, like--” Bex lowered her voice a bit and leaned in, “--special books, if you catch my drift.” Supernatural books. Magic books. She smiled again as she leaned back and gave a short chuckle. “Sorry. I just get really excited about books, and when I actually happen to know people. I don't know too many people around town, so it’s nice knowing this place is actually smaller than it seems, you know? Like, who woulda thought that Eddie’s neighbor, who I met coincidentally, was related to the nice librarian lady I talked to online, who also knows my mo-- er, my current guardian, and is friends with her! Isn’t that wild?” She tried to recuperate fast enough to hope Alfie hadn’t caught her stumble. Not that he knew about her situation, but the slip had even her surprised. Morgan wasn’t her mom. Morgan probably didn’t want the responsibility of that, either. Plus, Bex was an adult, mostly. She didn’t need someone to be that for her. She was doing fine, really.

“But, oh, wow! That’s so cool! And so impressive that you learned most of it all on your own! Do you make a lot of money doing it? What kinds of things do you design? I mean, software, obviously, but is it like, firewalls, programs, mods? There’s so much. Me? Oh, well-- I used to intern at my parents’ law firm, but I, uh-- have recently had a change of heart for what I wanna major in. So, currently jobless, just uh, focusing on school! And, well-- I guess ghost hunting, now. Does that count as a job if I’m not getting paid? It feels like more than a hobby, though, you know?”

“Special books — right, totally getcha. Like, say… her personal copy of ‘Interview with the Vampire’,” Alfie nodded. It wasn’t surprising that someone jumping into the ghost hunting scene would be interested in perusing the restricted section of the library. On the contrary, Leah wasn’t known to lend out books (as far as Alfie was aware) and he couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to it than just Bex’s excursions with Eddie. “Sorry, that was lame. But, yes, I caught your drift.” As Bex apologized, Alfie shook his head with a gentle smile. He was no stranger to talking a bit more than he should about things that made him excited. The library might not have been one of his go-to hangouts these days, but if Bex wanted to gush over it, he’d be happy to listen. “No need to apologize! And actually — now that you mention it — White Crest may be a relatively small town, but you’d be surprised how many people I don’t know. I guess it is pretty cool to realize who knows who and whatnot.”

The broad grin never wavered from Alfie’s face. It was easy to push aside his reservations towards Bex when his craft was in question. He was very quickly warming up to this new acquaintance. “A handful of different things, actually! I’ve cast a pretty wide net. I’ve recently been really into programming a personal database. It’s, uh… a work in progress.” Maybe he shouldn’t have said that. In the event that it got back to Leah, his sister might start asking questions that Alfie wasn’t prepared to answer. “But, yeah. You pretty much hit the nail on the head with all of those. The pay’s decent enough, though I haven’t had any big projects lately — takes care of the bills at least.” Did it matter that some of these projects were morally questionable? Alfie was merely the brains behind them; what the clients used them for were out of his control. He objected not to voice this, considering her parents were in law. “Hey, take it from someone who didn’t go to college: you’re allowed to change your mind about that sort of thing. ‘Specially since you’re the one earning the degree. Have you picked a new major, or…? If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”

“Yeah, but less Interview With A Vampire and more--” Bex started, then stopped. She’d been reminded time and time again that telling people she didn’t know that she was a spellcaster was a bad idea. But Alfie was friends with Eddie and he was Leah’s little brother, so he could be trusted, right? She wanted to trust him. “More, Practical Magic.” Oh, that was a blatant reference, wasn’t it? Well, no hiding it now, she supposed. She gave him a sheepish smile and waved it off. “Not lame! Definitely not lame. If it was lame then so was mine.” She chuckled lightly, hoping to move past the notion quickly, nodding eagerly when he amended his statement about White Crest. “Yeah, totally! I’ve definitely noticed that. I mean, I grew up kinda closed off, so I never really knew people around town, but once I started actually meeting people, it was like everyone knew everyone! Or knew of them, at least. Wild, huh? Six degrees of separation who?” Oh, now she was just embarrassing herself. She cleared her throat. “It’s just interesting to see. When I moved away to Penn State briefly, it was so different. Everything was so impersonal.” She’d sort of liked that, though, blending in easily. The dream of that life was so long gone,though.

“Woah, you’re making a whole database all from scratch?? That’s incredible!” Bex exclaimed, perhaps a little too loudly, but she couldn’t help it-- people being excited made her excited and her cheeks bubbled with it. She needed to find every reason to be excited, anyway. Every reason to be happy. “But, you know, pays the bills is good! Especially if it’s something you enjoy! Isn’t that what they say? Find something you love and you’ll never work a day in your life?” She remembered one of her professors telling her that. She didn’t know if it was true. “Oh! Uh, yeah, I have. Um-- Anthropology. I’ll probably focus on uh, Archaeology. It’s what interests me the most. But, really, anything about history interests me. I could probably go to school for the rest of my life getting different history degrees. I won’t, though! But I could.” She rubbed the back of her head. “I’m what they call a History nerd. Or buff. History buff. Anything you wanna know about history, I probably know something about!”

Practical magic? That came as a surprise. The only spellcasters Alfie knew in White Crest were the Vurals. He always figured there were more, but never bothered to find out for himself. A wave of anxiety crashed over him at the thought of Bex having something to do with his curse; a worry that quickly subsided at the realization that no beginner magic-user could be involved in a plot spanning across what was likely centuries. Unless…

“Not lame,” Alfie reiterated with a meek smile. “Although, I can’t exactly say I’ve read it myself.” He wondered if it would be appropriate to ask her more about it — if only to subdue his concern. Maybe it was best to leave it be for the time being.

It was interesting to hear about Bex’s fondness for White Crest. The reasons she seemed to adore the small town were on Alfie’s list of why he wanted to leave it. “That sounds ideal to me,” he said playfully, electing not to elaborate. Explaining that he longed for a bigger city where he could easily hide away would only dampen the mood. Not to mention that it could potentially get back to Eddie who would undoubtedly be upset by it. If anyone could make Alfie stay, it would be him — another thing on his ever-growing list that Alfie wasn’t prepared to get into with Bex.

“More or less,” he chuckled. “The original code is pretty much public domain, but I’ve made my own enhancements.” These ‘enhancements’ being private journals that he so eagerly nicked from the family’s secret collection, though that was neither here nor there. He’d return them… eventually. “I mean, that’s awesome, though! There’s still so much to discover through artifacts from the past.” In a sense, Alfie was doing the same; unearthing his own past through vague remnants of it. “Good on you for chasing your dreams.”

Alfie thoughtfully pursed his lips. He wondered if Bex had anything in her bank of knowledge pertaining to his own circumstances. “Actually, now that you mention it… You don’t happen to have any recommendations on, say, the history of White Crest, do you? More specifically pre-dating European colonization?” It was a long shot, but he couldn’t exactly ask Leah.

“Oh!” Bex perked a bit, “it’s actually a really good book! If you like reading about that kinda stuff, I’d totally suggest it.” She beamed for a moment. She loved talking about books and sharing other people’s interests and, well, it was always nice when people shared hers, too, wasn’t it? She wondered if Alfie knew about all the things that went on in the shadows of White Crest, all the things the world tried to hide from people-- probably, considering he was friends with Eddie, and Eddie didn’t seem like the kinda guy to hoard that type of information. In fact, he was the opposite. She shook the thoughts away.

“What? Oh! Yeah,” she blinked back to the present moment and away from her thoughts and nodded. “I don’t mind living in a small town. I know it’s not everyone’s thing, but I dunno-- it’s not so bad, for me.” It was harder to disappear, but maybe that wasn’t what she wanted anymore. Maybe she did want to be known, after being hidden for so long.

“Enhancements? Well, I mean, still! That’s amazing. I’m sure you made it infinitely better. And, well, yeah, thanks! I just kinda figured, what’s the point of life if you’re just living someone else’s, you know?” She gave pause at his last question. She did, in fact, have recommendations on all that. But they were Morgan’s family notebooks and the ones she’d dug up at the record hall and “borrowed” permanently. No one knew they were missing, not when she’d replaced them with fakes. She chewed her lip. “Uh, I mean, you could check town hall, if you wanted to. They might have some old newspapers or records that could tell you about that stuff. Does your family not have any books on that stuff in the library?” And little did she know, her own parents had records of that time. They’d been in White Crest longer than the town had a name, after all. She shrugged. “Sorry I can’t be more help there.” Her phone buzzed and she glanced down at it. “Oh, uh-- I-- I should probably get going, actually. I-- thanks again, you know, for talking to me and for holding onto that for Eddie for me.”

“I’m not exactly, uh — how do I put this? — affluent in that sort of thing, if I’m being honest,” Alfie chuckled. The hand holding his keys darted behind him to rub the back of his neck. Growing up, Nell tried her best to explain it to him, but the only thing Alfie could relate it to was his lessons on temperature control — and his innate ability to burst into flame. Aside from that, magic simply didn’t make sense to him. He always assumed it was something some were simply born with. These new-age witches and wiccans most likely accomplished nothing more than what any ordinary human was already capable of. Then again, what did he know? He figured it would be impolite to ask Bex whether or not she had any real powers. It wasn’t his business.

Alfie nodded along as Bex spoke, failing to come up with anything valuable to add. Living in White Crest was a curse (at least for him), but he didn’t expect others to share that opinion. He wasn’t sure how far back his history with premature death went. All Alfie knew for certain was that the records he did have access to were set in the unusual town; none of which explained the source for his self-proclaimed “curse”. What he needed to find was something with the answer in bold print — a pissed off spellcaster rebuking one phoenix in particular. Or perhaps an astrological phenomenon occurring around the time of his birth or death. Not that Alfie knew the precise dates.

“Yeah, I mean, the library definitely has some stuff,” he said sheepishly. “But, uh, thanks. I’ll have to give town hall a shot.” At that moment, Bex’s phone buzzed. Alfie hadn’t noticed the tension in his shoulders until then. “Oh, of course! Sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you.” He felt a little guilty for being relieved that Bex was leaving. He hated small talk. “It was great to finally meet you, Bex. I’ll make sure Eddie gets it as soon as he’s home. And, uh… be safe out there.”

#c: bex #writing #howdy neighbor #internalized homophobia tw

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